ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Button critical of Schumacher By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Sun, 09 May 2010 15:43:49 GMT Jenson Button criticised seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher for his move around the outside of him as he rejoined the circuit after his pitstop in the Spanish Grand Prix Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical We May Be Dramatically Overestimating China’s Capabilities By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: May 5, 2020 May 5, 2020The outbreak in Wuhan of the novel coronavirus shows how ragged and disorderly the Chinese police state was in the initial weeks of the pandemic. Beijing’s response was to suppress and manipulate information, at home and abroad. Trump administration officials have painted this as a Chinese plot against the West, but it looks more like a frantic effort by a one-party state to survive a domestic crisis. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical COVID-19 has taught us the internet is critical and needs public interest oversight By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:50:42 +0000 The COVID-19 pandemic has graphically illustrated the importance of digital networks and service platforms. Imagine the shelter-in-place reality we would have experienced at the beginning of the 21st century, only two decades ago: a slow internet and (because of that) nothing like Zoom or Netflix. Digital networks that deliver the internet to our homes, and… Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical The Twin Crises and the Prospects for Political Sectarianism in Lebanon By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 4, 2020 Apr 4, 2020LCPS solicited the opinion of key experts to answer one question: “Will the financial crisis, exacerbated further by COVID-19, strengthen or loosen the power of Lebanon’s governing political parties?” Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Schumacher's condition still critical but stable By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Jan 2014 11:14:28 GMT Michael Schumacher's condition has remained stable since Tuesday after spending a fourth night in a coma in hospital Full Article
ical Schumacher 'is considered as stable' but still 'critical' By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Jan 2014 08:50:48 GMT Michael Schumacher's manager says his "condition can be considered as stable" but that he remains in a critical condition Full Article
ical Schumacher medical files stolen By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 08:59:08 GMT Medical records purported to be those of Michael Schumacher have been stolen and offered for sale, according to his management Full Article
ical Schumacher medical files suspect found hanged By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 16:38:16 GMT A man suspected to be involved in the case surrounding Michael Schumacher's stolen medical records has been found hanged in his prison cell, according to Zurich prosecutors Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Geopolitical and Market Implications of Renewable Hydrogen: New Dependencies in a Low-Carbon Energy World By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 4, 2020 Mar 4, 2020To accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, all energy systems and sectors must be actively decarbonized. While hydrogen has been a staple in the energy and chemical industries for decades, renewable hydrogen is drawing increased attention today as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier with the potential to play an important piece in the carbon-free energy puzzle. Countries around the world are piloting new projects and policies, yet adopting hydrogen at scale will require innovating along the value chains; scaling technologies while significantly reducing costs; deploying enabling infrastructure; and defining appropriate national and international policies and market structures. What are the general principles of how renewable hydrogen may reshape the structure of global energy markets? What are the likely geopolitical consequences such changes would cause? A deeper understanding of these nascent dynamics will allow policy makers and corporate investors to better navigate the challenges and maximize the opportunities that decarbonization will bring, without falling into the inefficient behaviors of the past. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Oil's Collapse Is a Geopolitical Reset In Disguise By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 29, 2020 Apr 29, 2020The world is on the cusp of a geopolitical reset. The global pandemic could well undermine international institutions, reinforce nationalism and spur de-globalization. But far-sighted leadership could also rekindle cooperation, glimmers of which appeared in the G-20’s offer of debt relief for some of the world’s poorest countries, a joint plea from more than 200 former national leaders for a more coordinated pandemic response and an unprecedented multinational pact to arrest the crash in oil markets. Full Article
ical Stephen P. Cohen’s disciplinary contribution to political science By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2019 16:47:14 +0000 There are people who influence you and there is the person who changes your life. For me, that person was Steve Cohen. From the first time I spoke with him on the phone in 1993 about a story I was writing for India Today (where I worked then), to my entry into the graduate program… Full Article
ical The fight for geopolitical supremacy in the Asia-Pacific By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:01:07 +0000 Full Article
