Latest news with #NationalConference
International Business Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- International Business Times
America's Best Student Agency Is More Than Just a Student Agency
In a landscape where student-run agencies often serve as glorified class projects or resume-padding exercises, the University of Louisville's The Bird's Nest stands out as a national model for what experiential learning should actually look like: strategic, creative, relevant, and genuinely student-led. With real clients, real deadlines, and real stakes, this agency isn't cosplaying. It's building brands, shaping voices, and giving students the kind of portfolio experience that turns "potential" into "proven." When you're working with Alex Cooper, iconic brands like Churchill Downs and The Hollywood Reporter names you a top student run agency, you know you're on to something. The University of Louisville is punching above its weight in the birthplace of Muhammad Ali in The United States, creating a global model for jumpstarting student careers. Their work has earned them serious accolades. In 2024, The Bird's Nest won multiple honors at the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Star Awards, including Best Student-Run Campaign and Excellence in Strategic Communication. They were named Agency of the Year by the American Institute of Integrated Marketing, a major honor typically reserved for professional shops. They've also been spotlighted in PR News, Adweek EDU, and recognized at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) National Conference for their innovation in student engagement. While The Bird's Nest is raising the bar, it's part of a broader movement of exceptional student agencies. Firms like Allen Hall Advertising at the University of Oregon and PRLab at Boston University have long set strong examples of what students can accomplish with the right mix of mentorship and autonomy. But The Bird's Nest brings a distinct cultural identity, one that's fast, fearless, and deeply rooted in Gen Z storytelling. Meet What The Flock ?!: The Podcast for the Figuring-It-Out Generation While the agency has made waves with client campaigns and creative strategy, it's their original podcast What The Flock ?! that perfectly captures the voice and spirit of The Bird's Nest. Hosted by students for students, the podcast skips the performative, overly polished advice that clutters most career content and instead delivers a chaotic, vulnerable, and hilariously honest take on "making it." As Lauren Cassady, one of the creative leads behind the show, explains: "The What the Flock?! podcast came to life because, honestly, we were tired of hearing the same recycled advice about 'navigating adulthood' from people who already have their lives together. Like, cool glad your 5 AM gratitude journaling and caffeine detox set you up for success, but what about the rest of us who are just trying to figure out taxes, job offers, and whether or not we can still justify a Thirsty Thursday? We wanted something real. Something that didn't just preach career advice but actually acknowledged the chaos of early adulthood, because let's be honest, half the time, we're all just winging it. So many podcasts either lean too professional or too casual, and we wanted the best of both worlds. What the Flock?! is here to spill the tea on career moves, student expectations, and the absolute dumpster fire that is your early 20s without making you feel like you're failing at life. Think of it as your fun, honest, slightly chaotic older sisters who somehow still get their stuff done." That blend of authenticity and competence is exactly what makes The Bird's Nest so effective and so admired. It's not just a student agency. It's a cultural incubator where the next generation of marketers and communicators aren't just studying best practices. They're setting them. The Blueprint for a New Kind of Learning In a time when employers are asking for graduates with "real-world experience" but offering fewer opportunities to gain it, The Bird's Nest is filling the gap in a way that's fun, fearless, and highly effective. They're not just preparing students for the industry. They're helping reshape it. For other universities hoping to empower their students and build meaningful, professional programs, The Bird's Nest isn't just a great example. It's the blueprint. Because when students are trusted to lead, given the tools to build, and allowed a little chaos along the way, that's when the best work happens.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Statehood is our right, says JK CM Omar Abdullah; rules out 'Hybrid System'
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday made a forceful plea for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without further delay, and indicated that all avenues, including legal options, were being explored by the ruling National Conference in this regard. Nearly ten months after the National Conference swept to power in the Union territory, Abdullah asserted that statehood was a fundamental right of the people. