University of Pittsburgh named in lawsuit briefing supporting Harvard
The briefing of amici curiae, or friends of the court, discusses the history behind the relationship between research universities and the U.S. government, as well as the accomplishments that have been borne out of federal funding being put toward research.
'The partnership (between research universities and the U.S. government) dates back to World War II, and it has fueled progress and underwritten America's position in the world ever since,' the briefing states. 'This research enterprise is one of the nation's greatest assets in the fight to maintain global competitiveness, and amici submit this brief to illustrate the magnitude of the harm that will result if it is compromised.'
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Newsweek
19 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Putin Loses Influence in Backyard
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. His absence from World War II commemorations in Moscow was enough of a snub to Vladimir Putin, but Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev deepened his rift with the Russian leader by demanding Russia take responsibility for an air tragedy. Baku blames the Christmas Day crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 that came under fire over Grozny, Chechnya—killing 38 of the 67 on board—on a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system mistakenly targeting the plane amid a reported Ukrainian drone attack. Unhappy with Putin's lack of apology, Aliyev reiterated on Monday his demand for Russia to publicly acknowledge responsibility, punish those responsible, and compensate victims' families and the airline. But it is not just the plane crash that has frayed ties—tit-for-tat arrests and discontent from Baku toward Moscow's regional role as Putin remains preoccupied in Ukraine have also played their part. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, left, is seen with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, 2024. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, left, is seen with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, regional expert told Newsweek that ties between Azerbaijan and Russia are at their lowest point since the end of the Soviet Union. Another said Aliyev sees his country as the key shaper of the region now rather than Moscow. Ali Karimli, leader of Azerbaijan's democratic opposition, told Newsweek Aliyev had distanced himself from Moscow following the fall of Putin's ally, Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which signaled a weakening of Russian strength in the wider region. Aliyev "began to realize that Russia was not as powerful as once assumed," he said. Newsweek has contacted the foreign ministries in Russia and Azerbaijan for comment. Baku's Harsh Reaction With a shared Soviet past, fossil-fuel dominated economies and authoritarian leaders, Russia and Azerbaijan have much in common. But Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has upended Russia's regional role and Aliyev has spotted an opportunity to capitalize on Putin's tepid response to a tragic plane crash. Half a year later, tensions between the countries spilled over again following the arrests in June of dozens of Azerbaijanis in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. The Azerbaijanis, all Russian citizens, were taken into custody in a raid as part of an inquiry into cold case murders over the previous two decades. Those detained were beaten, and two brothers—the main suspects died. Azerbaijani authorities accused Russian security forces of deliberately killing their nationals. Russian cultural events in Azerbaijan were canceled, and the Baku office of the Kremlin's Sputnik news agency was raided and its employees detained. "Russia didn't expect such a harsh reaction from Baku," Konul de Moor, International Crisis Group's consulting South Caucasus analyst, told Newsweek. "Their relationship is the lowest it has ever been since Azerbaijan gained its independence." Karimli, leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party and a former secretary of state whose opposition to Aliyev's rule has seen him face a travel ban and refused a passport by his country's authorities, told Newsweek the crash of Flight 8243 occurred when Aliyev was already pulling away from Moscow. At the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Aliyev believed Moscow would win quickly and reestablish its dominance across the post-Soviet space. On February 22, 2022— two days before the invasion—Aliyev signed a declaration in Moscow with Putin affirming a bilateral alliance between Azerbaijan and Russia. But as the war dragged on and Russia suffered repeated strategic losses, Aliyev, like many others, began to realize that Russia was not as powerful as once assumed, and was in fact becoming weaker, Karimli said. The downfall of the Assad regime in Syria further convinced Aliyev of this decline—Russia had failed to protect one of its most valued allies, he said. Aliyev also observed how Turkey and the West were rapidly filling the vacuum left by Russia's