ical Myanmar’s stable leadership change belies Aung San Suu Kyi’s growing political vulnerability By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 05 Apr 2018 18:47:12 +0000 Myanmar stands at a critical crossroads in its democratic transition. In late March, the Union Parliament elected former Speaker of the Lower House U Win Myint as the country’s new president. U Win Myint is a longtime member of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and a trusted partner of State Counselor Aung San… Full Article
ical On April 30, 2020, Vanda Felbab-Brown participated in an event with the Middle East Institute on the “Pandemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan: The Potential Social, Political and Economic Impact.” By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 20:51:33 +0000 On April 30, 2020, Vanda Felbab-Brown participated in an event with the Middle East Institute on the "Pandemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan: The Potential Social, Political and Economic Impact." Full Article
ical Protecting our most economically vulnerable neighbors during the COVID-19 outbreak By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:31:11 +0000 While we are all adjusting to new precautions as we start to understand how serious the COVID-19 coronavirus is, we also need to be concerned about how to minimize the toll that such precautions will have on our most economically vulnerable citizens. A country with the levels of racial and income inequality that we have… Full Article
ical Thoughts on the Hagel Filibuster and its Political Implications By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 I’m late to the conversation about whether or not Republican efforts to insist on sixty votes for cloture on Chuck Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense constitutes a filibuster. Bernstein’s earlier piece ("This is what a filibuster looks like") and Fallows’ recent contribution provide good, nuanced accounts of why Republican tactics amount to a filibuster, even if some GOP senators insist otherwise. In short, the duck test applies: If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then …. it’s a filibuster! Still, I think there’s more to be said about the politics and implications of the Hagel nomination. A few brief thoughts: First, let’s put to rest the debate about whether insisting on sixty votes to cut off debate on a nomination is a filibuster or, at a minimum, a threatened filibuster. It is. Even if both parties have moved over the past decade(s) to more regularly insist on sixty votes to secure passage of major (and often minor) legislative measures and confirmation of Courts of Appeals nominees, we shouldn’t be fooled by the institutionalization—and the apparent normalization—of the 60-vote Senate. Refusing to consent to a majority’s effort to take a vote means (by definition) that a minority of the Senate has flexed its parliamentary muscles to block Senate action. I think it’s fair to characterize such behavior as evidence of at least a threatened filibuster—even if senators insist that they are holding up a nomination only until their informational demands are met. Second, there’s been a bit of confusion in the reporting about whether filibusters of Cabinet appointees are unprecedented. There appears to have been no successful filibusters of Cabinet appointees, even if there have been at least two unsuccessful filibusters against such nominees. (On two occasions, Cabinet appointees faced cloture votes when minority party senators placed holds on their nominations—William Verity in 1987 and Kempthorne in 2006. An EPA appointee has also faced cloture, but EPA is not technically cabinet-level, even if it is now Cabinet-status). Of course, there have been other Cabinet nominees who have withdrawn; presumably they withdrew, though, because they lacked even majority support for confirmation. Hagel’s situation will be unprecedented only if the filibuster succeeds in keeping him from securing a confirmation vote. Third, using cloture votes as an indicator of a filibuster underestimates the Senate’s seeping super-majoritarianism. (Seeping super-majoritarianism?! Egads.) At least two other recent Cabinet nominations have been subjected to 60-vote requirements: Kathleen Sebelius in 2009 (HHS) and John Bryson (Commerce) in 2011. Both nominees faced threatened filibusters by Republican senators, preventing majority leader Reid from securing the chamber’s consent to schedule a confirmation vote—until Reid agreed to require sixty votes for confirmation. The Bryson unanimous consent agreement (UCA) appears on the right, an agreement that circumvented the need for cloture. Embedding a 60-vote requirement in a UCA counts as evidence of an attempted filibuster, albeit an unsuccessful one. After all, other Obama nominees (such as Tim Geithner) were confirmed after Reid negotiated UCAs that required only 51 votes for confirmation, an agreement secured because no Republicans were threatening to filibuster. Finally, what are the implications for the Hagel nomination? If Republicans were insisting on sixty votes on Senator Cornyn’s grounds that “There is a 60-vote threshold for every nomination,” then I bet Reid would have been able to negotiate a UCA similar to Sebelius’s and Bryson’s. But Hagel’s opponents see the time delay imposed by cloture as instrumental to their efforts to sow colleagues’ doubts about whether Hagel can be confirmed (or at a minimum to turn this afternoon’s cloture vote into a party stand to make their point about Benghazi). Of course, it’s possible that the time delay will work to Democrats’ benefit if they can make headlines that GOP obstruction puts national security at risk. (Maybe Leon Panetta should have jetted to his walnut farm to make the point before the cloture vote.) Whatever the outcome, the Hagel case reminds us that little of the Senate’s business is protected from the intense ideological and partisan polarization that permeates the chamber and is amplified by the chamber’s lax rules of debate and senators’ lack of restraint. Filibustering of controversial Cabinet nominees seems to be on the road to normalization—even if Hagel is ultimately confirmed. Authors Sarah A. Binder Publication: The Monkey Cage Image Source: © Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Full Article
