Council leaders have confirmed that City of York Council will receive more than £3.4m of funding thanks to two separate grants.
The funding, announced this week by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will be used to upgrade around 280 homes over the next three years, to reduce carbon emissions and fuel poverty and improve the comfort and health of Council homes.
The first grant of around £1.4m will be used to improve the energy efficiency of around 140 Council homes via the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.
The second grant of around £2m will be used to improve the energy efficiency of around 140 homes for lower-income home owners through the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme.
These works build on improving 73 Council homes to which 141 energy-efficiency measures have been installed. And they add to the 211 homes of lower-income owners to which have been added 241 new energy efficiency measures. The measures include loft, flat roof, external wall and cavity wall insulation, air source heat pumps, smart heating controls and solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity.
To support eligible owners and landlords of draughty, listed buildings or of homes in conservation areas, the council’s Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) Project has given 452 pieces of advice since November 2023. This project’s funding ends on 31 March 2025, so find out more here or call 01904 555520 or email here.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing at City of York Council, said:
“We know that making York’s homes warmer and better-insulated is a huge benefit to residents; financially and in terms of the positive impact on their wellbeing.
“With rising energy costs and continued concerns around climate change, it’s essential that these improvements are made as soon as possible so that residents will see the benefits for years to come.
“For free advice, assessment and coordination of energy saving measures, York residents who aren’t eligible for the LEAD scheme, should contact YorEnergy by calling 01904 211221 or emailing: hello@yorenergy.co.uk.”
Further details about how to apply for the next phase of retrofit works will be announced as soon as possible. Meanwhile, more information can be found here.
A ‘Team Aberdeen’ of academics, students and energy business experts joined Aberdeen City Council representatives this week at the world’s premier energy conference in Houston.
The Aberdeen delegation at the CERAWeek Conference comprised representatives from the Council, including Council Co-leader Councillor Christian Allard, the Net Zero Technology Centre, Peterson Energy Logistics, Robert Gordon University, and the University of Aberdeen.
Councillor Allard was present during two panel sessions at the conference and the diverse group worked to underline Aberdeen’s credentials as one of the world’s leading energy cities.
Robert Gordon University student Lara Pedrosa, whose participation at the conference along with fellow Msc students Alex Sinclair and Erin Koon was made possible with the support of the SRM Foundation, said before the event: “Absolutely thrilled to be part of the NEXTGen cohort.”
“I’m looking forward to understanding how energy leaders are using data and AI to aid energy transition and what may be applicable to Aberdeen in its own journey.
“I’m excited to engage with experts and academics from a range of disciplines centred around energy transition. I am extremely grateful to the SRM Foundation and Robert Gordon University for creating this opportunity and supporting me throughout the week.”
Councillor Allard said: “The world faces the pressing challenges of climate change and the need for sustainable and secure energy solutions. The importance of collaboration in the energy transition has never been more critical.
“We seek to innovate, implement, and scale the technologies and practices that will drive a cleaner, more resilient energy future investment in the city, bringing the world of oil gas and renewable energy together for a just transition as well as bringing people back to Offshore Europe in Aberdeen in September.
“No single organisation will achieve Net Zero on their own, all of the energy sector is mobilised to achieve this in Aberdeen. It’s collaboration from the public and private sector, like we’re seeing here in Houston this week, and a ‘Team Aberdeen’ approach that will ensure we meet our Net Zero and Climate goals.”
As a founding member of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP), Aberdeen attends CERAWeek in Houston to participate in the conference and the annual WECP Board Working Group.
The world cities of the partnership are home to many of the world’s largest energy companies which are leading initiatives to build a lower-carbon energy future, developing the full range of energy sources to power the world today and into tomorrow.
Photograph shows: Aberdeen City Council Co-leader, Councillor Christian Allard (2nd from left) with mayors from the World Energy Cities Partnership
Two properties in Liverpool which were closed due to anti-social behaviour linked to organised crime have been transformed.
Over the last two years, the council’s Private Sector Housing team have worked in partnership with Merseyside Police to tackle organised crime within rental properties across Liverpool.
Under the Council’s Landlord Licensing scheme, the owners of privately rented properties have a duty to ensure that their tenants behave responsibly.
The Council works to support and advise landlords who have issues with their tenants, and when all other options have been exhausted, this can include the eviction of problematic tenants.
Houses on Goldie Street, in Anfield, and Geraint Street, in Toxteth, were closed in August 2022 and April 2024 respectively under the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Crime and Policing Act 2014. The action was taken due to drug related issues associated with the properties were having a detrimental impact on the local community.
Using powers granted under the Council’s Landlord Licensing scheme, the anti-social behaviour team were able to aid the landlords in evicting the highly problematic tenants.
The properties were refurbished to a high standard, and they were subsequently let out to new tenants to prevent a repeat of the problems that had previously occurred.
Over the last month, the Private Sector Housing team have revisited both properties to carry out compliance inspections, finding both to be a safe standard with the current tenants are delighted to be making their home there.
One resident in Geraint Street told council officers that anti-social behaviour used to severely impact her wellbeing but now describes life on the street as “heavenly”.
On Goldie Street, a local resident noted that what was once a troubled street is now “family-orientated” adding: “It’s nice to have a family living there and the children are back playing out in the street.”
Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: “All of our residents have a right to live in thriving communities where they feel safe and secure, but sadly we know that some don’t.
“The work that has been under taken on these streets in Anfield and Toxteth has made a positive difference to the lives of local people.
“It is a clear demonstration of the positive benefits of our Landlord Licensing scheme in bringing partners together to support landlords to evict difficult tenants.”
Anfield councillor, Billy Marrat, who referred the issue to the Private Sector Housing Team, said: “The house has been turned around and so has the street, with residents stating they are free to go about their ways and not in fear of being intimidated by drug and crack addicts.
“The residents can actually invite their friends and relatives around now, just as any other family would.
“I am really grateful to all the agencies involved and it shows what can be done with a bit of intelligence and the right actions taken.”
Chief Inspector Sarah Rotherham from Merseyside Police, said: “The successful closures send a clear message that we will not tolerate properties to become hubs for crime and antisocial behaviour.
“By working closely with our local authority partners through the landlord licensing scheme, we are ensuring that problem premises are shut down, and our communities remain safe places to live.”
To contact the Private Sector Housing team about issues related to privately rented properties, email privatesector.housing@liverpool.gov.uk or contact them online.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Press release
Joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Charlevoix
A joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Charlevoix
We the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met in Charlevoix on March 12 to 14, 2025.
Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security
We reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence.
We welcomed ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire, and in particular the meeting on March 11 between the U.S. and Ukraine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We applauded Ukraine’s commitment to an immediate ceasefire, which is an essential step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the Charter of the United Nations.
We called for Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully. We discussed imposing further costs on Russia in case such a ceasefire is not agreed, including through further sanctions, caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means. This includes the use of extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilized Russian Sovereign Assets. We underlined the importance of confidence-building measures under a ceasefire including the release of prisoners of war and detainees—both military and civilian—and the return of Ukrainian children.
We emphasized that any ceasefire must be respected and underscored the need for robust and credible security arrangements to ensure that Ukraine can deter and defend against any renewed acts of aggression. We stated that we will continue to coordinate economic and humanitarian support to promote the early recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including at the Ukraine Recovery Conference which will take place in Rome on July 10-11, 2025.
We condemned the provision to Russia of military assistance by DPRK and Iran, and the provision of weapons and dual-use components by China, a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and of the reconstitution of Russia’s armed forces. We reiterated our intention to continue to take action against such third countries.
We expressed alarm about the impacts of the war, especially on civilians and on civilian infrastructure. We discussed the importance of accountability and reaffirmed our commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and to ensure that Ukraine remains democratic, free, strong and prosperous.
Regional peace and stability in the Middle East
We called for the release of all hostages and for the hostages’ remains held by Hamas in Gaza to be returned to their loved ones. We reaffirmed our support for the resumption of unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire. We underscored the imperative of a political horizon for the Palestinian people, achieved through a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that meets the legitimate needs and aspirations of both peoples and advances comprehensive Middle East peace, stability and prosperity. We noted serious concern over the growing tensions and hostilities in the West Bank and calls for de-escalation.
We recognized Israel’s inherent right to defend itself consistent with international law. We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023, and the harm inflicted on the hostages during their captivity and the violation of their dignity through the use of ‘handover ceremonies’ during their release. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.
We expressed our support for the people of Syria and Lebanon, as both countries work towards peaceful and stable political futures. At this critical juncture, we reiterated the importance of Syria’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We called unequivocally for the rejection of terrorism in Syria. We condemned strongly the recent escalation of violence in the coastal regions of Syria, and called for the protection of civilians and for perpetrators of atrocities to be held accountable. We stressed the critical importance of an inclusive and Syrian-led political process. We welcomed the commitment by the Syrian interim government to work with the OPCW in eliminating all remaining chemical weapons.
We stressed that Iran is the principal source of regional instability and must never be allowed to develop and acquire a nuclear weapon. We emphasized that Iran must now change course, de-escalate and choose diplomacy. We underscored the threat of Iran’s growing use of arbitrary detention and foreign assassination attempts as a tool of coercion.
Cooperation to increase security and resilience across the Indo-Pacific
We reiterated our commitment to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.
We remain seriously concerned by the situations in the East China Sea as well as the South China Sea and continue to oppose strongly unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force and coercion. We expressed concern over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippines and Vietnamese vessels as well as efforts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight through militarization and coercion in the South China Sea, in violation of international law. We emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and reiterated our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. We also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.
We remain concerned with China’s military build-up and the continued, rapid increase in China’s nuclear weapons arsenal. We called on China to engage in strategic risk reduction discussions and promote stability through transparency.
We emphasized that China should not conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions.
We expressed concerns about China’s non-market policies and practices that are leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortions. We further called on China to refrain from adopting export control measures that could lead to significant supply chain disruptions. We reiterated that we are not trying to harm China or thwart its economic growth, indeed a growing China that plays by international rules and norms would be of global interest.
We demanded that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons and any other weapons of mass destruction as well as ballistic missile programs in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. We expressed our serious concerns over, and the need to address together, the DPRK’s cryptocurrency thefts. We called on DPRK to resolve the abductions issue immediately.
We denounced the brutal repression of the people of Myanmar by the military regime and called for an end to all violence and for unhindered humanitarian access.
Building stability and resilience in Haiti and Venezuela
We strongly denounced the ongoing horrifying violence that continues to be perpetrated by gangs in Haiti in their efforts to seize control of the government. We reaffirmed our commitment to helping the Haitian people restore democracy, security and stability, including through support to the Haitian National Police and Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission and an increased role for the UN. We expressed support for Haitian authorities’ efforts to create a specialized anti-corruption jurisdiction that complies with the highest international standards.
We reiterated our call for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela in line with the aspirations of the Venezuelan people who peacefully voted on July 28, 2024, for change, the cessation of repression and arbitrary or unjust detentions of peaceful protestors including youth by Nicolas Maduro’s regime, as well as the unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners. We also agreed Venezuelan naval vessels threatening Guyana’s commercial vessels is unacceptable and an infringement of Guyana’s internationally recognized sovereign rights. We reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations as an enduring value.
Supporting lasting peace in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
We unequivocally denounced the ongoing fighting and atrocities in Sudan, including sexual violence against women and girls, which have led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the spread of famine. We called for the warring parties to protect civilians, cease hostilities, and ensure unhindered humanitarian access, and urged external actors to end their support fueling the conflict.
We condemned the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the resulting violence, displacement and grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations. This offensive constitutes a flagrant disregard of the territorial integrity of the DRC. We reiterated our call for M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force to withdraw from all controlled areas. We urged all parties to support the mediation led by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, to promote accountability for human rights abuses by all armed actors, including M23 and the FDLR, and to commit to a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the conflict, including the meaningful participation of women and youth.
Strengthening sanctions and countering hybrid warfare and sabotage
We welcomed efforts to strengthen the Sanctions Working Group focused on listings and enforcement. We also welcomed discussions on the establishment of a Hybrid Warfare and Sabotage Working Group, and of a Latin America Working Group.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
Report by the Director of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR): UK response, March 2025.
Ambassador Neil Holland reaffirms UK support for the OSCE human dimension and calls on Russia and Belarus to cease human rights violations.
Thank you, Mr Chair. Director Telalian, welcome and thank you for your report. I hear congratulations are in order, so congratulations on receiving an honorary degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki earlier this week – showing your expertise is valued outside as well as within this Council.
No one country has all the answers to global human rights challenges. That is why – as participating States – we agreed that implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments requires ongoing commitment and attention from all participating States and is not solely a matter of internal policy.
The United Kingdom will continue to engage with ODIHR and RFOM in respect of our own approach to human rights, the rule of law and democracy. We see strong synergies between your mandate and our priorities and principles, which include consistency – between domestic policy and what the UK stands for internationally; partnership – listening to others, working together to achieve shared goals; and openness – including towards civil society.
We commend your work to defend civic space and fundamental freedoms, to uphold the rule of law, to champion equal rights for all and to support effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. Rest assured of the UK’s continued support, in this Council and elsewhere.
I am delighted to be able to confirm today that the UK will continue its practice of providing extrabudgetary support for ODIHR’s work during the next three years. I would add that an agreed 2025 Unified Budget is vital. I urge all participating States to stop politicising the budget process and join consensus on a budget for this year
Director, your report leaves no room for doubt. Human rights and fundamental freedoms face growing challenges across our region. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the human rights situation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories has deteriorated significantly, with negative impacts of Russian aggression being felt across Ukraine. We welcome ODIHR’s contribution to monitoring and documenting violations of international law, including mistreatment of civilians and prisoners of war. We continue to support ODIHR’s contribution to international accountability efforts.
In Russia, internal repression has enabled external aggression within our region and undermined our collective security. I call on Russia and Belarus to cease internal repression and release all political prisoners now.
