mi Obat Pembesat Pantat Buttooks Krim Herbal Alami - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:53:47 UTC Obat Pembesar Pantat Buttooks Krim Usa Adalah adalah Cream formula khusus untuk pembesaran di sekitar pinggul dan pantat yang ingin tampil lebih Besar Full Article Sports and Health
mi Obat Penghilang Bekas Luka Cepat Alami Krim Meilibahenling - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:54:30 UTC Obat Penghilang Bekas Luka Meilibahenling adalah krim yang bekhasiat untuk menghilangkan bekas luka secara cepat dan efektif, Full Article Sports and Health
mi POTENZOL OBAT PERANGSANG WANITA CAIR ALAMI - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:57:08 UTC Potenzol Obat Perangsang Wanita produk jerman menyandang predikat obat perangsang dengan reaksi spontan menaikkan libido wanita menjadi lebih bergairah Full Article Sports and Health
mi NANGEN KAPSUL OBAT KUAT HERBAL ALAMI - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:59:47 UTC Nangen Kapsul Obat Kuat Herbal Yang Berfungsi Mengatasi Ejakulasi Dini Disfungsi Ereksi Dan Problem Seksualitas Pria Lainya.Terbuat Dari Gingseng China. Full Article Sports and Health
mi Fruit Plant Suplemen Diet Herbal Alami - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 11:01:36 UTC Fruit Plant Original Pelangsing Badan Herbal terbuat dari Sayuran Dan Buah-Buahan Berkualitas Tinggi Mampu Menjadikan Sehat Serta Langsing Secara Cepat Full Article Sports and Health
mi MEIZITANG OBAT PELANGSING BADAN HERBAL ALAMI - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 11:02:23 UTC Meizitang Obat Pelangsing Badan Herbal Merupakan Suplemen Diet Herbal Berbentuk SOFTGEL Yang Sangat Berkhasiat Melangsingkan Tubuh Dengan Cepat Dan Aman, Full Article Sports and Health
mi OBAT PELANGSING BADAN HERBAL FATLOSS DIET ALAMI - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 11:03:03 UTC Obat Pelangsing Badan Herbal Fatloss Jimpness Beauty Penghilang Lemak Seketika Merupakan Obat Pelangsing Badan Yang Aman Dikonsumsi Untuk Pria Maupun Wanita Full Article Sports and Health
mi Pelangsing Badan Herbal Lida Obat Diet Alami - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 11:04:10 UTC Pelangsing Badan Herbal Lida Daidaihua Adalah Pelangsing Badan Yang Mengandung Bahan Herbal Yang Sangat Cepat Menurunkan Berat Badan, Aman Dan Cepat . Full Article Sports and Health
mi Krim Pelangsing Badan Alami Geen Tea - Rahasia Pria By investing.96.lt Published On :: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 11:06:05 UTC Krim Pelangsing Badan Alami Green Tea adalah pelangsing herbal berbentuk krim berguna untuk melangsingkan dan mempercepat pembakaran lemak perut, lengan dl Full Article Sports and Health
mi Minor earthquake in Portland By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:41:46 -0500 The Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies is reporting that a minor quake hit a section of Portland this morning. The unit says the 2.8 quake occurred about 9:13 and had an epicentre near Spring Garden. It had a focal depth of five... Full Article
mi JDF promises 'strong' action against abusive soldiers By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:56:17 -0500 The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is promising "strong" action against soldiers found guilty of instructing violators of the national nightly COVID-19 curfew to engage in “corrective measures”. News of the allegations came in an... Full Article
mi Thirty Years of Armenian-Azerbaijani Rivalry: Dynamics, Problems and Prospects By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 20 November 2019 - 10:00am to 11:30am Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Event participants Laurence Broers, Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Lubica Pollakova, Senior Programme Manager, Russia and Eurasia Programme The Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict for control of the mountainous territory of Nagorny Karabakh is the longest-running dispute in post-Soviet Eurasia.Laurence Broers, author of Armenia and Azerbaijan: Anatomy of a Rivalry, will discuss how decades of dynamic territorial politics, shifting power relations, international diffusion and unsuccessful mediation efforts have contributed to the resilience of this stubbornly unresolved dispute. Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Full Article
mi The Changing Nature of Russia’s Military Strategy and Its Tactical Application By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 14 Oct 2019 10:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 12 November 2019 - 4:00pm to 5:30pm Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Event participants Oscar Jonsson, Director, Stockholm Free World Forum (Frivärld)Mathieu Boulègue, Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Alice Billon-Galland, Research Associate, Europe Programme, Chatham House Russia’s military strategy is increasingly blurring the boundaries between war and peace. As the nature of warfare changes, the Kremlin is adapting its strategies to pursue conflict, especially through non-military means - below the threshold of armed violence. Russian military tactics are often mistaken for strategy in the West. Oscar Jonson, author of The Russian Understanding of War, will talk through this debate and explore how the Russian leadership now understands military strategy in the context of modern warfare. Mathieu Boulègue will address the more operational aspects of contemporary warfare for Russia, notably grey zone operations. Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Full Article