ical 5 ways Trump can navigate Syria’s geopolitical battlefield By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:00:47 +0000 Two months into the Trump administration, it is hard to tell if there has been any discernible shift in U.S. strategy towards Syria. The new president’s 30-day deadline to the U.S. military for devising new plans to defeat ISIS in the Levant and beyond has come and gone—but we cannot easily tell from the outside […] Full Article
ical How Ukraine can upgrade its technological capabilities By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 26 Feb 2020 19:46:39 +0000 Ukraine has been getting a lot of press recently, for all the wrong reasons. In actuality, during the last 25 years, Ukraine has transformed structurally and socially, and even the political changes have been largely positive. Despite its enormous potential, though, Ukraine’s economy has not done well. Per capita GDP has fallen from about $12,000… Full Article
ical On April 30, 2020, Vanda Felbab-Brown participated in an event with the Middle East Institute on the “Pandemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan: The Potential Social, Political and Economic Impact.” By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 20:51:33 +0000 On April 30, 2020, Vanda Felbab-Brown participated in an event with the Middle East Institute on the "Pandemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan: The Potential Social, Political and Economic Impact." Full Article
ical COVID-19 has taught us the internet is critical and needs public interest oversight By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:50:42 +0000 The COVID-19 pandemic has graphically illustrated the importance of digital networks and service platforms. Imagine the shelter-in-place reality we would have experienced at the beginning of the 21st century, only two decades ago: a slow internet and (because of that) nothing like Zoom or Netflix. Digital networks that deliver the internet to our homes, and… Full Article
ical Kingdom at a crossroads: Thailand’s uncertain political trajectory By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 24 Feb 2016 14:00:00 -0500 Event Information February 24, 20162:00 PM - 3:30 PM ESTFalk AuditoriumBrookings Institution1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.Washington, DC 20036 Register for the EventThailand has been under military rule since May 2014, when General Prayuth Chan-Ocha and the Royal Thai Army seized power after deposing democratically elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Current Prime Minister Prayuth has systematically postponed elections on the grounds of prioritizing order and drafting a new constitution to restore democracy. Since the coup, Thai authorities have used the murky lèse-majesté law to curtail opposition to the monarchy, while the country’s economy has languished. On February 24, the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings hosted an event to explore the root causes of Thailand’s political crisis, the implications of an upcoming royal succession, and the possibilities for the road ahead. The event was moderated by Senior Fellow Richard Bush. Panelists included Duncan McCargo, professor of political science at the University of Leeds, Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Don Pathan, an independent security analyst based in Thailand. Please follow the conversation on Twitter at #ThaiPolitics Audio Kingdom at a crossroads: Thailand’s uncertain political trajectory Transcript Transcript (.pdf) Event Materials 20160224_thailand_political_crisis_transcript Full Article
ical The South Asia Papers : A Critical Anthology of Writings by Stephen Philip Cohen By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 12 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Brookings Institution Press 2016 192pp. Join us May 19 for the official launch event for The South Asia Papers. This curated collection examines Stephen Philip Cohen’s impressive body of work. Stephen Philip Cohen, the Brookings scholar who virtually created the field of South Asian security studies, has curated a unique collection of the most important articles, chapters, and speeches from his fifty-year career. Cohen, often described as the “dean” of U.S. South Asian studies, is a dominant figure in the fields of military history, military sociology, and South Asia’s strategic emergence. Cohen introduces this work with a critical look at his past writing—where he was right, where he was wrong. This exceptional collection includes materials that have never appeared in book form, including Cohen’s original essays on the region’s military history, the transition from British rule to independence, the role of the armed forces in India and Pakistan, the pathologies of India-Pakistan relations, South Asia’s growing nuclear arsenal, and America’s fitful (and forgetful) regional policy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stephen P. Cohen Ordering Information: {BE4CBFE9-92F9-41D9-BDC8-0C2CC479A3F7}, 9780815728337, $35.00 Add to Cart Full Article
ical The political implications of transforming Saudi and Iranian oil economies By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 Both Saudi Arabia and Iran are conspicuously planning for a post-oil future. The centrality of oil to the legitimacy and autonomy of both regimes means that these plans are little more than publicity stunts. Still, just imagine for a moment what it would mean for Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East if these grandiose agendas were adopted. Full Article Uncategorized
