cto ‘The Incredibles’ director Brad Bird picks what to watch in isolation By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 10:00:04 +0000 Here's how the new Turner Classic Movies "Essentials" guest — the man behind "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille" — has been influenced by Hitchcock, '50s sci-fi and James Bond. Full Article
cto News24.com | Survivors of Nigeria's 'baby factories' share their stories By www.news24.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 07:02:47 +0200 Girls who fled Boko Haram attacks are being enslaved and raped by human traffickers who then sell their babies. Full Article
cto Elon Musk says Tesla will 'immediately' leave California after coronavirus shutdowns forced the company to close its main car factory (TSLA) By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 13:34:00 -0400 Elon Musk says Tesla may leave its Palo Alto headquarters and Fremont, California factory. In a tweet Saturday morning, the chief executive continued his outrage against shelter-in-place orders that have forced most non-essential businesses to close. Last week, Musk likened the rules to fascism, and urged leaders to "give people their goddamn freedom back." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. After a week of decrying coronavirus shelter-in-place orders that have left Tesla's main factory shuttered and unable to produce vehicles, Elon Musk says the company may move its factory out of the state. "Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately," the chief executive said on Twitter Saturday morning. "The unelected & ignorant 'Interim Health Officer' of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!" That was followed up with a threat to move Tesla's headquarters outside the state. "Frankly, this is the final straw," he replied. "Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA." Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020 It wasn't immediately clear if a suit had yet been filed, or in which court Tesla will file the lawsuit. Most state and federal courts are closed on weekends and do not allow filing. In a subsequent Tweet, Musk alsourged shareholders to file a class action suit for damages caused by shutdown. Tesla's press relations department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alameda County did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alameda County — the East Bay locale which includes Fremont, California, and Tesla's gigafactory about 30 miles southeast of San Francisco — extended its shelter-in-place order on April 29 "until further notice." Local authorities have not allowed Tesla to reopen the factory, and all manufacturing remains prohibited under the order. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Tesla was planning to resume some manufacturing operations at the factory as soon as last Wednesday, May 6. Local officials said it did not have permission to do so. "Right now, the same health order is in place so nothing has changed," Fremont Police Department spokeswoman Geneva Bosques told Business Insider at the time. "Operating the assembly line was determined early on to be a violation." Last week, following Tesla's first-quarter earnings announcement, Musk decried the shutdowns as a substantial risk to the company's financials. "Frankly, I would call it forcible imprisoning of people in their homes against all of, their constitutional rights, in my opinion," he said on a conference call. "It's breaking people's freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong and not why they came to America or built this country. What the f---. Excuse me. Outrage. Outrage." "If somebody wants to stay in their house, that's great and they should be able to," he continued. "But to say they cannot leave their house and that they will be arrested if they do, that's fascist. That is not democratic — this is not freedom. Give people back their goddamn freedom." Some states, including Texas, Georgia, and others, have begun to slowly allow certain businesses to re-open in recent weeks. Musk praised counties neighboring Alameda, like San Joaquin for what he said were more "reasonable" responses. In a podcast released May 7, he told Joe Rogan that the company had learned from the coronavirus in China, where it briefly forced Tesla to close its Shanghai factory — a claim he repeated on Twitter Saturday. "Our castings foundry and other faculties in San Joaquin have been working 24/7 this entire time with no ill effects. Same with Giga Nevada," Musk said. "Tesla knows far more about what needs to be done to be safe through our Tesla China factory experience than an (unelected) interim junior official in Alameda County." As Musk began to complain about factory shutdowns in April, workers at Tesla's Fremont factory told Business Insider that the comments made them anxious. "I'm for going back to work, but only if it is safe for me, my family, coworkers," said one production employee. "I don't feel like I'm being forced to stay home or that my freedom has been taken away. It's for the good of California."Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly Full Article
cto Michelle Obama goes low and leads Team USA to victory in celebrity dodgeball match on ‘Late Late Show’ By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:03:07 +0000 The former first lady and her A-list friends triumphed over late-night host James Corden and his squad. Full Article
cto Actor Adam Scott and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s social media team are in a Twitter fight By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Thu, 27 Jun 2019 17:22:59 +0000 The actor responded unfavorably to a tweet by McConnell's campaign, and the beef didn't stop there. Full Article
cto Cause Celeb: Victor Garber testifies on diabetes research By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 17:24:17 +0000 The "Alias" actor was diagnosed with the disease as a child. Full Article
cto Octoshape and INVISO Partner Up to Offer Internet-Based TV Contribution Services Across Latin America By www.tvover.net Published On :: Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:56:01 GMT Octoshape announced a partnership with INVISO to deliver Internet TV contribution services throughout Latin America. "At INVISO, we seek the most innovative and high quality products to serve our customers through the brands we represent,” said Jose Luis Reyes, Vice President for Sales and Operations, INVISO. “In the case of Octoshape, we found a company and a product that bring these qualities to our supply chain, sales and service.” Octoshape offers an innovative cloud-based solution that provides instant infrastructure for the distribution of both linear and video on demand content. The Octoshape Infinite Uplink service provides point-to-point distribution of TV signals over the Internet for source signal acquisition to traditional IPTV and cable headends as an alternative to traditional methods like satellite and video fiber. Full Article Internet TV;Service Providers/South America IPTV
cto A question missing from the health-care debate: Will doctors make less money? By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Aug 2019 23:01:07 +0000 Democratic candidates need to show their math. Full Article
cto In other news — a rare political victory for poor and sick Americans By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:33:32 +0000 Punitive Medicaid work requirements are being rolled back. Full Article
cto 4 High-Potential Sectors for AI and ML Startup Success By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 01 Jan 2020 19:00:21 +0000 Today, the explosion of development in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology has created a market for which it appears there’s no limit. No matter the industry, if you name a reasonably-sized (or larger) company, there’s a good chance that they’re investing in AI and ML technology as a cornerstone of their strategic […] The post 4 High-Potential Sectors for AI and ML Startup Success appeared first on ReadWrite. Full Article AI Startups artificial intelligence HR Human Resources Machine Learning ML startups
cto Channel24.co.za | Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, 53, dies By www.channel24.co.za Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 07:21:14 +0200 Bollywood star, Irrfan Khan, has died after being admitted to the intensive care unit at Mumbai's Kokilaben hospital. Full Article
