up Should the Super-Rich Pay for a Universal Basic Income? By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Iraq’s Future: Elections, Corruption and the Struggle for a State By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 30 May 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Undercurrents: Episode 15 - Brexit Update, and Corruption in the World of the Global Super-Rich By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Undercurrents: Episode 19 - Green Building Projects in Jordan, and Qatar's Football World Cup By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 18 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Icebreaker Lecture: China’s Financial Sector – Reform and Opening Up By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
up Protection of the Wounded and Medical Care-Givers in Armed Conflict: Is the Law Up to the Job? By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 16 May 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Disrupting the Humanitarian Enterprise By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up In Conversation With Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive, BP By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
up Challenges and Opportunities in the Fight Against Corruption By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
up Disruption of endoplasmic reticulum structure and integrity in lipotoxic cell death By www.jlr.org Published On :: 2006-12-01 Nica M. BorradaileDec 1, 2006; 47:2726-2737Research Articles Full Article
up The human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily By www.jlr.org Published On :: 2001-07-01 Michael DeanJul 1, 2001; 42:1007-1017Thematic Reviews Full Article
up Supporting Next Generation of Leaders in Sustainability By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 21:51:39 +0000 Supporting Next Generation of Leaders in Sustainability News Release NCapeling 28 January 2021 A new programme offering paid internships for young people who are passionate about social, economic, and environmental sustainability has been launched. Full Article
up Supporting Civic Space: The Role and Impact of the Private Sector By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:14:18 +0000 Supporting Civic Space: The Role and Impact of the Private Sector 23 September 2020 — 2:00PM TO 4:15PM Anonymous (not verified) 23 December 2020 Online The meeting provides an opportunity to explore the drivers of – and barriers to – corporate activism. A healthy civic space is vital for an enabling business environment. In recognition of this, a growing number of private sector actors are challenging, publicly or otherwise, the deteriorating environment for civic freedoms. However, this corporate activism is often limited and largely ad hoc. It remains confined to a small cluster of multinationals leaving potential routes for effective coordination and collaboration with other actors underexplored. This roundtable brings together a diverse and international group of business actors, civil society actors and foreign policy experts to exchange perspectives and experiences on how the private sector can be involved in issues around civic space. The meeting provides an opportunity to explore the drivers of – and barriers to – corporate activism, develop a better understanding of existing initiatives, identify good practice and discuss practical strategies for the business community. This meeting is the first of a series of roundtables at Chatham House in support of initiatives to build broad alliances for the protection of civic space. Full Article
up Supporting Civic Space: The Role and Impact of the Tech Sector By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:19:18 +0000 Supporting Civic Space: The Role and Impact of the Tech Sector 13 October 2020 — 2:00PM TO 4:15PM Anonymous (not verified) 23 December 2020 Online This event brings together a diverse and international group of stakeholders to exchange perspectives and experiences on the role that tech actors can play in supporting civic space. In a deteriorating environment for civic freedoms, tech sector actors are increasingly engaging, publicly or otherwise, on issues of civic space. In the US, for example, a number of tech companies have cancelled contracts with the Pentagon and stopped censoring search results in China as a result of protests by employees. The Asia Internet Coalition recently wrote to Pakistan’s Prime Minister expressing human rights concerns about new rules regulating social media. While we have recently seen technology companies show support for the social movements, including through substantial pledges, in some cases these have elicited criticism of hypocrisy, and the interventions of social media platforms on freedom of expression and privacy issues have been closely linked to the preservation of their own business models. The COVID-19 crisis has also posed new dilemmas for the tech sector with the pervasiveness of disinformation, as well as new tools for tracking individuals which raise privacy issues. This roundtable provides an opportunity to explore the drivers of (and barriers to) corporate activism, develop a better understanding of existing initiatives, identify good practice and routes to effective collaboration with other actors, and discuss practical strategies that could be adopted by the tech community. It is the second of a series of roundtables at Chatham House in support of initiatives to build broad alliances for the protection of civic space. Full Article
