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Mitchell Enjoys Modeling At NY Fashion Week

[Written by Stephen Wright] Aspiring model Nalia Mitchell had the experience of a lifetime strutting down the catwalk at the recent New York Fashion Week Festival. Mitchell was among a handful of Bermudians who successfully applied for the Model Experience, which allowed participants to walk the runway, connect with brands and designers, share the stage […]




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Aliana King Models For British Skin Care Line

Bermudian Aliana King has been featured by British beauty brand Charlotte Tillbury as a model for the company’s skin care products. Ms. King has also appeared in a number of other campaigns for well-known brands, including David Yurman, SKKN, FREDDY WR.UP, Nordstrom x Nike [NxN], Skims, Redken, L’Oréal, Aveda, Garnier, Maybelline, and Allure, as well as style magazines including Elle Australia, Vogue Mexico, Vogue Arabia, and Elle Mexico. […]




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Asia Smith Enjoys Model Experience In New York

[Written by Stephen Wright] Asia Smith has described her experience on the runway at the recent New York Fashion Week Festival as a “breathtaking” experience. Ms Smith was among several Bermudians who successfully applied for the Model Experience, allowing participants to walk the runway, share the stage with A-List talent, connect with brands and designers, […]




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Model Aliana King Featured In C Magazine

Bermudian model Aliana King made an appearance in the Winter 2023 edition of C Magazine as a face of Chanel’s cruise collection of clothing. The roller skating-themed campaign, dubbed “Skate It Till You Make It,” sees Ms. King “taking the L.A.-inspired Chanel cruise collection for a spin.”  Ms. King has also appeared in a […]




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Modern Gent Dapper Lounge And Spa Opens

A new facility — the Modern Gent Dapper Lounge and Spa — has opened in Hamilton. A spokesperson said, “Modern Gent Dapper Lounge and Spa, which opened its doors today at 19 Queen Street, is delighted to offer an exclusive haven for men, emphasizing its commitment to provide top-tier services that our well-deserved male community […]




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Jackson Inspired By NYC Model Experience

[Written by Stephen Wright] Sancho Jackson has reflected on his “inspiring experience” strutting down the catwalk at the recent New York Fashion Week Festival. The 22-year-old was selected to participate in The Model Experience, a coveted programme that offers aspiring models the chance to walk the runway, collaborate with brands and designers, share the stage […]




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Video: Sancho Jackson Models At Show In NY

Sancho Jackson has completed his second modelling assignment after walking the runway at the Fig Buffalo Cut and Sewn show at Seneca One Tower in Buffalo, New York, last weekend. Mr Jackson, who lives in Birmingham, England, was invited to model at the event by Austin Guyett, the designer behind By A Guy, whom the […]




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Osud Pirátů je příkladem infantilní politiky, oslabení progresivistického modelu i nedostatku vůdců

Osud České pirátské strany, která v několika volbách za sebou dostala výprask, je příkladem selhání progresivistického politického modelu. Když pak nedávno premiér Petr Fiala vyhodil z vlády Ivana Bartoše za nezvládnutou digitalizaci stavebního řízení, prezentovali se Piráti sérií emotivních a dětinských prohlášení. Uraženě opustili koaliční kabinet a naivně si myslí, že je to zachrání před dalším propadem. Za předsedu si teď zvolili Zdeňka Hřiba, kterého Pražané v pozici náměstka a předtím primátora hlavního města skutečně nemusí.




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iPhone SE 4 Camera Modules to Enter Mass Production Next Month

Apple's camera module supplier for the upcoming iPhone SE 4 is set to begin mass production of the components in December, according to a new report coming out of Korea.


Economic newspaper Ajunews reports that LG Innotek will supply the front camera module for the budget-friendly fourth-generation device. Final tests are now said to be underway, with mass production of the module following next month.

The outlet reports that LG Innotek usually supplies camera modules around three months before the launch of new smartphones, which tallies with rumors of an iPhone SE 4 launch in March or April 2025. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple suppliers will produce around 8.6 million iPhone SE 4 units through the first quarter of next year.

The sub-$500 device is expected to feature a design similar to the base iPhone 14. Rumored specifications include a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, and Apple's first in-house 5G modem. Apple released the existing iPhone SE in March 2022.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

This article, "iPhone SE 4 Camera Modules to Enter Mass Production Next Month" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums




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Which Modula 5 Mg Formulation Is Suitable For Individuals With Diabetes?