cto Channel24.co.za | Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, 67, dies By www.channel24.co.za Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 07:48:44 +0200 After a long battle with cancer, Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor has died. Full Article
cto AT#60 - Travel to Vancouver, British Columbia (plus Victoria, Whistler) By traffic.libsyn.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Oct 2006 06:00:30 +0000 Vancouver, Birtish Columbia (plus Victoria, Whistler) Full Article
cto AT#371 - Travel to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe, Zambia) By africa.amateurtraveler.com Published On :: Sat, 11 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000 Hear about travel to Victoria Falls as the Amateur Traveler talks to Nir Ben-Dov about his trip to this spectacular falls on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. This was Nir’s second trip and his wife’s first trip from their home in Israel to this famed set of falls in southern Africa. Full Article
cto AT#458 - Volunteer Travel with Peace Corp Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet By amateurtraveler.com Published On :: Sat, 07 Mar 2015 19:44:44 +0000 Hear about volunteer travel with the Peace Corps as the Amateur Traveler talks to Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet. Director Hessler-Radelet not only served in the Peace Corps herself in Western Samoa but 4 generations of her family have done so. Full Article
cto AT#670 - Africa Overland - Johannesburg to Victoria Falls By AmateurTraveler.com Published On :: Sat, 24 Aug 2019 14:00:00 +0000 In this special episode of Amateur Traveler, I get to introduce to you some of the wonderful people who joined me in Africa last May. We drove overland from Johannesburg, South Africa to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Full Article
cto Watch The Protectors (1982) Online | Season 1 & 2 Full Episodes Video Streaming & Torrent Search By www.webtvwire.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2015 04:31:45 +0000 The Protectors (1972) Synopsis The Protectors (1972) was an action thriller television series produced by ITV that premiered in September of 1972. The Protectors (1972) was a British action thriller series created by Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds) about an international group of rich troubleshooters. Contessa di Contini (played by Nyree Dawn Porter), Paul Buchet (played by […] Full Article TV Shows
cto Police find 8-foot boa constrictor while investigating Oppenheimer Park fight By bc.ctvnews.ca Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 18:36:00 -0700 Police officers responding to a call about a man with a machete in Oppenheimer Park Friday afternoon found what they were looking for, and then some. Full Article
cto A peroxisome deficiency-induced reductive cytosol state up-regulates the brain-derived neurotrophic factor pathway [Metabolism] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-17T00:06:05-07:00 The peroxisome is a subcellular organelle that functions in essential metabolic pathways, including biosynthesis of plasmalogens, fatty acid β-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids, and degradation of hydrogen peroxide. Peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) manifest as severe dysfunction in multiple organs, including the central nervous system (CNS), but the pathogenic mechanisms in PBDs are largely unknown. Because CNS integrity is coordinately established and maintained by neural cell interactions, we here investigated whether cell-cell communication is impaired and responsible for the neurological defects associated with PBDs. Results from a noncontact co-culture system consisting of primary hippocampal neurons with glial cells revealed that a peroxisome-deficient astrocytic cell line secretes increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), resulting in axonal branching of the neurons. Of note, the BDNF expression in astrocytes was not affected by defects in plasmalogen biosynthesis and peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation in the astrocytes. Instead, we found that cytosolic reductive states caused by a mislocalized catalase in the peroxisome-deficient cells induce the elevation in BDNF secretion. Our results suggest that peroxisome deficiency dysregulates neuronal axogenesis by causing a cytosolic reductive state in astrocytes. We conclude that astrocytic peroxisomes regulate BDNF expression and thereby support neuronal integrity and function. Full Article
cto N{alpha}-Acetylation of the virulence factor EsxA is required for mycobacterial cytosolic translocation and virulence [Molecular Bases of Disease] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-24T06:08:45-07:00 The Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence factor EsxA and its chaperone EsxB are secreted as a heterodimer (EsxA:B) and are crucial for mycobacterial escape from phagosomes and cytosolic translocation. Current findings support the idea that for EsxA to interact with host membranes, EsxA must dissociate from EsxB at low pH. However, the molecular mechanism by which the EsxA:B heterodimer separates is not clear. In the present study, using liposome-leakage and cytotoxicity assays, LC-MS/MS–based proteomics, and CCF-4 FRET analysis, we obtained evidence that the Nα-acetylation of the Thr-2 residue on EsxA, a post-translational modification that is present in mycobacteria but absent in Escherichia coli, is required for the EsxA:B separation. Substitutions at Thr-2 that precluded Nα-acetylation inhibited the heterodimer separation and hence prevented EsxA from interacting with the host membrane, resulting in attenuated mycobacterial cytosolic translocation and virulence. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that at low pH, the Nα-acetylated Thr-2 makes direct and frequent “bind-and-release” contacts with EsxB, which generates a force that pulls EsxB away from EsxA. In summary, our findings provide evidence that the Nα-acetylation at Thr-2 of EsxA facilitates dissociation of the EsxA:B heterodimer required for EsxA membrane permeabilization and mycobacterial cytosolic translocation and virulence. Full Article
cto Webinar: Reimagining the Role of State and Non-State Actors in (Re)building National Health Systems in the Arab World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:15:01 +0000 Research Event 22 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Event participants Fadi El-Jardali, Professor of Health Policy and Systems, American University of BeirutModerator: Nadim Houry, Executive Director, Arab Reform Initiative As new cases of COVID-19 continue to surge, countries around the world struggle to mitigate the public health and economic effects of the virus. It is becoming increasingly clear that an effective pandemic response requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach. In the Arab world, where health systems are already strained by armed conflicts and displaced populations, a whole-of-society response to the pandemic is particularly critical as countries have become increasingly dependent on non-state actors, notably the private sector, for healthcare provision and any response that includes the state alone may not be sufficient to address the pandemic.In a recent article, Fadi El-Jardali, argued that while the pandemic will have grave health and economic consequences for years to come, it brings with it a valuable opportunity to re-envision the role of state and non-state actors in strengthening health systems. The article addressed the need for increased collaboration between state and non-state actors, and the rethinking of existing cooperation models to provide quality healthcare services for all. In this webinar, part of the Chatham House project on the future of the state in the Middle East and North Africa, Dr El-Jardali will discuss how state and non-state actors can collaborate more effectively to address the shortcomings of national health care systems amidst the pandemic and beyond. The article’s author will share insights on the different capacities available in Arab societies that governments can draw upon to ensure that Universal Health Coverage, equity considerations and social justice are at the core of health systems.You can express your interest in attending by following this link. You will receive a Zoom confirmation email should your registration be successful. Alternatively, you can watch the event live on the MENA Programme Facebook page. Department/project Middle East and North Africa Programme, The Future of the State in the Middle East 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