I regret that a number of participating States have failed to co-operate fully with ODIHR on international election observation. Fulfilling these necessary conditions is part of meeting our shared OSCE principles and commitments. I call on the countries concerned to provide the necessary conditions for effective and unrestricted operation of future election observation missions and to engage with ODIHR in support of free and fair elections.
Civic space continues to be challenged across our region, including in Georgia. The UK condemns violence against protestors and use of arbitrary detention and physical violence to silence critics of the Georgian Dream government. Individuals responsible for the unlawful use of force must be held accountable. As a fellow OSCE participating State, we will explore all mechanisms in the OSCE context going forward and encourage Georgia to return to the path of European integration that the vast majority of Georgians desire.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
ILO Governing Body: UK Statement on the occupied Arab territories
POL/5: UK Statement for the Enhanced programme of development cooperation for the occupied Arab territories. Delivered at the 353th ILO Governing Body in Geneva.
Thank you Chair
At each Governing Body meeting since the 7th of October, the UK has spoken of the horrors experienced by Palestinians and Israelis. The hostages have endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. For the people of Gaza who have lost lives, homes or loved ones, this conflict has been a living nightmare. We need all parties to uphold the ceasefire and ensure it leads to a sustainable peace and the reconstruction of Gaza.
We thank the Office for your update to the POL5 document and, as ever, I’d like to commend the ongoing actions of the ILO staff in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the continued roll out and expansion of the ILO’s emergency response programme.
We remain deeply concerned about the continued, profound impact on the economy across the Occupied Palestinian Territories with GDP decreased by 26% in the OPTs and 82% in Gaza. There are significant job losses, but for those in work, conditions have significantly worsened with low wages, poor safety standards, and lack of social protection.
Since 7 October 2023, 200,000 permits for Palestinian workers in Israel have been revoked, further impacting the economy and contributing to rising poverty. We urge the government of Israel to reinstate these permits without delay.
Economic stability is squarely in the interest of both parties. The UK also calls on Israel to fully implement the 1994 Paris Protocol and to reduce barriers to trade, helping the Palestinian private sector to recover.
We also note with concern that the implementation of the Knesset legislation on UNRWA not only risks upending the humanitarian response, but threatens thousands of jobs across the OPT. We urge the government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of UNRWA’s operations; no other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace their mandate and experience.
Chair, the UK believes that economic development programmes are the key to enabling Palestinians to preserve their economy, encourage private investment and restart economic growth. So, we encourage the international community to continue to provide this. UK support to date includes agricultural productivity, private sector investment and facilitation between Palestinians and Israelis in water, energy, trade. It included £10m in financial aid and Technical Assistance to strengthen the PA’s ability to deliver services, maintain stability, and deliver reform.
To conclude, Chair, the UK supports the decision as amended by Oman on behalf of the Arab Group.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Kent taxi driver jailed after inflating turnover to secure three Covid loans
Jail for taxi driver who abused Covid Bounce Back Loan Scheme
Taxi driver Nelson Clark dishonestly secured three Covid Bounce Back Loans worth a combined £130,000
Clark fraudulently overstated his turnover on the applications and failed to use the money for his businesses as he was required to do
The 34-year-old has been jailed following investigations into his applications by the Insolvency Service
A Kent taxi driver has been jailed after exploiting a government-backed Covid loan scheme on three separate occasions during the pandemic.
Nelson Clark fraudulently applied for three Bounce Back Loans in 2020 by significantly exaggerating his turnover.
He then used the funds for personal use, breaking the rules of the scheme again.
Clark, 34, of Silver Birch Close, Dartford, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison when he appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday 13 March.
David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
Nelson Clark deliberately targeted a scheme which was set up to support genuine small businesses through Covid.
Clark made false representations on not just one occasion, but three times within a two-month period. His actions were clearly dishonest and he made matters worse by spending the money he received for his own personal benefit.
Five years on from the start of the pandemic, the Insolvency Service remains committed to taking action against the fraudsters who cynically applied for money they were not entitled to during a national emergency.
Clark first applied to the bank for a £30,000 Bounce Back Loan in May 2020 on behalf of his N Clark Taxis business.
In the application, Clark claimed his annual turnover was £120,000. But Insolvency Service analysis revealed this was an over-estimate of around £70,000.
Two months later, Clark dishonestly secured a further £100,000 in Bounce Back Loan funds from different banks under the names of Nelson Clark Management and Rosewood Motors.
In both applications, Clark obtained £50,000 by falsely claiming his turnover for both businesses was £200,000 each.
Significant amounts of the £130,000 Clark fraudulently secured were used for personal purposes, including transfers of £80,000 to a third party.
Clark was declared bankrupt in August 2021 and signed a 10-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking in March 2022, restricting him from being able to borrow more than £500 without disclosing his bankrupt status.
The Insolvency Service is seeking to recover the fraudulently obtained funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Further information
Nelson Clark is of Silver Birch Close, Dartford, Kent. His date of birth is 6 January 1991
Sentenced for: Fraud by false representation, contrary to section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On March 27-28, 2025, the XV International Grushin Sociological Conference will be held in Moscow at the State University of Management (SUM).
The theme of this year’s event is: “Human-centredness vs. socio-centredness: individualization and interaction in the modern world.”
The program included reports, sections and round tables in various areas: technology, public administration, economics, business, personnel, urban space, social connections and cultural changes, new contours of migration processes, modern methods and challenges in sociology, individualization and interaction in the modern world of media, the social effect of public and youth organizations, trends, ethical dilemmas and regulation of the influence of AI on consumer behavior.
Registration is available until March 21 inclusive. Participation is free.
Every year the conference brings together not only representatives of the research industry, but also specialists from science, business, government and the media.
“The Grushinskaya Conference is a traditional platform for discussing the challenges facing the research world and society as a whole. Every year, about 1,500 experts from various fields participate in it. This year, we will discuss human-centrism. What risks and opportunities are opening up thanks to this trend, what problems will we face in the near future? The conference program will be rich, we will discuss the paths to helping sociology, the role of artificial intelligence and media in modern trends, what changes are taking place in cities in the conditions of the new reality and the methodological challenges of the research industry. I am confident that together with the professional community, we will be able to form directions in building a new human-centrism, where everyone will not be an isolated individual, but a full-fledged member of society,” said Valery Fedorov, General Director of VTsIOM.
The full conference program is available on the event website.
The general information partner of the conference is the Russian news agency TASS.
Let us recall that VTsIOM has been holding the Grushin Conference since 2010 with the support of leading scientific, research organizations and universities. The conference is dedicated to the memory of the outstanding Russian sociologist, creator of the first all-Russian network for collecting sociological information Boris Andreevich Grushin (1929-2007).
Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 03/27/2025
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.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The 1st All-Russian scientific and practical conference “Modern approaches in system engineering and digital modeling of complex production systems” (SEDM-2025) was held in the Research Building of the Polytechnic University. The event was organized by the laboratories “Industrial systems of streaming data processing” and “Digital modeling of industrial systems” of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” together with the industrial partner of the SPbPU PISh, the company “Tetracube”.
The conference was dedicated to systems engineering as a methodological approach to the implementation of complex projects in various industries.
Systems engineering is a highly relevant methodological direction in the technological landscape of Russia and the world. It allows implementing complex multi-component projects both for solving frontier engineering problems in the high-tech industry and in other industries – economics, medicine or education. The methodology of systems engineering is universal: it is based on the assessment of all factors, requirements and restrictions that affect the development of the project, and is also a field for the application and development of advanced digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence or mathematical modeling, – noted the chairperson of the conference program committee, head of the Laboratory of PSPOD PISh SPbPU Marina Bolsunovskaya.
The scientific partners of the conference were the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Kazan Federal University, Ivanovo State Polytechnic University and others. The event was supported as industrial partners by the Engineering Center for Textile and Light Industry, the North-West Scientific Center for Hygiene and Public Health of Rospotrebnadzor, Kola MMC, Viziumtex, Olvia and Amdor companies.
SEDM-2025 participants presented scientific research and practical solutions in the field of design, analysis, forecasting and optimization of complex systems in the economy, industry, transport, medicine, social sphere and education. The event attracted more than 200 speakers and listeners – research scientists and representatives of commercial companies and government organizations.
The conference consisted of scientific and practical parts. It was addressed both to “theorists” – specialists who study and develop the methodology of systems engineering, and to practitioners – project managers who use the method of systems engineering to solve specific applied problems at their enterprises.
The presentations were made by recognized experts in the field of studying and implementing approaches to system engineering and digital modeling, theorists and practitioners, as well as students and postgraduates who have chosen system engineering as the direction of their scientific and professional development. For young researchers, the conference became an excellent opportunity to present their research projects to experts, learn their opinions and discuss the practical application of the results.
The plenary session reports presented the main areas of research and development, which were then discussed in more detail in separate sections.
The plenary session was opened by Marina Bolsunovskaya. After welcoming remarks, she spoke about the development of the system engineering methodology using practical examples of the PSPOD Laboratory projects. The speaker noted possible directions for the development of the method and the specifics of its use in implementing complex projects at the enterprises of the laboratory’s industrial partners.
Marina Vladimirovna noted that the requests of enterprises now concern the development of optimization models to identify hidden patterns and develop specific methods for eliminating anomalies. For many customer enterprises, there are no ready-made solutions, so the development of libraries of standard solutions that will allow companies to immediately offer possible solutions for data analysis seems promising.
Elena Tishchenko, Advisor on Digital Economy to the Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, presented a theoretical report on the method of model-based system engineering (Model Based System Engineering) for synthesizing multi-level economic models. The method involves the widespread use of engineering descriptions of objects in the form of models and their platforms in the economy for analyzing complex economic systems.
Alexey Gintsyak, Head of the Laboratory of Digital Modeling of Industrial Systems at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, spoke about the development of a set of tools for generating schedules in production systems using a multi-agent approach. The work is being carried out with the support of the Russian Science Foundation in 2025-2026. The speaker defined multi-agent systems, highlighted the capabilities and features of the multi-agent approach to the applied task of generating production schedules, and revealed the complexity of generating schedules in a multi-agent environment. In conclusion, Alexey Gintsyak noted that taking multi-agency into account allows for obtaining modeling results that are much more adequate to reality.
The report by the head of the laboratory “System Dynamics” Angi Skhvediani was devoted to the application of methods of systems engineering in agriculture. He spoke about the current work on the platform for automatic prediction of the sorption properties of biochar obtained as a result of processing plant waste of the agro-industrial complex. The project includes the development of a database and a program for the analysis and prediction of the sorption properties of waste using machine learning methods, the development of a recommendation system for enterprises and scientists in terms of selecting optimal technological modes of waste processing to obtain functional materials with the best properties.
Associate Professor of the Higher School of Transport of the Institute of Metallurgical Engineering and Technology Dmitry Plotnikov touched upon the topic of digital modeling in the transport industry. The speaker listed interdisciplinary tasks in the development of unmanned ground transport and noted that digital models in the creation of transport systems and processes can be used as a means of supporting decision-making in the design of the life cycle of a vehicle and transport systems in general, as well as an element of the finished product that determines its operational properties. The speaker shared the experience of creating an unmanned car at the Polytechnic University and the complex tasks that the development team faces.
The conference became a platform for exchanging experience in the field of systems engineering in the transport industry, where there was a place for both experienced professionals and young scientists. Interesting works on the use of simulation modeling for effective traffic management were presented. The reports on the creation of intelligent transport systems deserved special attention, – the speaker noted.
The head of the control and audit department of the enterprise “Gorelektrotrans” Elena Ezhelina made a report on the development of a new model for managing the enterprise of ground urban electric transport for the automation and optimization of its work. One of the first steps in this direction, Elena Aleksandrovna believes, could be the automation of the management of the daily cycle of the enterprise’s work, which will require the creation of a single dispatch service.
Deputy Head of the Traffic Safety Service of Gorelektrotrans Alexey Vishensky spoke about his model for distributing tram and trolleybus drivers on city passenger transportation routes. The model is aimed at ensuring the required volume of transport services while complying with legal requirements. The number of drivers is calculated taking into account the design capacity of the fleet, working time fund, work schedules, vacations, knowledge of routes and other factors.
Anastasia Gorbach, an engineer at Radioavionika JSC, presented an analysis of technologies for implementing artificial intelligence in the process of spelling and punctuation checking using a systems approach. Traditional verification methods based on dictionaries and grammar rules are not effective enough for complex language structures. Using AI to check spelling and punctuation is part of a wider range of technologies that can be applied in the development and optimization of complex technical systems to automate and optimize documentation and communication within the system.
The most popular sections among the participants were on systems engineering in the field of economics and on digital modeling in industry and related industries. More than 40 reports were submitted for some sessions.
Teachers and students from various departments of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute, such as the Higher School of Computer Technologies and Information Systems of the IKNK, the Higher School of Project Activity and Innovations in Industry and the Higher School of Transport of the IMMIT SPbPU, the Higher School of Engineering and Economics, the Higher School of Business Engineering and the Laboratory of System Dynamics of the IPMET SPbPU, took an active part in organizing and holding the conference.
Students of the master’s program of the St. Petersburg Polytechnical University “Systems Engineering and Digital Modeling in High-Tech Industries” presented their developments in the field of systems engineering at the conference.
The conference was organized for the first time and, it must be said, exceeded our expectations. We saw great interest in the methodology of systems engineering from industrial partners and university researchers – teachers, researchers, students and postgraduates. Next year, we plan to expand the conference topics. In particular, there will be a hybrid modeling section, entirely dedicated to this promising approach within the framework of systems engineering, which allows combining classical analytics and artificial intelligence technologies, – noted Marina Bolsunovskaya.
Based on the results of the conference, a collection of papers will be published with a DOI and ISBN assigned, and full-text article-by-article placement in the Russian Science Citation Index.
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.
