Latest rn news

Ricochet uses power of the dark web to help journalists, sources dodge metadata laws

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Fri, 19 Feb 2016 04:19:51 GMT

A new internet messaging tool that sidesteps the federal government's metadata collection regime to help journalists protect whistle blowers and assists human rights activists has received a tick of approval from security experts.

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Government acknowledges poor internet in Canberra's south but sticks to NBN plan

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Sun, 06 Mar 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Minister for Communications acknowledges some areas of Canberra's southern suburbs have poor internet access.

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Branching out after death: where next for the 'Internet of Things'?

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Wed, 30 Mar 2016 07:53:02 GMT

It turns out that even death needs the internet.

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Recruitment drive for cyber security specialists will bring challenges for government

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 02 May 2016 19:51:02 GMT

Fear government's cyber security recruitment drive will lead to job cuts.

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Malcolm Turnbull promises $50 million reboot for troubled myGov

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Tue, 21 Jun 2016 22:06:13 GMT

Takeover of troubled portal by Digital Transformation Office confirmed

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Government agencies name cybercrime as their top fraud risk: PwC

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 14:15:00 GMT

The 'typical' corrupt bureaucrat is a male, university-educated middle manager, aged 41 to 50.

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Governments should hack less, deliver better online services: Harvard IT expert

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Sat, 30 Jul 2016 13:30:00 GMT

Western governments have established the international norm of online hacking and should not be surprised when foreign governments do the same.

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Is the Australian government agile and innovative? Not to those in the start-ups world

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Wed, 02 Nov 2016 04:25:22 GMT

Public service departments "too nervous" to innovate, say start-ups.

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Digital government could become just more cost cutting, warns Internet Australia

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Sun, 04 Dec 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Revolving door at digital agency must stop, says Labor.

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Can the government really protect your privacy when it 'de-identifies' public data?

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:45:00 GMT

We don't really know to how to use big data and protect personal information at the same time.

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Centrelink debt debacle shows government is unprepared for digital revolution

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 06 Feb 2017 13:15:00 GMT

The public service needs to embrace partnerships if it's to harvest big data's massive yields.

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Auditor-general exposes weaknesses in ACT government's IT systems

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 08 May 2017 02:35:19 GMT

Electronic sexual health records and the births, deaths and marriages registry have been left exposed.

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How federal government departments are protecting Australians' data against cyber hack

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 15 May 2017 10:09:02 GMT

Cyber Security Minister Dan Tehan says the government can't rule out vulnerabilities to cyber threats.

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Robot to greet visitors to Queensland government office

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 31 Jul 2017 08:51:06 GMT

Visitors to two Queensland government offices in 1 William Street will be greeted by a robot, as part of a new trial.

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Labor to push for Senate inquiry into $10b government IT spend and tech wrecks

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Sun, 13 Aug 2017 14:01:00 GMT

The probe would investigate a trail of blunders that have shredded the government's reputation.

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ACT human rights commission 'concerned' about new app for ACT police

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:00:00 GMT

Canberrans' privacy rights could be threatened by the new app.

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Microsoft cloud targets critical government business in Canberra

By www.smh.com.au
Published On :: Mon, 02 Apr 2018 14:00:00 GMT

Two new regions of Microsoft's Azure cloud will open in Canberra on Tuesday.

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Financial Markets: Lessons Learned Since the Financial Crisis and What the Future Holds

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 10:00:02 +0000

Invitation Only Research Event

2 September 2019 - 5:15pm to 6:30pm

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Professor Robert Shiller, Sterling Professor of Economics, Yale University
Chair: Marianne Schneider-Petsinger, Research Fellow, US and the Americas Programme Chatham House

The 2007-08 financial crisis wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of people across the globe, and upended the faith of many in the prevailing economic system, with many countries still recovering a decade on.

Drawing on extensive research in his new book, Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events, Professor Shiller will draw on a rich array of historical examples and data and outline a new way to think about economic change, and the narratives that shape it, to provide answers to questions such as whether lessons have been learned since the last financial crisis, are the same dislocations likely to occur again and what toolkits, if any, are there for anticipating the next financial crisis or recession?

Attendance at this event is by invitation only.

