Latest news with #meritocracy
The Independent
30-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett have left the UFC with one choice
There is a time for meritocracy in combat sports, but with regard to the UFC 's lightweight title picture, that time is not now. Okay, this might be a misleading start. These pages tend to endorse the idea that it is almost always time for meritocracy, and too often in the UFC's past, the promotion has elected to operate against that noble guiding principle. Too often, fighters with long winning runs have been overlooked for title shots in favour of more easily promotable personalities. That brings us to the question now facing the UFC: does it book Paddy Pimblett as Ilia Topuria 's first challenger to the lightweight throne, or someone else? At UFC 317 on Saturday (28 June), Topuria's prophetic prediction of a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira crystallised. With that, 'El Matador' became a two-weight champion, collecting the lightweight belt after reigning as featherweight champion from February 2024 until February 2025. Topuria's decision to vacate the 145lb strap was fueled by his motivation to chase further accolades at 155lb, where he hoped Islam Makhachev would await. But the Russian had machinations of his own, soon relinquishing the title to eye 170lb glory. As such, Topuria was paired with former champion Oliveira, the most dangerous finisher in UFC history. Topuria obliterated him. It could have been Arman Tsarukyan in the cage with Topuria, in a clash of two new-age mixed martial artists. Tsarukyan, 28, like Topuria, narrowly outpointed Oliveira last year to earn a title shot, but withdrew from his planned fight with Makhachev in January on one day's notice – citing a back injury. With Oliveira bouncing back in the meantime, the Brazilian got the nod over Tsarukyan at UFC 317. But with Tsarukyan looking to prove to the UFC that he can be relied upon, the Armenian-Russian weighed in as the back-up fighter for UFC 317. Topuria berated Tsarukyan for doing so, claiming that the natural lightweight would have had no chance against him and only a slim chance of beating Oliveira again. Tsarukyan did not take kindly to that suggestion. And so, the foundation was laid for a potential showdown between Topuria and Tsarukyan, an honestly intriguing match-up. However, their minor quarrel cannot come close to the history between Topuria and 'Paddy The Baddy'. Ahead of UFC London in 2022, the Spanish-Georgian confronted the Liverpudlian at the fighter hotel, taking issue with seemingly anti-Georgian tweets from Pimblett, who threw a bottle of hand sanitiser at 'El Matador'. Pimblett's 'Hand Sanitiser Boy' nickname did not stick on Topuria, who spoke more coldly of what he would do to Pimblett if the pair were to share a cage. And three years on, they finally did share a cage. Commentator Joe Rogan beckoned Pimblett into the Octagon in Las Vegas, after Topuria obliterated Oliveira and goaded the 30-year-old. Topuria, a passionate but business-savvy man, resisted the urge to drop his UFC titles and attack Pimblett, though he did shove the Scouser. UFC president Dana White actually complained about the decision to let Pimblett into the T-Mobile Arena cage, citing safety concerns – as Topuria's family was in the ring – rather than the prospect that it could sway fans' thinking. Yet White needn't feel so aggrieved. Rogan might just have done the UFC and its president a favour by watering seeds that were already there. No, Pimblett has not strictly earned a title shot, but he is close. When the Baddy's early UFC fights saw him getting tagged a bit too frequently, and when he was awarded a lucky decision in 2022, fans believed it was inevitable that one of his most viral claims would come back to bite him: 'I'm a Scouser, we don't get knocked out.' But his last two fights, a quickfire submission of Bobby Green and domination of Chandler, showed his ceiling to be higher than many thought. They also took him into the lightweight top 10, where it was believed that he might need one more win to challenge for gold. A match-up with Justin Gaethje made sense, but the American has threatened to retire if he doesn't get a title shot next. This weekend, White jibed that Gaethje probably should retire. Gaethje has already failed in two title fights, and his recent record does not warrant another go. Yes, that is a meritocratic point. And yes, this writer is about to contradict himself, but: the UFC must now book Topuria vs Pimblett. Pimblett is not as deserving of a title shot as Tsarukyan, but the hype of a Baddy vs Matador match-up does not only trump that of a bout involving Tsarukyan; it might trump the hype of any other UFC fight right now – even Topuria vs Makhachev, which would pit the pound-for-pound No 2 against the No 1. There is an argument that Topuria vs Pimblett would be the biggest UFC fight since Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018. In fact, there would be shades of that rivalry here, with Topuria being Nurmagomedov – despite his fighting style, trash talk, and two-weight champion status drawing comparisons to McGregor. Topuria would be the 'final boss' to Pimblett in the way that Khabib was to McGregor. There is also the element of Pimblett aggravating Topuria with statements about the latter's heritage, although McGregor went a step further in attacking Nurmagomedov's religion. You'd be hard-pressed to find a fan who believes Pimblett would beat Topuria; Pimblett is an expert grappler, yes, but his rival is also well-versed in that department, and he is streaks ahead of the Liverpudlian when it comes to striking. And yet... anticipation for the fight would be palpable. The UFC has lost much allure this year, struggling with a distinct lack of stars and an abundance of weak fight cards. In Topuria vs Pimblett, they have been handed a gift. And the window to make this match-up may be small; pair Pimblett with a top contender, and his streak may collapse, while Topuria could yet do the unthinkable and move up again to challenge Makhachev at welterweight, if the Russian wins gold there. It may be now or never for the UFC, Topuria and Pimblett. The UFC should pull the trigger and pay off a generational UFC feud.