up Implications of post-COVID-19 Restructuring of Supply Chains for Global Investment Governance By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 09 Feb 2021 12:54:17 +0000 Implications of post-COVID-19 Restructuring of Supply Chains for Global Investment Governance 14 July 2020 — 9:00AM TO 10:30AM Anonymous (not verified) 9 February 2021 Online As companies rethink and diversify their supply chains in order to enhance resilience, what will this mean for current and future global investment governance? What are the risks of negative effects on inclusivity and transparency? Does this shift create an opportunity to advance good governance of cross-border investment practices? This event is part of the Inclusive Governance Initiative, which is examining how to build more inclusive models and mechanisms of global governance fit for purpose in today’s world. Full Article
up Facebook's power under scrutiny as Trump ban upheld By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 06 May 2021 09:04:43 +0000 Facebook's power under scrutiny as Trump ban upheld Expert comment NCapeling 6 May 2021 Keeping Donald Trump’s Facebook ban in place shows the vast power social media platforms hold, raising questions of whether that power is appropriately used. Kate Jones From a human rights perspective, the Oversight Board’s decision is a strong one, and not at all surprising. The board decided Facebook was right to suspend the former president’s access to post content on Facebook and Instagram, but not indefinitely. It found Donald Trump’s posts violated Facebook’s community standards because they amounted to praise or support of people engaged in violence and that, applying a human rights assessment, Facebook’s suspension of Trump was a necessary and proportionate restriction of his right to freedom of expression. It is in content amplification, not just content moderation, that Facebook should face scrutiny and accountability for the sake of the human rights of its users However the board also found Trump’s indefinite suspension was neither in conformity with a clear Facebook procedure nor consistent with its commitment to respect human rights. Its decision requires Facebook to make a new decision on the future of Donald Trump’s account, grounded in its rules. While opinions on this result will differ, the increased call for clear and accessible rules and respect for human rights in their implementation that the Oversight Board brings to Facebook’s operations is welcome. But the Oversight Board’s powers are limited to content moderation – Facebook declined to answer the board’s questions about amplification of Trump’s posts through the platform’s design decisions and algorithms. This limitation on the board’s role should be lifted. It is in content amplification, not just content moderation, that Facebook should face scrutiny and accountability for the sake of the human rights of its users. Fundamentally, human rights is not a veneer which can mask or legitimize underlying power dynamics or public policy – those still fall to be assessed for themselves. The Trump/Facebook saga does highlight the vast power Facebook and other major social media platforms have over political discussion and persuasion. Through granting or denying, or through amplifying or quietening the voices of political figures, Facebook has the power to shape politics, electorates, and democratic processes. Improving content moderation through the Oversight Board, although important, does little to constrain that power. Facebook itself, unlike a government, has no accountability to the general public, and the Oversight Board must not distract us from the need for a full conversation about the extent to which Facebook’s power is appropriately held and properly wielded. Emily Taylor This decision marks a coming of age for Facebook’s content moderation process. For years, decisions to take down content or ban users have been opaque, conducted by a human workforce that Facebook and other platforms have been hesitant to acknowledge. The platforms have also been worried that being seen to exercise an editorial function might put at risk the legal protections which prevent the platforms being held responsible for user-generated content. When the Oversight Board was first posited, observers questioned whether a body funded by Facebook could properly exercise a legitimate appeals function. Now there is a reasoned decision which partly supports the decision to de-platform a serving president, but also takes issue with the indefinite nature of the ban. If the process is to gain respect as a truly independent oversight on the platform’s decisions, greater transparency over the identity of decision-makers will be needed Facebook specifically asked the Oversight Board to consider specific challenges involved when the person involved is a political leader. The board concluded that Trump’s ‘status as head of state with a high position of trust not only imbued his words with greater force and credibility but also created risks that his followers would understand they could act with impunity’. The storming of the US Capitol and role President Trump played in stirring up the violence underlined that political leaders’ words can motivate others to take harmful actions. Just as the events of January 6 remain shocking, it remains shocking that private platforms have exercised the power to curb the speech of a US president. It also remains shocking that the platforms sat back and took no action over the previous four years, but waited until the final days of