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Management Project Management Cybersecurity MCA others Degree healthcare Public Policy Data Analytics Healthcare Data Science Digital Marketing Others PGDM Technology Data Science MBA Product Management Leadership Artificial Intelligence CXO Design Thinking Finance Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details "The Centre had promised it in Parliament and before the Supreme Court ," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold Container Homes in Pangasinan - Prices You Won't Believe! Shipping Container Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo Abdullah dismissed talk of a "hybrid system" of government under which law and order would continue to be with the Centre even after statehood is restored and said such talk was emanating from those who had cast doubts about the holding of last year's Assembly elections in which over 64 per cent of voters participated. "Well, obviously, it's not an ideal situation. In spite of repeated promises, commitments in Parliament, commitments to the Supreme Court, the matter has still not sort of been resolved. And we're not asking for something that is not our due. Statehood is the right, it was promised to the people. Live Events "So, we're not asking for it. It's not something that is out of the ordinary or was not part of the public discourse. But, for reasons best known to the powers that be in the Union government, it hasn't happened so far. But, we're pushing," Abdullah told PTI in an interview. Abdullah, who maintains a "cordial" relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, refrained from disclosing specifics of their private discussions on the matter, affirming only that the issue of statehood has been raised "multiple times at multiple levels". "Conversations that have been individually had between myself, the Prime Minister, Home Minister, etc. are not conversations that are meant to be shared. Rest assured, this issue of statehood and other issues concerning J&K have been taken up multiple times at multiple levels. And we continue to do so," he said. He defended his pragmatic approach to engaging with the central government, emphasising that public appreciation for cooperation does not preclude him from speaking out when warranted. "As far as enjoying a good relationship is concerned, I don't see why that is something that should invite so much commentary. At the end of the day, there are political equations that exist between political parties. "Those remain in terms of whatever the National Conference has with regard to the BJP's policies or vice versa. But then there are government-to-government relations. "You tell me, barring maybe one or two examples, generally in the country, relationships between the Union government and the Prime Minister's office, I mean, normally both sides make an attempt to keep the relations cordial. "In J-K's case, the onus is again more on both the individuals who occupy the office of the chief minister and the prime minister to keep things cordial," he said. Abdullah drew a contrast with past political dynamics, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party 's (PDP) alliance with the BJP under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti. "What was the compulsion for Mufti Sayeed to have an alliance with the BJP? And what all Mehbooba used to say about the Prime Minister and his person. That they have forgotten," he remarked, hinting at perceived political expediency. He clarified his own stance: "Confrontation happens when confrontation is due. If up until now, the Government of India has been helpful, should I not be sort of at least publicly appreciative of that? But where things are not good or where things are wrong, I am not silent on that." To a question whether his party was planning to move the Supreme Court for statehood, the chief minister said, "We are looking at various options. There have been a few conversations both within the party as well as with some experts to see what we should do." The chief minister dismissed any suggestions of a "hybrid system" where law and order would remain with the Union government even after statehood is restored. "There is no such model in this country. And why are people speculating? The people who are planting this are the same people who were planting that elections will not happen. Or elections should not happen. "Yet these very same people are silent about the failures of Pahalgam or the spread of militancy." He challenged those proposing such a system to explain the "dramatic spread" of terror infrastructure in J-K since January 2015, when he demitted office, which included the recent Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists. "In my time, we had reduced it virtually to two to two-and-a-half districts. Today, there is hardly a district in the Valley and a large part of Jammu that is not affected," Abdullah asserted. He argued that this expansion of militancy occurred while J-K was a Union territory, under central control, not an elected government. "Elected governments seem to have done a better job," he stated, dismissing the notion that an elected government is incapable of managing the security situation. "We have managed perfectly well in the past and we will manage well in the future also. This hybrid system is not acceptable," Abdullah said. He underscored the inherent flaws of the Union territory model, questioning why such a system, if "ideal," is confined to only a few small areas. "If this is the best form of governance... Please do it in UP. Do it in Maharashtra. Do it in Chhattisgarh. Do it in all the Northeast states. Do it in Madhya Pradesh ," he challenged. Abdullah pointed out that while J-K's area has shrunk since 2019, its population remains largely the same, making the current model of governance unsuitable for its scale and needs. "This model of governance does not work," he said. He further criticised the current dual power structure, describing it as "not an ideal form of government". While acknowledging that a complete "disaster" has been averted so far, he pointed out the inherent inefficiencies and lack of accountability when there isn't a single chain of command, but expressed the hope for a swift resolution to the ongoing conversations with the Union government regarding these operational challenges and the pending business rules.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
