The phrase drew renewed criticism after similar chants at past Pride events were defended by some activists as provocative satire.By yourNEWS Media Newsroom A viral video from Sundays Pride march in

The famous opening scene of the Martian has Mark Watney stabbed in the torso with a communications antenna. While this accident sets up the plot for what is widely regarded as a modern classic of sci-fi storytelling, what if he was wearing a space suit that would have stopped the impact altogether? Thats the idea behind a recent NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program run by researchers from Materials Research & Design, Fiber Materials, Inc, and NASAs Johnson Space Center. Their work, which was recently presented at the National Space & Missile Materials Symposium, showcased a type of advanced 3D-reinforced fabric that could have saved Watney and his compatriots a whole lot of trouble.

There are already a lot of bugs out there, but new research suggests there are three times as many insect species than previously thought.

Staffers were directed to halt vaccine campaigns, support anti-vax cranks, and explore taking away vaccines from children.

For any military, opportunities to test, try, and tweak military theories are rare. But the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) became the Nazi Blitzkriegs proving ground for World War II. The Civil War rocked Europe as the conflict deepened. Into this crucible, Germany sent the Condor Legion to back Francos Nationalists. Once in action, the untried war machine assessed its new tactics, including radio communications, dive bombers, and armored exploitation.Germany took what it learned and applied it to the upcoming conflict.Defining Modern Air WarThe first production variant, Ju-87A. Source: Wikimedia CommonsIn August 1936, the German Luftwaffes initial contingent of six He-51 biplane fighters arrived in Spain. More planes and personnel followed in September to counter the Republicans Soviet-supplied air force. The German pilots rigid Vic-style flying had changed little since the Great War. But within weeks, they realized such outdated formations meant death. Republican pilots in faster, more maneuverable I-15s and I-16s outflew them.But unlike the Russians, Germany had sent their elite. They developed and refined new tactics such as the Rotte (two-plane elements) and the Schwarm (finger-four) formations. Both allowed for mutual support, flexibility, and visibility.The next Condor Legion innovation was perfecting the dive bomber. The Junkers Ju-87 dived on its targets, enabling precision strikes unlike level bombers. The Stukas main weapon, however, was psychological. The planes vertical attacks, or perpendicular dives, shocked the enemy.In Spain, the Luftwaffe learned the value of its psychological warfare. The Guernica bombing in 1937 demonstrated the shock of terror bombing. This raid wrecked swathes of the city, killing hundreds, and revealed how terror bombing could mold a narrative and diplomacy.Perfecting the Combined Arms TeamBefehlpanzer I (command tank) with a radio rig. Source: German Federal Archives / Wikimedia CommonsAs in the air war, the Germans used the Spanish Civil War to corroborate their combined-arms theories. Wehrmacht officers trained Nationalist forces on how infantry, combat engineers, and armor could merge the future Nazi Blitzkrieg tactics.Here, the Condor Legion made a harsh discovery about their Panzer I in Spain (pictured above). These machine gun-armed tanks met the Soviet T-26. In battles between T-26s and German tanks, Soviet advantages included better armor and a 45mm cannon. This meant it could shrug off the Panzer Is machine guns while still firing from a distance. This quickly led to the development of German medium panzers, another backbone of the Blitzkrieg. Despite the armored difference, the Germans excelled in communications. Radios were installed in command tanks, greatly increasing their ability to coordinate maneuvers. Their forces reacted quicker a huge tactical advantage.The War also saw the 88mm Flak guns versatility. Its sheer power, flat trajectory, and range made it a great anti-tank and impromptu artillery piece, too. The dreaded 88 gained a solid reputation in the upcoming war.The Great Power ParalysisRepublican poster warning of a Fifth Column. Source: WikipediaThe unexpected escalation of hostilities in Spain surprised Britain and France. In August 1936, France formed the Non-Intervention Committee. 27 nations signed the pact, including Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. The Committee sought to contain the Spanish conflict; it heard complaints only from signatory participants, ruling out the Soviet-backed Republicans. Members also included Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union (active participants).The Committee possessed no sanctioning power or the means to enforce its decisions, and could only issue protests, write reports, and request cooperation. In this vacuum, Germany and Italy transported men, supplies, and weapons into Spain. In protest, the Soviet Union left the Committee.Though trying to limit German and Italian support, Britain and France feared appearing to support the left-leaning Republicans. Yet neither wanted to provoke Hitler. What the Committee did was to let both Great Powers appear to de-escalate the war while doing nothing.A Rehearsal with Ignored LessonsFranco (center) and his cabinet in 1939. Source: Bibliothque et Archives nationales du Qubec / Wikimedia CommonsThe idea that the Spanish Civil War served as a rehearsal for World War II is popular. While true, theres more to unpack from that statement. As mentioned, the Condor Legion in Spain allowed Germany to practice theories in a live environment. Germany learned about close air support and realized the need for better panzers while gaining invaluable battlefield experience. But some lessons werent learned, as Spain revealed the Wehrmachts logistical problems. The war machine being built focused on speed, which worked in Spain. Supply line issues, fuel shortages, and overreach would persist beyond 1939.In Spain, Hitler hoped to win over the Nationalist Franco, but when the larger war began, the Iberian nation remained a neutral but ideological partner only.The Spanish Civil War displayed how much warfare had changed since the Great War. Mobility, close air support, and armor helped spell the end of Great War tactics. The Axiss future opponents looked aside, unaware of how quickly the world had changed.