cto Three distinct glycosylation pathways are involved in the decoration of Lactococcus lactis cell wall glycopolymers [Microbiology] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-17T00:06:05-07:00 Extracytoplasmic sugar decoration of glycopolymer components of the bacterial cell wall contributes to their structural diversity. Typically, the molecular mechanism that underpins such a decoration process involves a three-component glycosylation system (TGS) represented by an undecaprenyl-phosphate (Und-P) sugar-activating glycosyltransferase (Und-P GT), a flippase, and a polytopic glycosyltransferase (PolM GT) dedicated to attaching sugar residues to a specific glycopolymer. Here, using bioinformatic analyses, CRISPR-assisted recombineering, structural analysis of cell wall–associated polysaccharides (CWPS) through MALDI-TOF MS and methylation analysis, we report on three such systems in the bacterium Lactococcus lactis. On the basis of sequence similarities, we first identified three gene pairs, csdAB, csdCD, and csdEF, each encoding an Und-P GT and a PolM GT, as potential TGS component candidates. Our experimental results show that csdAB and csdCD are involved in Glc side-chain addition on the CWPS components rhamnan and polysaccharide pellicle (PSP), respectively, whereas csdEF plays a role in galactosylation of lipoteichoic acid (LTA). We also identified a potential flippase encoded in the L. lactis genome (llnz_02975, cflA) and confirmed that it participates in the glycosylation of the three cell wall glycopolymers rhamnan, PSP, and LTA, thus indicating that its function is shared by the three TGSs. Finally, we observed that glucosylation of both rhamnan and PSP can increase resistance to bacteriophage predation and that LTA galactosylation alters L. lactis resistance to bacteriocin. Full Article
cto The hibernating 100S complex is a target of ribosome-recycling factor and elongation factor G in Staphylococcus aureus [Protein Synthesis and Degradation] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 The formation of translationally inactive 70S dimers (called 100S ribosomes) by hibernation-promoting factor is a widespread survival strategy among bacteria. Ribosome dimerization is thought to be reversible, with the dissociation of the 100S complexes enabling ribosome recycling for participation in new rounds of translation. The precise pathway of 100S ribosome recycling has been unclear. We previously found that the heat-shock GTPase HflX in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a minor disassembly factor. Cells lacking hflX do not accumulate 100S ribosomes unless they are subjected to heat exposure, suggesting the existence of an alternative pathway during nonstressed conditions. Here, we provide biochemical and genetic evidence that two essential translation factors, ribosome-recycling factor (RRF) and GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G), synergistically split 100S ribosomes in a GTP-dependent but tRNA translocation-independent manner. We found that although HflX and the RRF/EF-G pair are functionally interchangeable, HflX is expressed at low levels and is dispensable under normal growth conditions. The bacterial RRF/EF-G pair was previously known to target only the post-termination 70S complexes; our results reveal a new role in the reversal of ribosome hibernation that is intimately linked to bacterial pathogenesis, persister formation, stress responses, and ribosome integrity. Full Article
cto Chatham House appoints Adam Ward as deputy director By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Jan 2017 14:54:55 +0000 17 January 2017 Chatham House is pleased to announce that Adam Ward will join the institute in a new role as deputy director. 2017-01-17-AdamWard2.jpg Adam Ward takes up the position of deputy director on 10 April 2017 and will join Chatham House from the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, where he has served as director of studies since 2009.As deputy director, Adam will oversee and coordinate Chatham House's multiple areas of research, help manage the institute's relationships with key external constituencies, ensure the delivery of high-quality publications and deputize for the institute’s director, Dr Robin Niblett.This is a new position, created after a period of sustained growth for Chatham House, especially in research and policy outputs. The appointment also coincides with the opening this spring of new working and meeting space for the institute in Ames House, the building adjacent to Chatham House on Duke of York Street in the St James's area of central London.At IISS, publishers of the renowned annual Military Balance and other high-quality publications and organizers of influential annual security summits, including the Shangri-La Dialogue, Adam was responsible for the oversight of its worldwide research activities, which are also conducted from IISS offices in the Middle East, Asia and the US. Adam led the establishment of the office in Washington and was previously a senior fellow for East Asia.Dr Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House, said:‘I am delighted that Adam Ward will shortly be joining Chatham House. At a time of great uncertainty and risk in international affairs, his experience in leading research at the prestigious IISS and knowledge of how research institutes can develop and communicate their ideas on public policy will be of enormous value. His wide-ranging expertise on geopolitics and the foreign policies of China and the United States will also help the institute develop integrated projects that reflect the changing balance of world power. I very much look forward to working with him.’Adam Ward said:‘I am excited to take up this opportunity to join Chatham House's executive leadership and to work with Robin Niblett and his senior management team. Chatham House has a well-deserved reputation for rigour and excellence in its research and for providing insights and solutions across a comprehensive range of international challenges. Chatham House's capacity for inter-disciplinary research is one of its distinctive strengths, and I look forward to ensuring its ideas are brought to bear on an ever more complex policy environment.’ Editor's notes About Chatham HouseChatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute based in London. Its mission is to help build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world. Founded in 1920, Chatham House engages governments, the private sector, civil society and its members in open debate and confidential discussion on the most significant developments in international affairs. Each year, the institute runs more than 300 private and public events – conferences, workshops and roundtables – in London and internationally with partners. Its convening power attracts world leaders and the best analysts in their respective fields from across the globe.About Adam WardAs director of studies of the IISS, Adam Ward has since 2009 led the execution of the Institute’s worldwide research activities, including setting priorities, raising funds and the management of a research staff distributed across four international offices. Between 2009 and 2014 he organized the annual series of IISS Global Strategic Review conferences. He represents the institute internationally among its audiences in government, the expert community and business.Adam was previously, from 2006, executive director of the IISS office in Washington DC, where he led the relocation of the office to larger premises, an expansion in its staff, the development of a busy events programme and research activities and acted as the institute’s principal liaison with US government agencies and the Washington-based diplomatic and academic community. Prior to this, he served from 2001 simultaneously as the IISS senior fellow for East Asian security and editor of Strategic Comments, a series of analytical briefing papers on global topics.He began his career in 1997 as an analyst and editor at the consulting firm Oxford Analytica, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. He holds a bachelor’s degree in German and Politics and an MA in International Relations, both from the University of Warwick, and also studied for one academic year at the University of Salzburg in Austria. Full Article