mi Russian Economic Policy and the Russian Economic System: Stability Versus Growth By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:50:53 +0000 17 December 2019 How is it possible for the directors of the Russian economy to pursue an orthodox stabilization policy with a great measure of success and yet to have achieved so little to stem the growth slowdown? This paper examines the reasons for the divergence in economic management. Read online Download PDF Professor Philip Hanson OBE Former Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme GettyImages-1174485152.jpg Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, Labour and Social Safety Minister Maxim Topilin, Economy and Finance Department Head Valery Sidorenko, and Russian presidential aide Andrei Belousov (l–r) after a meeting on stimulating economic growth, at Gorki residence, Moscow, on 8 October 2019. Photo: Getty Images. SummaryRussia’s economic management is currently praised for its achievement of macroeconomic stability. Inflation has been brought down; the budget is in surplus; national debt is low; and the reserves are ample. At the same time, there is much criticism of the failure at present to secure more than very slow economic growth.The macro-stabilization of 2014–18 was of a conventional, ‘liberal’ kind. Public spending was cut, and a budget rule was introduced that (so far) has weakened the link between increases in oil prices and increases in budgetary expenditure. The austerity campaign was harsh. Pensioners, the military, regional budgets and business all lost out, but in reality put up little resistance. The austerity drive was facilitated by the autocratic nature of the regime.The growth slowdown dates from 2012, and cannot simply be blamed on falls in the oil price and sanctions. Rapid growth in 1999–2008 consisted in large part of recovery from the deep recession of the 1990s and the initial development of a services sector. These sources of growth are no longer available; investment is low; and the labour force is declining. The Western world also has a slow growth problem, but at a higher level of per capita output. In Russia, private investment and competition are inhibited by an intrusive and corrupt state. If the rule of law were in place, the economy would perform better in the long run. That would require a profound reform of formal and informal institutions.The leadership wants faster growth, but has powerful incentives not to embark on systemic reform. Even the pragmatic ministers of the ‘economic bloc’ of government, who understand the problem, share this interest in maintaining the status quo. Growth is thus being sought through a highly ambitious programme, in 2018–24, of ‘national projects’, state-led and largely state-financed. This is already running into difficulties.The contrast between successful stabilization and a (so far) unsuccessful growth strategy illustrates the difference between policymaking within a given system and reform of that system. Systemic reform brings with it more potential unintended consequences than do changes in policy. In the case of Russia, movement towards a rule of law could destabilize the social and political system. It is therefore unlikely to be attempted. Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme, Russia's Domestic Politics Full Article
mi Lukashenka’s Commitment to Belarusian Sovereignty Is Overstated By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 15:56:54 +0000 18 February 2020 Ryhor Astapenia Robert Bosch Stiftung Academy Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme @ryhorastapenia LinkedIn Although President Lukashenka has recently shown assertiveness in relations with Russia, overall he has done very little to ensure his country’s freedom of action. 2020-02-18-LP.jpg Putin and Lukashenka play ice hockey in Sochi after a day of talks in February. Photo: Getty Images. Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo became the highest-ranking US official to visit Belarus since Bill Clinton in 1994. After meetings with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka – who Condoleezza Rice once memorably described as ‘Europe’s last dictator’ – Pompeo said he was ‘optimistic about our strengthened relationship’. The EU and its member states have also changed their tune, at least a little. Previously, prosecutions of democratic activists led to sanctions against the Lukashenka regime. But his less-than-liberal manner of governance did not prevent him from visiting Austria last November or from receiving invitations to Brussels. Eight years ago, most EU contacts with Belarusian officials were frozen. Now, Western diplomats regularly meet with Belarusian officials again. This year, a US ambassador to Belarus will be appointed after a 12-year break.The West is also more willing to support Belarus financially. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development invested a record-breaking $433 million in the country in 2019. The European Investment Bank only began working with the country in 2017 but already has a portfolio of $600 million.Certain policymakers in the EU and US now, at least publicly, appear to regard Lukashenka as one of the sources of regional security and a defender of Belarusian sovereignty against Russia.There is some truth in this. He has taken a neutral position in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, and he has consistently resisted pressure from the Kremlin to establish a military base in Belarus.Now, amid Moscow’s demands for deeper integration in exchange for the continuation of Russian energy subsidies, Lukashenka has shown reluctance to sell his autonomy. In a token attempt to portray sovereignty Belarus even started buying oil from Norway, although this makes no economic sense.But Lukashenka’s long-term record shows he has done little to ensure the country’s sovereignty. Lukashenka has resisted reforms that would have strengthened the economy (because they would have weakened his own position). The political system is also dependent on Russia because Lukashenka has been unwilling to build better relations with the West. Belarusians are still strongly influenced by Russian culture and media because the authorities marginalize their own national identity.Since the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, Lukashenka’s primary goal has not been to strengthen the sovereignty of Belarus, but to preserve his absolute control over the country.For example, when in 2018 Russia started pressing Belarus to deepen its integration in order to retain economic support, Minsk did not reject this approach outright; instead, it discussed no less than 31 ‘road maps’ for deepening integration for more than a year, hoping to receive more benefits. For Lukashenka, greater dependency on Russia is a matter of price and conditions, not principle. None of this is to say Belarus has illusions about Russia. It is just that Lukashenka does not take long-term steps to protect the country’s sovereignty or to strengthen relations with the West.Belarus needs to start economic reform with the support of the International Monetary Fund, but this cannot happen without Lukashenka’s genuine commitment to transform the economy. Absence of cross-sectoral reform has led to the deterioration of the education system as well as unprecedented emigration. Few Belarusian experts are optimistic about their country’s future. Lukashenka knows all this, but does not change his system, fearing it would damage the stability of his regime. The West should therefore adopt a broader policy. Lukashenka is unlikely to still be president in 10–15 years, so policymakers should develop relations with the broader ruling elite, which will remain after he leaves, and try to be present in Belarus as much as possible helping it to improve public governance and develop private businesses.The West should also support the country’s civil society and independent media, for whom Belarusian independence is a matter of principle rather than something to be bargained away.Lukashenka may be a strong leader, but the state he has built is weak. Full Article
mi POSTPONED: Transitional Justice in Ukraine: What Might it Look Like? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2020 10:10:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 17 March 2020 - 9:30am to 1:00pm Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Agendapdf | 107.46 KB Event participants Kirsty Brimelow QC, Barrister, Doughty Street ChambersMiles Jackson, Associate Professor of Law, University of OxfordAnton Korynevych, Representative of the President of Ukraine for CrimeaOleksandra Matviychuk, Head of the Board, Centre for Civil LibertiesTaras Tsymbrivksyy, Head, USAID Human Rights in Action Program; Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union Still grappling with the war in the east and the occupation of Crimea, Ukraine’s new leadership has announced its intention to develop its transitional justice infrastructure to respond to the human rights violations arising from Russia’s aggression. Numerous reports (not least ones by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine) list persecutions, illegal detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and killings among the crimes perpetrated in Crimea and parts of occupied Donbas. As Ukraine has only just started developing its transitional justice roadmap, this event will seek to discuss viable initial approaches, such as a ‘truth-telling commission’ or amnesties. The panellists will also discuss the role for civil society and those directly affected by hostilities in the transitional justice process. PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Event attributes Chatham House Rule Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme, Ukraine Forum Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Full Article