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Moonbeams Murray coming out of his cave makes the sober approach of Rangers' new regime all the more welcome, writes GARY KEOWN
No wild promises, talk of 'low-ego decision-making', a clear statement that this is about 'sustained winning and winning sustainably' rather than chucking money around willy-nilly, a determination to create a meritocracy in which a team of the best-available people will be 'empowered' to make decisions and then held accountable. That was the sales pitch chairman Andrew Cavenagh and vice-chair Paraag Marathe made to shareholders at the Rangers EGM as their consortium's £20million investment was rubberstamped last Monday. And you know what? From initial reactions, it feels like this was exactly the kind of sensible, bluster-free presentation that fans of the Ibrox club wanted to hear after a decade and more of disaster and chaos.
Malay Mail
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Nga Kor Ming hails Cabinet move to guarantee matriculation spots for 10A students
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — DAP National Deputy Chairman Nga Kor Ming has welcomed the Cabinet's decision to guarantee matriculation programme placements for all students who achieved 10As and above in the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, as announced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday. He said the decision reflects the MADANI Government's commitment towards meritocracy, equal opportunity, appreciation of local talents and the empowerment of young Malaysians in pursuing quality education. 'This inclusive policy, which applies regardless of race or background, recognises the outstanding efforts of our top-performing students. 'The Government is sending a clear message that academic excellence will be rewarded fairly and consistently and every Malaysian is being appreciated,' Nga said in a statement today. The Housing and Local Government Minister added that the decision aligns with the commitment made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year and strengthens public confidence in the national education system. He expressed that the new policy ensures that no outstanding student is left behind and respects the Government's assurance that the existing Bumiputera quota system for matriculation will remain intact, ensuring a balanced and inclusive approach. 'DAP remains committed to promoting policies that celebrate academic achievement while also advancing social equity. We believe that education is the greatest empowerment and tool towards building a fairer, more progressive and educated nation,' he said. Yesterday, MOE issued a statement saying all students who obtained 10As and above in last year's SPM examination and applied for the Matriculation Programme will be offered places, regardless of race or background. MOE said the decision was agreed upon at the Cabinet Meeting held earlier in the day. — Bernama
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
If you went to state school, do you ever feel British life is rigged against you? Welcome to the 93% Club
For the first time in our history, we have a cabinet made up entirely of people who went to state schools. Several, including prime minister Keir Starmer, come from working-class backgrounds; some, such as deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, were raised in conditions of poverty that feel as if they ought to belong to another age. So far so good. What better signs could one ask for to show that Britain is a meritocracy, social mobility is real and anyone can rise to the top provided they have talent, commitment and determination? And yet it might be that in some ways these are exceptions that prove a rule: the rule being that for all the changes made down the years, a private education continues to give a disproportionate advantage to those – currently 7% – who use it. Yes, we have a state-educated cabinet and more state-schooled MPs than ever. Yet more broadly throughout the establishment, when looking at senior positions across Whitehall, the judiciary, law, media and finance, the 7% club continues to hold a disproportionate presence, and therefore to exercise disproportionate cultural and political power. That 7% figure is what gave rise to the 93% Club, the UK's network for state-educated people. Its latest report, the Big State School Survey, merits careful reading by anyone who thinks that because we have the most working-class cabinet of our lifetime, the old class divides are gone and the dream of genuine social mobility has been delivered. The survey suggests that though state-educated students may be the majority by far, it is the 93% who have to fit in with the attitudes and actions of the 7% rather than the other way round. The overwhelming sense of the research is that talk of class continues to be brushed aside as impolite conversation – yet it continues to determine who will thrive, who will falter and who is forced to adopt a new cultural identity just to get into the room. What the survey does is show the emotional cost of having to leave parts of your identity and community behind to thrive. It brings a darker side of social mobility into the light. The journey