The IMF Executive Board completed the fifth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement for Nepal, providing the country with access to SDR 31.4 million (about US$ 41.8 million).
Nepal has made tangible progress in implementing economic reforms under the program, despite a challenging political environment and disruptions caused by the September 2024 floods.
The growth recovery is expected to continue in FY2024/25, supported by increased capital spending including on reconstruction, an accommodative monetary policy stance, and additional hydropower generation.
Washington, DC: On March 12, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the fifth review under the four‑year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for Nepal, allowing the authorities to withdraw the equivalent of SDR 31.4 million (about US$ 41.8 million) under the ECF. This brings total disbursements under the ECF for budget support thus far to SDR 219.7 million (about US$ 289.1 million).
The ECF arrangement for Nepal was approved by the Executive Board on January 12, 2022 (see Press Release No. 22/6) for SDR 282.4 million (180 percent of quota). Nepal has made tangible progress in implementing reforms under the program, which has supported early signs of economic recovery while preserving macroeconomic and financial stability and protecting the vulnerable.
The economy continues to face challenges with subdued domestic demand. Economic activity is expected to pick up moderately in FY2024/25 on account of disruptions caused by the September 2024 floods. Growth is expected to reach 4.2 percent in FY2024/25, supported by a planned increase in capital spending including on reconstruction, an accommodative monetary policy stance, and additional hydropower generation. Post-flood supply-side pressures are expected to be short-lived, and average inflation is projected to remain close to the Nepal Rastra Bank’s target of about 5 percent. Efforts to mobilize revenues will support development spending and fiscal sustainability. The outlook is subject to important downside risks including those related to possible under-execution of capital spending, financial-sector vulnerabilities, and political fragility.
Following the Executive Board discussion, Mr. Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director, made the following statement:
“Executive Directors welcomed the continued recovery and the broadly adequate performance under the program, acknowledging the challenges posed by political uncertainty and recent flood-related disruptions. They noted that while the outlook remains broadly favorable, it is subject to downside risks. Accordingly, Directors encouraged continued prudent policies to safeguard macroeconomic stability and steadfast implementation of structural reforms to foster sustainable and inclusive growth. Fund capacity development will also be important to achieve program objectives.
“Directors recommended continued gradual, growth-friendly fiscal consolidation to stabilize debt. Noting the need to mobilize revenue to support higher capital spending and protect the vulnerable, Directors welcomed the newly adopted Domestic Revenue Mobilization Strategy. They also underscored the need to strengthen public investment management to enhance capital spending execution. Further advancing fiscal transparency would help to contain fiscal risks and strengthen fiscal sustainability. Directors emphasized the importance of supporting the most vulnerable including through expanding child grants.
“Directors agreed that monetary policy should remain cautious and data-driven to preserve price and external stability. They highlighted the importance of amending the Nepal Rastra Bank Act to strengthen its governance, independence and accountability.
“Directors underscored that increasing financial sector vulnerabilities warrant a proactive approach. They encouraged steps to further align financial sector regulations with international standards, conduct the planned Loan Portfolio Review, and develop a comprehensive strategy to address problematic savings and credit cooperatives. Noting Nepal’s recent FATF grey listing, Directors stressed the urgency of strengthening the AML/CFT framework through reforms to enhance legal, regulatory, and supervisory frameworks.
“Directors called for ambitious structural reforms to support more sustainable and inclusive growth. They recommended efforts to reduce the high cost of doing business, enhance the investment climate, improve governance, and strengthen anticorruption institutions. Nepal’s high vulnerability to natural disasters underscores the importance of enhancing resilience to climate shocks.”
Fiscal Indicators: Central Government (in percent of GDP)
Total revenue and grants
22.9
19.3
19.2
19.8
20.9
21.5
22.1
22.6
22.6
of which: Tax revenue
19.8
16.2
16.4
17.0
17.8
18.4
19.1
19.6
19.6
Expenditure
26.1
25.2
21.9
24.3
25.0
25.4
25.8
26.2
26.2
Expenses
21.7
20.8
18.6
19.3
19.4
19.5
19.6
19.8
19.8
Net acquisition of nonfinancial assets
4.3
4.4
3.3
5.0
5.6
5.9
6.2
6.4
6.4
Operating balance
1.2
-1.4
0.6
0.5
1.5
2.1
2.5
2.8
2.8
Net lending/borrowing
-3.1
-5.8
-2.7
-4.5
-4.1
-3.8
-3.7
-3.6
-3.6
Statistical discrepancy
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Net financial transactions
3.1
5.8
2.7
4.5
4.1
3.8
3.7
3.6
3.6
Net acquisition of financial assets
2.6
-0.9
0.5
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
Net incurrence of liabilities
5.8
4.9
3.2
5.8
5.4
5.1
5.0
4.9
4.9
Foreign
2.0
1.7
1.6
1.7
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.3
1.4
Domestic
3.7
3.3
1.6
4.1
3.9
3.7
3.7
3.5
3.5
Money and Credit (annual percent change)
Broad money
6.8
11.4
13.6
10.1
10.1
10.3
10.5
10.7
10.7
Domestic credit
17.9
8.8
6.2
8.2
9.6
10.3
10.5
10.7
10.7
Private sector credit
13.3
4.6
6.1
7.2
8.1
9.1
10.0
10.7
10.7
Saving and Investment (in percent of nominal GDP)
Gross investment
37.6
31.7
32.9
37.5
39.4
38.3
37.0
35.8
34.7
Gross fixed investment
29.0
25.1
26.1
29.7
31.2
30.4
29.3
28.3
27.5
Private
23.6
21.7
22.7
24.7
25.6
24.5
23.1
21.9
21.1
Central government
5.3
3.4
3.3
5.0
5.6
5.9
6.2
6.4
6.4
Change in Stock
8.7
6.6
6.8
7.8
8.2
8.0
7.7
7.4
7.2
Gross national saving
25.1
30.8
36.7
36.2
35.5
34.5
33.2
32.2
31.0
Private
24.4
32.7
36.5
36.3
34.9
33.3
31.6
30.1
29.1
Central government
0.7
-1.9
0.2
-0.1
0.6
1.2
1.7
2.0
2.0
Balance of Payments
Current account (in millions of U.S. dollars)
-5,174
-361
1,663
-630
-1,969
-2,166
-2,321
-2,479
-2,760
In percent of GDP
-12.6
-0.9
3.8
-1.3
-3.8
-3.8
-3.7
-3.6
-3.7
Trade balance (in millions of U.S. dollars)
-13,759
-10,699
-10,431
-12,481
-15,053
-15,957
-16,797
-17,678
-18,664
In percent of GDP
-33.4
-26.2
-24.0
-26.7
-29.2
-28.2
-27.0
-25.8
-24.8
Exports of goods (y/y percent change)
43.9
-19.9
-2.5
8.9
9.6
9.1
9.7
9.4
9.4
Imports of goods (y/y percent change)
21.9
-22.0
-2.5
18.4
19.4
6.3
5.7
5.7
6.0
Workers’ remittances (in millions of U.S. dollars)
8,326
9,485
10,864
11,151
11,680
12,258
12,766
13,283
13,767
In percent of GDP
20.2
23.2
25.0
23.8
22.7
21.6
20.5
19.4
18.3
Gross official reserves (in millions of U.S. dollars)
8,956
10,954
14,547
15,301
15,004
14,821
14,876
14,897
15,289
In months of prospective imports
7.6
9.3
10.5
9.4
8.7
8.1
7.7
7.2
7.0
Memorandum Items
Public debt (in percent of GDP)
42.7
47.1
48.2
50.0
50.4
50.6
50.6
50.5
50.5
Nominal GDP (in billions of U.S. dollars)
41.2
40.9
43.4
46.8
51.5
56.6
62.3
68.5
75.3
Nominal GDP (in billions of Nepalese Rupees)
4,977
5,349
5,776
6,333
7,040
7,792
8,623
9,543
10,562
Net International Reserves (in millions of U.S. dollars)
8,821
10,507
14,064
14,744
14,451
14,321
14,440
14,541
15,027
Primary Deficit (in billions of Nepali Rupees)
110
239
76
183
179
175
180
182
204
Primary Deficit (in percent of GDP)
2.2
4.5
1.3
2.9
2.5
2.2
2.1
1.9
1.9
Tax Revenue (in billions of Nepalese Rupees)
984
866
945
1,074
1,250
1,436
1,648
1,868
2,065
Tax Revenue (In percent of GDP)
19.8
16.2
16.4
17.0
17.8
18.4
19.1
19.6
19.6
Private sector credit (in percent of GDP)
94.2
91.7
90.1
88.0
85.6
84.3
83.8
83.8
83.9
Exchange rate (NPR/US$; period average)
120.8
130.8
133.0
…
…
…
…
…
…
Real effective exchange rate (average, y/y percent change)
1.6
1.2
1.4
…
…
…
…
…
…
1/ Fiscal year ends in mid-July.
Note: The NSO adopts a 3 year cycle in its national accounts producing preliminary, revised and final estimates for real GDP growth. In May 2023 growth was revised up in FY2020/21 from 4.2 percent to 4.8 percent and from 5.3 percent to 5.6 percent in FY2021/22 in light of new data.
Note: Current baseline forecast is as of January 29, 2025.
Source: Republic of France in English The Republic of France has issued the following statement:
We the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met in Charlevoix on March 12 to 14, 2025.
Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security
We reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence.
We welcomed ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire, and in particular the meeting on March 11 between the U.S. and Ukraine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We applauded Ukraine’s commitment to an immediate ceasefire, which is an essential step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the Charter of the United Nations.
We called for Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a ceasefire on equal terms and implementing it fully. We discussed imposing further costs on Russia in case such a ceasefire is not agreed, including through further sanctions, caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means. This includes the use of extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilized Russian Sovereign Assets. We underlined the importance of confidence-building measures under a ceasefire including the release of prisoners of war and detainees—both military and civilian—and the return of Ukrainian children.
We emphasized that any ceasefire must be respected and underscored the need for robust and credible security arrangements to ensure that Ukraine can deter and defend against any renewed acts of aggression. We stated that we will continue to coordinate economic and humanitarian support to promote the early recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including at the Ukraine Recovery Conference which will take place in Rome on July 10-11, 2025.
We condemned the provision to Russia of military assistance by DPRK and Iran, and the provision of weapons and dual-use components by China, a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and of the reconstitution of Russia’s armed forces. We reiterated our intention to continue to take action against such third countries.
We expressed alarm about the impacts of the war, especially on civilians and on civilian infrastructure. We discussed the importance of accountability and reaffirmed our commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and to ensure that Ukraine remains democratic, free, strong and prosperous.
Regional peace and stability in the Middle East
We called for the release of all hostages and for the hostages’ remains held by Hamas in Gaza to be returned to their loved ones. We reaffirmed our support for the resumption of unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire. We underscored the imperative of a political horizon for the Palestinian people, achieved through a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that meets the legitimate needs and aspirations of both peoples and advances comprehensive Middle East peace, stability and prosperity. We noted serious concern over the growing tensions and hostilities in the West Bank and calls for de-escalation.
We recognized Israel’s inherent right to defend itself consistent with international law. We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023, and the harm inflicted on the hostages during their captivity and the violation of their dignity through the use of ‘handover ceremonies’ during their release. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.
We expressed our support for the people of Syria and Lebanon, as both countries work towards peaceful and stable political futures. At this critical juncture, we reiterated the importance of Syria’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We called unequivocally for the rejection of terrorism in Syria. We condemned strongly the recent escalation of violence in the coastal regions of Syria, and called for the protection of civilians and for perpetrators of atrocities to be held accountable. We stressed the critical importance of an inclusive and Syrian-led political process. We welcomed the commitment by the Syrian interim government to work with the OPCW in eliminating all remaining chemical weapons.
We stressed that Iran is the principal source of regional instability and must never be allowed to develop and acquire a nuclear weapon. We emphasized that Iran must now change course, de-escalate and choose diplomacy. We underscored the threat of Iran’s growing use of arbitrary detention and foreign assassination attempts as a tool of coercion.
Cooperation to increase security and resilience across the Indo-Pacific
We reiterated our commitment to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.
We remain seriously concerned by the situations in the East China Sea as well as the South China Sea and continue to oppose strongly unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force and coercion. We expressed concern over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippines and Vietnamese vessels as well as efforts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight through militarization and coercion in the South China Sea, in violation of international law. We emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and reiterated our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. We also expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.
We remain concerned with China’s military build-up and the continued, rapid increase in China’s nuclear weapons arsenal. We called on China to engage in strategic risk reduction discussions and promote stability through transparency.
We emphasized that China should not conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions.16. We expressed concerns about China’s non-market policies and practices that are leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortions. We further called on China to refrain from adopting export control measures that could lead to significant supply chain disruptions. We reiterated that we are not trying to harm China or thwart its economic growth, indeed a growing China that plays by international rules and norms would be of global interest.
We demanded that the DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons and any other weapons of mass destruction as well as ballistic missile programs in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. We expressed our serious concerns over, and the need to address together, the DPRK’s cryptocurrency thefts. We called on DPRK to resolve the abductions issue immediately.
We denounced the brutal repression of the people of Myanmar by the military regime and called for an end to all violence and for unhindered humanitarian access.
Building stability and resilience in Haiti and Venezuela
We strongly denounced the ongoing horrifying violence that continues to be perpetrated by gangs in Haiti in their efforts to seize control of the government. We reaffirmed our commitment to helping the Haitian people restore democracy, security and stability, including through support to the Haitian National Police and Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission and an increased role for the UN. We expressed support for Haitian authorities’ efforts to create a specialized anti-corruption jurisdiction that complies with the highest international standards.