mi Virtual Roundtable: Russia in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2020 21:25:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 1 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm Event participants Mathieu Boulegue, Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham HouseNikolai Petrov, Senior Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham HouseEkaterina Schulmann, Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham HouseChair: James Nixey, Programme Director, Russia and Eurasia, Chatham House Politically speaking, Russia has been isolating itself from the West for some years now, feeding its citizens a ‘besieged fortress’ mentality. Its uniqueness, however, means its approach to - and outcome from - the COVID-19 pandemic will also be distinctive. This webinar will explore how Russia is adapting its internal politics and its international relations to the ‘new normal’ of today. Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Full Article
mi Beware Russian and Chinese Positioning for After the Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 10:00:11 +0000 9 April 2020 Keir Giles Senior Consulting Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme @KeirGiles LinkedIn Google Scholar Authoritarian regimes can use the COVID-19 crisis to improve their international standing, taking advantage of others’ distraction. Their aims are different, but their methods have much in common. 2020-04-09-Russia-Aid-Serbia An airlifter of the Russian Aerospace Forces prepares to fly to Serbia carrying equipment and professionals during the COVID-19 crisis. Photo by Russian Defence MinistryTASS via Getty Images. Both Russia and China have mounted combined charm offensives and disinformation campaigns on the back of the pandemic. Shipments of ‘aid’ – reportedly of questionable utility and quality - have gone hand in hand with a concerted effort to deflect any blame from China for the early spread, and an ongoing drive by Russia to undermine states’ confidence and have sanctions lifted.These concurrent operations have very different objectives, as Russia seeks to subvert international order while China is continuing its bid to demonstrate global leadership - but in both cases, they are seeking long-term gains by exploiting the inattention and distraction of their targets.Both seek to present themselves as globally responsible stakeholders, but for divergent reasons – especially China which needs the rest of the world to recover and return to stability to ensure its own economic recovery. But despite this, the two campaigns appear superficially similar.Fertile ground for disinformationOne reason lies in the unique nature of the current crisis. Unlike political issues that are local or regional in nature, COVID-19 affects everybody worldwide. The perceived lack of reliable information about the virus provides fertile ground for information and disinformation campaigns, especially feeding on fear, uncertainty and doubt. But Russia in particular would not be succeeding in its objectives without mis-steps and inattention by Western governments.Confused reporting on Russia sending medical supplies to the United States showed Moscow taking advantage of a US administration in apparent disarray. Claims Russia was sending ’humanitarian aid’ were only belatedly countered by the US State Department pointing out it had been paid for. Meanwhile the earlier arrival of Russian military equipment in Italy also scored a propaganda victory for Russia, facilitated by curious passivity by the Italian government.In both cases Russia also achieved secondary objectives. With the United States, Russia scored bonus points by shipping equipment produced by a subsidiary of a company under US sanctions. In the case of Italy, Russian state media made good use of misleading or heavily edited video clips to give the impression of widespread Italian acclaim for Russian aid, combined with disdain for the efforts of the EU.Beijing’s external information campaigns have sought to deflect or defuse criticism of its early mishandling and misinformation on coronavirus and counter accusations of secrecy and falsifying data while also pursuing an opportunity to exercise soft power. For Moscow, current efforts boost a long-standing and intensive campaign to induce the lifting of sanctions, demonstrating if nothing else that sanctions are indeed an effective measure. Official and unofficial lobbying has intensified in numerous capital cities, and will inevitably find supporters.But both the aid and the information campaigns are seriously flawed. While appropriate and useful aid for countries that are struggling should of course be welcomed, both Russian and Chinese equipment delivered to Europe has repeatedly been found to be inappropriate or defective. Russian photographs of cardboard boxes stacked loose and unsecured in a transport aircraft bound for the United States sparked alarm and disbelief among military and aviation experts - and there has still been no US statement on what exactly was purchased, and whether it was found to be fit for purpose when it arrived.Reporting from Italy that the Russian equipment delivered there was ‘80% useless’ has not been contradicted by the Italian authorities. In fact, although the Italian sources criticizing Russia remain anonymous it is striking that - President Trump aside - no government has publicly endorsed materials and assistance received from Russia as actually being useful and helpful.Even in Serbia, with its traditionally close ties with Russia, the only information forthcoming on the activities of the Russian Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops and their equipment that arrived on April 3 was from Russian press releases.Both countries’ strategic communications efforts are similarly fallible. China’s notoriously heavy-handed approach to its critics is of only limited use in the face of such a severe and immediate threat. One suggestion that the virus originated in the US – an early response to US criticism – has already been walked back by the Chinese diplomat who made it.And Russia continues to be capable of spectacularly misjudging its targets. When investigative journalists looked more closely at the nature of the assistance to Italy, Russia’s official response was rage and personal threats, laying bare the real nature of the campaign and immediately alienating many of those whom Moscow had sought to win over.Errors and deficiencies such as these provide opportunities to mitigate the worst side-effects of the campaigns. And actions by individuals can also mitigate much of the impact. The most effective disinformation plays on deeply emotional issues and triggers visceral rather than rational reactions.Advocates of ’informational distancing’ as well as social distancing suggest a tactical pause to assess information calmly, instead of reacting or spreading it further unthinkingly. This approach would bolster not only calm dispassionate assessment of the real impact of Russian and Chinese actions, but also counter spreading of misinformation on the pandemic as a whole - especially when key sources of disinformation are national leaders seeking to politicize or profit from the crisis.Limitations of Russian and Chinese altruism must be stated clearly and frankly to fill gaps in public understanding. Where help is genuine, it should of course be welcomed: but if it is the case that assistance received from Moscow or Beijing is not appropriate, not useful, or not fit for purpose, this should be acknowledged publicly.Even without central direction or coordination with other Russian strategic communications efforts, the self-perpetuating Russian disinformation ecosystem continues to push narratives designed to undermine confidence in institutions and their ability to deal with the crisis. This too must continue to be monitored closely and countered where it matters.In all cases, miscalculations by Russia or China that expose the true intent of their campaigns – no matter how different their objectives might be - should be watched for closely and highlighted where they occur.Despite the enormity of the present emergency it is not a time for any government to relax its vigilance over longer-term threats. States must not lose sight of manoeuvres seeking to exploit weakness and distraction. If Russia and China emerge from the current crisis with enhanced authority and unjustifiably restored reputations, this will make it still harder to resist their respective challenges to the current rules-based international order in the future. Full Article
mi Immigrant By kolembo.wordpress.com Published On :: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:24:45 +0000 You are – Living on the top floor, On a, Bunk-bed, In Finland, In a cultured, High-rise habitat, With cool, kitchen kettles, Where – You are not visited, Except by cameras, Or people taking your children away -evocative short poetry- Full Article Poetry asylum child services freedom immigration isolation poetry
mi Loosing our minds By kolembo.wordpress.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Feb 2016 03:28:35 +0000 I am right. You may say that I am not, but I have, Demanded love and, You, Are wrong. Black and blue and red hummingbird, I Know what I am saying, you Left the kids again, And we argue, Tall as bamboo we, Kill each other, Taking long hours to, Identify precisely who left […] Full Article Poetry age alzheimers family forgiveness poetry relationship Righteousness Sacrifice
mi Midnight Gardener By kolembo.wordpress.com Published On :: Sun, 11 Dec 2016 09:57:13 +0000 I hear God in cushion prints, Leopard pants, Ancestors, We Forget; What if it took place at midnight, would you Stack hay and win, Chicago with the broad shoulders, Hunt mosquitos, Midnight lover, the Ebullient wrestler in a, Pink Venetian mask, Would you, Be a brute, Pretending the contender was not God, Brisk breeze, Be […] Full Article Poetry
mi Mainstreaming the environment into post-war recovery: the case for 'ecological development' By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:43:22 +0000 7 September 2012 , Volume 88, Number 5 Richard Milburn Full Article
mi Marvia Providence ‘Anointed’ for ministry - Offers ‘Bible pull up and come again’ entertainment to gospel audiences By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 00:23:57 -0500 Just the mention of the name Marvia Providence sends a tingle to the toes and, immediately, feet start tapping and bodies begin swaying. Before you know it, all the ‘warriors’ – prayer and otherwise – are in full flight. That’s the effect of the... Full Article