When the Soviet Union ended in 1991, the Russian economy was plunged into uncertainty. The newly independent nation was faced with the task of transforming a centralized economy reliant on government subsidies and incentives into a market-based system. To do this, Boris Yeltsin and his allies used shock therapy economics to revitalize the Russian economy to drastic effect. This article answers the question of what shock therapy was in Russia and looks at its many consequences, including the immediate and long-term economic and social repercussions.The Collapse of the Soviet Union: Causes & ConsequencesGorbachev Giving A Speech To The Communist Party, 1989. Source: Russia in Photo / Multimedia Art Museum of MoscowThe end of the Soviet Union in 1991 was the culmination of a decades-long stagnation and political upheaval that brought about the end of the communist system. The collapse was made possible by a combination of structural flaws, stagnation, and economic problems that made peoples lives increasingly difficult. The Soviet system was characterized by a rigid lack of flexibility that relied on the centralized planning initiatives that were successful in the early years of the USSR but failed to address modern problems. The end of the Soviet Union itself was foreshadowed by the collapse of the Soviet economy in the 1980s caused by falling oil prices and a lack of innovation in the industrial sector. By 1990, the Soviet economy was reduced in value to less than half that of its main rival, the United States.When Mikhail Gorbachev took office in 1985, he attempted to breathe new life into the Soviet economy and society with two policies: Glasnost, which promised openness, and Perestroika, which strove to rebuild the broken economy. However, instead of slowing the decline of the USSR, Gorbachevs policies merely accelerated it as political turmoil increased, and the Soviet republics began to demand more autonomy within the system and eventually called for independence.When the USSR finally broke up in December 1991, fifteen newly independent countries were created, with the bulk of the Soviet Unions industry and resources inherited by Russia. President Boris Yeltsin was tasked with taking a broken Soviet economy and turning it into a modern capitalist market. This was a monumental undertaking as Russia also inherited the economic obligations of the USSR, including a huge military budget. These challenges prepared the groundwork for a drastic policy known as shock therapy.How the Soviet Economy Worked Before 1991Soviet Garment Factory Workers, 1967. Source: Wikimedia Commons / RIA Novosti archiveBefore it collapsed, the Soviet economy was centralized in Moscow, where various economic targets were set, prices were fixed, and a planned structure was followed. This planned economy was first put in place during the collectivization policies that Joseph Stalin used to modernize the economy in the 1930s. In the 1930s, centralized planning involved strict state control over all economic activity, intensive industrialization, and collectivization of agriculture. While the planned Soviet economy was initially successful in achieving widespread industrialization of the USSR, it could not compete with the increasing digitization that transformed the West.The Soviet economy in the 1970s and 80s was plagued by a chronic shortage of consumer goods, an overabundance of certain items that resulted from the absence of market mechanisms, and a lack of profit incentives or competition. The problems of the Soviet economy were made even worse by widespread corruption that flourished under a system that was held back by a stifling bureaucratic class. As the Soviet Union entered the 1980s, the economy stumbled, and the standard of living for many fell far below that of the West.Russia Begins a Transition to a Market EconomyYeltsin Near a Polling Station During a Referendum of the Future of the Soviet Union, 1991. Source: Vladimir Vyatkin / Smart HistoriesIn the early 1990s, Boris Yeltsin implemented several drastic measures to accelerate the transition to a market economy. One such measure was the shock therapy doctrine, which aimed to liberalize the financial sector in a matter of weeks.The shock therapy approach involved the rapid removal of pricing controls, the signing of new free trade agreements, and the privatization of state-owned businesses. By letting market forces decide how to allocate resources, Yeltins government aimed to end the persistent shortages that had been a daily struggle during the Soviet Union.However, these policies caused inflation to spiral out of control