We reiterated our call for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela in line with the aspirations of the Venezuelan people who peacefully voted on July 28, 2024, for change, the cessation of repression and arbitrary or unjust detentions of peaceful protestors including youth by Nicolas Maduro’s regime, as well as the unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners. We also agreed Venezuelan naval vessels threatening Guyana’s commercial vessels is unacceptable and an infringement of Guyana’s internationally recognized sovereign rights. We reaffirmed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations as an enduring value.
Supporting lasting peace in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
We unequivocally denounced the ongoing fighting and atrocities in Sudan, including sexual violence against women and girls, which have led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and the spread of famine. We called for the warring parties to protect civilians, cease hostilities, and ensure unhindered humanitarian access, and urged external actors to end their support fueling the conflict.
We condemned the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the resulting violence, displacement and grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations. This offensive constitutes a flagrant disregard of the territorial integrity of the DRC. We reiterated our call for M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force to withdraw from all controlled areas. We urged all parties to support the mediation led by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, to promote accountability for human rights abuses by all armed actors, including M23 and the FDLR, and to commit to a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the conflict, including the meaningful participation of women and youth.
Strengthening sanctions and countering hybrid warfare and sabotage
We welcomed efforts to strengthen the Sanctions Working Group focused on listings and enforcement. We also welcomed discussions on the establishment of a Hybrid Warfare and Sabotage Working Group, and of a Latin America Working Group.
QS 2025 ranking: Sciences Po in the worldwide top 5 for the subject ‘Politics’
According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, Sciences Po ranks 4ᵉ worldwide in the “Politics” (formerly known as “Politics & International Studies”) category out of more than 1,700 international universities. For the past seven years, Sciences Po has been among the top 5 universities in this discipline internationally. The university remains 1rst in France and 1rst in the European Union (UE).
Sciences Po shines in other fields too
The quality of Sciences Po’s research and teaching has also enabled the institution to make a name for itself in other rankings by subject:
The future of European Union defence unsurprisingly topped the March 2025 plenary session agenda. Members held a debate on Europe’s security architecture and the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine, in the presence of the Presidents of the European Council, and European Commission. Debates also took place on the conclusions of the 6 March special European Council meeting and preparation of the regular meeting on 20 21 March 2025. Members marked International Women’s Day with addresses from guests representing European women fighting for freedom and peace: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of Belarus’ democratic forces; Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, a former political prisoner in Belarus; Leniie Umerova, a Crimean Tatar activist; and Tata Kepler, Ukrainian medical volunteer and activist. Members also discussed Council and Commission statements on the Roadmap for Women’s Rights. Debates followed Council and Commission statements on the deteriorating situation in Gaza and secessionist threats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the clean industrial deal, and action plans for the automotive industry and affordable energy. Debates looked at the Commission’s vision for agriculture and food, and the first ‘omnibus’ simplification proposals, as well as on supporting EU regions vulnerable to the effects of climate change; the social and employment aspects of restructuring processes; EU Consumers Day, and the European Schools Alliance.
Europe must swiftly address huge challenges, in the face of a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape and major fiscal policy changes. With an increasingly protectionist United States (US) on one side and China becoming an ever-more direct competitor across industries on the other, Europe’s economic future is fraught with uncertainty. In these testing times, the Next Generation EU (NGEU) recovery instrument, which has contributed to the EU economy’s swift rebound from the COVID-19 crisis, is expected to increase its impact on potential growth from 2025. The implementation of the strategic investment and reform plans financed by NGEU continues at varying intensity across the EU, with a number of measures being suggested to tackle possible risks of under-execution.
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: OSCE supports strengthening role of youth in political processes
Participants of the three-day capacity building training course for youth wings of political parties, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro and the Youth Network of Montenegro, Budva, 13 March 2025. (OSCE) Photo details
Young leaders from twelve political parties gathered in Budva from 11 to 13 March to discuss strategies for the inclusion of youth in political decision-making processes, and to develop teamwork and collaboration for advocating dialogue and co-operation, in the context of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.
This event was organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) Local Branch Office in Montenegro and the Youth Network of Montenegro.
In his opening address, Giovanni Gabassi, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, encouraged young leaders to influence the modus operandi of their respective parties , raising awareness among their colleagues on the importance of consulting youth. “Most importantly, you are proof that collaboration with peers from across the political spectrum is possible in order to build a better place for Montenegrin youth to prosper together,” said Gabassi.
Edin Koljenović, Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro, stated that this training course, the first of its kind, “brings together representatives of parties from the opposition and the ruling majority for discussion and potential co-operation in the local community and in the region.” He added that more training sessions of this kind are planned in future.
Vladimir Obradović, State Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and Youth, said that young people were key agents of social change. “While politics is one of the most important means through which you can shape the future of Montenegro. That is why it is important that young leaders are empowered, well-informed and ready for constructive dialogue and co-operation,” said Obradović.
During this three-day event, the Council of Youth Wings of Political Parties was established as part of the Youth Network of Montenegro. One of its first tasks will be the preparation of the 2025 session of the Youth Parliament in the Parliament of Montenegro.
A five-story replica of a stamp of Superman in 1998 in Cleveland, home of the superhero’s creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File
Nearly a hundred years ago, a hastily crafted spaceship crash-landed in Smallville, Kansas. Inside was an infant – the sole survivor of a planet destroyed by old age. Discovering he possessed superhuman strength and abilities, the boy committed to channeling his power to benefit humankind and champion the oppressed.
This is the story of Superman: one of the most recognizable characters in history, who first reached audiences in the pages of Action Comics in 1938 – what many fans consider the most important single comic in history.
As a historian of American immigration and ethnicity – and a lifelong comics fan – I read this well-known bit of fiction as an allegory about immigration and the American dream. It is, at its core, the ultimate story of an immigrant in the early 20th century, when many people saw the United States as a land with open gates, providing such orphans of the world an opportunity to reach their fullest potential.
Taken in and raised by a rural family under the name Clark Kent, the baby was imbued with the best qualities of America. But, like all immigrant stories, Kent’s is a two-parter. There is also the emigrant story: the story of how Kal-El – Superman’s name at birth – was driven from his home on Planet Krypton to embrace a new land.
That origin story reflects the heritage of Superman’s creators: two of the many Jewish American writers and artists who ushered in the Golden Age of comic books.
The American comics industry was largely started by the children of Jewish immigrants. Like most publishing in the early 20th century, it was centered in New York City, home to the country’s largest Jewish population. Though they were still a very small minority, immigration had swelled the United States’ Jewish population more than a thousandfold: from roughly 3,000 in 1820 to roughly 3,500,000 in 1920.
Comic books had not yet been devised, but strip comics in newspapers were a regular feature. They began in the late 19th century with popular stories featuring recurring characters, such as Richard F. Outcault’s “Yellow Kid” and “the Little Bears” by Jimmy Swinnerton.
A few Jewish creators were able to break into the industry, such as Harry Hershfield and his comic “Abie the Agent.” Hershfield’s success was exceptional in three ways: He broke into mainstream newspaper comics, his titular character was also Jewish, and he never adopted an anglicized pen name – as many other Jewish creators felt they must.
Shoppers and vendors outside of haberdasheries on Hester Street in a Jewish neighborhood of New York’s Lower East Side around 1900. Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Generally, however, Jews were barred from the more prestigious jobs in newspaper cartooning. A more accessible alternative was the cheaper, second-tier business of reprinting previously published works.
In 1933, second-generation Jewish New Yorker Max Gaines – born Maxwell Ginzburg – began a new publication, “Funnies on Parade.” “Funnies” pulled together preexisting comic strips, reproducing them in saddle-stitched pamphlets that became the standard for the American comics industry. He went on to found All-American Comics and Educational Comics.
Another publisher, Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, founded National Allied Publications in 1934 and published the first comic book to feature entirely new material, rather than reprints of newspaper strips. He joined forces with two Jewish immigrants, Harry Donenfeld and Jack Leibowitz. At National, they created and distributed Detective and Action Comics – the precursors to DC, which would become one of the two largest comics distributors in history.
It was at Action Comics that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two second-generation immigrants from a Jewish neighborhood in Cleveland, found a home for Superman. It would also be where two Jewish kids from the Bronx, Bob Kane and Bill Finger – born Robert Kahn and Milton Finger – found a home for their character, Batman, in 1939.
The success of these characters inspired another prominent second-generation Jewish New Yorker, pulp magazine publisher Moses “Martin” Goodman, to enter comics production with his line, “Timely Comics.” The 1939 debut featured what would become two of the early industry’s most well-known superheroes: the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch. These characters would be mainstays of Goodman’s company, even when it became better known as Marvel Comics.
Thus were born the “big two,” Marvel and DC, from humble Jewish origins.
…and Jewish stories
The creation and popularization of superhero comics isn’t Jewish just because of its history. The content was, too, reflecting the values and priorities of Jewish America at the time: a community influenced by its origins and traditions, as well as the American mainstream.
Some of the most foundational early comics echo Jewish history and texts, such as Superman’s story, which parallels the Jewish hero Moses. The biblical prophet was born in Egypt, where the Israelites were enslaved, and soon after Pharaoh ordered the murder of all their newborn sons. Similarly, Superman’s people, the Kryptonians, faced an existential threat: the destruction of their planet.
Moses’ life is saved when his mother floats him down the Nile in a hastily constructed and tarred basket. Kal-El, too, is sent away to safety in a hastily constructed craft. Both boys are raised by strangers in a strange land and destined to become heroes to their people.
Comics also reflected the feelings and fears of Jews in a moment in time. For example, in the wake of Kristallnacht – the 1938 night of widespread organized attacks on German Jews and their property, which many historians see as a turning point toward the Holocaust – Finger and Kane debuted Batman’s Gotham City. The city is a dark contrast to Superman’s shining metropolis, a place where villains lurked around every corner and reflected the darkest sides of modern humanity.
Some comic artists and writers used their platform to make political statements. Jack Kirby – born Kurtzberg – and Hymie “Joe” Simon, creators of Captain America, explained that they “knew what was going on over in Europe. World events gave us the perfect comic-book villain, Adolf Hitler, with his ranting, goose-stepping and ridiculous moustache. So we decided to create the perfect hero who would be his foil.” The comic debut of Captain America in 1941 featured a brightly colored cover with the brand-new hero punching Adolf Hitler in the face.
In later generations, characters penned by Jewish authors continued to grapple with issues of outsider status, hiding aspects of their identity, and maintaining their determination to better the world in spite of rejection from it. Think of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and X-Men. All of these were created by Stan Lee – another Jewish creator, born Stanley Martin Lieber – who was hired into Timely Comics at just 17 years old.
With so many of the most popular comics written by New York Jews, and centered in the city, much of New York’s Yiddish-tinged, recognizably Jewish language made its way onto the pages. Lee’s Spider-Man, for example, frequently exclaims “oy!” or calls bad guys “putz” or “shmuck.”
In later years, Jewish authors such as Chris Claremont and Brian Michael Bendis introduced or took over mainstream characters who were overtly Jewish – reflecting an emerging comfort with a more public Jewish ethnic identity in America. In X-Men, for example, Kitty Pryde recounts her encounters with contemporary antisemitism. Magneto, who is at times friend but often foe of the X-Men, developed a backstory as a Holocaust survivor.
History is never solely about retelling; it’s about gaining a better understanding of complex narratives. Trends in comics history, particularly in the superhero genre, offer insight into the ways that Jewish American anxieties, ambitions, patriotism and sense of place in the U.S. continually changed over the 20th century. To me, this understanding makes the retelling of these classic stories even more meaningful and entertaining.
Miriam Eve Mora does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Saudi Arabia is 2,000 miles from Ukraine and even more politically distant, so at first glance it might seem like it has nothing to do with the ongoing war there. But the Gulf state has emerged as a key intermediary in the most serious ceasefire negotiations since Russia invaded its neighbor three years ago.
The resulting agreement, which is now being mulled in Moscow, is all the more notable given that it followed a diplomatic breakdown just weeks before at the Oval Office between Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Whether the proposed interim 30-day ceasefire materializes is still uncertain. On March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the proposal in principle, but he added that a lot of the details needed to be sorted out.
Should a deal be reached, there is every reason to believe it will be inked in Saudi Arabia, which has hosted not only the latest U.S.-Ukrainian talks but earlier rounds of high-level Russian-U.S. meetings.
But why is a Gulf nation playing mediator in a conflict in Eastern Europe? As an expert on Saudi politics, I believe the answer to that lies in the kingdom’s diplomatic ambitions and its desire to present a more positive image to the world. And in the background is the goal of better positioning the nation in the event of diplomatic maneuvers in its own region, notably in regards to any talks between U.S. and Iran.
The diplomatic convertion of MBS
Saudi Arabia’s growing diplomatic role has been a feature of the kingdom’s foreign policy since 2022.
Crown Prince Mohammed, who that year succeeded his father as prime minister, views Saudi Arabia as the convening power in the Arab and Islamic world.
Accordingly, officials in the kingdom have been directed to lead regional diplomacy over a number of pressing issues, including the conflicts in Gazaand Sudan.
At the same time, Saudis have started the process of reconciliation with Iran, which has long been perceived as the chief regional rival to Saudi influence.
This approach brought little in the way of stability. Rather, it left the country ensnared in an unwinnable war in Yemen, a fruitless row with Qatar, and diplomatic isolation by Western officials.
Saudi officials, in common with their counterparts in the other Gulf states, have long sought to avoid taking sides in the emerging era of great power competition and strategic rivalry. As such, the kingdom has maintained working relations with both Russia and pro-Western Ukraine since the outbreak of war in Europe.
In 2022, for example, Saudi Arabia and Russia – both leaders of OPEC+ – coordinated oil production cuts to cushion Moscow from the effects of global sanctions the West imposed after it invaded Ukraine. Yet just months later, Saudi Arabia invited Zelenskyy to address an Arab League summit in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
It was a prelude to a 2023 international summit, also in Jeddah, which brought together representatives from 40 countries to discuss the ongoing war.