the transition. The board’s decision is an evolution in private-sector content moderation, with a diverse board giving a reasoned opinion on a Facebook decision. But to fully comply with the principles of open justice, board decisions should include more detail on the individuals who have made the decision – at present, it appears all members of the board review the decision but it is not clear which individuals were involved in its drafting, or that they were clear from conflicts. If the process is to gain respect as a truly independent oversight on the platform’s decisions, greater transparency over the identity of decision-makers will be needed. Subscribe to our weekly newsletterOur flagship newsletter provides a weekly round-up of content, plus receive the latest on events and how to connect with the institute. Enter email address Subscribe Mark Zuckerberg expressed concern about Facebook becoming an arbiter of truth or free speech and, overall, the difficulty of having private companies managing the application of fundamental rights on their platforms has not been solved. Just because companies have the financial resources to do it, does not mean they necessarily should. Yet no other international governance or arbitration system has emerged to handle the complexities of platform power over speech. In the context of that vacuum, the Oversight Board’s decision is a welcome step. Full Article
up The trickle-up effect of rights-based climate litigation By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:07:28 +0000 The trickle-up effect of rights-based climate litigation Expert comment NCapeling 16 November 2021 With governments failing in their pledges and companies accused of ‘green-washing’, human rights-based litigation is increasingly important for accountability. Tuvalu’s foreign minister addressing COP26 while standing knee-deep in seawater was a stark illustration of how the climate emergency directly and imminently threatens the most basic human rights protected under international law – including to the right to life, self-determination and cultural rights. Human rights are now a fundamental component of more than 90 per cent of the climate litigation currently taking place outside the US, highlighting the international reach of human rights law and how its emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable helps diverse communities find common arguments for shared goals. Cases are set to continue and to evolve but three types of claim are emerging, each of which is examined in a new Chatham House briefing paper. 1. Enforcing commitments One category of cases seeks to hold states accountable for pledges they have made on climate change, such as emission reduction targets made under the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Drawing on human rights obligations, governments can be charged with not taking sufficient steps to implement these pledges. Human rights are now a fundamental component of more than 90 per cent of the climate litigation currently taking place outside the US The case of Leghari v Pakistan (2015) concerned the government’s failure to carry out the National Climate Change Policy of 2012 and the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy (2014-2030). The Lahore High Court held that several of the human rights enshrined in Pakistan’s constitution cover climate change and ‘provide the necessary judicial toolkit to address the government’s response to climate change’. The court ordered the government to carry out measures such as publishing an adaptation action plan realizable within a few months of the order and establishing a Climate Change Commission to monitor progress. 2. Positive duties to mitigate risks Many rights-based climate cases are being brought to clarify the scope of states’ positive duties under human rights law to take meaningful steps to protect their citizens against foreseeable risks to life and other rights. This ‘trickle-up’ effect of human rights was prominent in the case of State of the Netherlands vs the Urgenda Foundation (2019) where the Dutch Supreme Court held that reducing emissions with the highest possible level of ambition amounts to a ‘due diligence standard’ for states to comply with their positive duties to adopt adequate measures to address climate change. Human rights law was also used by the court to fill in the content of the due diligence standards. There is also a growing trend for rights-based actions to be brought against corporations, such as a recent case which drew on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to define the parameters of Shell’s duty of care and due diligence obligations in relation to carbon emissions under Dutch law. The court ordered Shell to reduce emissions by a net rate of 45 per cent by the end of 2030 – relative to 2019 figures – through its group corporate policy. 