Sleep isn’t just a luxury, it’s a vital process that helps our bodies repair and
rejuvenate. Researchers have started to uncover how the quality and timing of sleep can affect more than just how rested we feel – it might also affect the very blueprint of our cells: our DNA.
A new study from Canada found that melatonin, a hormone known for its role in regulating sleep, might help reverse some of the DNA damage caused by years of poor sleep.
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in our brains when darkness
falls. It signals to our bodies that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
Beyond its sleep-inducing properties, melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants help protect our cells from oxidative stress – a condition in which an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants can damage important cellular
components, including DNA. Oxidative DNA damage is thought to contribute to the development of diseases, such as cancer.
Their disrupted sleep cycles can lead to a reduced ability to repair oxidative DNA damage, which might, over time, increase their risk of developing serious health issues.
What the research shows
In the Canadian study, 40 participants who regularly worked night shifts were given either a 3mg melatonin supplement or a placebo before their daytime sleep. The researchers then measured the repair of oxidative DNA damage by analysing levels of a marker known as 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) in urine samples. Higher levels of this marker indicate better DNA repair activity because damaged DNA is being successfully removed from cells.
The study found that during the period of daytime sleep, participants who took
melatonin showed an 80% increase in urinary 8-OH-dG compared to those who took
the placebo. This result, although described as “borderline statistically significant”, suggests that melatonin may boost the body’s natural DNA repair mechanisms when the sleep schedule is disrupted. However, during subsequent night shifts – when melatonin levels naturally fall – the effect was not observed.
These findings are consistent with earlier research indicating that melatonin not only has antioxidant properties but may also boost specific genes involved in the repair process. Melatonin, then, appears to help the body recognise and get rid of damaged segments of DNA, potentially reducing the long-term risks associated with accumulated cellular damage.
Enhanced repair
When headlines claim that melatonin supplements “reverse DNA damage”, it’s
important to understand what that really means.
The study does not suggest that melatonin completely erases years of accumulated DNA damage. Instead, it points to melatonin’s potential to enhance the body’s repair capacity. For people who have suffered from years of poor sleep – whether due to night shifts, insomnia or lifestyle factors – melatonin might help mitigate further damage by improving the efficiency of the body’s natural repair processes.
While the idea of reversing DNA damage is certainly appealing, more research is needed. The study was relatively small, and its participants were exclusively night shift workers – a group with unique challenges regarding sleep and circadian rhythms, the body’s natural 24-hour cycle that controls sleep, wakefulness and eating.
Larger trials, exploring different doses and long-term use, will be crucial to determine whether melatonin supplementation can have a broader application for those who don’t get enough sleep.
What does this mean for you?
The research adds an interesting piece to the puzzle of how sleep and overall health are interconnected. Melatonin supplements are already widely used to help regulate sleep patterns and combat jet lag, but are only available on prescription in the UK.
This new evidence suggests that their benefits might extend beyond just helping you
fall asleep – they could also play a role in maintaining the health of your DNA.
While melatonin supplements might not completely “reverse” years of DNA damage
from poor sleep, they do appear to boost the body’s natural repair processes – a
hopeful sign that improved sleep quality, aided by melatonin, could be a key element in our quest for better health.
That said, melatonin is not a magic bullet. A healthy lifestyle, including good sleep hygiene, balanced nutrition and regular exercise, remains essential for protecting your cells from damage.
Timothy Hearn 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.
This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.
It has not been a good week for relations between the US and Ukraine. After a meeting in the Oval Office between the two countries’ presidents descended into acrimony before the eyes of the world, the minerals deal that Donald Trump had said would be the first step towards a ceasefire with Russia was temporarily called off.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky has since tried to salvage the relationship, announcing that he is ready to sign the minerals deal at “any time and in any convenient format”. Trump, on the other hand, has continued to fume. He took to his Truth Social media platform on March 3 to slam Zelensky’s remarks to reporters that the end to the war “is still very, very far away”.
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,” Trump wrote. “This guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing.”
The following day, Trump paused US military aid to Ukraine. And he has now suspended intelligence sharing, cutting off the flow of information that has been critical to Ukraine’s ability to hit strategic targets inside Russia.
Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.
According to Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko, who are both regular contributors to our coverage of the war in Ukraine, neither of these two moves will have an immediate game-changing effect on the war. But, in their view, they do increase pressure on Ukraine to accept whatever peace deal Trump will ultimately make with Putin.
Trump’s manoeuvring poses not only a threat to Ukraine, but the rest of Europe too. As Wolff and Malyarenko report, European nations are now scrambling to strengthen their own security. Following Friday’s White House showdown, the EU revealed plans to mobilise an additional €800 billion (£670 million) for European defence. European leaders were reportedly close to agreeing a deal for this plan as this newsletter was being written.
The challenges Europe faces on the way to becoming strategically independent from the US are enormous, write Wolff and Malyarenko. But a stronger, and more independent Europe, will be crucial for the war in Ukraine moving forward – particularly as the effects of the US aid suspension hit.
As Veronika Poniscjakova of the University of Portsmouth writes, the battlefield advantage in Ukraine is now overwhelmingly with Russia. The Russian military is putting intense pressure on Ukrainian troops in the Kherson oblast in the south of the country.
According to Poniscjakova, Russian forces are now reportedly attempting to cross the Dnipro river, which would allow them a clear run at the strategically important port city of Kherson. Reporting from the frontlines has described Russian assaults on Dnipro crossings as “suicide missions” that are involving heavy Russian casualties.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has echoed some of Putin’s favourite claims. He has stated that Ukraine does not have any cards to play, is unwilling to do a peace deal and has to give up land to Russia.
In the view of Natasha Lindstaedt, a professor in the Department of Government at the University of Essex, Trump’s support for Putin threatens security worldwide. It plays perfectly into the hands of China, she writes, which could now be emboldened to expedite its plan to annex Taiwan.
All of this, Lindstaedt says, will make the US more vulnerable. In her view, the US is more secure and prosperous when it is working in partnership with its allies to ensure security, stability, free trade and investment. “If the US were to even reduce its security commitments to Nato by 50%, estimates suggest trade with members would fall by US$450 billion,” Lindstaedt says.
Back in the Oval Office, Friday’s meeting was undoubtedly a major setback for Zelensky. He left the meeting publicly weakened, with Trump telling him to “come back when you’re ready for peace”.
But Zelensky is not the first leader to walk out of a face-to-face meeting with their tail between their legs. In this piece, Marcus Holmes of the William & Mary Global Research Institute and Nicholas John Wheeler of the University of Birmingham draw a historical parallel in a 1961 summit between the then US president, John F. Kennedy, and the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev, in Vienna.
At that time, Kennedy admitted that Khrushchev “beat the hell out of me”, leaving him convinced that tensions with the Soviet Union would escalate. “It’s going to be a cold winter,” he remarked afterwards.
But, as Holmes and Wheeler write, there was one crucial difference: Kennedy and Khrushchev’s bruising exchange happened behind closed doors. Zelensky was forced to experience his own Vienna moment in front of the world. This, they say, could make it even harder for Zelensky to recover politically.
The art of the deal
At no point in the meeting did Trump and Vance seek a resolution to their disagreement with Zelensky or attempt to find common ground. Holmes and Wheeler call this a “domination ritual” – designed to make clear that Ukraine is in no position to set terms.
In this piece, Andrea Caputo, a professor of strategy & negotiation at the University of Lincoln, breaks down Trump’s negotiation style. Unlike typical US negotiators who are thought to avoid emotional expression, Trump uses anger and confrontation to dominate discussions and control narratives.
He frames negotiations in zero-sum terms, where every deal must have a clear winner and loser. This, Caputo says, reinforces his public image as a strong leader.
Caputo argues that Zelensky should have structured negotiations around US economic interests rather than western unity or moral imperatives. Otherwise, he is speaking a negotiation language that Trump doesn’t understand.
In the high-stakes arena of international security, Caputo says that understanding your counterpart’s negotiation style isn’t just good practice – it may be essential for survival.
Volunteering is a popular way for people to give something back to society. Whether it’s joining a tree-planting group, or helping out at a charity shop, spending time contributing to a cause is something valued by almost a billion people across the world.
Some businesses have picked up on this in a positive way, by allowing staff to take paid time away from their jobs to volunteer. And research suggests that doing so makes those firms more attractive employers, with happier employees.
But in a surprising new trend, some non-profit organisations have started charging companies for access to their volunteering programmes.
Usually this “pay-to-volunteer” approach involves non-profits setting a fee for companies to send groups of employees to lend a hand. And although there are no official statistics available about how widespread this is, we found plenty of examples in the UK, the US and Australia.
For instance, one Australian non-profit organisation we looked at charges businesses AU$600 (£302) for three employees to volunteer for a day stacking shelves and serving customers in a food bank.
Another charges AU$1200 (£605) for up to ten volunteering employees to pack grocery boxes, and a similar fee for up to five people to distribute food to communities in a minibus. A third invoices AU$130 (£65) per person for a shift making meals for people who struggle to afford food.
This kind of arrangement could redefine the traditional relationship between corporations and charitable organisations. So why switch to such a potentially disruptive model?
Our research on some Australian examples suggests that it come down to how much a particular non-profit organisation prioritises the transactional value of volunteering arrangements with businesses.
They might argue that charging a fee generates revenue, which helps to cover the costs of running volunteer programmes, as well as funding the organisation itself. They may also believe that any fees can be justified by the numerous benefits volunteering can bring to the companies which choose to pay them. These include enhanced employee morale and engagement, as well as the associated effects on the company’s image and reputation.
By contrast, the non-profits who reject the idea of charging companies tend to be more interested in the symbolic value of volunteering. They would argue that a cost to access volunteering contradicts the selfless spirit of the whole exercise.
Valuable volunteers
For our research into the trend, we focused on the “food rescue” sector – non-profits dedicated to distributing usable but surplus and unsold food to those in need. One of the non-profit executives we spoke to stressed that volunteering should be “time given at no cost”.
He added: “I just think the people who are charging organisations to come in to their operations are short-sighted and completely missing the point.
“The opportunity is to build a relationship [with a business] and then understand where the best value can be driven from that relationship. It is not presenting an invoice as people walk out the door.”
Others raised concerns that the “pay to help” model creates a two-tier system which depends entirely on a firm’s financial capacity. This could alienate and exclude smaller businesses unable to meet these costs.
We also heard concerns voiced about implications for the future of the volunteering sector as a whole. If paying to volunteer becomes widespread, will it increase or reduce the overall volunteer base?
Another manager we spoke to said the idea of paying to volunteer risked undermining the experience of corporate volunteering, as fees might bring unhelpful expectations. Would knowing that their volunteering activity was being paid for lead to some employees expecting privileges or certain outcomes for example, altering the dynamic between them and the people they are supposed to be helping?
It was also suggested that non-profits might feel obliged to ensure the satisfaction of their fee-paying corporate volunteers, to the detriment of the charitable work they are doing.
There are implications for non-paying volunteers too. The presence of volunteers whose employers are paying for them to be there might diminish the meaning of volunteering work more generally.
So without fully engaging with these questions, non-profits should approach this new model of charging for volunteers with caution. Introducing a financial component may dampen employees’ enthusiasm and lead to companies reducing their volunteering projects. It could even change people’s overall perception of non-profits more generally, affecting the support – and donations – they may rely upon.
Dr.Jianwen ZHENG 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.
Xiaoyan Liang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The global illicit drugs trade is estimated to be worth at least half a trillion US dollars each year. Drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin generate large revenues all along their supply chains, from where the products (and precursor materials) are grown or made – principally Colombia and Bolivia, China, Afghanistan, and the “golden triangle” of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand – to wherever the finished drugs are consumed.
Earnings in the illicit drug trade are variable. Few people will make the kind of money that once put the Mexican former cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán on the Forbes list of global billionaires. But while drug “kingpins” are the industry’s biggest individual earners, they do not hold the majority of the drug money that is generated throughout the global supply chain.
Despite their frequent glamorisation in film and TV portrayals, drug cartels are basically international logistics companies. They work with distributors in different countries who deliver the drugs to regional wholesalers, who in turn supply the local retailers (dealers) who sell drugs to individuals.
Everyone along the supply chain takes their cut, with most people making much more modest incomes than the millionaire drug traffickers of narcocorrido lore. In our interviews with illicit drug entrepreneurs in the US and UK, we routinely spoke to sellers whose incomes ranged from pocket money to providing a moderately comfortable life.
Illicit drug use is damaging large parts of the world socially, politically and environmentally. Patterns of supply and demand are changing rapidly. In our longform series Addicted, leading experts bring you the latest insights on drug use and production as we ask: is it time to declare a planetary emergency?
Around 70% to 80% of the overall revenue generated by illicit drugs is shared among the many wholesale and street-level dealers in destination countries such as the UK and US, where the price per gram is at its highest. How this money moves and is used to sustain the illicit drug trade should be an important part of any worthwhile counter-narcotics strategy. But it rarely is.
Professional money launderers
The people and organisations responsible for laundering drug revenues – that is, transforming them into untraceable money that can easily be spent, or into assets that can be held or sold – often exist under the radar of law enforcement and the media.
Yet the ways illicit drug money is laundered are hardly a mystery. Techniques include wire transfers to offshore bank accounts, investments in shell companies or deposits in cash businesses, and buying foreign currencies or (to a small extent) cryptocurrencies. In addition, the straightforward physical transportation of cash across national borders is an often-used method known as a “bulk cash transfer”.
The largest players in the illicit drugs industry, such as international cartels, national distributors and large-scale wholesalers, often use professional money launderers – some of whom have seemingly reputable jobs in the financial sector. In one recent case, US financial regulators fined TD Bank US$3 billion (£2.4 billion) – a record penalty for a bank – for facilitating the laundering of millions of dollars of drug cartel money.
Over six years, more than 90% of the bank’s transactions went unmonitored, enabling “three money laundering networks to collectively transfer more than US$670 million through TD Bank accounts”. Then-US attorney general Merrick Garland commented: “By making its services convenient for criminals, [TD Bank] became one.”
Video: CBC News.
Some money laundering networks are as global as the drug supply chains they service. In June 2024, the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) multi-year “Operation Fortune Runner” investigation saw LA-based associates of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel charged with conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to a Chinese underground banking network. According to the IRS’s head of criminal investigation, Guy Ficco:
Drug traffickers generate immense amounts of cash through their illicit operations. This case is a prime example of Chinese money launderers working hand-in-hand with drug traffickers to try to legitimise profits generated by drug activities.
According to the DoJ, “many wealthy Chinese nationals” barred from transferring large amounts to the US by the Chinese government’s capital flight restrictions seek informal alternatives to the conventional banking system – including via schemes to launder illicit drug money. The DoJ explained how this works:
The China-based investor contacts an individual who has US dollars available to sell in the United States. This seller of US dollars provides identifying information for a bank account in China, with instructions for the investor to deposit Chinese currency (renminbi) in that account. Once the owner of the account sees the deposit, an equivalent amount of US dollars is released to the buyer in the United States.
Professional launderers are both creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in the global financial system. Such corruption allows suspicious transactions to occur without proper checks or oversight. This not only reduces transparency in the financial system but erodes public trust in it.
How cartels launder their money
International drug cartels and national wholesalers have a smaller markup on their transactions, compared with retailers. But because they are responsible for moving enormous quantities of illicit drugs, they still generate millions of dollars worth of revenue.
The most prolific known drug distributors in US history, Margarito Flores Jr and his twin brother Pedro, delivered billions of dollars worth of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines to their US and Canadian wholesale clients between 1998 and 2009. They were working for Guzmán and Ismeal “El Mayo” Zambada García, then leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, as well as the Mexican Beltrán Leyva brothers whose cartel bore their surname.
Today, Margarito Flores Jr trains law enforcement across the US in the methods he and his brother used to traffic drugs and run their business. In January 2015, both men were sentenced to 14 years for drug trafficking – Margarito Flores Jr would later reach out to one of this article’s authors (R.V. Gundur) after reading his book, Trying to Make It: The Enterprises, Gangs, and People of the American Drug Trade, which includes a comprehensive account of the Flores crew’s activities.