retreat, not only in Syria but across the wider region. "While Putin saw Assad's fall as a major loss, Aliyev appeared to welcome the outcome and publicly described Assad's removal as a positive development—deliberately signaling political distance from Moscow," said Karimli. "He seemed to conclude that close association with Russia might actually be more dangerous than opposing it." Ali Karimli, Azerbaijan's former secretary of state and chairman of the democratic opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, is seen in this undated image. Ali Karimli, Azerbaijan's former secretary of state and chairman of the democratic opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, is seen in this undated image. Supplied Nagorno-Karabakh Withdrawal Before Assad's downfall, there had already been a shift in Russia's authority in the South Caucasus, an area Moscow considers its backyard. Russian peacekeepers deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war put up no resistance to Baku's blockade of the region. A Russian peacekeeping contingent left the region in 2024 ahead of schedule after not intervening in Baku's successful military operation to take full control of Nagorno-Karabakh from its separatist Armenian authorities in September 2023. Stefan Meister, head of the center for order and governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at the German Council on Foreign Relations, told Newsweek that Azerbaijan winning the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and taking over the region prompted Aliyev to see Baku as a regional player Moscow can no longer dictate to. "Aliyev considers himself as the key shaper of the new regional security order, where Russia will not play the role it played in the past," he said. "Azerbaijan is not willing to accept compromises with Russia." This comes as Moscow faces a souring of ties with another regional neighbor. Armenia did not attend the latest summit of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, angered by the lack of solidarity from Russia when Baku captured Nagorno-Karabakh, an operation which Meister said emboldened Aliyev's attitude to Moscow. "Aliyev did what he did without getting punished by Russia," said Meister. "He saw the relative weakness of Moscow and the unwillingness also to go into conflict with Azerbaijan because Moscow needs them." Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Abu Dhabi on July 10 for the first unmediated bilateral contact between the two leaders. It comes after Armenian prosecutors accused Moscow of trying to overthrow Yerevan's pro-Western government in 2024 in an alleged plot disrupted by local security forces. Armenia has since accelerated its policy of EU integration and distanced itself from the Moscow-led CSTO military alliance. Emergency specialists work at the site where Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crashed, near the western Kazakh city of Aktau, on December 25, 2024. Emergency specialists work at the site where Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crashed, near the western Kazakh city of Aktau, on December 25, with no free press, no functioning civil society, and the political opposition repressed, Azerbaijan is unlike Armenia, said Karimli adding that Aliyev may resist being in hock to Russia but he is equally unwilling to open up to the West. Azerbaijan may be strategically important to Russia but the reverse is also true with Russia a key partner for Aliyev, who understands that breaking with Putin would force him to deepen ties with Europe and the United States—something he is reluctant to do, given his wish to resist democratic reforms and preserve his authoritarian grip, Karimli added. "If Putin were to break with Aliyev, he would effectively lose his last remaining ally in the South Caucasus," he said. Putin also cannot overlook Baku's strategic alliance with Turkey and pushing Russia's relationship with Azerbaijan to breaking point could strain Moscow's ties with Ankara—something the Kremlin can ill afford under current geopolitical conditions, he added. Trade relations between Moscow and Baku are still strong, as is a mutual dependency on energy exports. Linguistic ties are also tight with Russian still widely spoken in Azerbaijan and nearly half (46 percent) of the total volume of remittances paid to Azerbaijan come from Russia, where, according to official data, more than 300,000 Azerbaijanis live. But Aliyev can also benefit from portraying Azerbaijan as a strategic partner of the West in the global confrontation with Russia, especially in the energy sector. "He has a better partnering position and it's more difficult for Russia to punish Aliyev or to escalate their relations too far," said Meister. Pushing back against Russia is a good card for Azerbaijan to play with the West, de Moor said, with the prospect of investment as Baku eyes energy-related projects bypassing Russia . All this marks a shift in the position of Russia in the South Caucasus. "Russia can't treat it as its near abroad any more," added de Moor.
News24
5 hours ago
- News24
SANDF SOS: Why are the armed forces fighting for survival?