As Martyrs' Day triggers a political row in Kashmir, why it remains a flashpoint nearly a century later
On July 13, the Jammu and Kashmir Police – which falls under Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha – placed political leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, under house arrest to prevent them from observing 'Martyrs' Day', by paying tributes to the the 22 people killed by the then Dogra regime's forces in 1931. Before J&K's special status was revoked in 2019, July 13 was officially commemorated as Martyrs' Day with a state-wide public holiday. However, J&K's two regions – the Muslim-dominated Kashmir and the Hindu heartland in Jammu – have always viewed the day differently. So what happened on that day, nearly a century ago? Before 22 people were shot and killed outside the Srinagar Central Jail on July 13, 1931, anger had been building up in Kashmir against Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh's forces. On April 21, a police officer was accused of preventing a cleric from delivering the Khutbah – a customary sermon – after Eid prayers in Jammu. In another incident that day, the police and some upper-caste Hindus were reported to have prevented Muslims from using a ground and a water tank, which were in the 'joint possession' of the two communities, for Eid prayers. A few days later, a head constable allegedly desecrated a colleague's Quran. With tempers running high in Kashmir, Hari Singh's political affairs minister, G E C Wakefield, advised him to invite a delegation of Muslims to submit their grievances. Leaders in Kashmir organised a meeting at a shrine in Srinagar to choose their representatives. There, Abdul Qadeer Khan, who worked as a cook for a British military officer, delivered a fiery speech. In his book Kashmir: Exposing the Myth behind the Narrative, historian Khalid Bashir Ahmad writes, 'A protest meeting was held at Khanqah-i-Mualla on June 21, 1931, where tens of thousands of Muslims assembled. The meeting resulted in the formation of a collective leadership… As the meeting was about to close, Abdul Qadeer Khan appeared on the stage and made a speech.' In his autobiography Aatish-e-Chinar (Flames of Chinar), National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Abdullah said Khan delivered his speech later, at another location. 'After the meeting, the organisers and elected representatives proceeded for tea to Hamdania Middle School. There, one Abdul Qadeer made sparks fly,' Abdullah writes. According to Ahmad's book, Khan said, 'Muslim brethren! The time has now come when we should meet force by greater force to put an end to tyrannies and brutalities to which you are subjected.' Pointing towards the Maharaja's palace, Khan said, 'Raze it to the ground.' Khan was arrested and charged with sedition. On the day his trial got underway at a sessions court, thousands gathered in solidarity. Sensing trouble, the Dogra regime decided to shift the trial to the Srinagar Central Jail, where Khan was lodged. On July 13, 1931, as the trial was about to start, thousands gathered outside the jail, with some forcing their way inside. Prem Nath Bazaz, in his book Inside Kashmir, says there was a confidential order to keep the trial closed to the public. 'But the matter did not remain a secret and within a few minutes it was well known that the trial would be held at the jail. Large crowds gathered before noon on July 13, and when the time of trial came, the crowd had swelled to about 7,000,' Bazaz writes. 'No one realised the significance of Abdul Qadeer's outspokenness. The incident that was to occur on July 13, 1931, had the same impact on our movement that the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre had on the Indian independence movement,' Abdullah writes. 'We pleaded with the people to keep away from the Central Jail… Despite our pleas, hordes of people tried to force their way into the jail.' There are different narratives about what happened before the police opened fire, killing 22 people. Bazaz says 'the mob became uncontrollable and some forced their way into the outer compound (of the jail)', with the District Magistrate ordering the arrest of the mob's 'ring leaders'. But no one tried to pacify or warn the protesters. Prof Ghulam Hassan Khan, in his book Freedom Movement In Kashmir 1931-1940, says around 200 people were peacefully sitting inside the jail premises. 'By 12.30 pm, the muezzin gave a call to prayer… A little later, the District Magistrate, City Munsiff, Superintendent of Police, and Assistant Superintendent of Police arrived. No sooner did they come out of their vehicles than the people began shouting slogans,' Khan writes. 'Of all the officials present… not even one went forward to the crowd to reason with it and pacify it. The official Enquiry Commission, which investigated the affair, deplored this attitude and recorded its opinion that the crowd ought at least to have been told by the District Magistrate that it was a criminal gathering and ran the great risk of a clash with authorities,' Bazaz writes. 