mi Inner Circle gives thanks for Jacob Miller on his birthday - Singer would have caused ‘problem’ at King’s House, says former bandmate By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 00:19:16 -0500 Long before the existence of the Internet and going viral was a thing, reggae singer Jacob Miller, back in the ‘70s, coined a term that went viral – under heavy manners. Ian Lewis of Inner Circle band, the Bad Boys of Reggae, recalled that his... Full Article
mi JCDC weighs options amid COVID-19 pause - 230 entries received for Festival Song Competition By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 00:07:52 -0500 By the month of May in any given year, the many and varied events and competitions staged by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) islandwide would have been in high gear. Each year the JCDC rolls out its much-anticipated menu board... Full Article
mi #WeAreInThisTogether against COVID-19 - Bay-C, ListenMiNews, Red Cross collaborate on anti-stigma music video By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:07:39 -0500 IN AN effort to alleviate misconceptions and misinterpretations of our current COVID-19 reality, and to create the idea that human beings deserve respect, especially when they are ill, ListenMi News has collaborated with the International... Full Article
mi 'My Boy Lollipop' singer Millie Small will be sorely missed By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 12:07:31 -0500 There has been an outpouring of grief following the death of legendary Jamaican singer Millicent Dolly May Small, popularly known as Millie Small. She died in the United Kingdom today at the age of 73 after suffering a stroke. The voice... Full Article
mi Singer Owen Gray remembers ‘Sugar Plum’ Millie Small By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:14:04 -0500 BEFORE MILLIE Small became the ‘lollipop girl’, she was a ‘sugar plum’. Not only is it a term of endearment, it is also the title of her first song – a duet as it was called back in 1960 – with singer Owen Gray. This collab was born out of the time... Full Article
mi Randeen Thomas: The Man with the ‘Mix’ By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 00:16:43 -0500 IF MIXOLOGY is artistry in motion, then consider the instruments as the canvas, the ingredients as the paint, and Randeen Thomas as the Pablo Picasso of his time, giving spirits new life. Some might be familiar with ‘The Big Belly Bartender’,... Full Article
mi Donovan Stanberry | Revisiting food security amidst COVID-19 pandemic By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:22:28 -0500 Between December 2019 and February 2020, The Gleaner published a series of articles on my behalf, exploring the issue of food security in Jamaica based on an analysis of the country’s food-import bill for 2018. The current COVID-19 pandemic, which... Full Article
mi Norris McDonald | COVID-19 pandemic … The US must lift Cuban embargo to save lives By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 05 Apr 2020 00:26:43 -0500 “The United States has launched a stunning attack on Cuba’s medical-aid missions, with the Trump administration pressing countries to reject them during the coronavirus pandemic,” Steve Sweeny reported in the Morning Star, March 26, 2020. Given... Full Article
mi Colin Steer | Cooperation, creativity and challenges in education amid COVID-19 By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 00:10:43 -0500 Public reaction to the initial threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) was predictably mixed. While international news of the contagion across continents helped people to appreciate that this was not restricted to a particular region, not many people... Full Article
mi Mark Ricketts | Time to rethink economic implications - Jamaica engages IMF but the cost of the pandemic remains high By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:15:32 -0500 On Tuesday, April 14, the International Monetary Fund downgraded Jamaica’s growth prospects to -5.6 per cent. This is a severe contraction warranting substantial Government intervention. However, at times, the Government waits too late to respond... Full Article
mi Michelle Thomas – lawfully changing the game By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:11:00 -0500 Michelle Thomas has joined the ranks of society’s young movers and shakers in her capacity as a lawyer. The work truly began after she was crowned Miss Kingston and St Andrew Festival Queen in 2015. Since then, she has been pushing for more female... Full Article
