sh A refreshing look at personal development and success By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 05 Apr 2020 00:22:41 -0500 At the outset, author Ivy Slater shares the existential crisis that spurred her to change careers. Slater’s psychosocial experience after the passing of her father and the stagnation she experienced at her printing business proved exhaustively... Full Article
sh This week’s shutterbugs By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:12:22 -0500 Full Article
sh Lauren Campbell – basking in shades of creativity By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 26 Apr 2020 00:16:37 -0500 She’s what you’d term the consummate creative – through the sensory ‘dry land tourist’ tales of her ‘Right Roun Di Corna’ blog to the pieces in her JadeLauren eyewear brand, Lauren Campbell is colouring the world with beauty, life, and bomb... Full Article
sh This week’s Shutterbugs By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 00:24:21 -0500 Full Article
sh The Novel Adipokine Gremlin 1 Antagonizes Insulin Action and Is Increased in Type 2 Diabetes and NAFLD/NASH By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 The BMP2/4 antagonist and novel adipokine Gremlin 1 is highly expressed in human adipose cells and increased in hypertrophic obesity. As a secreted antagonist, it inhibits the effect of BMP2/4 on adipose precursor cell commitment/differentiation. We examined mRNA levels of Gremlin 1 in key target tissues for insulin and also measured tissue and serum levels in several carefully phenotyped human cohorts. Gremlin 1 expression was high in adipose tissue, higher in visceral than in subcutaneous tissue, increased in obesity, and further increased in type 2 diabetes (T2D). A similar high expression was seen in liver biopsies, but expression was considerably lower in skeletal muscles. Serum levels were increased in obesity but most prominently in T2D. Transcriptional activation in both adipose tissue and liver as well as serum levels were strongly associated with markers of insulin resistance in vivo (euglycemic clamps and HOMA of insulin resistance), and the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We also found Gremlin 1 to antagonize insulin signaling and action in human primary adipocytes, skeletal muscle, and liver cells. Thus, Gremlin 1 is a novel secreted insulin antagonist and biomarker as well as a potential therapeutic target in obesity and its complications T2D and NAFLD/NASH. Full Article
sh EUTR Workshop: Substantiated Concerns and Producer Country Cooperation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:15:02 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 28 October 2014 - 9:00am to 29 October 2014 - 12:00pm Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Rome, Italy Meeting Summarypdf | 156.39 KB This meeting will focus on standards for NGOs wishing to submit 'substantiated concerns' in the EUTR context, and best practice in cooperation with enforcement agents in forest producer countries. The workshop will be attended by representatives from EU member states as well as officials from the US and Australia. This workshop is the next in a series of EUTR/Lacey/Australian ILPA enforcement workshops co-organized by Chatham House and Forest Trends. Please note this event will be held in Rome.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Event attributes External event Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Improving Forest Governance and Tackling Illegal Logging and Deforestation Adelaide Glover Digital Coordinator, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Email Full Article
sh Prospects who should vie for a roster spot By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:36:11 EDT The 30 prospects below all are getting very long looks this spring with an eye toward breaking camp with the parent club. Even if they start the year in the Minors, they all should get the chance to contribute at some point in the very near future. Full Article
sh Covid-19: Nightingale hospitals set to shut down after seeing few patients By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: 2020-05-07T06:50:46-07:00 The mothballing of Britain’s Nightingale hospitals, some of which have yet to treat a single covid-19 patient, has raised questions about whether resources to fight the pandemic were... Full Article
sh First Evidence for a Dose-Response Relationship in Patients Treated with 166Ho Radioembolization: A Prospective Study By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 166Ho-microspheres have recently been approved for clinical use for hepatic radioembolization in the European Union. The aim of this study was to investigate the absorbed dose–response relationship and its association with overall survival for 166Ho radioembolization in patients with liver metastases. Methods: Patients treated in the HEPAR I and II studies who underwent an 18F-FDG PET/CT scan at baseline, a posttreatment 166Ho SPECT/CT scan, and another 18F-FDG PET/CT scan at the 3-mo follow-up were included for analysis. The posttreatment 166Ho-microsphere activity distributions were estimated with quantitative SPECT/CT reconstructions using a quantitative Monte Carlo–based method. The response of each tumor was based on the change in total lesion glycolysis (TLG) between baseline and follow-up and was placed into 1 of 4 categories, according to the PERCIST criteria, ranging from complete response to progressive disease. Patient-level response was grouped according to the average change in TLG per patient. The absorbed dose–response relationship was assessed using a linear mixed model to account for correlation of tumors within patients. Median overall survival was compared between patients with and without a metabolic liver response, using a log-rank