In a subsequent interview, he told us: “My brother and I estimate that, if we added up all of the money we sent back to Mexico over the decade we sold drugs, it was probably more than US$3.5 billion.”
García Luna, who was Mexico’s highest-ranking law enforcement official from 2006 to 2012, was sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison in October 2024 after being found guilty of taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, as well as enabling the trafficking of more than a million kilograms of cocaine into the US. Flores explained to us:
It’s important to understand that corruption impacts people at all levels of government. Our payoffs included local police and other people in the community, up to higher-positioned people in government. Lots of that money ended up funding the violent conflicts between cartels.
While there has been widespread coverage of cartel drug money being laundered through high-profile businesses and banks such as Wachovia and HSBC, Flores suggested that “the money involved in the drug trade is a lot more than anybody really can understand”. The reason for this, he said, is that it’s very hard to track the flow of hard cash via lorries, boats, planes and even drones. Flores told us:
It’s a misconception that everyone who makes a lot of money in drugs or other illegal business makes an effort to launder their money. My brother and I held much of what we earned in cash. We knew the government could eventually take everything [else].
In our study of money laundering strategies used by people involved in the illicit drug trade in the UK and US, we found that street dealers do not typically undertake sophisticated laundering processes. Rather, they spend their cash on food and other routine living expenses. One independent UK drug dealer, whose experience was typical of many, used the money earned from his cocaine sales to buy groceries and pay bills for himself and his daughter.
Spending money, even small amounts, gained through illegal activities is a money laundering offence – albeit one that is seldom prosecuted. As a result, these everyday activities that return illicit drug money to the legal economy are not well accounted for – even though the street value of drugs drives global market value estimates.
Business-savvy street dealers can earn gross revenues that approach the earnings of high-paid white-collar workers. But they must disguise their earnings’ origins before they can spend them, of course, and various tactics are used to do this.
Some dealers solicit close friends or family members to act as “strawmen”. These are people willing to put assets paid for by illicit drug money – such as cars, properties or even businesses – in their names on behalf of the dealer. Idris Elba’s character Stringer Bell in HBO’s The Wire was an accurate portrayal of someone investing in legal enterprises using illicit drug money.
A guide to Stringer Bell’s character in The Wire. Video: Just an Observation.
These strategies occur wherever illegal enterprise exists, and have done for well over a century. In the US, we interviewed wholesalers who had used family members to own houses and other properties on their behalf. This is done to mitigate against the risk of asset forfeiture should they be convicted of a crime. If an illicit enterprise can create a plausible beneficial owner who is not involved in crime, then the asset is harder to seize. This is why the Donald Trump administration’s recent suspension of beneficial owner oversight is problematic from a drug enforcement perspective.
In liberal democracies, governments cannot investigate someone’s finances simply because they are related to criminals. The dirty money that is put into their accounts can also be disguised as legitimate income making it difficult to identify, although thorough investigations may uncover it.
In the UK, we also talked to successful drug retailers who had set up local businesses in their own names. The EU’s law enforcement agency, Europol, has reported similar activities throughout Europe.
Legal businesses are a common – and often hard-to-detect – vehicle to launder drug money. Bars, clubs, gyms, and hair, nail and tanning salons can be readily set up with drug money, as large cash infusions to establish a business are often not well scrutinised. These businesses are comparatively easy to run with significant cash flows, providing suitable cover for dirty money.
For example, a beauty salon, especially one that offers high-value boutique services, could easily incorporate drug revenue into its financial accounts by reporting sales that do not occur. Tanning salons can be set up with little expense since they require only sunbeds and the rental of a property.
Along with bars, clubs and salons, construction companies and restaurants stand out as other cash-intensive businesses with high volumes of transactions – characteristics that make good fronts for laundering money.
It’s hard to spot a ‘dirty’ business
There is no surefire way to tell whether a business is a laundering front. While some may look like enterprises struggling to stay afloat, others develop into viable operations that eventually no longer need dirty money to sustain them.
Some drug dealers incorporate laundering practices within their legitimate jobs. Tradespeople such as electricians or plumbers, for example, can launder money by generating invoices for fake jobs, then reporting the income on their tax returns.
In both the UK and US, tax authorities are not charged with evaluating the veracity of the funds reported, and are generally satisfied once tax is paid. In other words, they generally trust declared income as proof of legal business activity. Moreover, they, along with the police, lack the resources to investigate these businesses for money laundering.
Through their legal businesses, many drug dealers pay significant taxes on their illegal revenue, and thus contribute to the economy.
Paying income tax effectively renders this income laundered. It can be invested and used to set up other businesses, or to purchase cars and properties without suspicion. It can also bolster credit ratings, and improve access to legal financial services such as bank loans.
Many small-time drug dealers start legal businesses in order to exit the illicit drug trade. We interviewed one cocaine dealer who had used his drug money to set up a retail electronics store; once it was successful, he stopped dealing. Similarly, the person behind a semi-legitimate nitrous oxide enterprise used his proceeds to set up a legitimate alcohol delivery service.
Through self-laundering, these modest drug dealers transform their proceeds of crime into spendable cash – and may eventually leave criminality behind altogether.
The (losing) battle against laundered money
Across the world, anti-money laundering efforts against organised criminal gangs are notoriously ineffective.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – an intergovernmental organisation formed in 1999 to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism – assesses financial regulators’ anti-money laundering controls all over the world. Countries designated as a risk that require monitoring are placed on the task force’s “grey list”, while severe, high-risk countries go on its “black list”. Being put on these lists can result in a withdrawal of international investment and implementation of sanctions by other countries.
Although developing countries have often scored badly in their assessments, there has been some progress. While Kenya remained on the grey list in 2024, for example, it was found to have strengthened its measures to tackle both money laundering and terrorist financing. In the same year, though, Lebanon was added to the grey list over concerns on both counts.
Often lost in the criminal financing narrative is the role of bulk cash transfers. Even in a world that is moving to cashless transactions, cash generally remains the primary currency of both the illicit drug trade and corruption.
The biggest and most successful drug traffickers have significant cash reserves which are used to pay workers, replace drugs that are lost or seized, accrue assets, and bribe key officials.
Reflecting on his former illicit enterprise, Margarito Flores observed: “For every kilo of cocaine or heroin or methamphetamine we sold in the US, at least a kilo of cash went back to Mexico.” For deals in Europe, Flores said: “Given the markup the further away you trade, the amount of cash sent back could be even higher – I would estimate it to be a kilo and a half.”
Flores described the ineptitude of law enforcement in policing cash that was leaving the US:
No matter how careful we were, my brother and I lost a handful of loads of drugs heading north [from Mexico into the US]. Heading south was different: we just had the money put on tractor trailers and had it driven it across the border. We never lost a dollar. That’s where politicians don’t pay enough attention. That cash lets traffickers keep doing business.
Focus on the money as well as the drugs
So long as demand for illicit drugs exists, the industry will continue – and the revenue it generates will be laundered.
We believe that to curb the drugs trade, enforcement strategies need to go beyond simply capturing drugs and focus much more on capturing the money. Governments should go after reserves held not only by drug cartels but high-level distributors, such as those who replaced the Flores twins, and also wholesalers. People like these – comparatively high earners in destination countries – are the backbone of the illicit drugs trade.
Transnational law enforcement should prioritise detecting and seizing bulk cash transfers. These high-volume proceeds underwrite the wellbeing of drug trafficking organisations. Digital tools, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, can be developed to create new techniques to track and trace suspicious transactions, although they alone won’t solve all laundering problems.
Corruption of officials also remains a problem. Governments need to ensure their officials are well paid and sufficiently monitored in their roles – be they working in government, border control, banks, police departments or prisons. Unfortunately, the US has shirked its leadership in global anti-corruption efforts with the recent halting of the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bans the bribing of foreign officials.
Anti-money laundering efforts need to be consistently supported and required. Lamentably, the US has undermined its anti-money laundering toolkit by suspending the enforcement of beneficial ownership information reporting requirements. Establishing beneficial ownership helps financial institutions to identify parties that are hiding their financial interests, which can be an indication of money laundering or other criminal activity.
Similarly, foreign investment in producer countries can strengthen their capacity to counter laundering by supporting intelligence infrastructure and improved training. Recent cuts to USAid and the reduction of US State Department efforts in these areas is another indication that the US will no longer lead in these domains.
As cash businesses provide an easy mechanism for cleaning money, moving to a cashless society that uses digital transactions may help ensure that money is traceable. At the same time, cryptomarkets provide a minor, but potentially increasing, pathway to hiding dirty money digitally.
Ultimately, we should recognise the decades-long “war on drugs” for what it is: a policy costing trillions of dollars that combined mass incarceration with insufficient public health investment, and which has harmed the very communities the illicit drug trade affects the most. It is a difficult balance, but the pathway forward needs to reorient the objectives regarding drugs: invest in people, then go after the money that keeps the cartels, distributors and wholesalers afloat.
To hear about new Insights articles, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value The Conversation’s evidence-based news. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Mark Berry received funding from the Dawes Trust for a prestigious PhD scholarship to undertake work that informs the contents of this article.
R.V. Gundur received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the International Compliance Association.
The authors wish to thank Margarito Flores Jr (kingpintoeducator.com) for his help with this article.
2025-34 ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ SECURES NATIONWIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR DEFUNDING MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION RESEARCH
Posted on Mar 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA
JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA
ANNE LOPEZ
ATTORNEY GENERAL
LOIO KUHINA
ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ SECURES NATIONWIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR DEFUNDING MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION RESEARCH
News Release 2025-34
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2025
HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general have secured a nationwide preliminary injunction in Massachusetts v. NIH. The order prevents the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from cutting billions of dollars in funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country regardless of whether their states have joined the lawsuit.
“As the court confirmed, the Trump administration’s attempt to cut lifesaving, essential scientific and medical research funding for public health institutions was as illegal as it was arbitrary,” said Attorney General Lopez. “Once again, the courts are sending a clear message that President Trump’s efforts to paralyze the government through arbitrary funding cuts are illegal. The people of Hawaiʻi rightfully expect that the federal administration will act lawfully, and my department will work to protect the interests of this state.”
“We sincerely appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to obtain this injunction,” said University of Hawaiʻi Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis Syrmos. “NIH’s proposed drastic reduction of our facilities and administrative rate would result in the elimination of approximately $16.5M in funding that the University of Hawaiʻi uses to support its research programs and graduate students, including debt service payments for facilities that support translational research and clinical trials. As our state’s only medical school, JABSOM is required to do research that benefits our population. The level and quality of research cannot be sustained with the proposed cuts. The negative impact on communities in Hawaiʻi and elsewhere that already experience the highest rates of chronic disease, more severe health conditions, and shortened life expectancies, will be severe.”
The state of Hawaiʻi is represented in this litigation by Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day and Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes, who added: “We are very pleased with this decision. The relief obtained in this case for the University of Hawaiʻi underscores the importance of standing up for the rule of law and the interests of Hawaiʻi against unlawful federal actions.”
The preliminary injunction protects critical funds that facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader, could be compromised.
On February 10, less than six hours after the coalition filed its lawsuit against the Administration, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut the critical research funding. Today’s order takes the place of the temporary restraining order and prevents the Trump Administration from cutting this important category of funding as the case proceeds. It will remain in effect until a final ruling is made.
The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types and the first sequencing of DNA. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.
Joining Hawaiʻi in this coalition are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. This lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan.
# # #
Media contacts:
Dave Day
Special Assistant to the Attorney General
Office: 808-586-1284
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov
Toni Schwartz Public Information Officer Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General Office: 808-586-1252 Cell: 808-379-9249 Email: [email protected]
SHENZHEN, China, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jayud Global Logistics Limited (NASDAQ: JYD) (“Jayud” or the “Company”), a leading end-to-end supply chain solution provider based in Shenzhen specializing in cross-border logistics, today announced the appointment of Ms. HU Mengmeng as Chief Financial Officer, effective March 1, 2025. She succeeds Ms. Lin Bao, who is stepping down from her position as CFO for personal reasons.
Ms. Hu (46) brings over 20 years of extensive experience in the shipping and logistics sector, having held senior financial positions at several renowned multinational companies, including Maersk, CSAV Shipping Co, Ltd, and CMA CGM. Her expertise spans comprehensive financial management, strategic cost control, cash flow optimization, and cross-border operations.
“On behalf of the Board and the entire Jayud team, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ms. Lin Bao for her dedicated service and significant contributions as CFO,” said Xiaogang Geng, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Jayud Global Logistics. “We respect her decision to step down and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
“We are delighted to welcome Ms. Hu to our executive leadership team. Her wealth of experience in financial management within the logistics industry, coupled with her strategic vision and proven track record of optimizing financial operations, will be instrumental as we expand our global footprint and enhance shareholder value.”
“I am honored to join Jayud Global Logistics at such an exciting time in the Company’s development,” said Ms. Hu. “I see tremendous opportunity to drive sustainable growth, leveraging my experience in the logistics sector to optimize financial strategies, enhance operational efficiency, and create additional value for our shareholders and customers.”
Ms. Lin Bao will remain with the Company for a period to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities to Ms. Hu. This transition period will facilitate knowledge transfer and maintain operational continuity in the Company’s financial management.
Before joining Jayud, Ms. Hu served as Financial Director at Shihua Youshi Education Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. from 2017 to 2024, where she developed and implemented medium to long-term financial strategies and led comprehensive financial management initiatives. Previously, she held positions as Audit Manager at CMA CGM (China) Co., Ltd. Shenzhen Branch, Finance Manager at CSAV Shipping Co., Ltd., and Cost Manager at Maersk (China) Shipping Co., Ltd.
Ms. Hu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a specialization in International Finance from Shenyang University of Technology. She is fluent in Chinese, Cantonese, and English.
About Jayud Global Logistics Limited Jayud Global Logistics Limited is one of the leading Shenzhen-based end-to-end supply chain solution providers in China, focusing on cross-border logistics services. Headquartered in Shenzhen, the Company benefits from the unique geographical advantages of providing a high degree of support for ocean, air, and overland logistics. The Company has established a global operation nexus featuring logistic facilities throughout major transportation hubs in China and globally, with footprints in 12 provinces in Mainland China and 16 countries across six continents. Jayud offers a comprehensive range of cross-border supply chain solution services, including freight forwarding, supply chain management, and other value-added services. With its strong service capabilities and research and development capabilities in proprietary IT systems, the Company provides customized and efficient logistics solutions and develops long-standing customer relationships. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://ir.jayud.com.
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs, including the expectation that the Offering will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “aim”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “is/are likely to”, “potential”, “continue” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.
For more information, please contact:
Jayud Global Logistics Limited Investor Relations Department Email: ir@jayud.com
Investor Relations Contact: Matthew Abenante, IRC President Strategic Investor Relations, LLC Tel: 347-947-2093 Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com
WARSAW, N.Y., March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank (“Five Star” or the “Bank”) and Courier Capital, LLC, announced that Eric W. Marks has joined as Senior Vice President, Chief Consumer Banking Officer of the Bank.
As Chief Consumer Banking Officer, Mr. Marks will have executive leadership and strategic oversight of the Bank’s consumer lines of business, including Retail Banking, Residential Mortgage, and Small Business Banking, as well as its Customer Contact Center and Collections departments. Mr. Marks’ deep banking experience, which includes many facets of consumer banking leadership, financial oversight and strategic planning, will serve him well as he looks to drive sustainable customer growth and customer-service excellence in Five Star’s retail network and its 49 banking locations across Western and Central New York. Mr. Marks will report to President and CEO Martin K. Birmingham and join the Company’s Executive Management Committee.
“We are thrilled to welcome Eric Marks to Five Star Bank,” said Mr. Birmingham. “His deep understanding of all aspects of consumer banking, as well as his local roots and familiarity with our markets, will be very valuable as he supports the continued evolution, growth and, ultimately, the long-term success of our consumer banking offerings.”