starts at university. For many, the culture shock is instant. Nearly three-quarters of all state school students reported experiencing it. That figure rises to 91% among those from working-class backgrounds, and 94% of students believe that university culture naturally caters to the wealthy. The little things add up. Three in four students say they miss out on formals and dinners (a component of life at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge). Many say they can't afford to join sports teams or take part in extracurricular activities. The result is not just feeling out of place but feeling like the place was never meant for you despite your having worked hard to get there. The divide doesn't end with a degree. In fact, it deepens: 93% of working-class professionals say their background clashes with workplace culture. Many end up straddling two worlds, the one they came from and the one they now operate in, feeling that they don't fully belong to either. To fit in, people say they start to change. Accent. Clothes. Hobbies. Even what they eat and drink. These are not small cosmetic tweaks. They're survival tactics in environments that reward polish over potential. And while a lot of this happens quietly – with a smile, a nod, a stiff upper lip mentality – the impact is loud and lasting; 61% of respondents said they had to leave their community behind to progress. Nearly half said their friendships changed. Some grew distant from their families. This is not social mobility – it's a social trade-off. I've long been a fan of the 93% Club, not least because its 29-year-old founder, Sophie Pender, knows first-hand what it means to come from nothing and make it in the City with few tools or support at her disposal. And what's refreshing about what her organisation is doing is that it's not accepting the status quo or burning it down. Instead, it is retooling the idea of an old boys' network to serve state school graduates – an old boys' and old girls' network for the many, not the few, you might say. The question now is: do we want a country where success still depends on knowing the right people, sounding the right way and fitting into the right mould? Or do we want one where talent is prized and diversity of thought guaranteed? Real social mobility shouldn't come at the cost of your character. It shouldn't mean sanding down your accent, hiding where you're from or second-guessing how you dress, speak or behave. It should mean being able to walk into any room and be taken seriously. A cabinet that reflects that reality is a start – but it can't be the end goal. If we want lasting change, we need more than symbolism – we need infrastructure. A nationwide state-school alumni network that offers the kind of cultural capital, career support and peer sponsorship long taken for granted by the privately educated. A network that not only helps people navigate elite spaces but also mobilises them to rework the cultures within them. The 93% Club has already made significant strides in creating this infrastructure, but it still has work to do. They're asking others to join in – to share their time, open doors and help rewire the systems that still quietly reward one kind of background over another. It's not a pipe dream. It's a proven model that private schools have used for centuries. It's high time we repurposed it to build a country where people can succeed by not leaving their identity at the door but by walking through it the way they are. Alastair Campbell is a former journalist turned strategist and spokesperson for the Labour party. He is now a writer, podcaster, consultant strategist and mental health campaigner
Free Malaysia Today
16-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
67.3% of SPM applicants earn places in public varsities, polytechnics
The higher education ministry said 150,557 SPM students, who applied through the UPUOnline system, were chosen based on the principle of meritocracy. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : About 67.3% of the 223,624 applicants who sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination last year have earned places in institutions of higher learning. The higher education ministry said these 150,557 students, who applied through the UPUOnline system, were chosen based on the principle of meritocracy, Bernama reported. All those who qualified were ranked from the highest to the lowest merit score. 'Of the total, 86,589 applicants were offered places at public universities, 42,058 at polytechnics, 20,427 at community colleges and 1,483 at institutions under the Mara higher education division. 'A total of 17,693 applicants received offers under the special pathway, comprising 16,189 from the B40 group, 590 persons with disabilities, 593 athletes and 321 Orang Asli,' it said in a statement. The ministry also said 43 applicants from institutions under the social welfare department were offered places at higher education institutions. A total of 349 academic programmes were offered this year, comprising 41 certificate-level, 55 foundation, 252 diploma and one bachelor's degree programme. Applicants who did not receive an offer may submit an appeal via UPUOnline within 10 days, starting today until 5pm on June 25.
