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Ariana Grande is the latest celebrity to show support for Bernie Sanders, calling him ‘my guy’

The singer posted photos of the duo embracing after one of her concerts.




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Qtel Selects Mariner xVu for End-to-End Mozaic TV Quality Assurance

Qatar Telecom has selected Mariner's IP video service oriented monitoring solution, Mariner xVu. The latest version of Mariner xVu is specifically designed for integration with IPTV probes. Qtel will use Mariner xVu for the Mozaic TV service, making this the first Mariner xVu deployment in the Middle East.

Alfalak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co., partnered with Mariner to deploy xVu. Through easy integration with network probes — at the head-end and/or individual network element — Mariner xVu offers Qtel additional insights into the IPTV network by extending video service monitoring reach to each subscriber, allowing the operator to maintain the highest possible video quality while simultaneously reducing operating expenses. Statistics collected by external data sources such as probes are compiled and configured as status indicators on Mariner NetworkVu to enable a deeper understanding of IPTV traffic and customer experience issues. The probe enhancement is now a configurable option of NetworkVu, rather than a custom development, and was created based on service provider requests for integration with external data sources.



  • End-to-End IPTV Solutions;Service Providers/Middle East IPTV

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Trump’s proposed tennis ball tariff represents a grand slam of terrible trade policy

His unforced errors would make it hard on a U.S. manufacturer.




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Trump’s Treasury secretary just admitted the tariff rationale is hogwash

Maybe it was the altitude at Davos.




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Fin24.com | WhatsApp tightens rules on sharing to curb spread of fake virus news

WhatsApp on Tuesday placed new limits on message forwarding as part of an effort to curb the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.




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Oops, LinkedIn temporarily drops out of Google Search

Even the biggest sites on the internet can have problems with their SEO and Google.

Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.




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News24.com | Covid-19 wrap | India boosts output of anti-malarial drug, Australia launches 3-stage plan to reopen, Hong Kong begins to ease social distancing measures

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.




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Audiogalaxy Returns, Choruss File Sharing Plans Falter

Music sharing pioneer Audiogalaxy returned this week, but not with the features its former users — or its founder — hoped to offer. The former Napster competitor found that, even with music-industry support, a legal file-sharing service is a long way from becoming reality. Continue reading on GigaOm.com.


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EFF: 75,000 People Sued for Porn File Sharing

Looks like mass lawsuits aren't just for Germans anymore: The Electronic Frontier Foundation is estimating that some 75,000 people have been sued for allegedly sharing pornographic movies in the US. This revelation comes as part of a new amicus brief (PDF) the civil liberties group just filed on behalf of 500 file sharers, asking an Illinois judge to squash a lawsuit against people accues of sharing videos from First Time Videos LLC, better known under the porn brand FTVGirls. A footnote of the amicus brief states:

"As of January 14, 2011, by an informal count, well (over) 75,000 people have been sued in similar (in some cases nearly identical) complaints arising from the alleged infringement of pornographic movies. This includes 4507 individuals sued in the Northern District of Illinois alone, in nine separate lawsuits. In addition, mass copyright complaints based on non-pornographic movies have also been brought against over 13,500 people in the District of Columbia."

I just wrote a story about lawsuits like these on NewTeeVee, explaining how German rights holders have filed more than half a million of such lawsuits in 2010. It looks like U.S. rights holders are well on their way to repeat these numbers, unless courts step in - which is of course exactly what the EFF wants. The group blogged on Monday:

"Friday's brief is the latest of EFF's efforts to stop copyright trolls -- content owners and lawyers who team up to extract settlements from thousands of defendants at a time. Tactics include improperly lumping defendants together in one case and filing it in a court far away from most of the accused people's homes and Internet connections. When adult film companies file these predatory lawsuits, there is the added pressure of embarrassment associated with pornography. All of these factors can convince those ensnared in the suits to quickly pay what's demanded of them instead of arguing the merits of their case in court."

It's worth noting that not everyone in the porn biz ready to sue the file sharing masses. Pink Visual's Allison Vivas told me recently that she has no intention to sue individuals, and Private CEO Berth Milton even said that piracy is promotion. Watch the entire interview with him embedded below:






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velocityconf: New #velocityconf CA program preview is up: http://t.co/rKjf91RXdD @ariyahidayat on End-to-End JS Quality Analysis.

velocityconf: New #velocityconf CA program preview is up: http://t.co/rKjf91RXdD @ariyahidayat on End-to-End JS Quality Analysis.