test. Results: Thirty-six patients with a total of 98 tumors were included. The relation between tumor-absorbed dose and both tumor-level and patient-level response was explored. At a tumor level, a significant difference in geometric mean absorbed dose was found between complete response (232 Gy; 95% confidence interval [CI], 178–303 Gy; n = 32) and stable disease (147 Gy; 95% CI, 113–191 Gy; n = 28) (P = 0.01) and between complete response and progressive disease (117 Gy; 95% CI, 87–159 Gy; n = 21) (P = 0.0008). This constitutes a robust absorbed dose–response relationship. At a patient level, a significant difference was found between patients with complete or partial response (210 Gy; 95% CI, 161–274 Gy; n = 13) and patients with progressive disease (116 Gy; 95% CI, 81–165 Gy; n = 9) (P = 0.01). Patients were subsequently grouped according to their average change in TLG. Patients with an objective response (complete or partial) exhibited a significantly higher overall survival than nonresponding patients (stable or progressive disease) (median, 19 mo vs. 7.5 mo; log-rank, P = 0.01). Conclusion: These results confirm a significant absorbed dose–response relationship in 166Ho radioembolization. Treatment response is associated with a higher overall survival. Full Article
sh SNMMI Leadership Update: To the SNMMI-TS: Congratulations on 50 Years of Dedicated Service to SNMMI and Your Patients By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 Full Article
sh SNMMI Hosts FDA Workshop By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 Full Article
sh {beta}-Cell Stress Shapes CTL Immune Recognition of Preproinsulin Signal Peptide by Posttranscriptional Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 1 By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:28-07:00 The signal peptide of preproinsulin is a major source for HLA class I autoantigen epitopes implicated in CD8 T cell (CTL)–mediated β-cell destruction in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Among them, the 10-mer epitope located at the C-terminal end of the signal peptide was found to be the most prevalent in patients with recent-onset T1D. While the combined action of signal peptide peptidase and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) is required for processing of the signal peptide, the mechanisms controlling signal peptide trimming and the contribution of the T1D inflammatory milieu on these mechanisms are unknown. Here, we show in human β-cells that ER stress regulates ERAP1 gene expression at posttranscriptional level via the IRE1α/miR-17-5p axis and demonstrate that inhibition of the IRE1α activity impairs processing of preproinsulin signal peptide antigen and its recognition by specific autoreactive CTLs during inflammation. These results underscore the impact of ER stress in the increased visibility of β-cells to the immune system and position the IRE1α/miR-17 pathway as a central component in β-cell destruction processes and as a potential target for the treatment of autoimmune T1D. Full Article
sh Manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for prophylaxis of episodic migraine without aura: multicentre, randomised clinical trial By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 22:31 Full Article
sh Conrad George and André Sheckleford | Incorrect layoff procedures can lead to future liability By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 00:14:20 -0500 OP-CONTRIBUTION: EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting businesses and the economy in a manner perhaps not seen since the Second World War. This, of course, has affected the ability of employers to pay their employees. The COVID-19... Full Article
sh Dwayne Devonish | Smart virus testing necessary for economic reboot By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 00:13:10 -0500 OP-ED CONTRIBUTION: COVID-19 AND THE ECONOMY FOR MOST countries in the Caribbean, the current testing for COVID-19 has not reached levels suitable for ascertaining an accurate picture of the state of outbreak and spread of the infection. This... Full Article
sh FTC puts Total gas market share at 30% - Sees no threat to competition from Epping deal By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 00:08:14 -0500 THE ACQUISITION of Epping resulted in Total Jamaica controlling nearly a third of the retail gasolene market, but that’s not enough to lessen competition, the Fair Trading Commission, FTC, has found. “The acquisition is unlikely to have either the... Full Article
sh Facing forex shortage, productive sector appeals to BOJ for help By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 00:17:12 -0500 WITH THE productive sector experiencing a shortage of foreign exchange for the past two months, the Jamaican Manufacturers and Exporters Association, JMEA, says it has appealed to the Bank of Jamaica, BOJ, for direct access to US currency for three... Full Article
sh Polish-British Belvedere Forum 2020 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:20:01 +0000 Research Event 3 March 2020 - 2:00pm to 4 March 2020 - 3:30pm Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Agendapdf | 382.11 KB The Belvedere Forum is a leading annual British and Polish bilateral dialogue bringing together a diverse group of actors from civil society, politics, business, academia and NGOs. It seeks to strengthen and deepen the extensive partnership between the two countries by exploring political, economic, social and cultural issues through debate and discussion.The forum is an annual event alternating between the UK and Poland. Originally created in 2017 by the governments of the UK and Poland, the forum is now jointly organized by Chatham House and the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) in Warsaw. Anna Dorant-Hayes Executive Assistant to the Director +44 (0)20 7957 5702 Email Full Article