cto Chatham House appoints Tim Benton as Research Director for Energy, Environment and Resources By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 30 May 2019 08:44:55 +0000 30 May 2019 Chatham House is pleased to announce that Professor Tim Benton has been appointed as research director of the Energy, Environment and Resources Department. BentonTim3.jpg He brings substantial expertise on food systems and environmental change to the role and will focus on establishing new initiatives at the intersection of research and policymaking.Tim was appointed as a distinguished visiting fellow of Chatham House in the Energy, Environment and Resources Department in 2016. He has since contributed to the institute in a number of ways, not least through leading the GCRF-AFRICAP project which aims to enhance policy making in Sub-Saharan Africa, through building climate-smart food systems.Tim’s research focuses on food security and building food systems that are resilient and sustainable, working within the broader areas of ecology, natural resources and climate change impacts. He has published over 150 academic papers, most tackling the core themes of agriculture’s environmental impact and more generally how systems respond to environmental change. He is a lead author of the upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on climate change and land. He is also coordinating lead author on international risks for the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment, which draws on his broader interests in sustainable finance, trade and energy. He has advised other governments as well as global companies on related issues.Tim joins Chatham House in his new capacity from the University of Leeds where he is dean of strategic research initiatives. Prior to this, from 2011 to 2016, Tim was the champion of the UK’s Global Food Security programme, a large multi-agency partnership of the UK’s public bodies involved in addressing challenges around food. He has also been research dean in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, and head of department, at Leeds.Dr Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House, said: 'Tim’s wealth of experience will be especially valuable as we build up our interdisciplinary Chatham House research theme of promoting sustainable growth. We look forward to welcoming Tim to his new role in early July.'Tim Benton said: 'I am honoured to be joining Chatham House as Research Director for Energy, Environment and Resources. Chatham House has a global reputation in these areas, on which we can build. Informed analysis, combined with effective action to transition towards sustainable economies, is needed now, more than ever.'About the Energy, Environment and Resources DepartmentThe Energy, Environment and Resources department at Chatham House seeks to advance the international debate on energy, environment and development policy and to influence and enable decision-makers – governments, NGOs and business – to take well-informed decisions that contribute to achieving sustainable development. Independent of any actor or ideology, we do this by carrying out innovative research on major policy challenges, bringing together diverse perspectives and constituencies and injecting new ideas into the international arena.Tim Benton takes over the role from Rob Bailey who has joined Marsh & McLennan Insights as Director, Climate Resilience. Full Article
cto The Shifting Economic and Political Landscape in the US and Europe - What Factors Matter? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:30:00 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 2 November 2017 - 8:15am to 9:15am Chatham House, London Event participants Megan Greene, Managing Director and Chief Economist, Manulife Asset Management Megan Greene will join us for a discussion on the prospect of future economic and political uncertainty on both sides of the Atlantic.The first year of Donald Trump’s presidency and the ongoing saga of Brexit negotiations underscore the amount of uncertainty about the economic future on both sides of the Atlantic.Despite that, business and consumer confidence in the US and continental Europe have soared. Are we still stuck in secular stagnation, or are we breaking out of the low growth, low inflation, low rate environment we’ve been in for years?What opportunities and risks are posed by this year’s elections in France and Germany, the upcoming elections in Italy, and the mid-term elections in the US?This event is part of the US and Americas Programme ongoing series on Transatlantic Perspectives on Common Economic Challenges. This series examines some of the principal global challenges that we face today and potentially differing perspectives from across Europe and the US.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Event attributes Chatham House Rule Department/project US and the Americas Programme, US Geoeconomic Trends and Challenges Courtney Rice Senior Programme Manager, US and the Americas Programme (0)20 7389 3298 Email Full Article
cto Kruppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) suppresses NF-{kappa}B-driven inflammation in mice [Immunology] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 Bacterial products such as lipopolysaccharides (or endotoxin) cause systemic inflammation, resulting in a substantial global health burden. The onset, progression, and resolution of the inflammatory response to endotoxin are usually tightly controlled to avoid chronic inflammation. Members of the NF-κB family of transcription factors are key drivers of inflammation that activate sets of genes in response to inflammatory signals. Such responses are typically short-lived and can be suppressed by proteins that act post-translationally, such as the SOCS (suppressor of cytokine signaling) family. Less is known about direct transcriptional regulation of these responses, however. Here, using a combination of in vitro approaches and in vivo animal models, we show that endotoxin treatment induced expression of the well-characterized transcriptional repressor Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3), which, in turn, directly repressed the expression of the NF-κB family member RELA/p65. We also observed that KLF3-deficient mice were hypersensitive to endotoxin and exhibited elevated levels of circulating Ly6C+ monocytes and macrophage-derived inflammatory cytokines. These findings reveal that KLF3 is a fundamental suppressor that operates as a feedback inhibitor of RELA/p65 and may be important in facilitating the resolution of inflammation. Full Article
cto The mRNA levels of heat shock factor 1 are regulated by thermogenic signals via the cAMP-dependent transcription factor ATF3 [Metabolism] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) regulates cellular adaptation to challenges such as heat shock and oxidative and proteotoxic stresses. We have recently reported a previously unappreciated role for HSF1 in the regulation of energy metabolism in fat tissues; however, whether HSF1 is differentially expressed in adipose depots and how its levels are regulated in fat tissues remain unclear. Here, we show that HSF1 levels are higher in brown and subcutaneous fat tissues than in those in the visceral depot and that HSF1 is more abundant in differentiated, thermogenic adipocytes. Gene expression experiments indicated that HSF1 is transcriptionally regulated in fat by agents that modulate cAMP levels, by cold exposure, and by pharmacological stimulation of β-adrenergic signaling. An in silico promoter analysis helped identify a putative response element for activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) at −258 to −250 base pairs from the HSF1 transcriptional start site, and electrophoretic mobility shift and ChIP assays confirmed ATF3 binding to this sequence. Furthermore, functional assays disclosed that ATF3 is necessary and sufficient for HSF1 regulation. Detailed gene expression analysis revealed that ATF3 is one of the most highly induced ATFs in thermogenic tissues of mice exposed to cold temperatures or treated with the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL316,243 and that its expression is induced by modulators of cAMP levels in isolated adipocytes. To the best of our knowledge, our results show for the first time that HSF1 is transcriptionally controlled by ATF3 in response to classic stimuli that promote heat generation in thermogenic tissues. Full Article
cto Weak functoriality of Cohen-Macaulay algebras By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:59 EDT Yves André J. Amer. Math. Soc. 33 (2020), 363-380. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
cto Large Scale Screening for Novel Rab Effectors Reveals Unexpected Broad Rab Binding Specificity By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2008-06-01 Mitsunori FukudaJun 1, 2008; 7:1031-1042Research Full Article