Despite failing to produce a breakthrough, the meeting illustrated the convening reach of the crown prince and his intention to act as a diplomatic go-between in the Ukraine-Russia war.
Saudi Arabia and neighboring United Arab Emirates later facilitated occasional prisoner exchanges between the two countries – rare diplomatic successes in three years of conflict.
Staging ground for diplomacy
Direct engagement in high-stakes international diplomacy over the largest war in Europe since 1945 is undoubtedly a step up in Saudi ambitions. But the country’s efforts aren’t purely altruistic. Riyadh believes there’s mileage to be gained in such diplomatic endeavors.
The advent of a Trump presidency has fit Saudi desires. Trump has made his desire to be seen as a dealmaker and peacemaker clear, but he needs a neutral venue in which the hard work of diplomacy can flourish.
Just weeks into the new U.S. administration, the Saudi capital hosted the first meeting between a U.S. secretary of state and Russian foreign minister since Russia invaded in 2022.
It yielded an agreement to “re-establish the bilateral relationship” and establish a consultation mechanism to “address irritants” in ties.
The two rounds of dialogue in Riyadh – first with Russia, then Ukraine – have positioned the Saudi leadership firmly in the diplomatic process. It has also gone some way to rehabilitate Mohammed bin Salman’s image.
The sight of the crown prince warmly greeting Zelenskyy contrasted sharply with the images from a fractious White House meeting that went around the world, presenting the crown prince as a statesmanlike figure.
Turning to Tehran
Such positive optics would have seemed inconceivable as recently as 2019, when the crown prince was shunned and then presidential candidate Joe Biden labeled the country a “pariah” state.
Changing this negative global perception of Saudi Arabia is crucial if the kingdom is to attract the tens of millions of visitors that are pivotal to the success of the “giga-projects” – sports, culture and tourism events that the Saudis hope will drive its economy and allow the kingdom to be less economically dependent on fossil fuel exports.
Whereas easing tensions with Iran and supporting Yemen’s fragile truce are about derisking the kingdom’s vulnerability to regional volatility, facilitating diplomacy over Ukraine is a relatively cost-free way to reinforce the changing narratives about Saudi Arabia.
After all, any breakdown in the Russia-U.S.-Ukraine negotiations is unlikely to be blamed on the Saudis.
Indeed, Saudi officials may view their engagement with U.S. officials over Ukraine as the prelude to further diplomatic cooperation. And this will be especially true if Crown Prince Mohammed is able to establish himself as an indispensable partner in the eyes of Trump.
Saudi officials were excluded from the last major talks between Iran and the U.S., which also involved several other major world powers and led to the 2016 Iran nuclear deal. Trump withdrew from the deal shortly after assuming office for the first time in 2017, and U.S.-Iranian relations have been moribund since then.
The U.S. administration has already mooted the idea of a resumption of negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear capabilities.
Placing Saudi Arabia in the middle of any attempts to secure a new nuclear agreement that would replace or supersede that earlier deal would be a high-risk move, given the intensity of feeling on both the U.S. and Iranian sides and the uneasy coexistence between Tehran and Riyadh.
But doing so would give the kingdom what it most desires: a seat at the table.
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel O’Brien, Lecturer, Department of Literature Film and Theatre Studies, University of Essex
Opus, the film debut of former GQ editor-turned-director Mark Anthony Green has been described as a horror-musical. And while this new hybrid-genre film clearly has something to say, what that is remains frustratingly unclear.
Produced by independent film company A24, often a hallmark of quality, the film follows Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri), a young writer striving to make her mark in entertainment journalism. While it gestures toward themes of celebrity culture and the toxicity of extreme fandom, the film ultimately feels tangled in a jumble of unfocused ideas and derivative references to other – arguably stronger – works.
Despite talent and determination, Ariel struggles with her boss Stan (Murray Bartlett) who redeploys her ideas to other senior colleagues and is often too self-absorbed to nurture her career development.
The very watchable Edebiri eases into centre stage after catapulting to global fame in the TV show The Bear (2022-present), for which she has received a Golden Globe and an Emmy.
Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.
In contrast to the achievements of The Bear’s Sydney, her character Ariel’s success as a writer seems out of reach in Opus. In an early scene, she articulates her frustrations to a friend who responds by pointing to Ariel’s ordinariness and comfortable upbringing. Apparently, her lack of disadvantage is precisely what’s holding her back, leaving her “too middle” to be noticed, promoted or considered.
Here we have the first clue that Ariel will be destined to experience trauma which will come by way of the “final girl” horror trope (a reference to the last woman standing) by the end of the film.
To Ariel’s surprise, she is selected to accompany Stan to a remote desert compound with other journalists to cover the story of reclusive pop legend Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich, returning to the big screen for the first time in five years).
Coincidentally, Moretti is about to make a return to public life after a 30-year hiatus and reset his reputation with a new album. Malkovich seems to relish the role, cranking up his flamboyant eccentricity in what feels like a mash-up of Ziggy Stardust and Frank-N-Furter.
Moretti’s ostentatiousness in contrast to Ariel’s subdued “middle-ness”, seems to be one of several binaries that the film explores, with an epilogue that discusses the left and right sides of the brain, and the division between destruction and creativity.
The theme of creativeness is a driving force in the film, with Moretti’s and Ariel’s respective musical and literary artistry used as fuel in the narrative, from a director with a similar writing background to Ariel.
Unfortunately, the film often feels more derivative than creative because of the numerous sources it takes as its inspiration. Moretti’s compound turns out, of course, to be a cult where Ariel, Stan and other invited guests will find something even more sinister than Malkovich’s rhythmic hip thrusts.
The rules of the compound mean that all guests must hand over their phones and electronic devices, so that in typical horror fashion, the characters are completely cut off from the outside world.
The knowing nod to this horror cliché is perhaps done for comedic value, but becomes another of the film’s weak spots, in the sense that it never really commits to any one thing. It’s not quite a comedy, a horror or a musical but something that is more fragmentary, borrowing elements of each.
It’s as if the director has assembled his favourite genres, but only in notes that have not yet been successfully put together. For example, there is an explicit recreation of a very distinct scene from Takashi Miike’s harrowing Audition (1999), while other parts are heavily influenced by Ari Aster’s disturbing Midsommar, (2019) a folk horror film also made by A24.
There are also nods to Mark Mylod’s The Menu (2022) in which an eccentric celebrity chef creates a meal for a group of sycophant critics with lethal consequences. As a dark comedy-horror, The Menu succeeds in satirising the absurdity of reality cooking shows, where competitiveness and TV chefs are caricatured.
However, Green’s attempt at satire in Opus doesn’t really work. That’s not to imply that the film hasn’t got something to say – Green appears to be interested in the relationship between celebrity culture and fandom. However, that idea doesn’t feel fully fleshed out, particularly when other films like Brandon Cronenberg’s dangerously underrated Antiviral (2012) was addressing this idea with visceral originality more than a decade ago.
Moretti’s songs have a deliberately dated sound which seems to be inspired by Michael Jackson, particularly around the time of his 2001 Invincible tour and album, which both failed to return the singer to his “king of pop” status.
Again, films such as Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance (2024) tackle the idea of the ageing celebrity with more clarity and originality, even while clearly being inspired by other movies.
Consequently, Opus has quite a 1990s feel to it, perhaps aided by the casting of Malkovich and Juliette Lewis, both huge stars during that decade. The film also gets a bit meta, nodding to Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich (1999) through a similar use of star cameos and a puppet show – both interesting elements, but again which feel disjointed in Opus.
I think Green has stronger films in him to come but, although his work raises interesting points, there are too many ideas here for a convincing film to properly materialise. I was unclear on a number of things including Moretti’s motives and his contempt for critics, including the positive ones.
Opus perhaps bites off more than it can chew, leaving me feeling that Green’s directorial opus is still to come.
Daniel O’Brien 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 Sameen Mohsin Ali, Lecturer in International Development, University of Birmingham
Pakistan’s army has freed hundreds of hostages from a passenger train that was seized by armed militants in the south-western province of Balochistan on Tuesday, March 11. A number of those on board were military officials and police personnel travelling from Balochistan’s capital, Quetta, to Peshawar further north.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) quickly claimed responsibility for the hijacking. In a written statement sent to the Guardian, the group said its actions were “a direct response to Pakistan’s decades-long colonial occupation of Balochistan and the relentless war crimes committed against the Baloch people”.
Ever since 1948, when Balochistan became a province of Pakistan months after partition from India, this territory has been marginalised by the Pakistani state. The authorities have struggled to accommodate the diverse ethnic and linguistic groups within Balochistan, leading to several rounds of insurgency.
During the recent hijack, the BLA demanded that Pakistan’s military release Baloch activists, missing people and political prisoners, and threatened to kill many of the hostages if the authorities did not comply. The subsequent military operation, which lasted two days, resulted in the deaths of all 33 militants, as well as 21 hostages and four army personnel.
The brazen nature and scale of the attack has raised difficult questions for the Pakistani state about how it addresses escalating discontent and militancy in Balochistan.
Unlike more moderate Baloch nationalist groups, which are committed to remaining part of the Pakistani state despite longstanding grievances with it, the BLA aims to achieve an independent Balochistan.
Some of the grievances expressed by the Baloch include a lack of representation both in the federal government and the armed forces. Baloch nationalists also allege the Pakistani state has exploited the province’s coal, gold, copper and gas resources while providing very little for the Baloch people in return.
Revenues from the Saindak gold and copper mine, for example, are largely shared between the Chinese company that operates it and the Pakistani government. The Balochistan provincial government only receives around 5% of the mine’s revenue.
Chaghi, the mineral-rich district of Balochistan that hosts the Saindak mine, remains one of the most underdeveloped areas of the country. Local people employed at the mine claim they are only offered menial jobs and work in unsafe conditions.
Balochistan’s persistent underdevelopment means a poor quality of life for its citizens. It consistently ranks as the Pakistani province with the lowest human development index (HDI) rating, scoring 0.421 in 2017. This index is a summary rating between 0 (low) and 1 (high) based on measures of health, education and standard of living. Punjab has the highest HDI rating at 0.732.
The separatist movement in Balochistan intensified after Nawab Akbar Bugti, a prominent Baloch nationalist leader, was killed in a military operation in 2006. The BLA was soon banned by the Pakistani government, and the military’s operations intensified in the province.
Baloch human rights defenders and activists have persistently accused Pakistan’s security forces of harassment and relying on excessive force. Protesters believe there have been thousands of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, which the Pakistani authorities have denied.
The issue has been raised by human rights organisations both in Pakistan and abroad. Families of missing people have filed cases against the government with the Pakistan Supreme Court, and disappearances have been investigated through special commissions of inquiry.
Supreme Court rulings have held the state responsible for enforced disappearances. While some missing people have been traced as a result of these rulings and inquiries, the International Commission of Jurists notes that “there has been no apparent effort made to fix responsibility for this heinous crime”.
Attacking foreign investments
The BLA’s tactics have typically involved carrying out attacks against state installations. However, in recent years, attacks against Chinese citizens and infrastructure have become the group’s focus.
Balochistan has a strategically important coastline, providing access to the Indian Ocean. China has invested heavily in the region as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, including in a deep-sea port at Gwadar. But these investments have failed to benefit local people, fuelling accusations by many in the province that the Pakistani state is systematically neglecting their needs.
The BLA’s suicide squad was responsible for an attack that injured three Chinese engineers working in the Balochistan city of Dalbandin in 2018. Later that year, BLA militants attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi – though Chinese nationals remained safe in that attack.
The group seems to have no difficulty attracting young and well-educated Baloch people, who see the state’s actions and Chinese presence in Balochistan as exploitative. In 2022, a female graduate student carried out a suicide attack on behalf of the BLA that killed three Chinese teachers at the University of Karachi.
The BLA’s activities have expanded substantially in recent years. It has conducted more than 150 attacks in the past year alone, including on Quetta railway station and on a convoy carrying Chinese workers near Karachi airport.
However, experts have noted that the train hijacking was unprecedented in scale. It represents a significant escalation by the BLA in terms of the planning, resources and intelligence required to execute such an operation.
The Pakistani government and military appear to have mishandled Balochistan’s security situation. But they have also failed to address the growing resentment and alienation that is driving people to groups like the BLA.
According to Farzana Sheikh, an associate fellow at Chatham House, Pakistan’s military continues to favour “a heavy-handed security response to deal with what is widely judged to be a political crisis”.
Accusations of state exploitation and neglect will not go away until the Pakistani state radically alters its stance on Balochistan, starting by ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations. Only then can trust be rebuilt with the people of this province who, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, live in “a climate of fear”.
Sameen Mohsin Ali 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 Colin Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Political Communications, Nottingham Trent University
The recently appointed White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has begun her tenure combatively, aggressively defending the Trump administration’s policies and, at times, mimicking Donald Trump’s methods of dealing with the mainstream news media.
Faced recently with a legitimate question by an Associated Press (AP) reporter who challenged Trump’s introduction of tariffs against several countries, she accused the reporter of doubting her knowledge of economics. She then dismissed him, saying: “I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press.”
AP is one of the key media organisations reporting on the White House. The largest news agency in the US, its stories are carried by news groups around the world. But recently, AP was ejected from the “press pool” that covers White House business
It was excluded in mid-February for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico “the Gulf of America”, after Trump changed its name by executive order. This was followed by an announcement that the White House would take greater control of the press pool and choose which outlets would be given most access to the president. This is likely to be based on favourable coverage rather than quality of reporting.
To appreciate how significant this is, it is important to first state the fundamental purpose of journalism in a democratic society, which is to hold the powerful to account. This is known as its “watchdog” function.
The work of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in exposing the Watergate scandal during the 1970s is often held up as the gold standard of watchdog journalism. It ultimately led to the resignation of Richard Nixon as president and the imprisonment of his lawyer, John Dean.
“Pooling” describes the process by which a prominent organisation or individual attempts to oversee journalistic scrutiny by managing access. King Charles, for example, also operates a press pool.