Modula 5 mg is a medication that contains Tadalafil, which is commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It works by increasing blood flow to the penis during sexual activity, which helps achieve and maintain an erection. For individuals with diabetes, Tadalafil can generally be used safely, but some factors should be considered when choosing the right formulation: Factors to Consider for Individuals with Diabetes: Impact on Blood Sugar: Tadalafil itself doesn’t directly affect blood sugar levels, but individuals with diabetes need to manage their overall health, including blood sugar levels, when using medications for ED. It’s important to monitor blood glucose levels regularly while on Tadalafil. Formulation of Modula 5 mg: Modula 5 mg is typically available in tablet form. The tablet formulation is suitable for people with diabetes, as it is not known to contain sugar or carbohydrates that could directly affect blood sugar. Oral tablets like Modula 5 mg are often preferred because they allow for controlled, consistent dosing. Side Effects: People with diabetes may be more prone to certain side effects, such as dizziness, headaches, or blurred vision. These side effects are more common in individuals who have other underlying conditions (such as cardiovascular issues) that may co-occur with diabetes. It's important to start with a lower dose, like 5 mg, and adjust based on tolerance and effectiveness, in consultation with a healthcare provider. Cardiovascular Health: Diabetes often comes with an increased risk of heart disease, which is also a concern when using medications like Tadalafil. It’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider to ensure that there are no contraindications with any existing heart conditions before starting MODULA 5 MG. Other Medications: People with diabetes may be on other medications to manage their condition, such as insulin or oral medications for blood sugar control. Tadalafil can interact with certain medications, especially nitrates (used for chest pain), leading to dangerous drops in blood pressure. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that Modula 5 mg doesn’t interact with any other ongoing treatments. Recommendation for People with Diabetes: Modula 5 mg (Tadalafil) in its tablet formulation is generally a suitable option for individuals with diabetes, provided they are managing their blood sugar levels effectively and have discussed the use of this medication with their healthcare provider. If there are concerns about side effects or interactions with other medications, starting with a lower dose or exploring other alternative treatments for ED may be recommended. Key Takeaways: Modula 5 mg (Tadalafil) is safe for most individuals with diabetes, but it's crucial to check for potential interactions with diabetes medications. Monitoring blood sugar and blood pressure regularly while using Tadalafil is essential for safety. Always consult a healthcare provider to ensure the medication is appropriate based on your medical history and current treatments. If you have specific concerns, such as interactions with your diabetes medications or heart conditions, consulting with your doctor is the best course of action before starting any treatment.



  • Новичкам о портале



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49ers agree to 5-year, $92 million extension with CB Deommodore Lenoir

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir has agreed to a five-year, $92 million extension to stay with the team instead of testing the free agent market next offseason




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teardown: the SSD module is proprietary but replaceable, modular front ports, and the M4 Pro model has a beefier cooling rig than the M4 model

It shouldn’t be a big story that a desktop computer has upgradeable internal storage, but with Apple’s cute new 2024 Mac mini, that’s exactly where we are. It’s possible to pop the SSD out after removing a screw, and then switch in a bigger one. We didn’t run into the software blocks we saw in the…




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Daniel Lurie: San Francisco's moderate next mayor

The City by the Bay will soon have a new leader, as Democrat Daniel Lurie was elected the next mayor of San Francisco on Nov. 7. Lurie, a political newcomer, beat a fellow Democrat, incumbent Mayor London Breed, to earn the city's top job. He won the mayoral race by a large margin; Lurie led…




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ECB's Villeroy: More rate cuts as inflation moderates

Member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council and Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau indicated on Wednesday that more interest rate cuts could be on the horizon, noting ...




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Google DeepMind releases AlphaFold 3's source code and model weights for academic use, which could accelerate scientific discovery and drug development

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Google DeepMind has unexpectedly released the source code and model weights of AlphaFold 3 for academic use, marking a significant advance that could accelerate scientific…





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Mini Kitchen Remodel – Bright & Airy AFTER (You’ll love it!)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, the site author may receive a small commission. The mini kitchen remodel reveal Have you been on the edge of your seat, wondering how my DIY mini kitchen remodel turned out? Well, here we go! We didn’t do a full […]

The post Mini Kitchen Remodel – Bright & Airy AFTER (You’ll love it!) appeared first on Joyful Abode.




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Nintendo Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con $264.99 AC free shipping

Nintendo - Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con - White $289.99

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=44939

 

Coupon 25BTS (-$25.00)

 

Free standard US Shipping




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CABN modular homes will be part of a net-zero community

Where modern design, affordable living and sustainability meet, there is CABN. The first home of this project has just been created and soon, CABN's design will be the basis of a 67-home, net-zero community. If this is what the future looks like, there is hope that humans will actually have a healthy, happy future on this planet.[...]