cto Time-resolved Mass Spectrometry of Tyrosine Phosphorylation Sites in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Network Reveals Dynamic Modules By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2005-09-01 Yi ZhangSep 1, 2005; 4:1240-1250Research Full Article
cto Toward a Comprehensive Atlas of the Physical Interactome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2007-03-01 Sean R. CollinsMar 1, 2007; 6:439-450Research Full Article
cto The hibernating 100S complex is a target of ribosome-recycling factor and elongation factor G in Staphylococcus aureus [Protein Synthesis and Degradation] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 The formation of translationally inactive 70S dimers (called 100S ribosomes) by hibernation-promoting factor is a widespread survival strategy among bacteria. Ribosome dimerization is thought to be reversible, with the dissociation of the 100S complexes enabling ribosome recycling for participation in new rounds of translation. The precise pathway of 100S ribosome recycling has been unclear. We previously found that the heat-shock GTPase HflX in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a minor disassembly factor. Cells lacking hflX do not accumulate 100S ribosomes unless they are subjected to heat exposure, suggesting the existence of an alternative pathway during nonstressed conditions. Here, we provide biochemical and genetic evidence that two essential translation factors, ribosome-recycling factor (RRF) and GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G), synergistically split 100S ribosomes in a GTP-dependent but tRNA translocation-independent manner. We found that although HflX and the RRF/EF-G pair are functionally interchangeable, HflX is expressed at low levels and is dispensable under normal growth conditions. The bacterial RRF/EF-G pair was previously known to target only the post-termination 70S complexes; our results reveal a new role in the reversal of ribosome hibernation that is intimately linked to bacterial pathogenesis, persister formation, stress responses, and ribosome integrity. Full Article
cto SUMOylation of the transcription factor ZFHX3 at Lys-2806 requires SAE1, UBC9, and PIAS2 and enhances its stability and function in cell proliferation [Protein Synthesis and Degradation] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-08T03:41:14-07:00 SUMOylation is a posttranslational modification (PTM) at a lysine residue and is crucial for the proper functions of many proteins, particularly of transcription factors, in various biological processes. Zinc finger homeobox 3 (ZFHX3), also known as AT motif-binding factor 1 (ATBF1), is a large transcription factor that is active in multiple pathological processes, including atrial fibrillation and carcinogenesis, and in circadian regulation and development. We have previously demonstrated that ZFHX3 is SUMOylated at three or more lysine residues. Here, we investigated which enzymes regulate ZFHX3 SUMOylation and whether SUMOylation modulates ZFHX3 stability and function. We found that SUMO1, SUMO2, and SUMO3 each are conjugated to ZFHX3. Multiple lysine residues in ZFHX3 were SUMOylated, but Lys-2806 was the major SUMOylation site, and we also found that it is highly conserved among ZFHX3 orthologs from different animal species. Using molecular analyses, we identified the enzymes that mediate ZFHX3 SUMOylation; these included SUMO1-activating enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1), an E1-activating enzyme; SUMO-conjugating enzyme UBC9 (UBC9), an E2-conjugating enzyme; and protein inhibitor of activated STAT2 (PIAS2), an E3 ligase. Multiple analyses established that both SUMO-specific peptidase 1 (SENP1) and SENP2 deSUMOylate ZFHX3. SUMOylation at Lys-2806 enhanced ZFHX3 stability by interfering with its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Functionally, Lys-2806 SUMOylation enabled ZFHX3-mediated cell proliferation and xenograft tumor growth of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. These findings reveal the enzymes involved in, and the functional consequences of, ZFHX3 SUMOylation, insights that may help shed light on ZFHX3's roles in various cellular and pathophysiological processes. Full Article
cto What Europe Can Learn From the Law and Justice Party’s Victory in Poland By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Oct 2019 14:39:52 +0000 15 October 2019 Dr Angelos Chryssogelos Associate Fellow, Europe Programme @AChryssogelos Google Scholar The EU must remain vigilant about threats to liberal democracy in Poland, but European leaders must also accept that PiS’s electoral success is reflective of its ability to deliver on things that other political parties in Europe have long neglected. 2019-10-15-PiS.jpg The button of a PiS supporter on election day. Photo: Getty Images. The Polish election on 13 October resulted, as expected, in a victory for of the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS).But despite again securing a slim majority in parliament, it has not been wholly a triumph for PiS. And though there continue to be concerns about the party’s authoritarian tendencies, the election has illuminated some important nuances to its support and appeal, which hold lessons for politics across Europe.Even though some opinion polls had suggested PiS were close to winning a supermajority in parliament that would have allowed it to pursue constitutional changes, the party fell short of that target, while it lost its majority in the Senate. Thus, while PiS may well renew its efforts to consolidate its control over the state apparatus and the media or meddle with the justice system, it becomes much more difficult with the opposition controlling the Senate and being able to scrutinize laws or have a say in the appointment of public officials.Most importantly, the election result has shown that while Polish citizens were willing to reward a party that delivered on promises of economic growth and redistribution, they were not ready to hand a blank cheque for full-blown institutional realignment to PiS. Tellingly, many moderate candidates in PiS lists performed quite well among the party’s voters. Even though they rewarded a party that at times employed harsh rhetoric against Brussels, Polish voters have long expressed some of the strongest rates of support for EU membership, according to Eurobarometer surveys. The government has also faced massive protests against its most radical initiatives, such as reform of the judicial system and a law to almost completely ban abortion that was ultimately scrapped. It is therefore more likely that the party’s radicalism kept it from increasing its share, rather than helping it to secure victory.This is not to say that the threat of illiberalism does not remain alive in Poland. But it shows that the degree of PiS dominance in Poland has never been comparable to that of Fidesz in Hungary, with which it is often compared.This was reflected in the party’s own rhetoric. In the election campaign the government mostly focused on its economic record, recognizing that much of its support is conditional on conventional measures of political success like voter welfare. PiS may not give up on its ambition to establish a ‘new Polish republic’, but the elections have made it clear that economic stability rather than political radicalism will ensure its longevity in power – with the latter perhaps even being a liability as the party experiences fatigue in office.Similarly, despite the government’s antagonistic stance towards the EU on various issues, PiS never entertained ideas of withdrawing from the EU, as some of its critics feared earlier in its term. With the Polish economy deeply entwined with the European market and Poland expecting – probably for the last time – to receive substantial subsidies from the next EU budget, EU membership is a necessary precondition for the economic success for which PiS is claiming credit.With the pro-European left returning to parliament but also an extreme party of the right winning representation, the next government will have a difficult balancing act as it tries to draw on the benefits of EU membership while maintaining its defiant image towards Brussels.Ultimately, beneath the rhetoric and the posturing, PiS is a party that has shrewdly combined popular policies from the left and right, fulfilling promises of both cultural sovereignty and economic redistribution. Its reelection should not come as a surprise given that it fulfilled its electoral pledges by delivering some of the things that many voters in western Europe also crave but that mainstream parties there have largely failed to provide. Full Article