sh The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook to 2024 - Workshop 4 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Jan 2020 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 26 November 2019 - 9:30am to 12:00pm Gateway House, Stevens Street, Colaba This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024.Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence.The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
sh Iran Workshop Series: Domestic, Regional and International Outlook By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 15:05:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 17 December 2019 - 10:00am to 3:30pm Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE After a summer of regional tensions and continued uncertainty regarding the future of the JCPOA, the Chatham House MENA Programme held a closed workshop to examine the impact of the Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign.Discussions focused on the domestic developments and challenges inside Iran, prospects for new negotiations with Iran, and the regional issues facing the country. Participants also considered the differences between American and European approaches towards Iran. Event attributes Chatham House Rule Department/project Middle East and North Africa Programme, Iran Forum Reni Zhelyazkova Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme +44 (0)20 7314 3624 Email Full Article
Reni Zhelyazkova Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme +44 (0)20 7314 3624 Email
sh Another CDU Leadership Race Begins in Merkel’s Shadow By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:59:32 +0000 28 February 2020 Quentin Peel Associate Fellow, Europe Programme @QuentinPeel The election of a new leader of the chancellor’s party will be another contest over her legacy. 2020-02-28-Merkel.jpg German Chancellor Angela Merkel is depicted on a float in the Rosenmontag parade in Mainz on 24 February. Photo: Getty Images. Perhaps it will be second time lucky. At the end of April, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will elect a new party leader to follow in the footsteps of Angela Merkel. An emergency party congress has been summoned to do that after the surprise resignation of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Merkel’s chosen successor.The plan is to leave the decision on who will be the CDU candidate for chancellor at the next election until after Germany’s EU presidency concludes in December. So Merkel will keep her job until 2021, and the new leader will have to learn to live with her.The three leading candidates are Armin Laschet, Friedrich Merz and Norbert Röttgen, all from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Two of the three – Merz and Röttgen – were sacked by Merkel from their former jobs. They have not forgotten. Only Armin Laschet, currently CDU leader in North Rhine-Westphalia and state premier, can be described as a Merkel loyalist, true to her centrist mantra.He is the man to beat, having teamed up with Jens Spahn, the 39-year-old health minister, who is popular with party conservatives. Spahn will run as his deputy, so the team straddles the left-right divide in the party. But the contest still seems set to be a bitter battle between pro- and anti-Merkel factions that could leave the party badly split.After nearly 15 years as chancellor, and 18 years as CDU leader, Merkel remains the most popular politician in Germany. In spite of criticism that she lacks vision, her caution and predictability appear to be just what most German voters like.But her term in office has also seen the steady shrinking of the centre ground in German politics, with the rise of the environmentalist Green party and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at the expense of the centre-right CDU and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).The battle for the soul of the CDU is between those who think Merkel has been too left-wing, and want a more conservative leader to win back AfD voters, and those who believe that the CDU must stay in the centre, and prepare for a future coalition with the Greens. Merz is seen as the former, Laschet and Röttgen the latter.Unless Laschet emerges as the clear winner in April, the leadership contest is likely to leave Germany sorely distracted by domestic politics just as it takes over the EU presidency in the second half of the year. Instead of Merkel having a triumphant international swansong on the EU stage, she could be battling to protect her inheritance at home.The one area on which all three leadership candidates seem to agree is foreign policy: they all want Germany to take more leadership and responsibility, and for the European Union to play a bigger role in security, defence and international affairs. They are all Atlanticists, but critical of Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ stance. All are on the record criticizing the chancellor – at least tacitly – for not having a more vigorous foreign policy.There the similarity ends.On the right, the 64-year-old Merz is both the most conservative and the most popular with the party grassroots. He fell out with the chancellor when she took over his job as CDU leader in parliament in 2002. He quit politics to become a corporate lawyer (and a millionaire), but never lost his political ambition. He is an economic liberal but socially conservative, a strong critic of Merkel’s migration policy and her lack of clear leadership. Critics say he is a man of the past, and not a team player.On the EU, he believes Germany is ‘leaving too much to the French’. If France and Germany cannot agree on financial matters, he said at the London School of Economics in February, they should instead