3. Avoiding harm in climate action The global human rights regime is also increasingly invoked in litigation concerning states’ negative obligations to ensure that their climate mitigation and adaptation activities do not themselves contribute to human rights violations (including discrimination) and that states prioritize adaptation measures for those most at risk in a just and equitable way. As Chatham House’s paper makes clear, this kind of litigation ‘puts pressure on governments to expand their approach to tackling climate change beyond purely a regulatory one to a more holistic strategy’. Closing the climate justice gap Climate and environmental litigation grounded in human rights is set to continue given the overwhelming scientific evidence of risks associated with human-induced climate change and the limited confidence in pledges made by states and corporations alike – including those made recently at COP26. A growing collaboration between civil society organizations and vulnerable communities in relation to both the protection of nature and the enjoyment of their land and cultural rights was evident at COP26, and this alliance will add further momentum to the trend for rights-based climate litigation based on the rights of indigenous and other vulnerable communities, especially on issues such as deforestation. Building on scientific developments in climate attribution, rights-based litigation is now tackling other difficult questions such as apportioning responsibility and remedial action But more challenges are coming. International human rights law recognizes a duty of international cooperation but there remain significant hurdles for climate-vulnerable communities in developing countries to compel action by richer nations despite the vast debts of ‘carbon colonialism.’ One big issue is the problem of extraterritoriality, as the extent to which states owe obligations to individuals outside their territory is contested. Courts in both Germany and the Netherlands have rejected claimants from developing countries in domestic class actions on this basis. But a recent decision of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on a complaint brought by Greta Thunberg and other youth activists against five countries opens the door for further litigation. One of a number of cases being brought by youth claimants across the world, the committee concluded that a state’s human rights duties can – in some instances – extend to children in other countries. This includes any activities on the territory that host states have the power to prevent from causing ‘transboundary harm’ – such as emissions from the territory – where these activities ‘significantly’ impact the enjoyment of human rights of persons outside the territory. To date, high-profile rights-based cases have argued for policy change and stronger targets underpinned by binding legislation responsive to the science. Claims are set to become more complex and contested. Building on scientific developments in climate attribution, rights-based litigation is now tackling other difficult questions such as apportioning responsibility and remedial action. These cases examine both historically high emitters and the public and private actors who either continue specific activities or refrains from action in the face of the overwhelming science linking human activities such as extraction and burning of fossil fuels to deforestation and climatic consequences. Courts are also likely to explore the duties that states and corporations owe to deliver a ‘just transition’ away from carbon-intensive industries, given the benefits of growth and climate action are already unevenly distributed. A holistic human-rights based approach Several states together with civil society are leading the charge for global recognition of the right to a healthy, clean, and sustainable environment in the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, and multi-stakeholder processes are defining what effective corporate due diligence looks like. In addition, UN-appointed special rapporteurs are delivering practical guidance on how to devise solutions which are fair, non-discriminatory, participatory, and climate-resilient without exacerbating inequality – including difficult issues of planned relocation – and UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies are unpacking the duty of international cooperation to act in good faith to address loss and damage. Recently the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women recommended the Marshall Islands, in order to meet its duty to its citizens, should actively seek international cooperation and assistance – including climate change financing – from other countries but in particular the US, whose ‘extraterritorial nuclear testing activities have exacerbated the adverse effects of climate change and natural disasters’ in the islands. Full Article
up Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1{beta} suppresses canonical Wnt signaling through transcriptional repression of lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 [Molecular Bases of Disease] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β (HNF-1β) is a tissue-specific transcription factor that is required for normal kidney development and renal epithelial differentiation. Mutations of HNF-1β produce congenital kidney abnormalities and inherited renal tubulopathies. Here, we show that ablation of HNF-1β in mIMCD3 renal epithelial cells results in activation of β-catenin and increased expression of lymphoid enhancer–binding factor 1 (LEF1), a downstream effector in the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Increased expression and nuclear localization of LEF1 are also observed in cystic kidneys from Hnf1b mutant mice. Expression of dominant-negative mutant HNF-1β in mIMCD3 cells produces hyperresponsiveness to exogenous Wnt ligands, which is inhibited by siRNA-mediated knockdown of Lef1. WT HNF-1β binds to two evolutionarily conserved sites located 94 and 30 kb from the mouse Lef1 promoter. Ablation of HNF-1β decreases H3K27 trimethylation repressive marks and increases β-catenin occupancy at a site 4 kb upstream to Lef1. Mechanistically, WT HNF-1β recruits the polycomb-repressive complex 2 that catalyzes H3K27 trimethylation. Deletion of the β-catenin–binding domain of LEF1 in HNF-1β–deficient cells abolishes the increase in Lef1 transcription and decreases the expression of downstream Wnt target genes. The canonical Wnt target gene, Axin2, is also a direct transcriptional target of HNF-1β through binding to negative regulatory elements in the gene promoter. These findings demonstrate that HNF-1β regulates canonical Wnt target genes through long-range effects on histone methylation at Wnt enhancers and reveal a new mode of active transcriptional repression by HNF-1β. Full Article