It works in two stages. First, news organisations or individual journalists apply to be members of the pool. Then, a handful of journalists from the pool are selected each day or week for access. These journalists – through their pool contract – are required to share the information they gather with the other journalists in the pool, which often leads to a genericisation of the content.
Thus, while political organisations or elite individuals might claim the pooling system is used as a benign and fair tool to manage consistent press interest, in reality it is a weapon of communications control.
The White House’s press pool was first established under President Dwight Eisenhower as a reflection of the growing number of journalists based in Washington. But in the modern era, the use of pooling was most controversial during and after the first Gulf War of the early 1990s.
Rather than roaming the battlefields of Iraq and Kuwait, most western reporters spent the conflict at the media centre in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, some 250 miles from the Kuwait border. Here they were fed the information that the US military wanted the public to know. A small number of pooled journalists were then occasionally accompanied by US troops to the battlefield in what was a clear case of censorship by access and perspective limitation.
This military-media power dynamic – and the subsequent mismatch between the actuality of the war and the reporting of it – led the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard to declare in a 1991 essay, published by Liberation and The Guardian, that “The Gulf war did not take place”.
General “Stormin” Norman Schwarzkopf’s famous “luckiest man in Iraq” briefing is indicative of the close relationship that developed between military and media professionals during the conflict. Schwarzkopf showed journalists footage taken through the crosshairs of a US bomber of an Iraqi private car driving over a bridge moments before a US airstrike destroys it. You can hear the journalists laughing with Schwarzkopf as they watch this lucky escape.
Legacy of Vietnam
Despite widespread understanding that scrutiny is an important part of public officialdom, the legacy of the Vietnam War – a conflict the US was perceived both at home and around the world to have lost – led to a significant amount of distrust of journalists. US media analyst Daniel Hallin referred to Vietnam as the “uncensored war”. By this he meant that journalists enjoyed an unprecedented amount of freedom – exacerbated by the relatively new medium of television, which brought stark images of war directly into people’s living rooms.
By February 1968, the US military’s daily briefings from the Rex Hotel in Saigon had become known as the “five o’clock follies”, on account of the gulf between official claims of the war’s “progress” and what was being reported by journalists who had ventured into the field. The military consistently presented a positive narrative – in stark contrast to the esteemed CBS reporter Walter Cronkite’s analysis that: “To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion.”
Vietnam could have been an opportunity for governments to think about their obligation to truth and the requirement to be more ethical in their approach. Instead, the feeling in Washington was that unfavourable press coverage had lost the war, and that journalists needed to be curtailed.
Controlling the message
The recent decision by the Trump administration to take over selection of pool journalists from the notionally independent White House Correspondents’ Association is unsurprising. The approach is consistent with the first Trump presidency’s refusal to answer questions from journalists who tried to carry out the press’s watchdog function.
It also fits with Trump’s electioneering approach during 2024 when he shunned traditional news outlets, focusing instead on social media and appearing on the podcasts of Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz, for example.
To this end, the White House’s decision amounts to a power grab against the institution of modern journalism – even if much of the US media has been in thrall to the powerful ever since Vietnam.
Colin Alexander 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.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet have been sworn in, ending Justin Trudeau’s time in office and paving the way for a spring election. Canadians are soon heading to the polls as they watch American democracy crumble.
United States President Donald Trump recently argued “he who saves his country does not violate any Law” as he ignores Congress and the courts, governs by executive order and threatens international laws and treaties.
Republican leaders moved dramatically to the right, and the primary system allowed the choice of an extremist. Republican voters then aligned their opinions with his. Trump’s disdain for democratic fundamentals spread quickly. Partisans defending their team slid away from democratic values.
Canada’s more centrist ideological spectrum is not foolproof against this type of extremism. Public opinion can be moved when our leaders take us there.
Decline can start slowly and then accelerate. America’s democratic backsliding in the first weeks of Trump’s second presidency follows the erosion of democratic norms over decades. Republican attacks on institutions, the opposition, the media and higher education corrosively undermined public faith in the truth, including election results.
Trust in government is holding steady in Canada, however. That provides an important guardrail for Canadian democracy.
The dangers of courting the far right
There are also lessons for our political parties. To maximize their seats, Republicans accepted extremists like Marjorie Taylor Greene, but soon needed those types of politicians for key votes.
The so-called Freedom Caucus, made up of MAGA adherents, forced the choice of a new, more extreme, leader of the House of Representatives. This provides a clear lesson that history has shown many times: it is dangerous for the party on the political right to accommodate the far right, which can quickly take control.
Once established within the ruling party, extremists can hold their party hostage.
Austria recently avoided the inclusion of the far right in its new coalition, and now Germany is working to do the same. As Canada’s Conservatives look for every vote, courting far-right voters and candidates risks destabilizing the system.
They clearly did not imagine party loyalty negating the safeguards that protect democracy from an authoritarian-minded president. The Constitution gives Congress the power to legislate and impeach, limits the executive’s power to spend and make appointments, gives the judiciary power to hold an executive accountable and contains the 25th amendment allowing cabinet to remove a president.
But when one party controls the legislative and executive branches during a time of hyper-partisanship, these mechanisms may not constrain an authoritarian. Today, Republican loyalty has eroded these checks and balances and American courts are struggling to step up to their heightened role.
Although counter-intuitive, parliamentary systems like Canada’s are usually less susceptible to authoritarianism than presidential ones because the cabinet or the House of Commons can turn against a lawless leader.
Still, if popular, authoritarian leaders can still retain their party’s support — and then things can slide quickly. The rightward pull of extremists seen in the U.S. House would be more dangerous here since the Canadian House of Commons includes our executive.
Guarding against xenophobia
Lastly, Canada should be wary of xenophobic rhetoric.
“America First” is not simply shopping advice. It began as an isolationist slogan during the First World War but was soon adopted by pro-fascists, American Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. These entities questioned who is really American and wanted not only isolationism, but racist policies, immigration restrictions and eugenics.
Trump did not revive the phrase accidentally. It’s a call to America’s fringes. Alienating domestic groups is a sure sign of democratic decline.
“Canada First” mimics that century-long dark theme in America. In combination with contempt for the opposition, it questions the right of other parties to legitimately hold power if used as a message by one party.
Also, asserting that “Canada is broken” — as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre often does — mimics Trump’s talk of American carnage, language and imagery he uses to justify extraordinary presidential authority.
Such language erodes citizens’ trust in democratic institutions and primes voters to support undemocratic practices in the name of patriotism. Canadian parties and politicians should exit that road.
Ultimately, institutions alone do not protect a country from the rise of authoritarianism. Democracy can be fragile. As a federal election approaches in Canada, it’s important to know the warning signs of extremism and anti-democratic practices that are creeping into our politics.
Matthew Lebo 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 – USA – By Arthur Daemmrich, Professor of Practice in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University
MLB’s automated ball-strike technology could be used in big league games as soon as 2026.Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Baseball fans tuning into spring training games may have noticed another new wrinkle in a sport that’s experienced a host of changes in recent years.
Batters, pitchers and catchers can challenge a home plate umpire’s ball or strike call. Powered by Hawk-Eye ball-tracking technology, the automated ball-strike system replays the pitch trajectory to determine whether the umpire’s call was correct.
To minimize disruptions, Major League Baseball permits each team a maximum of two failed challenges per game but allows unlimited challenges as long as they’re successful. For now, the technology will be limited to the spring exhibition games. But it could be implemented in the regular season as soon as 2026.
Count future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer among the skeptics.
“We’re humans,” the Toronto Blue Jays hurler said after a spring training game in which he challenged two calls and lost both to the robo umps. “Can we just be judged by humans?”
Technological advances that lead to fairer, more accurate calls are often seen as triumphs. But as co-editors of the recently published volume “Inventing for Sports,” which includes case studies of over 20 sports inventions, we find that new technology doesn’t mean perfect precision – nor does it necessarily lead to better competition from the fan perspective.
Cue the cameras
While playing in a cricket match in the 1990s, British computer scientist Paul Hawkins fumed over a bad call. He decided to make sure the same mistake wouldn’t happen again.
Drawing on his doctoral training in artificial intelligence, he designed an array of high-speed cameras to capture a ball’s flight path and velocity, and a software algorithm that used the data to predict the ball’s likely future path.
He founded Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd. in 2001, and his first clients were cricket broadcasters who used the technology’s trajectory graphics to enhance their telecasts.
By 2006, professional tennis leagues began deploying Hawk-Eye to help officials adjudicate line calls. Cricket leagues followed in 2009, incorporating it to help umpires make what are known as “leg before wicket” calls, among others. And professional soccer leagues started using the technology in 2012 to determine whether balls cross the goal line.
A technician uses the Hawk-Eye system as part of a broadcast trial for the technology during the 2005 Masters Tennis tournament in London. Julian Finney/Getty Images
Reaction to Hawk-Eye has been mixed. In tennis, players, fans and broadcasters have generally embraced the technology. During a challenge, spectators often clap rhythmically in anticipation as the Hawk-Eye official cues up the replayed trajectory.
“As a player, and now as a TV commentator,” tennis legend Pam Shriver said in 2006, “I dreamed of the day when technology would take the accuracy of line calling to the next level. That day has now arrived.”
But Hawk-Eye isn’t perfect. In 2020 and 2022, the firm publicly apologized to fans of professional soccer clubs after its goal-line technology made errant calls after players congregated in the goal box and obstructed key camera sight lines.
Perfection isn’t possible
Critics have also raised more fundamental concerns.
In their 2016 book “Bad Call,” researchers Harry Collins, Robert Evans and Christopher Higgins reminded readers that Hawk-Eye is not a replay of the ball’s actual position; rather, it produces a prediction of a trajectory, based on the ball’s prior velocity, rotation and position.
The authors lament that Hawk-Eye and what they term “decision aids” have undermined the authority of referees and umpires, which they consider bad for the games.
Ultimately, there are no purely objective standards for fairness and accuracy in technological officiating. They are always negotiated. Even the most precise officiating innovations require human consensus to define and validate their role. Technologies like photo-finish cameras, instant replay and ball-tracking systems have improved the precision of officiating, but their deployment is shaped – and often limited – by human judgment and institutional decisions.
For example, today’s best race timing systems are accurate to 0.0001 seconds, yet Olympic sports such as swimming, track and field, and alpine skiing report results in increments of only 0.01 seconds. This can lead to situations – such as Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze’s gold medal tie in the women’s downhill ski race at the 2014 Sochi Olympics – in which the timing officials admitted that their equipment could have revealed the actual winner. But they were forced to report a dead heat under the rules established by the ski federation.
With slow-motion instant replays, determining a catch or a player’s intention for a personal foul can actually be distorted by low-speed replay, since humans aren’t adept at adjusting to shifting replay speeds.
One of the big issues with baseball’s automated ball-strike system has to do with the strike zone itself.
MLB’s rule book defines the strike zone as the depth and width of home plate and the vertical distance between the midpoint of a player’s torso to the point just below his knees. The interpretation of the strike zone is notoriously subjective and varies with each umpire. For example, human umpires often call a strike if the ball crosses the plate in the rear corner. However the automated ball-strike system uses an imaginary plane that bisects the middle – not the front or the rear – of home plate.
There are more complications. Since every player has a unique height, each has a unique strike zone. At the outset of spring training, each player’s height was measured – standing up without cleats – and then confirmed through a biomechanical analysis.
Eddie Gaedel, the shortest player in major league baseball history, had a much smaller strike zone than his peers. He drew a walk in his only at-bat. Bettmann/Getty Images
But what if a player changes their batting stance and decides to crouch? What if they change their cleats and raise their strike zone by an extra quarter-inch?
Of course, as has been the case in tennis, soccer and other sports, Hawk-Eye can help rectify genuinely bad calls. By allowing teams to correct the most disputed calls without eliminating the human element of umpiring, MLB hopes to strike a balance between tradition and change.
Fans have the final say
Finding a balance between machine precision and the human element of baseball is crucial.
Players’ and managers’ efforts to work the umpires to contract or expand the strike zone have long been a part of the game. And fans eagerly cheer or jeer players and managers who argue with the umpires. When ejections take place, more yelling and taunting ensues.
Though often unacknowledged in negotiations between leagues and athletes, fan enthusiasm is a key component of whether to adopt new technology.
For example, innovative “full-body” swimsuits contributed to a wave of record-breaking finishes in the sport between 2000 and 2009. But uneven access to the newest gear raised the specter of what some called “technological doping.” World Aquatics worried that as records fell simply due to equipment innovations, spectators would stop watching and broadcast and sponsorship revenue would dry up. The swimming federation ended up banning full-body swimsuits.
When managers argue balls and strikes, it can make for great TV.
Of course, algorithmic officiating differs from technologies that enhance performance and speed. But it runs a similar risk of turning off fans. So MLB, like other sports leagues, is being thrust into the role of managing technological change.
Assessing technologies for their immediate and long-term impact is difficult enough for large government agencies. Sports leagues lack those resources, yet are nonetheless being forced to carefully consider how they introduce and regulate various innovations.
MLB, to its credit, is proceeding incrementally. While the logical conclusion to the current automated ball-strike experiment would be fully electronic officiating, we think fans and players will resist going that far.
The league’s challenge system is a test. But the real umpires will ultimately be the fans.
Arthur Daemmrich receives funding from the National Science Foundation and The Lemelson Foundation.
For the research underlying this article, Eric S. Hintz and the Smithsonian Institution received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Lemelson Foundation, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Nike, Inc., the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Shō Foundation, ConocoPhillips, and the Hopper-Dean Family Fund.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views
of the National Science Foundation or any other funder.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Moats, Professor of Metallurgical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Semiconductors power nearly every aspect of modern life – cars, smartphones, medical devices and even national defense systems. These tiny but essential components make the information age possible, whether they’re supporting lifesaving hospital equipment or facilitating the latest advances in artificial intelligence.