forge a stronger EU industrial policy focused on creating more ‘European champions’.Laschet, the Merkel loyalist, is four years younger, and from the left of the party. Like Merz, he is a former member of the European parliament. In 2015, he defended Merkel’s open border policy to accept refugees stranded in the Balkans. On Russia, however, he is more critical, calling for a new effort to re-engage with Vladimir Putin. Most recently, at the Munich Security Conference, he called for stronger Franco-German relations, and more support for the eurozone reforms proposed by Emmanuel Macron.As CDU leader in North Rhine-Westphalia, Laschet has the strongest power base. He earned his political spurs there by winning the last state election in 2017, in contrast to Röttgen, who lost to the SPD and Greens five years earlier.Röttgen, chairman of the Bundestag foreign affairs committee, is the surprise candidate. Once a Merkel favourite, they fell out when she sacked him as environment minister after he lost the North Rhine-Westphalia election. By throwing his hat in the ring, he has forced it to become an open contest. He is independent-minded and outspoken, but not as bitterly hostile to the chancellor as Merz, so he could be a compromise candidate.Laschet is clearly the man Merkel would find it easiest to live with. The decision will be taken by a party congress, not a grassroots ballot, which gives him a better chance. But Merz is the most eloquent orator and seen as the best campaigner. The challenge for party members is whether they believe it is better to swing right and squeeze the AfD, or stick to the centre to hold onto voters tempted by the Greens, who have replaced the SPD as the second-most popular party in Germany.The race is wide open. So is the future of the CDU. The only prediction one can make with much certainty is that as long as Merkel remains chancellor, any successor will struggle to get out of her shadow. Full Article
sh Coronavirus: Why The EU Needs to Unleash The ECB By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 18 Mar 2020 13:00:36 +0000 18 March 2020 Pepijn Bergsen Research Fellow, Europe Programme @pbergsen LinkedIn COVID-19 presents the eurozone with an unprecedented economic challenge. So far, the response has been necessary, but not enough. 2020-03-18.jpg EU President of Council Charles Michel chairs the coronavirus meeting with the leaders of EU member countries via teleconference on March 17, 2020. Photo by EU Council / Pool/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images. The measures taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus - in particular social distancing - come with significant economic costs, as the drop both in demand for goods and services and in supply due to workers being at home sick will create a short-term economic shock not seen in modern times.Sectors that are usually less affected by regular economic swings such as transport and tourism are being confronted with an almost total collapse in demand. In the airline sector, companies are warning they might only be able to hold out for a few months more.Building on the calls to provide income support to all citizens and shore up businesses, European leaders should now be giving explicit permission to the European Central Bank (ECB) to provide whatever financial support is needed.Although political leaders have responded to the economic threat, the measures announced across the continent have mainly been to support businesses. The crisis is broader and deeper than the current response.Support for weaker governmentsThe ECB already reacted to COVID-19 by announcing measures to support the banking system, which is important to guarantee the continuity of the European financial system and to ensure financially weaker European governments do not have to confront a failing banking system as well.Although government-subsidised reduced working hours and sick pay are a solution for many businesses and workers, crucially they are not for those working on temporary contracts or the self-employed. They need direct income support.This might come down to instituting something that looks like a universal basic income (UBI), and ensuring money keeps flowing through the economy as much as possible to help avoid a cascade of defaults and significant long-term damage.But while this is likely to be the most effective remedy to limit the medium-term impact on the economy, it is particularly costly. Just as an indication, total compensation of employees was on average around €470bn per month in the eurozone last year.Attempting to target payments using existing welfare payment channels would reduce costs, but is difficult to implement and runs the risk of many households and businesses in need missing out.The increase in spending and lost revenue associated with these support measures dwarf the fiscal response to the 2008-09 financial crisis. The eurozone economy could contract by close to 10% this year and budget deficits are likely be in double digits throughout the bloc.The European Commission has already stated member states are free to spend whatever is necessary to combat the crisis, which is not surprising given the Stability and Growth Pact - which includes the fiscal rules - allows for such eventualities.Several eurozone countries do probably have the fiscal space to deal with this. Countries such as Germany and the Netherlands have run several years of balanced budgets recently and significantly decreased their debt levels. For countries such as Italy, and even France, it is a different story and the combination of much higher spending and a collapse in tax revenue is more likely to lead to questions in the market over the sustainability of their debt levels. In order to avoid this, the Covid-19 response must be financed