up The Democrats have set themselves up to fail in November's election — and they don't seem to realize it By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:52:24 +0000 Source The Independent URL https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/democrats-buttigieg-sanders-trump-biden-str... Release date 21 February 2020 Expert Dr Lindsay Newman In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
up Trump’s Strikes Risk Upending Iraqi Politics By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:26:01 +0000 Source Foreign Affairs URL https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/iran/2020-01-27/trumps-strikes-risk-upen... Release date 27 March 2020 Expert Dr Renad Mansour In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
up A Balancing Act for Europe: Stop the Migrants, Support Greece, Assuage Turkey By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:30:44 +0000 Source The New York Times URL https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/04/world/europe/europe-migrants-turkey-greece.ht... Release date 04 March 2020 Expert Robin Niblett In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
up For China’s coronavirus diplomacy to succeed, Beijing must dial up generosity and downplay ideology By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 17:31:39 +0000 Source South China Morning Post URL https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3079971/chinas-coronavirus-diplomac... Release date 16 April 2020 Expert Dr Yu Jie In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
up Israeli law encourages corruption at the very top By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 27 May 2020 12:05:28 +0000 Source Arab News URL https://www.arabnews.com/node/1673596 Release date 12 May 2020 Expert Professor Yossi Mekelberg In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
up Coupled intra- and interdomain dynamics support domain cross-talk in Pin1 [Signal Transduction] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:05-08:00 The functional mechanisms of multidomain proteins often exploit interdomain interactions, or “cross-talk.” An example is human Pin1, an essential mitotic regulator consisting of a Trp–Trp (WW) domain flexibly tethered to a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) domain, resulting in interdomain interactions important for Pin1 function. Substrate binding to the WW domain alters its transient contacts with the PPIase domain via means that are only partially understood. Accordingly, we have investigated Pin1 interdomain interactions using NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The PREs show that apo-Pin1 samples interdomain contacts beyond the range suggested by previous structural studies. They further show that substrate binding to the WW domain simultaneously alters interdomain separation and the internal conformation of the WW domain. A 4.5-μs all-atom MD simulation of apo-Pin1 suggests that the fluctuations of interdomain distances are correlated with fluctuations of WW domain interresidue contacts involved in substrate binding. Thus, the interdomain/WW domain conformations sampled by apo-Pin1 may already include a range of conformations appropriate for binding Pin1's numerous substrates. The proposed coupling between intra-/interdomain conformational fluctuations is a consequence of the dynamic modular architecture of Pin1. Such modular architecture is common among cell-cycle proteins; thus, the WW–PPIase domain cross-talk mechanisms of Pin1 may be relevant for their mechanisms as well. Full Article
up The HRDC domain oppositely modulates the unwinding activity of E. coli RecQ helicase on duplex DNA and G-quadruplex [Enzymology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 RecQ family helicases are highly conserved from bacteria to humans and have essential roles in maintaining genome stability. Mutations in three human RecQ helicases cause severe diseases with the main features of premature aging and cancer predisposition. Most RecQ helicases shared a conserved domain arrangement which comprises a helicase core, an RecQ C-terminal domain, and an auxiliary element helicase and RNaseD C-terminal (HRDC) domain, the functions of which are poorly understood. In this study, we systematically characterized the roles of the HRDC domain in E. coli RecQ in various DNA transactions by single-molecule FRET. We found that RecQ repetitively unwinds the 3'-partial duplex and fork DNA with a moderate processivity and periodically patrols on the ssDNA in the 5'-partial duplex by translocation. The HRDC domain significantly suppresses RecQ activities in the above transactions. In sharp contrast, the HRDC domain is essential for the deep and long-time unfolding of the G4 DNA structure by RecQ. Based on the observations that the HRDC domain dynamically switches between RecA core- and ssDNA-binding modes after RecQ association with DNA, we proposed a model to explain the modulation mechanism of the HRDC domain. Our findings not only provide new insights into the activities of RecQ on different substrates but also highlight the novel functions of the HRDC domain in DNA metabolisms. Full Article