It’s easy to take them for granted, until something goes wrong. That’s exactly what happened when the COVID-19 pandemic exposed major weaknesses in the global semiconductor supply chain. Suddenly, to name just one consequence, new vehicles couldn’t be finished because chips produced abroad weren’t being delivered. The semiconductor supply crunch disrupted entire industries and cost hundreds of billions of dollars.
The crisis underscored a hard reality: The U.S. depends heavily on foreign countries – including China, a geopolitical rival – to manufacture semiconductors. This isn’t just an economic concern; it’s widely recognized as a national security risk.
That’s why the U.S. government has taken steps to invest in semiconductor production through initiatives such as the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to revitalize American manufacturing and was passed with bipartisan support in 2022. While President Donald Trump has criticized the CHIPS and Science Act recently, both he and his predecessor, Joe Biden, have touted their efforts to expand domestic chip manufacturing in recent years.
Yet, even with bipartisan support for new chip plants, a major challenge remains: Who will operate them?
Minding the workforce gap
The push to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. faces a significant hurdle: a shortage of skilled workers. The semiconductor industry is expected to need 300,000 engineers by 2030 as new plants are built. Without a well-trained workforce, these efforts will fall short, and the U.S. will remain dependent on foreign suppliers.
This isn’t just a problem for the tech sector – it affects every industry that relies on semiconductors, from auto manufacturing to defense contractors. Virtually every military communication, monitoring and advanced weapon system relies on microchips. It’s not sustainable or safe for the U.S. to rely on foreign nations – especially adversaries – for the technology that powers its military.
For the U.S. to secure supply chains and maintain technological leadership, I believe it would be wise to invest in education and workforce development alongside manufacturing expansion.
Building the next generation of semiconductor engineers
Filling this labor gap will require a nationwide effort to train engineers and technicians in semiconductor research, design and fabrication. Engineering programs across the country are taking up this challenge by introducing specialized curricula that combine hands-on training with industry-focused coursework.
Clean rooms, a vital part of semiconductor factories, are also where the next generation of tech innovators conduct research. Here, a Ph.D. candidate is seen in an air shower room before entering a clean room at Tokyo University on May 1, 2024. Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images
Future semiconductor workers will need expertise in chip design and microelectronics, materials science and process engineering, and advanced manufacturing and clean room operations. To meet this demand, it will be important for universities and colleges to work alongside industry leaders to ensure students graduate with the skills employers need. Offering hands-on experience in semiconductor fabrication, clean-room-based labs and advanced process design will be essential for preparing a workforce that’s ready to contribute from Day 1.
Rebuilding domestic semiconductor manufacturing isn’t just about national security – it’s an economic opportunity that could benefit millions of Americans. By expanding training programs and workforce pipelines, the U.S. can create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, strengthening the economy and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.
And the race to secure semiconductor supply chains isn’t just about stability – it’s about innovation. The U.S. has long been a global leader in semiconductor research and development, but recent supply chain disruptions have shown the risks of allowing manufacturing to move overseas.
If the U.S. wants to remain at the forefront of technological advancement in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and next-generation communication systems, it seems clear to me it will need new workers – not just new factories – to gain control of its semiconductor production.
Michael Moats does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and fellow Democrats criticize President Donald Trump’s plan to shutter the Education Department on March 6, 2025.AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
The details remain unclear, but reports suggest that staffs at six of the 12 regional OCR offices were laid off. Because of the office’s role in enforcing civil rights laws in schools and universities, the cuts will affect students across the country.
As education policy scholars who study how laws and policies shape educational inequities, we believe the Office for Civil Rights has played an important role in facilitating equitable education for all students.
The latest cuts further compound funding and staffing shortages that have plagued the office. The full effects of these changes on the most vulnerable public school students will likely be felt for many years.
Few staff members
The Education Department, already the smallest Cabinet-level agency before the recent layoffs, distributed roughly US$242 billion to students, K-12 schools and universities in the 2024 fiscal year.
About $160 billion of that money went to student aid for higher education. The department’s discretionary budget was just under $80 billion, a sliver compared with other agencies.
Within the Education Department, the Office for Civil Rights had a $140 million budget for fiscal year 2024, less than 0.2% of discretionary funding, which requires annual congressional approval.
The office’s appropriated budget in fiscal year 2017 was one-third of the budget of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – a federal agency responsible for civil rights protection in the workplace – despite the high number of discrimination complaints that OCR handles.
Support for OCR
Despite this underfunding, the office has traditionally received bipartisan support.
Former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, for example, requested a funding decrease for the office during the first Trump administration. Congress, however, overrode her budget request and increased appropriations.
Likewise, regardless of changing administrations, the office’s budget has remained fairly unchanged since 2001.
It garners attention for investigating and resolving discrimination-related complaints in K-12 and higher education. And while administrations have different priorities in how to investigate these complaints, they have remained an important resource for students for decades.
But a key function that often goes unnoticed is its collection and release of data through the Civil Rights Data Collection.
The CRDC is a national database that collects information on various indicators of student access and barriers to educational opportunity. Historically, only 5% of the OCR’s budget appropriations has been allocated for the CRDC.
That’s because the CRDC often relies on data infrastructure that is shared with the institute.
The history of the CRDC
The CRDC originated in the late 1960s as required by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The data questionnaire, which poses questions about civil rights concerns, is usually administered to U.S. public school districts every two years.
Although there have been some changes to questions over the years, others have been consistent for 50 years to allow for examining changes over time. Some examples are counts of students disciplined by schools’ use of corporal punishment or out-of-school suspension.
The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington on Dec. 3, 2024. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
During the Obama administration, the Office for Civil Rights prioritized making the CRDC more accessible to the public. The administration created a website that allows the public to view information for particular schools or districts, or to download data to analyze.
Why the CRDC matters
Our research focuses on how the CRDC has been used and how it could be improved. In an ongoing research project, we identified 221 peer-reviewed publications that have analyzed the CRDC.
Articles focusing on school discipline – out-of-school suspensions, for example – are the most common. But there are many other topics that would be difficult to study without the CRDC.
That’s especially true when making comparisons between districts and states, such as whether students have access to advanced coursework or participation in gifted and talented programs.
The data has also inspired policy changes.
The Obama administration, informed by the data on the use of seclusion and restraint to discipline students, issued a policy guidance document in 2016 regarding its overuse for students with disabilities.
Additionally, the data helps examine the effects of judicial decisions and laws – desegregation laws in the South, for example – that have improved educational opportunities for many vulnerable students.
Amid the Education Department’s continued cancellation of contracts of federally funded equity assistance centers, we believe research partnerships with policymakers and practitioners drawing on CRDC data will be more important than ever.
Erica Frankenberg and Maithreyi Gopalan received funding from the Student Experience Research Network.
Maithreyi Gopalan has received research grants and fellowships from various foundations such as the Student Experience Research Network (New Venture Fund), Federation of American Scientists, and others.
Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that will strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity.AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
A state law signed Feb. 28, 2025, removes gender identity as a protected status from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, leaving transgender people vulnerable to discrimination. The rights of transgender people – those who present gender characteristics that differ from what has historically been expected of someone based on their biological sex traits – are under political attack across the United States. There are now hundreds of anti-trans bills at various points in the legislative process.
Bias against trans people may not always feel like bias. For someone who believes it to be true, saying there can only be biological men who identify as men and biological women who identify as women may feel like a statement of fact. But research shows that gender is a spectrum, separate from biological sex, which is also more complex than the common male-female binary.
We are social psychologists who study and teach about the basic social, cognitive and emotion-based processes people use to make sense of themselves and the world. Research reveals psychological processes that bias people in ways they usually aren’t aware of. These common human tendencies can influence what we think about a particular group, influence how we act toward them, and prompt legislators to pass biased laws.
Root of negative views of transgender people
Social psychology theory and research point to several possible sources of negative views of transgender people.
Part of forming your own identity is defining yourself by the traits that make you unique. To do this, you categorize others as belonging to your group – based on characteristics that matter to you, such as race, age, culture or gender – or not. Psychologists call these categories in-groups and out-groups.
There is a natural human tendency to have inherent negative feelings toward people who aren’t part of your in-group. The bias you might feel against fans of a rival sports team is an example. This tendency may be rooted deep in evolutionary history, when favoring your own safe group over unknown outsiders would have been a survival advantage.
A trans person’s status as transgender may be the most salient thing about them to an observer, overshadowing other characteristics such as their height, race, profession, parental status and so on. As a small minority, transgender people are an out-group from the mainstream – making it likely out-group bias will be directed their way.
Anti-trans feeling may also result from fear that transgender people pose threats to one’s personal or group identity. Gender is part of everyone’s identity. If someone perceives their own gender to be determined by their biological sex, they may perceive other people who violate that “rule” as a threat to their own gender identity. Part of identity formation is not just out-group derogation but in-group favoritism. A cisgender person may engage in “in-group boundary protection” by making sure the parameters of “gender” are well defined and match their own beliefs.
Once you hold negative feelings about someone in an out-group, there are other social psychological processes that may solidify and amplify them in your mind.
The illusion of a causal connection
People tend to form illusory correlations between objects, people, occurrences or behaviors, particularly when those things are infrequently encountered. Two distinctive things happening at the same time makes people believe that one is causing the other.
Some superstitions result from this phenomenon. For example, you might attribute an unusual success such as winning money to wearing a particular shirt, which you now think of as your lucky shirt.
If a person only ever hears about negative events when they see or hear about a transgender person, an immigrant or a member of some other minority group, then an illusory correlation can form between the negative events and the minority group. That connection is the starting point for prejudice: automatic, negative feelings toward a group of people without justification.
Of course, it is possible that individuals from the group in question have committed some offense. But to take one individual’s bad deed and attribute it to an entire group of people isn’t justified. This kind of extrapolation is the natural human tendency of stereotyping, which can bias people’s actions.
‘That’s exactly what I thought’
Human minds are biased to confirm the beliefs they already hold, including stereotypes about trans people. A few interconnected processes are at play in what psychologists call confirmation bias.
First, there’s a natural tendency to seek out information that fits with what you already believe. If you think a shirt is lucky, then you’re more likely to look for positive things that happen when you wear it than you are to look for negative events that would seem to disconfirm its luckiness.
If you think transgender people are dangerous, you are more likely to conduct an internet search for “transgender people who are dangerous” than “transgender people are victims of crime.”
There’s a second, more passive process in play as well. Rather than actively seeking out confirming information, people also simply pay attention to information that confirms what they thought in the first place and ignore contradictory information. This can happen without you even realizing.
People also tend to interpret ambiguous events in line with their beliefs – “I must be having a good day, despite some setbacks, because I’m wearing my lucky shirt.” That confirmation bias could explain someone with anti-trans attitudes thinking “that transgender person holding hands with a child must be a pedophile” instead of “that transgender mother is showing love and care for her kid.”
Confirmation bias can strengthen an illusory correlation, making it even more likely to influence subsequent actions – whether compulsively wearing a lucky shirt to an anxiety-inducing appointment or not hiring someone because of discriminatory thoughts about the group they belong to.
Moving past biases
Awareness of biases is the first step in avoiding them. Setting bias aside allows people to make fair decisions, based on accurate information, and in line with their values.
However, this is not an easy task in the face of another social psychological process called group polarization. This phenomenon occurs when individuals’ beliefs become more extreme as they talk and listen only to people who hold the same beliefs they do. Think of the social media bubbles that result from interacting only with people who share your perspective.
Efforts to stifle or prohibit educators’ and librarians’ ability to teach and discuss gender and sexuality topics, openly and fairly, add another challenge. Education through access to impartial, evidence-based information can be one way to help neutralize inherent bias.
Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who is transgender, in discussion with a colleague. AP Photo/Tommy Martino
As a final, hopeful point, social psychological research has identified one strategy for overcoming intergroup conflict: forming close contacts with individuals from the “other” group. Having a friend, loved one or trusted and valued colleague who belongs to the out-group can help you recognize their humanity and overcome the biases you hold against that out-group as a whole.
A relevant and recent example of this scenario came when two transgender state representatives convinced their fellow lawmakers to vote against two extreme anti-trans bills in Montana by making the issue personal.
All of these decision-making biases influence everyone, not just the lawmakers currently in power. And they can be quite complex, with particular in-group and out-group memberships being hard to define – for instance, factions within religious groups who disagree on particular political issues.
But understanding and overcoming the biases everyone falls prey to means that optimal decisions can be made for everyone’s well-being and economic vitality. After all, psychology research has repeatedly demonstrated that diversity is good for the bottom line while it simultaneously promotes an equitable and inclusive society. Even from a solely financial perspective, discrimination is bad for all Americans.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Sir Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, announced on March 13 that the government will move to abolish NHS England in the next two years. During this period, the government plans to bring its functions under the UK’s health ministry, with the aim of bringing the health service “into democratic control”. What does this mean, and what difference will it make?
When the NHS was established in 1948, part of the aim was to make the local health problems of patients across the country the concern of the national government. The plan succeeded. Today, the NHS is politically highly important – it matters enormously to patients and the public, and has one of the largest spending budgets in the UK.
At the same time, it is technically difficult to manage, with local needs and opportunities and complex organisation that are hard and sometimes inefficient to manage centrally.
Striking the balance between delivering high-quality patient care and addressing the technical complexity of doing so is a continual challenge for governments. The solution chosen as part of the 2012 health and welfare reforms was to establish NHS England as an organisationally independent government body to provide technical and operational leadership for the NHS – leaving ministers insulated from those day-to-day issues and free to set an overall strategy.
The government’s decision to abolish NHS England marks a change back to direct ministerial grip on the system. This may reflect high public concern about the NHS and pressure on its services, as well as a desire by the recently elected government to exercise more direct control over the health service.
How does this compare to other health systems?
The NHS has long been an unusually centralised system. Although the English NHS covers more than 55 million people, it has historically been run by central government, which this change reinforces.