cto A Legionella effector kinase is activated by host inositol hexakisphosphate [Enzymology] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 The transfer of a phosphate from ATP to a protein substrate, a modification known as protein phosphorylation, is catalyzed by protein kinases. Protein kinases play a crucial role in virtually every cellular activity. Recent studies of atypical protein kinases have highlighted the structural similarity of the kinase superfamily despite notable differences in primary amino acid sequence. Here, using a bioinformatics screen, we searched for putative protein kinases in the intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila and identified the type 4 secretion system effector Lpg2603 as a remote member of the protein kinase superfamily. Employing an array of biochemical and structural biology approaches, including in vitro kinase assays and isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that Lpg2603 is an active protein kinase with several atypical structural features. Importantly, we found that the eukaryote-specific host signaling molecule inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) is required for Lpg2603 kinase activity. Crystal structures of Lpg2603 in the apo-form and when bound to IP6 revealed an active-site rearrangement that allows for ATP binding and catalysis. Our results on the structure and activity of Lpg2603 reveal a unique mode of regulation of a protein kinase, provide the first example of a bacterial kinase that requires IP6 for its activation, and may aid future work on the function of this effector during Legionella pathogenesis. Full Article
cto Understanding the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific: US–China strategic competition, regional actors, and beyond By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Jan 2020 21:20:01 +0000 6 November 2019 , Volume 96, Number 1 The first issue of International Affairs in 2020 explores the geopolitics of the 'Indo-Pacific' region. Read online Kai He and Mingjiang Li As a geographical concept, ‘Indo-Pacific’ has existed for decades. As a political and strategic concept, it has since 2010 gradually become established in the foreign policy lexicon of some countries, especially Australia, India, Japan and the United States. However, China seems to be reluctant to identify itself as part of the Indo-Pacific; Chinese leaders believe that the US-led Indo-Pacific strategy aims to contain China's rise. While the battle between the two geographical concepts ‘Indo-Pacific’ and ‘Asia–Pacific’ may be fairly easily settled in the future, US–China strategic competition has just begun. Will the Indo-Pacific become a battlefield for US–China rivalry? How will China cope with the US ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ (FOIP) strategy? How will other regional actors respond to the US–China strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific? What are the strategic implications of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ concept for regional order transformation? How will the Indo-Pacific be institutionalized, economically, politically and strategically? This article introduces the January 2020 special issue of International Affairs, which aims to address those questions, using both country-specific and regional perspectives. Seven articles focus on the policy responses of major players (Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan and ASEAN) to the US FOIP strategy and related US–China rivalry in the region. A further three articles examine the profound implications of Indo-Pacific dynamics for regional institution-building and for geopolitical and geo-economic architecture. Full Article
cto Global aid and faith actors: the case for an actor-orientated approach to the ‘turn to religion’ By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Mar 2020 13:00:22 +0000 4 March 2020 , Volume 96, Number 2 Emma Tomalin Read Online In this article, drawing on the work of the development sociologist Norman Long, I make the case for an actor-oriented approach to understanding the ‘turn to religion’ by global aid actors over the past couple of decades. I ask, is the ‘turn to religion’ evidence of the emergence of post-secular partnerships or are faith actors being instrumentalized to serve neo-liberal development goals? I argue that neither option captures the whole story and advocate that the study of religion and development needs to move beyond a binary between the ‘turn to religion’ as either evidence of post-secular partnerships or of the ‘instrumentalization’ of religion by the secular global aid business, and instead to think about how faith actors themselves encounter and shape development discourses and frameworks, translate them into relevant formats and strategically employ them. Alongside the adoption of an actor-orientated approach, I build on the work of Lewis and Mosse, Olivier de Sardan and Bierschenk to view international faith-based organizations (IFBOs) as development brokers and translators. This approach allows me to articulate the distinctive role that many members of IFBOs report they play as intermediaries who shift register between the secular development language and the faith-inspired language of their local faith partners. I take the engagement of faith actors with the new Sustainable Development Goals framework as a case-study to explore this. Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – US Elections: The Road to November 2020 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 14:50:01 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 16 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Online Event participants Edward Luce, US National Editor and Columnist, Financial TimesDr Lindsay Newman, Senior Research Fellow, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House As the coronavirus crisis deepens globally, the effects have reverberated through the American economy, and in only a few short weeks, the US presidential election race has changed beyond recognition. Unemployment claims have hit unprecedented levels and look set to continue to rise with stark warnings that the worst is still to come. Polling, however, has suggested that over half the country approves of the way President Trump is handling the crisis. No issue is likely to be more important to voters come November than the recovery and rebuilding of America once the pandemic subsides. In this discussion, Ed Luce and Dr Lindsay Newman will examine the new uncertain outlook for the November 2020 election and discuss how it might play out in these challenging circumstances. Where are we versus where we thought we would be at this point in the election cycle? What should we be watching for in the coming months as the US looks to hold elections in these uncharted waters? Will the elections effectively become a referendum on Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? And what will this mean for potential policy priorities of the president?This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to rsvp@chathamhouse.org. Full Article
cto Webinar: Reimagining the Role of State and Non-State Actors in (Re)building National Health Systems in the Arab World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:15:01 +0000 Research Event 22 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Event participants Fadi El-Jardali, Professor of Health Policy and Systems, American University of BeirutModerator: Nadim Houry, Executive Director, Arab Reform Initiative As new cases of COVID-19 continue to surge, countries around the world struggle to mitigate the public health and economic effects of the virus. It is becoming increasingly clear that an effective pandemic response requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach. In the Arab world, where health systems are already strained by armed conflicts and displaced populations, a whole-of-society response to the pandemic is particularly critical as countries have become increasingly dependent on non-state actors, notably the private sector, for healthcare provision and any response that includes the state alone may not be sufficient to address the pandemic.In a recent article, Fadi El-Jardali, argued that while the pandemic will have grave health and economic consequences for years to come, it brings with it a valuable opportunity to re-envision the role of state and non-state actors in strengthening health systems. The article addressed the need for increased collaboration between state and non-state actors, and the rethinking of existing cooperation models to provide quality healthcare services for all. In this webinar, part of the Chatham House project on the future of the state in the Middle East and North Africa, Dr El-Jardali will discuss how state and non-state actors can collaborate more effectively to address the shortcomings of national health care systems amidst the pandemic and beyond. The article’s author will share insights on the different capacities available in Arab societies that governments can draw upon to ensure that Universal Health Coverage, equity considerations and social justice are at the core of health systems.You can express your interest in attending by following this link. You will receive a Zoom confirmation email should your registration be successful. Alternatively, you can watch the event live on the MENA Programme Facebook page. Department/project Middle East and North Africa Programme, The Future of the State in the Middle East 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