up Sino-Russian Gas Cooperation: Power of Siberia I and II and Implications for Global LNG Supplies By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 19 Nov 2019 10:25:01 +0000 Sino-Russian Gas Cooperation: Power of Siberia I and II and Implications for Global LNG Supplies 27 November 2019 — 8:30AM TO 9:30AM Anonymous (not verified) 19 November 2019 Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE In a new event in the Sustainable Transitions series, the speaker will present an update of Sino-Russian gas cooperation.To give a comprehensive account of their impact on global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, he will discuss the following points:Gas is scheduled to start flowing from the Power of Siberia I (POS) on 2 December 2019. But what is the background of development of POS 1 and what is its current status and prospects? What are the chances of exporting gas through the proposed Altai pipeline? Why is the Mongolia export route so significant? And how will it affect the Central Asian Republics and in particular Turkmenistan’s gas export to China? What are the implications of both POS I and Altai gas via Mongolia route in the context of global LNG supply?What are the prospects for multilateral pipeline gas cooperation in northeast Asia?What are the implications for other Arctic onshore LNG supply, in particular, for Novatek’s Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 1 and 2 to China on top of POS 1 and Altai gas?Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Full Article
up Moving Food up the Political Agenda By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:43:59 +0000 Moving Food up the Political Agenda 14 December 2020 — 3:00PM TO 4:30PM Anonymous (not verified) 8 December 2020 Online How can food system transformation be woven into high level biodiversity, nutrition and climate forums in 2021? Adverse impacts on food security are expected to worsen as global temperatures continue to rise. As well as feeling the impacts of climate change, food systems drive it in a number of ways. Not only do food systems contribute more to greenhouse gas emissions than any other parts of our lives, they are also the leading driver of biodiversity loss, the largest cause of deforestation and occupy the most land globally. On our current trajectory, 1.5°C of warming could become a reality in the next 5-10 years. Transforming food systems to meet climate, biodiversity and food security goals is crucial. If left to continue, food alone could take us over 1.5°C this century – even with maximum efforts in the energy sector. Unprecedented levels of action to transform food systems is required over the next decade. The coming year is described as a ‘super year’ given the numerous high-level global events taking place that cover climate, biodiversity and food security. The year ahead has also been identified as the final opportunity to bring global commitments in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. What can be achieved in the super year? How can food system transformation be woven into high level biodiversity, nutrition and climate forums during the super year? How can momentum from the super year be built upon, to ensure meaningful action is taken over the next decade? Full Article
up ‘Hong Kong is now in the hands of its people – they cannot rely on others to stick up for them now.’ By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 14:18:34 +0000 ‘Hong Kong is now in the hands of its people – they cannot rely on others to stick up for them now.’ Expert comment sysadmin 29 June 2017 Kerry Brown on ‘one country, two systems’, the UK’s diminishing influence and the territory’s future, 20 years after the handover. — Hong Kong and Chinese flags hang in preparation for President Xi Jinping’s visit. Photo: Getty Images. 1 July marks the 20th anniversary of the transfer of Hong Kong’s sovereignty from Britain to China. Kerry Brown speaks with Jason Naselli about what the future holds for the territory. How sustainable is the ‘one country, two systems’ framework? Will the arrangement last the full 50 years (until 2047) as originally envisioned? It is questionable whether the arrangement that exists today was the one envisioned in 1997 when the handover happened. It was always a very abstract, flexible system, granting Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy, meaning it could maintain its capitalist system. Of course, in the lead up to 1997 all these things were broadly seen as being in Beijing’s interests to preserve. But these days, the one thing that few said in 1997 has come to pass – the People’s Republic has maintained one-party rule as a political system, but become one of the world’s great economies. It has been so far a huge success. Hong Kong therefore has diminished in importance over the years to the point that maintaining at least some semblance of one country, two systems is almost like an act of charity. It has been nibbled at, compromised and seems to grow weaker by the day. Most in Hong Kong would say there is a system: one country, one system. That’s the deal. The central government’s deepening involvement in the territory’s politics is a subject of growing controversy in Hong Kong. Does the Chinese government need to alter its approach? Not particularly. It