Mr. Marks commented, “I am excited to join a community bank like Five Star, which has a deep history here in Upstate New York. I look forward to being a part of its continued success as we focus on delivering a simple, connected and trusted banking experience in our markets, and helping our customers and communities thrive.”
Mr. Marks joins Five Star from M&T Bank, where he had most recently served as its Retail Segment Chief Financial Officer. During his 19-year tenure at M&T, Mr. Marks held roles of increasing responsibility in several enterprise functions and lines of business, including corporate and consumer strategy, mortgage, branch distribution planning, consumer deposit pricing and portfolio management, as well as consumer indirect lending.
Mr. Marks, who is based at Five Star Bank Centre in Amherst, N.Y., earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst University and his M.B.A. from the University at Buffalo. He has also completed an executive leadership course at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Mr. Marks has a long history of community volunteerism, previously serving on the boards of the Orchard Park Little League, the Orchard Park Boys and Girls Club, Western New York Heritage Press, and more.
About Financial Institutions, Inc. and Five Star Bank Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) is a financial holding company with approximately $6.1 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024, offering banking and wealth management products and services. Its Five Star Bank subsidiary provides consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities and businesses through banking locations spanning Western and Central New York and a commercial loan production office serving the Mid-Atlantic region. Courier Capital, LLC offers customized investment management, financial planning and consulting services to individuals and families, businesses, institutions, non-profits and retirement plans. Learn more at Five-StarBank.com and FISI-Investors.com.
Safe Harbor Statement This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “focus,” “”intend,” “may,” “plan,” “preliminary,” “should,” or “will.” Statements herein are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Company and factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such statements for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: changes in interest rates; inflation; changes in deposit flows and the cost and availability of funds; the Company’s ability to implement its strategic plan, including by expanding its commercial lending footprint and integrating its acquisitions; whether the Company experiences greater credit losses than expected; whether the Company experiences breaches of its, or third party, information systems; the attitudes and preferences of the Company’s customers; legal and regulatory proceedings and related matters, including any action described in our reports filed with the SEC, could adversely affect us and the banking industry in general; the competitive environment; fluctuations in the fair value of securities in its investment portfolio; changes in the regulatory environment and the Company’s compliance with regulatory requirements; and general economic and credit market conditions nationally and regionally; and the macroeconomic volatility related to the impact of a pandemic or global political unrest. Consequently, all forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and the cautionary language and risk factors included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the SEC. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this press release.
For additional information contact: Kate Croft Director, Investor and External Relations 716-817-5159 klcroft@five-starbank.com
MIL Analysis: Here are the top five Russian language articles published today. The analysis includes five key articles prioritized at the moment.
Today’s analysis provides us with new results from Moscow Exchange for a year of transactions on the derivatives market. Technological sovereignty is developing independently in education.
Marat Khusnullin said that the road infrastructure of the overpass on the 6th km of the highway A-149 “Adler – Krasnaya Polyana” is already 50% of the total task.
Moscow Metro continues to surprise, now it is possible to pay for a trip with digital rubles. Rosneft has also developed a new high-precision robotic complex to identify the internal devices of reactor equipment and ensure the health and safety of personnel.
Transactions with futures and options on the Moscow Exchange in February 2025 were concluded by 193 thousand individuals (153 thousand in February 2024). Their share in the total trading volume of exchange-traded derivatives amounted to 63%.
On March 5, 2025 within the framework of the Exhibition-Forum of Educational Technologies, Infrastructure and Intellectual Solutions MMCO.EXPO-2025 an expert discussion “Rectors’ Club” was held, in which the Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev took part.
Modernization of the road network is one of the fundamental tasks to ensure dynamic development of the whole country. For this purpose, among other things, city bypasses are being built. In particular, the Adler bypass project is being implemented, within the framework of which the overpass on the 6th km of the A-149 Adler-Krasnaya Polyana highway is being reconstructed. Today the readiness of this artificial structure is 50%, said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.
The Moscow Metro together with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR) and VTB Bank is conducting a pilot launch of a new method of digital ruble fare payment by means of a universal QR code. Within the framework of the closed beta-testing the focus group has successfully purchased Troika cards and topped up the balance with a digital ruble at ticket offices.
Specialists of the Company’s Volgograd Scientific Institute developed a new high-precision robotic complex that determines the vertical position of internal devices of reactor equipment. The complex has been successfully tested at petrochemical industry enterprises of the Russian Federation.
Learn more about MIL’s content and data services by visiting milnz.co.nz.
In May 2024, heavy rains in Kenya triggered severe flooding, affecting the communities in Dadaab refugee complex and displacing over 20,000 people, according to UNHCR. The floods disrupted schooling, destroyed latrines and homes, blocked roads, and heightened the risk of disease outbreaks. The high population density, combined with limited infrastructure and resources make the complex and its inhabitants highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
The Dadaab refugee complex, situated in Garissa County, has been continuously expanding since its creation in 1991. Home to more than 400,000 people, the three camps that make up the complex welcome victims of conflict and persecution but also climate shocks.
Despite disasters and displacement being deeply interconnected, and refugees facing recurring disasters, DRR has often been an afterthought in humanitarian responses.
“Historically, our focus has been on immediate humanitarian response-providing shelter, food, and protection for displaced populations. DRR was often seen as a secondary priority in the urgency of crisis response. However, with the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters, we can no longer afford to address displacement and disasters separately. We now recognize that resilience must be built from the outset. Integrating DRR into our work is critical to ensure that communities we serve are not perpetually vulnerable to the next disaster.” Mr William Ejalu, Head of UNHCR Dadaab sub-office.
As these displacements become more protracted, the Government of Kenya, supported by humanitarian and development partners, launched the Shirika plan. It aims to transition refugee camps into integrated municipalities, promoting durable solutions to displacement that strengthen resilience and promote inclusion. This municipalization process constitutes a critical opportunity to embed disaster risk reduction (DRR) into broader humanitarian and development strategies.
Recognizing this window of opportunity, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations University (UNU) conducted a scoping mission to Dadaab in January 2025, as part of project accelerating disaster risk reduction in humanitarian action supported by the Government of Germany. The mission assessed disaster risks and identified the best ways to leverage the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) and Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiatives to support the integration of DRR in the refugee complex and in the establishment of the new municipalities.
“The future of disaster risk reduction in refugee settings hinges on strong partnerships, and innovative solutions. As displacement becomes increasingly protracted and climate risks intensify, we must act now to integrate refugees into national resilience strategies. This is not just about reducing risks-it’s about safeguarding lives, protecting livelihoods, and ensuring that no one, regardless of their status, is left behind.” Mr. Huw Beynon, Deputy Chief, UNDRR Regional Office for Africa
In this context, there is an opportunity to reduce disaster risk and build resilience in Dadaab. To support this, UNDRR and UNU proposed four areas of collaboration including improving disaster risk governance; strengthening early warning and early action; enhancing data and knowledge management and promoting community-led resilience.
“Refugees should not be the last to know when disaster strikes. They need to be integrated into national early warning systems just as any other resident. Integrating refugees into national disaster preparedness systems is not just a matter of equity but also of efficiency. When everyone receives early warnings, response times improve, and lives are saved.” Mr Vitalis Ogur, Assistant County Commissioner, Dadaab Subcounty
This initiative will serve as a model for DRR in refugee-hosting municipalities worldwide, demonstrating that even in displacement settings, resilience is possible.
“Dadaab is no longer just a refugee camp-it is evolving into a municipality. This means we must work with all stakeholders and integrate disaster risk in everything we do, to ensure that we develop a resilient sustainable municipality.” Mr Emma Mohammed, Municipal Manager, Dadaab Municipality,
By leveraging the strengths of EW4All, MCR2030, and the municipalization process, stakeholders can move beyond short-term humanitarian responses to build long-term resilience for both refugees and host communities.
PM chairs a high-level meeting to review the progress of Cooperative sector PM emphasizes the need for partnerships with global cooperative organizations to expand the Indian cooperative sector
PM stressed on promoting organic products through cooperative organizations with special focus on export markets
PM recommends the use of Agristack to expand agriculture and related activities in Cooperative Sector
PM highlights the importance of integrating UPI with RuPay KCC cards to facilitate financial transactions
PM proposes introduction of cooperative courses in schools and educational institutions
National Cooperation Policy 2025 draft discussed in the meeting; it realises the vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samruddhi’
National Cooperation Policy focuses on accelerating rural economic development, while prioritizing women and youth
Posted On: 06 MAR 2025 5:30PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the cooperative sector earlier today at 7 LKM. Discussions were held on promoting “Sahkar Se Samruddhi” bringing transformation through technological advancements in the sector, plans to increase the participation of youth and women in cooperatives, and the various initiatives of the Ministry of Cooperation.
Prime Minister emphasized the need for partnerships with global cooperative organizations to expand the Indian cooperative sector and stressed promoting organic products through cooperative organizations. He also suggested focusing on export markets and developing a soil testing model through cooperatives to improve agricultural practices. Prime Minister highlighted the importance of integrating UPI with RuPay KCC cards to facilitate financial transactions and emphasized the need for healthy competition among cooperative organizations.
Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of documenting the assets of cooperative organizations to ensure transparency. He suggested promoting cooperative farming as a more sustainable agricultural model. He recommended the use of digital public infrastructure (Agristack) to expand agriculture and related activities in Cooperative Sector, providing farmers with better access to services. In the context of education, Prime Minister proposed introducing cooperative courses in schools, colleges, and IIMs, as well as promoting successful cooperative organizations to inspire future generations. He further added that young graduates should be encouraged to contribute, and Cooperative organisations should be ranked based on their performance, so as to promote competition and growth simultaneously.
During the meeting PM was briefed about National Cooperation Policy and key achievements of the Ministry of Cooperation over the past three and a half years. Realising the vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samruddhi’, the Ministry has formulated a draft of the National Cooperation Policy 2025 through an extensive consultation process. The objective of National Cooperation Policy 2025 policy is to facilitate the systematic and holistic development of the cooperative sector, with a focus on accelerating rural economic development, while prioritizing women and youth. It aims to promote a cooperative-based economic model and establish a robust legal and institutional framework. Furthermore, the policy endeavours to deepen the grassroots impact of cooperatives and significantly enhance the contribution of the cooperative sector to the overall development of the country.
Since its inception, the Ministry has undertaken 60 initiatives across seven key areas to promote and strengthen the cooperative movement. These initiatives include the digitization of cooperative institutions through the National Cooperative Database and Computerization Projects, as well as the strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). Additionally, the Ministry has focused on enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of cooperative sugar mills.
The Government of India has implemented various schemes for cooperative societies through a “whole of government approach,” integrating over 15 schemes from more than 10 ministries at the PACS level. As a result, there has been diversification in cooperative businesses, additional income generation, increased opportunities for cooperatives, and improved accessibility of government schemes in rural areas. Annual targets have also been set for the formation of these cooperatives. To promote cooperative education, training and research and to provide skilled professionals, a Bill to convert IRMA Anand into “Tribhuvan Cooperative University” and make it an Institution of National Importance has been introduced in the Parliament.
Prime Minister was briefed on the growth of cooperatives and their vital role across various sectors. Cooperative sector’s contribution to India’s economy, particularly in agriculture, rural development, and economic inclusion was highlighted. During the meeting it was highlighted that presently, one-fifth of the country’s population is associated with the cooperative sector, which includes over 8.2 lakh cooperative institutions spanning more than 30 sectors, with a membership exceeding 30 crore individuals. Cooperatives play a crucial role in several areas of the economy.
The meeting was attended by Home and Cooperation Minister, Shri Amit Shah; Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani; the Principal Secretary to PM, Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 to PM Shri Shaktikanta Das; Advisor to PM, Shri Amit Khare and other senior officials.
Four crew members are preparing to launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory. NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flight is the 10th crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station, and the 11th human spaceflight as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. As teams progress through Dragon spacecraft milestones for Crew-10, they also are preparing a second-flight Falcon 9 booster for the mission. Once all rocket and spacecraft system checkouts are complete and all components are certified for flight, teams will mate Dragon to the Falcon 9 rocket in SpaceX’s hangar at the launch site. The integrated spacecraft and rocket will then be rolled to the pad and raised to vertical for a dry dress rehearsal with the crew and an integrated static fire test prior to launch.
Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013, this will be McClain’s second spaceflight. A colonel in the U.S. Army, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. The Spokane, Washington, native was an instructor pilot in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. McClain has more than 2,300 flight hours in 24 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including more than 800 in combat, and was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team. On her first spaceflight, McClain spent 204 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 58 and 59 and completed two spacewalks, totaling 13 hours and 8 minutes. Since then, she has served in various roles, including branch chief and space station assistant to the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. Follow @astroannimal on X and @astro_annimal on Instagram. This mission will be the first spaceflight for Ayers, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Ayers is a major in the U.S. Air Force and the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class named to a crew. The Colorado native graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a minor in Russian, and was a member of the academy’s varsity volleyball team. She later earned a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers served as an instructor pilot and mission commander in the T-38 ADAIR and F-22 Raptor, leading multinational and multiservice missions worldwide. She has more than 1,400 total flight hours, including more than 200 in combat. Follow @astro_ayers on X and @astro_ayers on Instagram. With 113 days in space, Crew-10 will mark Onishi’s second trip to the space station. After being selected as an astronaut by JAXA in 2009, he flew as a flight engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He also constructed a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, the station’s Japanese experiment module. After his first spaceflight, Onishi became certified as a JAXA flight director, leading the team responsible for operating Kibo from JAXA Mission Control in Tsukuba, Japan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo, and was a pilot for All Nippon Airways, flying more than 3,700 flight hours in the Boeing 767. Follow astro_onishi on X. The Crew-10 mission also will be Peskov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School and was a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft for airlines Nordwind and Ikar. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2020, he has additional experience in skydiving, zero-gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.
Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket will accelerate Dragon to approximately 17,500 mph. Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, will monitor a series of maneuvers that will guide Dragon to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously, but the crew can take control and pilot manually, if necessary. After docking, Crew-10 will be welcomed aboard the station by the seven-member crew of Expedition 72 and conduct a short handover period on science and maintenance activities with the departing Crew-9 crew members. Then, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will undock from the space station and return to Earth. Ahead of Crew-9 return, mission teams will review weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida prior to departure from station. Crew-10 will conduct new scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefit humanity on Earth. The crew is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests for future spacecraft designs, engage with students via ham radio and use its existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution, and participate in an integrated study to better understand physiological and psychological changes to the human body to provide valuable insights for future deep space missions. These are just a few of the more than 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations taking place during the mission. While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Crew-10 will welcome a Soyuz spacecraft with three new crew members, including NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and they will bid farewell to the Soyuz carrying NASA astronaut Don Pettit. The crew also is expected to see the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon, Roscosmos Progress, and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, as well as the short-duration private Axiom Mission 4 crew. The cadre will fly aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, which previously flew NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions. Commercial crew missions enable NASA to maximize use of the space station, where astronauts have lived and worked continuously for more than 24 years, testing technologies, performing research, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit, and explore farther from Earth. Research conducted on the space station benefits people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration missions to the Moon and beyond through NASA’s Artemis missions. Learn more about the space station, its research, and crew, at: https://www.nasa.gov/station
* Denotes Team Lead NASA Ames Research CenterJohn Lawson NASA Glenn Research CenterSteven M. ArnoldAaron B. BristerRobert W. CarterRobert H. EarpTimothy P. GabbChristopher J. GiuffrePaul R. GradlJason M. HannaBryan J. HarderAmy B. HiltabidelDale A. HopkinsChristopher A. KantzosMichael J. KulisGeoffrey S. MinterBrian T. NewbacherCallista M. PuchmeyerRichard W. RauserHarvey L. SchabesTimothy M. Smith*Aaron C. ThompsonMary F. WadelAustin J. WhittLaura G. Wilson NASA’s Marshall Space Flight CenterPaul Gradl HX5, LLCChristopher J. GiuffreAaron C. ThompsonAustin J. Whitt University of ToledoRichard W. Rauser
2024 AA Award Honorees 2024 AA Award Honorees PDF ARMD Associate Administrator Awards
* Denotes Team Lead NASA Glenn Research CenterAaron D. AndersonDevin K. BoyleJeffryes W. ChapmanPeggy A. CornellTimothy P. DeverJustin P. ElchertHenry B. FainXavier Collazo FernandezMatthew G. GrangerJonathan M. GutknechtMichael C. HalbigPatrick A. HanlonHashmatullah HasseebDavid HausserScott A. HensleyKeith R. HunkerMichael J. HurrellKeith P. JohnsonGreg L. KimnachJohn M. KoudelkaTimothy L. KrantzBrian P. MaloneSandi G. MillerNuha S. NawashPaul M. NowakJoseph J. PinakidisMeelad RanaiefarTrey D. RuppDavid J. SadeyJonathan A. SalemJustin J. ScheidlerAndrew D. SmithMark A. StevensThomas F. TallericoLinda M. TaylorCasey J. ThemanMark J. Valco*Joseph S. Wisniewski NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterZachary A. Cameron AmentumFrancis R. GaspareDavid J. HenricksonRyan M. McManamonAlan J. Revilock Connecticut Reserve TechnologiesEric H. Baker HX5 SierraNathan A. BakerJohn W. GreshGeorge E. HorningSigurds L. LaugeBrett M. NorrisNicolas UmpierreBill J. VaccareilloJohn Veneziano NASA Financial Support ServicesMadeline Duncan Ohio Aerospace InstituteMrityunjay Singh Universities Space Research AssociationPaula J. Heimann
2024 AA Award Honorees 2024 AA Award Honorees PDF ARMD Associate Administrator Awards
INDIAN YOUTH WILL PIONEER INNOVATION AND RESEARCH ON GLOBAL STAGE: LOK SABHA SPEAKER WOMEN AND YOUTH OF INDIA WILL BE TRAILBLAZERS OF TRANSFORMATION ACROSS THE WORLD: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
STUDENT LIFE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS PHASE OF ONE’S JOURNEY: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
LOK SABHA SPEAKER GRACES THE BUSINESS CONCLAVE ORGANIZED BY SRI RAM COLLEGE OF COMMERCE
Posted On: 06 MAR 2025 8:00PM by PIB Delhi
New Delhi; 06 March 2025:Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla today asserted that dynamic and visionary youth of India would spearhead groundbreaking innovations and lead the charge in research across the world. The Speaker also celebrated the unparalleled strength and resilience of Indian women, noting that women are at the forefront of India’s growth and its journey towards a Viksit Bharat. He observed that women today are seizing vast opportunities and leading in diverse fields, hoping that they will soon emerge as the true torchbearers of the nation’s future. Addressing the students and other invitees at the Business Conclave hosted by the renowned Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, today, he emphasized that it is the youth and women of India who will drive the transformative changes across the globe, shaping the future with their intellect and dedication.
नवाचार और उमंग से भरे नौजवान, नव भारत का करेंगे निर्माण।
ऊर्जावान तरुणाई से मिलकर हमेशा ही उत्साहित होता हूँ। भारत के युवा देश की progress और prosperity के ध्वजवाहक हैं। आज Shri Ram College of Commerce, दिल्ली में Business Conclave में युवा छात्रों से संवाद बेहद सुखद रहा।… pic.twitter.com/culqDqaQin
Shri Birla acknowledged that the ever-evolving landscape of technology has the power to expand the horizons of the mind. However, he also cautioned that in embracing the technological revolution, one must remain deeply conscious of the societal context and the challenges it brings. Reaffirming India’s growing prowess in innovation and research, Shri Birla was confident that the world would soon look towards India as the leader of change and progress. He urged the youth to become the architects of this global transformation, as they hold the key to realizing India’s boundless potential. The youth and women of India will unquestionably lead the charge in shaping the future of the world, he asserted.
Shri Birla encouraged the students to cultivate creativity and an expansive mindset in today’s fiercely competitive world. He reminded them that failure is merely a precursor to success, and that perseverance, coupled with ingenuity, is the true path to achievement.
नवाचार और उमंग से भरे नौजवान, नव भारत का करेंगे निर्माण।
ऊर्जावान तरुणाई से मिलकर हमेशा ही उत्साहित होता हूँ। भारत के युवा देश की progress और prosperity के ध्वजवाहक हैं। आज Shri Ram College of Commerce, दिल्ली में Business Conclave में युवा छात्रों से संवाद बेहद सुखद रहा।… pic.twitter.com/culqDqaQin
Drawing from his own personal journey, Shri Birla nostalgically referred to student life as the “golden phase” in one’s life, a time brimming with boundless opportunities and potential. He counselled the students to carve out their path early, setting steadfast goals, and pursuing them with relentless determination. He said that the pursuit of one’s dreams requires more than just ambition; it requires a single-minded focus and unwavering perseverance.
Shri Birla further underscored the importance of resilience, urging students not to allow the lack of resources to hinder their progress. Stressing that a determined spirit can convert obstacles into triumphs, he underlined the importance of self-confidence, noting that it is only with a strong and positive mindset that one can contribute to the betterment of society and the nation, while simultaneously achieving personal milestones.
In his reflections on the essence of education, Shri Birla mentioned that education is a beacon that illuminates the mind, nurtures the soul, and inspires the individual to become a catalyst for change and progress within society. He urged the youth to develop a multi-dimensional vision and a profound passion for success, not just for personal gain, but for the greater cause of nation-building.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh says, while India’s Bioeconomy grew more than 10 times in last 10 years, the biotech potential of Himalayan territories, particularly their agri-biotech potential, remains still under-explored. Highlights Agri-Biotech Potential in J&K, Credits Prime Minister Modi for India’s Bio-Economy Growth
India’s biotech economy, which soared from a $10 billion valuation in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024, is set to reach a massive $300 billion by 2030,
Jammu & Kashmir: A Hub for Agricultural Biotechnology and Innovation
DBT’s Budget from 1485crores in 2013-14 to 3447 crores in 2025-26 almost marking 130% increase.
India’s Bio-Economy Set to Soar to $300 Billion by 2030, Says Dr. Jitendra Singh
Posted On: 06 MAR 2025 7:41PM by PIB Delhi
JAMMU, March 6 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said here today that while India’s Bioeconomy grew more than 10 times in last 10 years, the biotech potential of Himalayan territories including Jammu & Kashmir, particularly their agri-biotech potential remains still under-explored.
India’s biotech economy, which soared from a $10 billion valuation in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024, is set to reach a massive $300 billion by 2030, according to Dr. Jitendra Singh’s projections. He highlighted the ongoing Bio-revolution in India, comparing it to the IT revolution in the West and underscoring the importance of India’s rich natural and biodiversity resources in fueling this transformation. He underscored the rise in DBT’s Budget from 1,485 crores in 2013-14 to 3,447 crores in 2025-26 almost marking 130% increase.
The Minister underscored the transformative potential of Agri-Biotechnology J&K, with a special focus on the success of initiatives like the Aroma Mission and the floriculture revolution. He further highlighted India’s remarkable growth in biotechnology, positioning the country as a global leader in the field.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was speaking at the PBBCON-2025, International and National Conference on “Emerging Innovations in Biochemistry and Biotechnology for Holistic Development of Agriculture” conference, in Jammu coinciding with the celebrations of India’s scientific achievements. He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call during the Mann Ki Baat for the nation to celebrate the day with festive fervor, a call echoed across Indian embassies worldwide.
The Union Minister emphasized how Agri-Biotech initiatives such as the Aroma Mission and the floriculture revolution have been instrumental in boosting J&K’s agricultural economy. These programs have helped local farmers cultivate aromatic plants and flowers, creating a thriving industry for essential oils and floriculture products. Dr. Singh praised the region’s favorable climate and how biotechnological innovations are reshaping traditional agriculture into a lucrative startUp industry.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also shared some key highlights from India’s biotech sector in 2024, including the development of the world’s first HPV vaccine, a breakthrough indigenous antibiotic ‘Nafithromycin’, and the pioneering gene therapy experiment for Hemophilia. He attributed these achievements to the Mission Suraksha initiative, which facilitated the creation of indigenous DNA-based vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The world’s largest vaccination drive was one of India’s proudest moments.
India is now ranked third in the Asia-Pacific region and 12th globally in terms of biomanufacturing, a fact Dr. Singh proudly highlighted. He noted the New BioE3 Policy, launched under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, which places a special focus on biomanufacturing and bio-foundries, marking a new era for India’s biotechnology sector.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF), allocated ₹50,000 crores in the 2024 budget, is set to foster innovation, with a 60% contribution from the private sector. This will play a crucial role in nurturing India’s growing deep-tech and biotech startup ecosystem, which has seen exponential growth—from just 50 biotech startups in 2014 to nearly 9,000 today.
Reflecting on the past decade of India’s scientific journey, Dr. Singh noted the rise of India as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, driven by youth-led innovation. He mentioned that 5352 Indian Scientific Minds now feature in the Top 2% globally, underscoring India’s rise as a global hub for talent and innovation.
India’s progress in the Global Innovation Index has been remarkable, jumping from 80th in 2014 to 39th in 2024, further solidifying its place among the world’s most innovative nations. Dr. Singh credited Prime Minister Modi for starting the “Start Up India, Stand Up India” movement, empowering young entrepreneurs to transform India’s economy.
In addition to biotechnology, Dr. Singh also touched upon India’s growing prominence in nuclear energy. Once met with skepticism, India’s nuclear energy program is now recognized globally for its peaceful and sustainable ambitions. India has set an ambitious target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2047.This vision is reshaping global climate strategies, with India’s nuclear policy, envisioned by Homi Bhabha, now seen as a model for responsible energy development.
Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded by urging the youth of J&K to prepare for the region’s crucial role in India’s growth story, emphasizing that J&K, with institutions like SKUAST University, can be at the forefront of driving innovation in Agri-Biotech and other emerging sectors. He encouraged young minds to leverage the opportunities created by India’s expanding biotech sector and global scientific leadership.
Earlier Vice Chancellor SKUAST Prof B.N. Tripathi and President National Society of Biochemistry & Biotechnology in Agriculture Dr Sharma also addressed the audience.
In our feminist classics series we revisit influential works.
Shere Hite’s The Hite Report was quickly dubbed a “sexual revolution in 600 pages”. It did something nobody had considered worth doing: investigating women’s sexuality by asking them to share their thoughts and feelings, then relaying those reflections to readers in women’s own words.
This might not sound unusual today. But in 1976, it was incendiary.
Based on a survey of 3,000 women distributed by the New York Chapter of the National Organisation for Women (the feminist group co-founded by Betty Friedan), more than 75% of the book comprises narrative responses to open ended survey questions.
It includes a plethora of startlingly frank – for its time – and explicitly detailed opinions, anecdotes, complaints and criticisms about sex, masturbation and orgasm. The book is an extraordinarily rich cultural artefact in the archive of human intimacy.
Unsurprisingly, the women who responded to Hite’s survey thoroughly enjoyed sex. “Orgasm is the ultimate pleasure – which women often deny themselves, but men never do,” claimed one. “Orgasms are a marvellous happiness”, added another. “Orgasm cancels out rage and longing for at least 48 hours,” said yet another.
But it was the manner in which Hite’s respondents got their orgasms that made the book a scandal. “I think masturbation is essential to one’s health,” said one respondent. “[A]s I learned in my marriage – a partner is not always good sexually, though he may be wonderful in other ways.”
Masturbation is better than “bad sex with an incompatible partner”, explained another respondent. “The only way I can have an orgasm is by masturbating,” said another.
‘A complex nature’
The Hite Report did not attempt to define a sexual norm, or produce a representative survey sample, or pretend its data could be generalised to an entire population. But it did contain some statistical findings.
The most significant of these – the source of the book’s notoriety – was that only 30% of women surveyed reported being able to regularly or reliably reach orgasm through heterosexual intercourse. And yet, 80% reported they could easily and regularly reach orgasm through clitoral stimulation, which was frequently obtained through masturbation, either alone, or with their partner.
In her preface Hite argued that the canonical sexological works of the past 100 years – including the works of Sigmund Freud, Alfred Kinsey, and William Masters and Virginia Johnson – had constructed female sexuality “as essentially a response to male sexuality and intercourse”. She set out to demonstrate that “female sexuality might have a complex nature of its own”.
Hite argued sex was a cultural institution, not a biological one. Historically, men had defined sex in terms of their own needs and preferences, then mandated their preferences as biological.
Freud, for example, knew female orgasm could be reliably obtained through clitoral stimulation, but defined clitoral orgasm as an “immature orgasm” and orgasm arising from heterosexual intercourse as a “mature orgasm”. He then labelled women who could not achieve orgasm in the required way “frigid” and “hysterical”.
The Hite Report is organised into eight chapters or themes, starting with “Masturbation”, followed by “Orgasm”, “Intercourse”, “Clitoral Stimulation”, “Lesbianism”, “Sexual Slavery”, “The Sexual Revolution” and “Older Women”. In a concluding chapter, Hite reflects on the issues raised by survey participants.
In the chapter “Lesbianism”, a significant number of heterosexual-identified women confess same sex attraction, or else identify as bisexual. They also describe lesbian sexuality as “more variable”, and the “physical actions more mutual”.
“The basic difference with a woman is that there’s no end,” claimed one respondent, “[…] it’s like a circle, it goes on and on.”
“Lesbianism” sits in stark contrast to the chapter on “Sexual Slavery”, where Hite seeks to investigate why women pursue unequal sexual relationships, especially where respondents claim to receive little or no sexual pleasure.
“Having a man love me and want to have sex with me is necessary to my happiness,” claimed one respondent. “Sex makes me feel I am a woman to my husband instead of just a live-in maid,” added another.
“I’ve never heard a word of praise from my husband in 21 years except while having intercourse,” claimed yet another. “While I resent this, I still love him […] ”
Wildly successful
Many women applauded the book. Author Erica Jong, writing in The New York Times, called it a “revelation”. Others warned of a possible male backlash. “It seems that women are finally reporting the facts of their own sex,” wrote journalist Ellen Willis in the Washington Post, “and men are putting on the earmuffs of fear and retreating to deeper fantasies.”
This backlash was not long in coming. Playboy apocryphally dubbed it “The Hate Report”, a label regularly recycled in media outlets around the world, including by female journalists. One male journalist, writing in the Miami Herald, argued women could not be regarded as truthful or reliable witnesses to their own lives. “What annoys me about The Hite Report,” he wrote, “is its smug assumption that just because women made these comments, they’re true”.
Despite – or perhaps because of – this controversy, the book was wildly successful. It was translated into ten different languages – including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Hebrew and Japanese – and sold over 2 million copies within the first 12 months.
It remains the 30th bestselling book of all time, with 50 million copies sold in 45 countries, including two recently translated editions in China, where it sparked conversations among intellectuals interested in formerly taboo western culture.
Faking orgasms
Born in smalltown Missouri, Hite gained a masters degree in social history and in 1967 moved to New York to enrol in a PhD program at Columbia University. She left when conservative faculty members refused to allow her to complete her dissertation on female sexuality. Hite worked as a model to pay her tuition fees. She joined the National Organisation for Women when they protested the sexism of the Olivetti advertising campaigns, after Hite was cast as an “Olivetti girl” for the typewriter company.
Increasingly tagged as a “man-basher” after the publication of her book, Hite’s public persona was conventionally, almost theatrically feminine. She revelled in a contemporary Baroque aesthetic; a mirage of red lipstick, froufrou dresses, pancake-style makeup and tousled orange or platinum curls. And she spoke about sex in explicit detail, in a voice that was earnest, articulate and unembarrassed.
Hite did not “discover” the clitoral orgasm. Instead, by centring women’s experiences, and taking their reflections seriously, her work threw into question centuries of sexological studies. These studies had either pathologised normal female sexual functioning or else insisted any pleasure women derived from sex had to be a by-product of conventional heterosexual intercourse.
Even Masters and Johnson, who, in their reports from 1966 onwards, clinically proved all female orgasms were the result of clitoral stimulation, had insisted on the centrality of coitus.
