All posts tagged: fears

Fears as ministers pick advisers

Fears as ministers pick advisers

Published by skeptic

New regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams will start to be rolled out in January New regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams will start to be rolled out in January More from this theme Recent articles The first group of leaders appointed to the government’s new school improvement squads will be picked by ministers, it has emerged, sparking fears of more “jobs for the boys”. The Department for Education launched a recruitment drive this month to secure the services of experienced turnaround leaders to work as advisers on its regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams. The divisions, which will also be staffed by civil servants, will start to be rolled out in January, commissioning support for struggling schools from bodies such as trusts, councils and federations. Pepe DiIasio But it has now been confirmed that a “small number of advisers” will be approached directly by department officials for those teams starting in January – avoiding the application process. Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio said: …

Want to go viral this #Halloween? It’s all about tapping into fun, fears and algorithms

Want to go viral this #Halloween? It’s all about tapping into fun, fears and algorithms

Published by Sam

Here they come: an apron and tattoos that make you look like chef Carmy from The Bear, or weird insect-like accessories resembling the infamous Paris Fashion Week bedbugs – new year, new over-the-top inventive Halloween trends. Thanks to the proliferation of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, we’re in for a treat for this year’s online Halloween extravaganza. What used to be a traditional holiday celebrated with reverence by the people remembering the religious meaning of All Hallow’s Eve, or simply an excuse for phantasmagorical parties by those who didn’t, Halloween is now exhibiting a whole new digital layer. Last year, the hashtag #Halloween was viewed three billion times in a week. We live in a time of “information fatigue”, “information anxiety” or even “infobesity”, as some academics call our oversaturated media environment, with plentiful, often unpleasant stimuli coming from the news and social media. No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying …

Should you give your child a ‘dumb’ phone? They aren’t the answer to fears over kids’ social media use

Should you give your child a ‘dumb’ phone? They aren’t the answer to fears over kids’ social media use

Published by skeptic

Parents concerned about the possible dangers smartphone use might have for their children are turning to “dumb phones”. These are the brick-shaped or flip phones today’s parents might have had themselves as teenagers, only capable of making calls or sending text messages and lacking access to social media apps. Phones available include a remake of noughties classic the Nokia 3210, or new designs such as the recently released Barbie flip phone. But handing children a “dumb phone” seems to be as much an exercise in nostalgia as proactive practice. Ultimately, young people will end up using smartphones in their social and working lives. They have many useful features. It makes sense for them to learn to use them with the support of adults around them in a nurturing environment. Unhappiness among children and teenagers is often seen as being related to smartphone or social media use. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 book The Anxious Generation suggests that there is a link between the rise in the use of smartphones by young people and an increase …

‘They’re trying to divide us’: Muslims in France voice fears over rise of far right | France

‘They’re trying to divide us’: Muslims in France voice fears over rise of far right | France

Published by skeptic

They marched through the narrow streets of Lyon’s medieval old town, about three dozen of them, emboldened after the French far-right gains in the European elections. Masks covering their faces, they wound past the hidden passageways that provided cover for the resistance during the second world war, chanting: “We are fucking Nazis” and “Islam out of Europe”. For some in this French city, last week’s far-right demonstration, captured on video, was a chilling reminder of just how much is at stake in the snap parliamentary elections that could see the French far-right lead government. “The consequences would be catastrophic,” said Kamel Kabtane, the head of the French Institute of Muslim Civilisation, founded in 2017 to promote intercultural dialogue in Lyon. “For France, for all of the citizens of this country and, in particular, for the Muslim community.” Polls suggest the far-right, anti-immigrant National Rally (RN) is on course to win the elections but will fall short of a majority. “We’re up against those who object to our very presence in this country,” said Kabtane in …

Fears for Green Deal as number of MEPs from climate-denying parties set to rise | Green politics

Fears for Green Deal as number of MEPs from climate-denying parties set to rise | Green politics

Published by skeptic

The new European parliament is on course to have more politicians from parties that deny climate science and fewer from parties that want to cut pollution faster. The results of the four-day election, which are still being finalised, show sizeable gains for far-right parties and a drop in support for the Greens that has cost them about a quarter of their seats. It has raised fears that the EU is about to put the brakes on climate ambitions that have helped set pollution-cutting standards globally. Sven Harmeling, the head of climate policy at the European branch of the campaign group Climate Action Network, said many of the far-right groups that won seats could be characterised as climate deniers that were not up to the task of solving the climate and energy crises. “However, European climate policy cannot be rolled back easily,” he said. After the last elections, in 2019, the EU pledged to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by cutting pollution and protecting nature. Under the leadership of the centre-right commission president, Ursula …