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Channel24.co.za | A wildlife safari, comedy show, and 3 other virtual events to keep you entertained this weekend

We may not be able to go out during the national lockdown, but that does not mean that we can't attend events.




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News24.com | Former UKZN Maritzburg SRC president sets the record straight

I am requesting that you publish this letter as a response to the article so that my side of the story can be heard in order to provide a balanced view.




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How Offices Are Preparing for Workers' Return

From smartphone-operated elevators to contactless coffee machines, businesses are trying to eliminate major touchpoints to help deter coronavirus spread in the workplace.




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A New Era of Virtual Hearings for Pro Standards Enforcement

Rather than waiting for offices to reopen, REALTOR® associations are conducting timely, safe, and efficient ethics hearings through Zoom.

From the virtual 2020 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, April 27-May 15




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AT#42 - Travel to Paris, France

Paris, France - The City of Lights




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AT#87 - Travel to Kingston, Ontario

Kingston, Ontario




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AT#188 - Travel to Bavaria and Southern Germany

The Amateur Traveler talks to Jason and Janie about their trip to Bavaria and Southern Germany. Jason and Janie had perviously been on the Amateur Traveler on Travel to Barbados - Episode 109. The talk about visiting the Black Forest with its wineries, Geramany’s tallest waterfall and the world’s largest cuckoo clock. They also visited the walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Rothenburg (which may have been spared the ravages of the 30 years war by a hard drinking mayor) is the home to a wonderful Christmas market as well as a Christmas museum. The Rothenburg Nightwatchman’s tour is also something you should try. Jason and Jamie also went to Nurenburg with its wonderful market place and saw “Mad” King Ludwig’s castle Neuschwanstein. The finished the trip in the home of very large beer steins at Munich. In Munich they enjoyed the glockenspiel, the toy museum and some of the wonderful old churches.




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AT#223 - Rafting Down the Grand Canyon, Arizona

The Amateur Traveler talks to George Wendt from Oars.com about white water rafting down the Grand Canyon which is one of Chris’s dream vacations. The Grand Canyon can be traversed in motor pontoon boats, oars rafts, paddle boats or dories. Each has different advantages and disadvantages. The water is fast and cold and the rapids get up to class 5. All the while you are drifting through one of the wonders of the world with massive red stone walls on either side. You come around the corner and are surprised by waterfalls and a green oasis. You explore the side canyons where you can see fossils and the ruins of the ancient people who called this canyon home.




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AT#248 - Travel to Toronto, Ontario

The Amateur Traveler talks to Corinne from Have Baby Will Travel who is a life-long Torontonian (that is to say that she lives in Toronto, Ontario). Corinne gives us an introduction to her city and its many parks, its great ethnic food, its iconic skyline punctuated by the CN Tower. Its neighborhoods includes two different Chinatowns, Greektown, the Irish-influenced Cabbagetown,  Distillery District, Kensington Market, Harbourfront and St. Lawrence Market, She particularly suggests you visit during Thanksgiving (Canada's which is in October) or Toronto International Film Festival. Corinne also describes side trips from the city heading out towards Niagra and Ontario's wine country. The city houses both a working farm in Riverdale Farms and a warren of underground shops in the Toronto Underground PATH.




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AT#312 - Travel to Bulgaria

The Amateur Traveler talks to Craig Zabransky fro StayAdventurous.com about his recent trip to Bulgaria. He traveled with a Bulgarian friend and visited picturesque towns as well as the amazing blue waters of the Black Sea.




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AT#340 - Travel to the Microstates of Europe (Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino)

The Amateur Traveler talks to to Gary Arndt about the 4 micro-states in Europe: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino.  "They all have very unique histories and the one thing that they are all very small"




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AT#383 - Travel to the Navajo Nation (Arizona)

Hear about travel to the Navajo Nation as the Amateur Traveler talks to Mark Carrara from markstravels.com about his recent visit. The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory the size of the state of Connecticut located mostly in Arizona. It can be described as desolate, majestic, barren and spacious.




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AT#386 - Travel to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean

Hear about travel to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean as the Amateur Traveler  talks again to Gary Arndt of Everything-Everyhwere.com. Gary just finished an island hopping tour that took him to most of the islands in the Caribbean. We will cover the islands of St. Martin, Anguilla, Saba, St. Barts, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda, and Montserrat on this episode.




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AT#395 - Travel to Ottawa, Ontario

Hear about travel to Ottawa, Ontario as the Amateur Traveler talks to return guest Michael Soncina of Sonchy's Adventures about Canada's capital city. Michael was in Ottawa as a part of a press trip looking a new eco district the city is setting up in its downtown.




