“Bai Lan” (摆烂), a Chinese internet slang term meaning “let it rot,” reflects a mindset among young people in China who feel disillusioned and overwhelmed by relentless societal pressures. These individuals consciously choose to opt out of the intense competition and high expectations imposed by society, stepping back from both societal and familial obligations. Rather than chasing what they view as unattainable success, they accept a life of minimal effort and disengagement.

False consciousness describes a condition where people fail to recognise inequality, oppression, and exploitation in society due to dominant views that normalise and legitimise these injustices.

The Awami League (AL) led Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971 and has governed at intervals since then, most recently from 2009–2024. Initially endorsing a constitution based on secularism, socialism, nationalism, and democracy, the AL has also been marked by periods of autocratic rule, notably from 2014–24 and 1973-75, the longest in Bangladesh’s history. In 2024, a popular student-led revolution overthrew the AL after significant violence. The country is now under an interim administration, composed of members from previously oppressed political groups, with key positions held by non-affiliated technocrats. The interim government’s mandate is to guide the country toward a democratic transition through an upcoming election.

Typically included in bilateral or multilateral investment treaties, investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions enable foreign investors to bypass local courts and resolve disputes with states through a binding decision from an independent tribunal. Through ISDS provisions, investors may seek arbitration against a host state for actions that breach fair treatment, violate contractual obligations, or otherwise harm their investments. ‘Right to regulate’ clauses in ISDS provisions recognise a state’s right to make laws in the public interest—such as those for health, environmental protection, land and indigenous rights, or labour standards—without risking investor claims for compensation.

In a collegiate model of university governance, the university consists of individual colleges that retain significant autonomy over decisions related to admissions, budgeting, curriculum, and internal affairs, functioning as semi-independent entities within the larger institution. By contrast, a centralised model of governance concentrates decision-making authority within a single, overarching university administration. In this model, the central administration oversees key areas such as admissions criteria, budget allocation, academic programs, and faculty hiring across the entire institution. Examples of collegiate universities include the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of Toronto, the University of Sydney, and the University of Mumbai, while centralised universities include MIT, McGill University, the University of Chicago, Peking University, and the Free University of Berlin.

Since 1994, France has prohibited paternity tests except for exceptional court-ordered tests (e.g. to resolve immigration or inheritance disputes). The penalty for unauthorised use is up to a year in prison and a fine of €15,000. This includes tests performed by laboratories in other countries. According to polling, approximately one in two French men and one in three French women have engaged in infidelity.