EDITORIAL: SANDF's SOS – Why are the armed forces fighting for survival? Since 2024, the world has witnessed the highest number of active conflicts since World War II. As concerns grow about global security and what the future holds, lists of the world's safest havens have begun circulating. South Africa has made several of these lists, thanks to our alleged 'abundant food sources, plentiful fresh water, and fertile landscapes'. However, what these assessments often overlook is the state of South Africa's defence capabilities. It's no secret that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been struggling for years. Both equipment and personnel are ageing, creating significant operational challenges. The situation reached a boiling point recently when Admiral Monde Lobese, head of the SA Navy, accused National Treasury of sabotaging the country's national security by failing to provide adequate resources. National Treasury fired back, arguing that Lobese was incorrect to hold it responsible for the SANDF's budget challenges. In this week's Friday Briefing, News24 investigative journalist Sikonathi Mantshantsha examines how the SANDF has been managing its budget and explores the factors that led to its current predicament. We also feature insights from defence analyst Dean Wingrin, who argues that while equipment and budget constraints are critical issues, any meaningful reform of the SANDF must also address human factors including force structure, leadership quality, recruitment strategies, succession planning, and political oversight. Finally, we bring you a Q&A with Sizeka Tshabalala, General Manager for Commercial and City-focused Interventions at the Joburg Property Company about its submission to the City of Johannesburg to review the leases for public parks, clubs and green spaces. You can read the full submissions below. R12-billion. That's all the SANDF spent on new equipment in 5 years When our military planners finally start fixing what they have broken in the SANDF, it will take more than a generation of serious discipline and investment to get the military ready for war again, writes Sikonathi Mantshantsha. Too old to fight, too broke to fix: The SANDF's march to mediocrity If the SANDF is to reclaim credibility, and truly serve South Africa's constitutional mandates, both political and military elites must step aside from self‑preservation, and lead with vision, accountability and purpose, writes Dean Wingrin. Read the rest of the article here. Q&A with Sizeka Tshabalala | 'JPC not driven by greed' in Joburg land review controversy JPC's Sizeka Tshabalala categorically denies any intention to redevelop Marks Park or any of the Joburg green public spaces into residential spaces. Amid an acknowledged trust deficit with residents, Tshabalala says a six-month consultation process will shape the future of Joburg's public properties.
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘We don't deserve this.' Women held in limbo at ICE's downtown S.F. center awaiting bed space
Three women who were detained by federal immigration officers at court Wednesday were held overnight inside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's downtown San Francisco field office and remained there Thursday afternoon because there were no available beds at migrant detention facilities, one of the women and her attorney told the Chronicle. The 27-year-old Colombian woman from San Jose said in an interview she was held overnight in a cell on the sixth floor of 630 Sansome St., along with two other women who were also detained on Wednesday afternoon at the U.S. Department of Justice's San Francisco Immigration Court. She described the room as a small space with a toilet, a bench, a thin mattress and a small window where she could see officers standing outside. ICE representatives did not immediately respond to questions about the woman's arrest and detention. The Chronicle is not naming her, per its anonymous source policy, due to her fears of retaliation. The women are among many immigrants who have been held at the San Francisco ICE field office in recent weeks while officials make arrangements to transfer people to detention centers, said Jessica Yamane, an immigration attorney with Pangea Legal Services and Santa Clara County's Rapid Response Network. Some have been held for days, she said, a source of additional trauma as they already face uncertainty over what will happen to them. Yamane said ICE representatives told her that the woman was being held at the field office because there were no available beds at migrant detention facilities. Detained migrants from the Bay Area are typically transferred to detention centers in Southern California. Immigration attorneys and advocates have reported overcrowding and deteriorating conditions at ICE detention facilities across the country. An ICE representative told NPR that 'some ICE facilities are experiencing temporary overcrowding due to recent increases in detention populations' and implementing measures to manage capacity. ICE typically places immigrants in holding cells in its field offices for a few hours at a time before transferring them elsewhere, but there have been reports of longer stays and overcrowding in these facilities as well. Yamane said the overnight detentions at the 630 Sansome St. building reminded her of when immigration officials used the upper floors of the building as a detention center for Chinese immigrants post-World War II. 'It's been the same mechanism of terror through detention that have broken people's spirits for generations,' she said. On Thursday afternoon in a cold visitation room, the Colombian woman told the Chronicle through a glass window that plainclothes ICE officers arrested her as she exited a courtroom at 100 Montgomery St. around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. An asylum seeker, the woman said she had just attended her first courthouse appointment, where the judge rescheduled her appointment for October because she didn't have an attorney. 'Everything was going well. I didn't see any risk because the judge gave me another date,' she said. Two men identified themselves as ICE agents, handcuffed her and walked out the building through a back door, she said. They forcefully pushed her into an unmarked car and told her they were taking her to the ICE field office, she said. 'They were hurting me,' she said, tears falling down her cheeks. 'I hadn't done anything wrong.' She was placed in a cell with two other women. During the interview with the Chronicle, an immigration official walked into the visitation room to drop off a meal — a bean and cheese burrito, a breakfast bar and bottled water. She said ICE officials have not told her where she will be sent. 'They're treating us like criminals,' she said. 'We don't deserve this treatment. We are just trying to do the right thing.' She said she flew to Mexico and crossed the U.S. border in December 2022, fleeing violence she experienced in her hometown of Bogota. In the U.S., she moved in with her boyfriend in San Jose and worked at a local restaurant and delivered food via UberEats with her partner. Their dream, she said, was to save enough money to open their own auto repair and body shop. 'It's a dream that I don't know will happen now,' she said.