As Hite told television show host Geraldo in 1977,
Masters and Johnson made a tremendous step forward in that they studied, and showed clinically, for the first time, that all orgasms are caused by clitoral stimulation, and we really have them to thank for that. However, when they described how it’s done – the thrusting of the penis causes the vaginal lips to move, which causes the skin that’s connected to the clitoris to move, which causes the glands to move over the clitoris, which supposedly gives you orgasm. But that doesn’t work for most women.
And yet, although the participants in Hite’s study were overwhelmingly educated and politically progressive, many confessed they felt compelled to fake an orgasm during intercourse to please a man.
“I ‘perform’ and boost his ego and confidence,” claimed one. “I do not like to think of myself as a performer but I feel judged and also judge myself when I don’t have an orgasm.” “[M]en do expect it, so I often force myself […],” said another.
Participants also claimed how a woman was seen to orgasm mattered. “I don’t show the signs you’re supposed to,” worried one. “They think because I don’t pant, scream and claw I haven’t had one,” said another. “I used to go out of my way to offer all the mythical Hollywood signs,” revealed another.
One participant even suggested the whole issue of sex was so politically fraught that, “Maybe sex would be better if we’d never heard of orgasm”.
Respondents also told Hite the “sexual revolution” of the 1960s and 1970s had intensified, rather than reduced, gender prejudices and double standards.
Sexual violence
Another breathtaking aspect of the book is the way participants’ answers are shot through with sexual violence. On the issue of sexual coercion, for example, one participant replied, “I’m not supposed to say ‘no’ since I’m legally married”.
On a question about the use of force in sex, another replied, “Only with my husband.” (In 1976, marital rape was legal and “acceptable” in most western nations.)
Rape myths are also common. “I define as rape someone you don’t know who attacks you,” said one respondent. “I never defined it as […] someone you know. If you define rape that way, every woman has been raped over and over.”
Another suggested rape wasn’t rape if a victim gave up fighting. “He really raped me, but not in the legal way. I couldn’t prevent him, in other words.”
Hite identified toxic gender stereotypes as the major driver of sexual violence, especially the belief that “a man’s need for ‘sex’ is a strong and urgent ‘drive’” which women were obligated to satisfy. “Women aren’t always free to not have sex,” explained one respondent.
Archival insights
The Hite archive is housed in the Schlesinger Library of the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University. It comprises over 250 filing boxes and folios, occupying more than 30 metres of shelf space. Most of the material relates to Hite’s public career as a sex researcher, with a small scattering of personal papers.
I was at Harvard doing research for a book on Hite’s contemporary Andrea Dworkin. Although the two feminists exist as polar opposites in the public imagination, they thoroughly agreed with one another, and enjoyed a supportive working relationship. And so I wanted to take a look.
Among the publishing agreements, speaking invitations, publicity material and the copies of the edited and revised questionnaires that formed the basis of the 1976 report – which are printed in vermillion – an occasional note flips out.
One, a seemingly unpublished open letter titled “Dear Women”, bears the traces of the intense, frequently misogynistic and overtly hostile media scrutiny that marked Hite’s wild catapult to fame.
“Sometimes I feel I am dying here in the midst of all this,” she writes, “without the support of anyone”.
Another, scrawled in a flamboyant purple felt tip pen in the midst of her 1977 book tour of France, reads, “I know that I have done something good – but somehow I feel evil […] When did that start?”
There are also letters from readers. One, sent from Milan in the wake of the controversy that accompanied the Italian edition of the book, bears the typewritten subject line “Personal”. It reads:
Dear Ms Hite,
I am 43 years old and have never written a fan letter in my life until today. But I feel a moral obligation to tell you that your ‘Report’ has rehabilitated me in my own eyes. After years of thinking there was something wrong with me, your book has shown me I’m normal.
Hite’s “Dear Women” letter describes the extraordinary challenges, including the financial challenges, she faced both before and after the book was published.
Macmillan, after purchasing the rights to the book, went cold on the project when the commissioning editor resigned or, as Hite phrases it, “quit/was fired depending on your point of view”. The publisher made no plan to promote the book and assigned a 22-year-old man to answer any media queries.
Hite decided to step in, when, working in the publisher’s offices late one evening, she found a letter from her male publicist declining an invitation to discuss The Hite Report on TV as “he thought my book/subject might be too ‘ticklish’ for television”.
Hite’s contract with Macmillan gave her little or no control over international editions of the book (and severely limited the income she could take from royalties, before it was ruled unconscionable by a court). In 1978, she “flew around the world twice” attempting to stop the book from being sensationalised.
In France, the publisher had promised Hite a plain print cover, but was overruled by an all-male advertising department who “printed a cover with a nude woman”. In the second printing, the publisher agreed to revert to plain text.
In Israel, entire sections of the first edition text were censored. Protests by local journalists led to the publisher engaging an Israeli feminist to re-translate the work.
In Japan, the male translator produced a translation that was “so embarrassed and vague that it made absolutely no sense”. But on this occasion, a sympathetic female editor stepped in to rewrite entire sections of the manuscript.
Hite’s Australian reception ranked among the most hostile. Her research assistant described the trip as “hideous”, alleging Hite had “never before encountered” such “vicious attitudes” as those exhibited by male journalists.
Hite’s research assistant revealed in a separate letter that Hite’s doctors had “absolutely forbid her to do anything but rest for the next few months” after the Australian trip.
Later life
In her preface, Hite writes that she hoped to start a conversation through which men and women might “begin to devise more kind, generous, and personal ways of relating”.
Sadly, this was not what happened. Hite went on to release four major reports on human sexuality, including a report on male sexuality, one on women and love, and one on the family. Then in 1996, she revoked her US citizenship and moved to Germany, saying the media’s hostility towards her made it impossible to continue working.
Living in Germany, and later in Paris and London, she published her autobiography, The Hite Report on Shere Hite, and The Hite Reader, containing a selection of her published work. She died in 2020, aged 77.
What marks the Hite Report as an artefact from another era is less the peculiar patois of the “Age of Aquarius”, than the way in which Hite’s respondents so often defined their identities through their husband’s, whether as a wife, former wife, or woman destined to be a wife. “Wifedom” is the default state.
Equally, what makes the book disturbing, is the reality of sexual violence and coercion that lurks in so many answers, even when respondents are not being questioned about violence or coercion directly.
With shocked recognition, the reader realises society has not changed nearly as much as some would like to think. The fact it has changed at all is partly due to the second sexual revolution ignited by Hite’s work.
Camilla Nelson 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: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
03.06.25
WASHINGTON — Senator John Hoeven this week met with Martin Bergstedt, a senior at Enderlin High School, and Cady Wang, a senior at Davies High School in Fargo, who were chosen to represent North Dakota as delegates to the 63rd annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). The program brings students from across the country to Washington, D.C. to meet with senators, the president, a Supreme Court Justice and cabinet officials.
“We congratulate Martin and Cady on being selected as North Dakota’s Senate Youth Program delegates and commend their dedication to academics and community service,” said Hoeven. “This prestigious, merit-based program offers students a unique opportunity to learn about the federal government while also providing scholarships to support their education.”
Martin Bergstedt
Martin Bergstedt, a senior at Enderlin High School, is president of the Future Business Leaders of America chapter. He also serves as FCCLA vice president, a National Honor Society member, yearbook editor and pep club leader. A National Merit semifinalist and accomplished speaker, he is a three-time state champion and two-time national qualifier in Speech and Debate. Actively involved in the Enderlin Endowment Fund, he plans to pursue a career in corporate finance.
Cady Wang
Cady Wang, a senior at Davies High School in Fargo, advises the North Dakota Health and Human Services Youth Advisory Board, representing nearly 200,000 youth statewide. She promotes health care equipment recycling and supports True Friends summer camp for individuals with disabilities. As a Research Science Institute participant, she now interns at North Dakota State University, working with local farms on sustainable agriculture. She plans to study environmental engineering and public policy at MIT, followed by a master’s in public policy focused on climate change and sustainability.
About USSYP
Created in 1962 by Senate Resolution 324, the USSYP has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since the program’s inception. Senate testimony states that the impetus for the program is “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”
Each year, this competitive, merit-based program brings 104 of the most outstanding high school students — two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity — to Washington, D.C. for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and those who lead it. The program’s mission is to help instill within each student delegate a more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service.
In addition to the program week, the Hearst Foundations provides each student with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. Transportation and all expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations because, as stipulated in S.Res.324, no government funds are utilized.
The chief educational officer in each state selects the delegates after nomination by teachers and principals. This year’s delegates were designated by Kirsten Baesler, North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction.
We found declines in just about every region of the continental U.S. and across almost all butterfly species.
Overall, nearly one-third of the 342 butterfly species we were able to study declined by more than half. Twenty-two species fell by more than 90%. Only nine actually increased in numbers.
West Coast lady butterflies range across the western U.S., but their numbers have dropped by 80% in two decades. Renee Las Vegas/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Some species’ numbers are dropping faster than others. The West Coast lady, a fairly widespread species across the western U.S., dropped by 80% in 20 years. Given everything we know about its biology, it should be doing fine – it has a wide range and feeds on a variety of plants. Yet, its numbers are absolutely tanking across its range.
Why care about butterflies?
Butterflies are beautiful. They inspire people, from art to literature and poetry. They deserve to exist simply for the sake of existing. They are also important for ecosystem function.
Butterflies are pollinators, picking up pollen on their legs and bodies as they feed on nectar from one flower and carrying it to the next. In their caterpillar stage, they also play an important role as herbivores, keeping plant growth in check.
A pipevine swallowtail caterpillar munches on leaves at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md. Herbivores help keep plant growth in check. Judy Gallagher/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Butterflies can also serve as an indicator species that can warn of threats and trends in other insects. Because humans are fond of butterflies, it’s easy to get volunteers to participate in surveys to count them.
The annual North American Butterfly Association Fourth of July Count is an example and one we used in the analysis. The same kind of nationwide monitoring by amateur naturalists doesn’t exist for less charismatic insects such as walking sticks.
What’s causing butterflies to decline?
Butterfly populations can decline for a number of reasons. Habitat loss, insecticides, rising temperatures and drying landscapes can all harm these fragile insects.
A study published in 2024 found that a change in insecticide use was a major factor in driving butterfly declines in the Midwest over 17 years. The authors, many of whom were also part of the current study, noted that the drop coincided with a shift to using seeds with prophylactic insecticides, rather than only spraying crops after an infestation.
The Southwest saw the greatest drops in butterfly abundance of any region. As that region heats up and dries out, the changing climate may be driving some of the butterfly decline there. Butterflies have a high surface-to-volume ratio – they don’t hold much moisture – so they can easily become desiccated in dry conditions. Drought can also harm the plants that butterflies rely on.
Only the Pacific Northwest didn’t lose butterfly population on average. This trend was largely driven by an irruptive species, meaning one with extremely high abundance in some years – the California tortoiseshell. When this species was excluded from the analyses, trends in the Pacific Northwest were similar to other regions.
The California tortoiseshell butterfly can look like wood when its wings are closed, but they’re a soft orange on the other side. Walter Siegmund/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
When we looked at each species by its historical range, we found something else interesting.
Many species suffered their highest losses at the southern ends of their ranges, while the northern losses generally weren’t as severe. While we could not link drivers to trends directly, the reason for this pattern might involve climate change, or greater exposure to agriculture with insecticides in southern areas, or it may be a combination of many stressors.
There is hope for populations to recover
Some butterfly species can have multiple generations per year, and depending on the environmental conditions, the number of generations can vary between years.
This gives me a bit of hope when it comes to butterfly conservation. Because they have such short generation times, even small conservation steps can make a big difference and we can see populations bounce back.
The Karner blue is an example. It’s a small, endangered butterfly that depends on oak savannas and pine barren ecosystems. These habitats are uncommon and require management, especially prescribed burning, to maintain. With restoration efforts, one Karner blue population in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in New York rebounded from a few hundred individuals in the early 1990s to thousands of butterflies.
Similar management and restoration efforts could help other rare and declining butterflies to recover.
What you can do to help butterflies recover
The magnitude and rate of biodiversity loss in the world right now can make one feel helpless. But while national and international efforts are needed to address the crisis, you can also take small actions that can have quick benefits, starting in your own backyard.
Butterflies love wildflowers, and planting native wildflowers can benefit many butterfly species. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has guides recommending which native species are best to plant in which parts of the country. Letting grass grow can help, even if it’s just a strip of grass and wildflowers a couple of feet wide at the back of the yard.
A patch of wildflowers and grasses can become a butterfly garden, like this one in Townsend, Tenn. Chris Light, CC BY-SA
Supporting policies that benefit conservation can also help. In some states, insects aren’t considered wildlife, so state wildlife agencies have their hands tied when it comes to working on butterfly conservation. But those laws could be changed.
The federal Endangered Species Act can also help. The law mandates that the government maintain habitat for listed species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December 2024 recommended listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species. With the new study, we now have population trends for more than half of all U.S. butterfly species, including many that likely should be considered for listing.
With so many species needing help, it can be difficult to know where to start. But the new data can help concentrate conservation efforts on those species at the highest risk.
I believe this study should be a wake-up call about the need to better protect butterflies and other insects – “the little things that run the world.”
Eliza Grames receives funding from the National Science Foundation (DEB 2225092).
Grant funding with a total value of at least $148 million at stake for California programs that address state’s ongoing teacher shortage
LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, leading a multistate coalition, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs. Beginning on February 7, California institutions received letters purporting to terminate grants with a total value of at least $148 million in critical funding to address the state’s ongoing teacher shortage through teacher preparation programs. These programs are designed to create a pipeline for teachers serving rural and urban communities and teaching harder-to-fill positions like math and science and have been shown to increase teacher retention rates and ensure that educators remain in the profession beyond the crucial first five years. The attorneys general argue that the terminations, impacting institutions across the nation and which were issued without warning and with immediate effect, violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general are seeking an order to prevent disruptions to these programs, which would immediately reduce the number of teachers and teacher trainees serving in schools.
“The Trump Administration is pursuing an anti-education agenda that would yank teachers out of schools and prevent new teachers-in-training who are close to being ready to serve our students from filling empty classrooms,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “States across the nation are facing a critical teacher shortage. But instead of trying to help us solve it, instead of doing the bare minimum and honoring grants that have already been awarded and obligated, the U.S. Department of Education is attempting to terminate funding for vital teacher preparation programs that train teachers to go into hard-to-fill positions and high-poverty or high need schools across the country. As a father myself, I can’t sit back while the Trump Administration attempts to pull the rug out from under aspiring teachers – especially when it’s our kids’ education on the line. I’ll see the Trump Administration in court.”
“The elimination of funding to the Teacher Quality Partnership grants awarded to universities in the California State University system will cause widespread and irreparable harm to the students and school districts we are so honored to serve through these grants,” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García. “The programs currently in place across the CSU have proven to be extraordinarily successful at placing well-qualified and dedicated diverse educators in some of California’s highest-need districts, including our state’s rural areas. As teacher shortages continue to plague the state and nation, programs designed to attract, train and retain talented individuals to careers in K-12 education should be expanded, not defunded – and viewed as vital investments in our collective future.”
In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions in the U.S. — representing about one in eight of all teaching positions nationwide — were vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. When schools are unable to find qualified teachers, students suffer. Teacher shortages can result in larger class sizes, cancelled courses, or classes staffed with teachers less able to teach a subject.
To address the nationwide teacher shortage, especially for hard-to-fill subject areas, like math, science, and special education, and in hard-to-staff school districts in rural and urban areas, Congress established and allocated funding pursuant to the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs to train teachers, create a new teacher pipeline, and improve teacher quality. The U.S. Department of Education subsequently awarded and obligated funds to states’ public universities and associated nonprofits grants under these programs to do exactly what Congress mandated — provide teacher training, placement, and retention, and new teacher pipeline development in the states.