collectively.The Eurogroup could decide to use the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to provide states with the funds, while suitably ditching the political conditionality that came with previous bailout. But the ESM currently has €410bn in remaining lending capacity, which is unlikely to be enough and difficult to rapidly increase.So this leaves the ECB to pick up the tab of national governments’ increase in spending, as the only institution with effectively unlimited monetary firepower. But a collective EU response is complicated by the common currency, and particularly by the role of the ECB.The ECB can’t just do whatever it likes and is limited more than other major central banks in its room for manoeuvre. It does have a programme to buy government bonds but this relies on countries agreeing to a rescue programme within the context of the ESM, with all the resulting political difficulties.There are two main ways that the ECB could finance the response to the crisis. First, it could buy up more or all bonds issued by the member states. A first step in this direction would be to scrap the limits on the bonds it can buy. Through self-imposed rules, the ECB can only buy up to a third of every country’s outstanding public debt. There are good reasons for this in normal times, but these are not normal times. With the political blessing of the European Council, the Eurosystem of central banks could then start buying bonds issued by governments to finance whatever expenditure they deem necessary to combat the crisis.Secondly, essentially give governments an overdraft with the ECB or the national central banks. Although a central bank lending directly to governments is outlawed by the European treaties, the COVID-19 crisis means these rules should be temporarily suspended by the European Council.Back in 2012, the then president of the ECB, Mario Draghi, proclaimed the ECB would do whatever it takes, within its mandate, to save the euro, which was widely seen as a crucial step towards solving the eurozone crisis. The time is now right for eurozone political leaders to explicitly tell the ECB that together they can do whatever it takes to save the eurozone economy through direct support for businesses and households. Full Article
sh 12th International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Sep 2019 09:15:01 +0000 Research Event 18 May 2020 - 2:00pm to 22 May 2020 - 3:30pmAdd to CalendariCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo The 12th International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing was originally scheduled to take place 19-20 March 2020 at Chatham House in London, but was postponed due to COVID-19. We are excited to announce that we have decided to transform the 2020 conference into a series of webinars, delivering the forum discussions over the course of a week (18-22 May 2020). The foci of these exciting sessions include a discussion on the importance of international cooperation to end IUU fishing; the interplay between subsidies and IUU practices; the particular impact of IUU fishing on women and gender relations; transparency; new technologies, and a contextual exploration of IUU fishing in Southeast Asia. Many of the excellent panellists confirmed for the in-person event in March have agreed to participate in this digital version of the IUU Fishing Forum. The online format also provides new opportunities; we hope to reach new, larger and more geographically diverse audiences around the world. The agenda, along with the registration links for the sessions, will be published shortly. Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, 12th International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Full Article
sh The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Perspectives to 2024 - Workshop 3 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:10:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 17 October 2019 - 9:30am to 2:00pm Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, 27 rue de la Procession, 75740 Paris Cedex 15, France This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024. Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence. The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga).Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Geostrategic Outlook for the Indo-Pacific 2019-2024 Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
sh Making the Business Case for Nutrition Workshop By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Dec 2019 12:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 28 January 2020 - 9:30am to 5:00pm Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE A ground-breaking research project from Chatham House, supported by The Power of Nutrition, is exploring the business case for tackling undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overnutrition. Companies across all sectors hold huge, transformative power to save countless lives and transform their own financial prospects. To act, they need more compelling evidence of the potential for targeted investments and strategies to promote better nutrition and create healthier, more productive workforces and consumers.At this workshop, Chatham House will engage business decision-makers in a scenario exercise that explores different nutrition futures and their commercial prospects in each before examining what different strategies business can pursue to maximize future profitability through investments in nutrition.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Full Article
sh The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook to 2024 - Workshop 4 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Jan 2020 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 26 November 2019 - 9:30am to 12:00pm Gateway House, Stevens Street, Colaba This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024.Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence.The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