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AT#402- Travel to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean

Hear about travel to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean as the Amateur Traveler talks to Gary Arndt about his journey to visit many of the islands in the Caribbean on a single trip. In this episode we talk about Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados, and Trinidad. This episode is a continuation of episode 386 which talked about the Leeward Islands.




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AT#428 - Travel to Paris, France

Hear about travel to Paris, France as the Amateur Traveler talks to Annie Sargant and Elyse Riven from JoinUsInFrance.com. Annie and Elyse do a wonderful podcast about France and guide us through a city they love.




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AT#429 - Travel on a South African Safari

Hear about travel to South Africa on safari as the Amateur Traveler talks to Susan Portnoy from theinsatiabletraveler.com about her recent experience in the Timbavati Game Reserve. This is the 5th time that Susan has traveled to Africa on safari to "shoot" animals... as a photographer. 

 




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AT#474 - Ontario Road Trip

Hear about a road trip around Ontario as the Amateur Traveler talks to guidebook author Carolyn Heller, author of the Moon guide to Ontario. 

 




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AT#562 - Travel to Northern Arizona

Hear about travel to Northern Arizona as the Amateur Traveler talks to journalist Mark Smith about his recent road trip to beautiful Northern Arizona including half a dozen different parks in the National Park system.




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AT#570 - Travel to Sofia, Bulgaria

Hear about travel to Sofia, Bulgaria as the Amateur Traveler talks to Stephanie Craig from historyfangirl.com about her time in that country.




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AT#596 - Travel to Tucson, Arizona

Hear about travel to Tucson, Arizona  as the Amateur Traveler talks to Misty Foster from Green Suitcase Travel about her adopted desert home.

 




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AT#639 - Botswana Safari

Hear about travel to Botswana on safari as I, the Amateur Traveler, relates stories from his recent experience on mobile safari in Botswana's Okavango Delta and a Safari Camp experience in the Kalahari desert on a press trip with Botswana Trek.




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AT#647 - Travel to Phoenix, Arizona

Hear about travel to Phoenix, Arizona as the Amateur Traveler talks to Cindy Carlsson about Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun.




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AT#691 - Travel to Bulgaria

Hear about travel to Bulgaria as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tom and Patty Burkett about their road trip from Sofia to the Black Sea.




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AT#700 - Arizona National Parks

Hear about travel to Arizona's National Parks as the Amateur Traveler talks to Gary Arndt from Everything-Everywhere.com about the many and varied parks in the Grand Canyon State.




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Man Posts Hilarious ‘Bad Dad Jokes’ Daily on Sign in Front Lawn To Spread Cheer to Neighbors

When jokes are so horrible, so obvious, so corny that they make your eyes roll, it’s a good chance that they’re what many call “dad jokes.” Bordering on lame, and all the more hilarious because of it, these jokes are so bad and yet fathers seem to get such joy from trotting out the perfect…

The post Man Posts Hilarious ‘Bad Dad Jokes’ Daily on Sign in Front Lawn To Spread Cheer to Neighbors appeared first on The Western Journal.




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After Paris Attacks, CIA Head Reignites Surveillance Debate

Just days after the attack in Paris, America’s top intelligence official suggested that recent leaks about classified surveillance programs were partially responsible.




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In Fight Against ISIS, a Lose-Lose Scenario Poses Challenge for West

Western powers are in a bind, analysts say, as ISIS is likely to continue pursuing attacks abroad in retaliation to the loss of territory in Iraq and Syria.




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BioLite HeadLamp 200 Is the Featherweight Head Lamp You’ll (Probably) Forget You’re Wearing

It's not the brightest headlamp on the market, but it's more than adequate for cooking, reading, or finding a pee tree in the dark. Plus, it's comfortable, easy-to-use, and USB rechargeable.

The post BioLite HeadLamp 200 Is the Featherweight Head Lamp You’ll (Probably) Forget You’re Wearing appeared first on Vagabondish.




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Ontario invests $1.5 million in supportive housing for Muskoka's most vulnerable residents

The province is investing $1.5 million to support a housing project in Muskoka to help people with no place to call home.




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Chicago Inmate Switches Identities While Wearing Mask…Is Released from Jail

The following article, Chicago Inmate Switches Identities While Wearing Mask…Is Released from Jail, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

A Cook County, Chicago inmate, was able to switch identities with another inmate allowing the wrong inmate to be released. How did they carry that off without anyone catching them? The inmate was wearing a mask when he was released, so it wasn’t as easy to identify him. Last Saturday, Quintin Henderson (pictured below), 28, […]

Continue reading: Chicago Inmate Switches Identities While Wearing Mask…Is Released from Jail ...