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Critical Flaws in Ollama AI Framework Could Enable DoS, Model Theft, and Poisoning

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed six security flaws in the Ollama artificial intelligence (AI) framework that could be exploited by a malicious actor to perform various actions, including denial-of-service, model poisoning, and model theft. "Collectively, the vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to carry out a wide-range of malicious actions with a single HTTP request, including




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X is the latest social media site letting 3rd parties use your data to train AI models





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How to see the invisible: Using the dark matter distribution to test our cosmological model

A Princeton-led team of astrophysicists has measured a surprising value for the “clumpiness” of the universe’s dark matter.




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Jacques Fresco, 'a major figure in the birth of modern molecular biology,' dies at 93

Jacques R. Fresco, the emeritus Damon B. Pfeiffer Professor in the Life Sciences and an emeritus professor of molecular biology, died on Dec. 5. He served on Princeton's faculty for 53 years before retiring in July 2013.




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Towards AI Models that can Visually Understand the World's Cultures

In this talk, Graham Neubig will discuss a new frontier in AI models, vision-language models that understand the world's cultures. The talk will be in two parts. First, Neubig will discuss training of multilingual multimodal multicultural models that understand images and text, and have increased ability to answer culture-specific questions about multimodal data. Second, he will discuss work on "image transcreation", where models have been developed that can transform images to make them more relevant to a particular culture. This work has applications in a number of areas, such as cultural localization of educational materials (to accompany translated text). While these methods cover many languages, African and not, the talk will focus on examples specifically from the African context, and challenges we currently face therein.




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Early Modern Nahuatl Workshop

A working group analyzing Nahuatl-language documents of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries with a concentration on deciphering paleography and considering issues of translation. The workshop will commence with Mesoamerican Manuscripts held in the special collections of the Princeton University Library in support of the Translating Mesoamerica project that will provide increased accessibility and analysis of these archival treasures.




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How Modern Technology has Changed the Way we Listen to Music?

From the moment the phonograph was discovered, things began to move upwards, so that today, for very little money, we could have music and even find out the name of the song we are currently listening to, with one click. Modern technology has changed the ways of listening to music. Music has never been more ... Read more

The post How Modern Technology has Changed the Way we Listen to Music? appeared first on Star Two.




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Video: Back to Back Laps on a 2002 DH Bike & A Modern DH Bike at Mount Prevost



A lot has changed in 22 years.
( Photos: 1, Comments: 64 )




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Lab-Grown Diamonds: A Modern Marvel

Lab-grown diamonds have emerged as a fascinating alternative to traditional, naturally occurring diamonds. These gems, created under controlled laboratory conditions, possess unique advantages that set them apart from their earth-mined counterparts. In this exploration, we will delve into the world of lab-grown diamonds, examining the processes behind their creation and the environmental and ethical considerations ... Read more

The post Lab-Grown Diamonds: A Modern Marvel appeared first on Star Two.




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The Evolution of Engagement Rings: A Journey from Traditional to Modern Choices

Engagement rings, symbols of love and commitment, have journeyed through time, evolving in design, material, and meaning. This evolution reflects changing fashion trends and deeper shifts in social norms, economic conditions, and technological advancements. From the ancient times when rings were simple iron bands to the present day when they embody intricate designs and diverse ... Read more

The post The Evolution of Engagement Rings: A Journey from Traditional to Modern Choices appeared first on Star Two.




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How African Indigenous knowledge helped shape modern medicine

In the 1700s, an enslaved man named Onesimus shared a novel way to stave off smallpox during the Boston epidemic. Here’s his little-told story, and how the Atlantic slave trade and Indigenous medicine influenced early modern science.




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Israeli modern classic film ‘Turn Left at the End of the World’ turns 20


The movie was the first Nesher made after returning to Israel following a decade-long stint in Hollywood.





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Remembering Modicai Gerstein

Illustrator, writer, and filmmaker Mordicai Gerstein died earlier this month. He leaves behind an amazing body of work which is sure to be read and appreciated; several have already been anointed as modern classics.






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Shaping modern Britain: the role of African and Caribbean communities

Shaping modern Britain: the role of African and Caribbean communities 24 October 2024 — 5:00PM TO 6:00PM Anonymous (not verified) Chatham House and Online

As part of Black History Month, this event celebrates the enduring contributions of African and Caribbean communities to the UK.