Beginning on February 7, 2025, the Department of Education terminated, with immediate effect, grants awarded to K-12 teacher preparation programs in California and nationwide. Hundreds of millions in grants have been terminated. In California alone, the Department provided notice of termination of grants with a total value of at least $148 million in funding across a number of grants. These terminations would be felt immediately across California schools who rely on these programs to bring teachers into their classrooms. The terminations would also cause layoffs or reductions in hours for University staff, and result in reduced or eliminated support and funding for new aspiring teachers. Impacted programs in California include:
CALIFORNIA STATE, LOS ANGELES:
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated a new five-year $7.5 million grant to train and develop highly qualified community-centered teachers who could staff and support high-need or high-poverty urban K-12 schools and students. Subjects Taught: The residency focuses special education, secondary STEM education, and bilingual education. Teachers Impacted: The program’s goal is to train and certify approximately 276 teachers and educators for placement into high-needs/high-poverty K-12 urban schools. Without these funds, these teachers and educators will no longer be trained and certified to serve in schools. School Impacted: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Pasadena Unified School District.
CHICO STATE:
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated a new $2.4 million five-year grant to address a chronic and acute shortage of qualified or experienced teachers within a 38,000-mile rural region of northeastern California. The program is designed to assist and enable local students in high-need rural community school districts to become teachers, and to remain in those local districts as teachers and educators. Schools Impacted: Schools in the Chico Unified School District, Oroville Union High School, the Glenn County Office of Education, and the Red Bluff School District. Teachers Impacted: Approximately 225 undergraduate students, Masters students and credential candidates enrolled in teacher and educator study programs will lose financial, academic, and other support provided through the program. Without these funds, these teachers and educators will no longer be trained. Other Impacts: Access to college courses, campus visits, and higher education preparation resources will be eliminated or greatly reduced for more than 60 local high school students.
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated a five-year $8.5 million grant that supports a yearlong teacher residency during which students would be able to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. During the program, teacher candidates teach full time in a high-needs or high-poverty school while, working closely with a mentor teacher and meeting residency requirements. Those schools have a chronic and critical shortage of teachers and anticipate hiring those teacher candidates to fill existing and future teacher vacancies once they have completed the program. The termination of the grant will immediately eliminate current candidates teaching in their schools. Teachers Impacted: The program will recruit, prepare, and support a minimum of 60 teacher residents to serve in underserved, high-need rural districts. Without these funds, these teachers will no longer be trained. School Impacted: High-needs or high-poverty public schools located in Butte and Tehama Counties including Palermo Union Elementary, Golden Hills Elementary, Helen M. Wilcox Elementary, Thermalito Union Elementary, Plumas Avenue Elementary, Poplar Avenue Elementary, Sierra Avenue Elementary, Corning Union Elementary, Woodson Elementary, West Street Elementary, Olive View Elementary, and Los Molinos Elementary School.
CAL POLY, SAN LUIS OBISPO:
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated an ongoing $2.2 million five-year grant that provides living wage stipends for residents, who in turn agree to complete three years of service after graduation in one of 32 high-need schools. Subjects Taught: Residents who go through this program aspire to become teachers in bilingual education and special education. School Impacted: 32 schools in the Santa Maria Bonita School District, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, and Lucia Mar Unified School District. Students Impacted: Collectively, these schools serve nearly 40,000 Pre-K to 12th grade students.
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated an ongoing $4.7 million grant to address a critical teacher shortage in important fields, including special education, by developing a high-quality teacher workforce, supporting worker retention, expanding professional development, and issuing micro credentials. Teachers Impacted: The program would have developed a high-quality teacher workforce by training 775 prospective educators through reformed clinical experiences and coursework. Without these funds, these educators will no longer be trained. School Impacted: San Miguel Joint Unified School District, Shandon Joint Unified School District, Guadalupe Union School District, Lompoc Unified School District, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, and Atascadero Unified School District.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES:
Program Purpose: The Education Department terminated an ongoing $8 million grant that educates middle school principals and recruits residency candidates with specialized expertise in their areas to meet the Los Angeles Unified School District’s demand for single-subject middle school teachers. Subjects Taught: Math, Science, English, and Social Science. Teachers Impacted: The termination of the grant will impact approximately 314 educators. Schools Impacted: Schools in theNorwalk La Mirada District, LAUSD Partnership Schools, LAUSD East Region District, Glendale Unified School District, and the Lancaster Unified School District. Students Impacted: Over 15,000 students in classrooms within Los Angeles County school districts.
Other Impacts: The UCLA Program’s structured residency model significantly enhances teacher retention rates, ensuring that early-career educators remain in the profession beyond the crucial first five years. Without this structured support, school districts will experience higher turnover rates, which lead to increased recruitment costs, staffing instability, and disruptions in student learning.
Attorney General Bonta is leading this lawsuit with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. They are joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin in filing the lawsuit.
The 2025 AFL season is just around the corner and fans are pondering the big questions: who will play finals? Who will finish in the top four? Who’s getting the wooden spoon?
The start of a new season brings with it many unknowns, hopes, and in some cases, trepidation.
Collingwood enters 2025 with the oldest and most experienced list – will that be the key to another deep finals run? Or are they over the hill?
Can Carlton finally break its premiership drought? Can West Coast, North Melbourne, or Richmond get back on track? What can Fremantle do with its young list and high expectations?
With so many unknowns, we turned to data.
Simulations and predictions
In La Trobe University’s Master of Sport Analytics, students need to build their own footy tipping algorithms and use them to simulate future matches.
We’ve seen lots of different approaches to this problem. Each comes with its own set of assumptions and blind spots.
One straightforward way to try to forecast what will happen in the upcoming season is to just look at history: how often does a team that finishes first on the ladder stay on top the next?
That’s happened seven times since 1990, so about 20% of the time.
We can model probabilities like this for every ladder position to get a gauge on how rankings typically shift from season to season, and apply this to the end-of-season 2024 ladder to predict the 2025 standings.
This approach does not take into account last year’s finals results, the different age profiles of teams, the 2025 fixture, or other team changes such as trades, retirements, or injuries.
Taking age into account
How about if we consider player ages as well? This should give us a better sense of a team’s expected change between seasons.
Research has suggested AFL players reach their peak performance levels at around 24-25.
A quick look at team median ages since 1990 agrees: teams with a median player age over 25 typically have a worse winning percentage the following year, and teams younger than 24 usually improve (with plenty of exceptions).
Combining last year’s ladder with age profiles gives a different view of the upcoming season.
There is more shuffling, with older teams like Collingwood and Melbourne expected to fall, while the younger Fremantle, Gold Coast and Adelaide lists are given higher probabilities of finishing near the top.
We’re still left with some important blind spots though: information from last year’s finals (Brisbane performed far better than a typical fifth-place finisher), and the difficulty of the upcoming fixture, have not been considered.
The Elo rating system
To take the full 2025 fixture into account, we need to simulate the entire season game by game.
That can be done if we use the Elo rating system to get a “strength” rating for each team.
Elo ratings track team strength over time: ratings go up with a win and down with a loss. The amount it changes depends on the opponent – beating a strong team boosts the rating more than beating a weak one, and the ratings update after every game played.
We’ll use the Elo ratings that each team ended up on at the end of last year (including finals) as a baseline for 2025.
With these ratings, we can calculate the probability of one team beating another in any given matchup. The method also considers home ground advantage by giving the home team a small rating boost.
Once we have probabilities for each match outcome, we can simulate the entire season. Here’s how it works:
Each game needs a winner. To decide, we use a computer function that picks a winner based on probability, kind of like flipping a weighted coin. If a team has a 70% probability of winning, it’s more likely to be chosen, but there’s still a 30% chance they lose
This is done for every game in the season
We then repeat this 10,000 times – simulating 10,000 different versions of the season
In each version, we create an end-of-season ladder, based on the simulated games results
After all the simulations, we can see how often each team finishes in each ladder position. This gives us a prediction for their chances of finishing first, second, third and so on.
The Elo approach favours Brisbane much more and is less kind to West Coast (35% chance of finishing last).
It does not predict the decline of Collingwood and Melbourne because, although it takes into account the finals and fixture, it doesn’t have an age component.
The ‘wisdom of the crowd’
If each approach comes with its own set of limitations, then we might expect to get a better forecast by combining lots of predictions from different sources because of the “wisdom of the crowd”.
The idea is that you get more accurate predictions if you combine multiple independent sources.
Luckily for us, each season, several AFL stats experts build models to estimate the probability of each match outcome and generously post them online.
What goes into each model is not always known, but they consider a mixture of different factors such as attacking and defending strengths, in-game statistics, home ground advantage, player lists and trades, last season’s performance and more.
For our analysis, we’ll combine the Elo model with the average of all these expert tips to get a “wisdom of the crowd” prediction for each game’s probability. The ladder can then be simulated using the same method as above.
Four groups emerge from the wisdom of the crowd:
Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs are predicted to lead the pack, surpassing last year’s top three
Sydney, Port Adelaide, GWS, Carlton, Fremantle, Collingwood and Adelaide have a wide spread of predicted finishes, skewed more towards finishing in the top eight – but there won’t be enough room for all of them
Essendon, Melbourne, St Kilda and Gold Coast might challenge for a spot in the finals, but the models are less confident in their chances
West Coast, North Melbourne and Richmond are hard to separate from each other, a cut below the rest.
Uncertainty and excitement
Each table tells a potentially different story but the most universal theme is uncertainty.
Team sports are hard to predict, especially before we’ve had a chance to observe any games, and even the most confident predictions are under 40% (meaning they are more likely not to happen).
Uncertainty leads to excitement, and this data only makes us more excited to see what will play out this season.
The authors 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.
Maria Clementina Sobieski is one of only three women buried in the famous St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, alongside an estimated 100 or so popes. She lived a life of extraordinary defiance and determination.
Born in 1701 in Oława, Poland, Maria Clementina was the granddaughter of King John III Sobieski of Poland, who was famous for his victory in the 1683 Battle of Vienna against the forces of the Ottoman Empire.
While this ancestry provided Maria Clementina her status as a princess, it also came with significant challenges, by placing her at the centre of 18th century European dynastic politics.
At just 17 years old, she was betrothed to James Stuart, the Jacobite claimant to the British throne. This match, which held immense political and religious significance, was agreed to by her father, Jakub, after negotiations with Stuart.
But her journey to marriage wouldn’t simple. It required a daring escape from imprisonment in Innsbruck, where she was held by Emperor Charles VI in a bid to prevent her union with Stuart.
Francesco Bertosi’s painting, ‘Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska, 1701–1735. Wife of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart’, 1719. National Galleries of Scotland
A high-stakes abduction
The marriage between Maria Clementina and James Stuart was a direct challenge to the Protestant king George I of Great Britain.
James Stuart, also known as the Old Pretender, was living in exile and sought to reclaim the British throne that was his by birthright. His marriage to Maria Clementina, which was endorsed by Pope Clement XI, would symbolise Catholic unity against growing Protestant dominance.
Recognising this political threat, George I asked Emperor Charles VI, his ally, to order Maria Clementina’s detention in Innsbruck while she was en route to her wedding.
Her confinement was intended to coerce her family into annulling the engagement. However, Maria Clementina, bolstered by her unwavering faith and determination, refused to capitulate.
Anton Raphael Mengs’s painting, ‘Prince James Francis Edward Stuart’, circa 1740s. Wikimedia
The perilous escape
Maria Clementina’s imprisonment at the hands of Charles VI lasted six months. During this time, she kept her spirits high through correspondence with James Stuart and her father, Jakub. Meanwhile, plans for her escape were set in motion by Charles Wogan, an Irish Jacobite loyal to Stuart.
The princess disguised herself by switching clothes with the servant of one of her rescuers, Eleanor Misset. She then slipped past imperial guards with a small group posing as a travelling family.
The escape involved avoiding imperial agents and enduring significant physical hardship, including traversing the harsh and mountainous Brenner Pass in the Alps.
In one instance, after a carriage axle broke, Maria Clementina and Eleanor Misset were forced to walk a considerable distance to find shelter. Despite the gruelling journey, Maria Clementina demonstrated remarkable resolve, earning the admiration of her companions.
Reaching safety and marriage
After crossing into Italy, the group arrived in Bologna, where Maria Clementina rested and prepared for her new role as James Stuart’s wife. Her wedding took place on May 9 1719 in a modest ceremony.
Although James Stuart was absent (not unusual for high-profile dynastic alliances at the time), the marriage formalised their union and reinforced the Jacobite claim to the British throne.
Maria Clementina wore a white dress to symbolise mourning for James Stuart’s late mother, Maria Beatrice d’Este. The ceremony was attended by Jacobite activist Charles Wogan and other members of the escape team, including Eleanor Misset.
And so Maria Clementina became the titular Catholic queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Agostino Masucci’s ‘The Solemnisation of the Marriage of James III and Maria Clementina Sobieska’, circa 1735. National Galleries of Scotland
Motherhood and family challenges
Maria Clementina’s bold actions ensured the continuity of the Jacobite line. On December 31 1720 she gave birth to her first son, Charles Edward Stuart, later known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.
He was baptised within the hour by Father Lawrence Mayes, the same bishop who officiated his parents’ wedding, and his birth was widely celebrated by Jacobite supporters.
Maria Clementina’s second son, Henry Benedict Stuart, was born on March 6 1725 and was later made Duke of York.
A monument in St Peter’s Basilica dedicated to the royal Stuarts, James and his sons, Charles and Henry. Wikimedia, CC BY-SA
While the birth of her sons brought joy and hope to the Jacobite cause, Maria Clementina’s relationship with James Stuart grew strained.
their tempers are so very different that though in the greatest trifles they are never of the same opinion, the one won’t yield an inch to the other.
James neglected Maria Clementina. The pair also clashed over their sons’ education, further straining the marriage.
The later years
By the end of 1725, Maria Clementina’s frustrations with her marriage reached a breaking point. She left James and took up residence at the convent of St Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, leaving her young sons behind.
For two years she embraced a devout lifestyle, focusing on her own welfare. Her return to James in 1728 was marked by a withdrawal from court life, and she spent much of her time in seclusion at Rome’s Palazzo Muti.
John Pettie (1834-93), ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie Entering the Ballroom at Holyroodhouse’, before April 1892. Royal Collection Trust, CC BY-NC-SA
Despite her struggles, Maria Clementina’s legacy as a mother was significant. Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart carried the Jacobite cause forward, their lives shaped by the resilience and determination demonstrated by their mother. Her commitment to their futures ensured the Jacobite line endured, even as political realities shifted.
Maria Clementina died on January 18 1735 at the age of 32. She was given a royal funeral in St Peter’s Basilica, where she was interred with honours befitting her status as queen. Her heart was enshrined separately in the church of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome.
The authors 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.
During the federal election campaign we can expect to hear candidates talk passionately about school funding. This is one of the most contentious areas of education policy – and one many families and voters care deeply about.
You may hear some parties talking about how they are “fully funding” schools and other commentary about schools being under or overfunded.
How does school funding work in Australia?
Where does the money come from?
All schools in Australia receive both public and private funding. Public funding is taxpayer funding and it comes from both state and federal governments.
Private funding comes from parents and households, as well as churches and other associations, which are mostly charitable. These charitable organisations receive tax breaks.
How does government funding work?
All schools in Australia receive funding from federal and state governments.
Extra loadings are then provided for schools and students with special needs, for example students with disabilities, from low socioeconomic backgrounds or in remote areas.
The latest federal school funding policy, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement sets out how public schools will receive 25% of the schooling resource standard from the federal government and rest from their respective state government.
Up to 80% of a non-government school’s schooling resource standard funding can be provided by the federal government. But the actual amount is adjusted by something called a school’s “capacity to contribute”.
This measures a non-government school community’s capacity to contribute to the ongoing costs of running their school. In practice, it sees lower-fee non-government schools receive more public funding than higher-fee non-government schools.
State governments also provide public funding to non-government schools. This is because school funding agreements require state governments to contribute some level of funding to non-government schools.
All schools in Australia receive private funding from parents and households.