doesn’t want to see Hong Kong fail as an economy. That doesn’t suit its interests at all. But nor does it want a truculent, disobedient polity that is meant to be part of its sovereign territory. So it has increasingly set political parameters. Hong Kong can have its unique system – as long as it is obedient. And on the whole, that is the deal that all of the city’s chief executives until now have internally understood perfectly. As part of the 1997 handover, the UK has ‘a continuing moral and political obligation’ to Hong Kong. How will this relationship play out as Brexit shifts Britain’s place in the world? The Foreign Office offers a six-monthly report to Parliament, updating on how the handover deal is going. As the years go on, however, it becomes increasingly illusive how the UK has any real locus to say much about the situation on Hong Kong. It did say, rightly, that the detainment of one of the booksellers taken in in 2015 was a violation of the treaty because he was British. This was the strongest wording that has ever appeared from an official British source. But with dependence on creating a new kind of relationship with China now foremost in people’s minds because of Brexit and other economic pressures, it is not surprising that the priority increasingly lies elsewhere. With direct management of Hong Kong gone, the UK was always going to be more and more irrelevant. That has happened. And in any case, relations with China have had to become more complex and multifaceted. Hong Kong was always the tail wagging the dog for the UK relations with China. Now there has been a rebalancing, the calculation always has to be how much unilaterally supporting Hong Kong will damage relations with Beijing. This has become an increasingly asymmetrical question: in a playoff, preserving links with Beijing will always prevail. That’s just the reality of the new world we are seeing come into being. Hong Kong has played an important financial role for China over the past 20 years, but where will it fit as markets and financial institutions on the mainland mature? It maintains is role as a major RMB hub, and as a finance centre. But it is surrounded by competition. Singapore, and Sydney, and other places in the region have RMB deals. Shanghai and Tianjin aspire to be portals for entry to the domestic Chinese market. Hong Kong every day has to think of new ways to maintain its relevance and beat back competition. So far, it has done well. But this is an issue it can never be complacent about. What has been the most significant change in Hong Kong society since 1997? The rising cultural and linguistic influence of the mainland on Hong Kong. Hong Kong has maintained its difference – but it has had to change. It is clear that Hong Kong is now in the hands of Hong Kongese – they cannot rely on others to stick up for them now. The culture, identity and future of the territory are in their hands. In that sense, they have autonomy. Full Article
up Rational group algebras of generalized strongly monomial groups: Primitive idempotents and units By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:01 EDT Gurmeet K. Bakshi, Jyoti Garg and Gabriela Olteanu Math. Comp. 93 (), 3027-3058. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Driving Up Air Pollution By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:38:14 -0400 Karen Rios Soto explains how mathematics illuminates the link between air pollution from motor vehicle emissions and asthma. Air pollution causes the premature deaths of an estimated seven million people each year, and it makes life worse for all of us. People with asthma can experience chest tightness, coughing or wheezing, and difficulty breathing when triggered by air pollution. One major source is gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks, which emit "ultrafine" particles less than 0.1 micrometers across. That's about the width of the virus that causes COVID-19, so tiny that these particles are not currently regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Yet ultrafine particles can easily enter your lungs and be absorbed into your bloodstream, causing health issues such as an asthma attack or even neurodegenerative diseases. Mathematics can help us understand the extent of the problem and how to solve it. Full Article
up Using Math to Support Cancer Research By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 29 Dec 2022 2:39:14 -0400 Stacey Finley from University of Southern California discusses how mathematical models support the research of cancer biology. Cancer research is a crucial job, but a difficult one. Tumors growing inside the human body are affected by all kinds of factors. These conditions are difficult (if not impossible) to recreate in the lab, and using real patients as subjects can be painful and invasive. Mathematical models give cancer researchers the ability to run experiments virtually, testing the effects of any number of factors on tumor growth and other processes — all with far less money and time than an experiment on human subjects or in the lab would use. Full Article
up Supporting Wildlife with Statistics By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 16 Feb 2024 10:33:14 -0400 Dr. Outi Tervo of Greenland Institute for Natural Resources, shares how mathematics helps recommend speed limits for marine vessels, which benefits narwhals and Inuit culture. Narwhals "can only be found in the Arctic," said Outi Tervo, a senior scientist at GINR. "These species are going to be threatened by climate change more than other species that can live in a bigger geographical area." The collaboration has already lobbied on behalf of the narwhals to reduce the level of sea traffic in their habitat, after using mathematical analysis to identify how noise from passing boats changes the narwhals' foraging behavior. Full Article