When British colonial rule ended, newly independent countries in Africa and the Caribbean retained influences such as the English language and governance systems modelled on that of the UK. Initially, these post-independence relations were largely marked by the UK’s soft power, shaping the nation-building processes in these regions.

Over time, however, this influence has become a two-way exchange. African and Caribbean cultures have profoundly shaped modern Britain – from music and food to sports, arts, literature and beyond. These evolving dynamics have not only enriched the UK’s cultural landscape but also provided significant benefits for diaspora communities, fostering a sense of belonging and promoting cultural exchange. Diaspora groups and civil society organizations have adeptly utilised these connections to advocate for their communities and advance their interests.

At this event, speakers will explore how African and Caribbean influences rose to prominence in the UK and how this cultural momentum can be harnessed to build stronger, forward-looking partnerships. By highlighting the shared histories and more vibrant present-day exchanges, this event will explore how these ties can be used to break down stereotypes, promote social cohesion, and contribute to a more inclusive future.

This event forms part of our series of events celebrating Black History Month, including a photo exhibition and drinks reception.




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Hdac3 regulates bone modeling by suppressing osteoclast responsiveness to RANKL [Signal Transduction]

Hdac3 is a lysine deacetylase that removes acetyl groups from histones and additional proteins. Although Hdac3 functions within mesenchymal lineage skeletal cells are defined, little is known about Hdac3 activities in bone-resorbing osteoclasts. In this study we conditionally deleted Hdac3 within Ctsk-expressing cells and examined the effects on bone modeling and osteoclast differentiation in mice. Hdac3 deficiency reduced femur and tibia periosteal circumference and increased cortical periosteal osteoclast number. Trabecular bone was likewise reduced and was accompanied by increased osteoclast number per trabecular bone surface. We previously showed that Hdac3 deacetylates the p65 subunit of the NF-κB transcriptional complex to decrease DNA-binding and transcriptional activity. Hdac3-deficient osteoclasts demonstrate increased K310 NF-κB acetylation and NF-κB transcriptional activity. Hdac3-deficient osteoclast lineage cells were hyper-responsive to RANKL and showed elevated ex vivo osteoclast number and size and enhanced bone resorption in pit formation assays. Osteoclast-directed Hdac3 deficiency decreased cortical and trabecular bone mass parameters, suggesting that Hdac3 regulates coupling of bone resorption and bone formation. We surveyed a panel of osteoclast-derived coupling factors and found that Hdac3 suppression diminished sphingosine-1-phosphate production. Osteoclast-derived sphingosine-1-phosphate acts in paracrine to promote bone mineralization. Mineralization of WT bone marrow stromal cells cultured with conditioned medium from Hdac3-deficient osteoclasts was markedly reduced. Expression of alkaline phosphatase, type 1a1 collagen, and osteocalcin was also suppressed, but no change in Runx2 expression was observed. Our results demonstrate that Hdac3 controls bone modeling by suppressing osteoclast lineage cell responsiveness to RANKL and coupling to bone formation.




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Lysine Propionylation and Butyrylation Are Novel Post-translational Modifications in Histones

Yue Chen
May 1, 2007; 6:812-819
Research




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In Vivo Identification of Human Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier Polymerization Sites by High Accuracy Mass Spectrometry and an in Vitro to in Vivo Strategy

Ivan Matic
Jan 1, 2008; 7:132-144
Research




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Time-resolved Mass Spectrometry of Tyrosine Phosphorylation Sites in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Network Reveals Dynamic Modules

Yi Zhang
Sep 1, 2005; 4:1240-1250
Research




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Exponentially Modified Protein Abundance Index (emPAI) for Estimation of Absolute Protein Amount in Proteomics by the Number of Sequenced Peptides per Protein

Yasushi Ishihama
Sep 1, 2005; 4:1265-1272
Research




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Differential compartmental processing and phosphorylation of pathogenic human tau and native mouse tau in the line 66 model of frontotemporal dementia [Molecular Bases of Disease]