ical Covid-19 is a wake-up call for India’s cities, where radical improvements in sanitation and planning are needed By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 07:44:48 +0000 Full Article
ical Technological Scarcity, Compliance Flexibility and the Optimal Time Path of Emissions Abatement By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 ABSTRACT The overall economic efficiency of a quantity-based approach to greenhouse gas mitigation depends strongly on the extent to which such a program provides opportunities for compliance flexibility, particularly with regard to the timing of emissions abatement. Here I consider a program in which annual targets are determined by choosing the optimal time path of reductions consistent with an exogenously prescribed cumulative reduction target and fixed technology set. I then show that if the availability of low-carbon technology is initially more constrained than anticipated, the optimal reduction path shifts abatement toward later compliance periods. For this reason, a rigid policy in which fixed annual targets are strictly enforced in every year yields a cumulative environmental outcome identical to the optimal policy but an economic outcome worse than the optimal policy. On the other hand, a policy that aligns actual prices (or equivalently, costs) with expected prices by simply imposing an explicit price ceiling (often referred to as a "safety valve") yields the opposite result. Comparison among these multiple scenarios implies that there are significant gains to realizing the optimal path but that further refinement of the actual regulatory instrument will be necessary to achieve that goal in a real cap-and-trade system. Downloads Download Authors Bryan K. Mignone Full Article
ical The political implications of transforming Saudi and Iranian oil economies By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 Both Saudi Arabia and Iran are conspicuously planning for a post-oil future. The centrality of oil to the legitimacy and autonomy of both regimes means that these plans are little more than publicity stunts. Still, just imagine for a moment what it would mean for Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East if these grandiose agendas were adopted. Full Article Uncategorized
ical @ Brookings Podcast: Redistricting for Political Gains By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:22:00 -0400 Every decade since 1790, a census of the entire U.S. population is used by state governments to apportion representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives. But the redrawing of congressional districts that follows the census is an exercise in pure politics, says expert Thomas Mann. With the power to redistrict in the hands of incumbents in state legislatures, coupled with powerful mapping technologies, a state’s representation in Congress often bears little relation to the actual partisan makeup of its population, he says. previous play pause next mute unmute @ Brookings Podcast: Redistricting for Political Gains 05:21 Download (Help) Get Code Brookings Right-click (ctl+click for Mac) on 'Download' and select 'save link as..' Get Code Copy and paste the embed code above to your website or blog. Video Redistricting: Pure Politics Audio @ Brookings Podcast: Redistricting for Political Gains Full Article
ical Web Chat: Special Elections and the Political Landscape By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400 The special election in California and the beginning of the recall process in Wisconsin are only the start of what promises to a be a hyper-partisan election. On July 13, Thomas Mann answered your questions on the new forces at work in the political landscape, in a live web chat moderated by POLITICO Senior Editor David Mark. The transcript of this chat follows.David Mark: Welcome to the chat, let's get started. 12:30 Comment From Brooke: Were you surprised by the results of California's special election? 12:32 Tom Mann: No, Hahn's 10 point victory was expected. This was less than the natural Democratic strength of the district and reflected the generously self-funded opposition campaign. 12:32 Comment From Travis: What's the significance of that CA seat remaining Democrat? 12:34 Tom Mann: Not much in the way of national significance. If anything, it's a step back for the Democrats, who in the last, NY special in a Republican district, pulled off a genuine upset, running substantially ahead of Obama and the party registration. But the Democrats avoided an upset in California, which would have been discouraging and distracting to them. 12:34 Comment From Yan: Can you explain what's going on in Wisconsin? 12:39 Tom Mann: No!! It's been a crazy year in my home state. Yesterday's six elections were not for real. They had fake Democratic candidates challenging the slated Democrats solely to delay the actual recall elections by a month. All of the "real" Democrats won and three or four of them have a good chance to defeat the incumbent Republican state senators on August. Next week on July 19 three Democratic incumbents will be on the ballot -- two facing fake candidates but one facing a Republican challenger. The latter is important, as are the August 16 elections featuring the other two Democratic incumbents. Bottom line-- Democrats need a net gain of three seats to take control of the State Senate and slow Governor Walker's agenda. Turnout was relatively high yesterday and control of the State Senate is genuinely up for grabs. 12:39 David Mark: Realizing that the lines aren't final, what's your sense about how effective the independent California redistricting commission has been in drawing districts that are potentially more competitive? 