sh The International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:41:40 +0000 The International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing brings together over 100 leading policymakers, researchers, industry representatives and civil society groups from across the world to discuss the latest initiatives, regulations and research in the areas of fisheries governance and trade in illegal fish products. Department contact Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Latest (1) Research Event 12th International Forum on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing 18 May 2020 Full Article
sh Will a Devastating Bushfire Season Change Australia’s Climate Stance? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Jan 2020 09:20:27 +0000 23 January 2020 Madeleine Forster Richard and Susan Hayden Academy Fellow, International Law Programme @maddiefors LinkedIn Professor Tim Benton Research Director, Emerging Risks; Director, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme @timgbenton Google Scholar With Australians experiencing first-hand the risks of climate change, Madeleine Forster and Tim Benton examine the influencers, at home or abroad, that could push the government towards more action. 2020-01-23-FireNSW.jpg Residents look on as flames burn through bush on 4 January 2020 in Lake Tabourie, NSW. Photo: Getty Images. The 2019–20 fire season in Australia has been unprecedented. To date, an estimated 18 million hectares of fire has cut swathes through the bush – an area greater than that of the average European country and over five times the size of blazes in the Amazon.This reflects previous predictions of Australian science. Since 2008 and as recently as 2018, scientific bodies have warned that climate change will exacerbate existing conditions for fires and other climatic disasters in Australia. What used to be once-in-a-generation fires now re-appear within 10–15 years with increased ferocity, over longer seasons.In a country known for climate denial and division, debate has erupted around bushfire management and climate change. One of these is whether controlled burns are the answer to Australia’s climate-affected fire conditions.There is no single risk reduction strategy. Controlled burning remains key, if adapted to the environment and climate. But when three out of four seasons in a year can support destructive bushfires, there are clear limits to what controlled burning and other fire management techniques can achieve. Other ‘adaptation’ measures are also likely to provoke intense debate – including bush clearance. As one Australian expert offered to highlight where Australia has got to, families should probably not go on holiday to bush and beach during the height of summer when temperatures and fire risk peaks. So, unless Australia is prepared to debate radical changes to where people live and how land is used, the limits to adaptation imply the need for mitigation. This means supporting ambitious global greenhouse emissions reductions targets. As research from Victoria, one fire-prone state in Australia, highlights, ‘the emissions pathway we follow is the largest determinant of change to many variables [such as temperature] beyond the next few decades.’Can Australia become a more active global partner on emissions?Australia accounts for just over one per cent of global emissions, so reducing domestic emissions – even though on a per capita basis they are the highest in the world – will not reduce Australia’s climate risk. Showing international leadership and supporting a powerful coalition of the willing to tackle climate change is the only way ahead. By showing a willingness to adopt climate ambition, Australia can help more constructive worldwide action, and thereby reduce its own risk exposure. Leading by example is a politically difficult issue for Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was re-elected in May 2019 on an economic stability platform, and a promise not to imperil employment growth through climate action. Australia has contested UN estimates that it will not meet its existing modest goals for domestic emissions, by seeking to rely on carryover credits from action under the Kyoto Protocol as proof of progress.It has also distanced itself from concerns over global supply and demand in fossil fuels. Australia remains a global supplier for fossil fuels, including coal – the nation’s coal exports accounted for $67 billion in revenues in 2019 in an expanding but changing Asian market, supplying ‘some of the cheapest electricity in the world’.Possible influencers of changeWith Australians experiencing first-hand the risks of climate change, there is already pressure to do more. Many are sceptical this will translate into domestic targets or export policies that give Australia the moral authority to ask for more action on the global stage.Here, diverse groups who share a common interest in seeing Australia recover from the bushfires and address future climate risks could be key.Importantly this includes rural and urban-fringe communities affected by the bushfires. They were part of Morrison’s traditional supporter-base but are angry at the government’s handling of the crisis and increasingly see how tiptoeing around emissions (including exports) has also ‘buried’ open discussion at home on climate-readiness.Australian states could also find themselves taking a lead role. Virtually all jurisdictions have now committed to their own goals, most based on zero-carbon goals by 2050 (as has New Zealand). These can support modelling for Australia’s energy transition