mi Lamin C Counteracts Glucose Intolerance in Aging, Obesity, and Diabetes Through {beta}-Cell Adaptation By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:28-07:00 Aging-dependent changes in tissue function are associated with the development of metabolic diseases. However, the molecular connections linking aging, obesity, and diabetes remain unclear. Lamin A, lamin C, and progerin, products of the Lmna gene, have antagonistic functions on energy metabolism and life span. Lamin C, albeit promoting obesity, increases life span, suggesting that this isoform is crucial for maintaining healthy conditions under metabolic stresses. Because β-cell loss during obesity or aging leads to diabetes, we investigated the contribution of lamin C to β-cell function in physiopathological conditions. We demonstrate that aged lamin C only–expressing mice (LmnaLCS/LCS) become obese but remain glucose tolerant due to adaptive mechanisms including increased β-cell mass and insulin secretion. Triggering diabetes in young mice revealed that LmnaLCS/LCS animals normalize their fasting glycemia by both increasing insulin secretion and regenerating β-cells. Genome-wide analyses combined to functional analyses revealed an increase of mitochondrial biogenesis and global translational rate in LmnaLCS/LCS islets, two major processes involved in insulin secretion. Altogether, our results demonstrate for the first time that the sole expression of lamin C protects from glucose intolerance through a β-cell–adaptive transcriptional program during metabolic stresses, highlighting Lmna gene processing as a new therapeutic target for diabetes treatment. Full Article
mi Insulin-Deficient Diabetic Condition Upregulates the Insulin-Secreting Capacity of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Endocrine Progenitor Cells After Implantation in Mice By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:28-07:00 The host environment is a crucial factor for considering the transplant of stem cell–derived immature pancreatic cells in patients with type 1 diabetes. Here, we investigated the effect of insulin (INS)-deficient diabetes on the fate of immature pancreatic endocrine cell grafts and the underlying mechanisms. Human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells (EPCs), which contained a high proportion of chromogranin A+ NK6 homeobox 1+ cells and very few INS+ cells, were used. When the EPCs were implanted under the kidney capsule in immunodeficient mice, INS-deficient diabetes accelerated increase in plasma human C-peptide, a marker of graft-derived INS secretion. The acceleration was suppressed by INS infusion but not affected by partial attenuation of hyperglycemia by dapagliflozin, an INS-independent glucose-lowering agent. Immunohistochemical analyses indicated that the grafts from diabetic mice contained more endocrine cells including proliferative INS-producing cells compared with that from nondiabetic mice, despite no difference in whole graft mass between the two groups. These data suggest that INS-deficient diabetes upregulates the INS-secreting capacity of EPC grafts by increasing the number of endocrine cells including INS-producing cells without changing the graft mass. These findings provide useful insights into postoperative diabetic care for cell therapy using stem cell–derived pancreatic cells. Full Article
mi Reasons for optimism for each MLB club By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 21:02:04 EDT On this opening week of Spring Training, all 30 Major League teams have one thing in common: optimism. Here's an optimism cheat sheet for each of them. Full Article
mi Minter wants to be Braves' high-leverage option By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 17:41:15 EDT As Braves manager Brian Snitker evaluates who might serve as his closer, A.J. Minter has made it clear he wants to be the guy who is consistently called upon to handle high-leverage threats that develop in late innings. Full Article
mi Orioles ink Eric Young Jr. to Minors deal By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Feb 2019 15:26:30 EDT The Orioles' crowded outfield mix gained another member on Monday when the team signed veteran Eric Young Jr. to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Full Article
mi Reasons for optimism for each MLB club By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 21:02:04 EDT On this opening week of Spring Training, all 30 Major League teams have one thing in common: optimism. Here's an optimism cheat sheet for each of them. Full Article
mi O's pitchers welcoming high-tech revolution By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 13:49:26 EDT Like so many pitchers in Major League camps, Orioles hurlers have extra sets of eyes on them this spring. The Edgertronic cameras, perched on tripods, are set about a stride's length beyond the backfield bullpen mounds at the club's Ed Smith Stadium complex, as conspicuous as the coaches standing cross-armed behind them. Full Article
mi Inhibition of Mitochondrial Calcium Overload by SIRT3 Prevents Obesity- or Age-Related Whitening of Brown Adipose Tissue By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-20T12:00:26-08:00 The whitening and loss of brown adipose tissue (BAT) during obesity and aging promote metabolic disorders and related diseases. The imbalance of Ca2+ homeostasis accounts for the dysfunction and clearance of mitochondria during BAT whitening. Capsaicin, a dietary factor activating TRPV1, can inhibit obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD), but whether capsaicin inhibits BAT loss and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we determined that the inhibitory effects of capsaicin on HFD-induced obesity and BAT whitening were dependent on the participation of SIRT3, a