Drive

2023 - 1 - 9

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Image courtesy of "War on the Rocks"

Don't Drive Away Smart Students - War on the Rocks (War on the Rocks)

Since 2000, over 50000 Chinese Ph.D. students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math have remained in the United States following.

Already, the [eight universities](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/us/politics/china-hong-kong-trump-student-visas.html) currently targeted by the proclamation include some of China’s top universities in the [C9 League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C9_League). [tone down their anti-China rhetoric](https://www.vox.com/22558949/china-violence-asian-americans), making clearer separations between the Chinese Communist Party and the people of China. And countries like India simply don’t have the equivalent talent based on the [quality of their universities](https://www.livemint.com/Education/GP0k0R7jySJvdUQcoyxMAN/What-India-can-learn-from-Chinas-rise-in-higher-education.html) or their [research specialties](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-23024-z), [like AI](https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/3/22310840/ai-research-global-growth-china-us-paper-citations-index-report-2020), compared to China. So, while the threat from espionage is substantial, the policies put in place have had the unintended consequence of making it much harder to attract and retain Chinese talent — a fact recognized internally by Beijing in a [push to boost return rates](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3035546/tough-us-immigration-policy-could-be-key-china-winning). [removed due to procedural issues](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2022/08/22/what-happened-to-the-bills-on-employment-based-immigration/?sh=41b274365658). So while the “pull” factors for reverse migration have not been nearly enough for the Chinese Communist Party to reach the end goal of [90 percent return rates](https://www.amazon.com/Chinas-Emerging-Technological-Edge-Assessing/dp/0521712335) for graduate students envisioned by Deng, the United States has been helping in recent years with the “push” factors to reverse this trend. This guilt by association is reinforced by high-profile, but unsubstantiated, arrests in recent years, like those of Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor [Gang Chen](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/science/gang-chen-mit-china.html) and University of Southern California professor [Xi Xiaoxing](https://china.usc.edu/xiaoxing-xi-defending-chinese-researchers), both of which help to create an unwelcoming environment for Chinese students and researchers. [Our research](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1509/jmr.11.0394?journalCode=mrja) found that these high stay rates were primarily driven by economic incentives — the overall compensation that a Chinese national could earn in the United States in the private sector or academia well outpaced what they could hope to earn in their homeland at the time. Given the broadness of the policy, reports suggest that it may affect [3,000–5,000 applicants per year](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-students/us-planning-to-cancel-visas-of-chinese-graduate-students-sources-idUSKBN2342AX). [doctoral students](https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/estimating-the-number-of-chinese-stem-students-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Across%2520those%2520STEM%2520fields%252C%2520there,half%2520at%2520the%2520graduate%2520level.). Army to power [next-generation tactical gear](https://www.armytimes.com/news/2021/10/11/heres-the-new-gear-being-readied-by-the-armys-one-stop-shop-for-all-things-soldier/). [cutting-edge research](https://direct.mit.edu/rest/article-abstract/95/2/698/58091/Chinese-Graduate-Students-and-U-S-Scientific?redirectedFrom=fulltext) and founding start-ups [valued collectively at $100 billion](https://nfap.com/research/new-nfap-policy-brief-immigrant-entrepreneurs-and-u-s-billion-dollar-companies/).

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Image courtesy of "World Economic Forum"

How to drive inclusive sustainable development in fragile markets (World Economic Forum)

In 2023, the outlook for vulnerable communities living in fragile states, many of which are conflict-affected, is deeply troubling.

Sustainable economic development in fragile states can be achieved by identifying and nurturing the potential that resides in the country’s existing attributes, capacity and talent. IFC’s investment in Yemen demonstrates the immediate positive impact that development finance institutions can have on the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people and communities. Sustainable and inclusive growth must be fostered from within. [knock-on effect on employment opportunities](https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ldcr2020_en.pdf), economic diversification and environmental sustainability. Achieving inclusive sustainable development is a surmountable task, but one that hinges on harnessing the power of partnership and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Local businesses’ resilience and ability to deliver during times of crisis can be bolstered significantly by providing innovative financial solutions, such as blended concessional finance that boost working capital, enable investment in new production facilities or strengthen supply chains. Those living in fragile markets such as Yemen, Somalia and Sudan feel the painful effects of these global crises acutely. Fragile states often rely on international humanitarian programmes to address their immediate and urgent challenges. These countries suffer daily from the succession of crises impacting the world: COVID-19, climate disasters and a violent incursion in Europe and its subsequent economic fallout, which has caused extreme volatility and price fluctuations in the energy, food and commodities markets. These efforts will pave the way for bottom-up, locally led and owned, sustainable social and economic development. Bolster resilience to both local and global challenges by deploying public and private sector know-how and unlocking the transformative potential of development finance institutions. [fuse the strengths and resources of international organizations](https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/c7fedf5e-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/c7fedf5e-en) and donors with the mandate, on-the-ground experience and existing networks of local private and third-sector actors.

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Image courtesy of "The Argus"

McDonald's seek to extend restaurant at Stapleton Drive (The Argus)

McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland Limited has applied to Louth County Council for permission for a lateral extension to the restaurant floor area by 15.2sqm ( ...

The building is a protected structure under the Louth County Development Plan 2015-2021 - Record of Protected Structure Ref No. Also, permission for the change of use of outbuilding no. Kevin Woods is seeking retention of a motor home park, ancillary outbuilding no.

And still people drive..... (road.cc)

Running a car is costly, but many people still require car or at least think they do. Some would cycle if facilities were better.

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