12:42 Tom Mann: It appears they have been successful in increasing the number of competitive districts. At the same time, they have boosted Democratic prospects for a seat gain and disappointed Hispanics who feel that their population growth in the state has not been reflected in the Commission's maps. I suspect some significant revision in the plans that are finally released by the Commission and if necessary, an appeal to the courts. 12:42 Comment From Henry: What do you expect from the next election cycle? 12:47 Tom Mann: I believe the presidency and control of both House and Senate are up for grabs. It will be a very high stakes election with huge warchests. (Obama and the DNC together raised $86 million in the second quarter, which dwarfs what the Republican candidates combined have raised.) But both parties will be well-funded in the presidential and congressional races. At this point, I'd say Obama probably has the best prospect of winning; same is true of Republicans taking the Senate and holding the House. But it is early; the economic climate remains volatile; and events could overwhelm the present situation. 12:47 Comment From Danny (MD): What kind of a role do you see Super PACs playing in the next round of elections? 12:50 Tom Mann: The SuperPacs and their affiliated 501c organizations will be major players in the 2012 elections. Disclosure of donors will continue to diminish and large corporate and individual contributions will support extensive independent spending campaigns. Democrats have decided to follow the Republicans rather than fight them on campaign finance reform. 12:50 Comment From Danny (MD):What do you think about Stephen Colbert's Super PAC? 12:52 Tom Mann: Colbert is being Colbert. With his trusted legal advisor Trevor Potter, he is creating the PAC and testing the rules to educate the public about the inadequacy of campaign finance law and regulation. Political satire may be one of the more effective means of pushing political reform. 12:52 Comment From Bill in Va.: Beyond the immediate results of elections in California and Wisconsin, there are new laws in a lot of swing states that will seem to make it harder for certain people to cast their vote. Will these laws stand, or be challenged, and can they have an impact in the 2012 outcome? 12:56 Tom Mann: Election law in the States has sadly become yet another tool of partisan war. New voter ID laws have been passed in states controlled by Republicans but not in the others. I expect Democrats will gear up at the grassroots level to try to contest any efforts to deny access to the ballot of any of their legitimate voters. It all makes one yearn for the Australian compulsory voting system. Giving parties the incentive to depress turnout is downright depressing. 12:57 Comment From Ron: Just to step back from the specifics for a moment, how do you explain the very nasty tone of our politics these days...and what will it take to return some civility to the process? 1:00 Tom Mann: I'm not looking for civility any time soon. The ideological polarization of the parties and the partisan team play that now characterizes our politics and governance is deeply rooted in American society and reinforced by the new media. The populist Tea Party, with its certainty and righteous indignation, has been embraced by the Republicans in Washington and makes it almost impossible for politicians on opposite sides of the aisle to treat one another respectfully and work toward compromise. 1:00 David Mark: Thanks for the chat, everybody. Authors Thomas E. Mann Image Source: © Darren Hauck / Reuters Full Article
ical Personnel Change or Personal Change? Rethinking Libya’s Political Isolation Law By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0400 Nearly three years after the fall of the Qaddafi regime, Libya’s revolution has stalled. Militias continue to run rampant as the government struggles to perform basic functions. Theoretically to protect the revolution, Libya passed its Political Isolation Law (PIL) in May 2013, effectively banning anyone involved in Qaddafi’s regime from the new government. The law has raised serious questions: Does it contribute to effective governance and reconciliation? Does it respect human rights and further transitional justice? Will it undermine Libya’s prospects for a successful democratic transition? In this Brookings Doha Center-Stanford "Project on Arab Transitions" Paper, Roman David and Houda Mzioudet examine the controversy over Libya’s PIL and the law’s likely effects. Drawing on interviews with key Libyan actors, the authors find that the PIL has been manipulated for political purposes and that its application is actually weakening, not protecting, Libya. They caution that the PIL threatens to deprive Libya of competent leaders, undermine badly needed reconciliation, and perpetuate human rights violations. David and Mzioudet go on to compare the PIL to the personnel reform approaches of Eastern European states and South Africa. Ultimately, they argue that Libyans would be better served if the PIL were replaced with a law based on inclusion rather than exclusion and on reconciliation rather than revenge. They maintain that Libya’s democratic transition would benefit from an approach that gives exonerated former regime personnel a conditional second chance instead of blindly excluding potentially valuable contributors. Downloads English PDFArabic PDF Authors Roman DavidHouda Mzioudet Publication: Brookings Doha Center Image Source: © Ismail Zetouni / Reuters Full Article
ical Affordable Care Encourages Healthy Living: Theory and Evidence from China’s New Cooperative Medical Scheme By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 On May 25th, 2016, the Brookings-Tsinghua Center and China Institute for Rural Studies hosted a public lecture on the topic –Affordable Care Encourages Healthy Living: Theory and Evidence from China's New Cooperative Medical Scheme, featuring Dr. Yu Ning, assistant professor of Economics at Emory University. Full Article