cto Webinar: Idlib at Risk – Doctors and First Responders in Northwest Syria By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 08:55:01 +0000 Members Event Webinar 23 April 2020 - 5:00pm to 6:00pm Online Event participants Dr Munzer al-Khalil, Head, Idlib Health DirectorateRaed Al Saleh, Director, Syria Civil Defence (The White Helmets)Alaa Rajaa Mughrabieh, Child Protection Officer, Hurras NetworkChair: Dr Lina Khatib, Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House In Syria, uncertainty about the safety of the ceasefire agreed between Russia and Turkey last month is inhibiting 1 million people who have been displaced since December 2019 from returning home.The looming COVID-19 global health crisis threatens to further devastate those most vulnerable as the conditions in northwest Syria’s refugee camps make it hard to practice common social distancing guidelines. Added to this, the medical infrastructure in the region has been decimated after years of bombings which has disabled over 70 health facilities since April 2019.This webinar highlights the potentially catastrophic risks of a coronavirus outbreak in Idlib and displacement camps in northwest Syria by speaking with medical and civil society actors working in the region. How are doctors and local humanitarian organizations scaling up their medical and prevention response to the COVID-19 outbreak?What key supplies such as ventilators, testing kits and critical sanitary equipment are still lacking? And how can the international community step in to help mitigate the potentially devastating consequences of an outbreak in these refugee camps?This event is run in collaboration with The Syria Campaign, a human rights organization working with Syrian civil society to raise the voices of those struggling for democracy, and support frontline activists and humanitarians. Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – Democracy in the Americas By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:05:01 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 30 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Online Event participants Luis Almagro, Secretary General, Organization of American States (OAS); Foreign Minister, Uruguay (2010-15)Respondent: Dr Elena Lazarou, Associate Fellow, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseRespondent: Dr Christopher Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House As governments in the Americas grapple with the economic and health emergencies posed by COVID-19, the region continues to face socioeconomic and political challenges reflected in the protests that erupted in many countries in 2019. According to an annual survey by Latinóbarometro, of 18 countries across Latin America, trust in government dropped from 45 per cent in 2009 to 22 per cent in 2018, and those expressing dissatisfaction with democracy has increased from 51 per cent to 71 per cent. Recently re-elected to a new term, Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, will reflect on the state of democracy in the Americas. What are the greatest threats and opportunities to democratic governance and political participation in the region? How can multilateral organizations and states defend democratic institutions and human rights in a changing global environment? To what extent might the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provide leaders with an opportunity to undemocratically consolidate power? Or, conversely, might the crisis spark a new understanding of the social contract between states and governed and greater consensus around national policies and leadership? This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to lbedford@chathamhouse.org. Full Article
cto Victory and Memory: WW2 Narratives in Modern Day Russia and Ukraine By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:20:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 11 May 2020 - 4:00pm to 5:30pmAdd to CalendariCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo Nina Tumarkin, Kathryn Wasserman Davis Professor of Slavic Studies; Professor of History; Director, Russian Area Studies Program, Wellesley CollegeGeorgiy Kasianov, Head, Department of Contemporary History and Politics, Institute of History of Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences of UkraineChair: Robert Brinkley, Chairman, Steering Committee, Ukraine Forum, Chatham House In 2020 the world commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Russian government has organized a wide range of activities to mark the USSR’s victory, aiming to raise the already prominent role of the USSR to a new level. Moscow also uses its narrative about the war as a propaganda tool. Ukraine, which suffered disproportionally huge human losses and material destruction during WWII, is departing from its Soviet legacy by focusing commemorative efforts on honouring the victims of WWII rather than on glorifying victory. This event will analyze the evolution of the WWII narratives in Russia and Ukraine in recent years. The panellists will discuss the role of those narratives in shaping national discourses and their implications for the countries' respective futures. This event will be held on the record. Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – National Leadership in Times of Crisis By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 14:10:01 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 14 May 2020 - 6:00pm to 7:00pmAdd to CalendariCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo Online Janet Napolitano, President, University of California; US Secretary of Homeland Security (2009-13)Chair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House Across the globe, leaders on the local, national and international levels are grappling with the impacts of COVID-19 on their communities and the economy. But the coronavirus pandemic is just one of several existential crises the world is currently facing. Climate change, political instability and growing tensions with China and Russia, along with a lack of strong global leadership, has made it more difficult for individual nations to respond and coalesce in times of crisis.This discussion will explore how leaders at all levels can best negotiate both the practical issues and the larger questions associated with these ‘grand challenges’. How is current US foreign policy affecting our collective ability to respond to issues such as pandemics or climate change? Has the COVID-19 crisis cemented the US retreat from global leadership and if so, who might step into the breach? How do we maintain momentum on other issues in the midst of a public health disaster of this magnitude? And what is the role of the business community, higher education institutions and other sectors in responding to these crises and shaping future public policy?This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to lbedford@chathamhouse.org. Full Article