up Smashing Particles up Against Mathematics By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 8 Mar 2024 14:33:14 -0400 Dr. Abiy Tasissa of Tufts University, discusses the mathematics he and colleagues used to study particle collider data, including optimal transport and optimization. Collider physics often result in distributions referred to as jets. Dr. Tasissa and his team used "Earth Mover's Distance" and other mathematical tools to study the shape of jets. "It is interesting for me to see how mathematics can be applied to study these fundamental problems answering fundamental equations in physics, not only at the level of formulating new ideas, which is, in this particular case, a notion of distance, but also how the importance of designing fast optimization algorithms to be able to actually compute these distances," says Dr. Tasissa. Full Article
up Lie groups with all left-invariant semi-Riemannian metrics complete By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Ahmed Elshafei, Ana Cristina Ferreira, Miguel Sánchez and Abdelghani Zeghib Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5837-5862. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up ????????-duality for self-similar groupoid actions on graphs By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Nathan Brownlowe, Alcides Buss, Daniel Gonçalves, Jeremy B. Hume, Aidan Sims and Michael F. Whittaker Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5513-5560. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Twisted Kuperberg invariants of knots and Reidemeister torsion via twisted Drinfeld doubles By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Daniel López Neumann Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5361-5387. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Unconditional Cesàro convergence of sequences of super-reflexive valued random variables By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:10 EST Abdessamad Dehaj and Mohamed Guessous Theor. Probability and Math. Statist. 111 (), 1-8. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Blow-up solutions of fractional diffusion equations with an exponential nonlinearity By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Anh Tuan Nguyen, Tómas Caraballo and Nguyen Huy Tuan Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5175-5189. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Groups with ????_{ℓ}-commutator relations By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:08 EST E. Voronetsky St. Petersburg Math. J. 35 (), 433-443. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Spectral theory and self-similar blowup in wave equations By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:35 EST Roland Donninger Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 61 (), 659-685. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
up Extremely rare 'failed supernova' may have erased a star from the night sky without a trace By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T20:05:32Z Full Article
up Up to US to decide what to do with decommissioned HAWK missiles, Taiwan says By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-13T02:23:08Z Full Article
up Look Up! The Northern Lights May Be Visible in the U.S. Tonight—Here's Where to See Them By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T16:20:24Z Full Article
up John Bolton Sums Up What Trump Really Wants In 1 Damning Word By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-13T04:31:44Z Full Article
up Jon Stewart Blows Up Key Theory on Why Dems Got ‘Shellacked’ By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T05:05:30Z Full Article
up Driver rams his car into crowd in China, killing 35. Police say he was upset about his divorce By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-11T17:34:35Z Full Article
up ‘DOG-EAT-DOG’ TIME IN D’CUP - A15 /// MANNING CUP CHAMPIONS READY TO SHIFT GEAR - A18 By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:01:19 -0500 PROMOTED RACING, CHAPELTON MAROONS RENEW RIVALRY IN JPL - A16 FUNCAANDUN SET FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN - A21 Full Article
up D’Yani eager for upcoming UK tour By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:00:51 -0500 Reggae crooner D'Yani has exclaimed surprise at the momentum building up for his upcoming United Kingdom (UK) tour. "I'm still in shock that the early bird tickets were sold out so quickly, " he told THE WEEKEND STAR. D'Yani, born Andre... Full Article
up DJ Specs gives up university to juggle music By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:01:06 -0500 In 2020, when Anthony Parker, known to his fans as DJ Specs, decided to trade his textbooks for turntables, he didn't just pivot his career -- he pivoted his entire life. At just 25 years old, this Kingston-born DJ has already carved out a space... Full Article
up Jah Kettle wraps up successful tour By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 05:00:55 -0500 Reggae artiste Jah Kettle says he was pleased with his recently concluded Canada tour and is now excited to release a new single, titled Nothing Gonna Take Your Love Away, done with fellow reggae act Ras Penco. "The fans were riveting and showed... Full Article