Synapse loss is associated with motor and cognitive decline in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, and the cellular redistribution of tau is related to synaptic impairment in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Here, we examined the cellular distribution of tau protein species in human tau overexpressing line 66 mice, a transgenic mouse model akin to genetic variants of frontotemporal dementia. Line 66 mice express intracellular tau aggregates in multiple brain regions and exhibit sensorimotor and motor learning deficiencies. Using a series of anti-tau antibodies, we observed, histologically, that nonphosphorylated transgenic human tau is enriched in synapses, whereas phosphorylated tau accumulates predominantly in cell bodies and axons. Subcellular fractionation confirmed that human tau is highly enriched in insoluble cytosolic and synaptosomal fractions, whereas endogenous mouse tau is virtually absent from synapses. Cytosolic tau was resistant to solubilization with urea and Triton X-100, indicating the formation of larger tau aggregates. By contrast, synaptic tau was partially soluble after Triton X-100 treatment and most likely represents aggregates of smaller size. MS corroborated that synaptosomal tau is nonphosphorylated. Tau enriched in the synapse of line 66 mice, therefore, appears to be in an oligomeric and nonphosphorylated state, and one that could have a direct impact on cognitive function.




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How modular renewables can reduce the costs of relying on carbon capture

How modular renewables can reduce the costs of relying on carbon capture Expert comment LToremark

COP29 must raise countries’ ambitions to deploy vastly more low-cost modular renewable technologies to help meet the tripling of renewables target set at COP28 and reduce our reliance on expensive carbon capture systems.

The most important international climate conference is around the corner. COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan will be especially important because next year countries will submit their five-yearly national climate plans – or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – as set out under the Paris Agreement.

At COP28 in Dubai last year, the final text was heralded as a last-minute success as – somewhat surprisingly – it was the first ever COP to commit to ‘transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner’. To support this, over 200 countries also committed to triple renewable capacity by 2030.

Under current NDCs, even if all countries achieve their most ambitious decarbonization plans, the world would still fall 30 per cent short of tripling renewable capacity by 2030. 

At COP29 in November, hosted by a petrostate, additional agreement is needed to operationalize the removal of fossil fuels from the global energy system and set the ambition for those crucial NDCs in 2025. Failing to do so means the opportunity to triple renewables by 2030 will slip away. But the actions of oil producing nations, international oil companies, their associated supply chains and networks of lobbyists have in recent years done their best to disrupt and slow down the energy transition and water down key negotiations during COPs and elsewhere

During the final days of COP28, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sent private letters to its 13 members – including COP28 host the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – urging them to ‘proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy, i.e. fossil fuels, rather than emissions’. OPEC members own 80 per cent of global oil reserves.

Due to the startling decline in the cost of renewables and electric vehicles, fossil fuel producers are increasingly concerned. To fight back they are turning to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies and carbon removal options, which would enable the continued burning of fossil fuels – and protect their assets and business models.

A key battle ground for oil and gas producers is the difference between abated and unabated fossil fuels.

Abatement is the process of capturing CO2 as fossil fuels are burnt to prevent a proportion of those CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, either by using that CO2 in products or storing it in geological formations deep underground in near perpetuity, commonly referred to as CCS.

After COP28 there was optimism that the final agreement was significant and covered all fossil fuels without ambiguity around whether they are unabated or abated. 

But the definition of unabated has not actually been agreed within the COP process. During the 2021 COP26 summit, the Glasgow Climate Pact mentioned unabated in reference to coal. Could a gas power station capturing 51 per cent of the emitted CO2 be considered abated?

And what about the so-called downstream emissions? Downstream emissions from cars, planes, tanker ships and diesel generators etc make up 50–80 per cent of the total emissions from oil – and there are no plans to attach mini-CCS systems to cars.

CCS and engineered carbon removals are also likely to be expensive. Analysis by the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment has shown that high CCS pathways to net zero emissions in 2050 would cost at least $30 trillion more than a low CCS pathway with more renewables – roughly $1 trillion more per year.

The rapid cost reductions of solar, wind and batteries are due to their modular nature.

The costs of CCS have also remained the same for the past 40 years, while the costs of renewables like solar, wind and lithium-ion batteries have dropped radically. Solar costs have declined by 90 per cent in the last decade

The rapid cost reductions of solar, wind and batteries are due to their modular nature. Around 70 billion solar cells will be manufactured this year, the majority in China. It is the repetitive modular manufacturing process that has led to rapid efficiency improvements and cost reductions. Each Tesla has around 7,000 lithium-ion battery cells, and the price of these modular batteries fell 14 per cent between 2022 and 2023 alone. 

The modular criteria can help define the technology winners of the future, technologies we should selectively support and accelerate over the coming years. 