Far-right US groups coalescing to stoke unfounded fears of non-citizens voting | The far right

Far-right US groups coalescing to stoke unfounded fears of non-citizens voting | The far right

Published by skeptic

Cleta Mitchell, an attorney who helped Donald Trump in his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, has joined forces with far-right anti-immigrant groups to pour resources into stoking unfounded fears of non-US citizens voting in federal elections. Launched by powerful figures on the right, the effort includes members of Trump’s inner circle, rightwing nativist groups that promote restricting legal immigration and election-denying activists like Mitchell. Leaders of some of the prominent groups have become active on Capitol Hill, even appearing alongside the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, to introduce a bill requiring people to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. The effort to crack down on non-citizen voting comes as the racist “great replacement” conspiracy theory, which alleges a covert plot to replace white populations with immigrants of color, has entered the mainstream. Figures such as Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News anchor and one of the theory’s most visible promoters, frequently warn that high levels of immigration will help Democrats win elections. At the heart of the push is Only Citizens Vote …

Attacks on German politicians raise fears for democracy

Attacks on German politicians raise fears for democracy

Published by skeptic

A growing list of physical attacks on German politicians in recent weeks has brought condemnation from leaders and fears about the future of democracy in Germany and Europe. The latest attacks this week included Berlin State Senator and former Mayor Franziska Giffey, who was attacked Tuesday at an event in a Berlin library. Reports say she was hit from behind by a man with a bag containing something “hard and heavy.” She was treated for her injuries and the man was taken into custody. Later that same day, a 47-year-old female Green Party politician was attacked by two people while putting up election posters in Dresden. German state-funded media company Deutsche Welle caught the assault on video. It shows the city council candidate being verbally attacked and spat on by a woman while the attacker’s male companion could be seen shoving members of the candidate’s team. Along with insults, the attackers reportedly shouted support for the German right-wing Alternative for Germany party. Two right-wing politicians were also attacked this week. Police in the southwestern city …

Stocks And Bonds Rise Together As Inflation Fears Take Backseat

Stocks And Bonds Rise Together As Inflation Fears Take Backseat

Published by skeptic

Authored by Simon White, Bloomberg macro strategist, Stocks and bonds have been rising together again, with investors getting longer of both assets. Inflation fears are taking a backseat for now, allowing lower yields to boost stock prices. Positioning data for equities shows that investors have been getting longer US stocks all year and are now net long as they have been since late 2021. This was not long before the market peaked at the start of 2022, but the backdrop was worse then than it is now. CPI was 7% and still rising and excess liquidity was falling quite sharply. Equities had a good week last week, retracing three-quarters of their recent down move. As discussed last week, they have seen a change of leadership, which has recently been consistent with a bottom in prices being near. Stocks have rallied as yields have fallen from their recent high of ~4.70%. Bonds had become somewhat oversold, and we also saw some weaker than expected economic prints, e.g. payrolls, that pushed inflation concerns into the backseat and allowed …

Court bans Glory to Hong Kong protest song prompting further fears for free speech | Hong Kong

Court bans Glory to Hong Kong protest song prompting further fears for free speech | Hong Kong

Published by skeptic

Hong Kong has demanded a protest song that was made popular during pro-democracy demonstrations in the territory be removed from the internet, in the wake of a court ruling which banned it. In its judgment on Wednesday, the court of appeal described the song Glory to Hong Kong as a “weapon” to incite violent protests in 2019. The ruling comes amid what critics say is an erosion in Hong Kong’s rule of law and individual rights which has seen scores of opposition democrats jailed and liberal media outlets shut down. The Hong Kong government’s first attempt to get an official injunction for the anthem was refused by the high court last year in a surprise ruling, which said a ban could have a “chilling effect” on innocent third parties. But in overturning that decision, appeal judge Jeremy Poon wrote on Wednesday that the composer of the song had “intended it to be a ‘weapon’ and so it had become”. “It had been used as an impetus to propel the violent protests plaguing Hong Kong since …