In contrast, although Spain has a similar NHS-style system, the Spanish health system is run by the 17 regional governments through their departments of health, with the largest covering 8.6 million people.
Europe’s other large national health system, in Italy, now also has a decentralised system. The national government sets the overall principles and benefits, but the actual services are under the control of regional governments.
These decentralised systems strike a different balance between political control and operational management, by bringing them together at a more local level.
If the UK government was to extend its aim of bringing the NHS into democratic control by taking a similar decentralisation approach to other NHS-style systems in Europe, what would this look like?
The NHS already has 42 integrated care systems at the local level. These already work with upper-tier local authorities, such as county councils, and are mostly aligned with their boundaries, but are under the control of central government.
Other countries already decentralise their health systems to similar levels. In Sweden, for example, the 21 counties are responsible for financing, purchasing and providing their health services, under the democratic control of the county councillors. While there might be questions about the capacity of local government in England to take on such a role, experience from elsewhere shows that it should be possible.
Compared with those decentralised systems, the abolition of NHS England is a relatively minor change. It puts ministers more directly in charge of the English NHS, but does not change the basic structure of the service nor its control by central government.
Examples from other countries suggest that if the ambition is to bring the health service more into democratic control, there are options for much more profound change. This would strike a whole new balance between political control and local management.
Tom Ling is a member of the Labour party.
Hampton Toole and Nick Fahy do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Birmingham
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has announced plans to abolish NHS England, the organisation that oversees and manages the NHS in England, employing 19,000 people.
He declared he was bringing the NHS back under “democratic control” and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy by moving oversight of the NHS back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). This will reverse plans put in place by the Conservative-led coalition government in 2013 when it tried to “take the politics out of the NHS” by having NHS England as an independent body.
The NHS is, however, one of the most centrally organised health systems in the world. This contrasts with many European and other countries where there is typically a national ministry of health to set strategy, with the detail of how this is implemented being left to regional and local councils, health authorities and hospitals.
Some analysts have suggested that the NHS has become even more centrally managed in recent years, but the truth is it has always been held very close by its political masters.
On the face of it, there are advantages to abolishing NHS England, allowing DHSC to focus on clarifying politicians’ priorities for how and on what NHS funding will be spent. These will include reducing waiting lists for operations, making it easier to get an appointment with a GP, and ensuring that emergency departments can deal quickly with patients without resorting to “corridor care”.
In turn, local NHS organisations such as integrated care boards (who among other things organise GP, dental, pharmacy and optometry services) and NHS trusts (who run hospitals, community, mental health and ambulance services) can concentrate on making sure these policy priorities are put into practice in ways that work best for local communities.
NHS England has a range of other important roles that will need to be reallocated, whether to an expanded DHSC or elsewhere. These include planning the training of healthcare staff, organising vaccination and screening programmes, purchasing medicines, and collating huge amounts of data about NHS activity and performance.
The government has also announced plans to halve staffing in the 42 local integrated care boards, so any move of former NHS England roles to this level will probably only happen if these local boards merge, which now seems likely.
The government appears therefore to have signalled another NHS management “redisorganisation” – something the NHS has suffered on a periodic basis, a consequence of its highly centralised and political nature. Research evidence is clear that management reorganisations struggle to achieve their objectives, causing instead significant distraction away from work to improve services for patients.
In his major review of the NHS for the new Labour government in September 2024, Lord Ara Darzi – a former Labour health minister – highlighted the urgent need for more skilled and effective managers to support NHS staff in restoring and improving the service after years of economic austerity and the challenges of the pandemic. This seems to run counter to recent announcements about “cutting bureaucracy”.
With careful planning, there is, however, potential for the abolition of NHS England to lead to a slimmer DHSC (more akin to some of its European counterparts) with a smaller number of well-resourced and managed integrated care boards who could effectively steer, support and monitor local NHS trusts and primary care services.
In 2002, Alan Milburn, then secretary of state for health in Tony Blair’s government, issued a white paper called Shifting the Balance of Power Within the NHS. Milburn is now a leading figure in the Starmer government’s health team, so it is perhaps not surprising that we have these new plans to slim the policy centre, shift power and decision-making more locally, and enable stronger accountability to politicians and the public.
What is likely to happen?
What will matter as much as what is done is how these changes are made. The government has Lord Darzi’s clear and comprehensive diagnosis of the NHS’s problems. It now needs to prioritise what should be done first and what can wait, and has made a good start on this with its recent planning guidance to the NHS.
What will be much more difficult will be to decide exactly how to reduce and then abolish NHS England – doing this in a way that ensures important roles are moved smoothly to DHSC, integrated care boards and NHS trusts.
History is not encouraging. There is a big risk that NHS managers will find themselves focusing too much attention on handling a major reorganisation when they (and patients) would rather they concentrate on improving services.
The government clearly wants to hold on to setting policy direction for the NHS while letting go of the detail of implementation to local level. But ultimately, it will be held to account by a population impatient for improvements to NHS services.
Judith Smith receives funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research for research and evaluation of health services. She has been funded by the Health Foundation to provide expert primary care policy advice. Judith is Trustee and Chair of Health Services Research UK and Director of Health Services Research with Birmingham Health Partners. She is a Senior Associate of the Nuffield Trust.
The NHS was hit hard by COVID. And no amount of appreciative clapping or painted rainbows could distract from the vulnerabilities which were exposed by the pandemic – or the challenges it created.
Some of those challenges – like the staggering backlog in patient care, or the huge mental and physical toll experienced by staff – will take years to overcome.
And anyone compelled to attend a hospital in the UK at the moment can see the evidence at first hand. Wards are very busy and staff are overstretched.
This is part of the legacy of a fast-spreading virus which killed 232,112 people in the UK and left an estimated 2 million suffering from the effects of long-COVID. It demanded urgent action from hospitals and health workers and brought immediate and widespread disruption to routine care, with appointments for elective surgery, cancer screenings and chronic disease management all delayed.
One 2024 study I worked on analysed appointment cancellations for cancer patients during the pandemic, and found that they waited an average of 19 days longer than before for rescheduled appointments. (Mortality rates remained stable though, indicating that the NHS effectively prioritised the most urgent cases.)
This kind of disruption has left the healthcare system facing a monumental backlog, with treatment waiting lists soaring to record levels. According to the British Medical Association, there are over 7.5 million people now on waiting lists (compared to 4.5 million before the pandemic) – and those waiting times are longer.
The basic infrastructure of the NHS – the buildings, IT equipment, offices – is creaking, with outdated facilities, insufficient beds and a lack of specialised equipment. And one study suggests that capital funding – investment in assets that will be used for more than a year – for NHS trusts in England is down by 21% over the past five years.
This is primarily because the Department of Health and Social Care has been diverting long-term investment funds to cover day-to-day operational costs such as staff salaries and medicines.
Since 2019, £500 million of capital investment has been cancelled or postponed. And while overall NHS budgets have been growing, the increased spending has often been absorbed by inflation, rising demand and the need to address immediate pressures. This leaves little for infrastructure upgrades, new equipment or technological advancements.
The Health Foundation has warned that the lack of a long-term capital funding strategy could further jeopardise patient care in the future. Many NHS facilities no longer meet the needs of a modern health service, with some hospitals requiring complete refurbishment or replacement rather than just repairs.
And of course, treating patients is not just about equipment and buildings. Nurses and doctors are under extreme pressure, facing unprecedented levels of stress, burnout and trauma. A recent survey revealed that one in three NHS doctors are experiencing extreme tiredness, impairing their ability to treat patients effectively.
NHS key workers wave from inside Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, May 2020. Guy William/Shutterstock
A similar number said their ability to practice medicine may have been negatively affected by fatigue, with some even reporting cases of patient harm or a near-miss incident.
Stressed NHS
And although the NHS workforce has actually grown over the past five years, it has not been sufficient to reduce waiting lists, deal with growing demand, or improve staff morale. Anxiety, stress and depression accounted for for over 624,300 working days lost in one month last year.
Without a healthy and motivated workforce, the NHS’s recovery efforts will remain severely hampered. Other contributing factors include increased demand for healthcare services, partly due to an ageing population and the growing prevalence of chronic conditions.
To address these challenges, the NHS needs a modernised approach to patient care. Research suggests that technology including telemedicine (online consultations) and AI-driven diagnostics, could streamline services and reduce waiting times.
Other possible steps include the expansion of community diagnostic centres, to ease access to tests, and screenings, to improve efficiency.
Overall, the pandemic has underscored the critical importance of a robust and resilient healthcare system. As the NHS navigates its own path to recovery, it must prioritise both immediate solutions to the backlog crisis and long-term strategies. This will require significant investment, but also a commitment to innovation and the wellbeing of healthcare workers.
The road ahead for the NHS will be tricky, but with the right measures in place, it could emerge stronger and more resilient than ever. The lessons learned from COVID should serve as a catalyst for transformative change, ensuring that the UK’s healthcare system is better prepared to face whatever the future may hold.
Catia Nicodemo 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.
China’s marriage rate is in steep decline. There were 6.1 million marriage registrations nationwide in 2024, down from 7.7 million the previous year. This decline has prompted Chen Songxi, a Chinese national political adviser, to propose lowering the legal marriage age from 22 to 18.
The drop in China’s marriage rate has been driven by a combination of factors. These include increased economic pressures, evolving social attitudes towards marriage, and higher levels of education.
Urban Chinese women, in particular, are increasingly pushing back against traditional gender expectations, which emphasise marriage and childbearing as essential life milestones. Rising living costs are also making it increasingly difficult for many young people to afford to get married.
At the same time, China is grappling with a longstanding gender imbalance, a legacy of the country’s sweeping one-child policy and cultural preference for male children. In the early 2000s, when the imbalance was at its peak, China’s sex ratio at birth reached 121 boys for every 100 girls. For every 100 girls born in some provinces, there were more than 130 boys.
The gender imbalance is particularly pronounced among those born in the 1980s, a generation I belong to. This is due to the widespread use of ultrasound technology from the mid-1980s onward, which offered parents the ability to terminate pregnancies if their child was female.
Unmarried men in China have become part of the so-called “era of leftover men” (shengnan shidai in Chinese). This is an internet term that loosely refers to the period between 2020 and 2050, when an estimated 30 million to 50 million Chinese men are expected to be unable to find a wife.
The conundrum is that many of these “leftover” men want to marry – I know this firsthand. Some of my peers from primary and secondary school have been desperately searching for a wife, but have struggled to find a spouse. A widely used phrase in China, “difficulty in getting married” (jiehun nan), encapsulates this struggle.
Unable to find a domestic spouse, some Chinese men have turned to “purchasing” foreign brides. The growing demand for these brides, particularly in rural areas, has fuelled a rise in illegal marriages. This includes marriages involving children and women who have been trafficked into China primarily from neighbouring countries in south-east Asia.
According to a Human Rights Watch report released in 2019 on bride trafficking from Myanmar to China “a porous border and lack of response by law enforcement agencies on both sides [has] created an environment in which traffickers flourish”.
The Chinese government has now pledged to crack down on the industry. In March 2024, China’s Ministry of Public Security launched a campaign against the transnational trafficking of women and children, calling for enhanced international cooperation to eliminate these crimes.
‘Purchased’ foreign brides
These marriages are often arranged through informal networks or commercial agencies, both of which are illegal according to China’s state council.
Human Rights Watch says that women and girls in neighbouring countries are typically tricked by brokers who promise well-paid employment in China. They find themselves at the mercy of the brokers once they reach China, and are sold for between US$3,000 (£2,300) and US$13,000 to Chinese men.
Determining the extent of illegal cross-border marriages in China is challenging due to the clandestine nature of these activities. But the most recent data from the UK’s Home Office suggests that 75% of Vietnamese human-trafficking victims were smuggled to China, with women and children making up 90% of cases.
The Woman from Myanmar, an award-winning documentary from 2022, follows the story of a trafficked Myanmar woman who was sold into marriage in China. The film exposes the harsh realities faced by many trafficked brides.
It captures not only the coercion and abuse many of these women endure, but also their struggle for autonomy and survival in a system that treats them as commodities. Larry, a trafficked woman who features in the documentary, explained that she saw her capacity to bear children as her pathway to survival.
The Chinese authorities constantly warn of scams involving brides purchased from abroad. In November 2024, for example, two people were prosecuted over their involvement in an illegal cross-border matchmaking scheme. Chinese men were lured into extremely expensive “marriage tours” abroad with promises of “affordable” foreign wives.
There have also been cases where the undocumented brides themselves have disappeared with large sums of money before marriage arrangements are completed.
Most of the foreign brides are trafficked into China from neighbouring countries in south-east Asia. MuchMania / Shutterstock
China’s marriage crisis has far-reaching implications for the country’s demographic future. A shrinking and ageing population is often cited as the greatest challenge for Chinese economic growth and social stability. Beijing has resisted this characterisation, saying that constant technological innovations will continue to drive economic growth.
The labour force is undoubtedly important when it comes to economic growth. But according to Justin Lin Yifu, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference advisory body, what matters more is effective labour – the product of both the quantity and quality of the labour force.
China has increased its investment in education continually over recent years in anticipation of future challenges surrounding its ageing population.
But, notwithstanding this, an even greater concern is the large number of leftover men, as this could pose a serious threat to social stability. Studies have found a positive correlation between high male-to-female sex ratios and crime rates both in China and India, where there is also a significant gender imbalance.
In China, research has found that skewed male sex ratios have accounted for around 14% of the rise in crime since the mid-1990s. And in India, modelling suggests that a 5.5% rise in the male sex ratio would increase the odds of unmarried women being harassed by more than 20%.
The question of who China’s leftover men will marry is becoming a pressing issue for Beijing. The government’s response will shape the country’s future for decades to come.
Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt introduces an update to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App, allowing unlawfully present individuals to notify the U.S. government of their departure plans. This new feature strengthens border security and streamlines the exit process.