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Fed Judge Releases 21-Yr-Old Man To “Clean and Sober House” After Appearing In Court For Sexually Assaulting 12-Yr-Old Girl For One Month While Hiding In Her Bedroom

The following article, Fed Judge Releases 21-Yr-Old Man To “Clean and Sober House” After Appearing In Court For Sexually Assaulting 12-Yr-Old Girl For One Month While Hiding In Her Bedroom, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

The normalizing of pedophilia is not a far-right conspiracy theory...

Continue reading: Fed Judge Releases 21-Yr-Old Man To “Clean and Sober House” After Appearing In Court For Sexually Assaulting 12-Yr-Old Girl For One Month While Hiding In Her Bedroom ...




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Busted! Late-Night Hack Comedian, Jimmy Kimmel Is Forced To Apologize For Sharing Highly Edited Video Of VP Pence To Make Him Look Bad

The following article, Busted! Late-Night Hack Comedian, Jimmy Kimmel Is Forced To Apologize For Sharing Highly Edited Video Of VP Pence To Make Him Look Bad, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

Last night, Jimmy Kimmel, host of the low-rated, late-night Jimmy Kimmel Show, shared a deceptively edited video clip of Vice President Pence delivering PPE to a nursing home. Today, liberal activist Matt McDermott tweeted the videotaped segment on VP Pence that was edited to make the vice president look like he was faking a delivery […]

Continue reading: Busted! Late-Night Hack Comedian, Jimmy Kimmel Is Forced To Apologize For Sharing Highly Edited Video Of VP Pence To Make Him Look Bad ...




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Ontario government to prop-up child-care providers with financial supports

The provincial government has announced it will support child care centres that have been closed since March with their fixed operating costs as the fight against COVID-19 continues.




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Michela Gariboldi

Research Assistant, Global Economy and Finance Programme




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The UK Global Tariff

Research Event

18 March 2020 - 9:00am to 10:00am

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Michael Gasiorek, Professor of Economics, UKTPO Fellow, University of Sussex; Director, Interanalysis
Julia Magntorn Garrett, Research Officer, UKTPO, University of Sussex
Allie Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy at the Institute of Directors
Maximiliano Mendez-Parra, Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute
Chair: Professor Jim Rollo, Associate Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Department, Chatham House; Deputy Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory

The UK government’s public consultation on tariffs closes on 5 March. This meeting will discuss the proposals floated in the consultation document and consider their effects on tariff and protection levels, prices and variety. It will also place tariff policy in the wider context of trade policy, including the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU and the USA.
 

Michela Gariboldi

Research Assistant, Global Economy and Finance Programme
02073143692




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Neil Shearing

Associate Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Programme

Biography

Neil Shearing is group chief economist at Capital Economics, the leading economic research company. He heads a team of 70 economists spread across Europe, the Americas and Asia, and is responsible for driving the firm’s research agenda as well as developing its products and relationships with clients. He is also a director of the company.

Neil has 20 years’ experience as a macroeconomist, built in both the government and financial sector. He presents regularly on the global economic and financial market outlook and is a well-known voice within the investment community, having worked in both London and New York.

Neil has written articles in the Financial Times and a number of other newspapers, as well as appearing regularly on TV and radio.

Prior to becoming group chief economist, Neil was chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, managing a team that won several awards for forecast accuracy. He also managed the New York office.

Neil joined Capital Economics from HM Treasury where he worked as an economic adviser in various areas, including fiscal policy and global economics.

He holds degrees in Economics from the University of York and the University of London and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Neil's main area of research interest is in analysing and understanding structural shifts in the global economy. This clearly touches on a wide range of issues, but a fundamental question today is whether we’re facing the end of globalisation, a key area of current work which raises several interesting questions.

What does history tell us about past waves of globalisation? Are they doomed to end? What role is technology playing? Could new technologies drive another wave of integration or are they more likely to lead to re-shoring as robots replace workers? Which countries would be most vulnerable to a rollback of globalisation? Related to this, will emerging economies ever 'catch up' to income levels in developed economies? What are the implications for policy makers (governments, central banks) and global institutions (IMF, World Bank)?