Public schools receive private funding in the form of fees and contributions from parents. These fees and contributions can vary from a few hundred dollars at some public primary schools to thousands of dollars at some public secondary schools.
This funding is used to support building and facilities, excursions, as well as subsidise curriculum subjects, especially in secondary schools.
In media and policy debates about schools we frequently hear talk of public schools being “underfunded” or still not “fully funded”. We also hear about some independent schools being “overfunded”.
This relates to whether they are receiving what they are entitled to under the schooling resources standard.
To date approximately 2% of public schools, receive the amount they are entitled to based on the schooling resources standard. This is largely because state and territory governments, other than the ACT, have not contributed their full share.
This means the vast majority of public schools are “underfunded”.
The most recent national school funding agreement has set out a timeline to make sure all schools are eventually fully funded. In some cases, this may not be until the 2030s.
Non-government schools that charge fees in excess of the schooling resource standard will be “overfunded”. Even moderate-fee schools may be “overfunded” because of the public funding they receive on top of the private funding paid by parents.
As noted earlier, school funding agreements require federal and state governments to contribute to the schooling resource standard of all non-government schools. Even high-fee non-government schools receive substantial amounts of public funding.
For example, my 2024 research suggests high-fee non-government schools (those charging $25,000 per year or more) receive approximately $5,000 per pupil in public funding.
Are some non-government schools at risk of losing funds?
Most non-government schools will continue to receive increases in public funding due to indexation.
But there are headlines about “private school funding cuts”.
This is because some non-government schools will see less public funding if the federal government has been paying more than 80% of the schooling resource standard (due to outdated funding methods). Schools have until 2029 to transition to the current funding system.
This will only impact a small proportion of non-government schools. For example, in January, The Sydney Morning Herald reported 30 schools were projected to lose funding.
Laura Perry 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.
Over the past two weeks, the media has reported several cases of serious “adverse events”, where babies, children and an adult experienced harm and ultimately died while receiving care in separate Australian hospitals.
When a serious adverse event occurs, hospitals investigate what happened and why, and propose recommendations to reduce the risk of similar harm occurring again.
About 1,600 patient safety investigations are undertaken each year. And the stakes are high. If not managed well, the hospital’s response can compound the psychological harm to the patient and their family. If lessons aren’t learnt, patient safety doesn’t improve.
Despite three decades of concerted effort, the rate of adverse events remains stubbornly high in Australia. One in ten people will experience harm associated with their hospital care.
What can be done to reduce this harm? There is no quick fix but our research shows improving hospital investigations can have a big impact. Here’s how this can be done.
What exactly are ‘adverse events’?
Thirty years ago, one of the first large-scale studies of the rates of harm to patients in Australian hospitals was published – the Quality in Australian Health Care Study.
When a serious adverse event occurs, hospitals form a team to undertake a patient safety investigation. The teams harness experts from the clinical specialties involved in the adverse event (such as emergency department or surgery) and health service safety personnel.
The investigation also informs “open disclosure” – information for the patient and family about why the adverse event occurred and what changes the health service intends to make to prevent a similar adverse event from happening again.
But our research has shown most recommendations in these investigations are unlikely to reduce harm to patients.
The complexity of health care, workforce shortages and broader pressures on the health system (such as an ageing population requiring more complex care) often work against health services effectively implementing recommendations.
So what can be done?
We are undertaking research with four state and territory governments (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory) to test these strategies and inform how they can be redesigned for safer care. Here’s what we’ve found so far.
A well-recognised problem with some investigations is their lack of specialised expertise in patient safety. The field is backed by robust research, yet often the people undertaking the investigations are experts in their clinical field, or in the running of a hospital, but not in safety science.
Added to that, the sheer complexity of health care makes the task of finding the factors that contributed to the harm and developing effective recommendations even more challenging.
Consider the contrast this has with biomedical sciences, such as developing new drugs or tests. These use large, specialist, independent research institutions with highly trained scientists. Yet patient safety problems, which are arguably as complex, are expected to be solved with fewer resources, using part-time staff with variable task-specific experience and training, at a local hospital.
Complex patient safety problems require appropriate investments in expertise and independence.
Findings of investigations tend not to be shared. This means learning remains local. Repeated investigations of the same type of adverse event may be undertaken at multiple hospitals, duplicating effort.
More sharing of adverse events by hospitals and health departments would reduce this duplication and make learning more efficient. Aviation does this well. If a commercial jet experiences a problem or near miss, the issue is shared so every airline knows about it.
If we did this, we could redesign hospital systems to support safer care. This could, for example, include standardising how medication information, such as the dose, is displayed on all hospital computer systems. Doctors going from one hospital to another would be less likely to make errors in prescribing medication, which is a common patient safety risk.
Thirty years after the rates of adverse events were first reported in Australia, patients and the broader public deserve to know that investigations are being conducted effectively and that strategies are being adopted to keep every hospital visit safer.
Peter Hibbert receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council as a Partnership Grant, with partners: the Clinical Excellence Commission in New South Wales, Safer Care Victoria, Clinical Excellence Queensland, and Australian Capital Territory Health.
He also undertakes training in undertaking patient safety investigations and consulting to health services.
Jeffrey Braithwaite receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council as a Partnership Grant, with partners: the Clinical Excellence Commission in New South Wales, Safer Care Victoria, Clinical Excellence Queensland and Australian Capital Territory Health.
What if we told you that artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT don’t actually learn? Many people we talk to are genuinely surprised to hear this.
Even AI systems themselves will often tell you confidently that they are learning systems. Many reports and even academic papers say the same. But this is due to a misconception – or rather a loose understanding of what we mean by “learning” in AI.
Yet, understanding more precisely how and when AI systems learn (and when they don’t) will make you a more productive and more responsible user of AI.
AI does not learn – at least not like humans do
Many misconceptions around AI stem from using words that have a certain meaning when applied to humans, such as learning. We know how humans learn, because we do it all the time. We have experiences; we do something that fails; we encounter something new; we read something surprising; and thus we remember, we update or change the way we do things.
Firstly, AI systems do not learn from any specific experiences, which would allow them to understand things the way we humans do. Rather they “learn” by encoding patterns from vast amounts data – using mathematics alone. This happens during the training process, when they are built.
Take large language models, such as GPT-4, the technology that powers ChatGPT. In a nutshell, it learns by encoding mathematical relationships between words (actually, tokens), with the aim to make predictions about what text goes with what other text. These relationships are extracted from vast amounts of data and encoded during a computationally intensive training phase.
This form of “learning” is obviously very different to how humans learn.
It has certain downsides in that AI often struggles with simple commonsense knowledge about the world that humans naturally learn by just living in the world.
But AI training is also incredibly powerful, because large language models have “seen” text at a scale far beyond what any human can comprehend. That’s why these systems are so useful with language-based tasks, such as writing, summarising, coding, or conversing. The fact these systems don’t learn like us, but at a vast scale, makes them all-rounders in the kinds of things they do excel at.
AI systems do not learn from any specific experiences, which would allow them to understand things the way we humans do. Rido/Shutterstock
Once trained, the learning stops
Most AI systems that most people use, such as ChatGPT, also do not learn once they are built. You could say AI systems don’t learn at all – training is just how they’re built, it’s not how they work. The “P” in GPT literally stands for “pre-trained”.
In technical terms, AI systems such as ChatGPT only engage in “training-time learning”, as part of their development, not in “run-time learning”. Systems that learn as they go do exist. But they are typically confined to a single task, for example your Netflix algorithm recommending what to watch. Once it’s done, it’s done, as the saying goes.
Being “pre-trained” means large language models are always stuck in time. Any updates to their training data require highly costly retraining, or at least so-called fine-tuning for smaller adjustments.
That means ChatGPT does not learn from your prompts on an ongoing basis. And out of the box, a large language model does not remember anything. It holds in its memory only whatever occurs in a single chat session. Close the window, or start a new session, and it’s a clean sheet every time.
There are ways around this, such as storing information about the user, but they are achieved at the application level; the AI model itself does not learn and remains unchanged until retrained (more on that in a moment).
Most AI systems that most people use, such as ChatGPT, also do not learn once they are built. Ascannio/Shutterstock
What does this mean for users?
First, be aware of what you get from your AI assistant.
Learning from text data means systems such as ChatGPT are language models, not knowledge models. While it is truly amazing how much knowledge gets encoded via the mathematical training process, these models are not always reliable when asked knowledge questions.
Their real strength is working with language. And don’t be surprised when responses contain outdated information given they are frozen in time, or that ChatGPT does not remember any facts you tell it.
The good news is AI developers have come up with some clever workarounds. For example, some versions of ChatGPT are now connected to the internet. To provide you with more timely information they might perform a web search and insert the result into your prompt before generating the response.
Another workaround is that AI systems can now remember things about you to personalise their responses. But this is done with a trick. It is not that the large language model itself learns or updates itself in real time. The information about you is stored in a separate database and is inserted into the prompt each time in ways that remain invisible.
But it still means that you can’t correct the model when it gets something wrong (or teach it a fact), which it would remember to correct its answers for other users. The model can be personalised to an extent, but it still does not learn on the fly.
Users who understand how exactly AI learns – or doesn’t – will invest more in developing effective prompting strategies, and treat the AI as an assistant – one that always needs checking.
Let the AI assist you. But make sure you do the learning, prompt by prompt.
The authors 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.
We found declines in just about every region of the continental U.S. and across almost all butterfly species.
Overall, nearly one-third of the 342 butterfly species we were able to study declined by more than half. Twenty-two species fell by more than 90%. Only nine actually increased in numbers.
West Coast lady butterflies range across the western U.S., but their numbers have dropped by 80% in two decades. Renee Las Vegas/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Some species’ numbers are dropping faster than others. The West Coast lady, a fairly widespread species across the western U.S., dropped by 80% in 20 years. Given everything we know about its biology, it should be doing fine – it has a wide range and feeds on a variety of plants. Yet, its numbers are absolutely tanking across its range.
Why care about butterflies?
Butterflies are beautiful. They inspire people, from art to literature and poetry. They deserve to exist simply for the sake of existing. They are also important for ecosystem function.
They’re pollinators, picking up pollen on their legs and bodies as they feed on nectar from one flower and carrying it to the next. In their caterpillar stage, they also play an important role as herbivores, keeping plant growth in check.
A pipevine swallowtail caterpillar munches on leaves at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md. Herbivores help keep plant growth in check. Judy Gallagher/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Butterflies can also serve as an indicator species that can warn of threats and trends in other insects. Because humans are fond of butterflies, it’s easy to get volunteers to participate in surveys to count them.
ck
The annual North American Butterfly Association Fourth of July Count is an example and one we used in the analysis. The same kind of nationwide monitoring by amateur naturalists doesn’t exist for less charismatic insects such as walking sticks.
What’s causing butterflies to decline?
Butterfly populations can decline for a number of reasons. Habitat loss, insecticides, rising temperatures and drying landscapes can all harm these fragile insects.
A study published in 2024 found that a change in insecticide use was a major factor in driving butterfly declines in the Midwest over 17 years. The authors, many of whom were also part of the current study, noted that the drop coincided with a shift to using seeds with prophylactic insecticides, rather than only spraying crops after an infestation.
The Southwest saw the greatest drops in butterfly abundance of any region. As that region heats up and dries out, the changing climate may be driving some of the butterfly decline there. Butterflies have a high surface-to-volume ratio – they don’t hold much moisture – so they can easily become desiccated in dry conditions. Drought can also harm the plants that butterflies rely on.
Only the Pacific Northwest didn’t lose butterfly population on average. This trend was largely driven by an irruptive species, meaning one with extremely high abundance in some years – the California tortoiseshell. When this species was excluded from the analyses, trends in the Pacific Northwest were similar to other regions.
The California tortoiseshell butterfly can look like wood when its wings are closed, but they’re a soft orange on the other side. Walter Siegmund/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
When we looked at each species by its historical range, we found something else interesting.
Many species suffered their highest losses at the southern ends of their ranges, while the northern losses generally weren’t as severe. While we could not link drivers to trends directly, the reason for this pattern might involve climate change, or greater exposure to agriculture with insecticides in southern areas, or it may be a combination of many stressors.
There is hope for populations to recover
Some butterfly species can have multiple generations per year, and depending on the environmental conditions, the number of generations can vary between years.
This gives me a bit of hope when it comes to butterfly conservation. Because they have such short generation times, even small conservation steps can make a big difference and we can see populations bounce back.
The Karner blue is an example. It’s a small, endangered butterfly that depends on oak savannas and pine barren ecosystems. These habitats are uncommon and require management, especially prescribed burning, to maintain. With restoration efforts, one Karner blue population in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in New York rebounded from a few hundred individuals in the early 1990s to thousands of butterflies.
Similar management and restoration efforts could help other rare and declining butterflies to recover.
What you can do to help butterflies recover
The magnitude and rate of biodiversity loss in the world right now can make one feel helpless. But while national and international efforts are needed to address the crisis, you can also take small actions that can have quick benefits, starting in your own backyard.
Butterflies love wildflowers, and planting native wildflowers can benefit many butterfly species. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has guides recommending which native species are best to plant in which parts of the country. Letting grass grow can help, even if it’s just a strip of grass and wildflowers a couple of feet wide at the back of the yard.
A patch of wildflowers and grasses can become a butterfly garden, like this one in Townsend, Tenn. Chris Light, CC BY-SA
Supporting policies that benefit conservation can also help. In some states, insects aren’t considered wildlife, so state wildlife agencies have their hands tied when it comes to working on butterfly conservation. But those laws could be changed.
The federal Endangered Species Act can also help. The law mandates that the government maintain habitat for listed species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December 2024 recommended listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species. With the new study, we now have population trends for more than half of all U.S. butterfly species, including many that likely should be considered for listing.
With so many species needing help, it can be difficult to know where to start. But the new data can help concentrate conservation efforts on those species at the highest risk.
I believe this study should be a wake-up call about the need to better protect butterflies and other insects – “the little things that run the world.”
Eliza Grames receives funding from the National Science Foundation (DEB 2225092).
Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
March 06, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a hearing examining the negative impacts of the Republican Budget’s cut to Medicaid.
CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Madam Chair, I want to thank you and the Steering and Policy Co-Chairs for organizing this event. Thank you to Ranking Member Pallone, as well.
As we just saw, Medicaid ensures that our friends and neighbors in every corner of the country have access to affordable health care. Cuts to this program would have a ripple effect that impacts the entire health care system, driving up costs and preventing people from getting the health care that they need. The Republican budget takes an ax to Medicaid, with nearly $1 trillion in cuts. And despite what Republicans claim, there is no way to make those cuts without hurting kids, parents and seniors who count on Medicaid.
Today, our first witness is Kody Kinsley. Mr. Kinsley served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the state of North Carolina. In that capacity, Secretary Kinsley oversaw North Carolina’s Medicaid program, which covers more than 2 million people, including more than 40 percent of North Carolina’s kids. Under Secretary Kinsley’s leadership, and alongside a Democratic Governor and a Republican legislature, North Carolina expanded Medicaid to give health care to more than 600,000 people. Secretary Kinsley is a Senior Advisor currently with the Milken Institute, a fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Civil Society Fellowship and serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Before serving in state government in his home state of North Carolina, Secretary Kinsley served as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Secretary Kinsley, you are recognized. Thank you for being here.
Since taking office, US president Donald Trump has implemented policies that have been notably hostile towards China. They include trade restrictions. Most recently, a 20% tariff was added to all imports from China and new technological restrictions were imposed under the America First Investment Policy. This isn’t the first time US-China tensions have flared. Throughout history the relationship has been fraught by economic, military and ideological conflicts.
China-Africa scholar and economist Lauren Johnston provides insights into how these dynamics may also shape relations between Africa and China.
How has China responded to hostile US policies?
First, China tends to have a defiant official response. It expresses disappointment, then states that the US policy position is not helpful to any country or the world economy.
Second, China makes moves domestically to prioritise the interests of key, affected industries.
Third, China will sometimes impose retaliatory sanctions.
In 2018, for instance, China imposed a 25% tariff on US soybeans, a critical animal feed source. The US Department of Agriculture had to compensate US soybean farmers for their lost income.