While huge industrial power stations, oil rigs and refineries have their benefits, they are not modular in the same way. Their economy of scale is in the large size of each asset. CCS is bolted on to fossil fuel infrastructure but there are less than 50,000 fossil fuel producing assets globally. By contrast, there were 1.5 billion solar panels produced in 2022. The cost of deploying CCS is therefore unlikely to benefit from the rapid cost reductions of modular renewables. Nuclear even less so. There are 440 nuclear power stations in operation today, they take many years to build and remain hugely expensive. 




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The break-up of Scholz’s coalition government signals the end of Germany’s old economic model

The break-up of Scholz’s coalition government signals the end of Germany’s old economic model Expert comment jon.wallace

The coalition could not agree how to fund new support for Ukraine and failed to fully implement the ‘Zeitenwende’. A new government must push through reform.

As Europeans were still processing Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election, an acrimonious break up occurred 4000 miles east of Washington DC.

Reports had been circulating for weeks about the fragile state of Germany’s ‘traffic light’ coalition government led by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, consisting of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Green Party, and liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP).

The expectation had been that the coalition would hold on for a few more weeks and might even be given a new lease of life by Trump’s re-election. Instead, it collapsed on the day Trump’s win was confirmed. An unusually angry Scholtz announced in a live address that he had fired FDP Finance Minister Christian Lindner, effectively breaking up the coalition.

At the heart of the dispute was the so-called ‘debt brake’ – a constitutional mechanism which restricts Germany’s annual public deficit to 0.35 per cent of GDP. Lindner proposed a set of reforms which were unpalatable to the SPD and the Greens. 

In response, Scholz suggested declaring an emergency, which would have suspended the debt brake. That in turn was unacceptable to Lindner, leading to his sacking by the Chancellor.

Practically, this means the SPD and the Greens are now in a minority coalition, without agreement on the 2025 budget or the votes in parliament to pass it. They also still face the challenge of the debt brake.

A vote of confidence will take place in December, with elections to be held before the end of February 2025 latest.

The end of Germany’s economic model

At the root of Germany’s political crisis is the country’s economic model. For decades, Germany relied on a system that depended on cheap Russian gas, cheap imports of consumer goods from China, high-value exports – particularly in the automotive sector – and the US security umbrella.

With Russian energy no longer viable, the global economic landscape shifting, and Donald Trump on his way back to the White House, that model is no longer workable. And Germany’s economy is expected to contract by 0.2 per cent in 2024 – a contraction for the second year running.

Germany has struggled to turn around its economic woes, with the car industry particularly affected.

The ‘Zeitenwende’, announced by Scholz in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, should have signalled a turnaround of both foreign and economic policy, given how much the two are interconnected. Yet on both fronts, too little changed.

Germany’s reliance on Russian gas did come to an abrupt end in 2022. And Germany is Ukraine’s second largest military aid donor after the US, while accepting the most Ukrainian refugees.

But the ‘Zeitenwende’ turnaround ended there. Scholz’s coalition government failed to prepare for long-term investment in defence at the levels required by creating an off-budget defence spending fund which would have run out in 2027. The draft budget for 2025 showed defence spending would have been cut, as would support for Ukraine.

Germany has also struggled to turn around its economic woes, with the car industry particularly affected. Cheap Chinese EVs and new energy technologies are competing with Germany’s most powerful companies. Volkswagen, the country’s largest car manufacturer, has announced plant closures and layoffs due to shrinking profit margins.  

To the west, Trump’s threat to impose 10 to 20 per cent tariffs on all EU imports meant share prices of Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedez-Benz and Porsche all dropped between 4 to 7 per cent following news of his re-election.

To the east, trade tensions between the EU and China are intensifying. Yet rather than choosing to diversify, German companies have doubled down on their bets in China, with German investment in the country rising from €6.5bn for the whole of 2023 to €7.3bn in the first half of 2024 alone – only exposing carmakers further.

Germany’s support for Ukraine

Like French President Emmanuel Macron, Scholz had already been weakened by the results of the European Parliamentary elections in June. With the collapse of his traffic light coalition, the EU’s Franco-German ‘engine’ is now well and truly stalled – until new leadership can be found. This weakness comes at a perilous moment when clear, united European leadership, and much increased funding, is needed to shore up support for Ukraine.




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Stopping the Use of Chemical Weapons in Modern Conflicts




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The Belt and Road Initiative: Modernity, Geopolitics and the Global Order




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Thematic review series: Lipid Posttranslational Modifications. Protein palmitoylation by a family of DHHC protein S-acyltransferases

David A. Mitchell
Jun 1, 2006; 47:1118-1127
Thematic Reviews