from coal, through gas, to market competitive renewables, while also help to ensure this reflects community expectations on jobs, electricity prices and other costs. Other emerging voices include the insurance and banking sectors (the Reserve Bank of Australia warned of the long-term financial stability risks of climate change before the fires) and indigenous Australians (one group of Torres Strait Islanders have filed a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee which, if heard, will place Australia’s emissions record under the spotlight again). Their challenge now is finding a common language on what a cohesive approach to addressing climate change risk looks like. The international picture is mixed. The United States’ poor federal climate policy is a buffer for Australia. French President Emmanuel Macron has tried to raise the cost of inaction for Australia in current EU–Australia trade negotiations, but many large emitters in the Indo-Pacific region remain key Australian trading partners, investors and buyers of Australian coal. In the meantime, the United Kingdom is preparing for the meeting of parties to the Paris Agreement in Glasgow in November. A key global event following Brexit, the UK will no doubt be hoping to encourage a leadership circle with national commitments that meet global need to make the Glasgow meeting a success.The UK public has expressed enormous sympathy for Australia in the bushfires and outrage over ‘climate denialism.’ Australia’s experience will be a cautionary tale of the effects of climate change at the meeting. Could the UK also support Australia to become a less reluctant partner in global climate action? Full Article
sh The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook From Now to 2024 - Workshop 5 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 14:25:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 18 February 2020 - 12:00pm to 4:30pm Langafonua Centre This roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024. Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence. The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
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sh Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Jun 2018 17:31:26 -0400 Marking the release of MPI President Andrew Selee's latest book, speakers explore emerging trends in migration, economic interdependence, technology innovation, and cultural exchange that are transforming the relationship between the United States and Mexico, and the policy implications of these changes for the future. Full Article
sh Executive Power Showdown: Congress and White House Quarrel over Immigration Spending By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 16:01:16 -0500 Though a faceoff between the U.S. executive and legislative branches is now in the courts, with President Trump's decision to declare a national emergency so he can allocate more money for construction of a border wall, a less-noted dispute has been taking place over the Department of Homeland Security's decision to add thousands more immigration detention beds than Congress provides annually, as this article explains. Full Article
sh A Path to Citizenship for 1.8 Million DREAMERs? Despite Talk, No Proposal Would Do So By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:54:34 -0500 Even as the 1.8 million number swirls in the discussion of how many DREAMers would be placed on a path to citizenship, proposals debated in the Senate in February 2018 would have resulted in the legalization of smaller numbers, as this commentary explains. It offers estimates of potential beneficiaries of several Senate proposals, including one backed by the White House, and analysis of key criteria. Full Article
sh The Unintended Consequences for English Learners of Using the Four-Year Graduation Rate for School Accountability By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:37:37 -0400 High school graduation is a landmark event for students. It also plays an important role in the state accountability systems designed to ensure that schools provide all students a high-quality education. Yet relying on a school's four-year graduation rate for federal accountability purposes can have unintended consequences for English Learners, who may need extra time to graduate. Full Article
sh Trump Administration Rescinds DACA, Fueling Renewed Push in Congress and the Courts to Protect DREAMers By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 16:59:28 -0400 The Trump administration’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) deportation-relief program launched in 2012 has sparked new urgency to find a longer-term fix for "DREAMers," the unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children. This Policy Beat article examines movement in the courts and in Congress on the DREAM Act and similar proposals, exploring likely paths forward. Full Article
sh Immigration under Trump: A Review of Policy Shifts in the Year Since the Election By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 18 Dec 2017 17:54:16 -0500 On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made immigration the centerpiece of his campaign, offering a more detailed policy agenda than on any other issue. In the year since the election that propelled the Republican into the White House, how has the Trump administration’s record matched up with the rhetoric? This policy brief examines the executive orders and other changes to existing policy and practice made during 2017. Full Article