Areas of expertise

  • Global economy
  • Emerging markets (China, Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe)
  • Monetary economics
  • Global trade and capital flows




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First ever global analysis of refugees’ energy use: High costs and poor supply undermine humanitarian assistance

11 November 2015

20151119MovingEnergyInitiative.jpg

A migrant girl looks at a light illuminating a camp site of refugees and migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos, 4 October 2015. Photo: Getty Images.

About 90 per cent of refugees living in camps have no access to electricity and many lack any form of lighting at night, says a Chatham House report for the Moving Energy Initiative. Energy poverty in refugee settlements is not on the radar of international initiatives and humanitarian agencies are ill-equipped to deal with the scale of need. 

Heat Light and Power for Refugees: Saving Lives, Reducing Costs zooms in on the energy needs of refugees and displaced people worldwide, and presents the first ever estimates of the volume and costs of what they use.

'The problem goes beyond electricity. 80 per cent of those in camps rely on firewood for cooking and, as a result, we estimate that some 20,000 people die prematurely each year due to the pollution from indoor fires. Exposure to extremes of cold and heat are also killers for people living in flimsy, temporary shelter,' says Glada Lahn, senior research fellow at Chatham House. 'The current lack of provision for energy undermines the fundamental aims of humanitarian assistance,' she adds.

There are nearly 60 million forcibly displaced people in the world, and they pay staggering costs for energy. The 83,277 households living in Dadaab in Kenya, the world’s largest refugee settlement, spent an estimated $6.2 million on firewood last year, which accounts for approximately 24 per cent of their overall household income. (The average UK household spent 4 per cent of its income on energy in 2011.) In Uganda, almost half of refugee households surveyed by the UNHCR skip meals because they do not have enough fuel to cook with.

'The imperative is to find humane, creative and cost-effective ways to respond to the needs of so many individuals, most of whom are women and children.  Improving access to clean, safe and sustainable energy offers a promising way forward,' says Kofi Annan in the report’s foreword.

The report calls for an overhaul in the way that heat, light and power are delivered in humanitarian crises. It makes the case for new partnerships between humanitarian agencies and private providers to increase clean energy access in refugee settlements. Investment in energy infrastructure will also benefit host communities in some of the world’s poorest countries.

'As refugee households spend approximately $2.1 billion on energy each year, developing local markets for energy services could be part of a mix of solutions,' adds Lahn. 'Using green, culturally appropriate technologies could save lives, reduce CO2 emissions by 11 million tonnes per year and radically improve living standards. Introducing even the most basic solutions, such as improved cookstoves and basic solar lanterns, could save $323 million a year in fuel costs.' 

Other findings include:

  • Rape and violence against women is common in many unlit camps. Only 4 per cent of women and girls in households in the Goudoubo camp in Burkina Faso would go out after dark due to the lack of streetlights.
  • Wood equalling around 49,000 football pitches worth of forest (64,700 acres) is burned by displaced families living in camps each year, mainly in countries suffering severe deforestation, because they have no alternative sources of energy.
  • Firewood consumption emits nearly twice as much CO2 as liquid petroleum gas and produces little energy in comparison to its carbon intensity.

International Development Minister Grant Shapps said:

‘Across sub-Saharan Africa, hundreds of millions of people still do not have access to electricity. Women and girls are at risk of violence after dark, families are forced to inhale toxic kerosene fumes, and energy remains unaffordable for many.

‘With the technology in place and investors coming on board, the time to act is now. The UK's Energy Africa campaign is already kick-starting a solar revolution across the continent.

‘Supporting the Moving Energy Initiative is another way Britain can help boost access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. This will transform people’s lives and help achieve the UN’s goal of universal energy access by 2030.’

Editor's notes

  • Read Heat Light and Power for Refugees: Saving Lives, Reducing Costs by Glada Lahn and Owen Grafham.
  • To link back to the report in an article, please use this landing page for the final report.
  • The Moving Energy Initiative (MEI) is a collaboration between GVEP International, Chatham House, Practical Action Consulting, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The report is supported by the UK Department for International Development through the Humanitarian Innovation and Evidence Programme.
  • The number of refugee households in Dadaab, Kenya is as of May 2015.
  • Chatham House will host a press briefing with MEI programme board member Michael Keating and authors Glada Lahn and Owen Grafham on Thursday 12 November at 10:30-11:30 GMT. To register, or for interview requests, please contact the press office.
  • All figures are original and based on estimations and calculations prepared for the Moving Energy Initiative. Chatham House designed a model offering the first estimates of the scale and cost of energy use and CO2 emissions among forcibly displaced households worldwide, not including people affected by natural disasters. For more details on the populations considered in the report and used in the model, contact the authors.
  • The authors are available to answer questions from the media. Please contact the press office.