critical mitochondrial deacetylase. SIRT3 also mediated all of the beneficial effects of capsaicin on alleviating reactive oxygen species generation, elevating mitochondrial activity, and restricting mitochondrial calcium overload induced by HFD. Mechanistically, SIRT3 inhibits mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU)-mediated mitochondrial calcium overload by reducing the H3K27ac level on the MCU promoter in an AMPK-dependent manner. In addition, HFD also inhibits AMPK activity to reduce SIRT3 expression, which could be reversed by capsaicin. Capsaicin intervention also inhibited aging-induced BAT whitening through this mechanism. In conclusion, this study emphasizes a critical role of the AMPK/SIRT3 pathway in the maintenance of BAT morphology and function and suggests that intervention in this pathway may be an effective target for preventing obesity- or age-related metabolic diseases. Full Article
mi Myeloid HMG-CoA Reductase Determines Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and Hepatic Steatosis in Diet-Induced Obese Mice By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-20T12:00:25-08:00 Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) are involved in the development of insulin resistance in obesity. We have recently shown that myeloid cell–specific reduction of HMG-CoA reductase (Hmgcrm–/m–), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, protects against atherosclerosis by inhibiting macrophage migration in mice. We hypothesized that ATMs are harder to accumulate in Hmgcrm–/m– mice than in control Hmgcrfl/fl mice in the setting of obesity. To test this hypothesis, we fed Hmgcrm–/m– and Hmgcrfl/fl mice a high-fat diet (HFD) for 24 weeks and compared plasma glucose metabolism as well as insulin signaling and histology between the two groups. Myeloid cell–specific reduction of Hmgcr improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity without altering body weight in the HFD-induced obese mice. The improvement was due to a decrease in the number of ATMs. The ATMs were reduced by decreased recruitment of macrophages as a result of their impaired chemotactic activity. These changes were associated with decreased expression of proinflammatory cytokines in adipose tissues. Myeloid cell–specific reduction of Hmgcr also attenuated hepatic steatosis. In conclusion, reducing myeloid HMGCR may be a promising strategy to improve insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in obesity. Full Article
mi Especially for Altuve, Marwin's presence missed By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:48:35 EDT The reality is setting in for Astros star second baseman Jose Altuve, who's shared a clubhouse with close friend Marwin Gonzalez for the previous seven springs. They became confidants on and off the field, which is what makes this spring so strange. Full Article
mi Reasons for optimism for each MLB club By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 21:02:04 EDT On this opening week of Spring Training, all 30 Major League teams have one thing in common: optimism. Here's an optimism cheat sheet for each of them. Full Article
mi Raising HD awareness personal for Smith, wife By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:25:28 EDT They wrestled with the decision to start a family for five years. It's something most young couples discuss at some point. Timing is important, and considering their busy lives, even more so for Astros pitcher Joe Smith and his wife, TV sports reporter Allie LaForce. The issue facing the couple is far more momentous than most others have to deal with -- one that's a matter of life and death. Full Article
mi Chemical leak at LG plant in India kills 11, about 1,000 injured By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 10:14:15 -0500 HYDERABAD, India (AP) — A gas leak at a chemical factory owned by a South Korean company in southern India early Thursday left at least 11 people dead and about 1,000 struggling to breathe. The chemical styrene, used to make plastic and... Full Article
mi CSME needed to rescue COVID-hit economies By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 00:23:04 -0500 COVID-19-ravaged regional economies, including Jamaica, will need the united strength of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) to help revive their micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sectors, many of which have been decimated. That... Full Article
mi No imminent lockdown restrictions in hard-hit UK By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:03:38 -0500 LONDON — Britain’s minister for the environment, food and rural affairs says Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be announcing immediate changes to the country’s coronavirus lockdown when he addresses the nation on Sunday.... Full Article
mi US pulls permission for Chinese masks found defective By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 15:12:39 -0500 WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have revoked US authorisation for masks made by more than 60 Chinese manufacturers after they failed to meet standards needed to protect health care workers. The Food and Drug Administration had... Full Article