sh Revving Up the Deportation Machinery: Enforcement under Trump and the Pushback By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 24 Apr 2018 14:19:32 -0400 The Trump administration has significantly cranked up the immigration enforcement machinery in the U.S. interior. Yet even as arrests and deportations are up in the early Trump months, they remain less than half their peaks. This report demonstrates how pushback from California and other "sanctuary" locations makes it quite unlikely that ICE will be able to match record enforcement levels. Full Article
sh Shaping a Narrative of "Crisis" at Border, Trump Administration Takes Muscular Action By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:06:51 -0500 The Trump administration took sweeping action in 2018 to slow legal immigration, make life harder for some immigrants already in the United States, rebuff would-be asylum seekers, and reduce refugee resettlement. Shaping a narrative of crisis at the border, the administration significantly changed the U.S. asylum system, deployed troops and tear gas, and separated families—yet Central American migrants continued to arrive. Full Article
sh Spike in Unaccompanied Child Arrivals at U.S.-Mexico Border Proves Enduring Challenge; Citizenship Question on 2020 Census in Doubt By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 26 Jun 2019 18:13:59 -0400 Approximately 11,500 unaccompanied children were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border in May, putting this year on track to exceed 2014's surge. As the U.S. government struggles to care for these child migrants, with public outrage mounting over reports of unsafe, filthy conditions in initial Border Patrol custody, the failure of the executive branch and Congress to plan for increased shelter and care demands are increasingly apparent, as this article explores. Full Article
sh Facts about English Learners and the NCLB/ESSA Transition in Select States By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 08 Mar 2017 09:52:12 -0500 These fact sheets provide a sketch of key characteristics of the foreign-born and English Learner (EL) populations in select states. The fact sheets look at the demographics of these states, discuss EL student outcomes as measured by standardized tests, and conclude with an overview of state accountability mechanisms that affect ELs under relevant provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act and predecessor No Child Left Behind Act. Full Article
sh English Learners in Select States: Demographics, Outcomes, and State Accountability Policies By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:09:23 -0400 States are in the midst of designing new policies to hold schools accountable for the education of English Learner (EL) students, as mandated by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This series of fact sheets sketches the characteristics of immigrant and EL students in 25 states, the gaps between their educational outcomes and those of their peers, and the accountability policies each state is developing. Full Article
sh Foreign Fighters: Will Revoking Citizenship Mitigate the Threat? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 02 Apr 2019 11:49:38 -0400 Even with the collapse of the Islamic State's "caliphate," thousands of Western foreign fighters are estimated to remain in the Middle East. Deciding how to handle the return of the radicalized—and their dependents—is no easy issue. Some countries seek to revoke their citizenship. Yet citizenship revocation has unclear impact and raises deep questions about the limits of a state’s responsibility to its citizens, as this article explores. Full Article
sh African Countries Relax Short-Term Visa Policies for Chinese in Sign of Increased Openness to China By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 31 Jul 2019 18:14:34 -0400 China has been Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009, and as commerce and investment have increased, so have flows of people in both directions. With an estimated 1 million to 2 million Chinese migrants across Africa, some countries have relaxed their short-term visa requirements in hopes of facilitating cultural and business exchanges. High levels of Chinese investment do not, however, correlate with more liberal visa policies, as this article explores. Full Article
sh Chasing the Dubai Dream in Italy: Bangladeshi Migration to Europe By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 03 Oct 2017 13:02:31 -0400 Bangladeshis in 2017 suddenly emerged as one of the top migrant groups entering Europe illegally. While Europe is a new destination, Bangladeshi labor migration has been an important part of the country's development since the 1970s, with growing numbers heading abroad, largely to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This article explores and contextualizes the new phenomenon of Bangladeshi migration to Europe. Full Article
sh Moving Beyond “Root Causes:” The Complicated Relationship between Development and Migration By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 09 Jan 2018 18:12:25 -0500 Development assistance may be a blunt tool for reshaping migration patterns—and indeed one that could increase flows over the short term. Shifting the focus away from increasing individuals’ skills and assets toward investments in the broader economic or governance structures that are a prerequisite for growth and stability may offer more alternatives to emigration in the long run. Full Article
sh Mind the Gap: Bringing Migration into Development Partnerships and Vice Versa By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 02 Jul 2018 11:33:17 -0400 As policymakers look for ways to address the drivers of illegal immigration, many have called for migration aims to be incorporated into development work and development tools into migration partnerships. This policy brief analyzes the benefits and risks of heightened cooperation between actors in these fields, and identifies areas where joint initiatives may prove fruitful. Full Article