Contacts

Press Office

+44 (0)20 7957 5739




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John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif named winners of the Chatham House Prize 2016

24 October 2016

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif have been voted as the winners of this year’s Chatham House Prize.

The Chatham House Prize is presented annually to the person, persons or organization deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

This year, members voted for John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif in recognition of their crucial roles, throughout 2015, in successfully negotiating the historic nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 – considered to be one of the most intractable diplomatic stand-offs in international affairs in the 21st century.

The deal was one that many thought impossible. Overcoming enormous technical complexity, entrenched domestic opposition in the United States and Iran and three decades of intense hostility between their two countries, Kerry and Zarif’s leadership and commitment, in particular, were imperative to sustaining and driving the negotiations to their successful conclusion. With the vital participation of officials from other permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the EU, they secured a deal, endorsed by the UN Security Council and more than 90 countries, which was a victory for diplomacy as well as against nuclear proliferation.

Events

John Kerry at Chatham House: Chatham House Prize Presentation
31 October 2016

Mohammad Javad Zarif at Chatham House: Overcoming Regional Challenges in the Middle East
4 February 2016

Nominees

The nominees for the Chatham House Prize 2016 were:

  • Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France (2012–16) and Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention 
  • Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria (2010–15)
  • John Kerry, US Secretary of State and Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs

About the Chatham House Prize

The Chatham House Prize is presented to the person, persons or organization deemed by members of Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

The selection process is independent, democratic and draws on the deep knowledge of Chatham House's research teams, making the Prize a distinctive and unique award in the field of international affairs.

A short-list of nominees is selected by the institute's three presidents from a longer list submitted by the research programmes and departments in their areas of expertise. The recipient is then determined by Chatham House's broad membership base on a one-member, one-vote basis. The award is presented on behalf of the institute's patron, Her Majesty the Queen, representing the non-partisan and authoritative character of the Prize.

The Chatham House Prize was launched in 2005. Previous recipients of the Prize include Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, Médecins Sans Frontières, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information, please contact:
Jenny Williams, Media Relations Manager
Email: jwilliams@chathamhouse.org
Phone: +44 (0) 7921 867 626 




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Transatlantic Rifts: Asia-Pacific Scenario Case Study

3 February 2016

Drawing on the findings of a recent workshop exploring a potential conflict between China and Japan over disputed islands, this paper suggests there are significant differences between how the United States and Europe prioritize their interests in the Asia-Pacific.

Xenia Wickett

Former Head, US and the Americas Programme; Former Dean, The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs

Dr Jacob Parakilas

Former Deputy Head, US and the Americas Programme

2016-02-03-transatlantic-rift.jpg

A Japanese activist on board a boat is silhouetted at sunrise as it approaches the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, 19 August 2012. Photo by Getty Images.

Summary

  • Chatham House brought together European, Asian and American policy-makers and experts over the course of a two-day scenario workshop in November 2015. The participants were asked to take part in a structured role-playing exercise imagining a potential near-future conflict between China and Japan over disputed islands.
  • The findings of the workshop, and the actions of participants in the simulation, suggested significant differences between how the United States and Europe prioritize their interests in the Asia-Pacific. In particular, the perception was that the European Union and its member states consider challenges from their ‘near abroad’ as more tangible than those emanating from Asia, and that they focus on commercial opportunities in the region. In contrast, US foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific is seen as emphasizing strategic and geopolitical challenges.
  • In terms of military capabilities, Europeans view themselves as having few assets to bring to bear in Asia. European, American and Asian observers are largely unaware of French and British military capabilities in or near the region.
  • Beyond the military, Europe’s other tools of leverage – diplomatic, development, economic and other soft-power instruments – are also ignored. Europeans are often unaware of the activities of their own governments in the region. This is equally true in reverse – Japan’s engagement vis-à-vis European interests (such as with respect to Russia or Syria) is little recognized by Europeans.
  • European nations prefer to engage unilaterally with Asia on trade and multilaterally, through the EU, on security and geopolitical issues. However, no ideal forum for multilateral coordination exists (given the fact that the EU is not a member of most Asian regional organizations).
  • The US’s greater engagement in Asia reflects the fact that the US, unlike its European counterparts, is a Pacific nation. But it can also be explained by greater domestic public support for such engagement. This reflects the presence of significant numbers of US troops in Asia and the relatively high proportion of ethnic Asians in the US compared with the EU.

Department/project