as the cost of previously subsidized commodities increased dramatically. The newly introduced trade liberalization also made it possible for foreign companies to compete in domestic markets, which was disastrous for local industries that were used to the isolation of the Soviet Union and were not ready for such a quick transition.The Soviet Economy Meets PrivatizationVladimir Golovlev Chairman of the Chelyabinsk Investment Fund, 1992. Source: Russia in Photo / State Historical Museum of the Southern UralsOne of the main components of the shock therapy period was privatization, which sought to move Russia from a state-run command economy to one that was focused on the influences of the free market. Privatization aimed to give the private sector ownership of state-owned firms in order to increase competition, efficiency, and innovation. However, the procedure was convoluted, divisive, and full of major obstacles and unexpected repercussions.One goal of privatization was to shift enormous amounts of public property into private ownership, creating a new class of business owners and boosting economic growth. However, the process was largely unfair, as former Soviet industry leaders who held sway over the economy were given priority when it came to privatization. As a result, corruption became widespread.Yeltsins Disastrous Loans-For-Shares SchemeSeller Offers Vouchers On The Streets, 1992. Source: Russia in Photo / State Historical Museum of the Southern UralsIn an effort to spread the wealth of privatization, the Russian government gave out privatization vouchers, or shares of the countrys wealth, to the Russian people between 1992 and 1994. The goal was to disperse ownership broadly and encourage public participation in the recently privatized economy. The reality, however, was quite different: many people, driven by financial need and ignorant of market dynamics, sold their vouchers for a low price to local business owners and enterprising individuals. This led to an unequal concentration of vouchers in the hands of a select few who obtained huge shares in massive state-owned companies.The Russian government launched a more contentious stage of privatization in 1995 with the loans-for-shares program. In this strategy, the government pledged shares in significant state-owned firms as collateral in exchange for borrowing money from private banks. The shares were auctioned off at rates much below their market value, and the banks that had given the loans were frequently the winners. As a result, a new class of oligarchsextremely wealthy, politically connected people who gained substantial control over vital industries like oil, gas, and natural resourceswere created.The Key Figures and Influencers in Russian Economic ReformRussian President Boris Yeltsin and Acting Chairman Of The Russian Government Yegor Gaidar (left), 1992. Source: Russia in Photo / Yeltsin CentreDuring the years of shock therapy, a number of significant individuals shaped Russias economic transformation. Leading the charge was Russian President Boris Yeltsin, whose vision for Russia was based on quick and drastic changes to the market. Yeltsin supported radical economic policies because he thought quick change was better than slow reform.Anatoly Chubais, who served as Yeltsins principal economic counselor and subsequently as his deputy prime minister, played a crucial role in the privatization effort. He was the driving force behind voucher privatization, which aims to disperse public assets. However, Chubaiss initiatives drew criticism from the Russian people as they encouraged corruption and economic inequality.The mastermind of the shock therapy doctrine was Yegor Gaidar. As acting prime minister in 1992, Gaidar pushed forward significant economic reforms such as fiscal de-regulation and pricing liberalization. Internationally, influential thinkers such as American economist Jeffrey Sachs also had an impact. Sachs worked with reformers in Russia to develop shock therapy policies and persuaded the Russian government to go ahead with quick changes to the market based on comparable policies undertaken by governments in Eastern Europe and Latin America. However, because of the unique complexity of the Soviet economic system that Russia had inherited, such advice proved disastrous.The Immediate Economic Impact of Shock TherapyA Street Market In Rostov-On-Don, 1992. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Brian KelleyShock therapy had immediate and catastrophic consequences for ordinary people. Inflation reached unimaginable heights in the 90s, rapidly diminishing the purchasing power of the average Russian and making them much less well off than they were under the Soviet Union. Inflation rates reached over 2,500% in 1991-1992, which completely devalued savings and fixed incomes. The abrupt elimination of price controls and the liberalization strategy that allowed market forces to set pricesconverting the state-subsidized economy into a free market in a matter of monthswere the main causes of this hyperinflation.Millions of people lost their jobs when hundreds of state-owned businesses collapsed or downsized due to an inability to survive in the new competitive climate, and government subsidies were cut. During this period, Russias GDP plunged dramatically, shrinking by about 40% between 1991 and 1996. The banking industry also had difficulties, with numerous banks failing due to the strain of abrupt shifts in the economy and unstable financial markets. The volatility of the Russian currency made foreign investment and international trade even more difficult.The Social Consequences of Economic DeclineEmpty Shelves In A Shop After Price Liberalization, 1992. Source: TASSThe economic disaster of the 1990s caused by shock therapy had dire societal repercussions. The economic collapse led to mass poverty, reduced life expectancy, and a massive decline in living standards. For the majority of Russians, shock therapy meant economic ruin. Some studies have since shown that by the mid-1990s, approximately 40% of the population was living below the poverty line.The consequences of shock therapy also caused a sharp rise in inequality. A tiny number of oligarchs and well-connected people gained enormous wealth as a result of privatization, while the majority of people saw their living standards deteriorate and their salaries decline. This widening gap made social unrest worse, added to the general disenchantment with Yeltsins reforms, and made people wish for a return to the relative stability of the Soviet Union.Formerly essential components of Soviet social policy, such as healthcare and education, saw severe underfunding and a decline in quality. A catastrophic drop in life expectancy coincided with the emergence of public health concerns, such as the rise in drug and alcohol abuse, infectious illness outbreaks, and alcoholism. The new economic realities proved too much for social safety nets like pensions and unemployment benefits, which left many vulnerable people, especially the elderly and those with disabilities, in abject poverty.The Legacy of Shock TherapyWoman Exits Kiosk Shop, 2020. Source: Public Domain / PexelsShock therapy left the Russian economy with a divided legacy. On the one hand, the privatization of state-owned businesses did result in the establishment of a more vibrant private sector. Increased international investment and trade contacts also contributed to Russias enhanced integration into the global economy.On the other hand, the Russian economy continued to be highly dependent on the export of natural resources, specifically oil and gas, which left it vulnerable to changes in the price of commodities globally. Rapid privatization left behind a lopsided income distribution and a class of super-rich oligarchs that used their wealth to influence the politics of the nation.While some Russians saw their standard of living rise, many still had to deal with inequality and economic instability. Russias political and economic environment today is a result of the long-lasting damage caused by the social and economic upheaval of the 1990s.

There are plenty of Soulslikes to look forward to within the next year. We have Mortal Shell 2, Valor Mortis, and The Duskbloods slated for 2026, with The Lords of the Fallen 2 set to launch early 2027. The upcoming competition is fierce within the Soulslike genre, and to stand out among the crowd of a once-niche, but now overly saturated space, you have to bring something unique to the table.

It's been a week since Game Freak released its latest season Set M-B, for Pokmon Champions, and now we're starting to see a new meta form. While there hasn't been a lot added to move the needle away from teams dominating the double format last season, there have been a few new picks to help keep Mega Charizard Y players on their toes.

Rockstar Games is currently navigating two entirely different battles with its own workforce at once, and both broke into the open within the space of two weeks. Today, workers submitted a formal request for voluntary recognition of the IWGB Game Workers Union.

Today is a good day if you like playing dress-up with tactical gear and pulling high-stakes raids with your friends.