cto Chile After the October Uprising By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 07 Feb 2020 15:10:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 13 February 2020 - 8:00am to 9:30am Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Event participants Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political ScienceRobert Funk, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Chile; Visiting Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political ScienceChair: Melissa MacEwen, Manager, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme The outbreak of popular discontent in Chile in October of last year caught many observers by surprise. What began as a protest against a metro fare hike has transformed into widespread rejection of the economic and political model in place since the return to democracy in 1990, accompanied with unprecedented violence which raises questions about the state's ability to maintain rule of law. Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy at the LSE, and Dr Robert Funk, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Chile will join us for a discussion on the causes of the current protest.What are the prospects for reform and a return to normality? Is this the end of the much-lauded Chilean model? Event attributes Chatham House Rule Department/project US and the Americas Programme, Latin America Initiative US and Americas Programme Email Full Article
cto Virtual Roundtable: Tectonic Plates of 2020 – Developments in the US Presidential Race By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 12:00:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 18 March 2020 - 1:00pm to 1:45pm Event participants John Zogby, Founder and Senior Partner, John Zogby StrategiesChair: Dr Lindsay Newman, Senior Research Fellow, US and Americas Programme, Chatham House This event is part of the Inaugural Virtual Roundtable Series on the US, Americas and the State of the World and will take place virtually only. Participants should not come to Chatham House for these events. Department/project US and the Americas Programme, Chatham House US 2020 Election Series US and Americas Programme Email Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – China's Economic Outlook By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:00:02 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 8 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Online Event participants Dr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China, Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham HouseJames Kynge, Global China Editor, Financial Times; Editor, Tech Scroll AsiaChair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House Only a few months into 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has presented a huge challenge for China’s ruling party against an already tumultuous 12 months of economic slowdown coupled with an increasingly hostile international environment. The crisis looks set to worsen a deteriorating relationship between the US and China as the two countries battle to avoid further economic ramifications. It has also undermined President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party’s domestic political legitimacy and economic growth.The panellists will examine the wider geopolitical fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and discuss China’s future economic planning. How will the COVID-19 outbreak further strain the US-China relationship? What effect will this have on global trade and vulnerable supply chains at a time when cooperation is needed more than ever? And to what extent is the ruling party addressing growing concerns over job losses, wealth inequality and a lack of social mobility?This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to Linda Bedford. Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – US Elections: The Road to November 2020 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 14:50:01 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 16 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Online Event participants Edward Luce, US National Editor and Columnist, Financial TimesDr Lindsay Newman, Senior Research Fellow, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House As the coronavirus crisis deepens globally, the effects have reverberated through the American economy, and in only a few short weeks, the US presidential election race has changed beyond recognition. Unemployment claims have hit unprecedented levels and look set to continue to rise with stark warnings that the worst is still to come. Polling, however, has suggested that over half the country approves of the way President Trump is handling the crisis. No issue is likely to be more important to voters come November than the recovery and rebuilding of America once the pandemic subsides. In this discussion, Ed Luce and Dr Lindsay Newman will examine the new uncertain outlook for the November 2020 election and discuss how it might play out in these challenging circumstances. Where are we versus where we thought we would be at this point in the election cycle? What should we be watching for in the coming months as the US looks to hold elections in these uncharted waters? Will the elections effectively become a referendum on Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? And what will this mean for potential policy priorities of the president?This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to rsvp@chathamhouse.org. Full Article
cto Webinar: Director's Briefing – Democracy in the Americas By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:05:01 +0000 Corporate Members Event Webinar Partners and Major Corporates 30 April 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm Online Event participants Luis Almagro, Secretary General, Organization of American States (OAS); Foreign Minister, Uruguay (2010-15)Respondent: Dr Elena Lazarou, Associate Fellow, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseRespondent: Dr Christopher Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, US and the Americas Programme, Chatham HouseChair: Dr Robin Niblett, Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House As governments in the Americas grapple with the economic and health emergencies posed by COVID-19, the region continues to face socioeconomic and political challenges reflected in the protests that erupted in many countries in 2019. According to an annual survey by Latinóbarometro, of 18 countries across Latin America, trust in government dropped from 45 per cent in 2009 to 22 per cent in 2018, and those expressing dissatisfaction with democracy has increased from 51 per cent to 71 per cent. Recently re-elected to a new term, Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, will reflect on the state of democracy in the Americas. What are the greatest threats and opportunities to democratic governance and political participation in the region? How can multilateral organizations and states defend democratic institutions and human rights in a changing global environment? To what extent might the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provide leaders with an opportunity to undemocratically consolidate power? Or, conversely, might the crisis spark a new understanding of the social contract between states and governed and greater consensus around national policies and leadership? This event is only open to Major Corporate Member and Partner organizations and selected giving circles of Chatham House. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to lbedford@chathamhouse.org. Full Article
cto Victory and Memory: WW2 Narratives in Modern Day Russia and Ukraine By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:20:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 11 May 2020 - 4:00pm to 5:30pmAdd to CalendariCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo Nina Tumarkin, Kathryn Wasserman Davis Professor of Slavic Studies; Professor of History; Director, Russian Area Studies Program, Wellesley CollegeGeorgiy Kasianov, Head, Department of Contemporary History and Politics, Institute of History of Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences of UkraineChair: Robert Brinkley, Chairman, Steering Committee, Ukraine Forum, Chatham House In 2020 the world commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Russian government has organized a wide range of activities to mark the USSR’s victory, aiming to raise the already prominent role of the USSR to a new level. Moscow also uses its narrative about the war as a propaganda tool. Ukraine, which suffered disproportionally huge human losses and material destruction during WWII, is departing from its Soviet legacy by focusing commemorative efforts on honouring the victims of WWII rather than on glorifying victory. This event will analyze the evolution of the WWII narratives in Russia and Ukraine in recent years. The panellists will discuss the role of those narratives in shaping national discourses and their implications for the countries' respective futures. This event will be held on the record. Anna Morgan Administrator, Ukraine Forum +44 (0)20 7389 3274 Email Department/project Russia and Eurasia Programme Full Article