'The arrests highly excited the crowd, who demanded the release of their leaders… (The crowd) became infuriated and threw stones. Telephone lines were shaken and subsequently cut. Attempts were made to set fire to the Police Lines… At this stage, the firing was ordered. According to the official report, 10 men were killed and several wounded. It was found on July 26 that 21 persons died as a result of the jail incident,' Bazaz writes. Khan writes: 'Finding that the people were resolute and determined, authorities suddenly stopped firing and the police disappeared. People rushed into the jail compound. They took out bedsteads from the quarters of the jail guards, placed on them the dead and injured, and carried them to the Jamia Masjid.' In his autobiography, Abdullah writes, 'I was sitting quietly when a terrified young man burst into my house and told me of the firing. He said the dead were being brought in a procession towards the city. I was mortified at what this may trigger… Rioting and plundering had started at Zainakadal and Bahorikadal… I learnt that some Muslims, who were taking a dead body to his home, had asked Hindu shopkeepers to pull down their shutters as a mark of respect. They refused. This provided the pretext for anti-social elements to go on a rampage. After the situation had limped back to normal, the police managed to recover property stolen from Hindu shops.' Bazaz, however, has another version. 'The jail firing created great resentment in the mob against Hindus. So when the procession reached Maharaj Gunj, a busy trade centre of the city, Hindu shops that had been closed after the jail incident were broken open and looted,' Bazaz writes. 'Serious rioting followed… Hundreds of Hindu houses and shops were denuded of their contents… Three Hindus were murdered and 163 wounded.' In his book, Ahmad argues that the findings of the Enquiry Commission, set up by the Maharaja, were biased. 'It (the Commission) appeared to be at pains to absolve the men and officers of the government responsible for the killing of unarmed people and throw mud of culpability on the victims. The bias against Muslims freely flowed through the report,' Ahmad writes. 'When Mrs Thakur Das, a Hindu lady, testified through a written statement that 'the sepoys fired without a cause' … her statement was dismissed as a possible outcome of a 'grudge against the government'.'
India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
‘Fundamental Right…': Farooq Abdullah On Restoration Of Jammu And Kashmir's Statehood
National Conference President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, on Friday, strongly reiterated his demand for the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. He indicated a firm stance and potential future action if the demand is not met. He also said that the issue of statehood would be raised in the coming meeting of the INDIA bloc, also for a collective political push for this demand. Speaking to reporters, he emphasised that it is a fundamental right of the people, not a favor from the central government. 'Statehood is a fundamental right of the people. Why won't they restore? It is our right. If they don't, we will see then,' he said. Congratulating Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for restoration of statehood, Abdullah said, 'I thank Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge for writing to the PM for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.' Abdullah's statements advocating for restoring statehood are because it was one of the key promises of the National Conference in their election manifesto. He has been continuously batting for the restoration of statehood, even in the past, he also said that if the statehood is not restored national conference will approach the Supreme Court. TRF's Designation As Terror Outfit Farooq, when asked about the United States designating The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a foreign terrorist organization due to its involvement in the Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said, 'It's under investigation. Till the investigation is complete, commenting on it will be wrong,' BJP On J-K's Statehood Earlier, BJP spokesperson and MLA from Udhampur East, Ranbir Singh Pathania, said that J-K is currently a Union Territory (UT) and will continue to operate under the rule of law. Furthermore, according to ANI, he added that Jammu and Kashmir was a state and assured that it would regain its statehood at the 'appropriate time.' The restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood has been a key demand from the regional political parties in the state since Article 370 was abrogated and the reorganisation of the state into two Union Territories (UTs) in August 2019.
United News of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Restoration of statehood issue to be taken in INDIA bloc meeting tomorrow:Farooq Abdullah
Srinagar, July 18 (UNI) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said that the restoration of statehood issue will be taken up in the Opposition INDIA bloc meeting that is scheduled to be held tomorrow. Abdullah congratulated Congress President Malikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. 'I welcome Kharge sahib and Rahul Gandhi ji who raised the issue with the Prime Minister. …On the evening of July 19, all leaders will be meeting, and this issue will be raised again,' Abdullah told reporters. He said statehood is the right of people of Jammu and Kashmir. 'If they (BJP) don't give it, we will see accordingly,' the veteran politician said. A fresh wave of optimism has erupted among the politicians in Kashmir after two senior Congress leaders, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, urged the Prime Minister to bring legislation in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament to restore statehood to the Union Territory. The Monsoon Session of Parliament is beginning on July 21. Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status and downgraded to a Union Territory on August 5, 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370. Since then, political parties have consistently been demanding restoration of statehood. UNI MJR ARN