Another example is how, following US tech sanctions, China took a more independent technology path. It has channelled billions into tech funds. The goal is to make financing available for Chinese entrepreneurs and to push technological boundaries in areas of US sanction, such as semiconductors. These efforts are backed up by subsidies and tax reductions. In some cases, the Chinese state will invest directly in tech companies.
More recently, China retaliated to the US trade war by announcing tariffs on 80 US products. China is set to place 15% tariffs on certain energy exports, including coal, natural gas and petroleum. An additional 10% tariffs will be placed on 72 manufactured products including trucks, motor homes and agricultural machinery.
Agricultural trade has been hard hit. The day the US announced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, China announced “an additional 15% tariff on imported chicken, wheat, corn and cotton originating from the US”. Also, “sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products will be subject to an additional 10% tariff”.
How have these Chinese responses affected Africa?
We can’t say for certain that China’s response to US trade tensions has explicitly affected its Africa policy, but there are some notable coincidences.
Less than one month after Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, and soon after the first tariffs were slapped on China’s exports to the US, China announced new measures to foster China-Africa trade efforts. The policy package aims to “strengthen economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa.”
This is the latest in a series of Chinese actions.
Later the same year, China imposed 25% tariffs on US soy bean imports and took steps to reduce dependence on US agricultural products. China also took steps to expand trade with Africa, agricultural trade in particular.
Hunan province has since taken centre stage in China-Africa relations. It’s now the host of a permanent China-Africa trade exhibition hall and a larger biennial China-Africa economic and trade exhibition (known as CAETE).
Finally, the zone is located in a bigger free-trade zone that is better connected to Africa by air, water and land corridors. African agricultural exports to China pass through Hunan, where local industry either uses these imports or distributes them across the country to retailers.
Companies in Hunan are well placed to play a key role in supporting China-Africa trade, capitalising on the opportunities left by China-US hostilities.
Hunan’s agritech giant Longping High-Tech, for instance, is investing in Tanzanian soybean farmers.
Hunan is also home to China’s construction manufacturing and electronic transportation frontier. This includes global construction giant Sany, which produces heavy industry machinery for the construction, mining and energy sectors. China’s global electronic vehicle manufacturing BYD and its electronic railway industry are also in Hunan. They have deep and increasing interests in Africa and can also support China’s key minerals and tech race with the US.
As US-China hostility enters a new era, what are the implications for China-Africa relations?
As my new working paper sets out, African countries are, for example, responding to the new opportunities from China.
At the end of 2024, while the world waited for Trump’s second coming, various African countries made moves to strengthen economic ties with China, Hunan province especially.
In December 2024, Tanzania became the first African country to open an official investment promotion office in the China-Africa Cooperation Pilot Zone in Changaha.
As China moves away from US agricultural produce, for instance, African agricultural producers can benefit. Substitute African products and potential exports will enjoy a price boost, and elevated Chinese support.
China’s newly elevated interest in African development and market potential will bring major prospects. The question will be whether African countries are ready to grasp them, and to use that potential to foster an independent development path of their own.
Lauren Johnston does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has secured unprecedented access to at least seven sensitive federal databases, including those of the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration. This access has sparked fears about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and privacy violations. Another concern has received far less attention: the potential use of the data to train a private company’s artificial intelligence systems.
The White House press secretary said government data that DOGE has collected isn’t being used to train Musk’s AI models, despite Elon Musk’s control over DOGE. However, evidence has emerged that DOGE personnel simultaneously hold positions with at least one of Musk’s companies.
At the Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX employees have government email addresses. This dual employment creates a conduit for federal data to potentially be siphoned to Musk-owned enterprises, including xAI. The company’s latest Grok AI chatbot model conspicuously refuses to give a clear denial about using such data.
As a political scientist and technologist who is intimately acquainted with public sources of government data, I believe this potential transmission of government data to private companies presents far greater privacy and power implications than most reporting identifies. A private entity with the capacity to develop artificial intelligence technologies could use government data to leapfrog its competitors and wield massive influence over society.
Value of government data for AI
For AI developers, government databases represent something akin to finding the Holy Grail. While companies such as OpenAI, Google and xAI currently rely on information scraped from the public internet, nonpublic government repositories offer something much more valuable: verified records of actual human behavior across entire populations.
This isn’t merely more data – it’s fundamentally different data. Social media posts and web browsing histories show curated or intended behaviors, but government databases capture real decisions and their consequences. For example, Medicare records reveal health care choices and outcomes. IRS and Treasury data reveal financial decisions and long-term impacts. And federal employment and education statistics reveal education paths and career trajectories.
What makes this data particularly valuable for AI training is its longitudinal nature and reliability. Unlike the disordered information available online, government records follow standardized protocols, undergo regular audits and must meet legal requirements for accuracy. Every Social Security payment, Medicare claim and federal grant creates a verified data point about real-world behavior. This data exists nowhere else with such breadth and authenticity in the U.S.
Most critically, government databases track entire populations over time, not just digitally active users. They include people who never use social media, don’t shop online, or actively avoid digital services. For an AI company, this would mean training systems on the actual diversity of human experience rather than just the digital reflections people cast online.
A security guard prevented U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., from entering an EPA building on Feb. 6, 2025, to see DOGE staff working there. Al Drago/Getty Images
The technical advantage
Current AI systems face fundamental limitations that no amount of data scraped from the internet can overcome. When ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini make mistakes, it’s often because they’ve been trained on information that might be popular but isn’t necessarily true. They can tell you what people say about a policy’s effects, but they can’t track those effects across populations and years.
Government data could change this equation. Imagine training an AI system not just on opinions about health care but on actual treatment outcomes across millions of patients. Consider the difference between learning from social media discussions about economic policies and analyzing their real impacts across different communities and demographics over decades.
A large, state-of-the-art, or frontier, model trained on comprehensive government data could understand the actual relationships between policies and outcomes. It could track unintended consequences across different population segments, model complex societal systems with real-world validation and predict the impacts of proposed changes based on historical evidence. For companies seeking to build next-generation AI systems, access to this data would create an almost insurmountable advantage.
Control of critical systems
A company like xAI could do far more with models trained on government data than building better chatbots or content generators. Such systems could fundamentally transform – and potentially control – how people understand and manage complex societal systems. While some of these capabilities could be beneficial under the control of accountable public agencies, I believe they pose a threat in the hands of a single private company.
Medicare and Medicaid databases contain records of treatments, outcomes and costs across diverse populations over decades. A frontier model trained on new government data could identify treatment patterns that succeed where others fail, and so dominate the health care industry. Such a model could understand how different interventions affect various populations over time, accounting for factors such as geographic location, socioeconomic status and concurrent conditions.
A company wielding the model could influence health care policy by demonstrating superior predictive capabilities and market population-level insights to pharmaceutical companies and insurers.
Treasury data represents perhaps the most valuable prize. Government financial databases contain granular details about how money flows through the economy. This includes real-time transaction data across federal payment systems, complete records of tax payments and refunds, detailed patterns of benefit distributions, and government contractor payments with performance metrics.
An AI company with access to this data could develop extraordinary capabilities for economic forecasting and market prediction. It could model the cascading effects of regulatory changes, predict economic vulnerabilities before they become crises, and optimize investment strategies with precision impossible through traditional methods.
Elon Musk’s xAI company is well financed.
Infrastructure and urban systems
Government databases contain information about critical infrastructure usage patterns, maintenance histories, emergency response times and development impacts. Every federal grant, infrastructure inspection and emergency response creates a data point that could help train AI to better understand how cities and regions function.
The power lies in the potential interconnectedness of this data. An AI system trained on government infrastructure records would understand how transportation patterns affect energy use, how housing policies affect emergency response times, and how infrastructure investments influence economic development across regions.
A private company with exclusive access would gain unique insight into the physical and economic arteries of American society. This could allow the company to develop “smart city” systems that city governments would become dependent on, effectively privatizing aspects of urban governance. When combined with real-time data from private sources, the predictive capabilities would far exceed what any current system can achieve.
Absolute data corrupts absolutely
A company such as xAI, with Musk’s resources and preferential access through DOGE, could surmount technical and political obstacles far more easily than competitors. Recent advances in machine learning have also reduced the burdens of preparing data for the algorithms to process, making government data a veritable gold mine – one that rightfully belongs to the American people.
The threat of a private company accessing government data transcends individual privacy concerns. Even with personal identifiers removed, an AI system that analyzes patterns across millions of government records could enable surprising capabilities for making predictions and influencing behavior at the population level. The threat is AI systems that leverage government data to influence society, including electoral outcomes.
Since information is power, concentrating unprecedented data in the hands of a private entity with an explicit political agenda represents a profound challenge to the republic. I believe that the question is whether the American people can stand up to the potentially democracy-shattering corruption such a concentration would enable. If not, Americans should prepare to become digital subjects rather than human citizens.
Allison Stanger receives funding from the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University.
Trump’s outburst has, to some extent, reinvigorated European support for the war-torn country. But Zelensky’s recent statement that “Ukraine is ready to negotiate about an end to the conflict” suggests that he recognises how precarious the situation has become.
In Trump’s address to the US Congress on February 4, the US president welcomed this shift, and claimed that Russia was also ready for a truce.
What would a negotiated peace look like? The side that holds the upper hand, both politically and militarily, will have a stronger position at the negotiating table.
At the moment, the advantage is overwhelmingly with Russia, which is striving to press home its battlefield advantage and occupy as much territory as it can before a potential ceasefire. This is likely to mean a freezing of the conflict on its current lines of contact.
The war has now lasted more than three years, and since Ukraine’s failed summer 2023 counteroffensive, there have been no major changes on the battlefield, except for Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August 2024. Kyiv had hoped that seizing this territory could serve as a bargaining chip in future peace negotiations.
But even this has not gone according to plan, as Russia has been steadily reclaiming the area, aided by North Korean troops.
Recent battlefield developments reaffirm the ongoing stalemate. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) (as of March 4), Russian forces continued offensives along various key strategic points in the east and south. While Russian advances continue to be slow, it’s a situation that could change quickly, particularly with the dramatic shutdown of US assistance.
One of the key areas where Russia is now putting intense pressure on Ukrainian troops is in the Kherson oblast in the south of the country. Russian forces are reportedly attempting to cross the Dnipro river, aiming to establish footholds on the west (right) bank at four locations to allow them a clear run at the strategically important port city of Kherson.
Russia has successfully negotiated river crossings during the three-year war, but this time, the situation seems more challenging. Recent reporting from the frontlines has described Russian assaults on Dnipro crossings as “suicide missions”, causing heavy Russian casualties.
A high Russian body count is nothing new in this conflict. But why is Russia willing to sacrifice so many of its soldiers, particularly when the political prospects favour Putin and the Russians?
Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Kherson, suggests that Russia is desperate to establish a foothold as crossing the Dnipro would open up Kherson oblast for further advances and could be used in negotiations to strengthen Russia’s claim over the entire region. The occupation of Kherson was listed by Russian defence minister, Andrei Belousov, as a key strategic goal for 2025.
Strategic barrier
Crossing the Dnipro will not be easy. Ukraine has tried and failed in the opposite direction on several occasions for example, in April and August 2023.
At that stage, as part of the (ultimately unsuccessful) spring-summer offensive, Kyiv hoped crossing the river would be a major breakthrough that would lead to easier access to Crimea. This now looks like a lost cause – at least militarily.
State of the conflict in Ukraine, March 5 2024. Institute for the Study of War
The Dnipro is not only a natural barrier dividing the country into two parts. It’s also vital as a transport artery through the country and its dams provide energy.
Russia realises this, and it has seen the river as one of Ukraine’s “centres of gravity”. On day one of the invasion, Russian forces made a beeline for the Dnipro, crossing and taking up positions that they were later forced to abandon as Ukraine fought back.
Now, as Prokudin observed, Russia is once again throwing its troops at the river. A series of assaults in December 2024 were successfully repelled, but things have changed even in the few months since. Ukraine is in an increasingly difficult position.
Ukraine’s military is facing increasingly critical troop shortages and has a far smaller population to draw on than Russia – something which is beginning to tell.
And each day seems to bring further bad news. The US decision to pause intelligence sharing will mean its forces in the field will be virtually deaf and blind and at the mercy of Russian attacks on their positions (although there is reason to believe the pause may be reasonably shortlived).
But, with the decision to halt military aid, it’s an indication of the Trump administration’s determination to force Kyiv into a peace deal – whether or not it’s acceptable to Ukraine.
At this stage it looks almost inevitable that Ukraine will be unable to reclaim all the territory it has lost to Russia since 2014. Its best chance may be to secure what it still does control and go all-out to prevent further Russian advances. One of the ways it needs to do that right now is to ensure Russia does not establish a foothold across the Dnipro river.
Veronika Poniscjakova 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.
As Canada prepares to close the book on the Justin Trudeau era, some will be happy to watch him go. But in Canada’s haste to see him out the door, let’s not forget his government’s significant achievements.
But what’s undoubtedly been his single greatest achievement — prodded in no small part by the NDP — was the introduction of a national child-care program: The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system, colloquially known as $10-a-day child care.
As scholars of social policy — as well as a mother and grandfather — we believe this program is the biggest improvement to Canada’s welfare state since the initial implementation of medicare in 1966-67, updated via the Canada Health Act in 1984.
Somehow, however, amid all the negative Trudeau headlines, this major contribution has been seemingly forgotten.
By freeing parents — mostly women — from the need to stay home with their children or from having to rely on ageing and often frail grandparents, evidence suggests Canada will experience substantial benefits to children, parents and society as a whole.
The program allows highly skilled and motivated workers to join the paid labour force and could also affect fertility decisions in some cases if, for example, families decide to have more children due to reduced child-care costs.
In purely fiscal terms, study after study shows that a dollar invested in child care yields a greater financial return over a lifetime than any other expenditure of public funds.
Massive uptake rates
The CWELCC program committed more than $30 billion federally to support early learning and child care, with specific funds dedicated to Indigenous child care.
To date, it has created 150,000 new spaces, with a goal of creating an additional 100,000 new spaces by March 2026. All provinces and territories have participated, with uptake rates among child-care centres starting at 92 per cent in Ontario and rising higher elsewhere across the country.
Notably, the road to implementing national child care in Canada has neither been short or easy.
In 2004, Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin was unable to bring national child care to fruition, despite gaining bilateral child-care agreements with all 10 provinces.
It did, however, ensure that a rhetoric of “choice” and cash in hand for in-home care for children was prioritized over women’s equal participation in the labour market. Internationally, there is consistent evidence that care allowances offered in lieu of a publicly funded child-care services reinforce traditional gendered divisions of labour and reduce female employment rates.
All provinces/territories signed up
By contrast — and no small feat in terms of negotiation skills — Trudeau’s team was able to persuade each and every province and territory to sign an Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
Major reductions in child-care fees for eligible families followed, with all territories and four provinces at $10-a-day as of 2024 (with New Brunswick and Alberta only slightly higher, while Nova Scotia] will be at $10-a-day as of March 1, 2026.)
Even in Ontario, where rates are higher, costs now average about $23 a day.
Trudeau managed to carry out this program by starting his efforts early in his tenure, unlike with the dental and pharmacare initiatives, and building consensus across a diverse and often contentious Canadian landscape.
Supply issues
It’s not all roses, of course. Some Canadians are frustrated about the slow expansion of subsidized child-care spaces. And the program remains plagued by serious supply (availability) issues, especially in rural and remote communities.
But as we look towards the next federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Polievre has had little to say about the national child-care program except for vague references to “flexibility” and a suggestion about replacing it with tax credits. This should set alarm bells ringing across the country.
Fortunately, Trudeau has set up a framework that will be difficult to dismantle in the future. There has been massive buy-in from users, providers, funders and much of the general public.
We urge whoever replaces Trudeau as prime minister to highlight what’s been accomplished in child care over the last few years, and to prioritize the further expansion of the program in the years ahead.
This would be Trudeau’s proudest legacy.
The authors 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.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