Event attributes

Chatham House Rule

Department/project

US and the Americas Programme

US and Americas Programme

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Petro-RMB? The oil trade and the internationalization of the renminbi

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:13:14 +0000

4 September 2019 , Volume 95, Number 5

Maha Kamel and Hongying Wang

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In this article, we examine China's promotion of the renminbi (RMB) in international oil trade and explore its implications for the international currency system in the short and the long term. The article traces the rise of the RMB in international oil trade in recent years and provides an analysis of its impact on the internationalization of the Chinese currency. We argue that despite the increasing use of the yuan in oil trade in recent years, in the short term it is highly unlikely that a petro-RMB system will emerge to rival the petrodollar system. Unlike the petrodollar, which combines the qualities of a master currency, a top currency and a negotiated currency, China lacks the economic leadership and the political and geopolitical leverages to make the RMB a major petrocurrency. Although the emergence of the RMB-denominated Shanghai oil futures is an important development, the absence of highly developed financial markets and a strong legal system in China hinders its potential. In the long run, the RMB may take on a more prominent role in the international oil trade as China's weight as an oil importer rises. More importantly, the overuse of financial sanctions by the US government has begun to undermine the role of the dollar within and beyond the oil trade. In addition, the rise of alternative energy sources will diminish the centrality of oil in the world economy, thus reducing the significance of petrocurrencies—whether the dollar or the RMB—in shaping the international currency system.

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Understanding China’s Evolving Role in Global Economic Governance

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:00:01 +0000

Invitation Only Research Event

21 November 2019 - 4:00pm to 22 November 2019 - 5:00pm

The Hague, The Netherlands

Almost four years since it was established, the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved 49 projects and proposed 28. The AIIB claims to be more efficient and less bureaucratic than traditional multilateral development banks (MDB’s) which has threatened the existing model of multilateral development finance. At the same time, China’s increased role in previously Western-led economic institutions, such as the WTO and IMF, has raised questions over the future of the international trade order. How will a rising China shape the international institutional order? Where are there opportunities for potential collaboration and what areas pose challenges? And how should other states and international organizations respond?

Attendance at this event is by invitation only.

Department/project

Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Trade, Investment and Economics

Lucy Ridout

Programme Administrator, Asia-Pacific Programme

+44 (0) 207 314 2761

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The African Continental Free Trade Area Could Boost African Agency in International Trade

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Tue, 10 Dec 2019 09:17:12 +0000

10 December 2019

Tighisti Amare

Assistant Director, Africa Programme

Treasure Thembisile Maphanga

Director, Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (2012–19)

The agreement, which entered into force in May, could be a major step for Africa’s role in international trade, if the continent can overcome barriers to implementation.

2019-12-10-Niger.jpg

Delegates arrive at the closing ceremony of the African Union summit in Niger in July. Photo: Getty Images.

The entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 30 May, after only three years of negotiations, is an economic, political and diplomatic milestone for the African Union (AU) and its member states, crucial for economic growth, job creation, and making Africa a meaningful player in international trade. But the continent will have to work together to ensure that the potential benefits are fully realized.

A necessary innovation

With its advances in maintaining peace and security, abundant natural resources, high growth rates, improved linkages to global supply chains and a youthful population, Africa is emerging as a new global centre of economic growth, increasingly sought after as a partner by the world’s biggest economies. Governments from across Africa have been taking a more assertive role in international markets, including through proactive diversification of trading partners, and the continent remains a strong advocate for the multilateral trading system.

However, this is not yet reflected in outcomes. The African Union does not have observer status at the World Trade Organization, despite diplomatic efforts in the past decade. Africa has less than a three per cent share of global trade, and the growing trend towards protectionism across the global economy may only increase the vulnerability of a disunited Africa. Its fractured internal market means that trade within Africa is lower than for any other region on the globe, with intra-African trade just 18 per cent of overall exports, as compared to 70 per cent in Europe.

The AfCFTA is the continent’s tool to address the disparity between Africa’s growing economic significance and its peripheral place in the global trade system, to build a bridge between present fragmentation and future prosperity. It is an ambitious, comprehensive agreement covering trade in goods, services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. It has been signed by all of Africa’s states with the exception of Eritrea.

It is the AU's Agenda 2063 flagship project, brought about by the decisions taken at the January 2012 African Union Summit to boost intra-African trade and to fast track the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area. It builds upon ambitions enshrined in successive agreements including the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty. Access to new regional markets and reduced non-tariff barriers are intended to help companies scale up, driving job creation and poverty reduction, as well as attracting inward investment to even Africa’s smaller economies.

The signing in 2018 of the instruments governing the Single Air Transport Market and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment provided another step towards the gradual elimination of barriers to the movement of goods, services and people within the continent.

Tests to come

However, while progress is being made towards the ratification of the AfCFTA, much remains to be done before African countries can fully trade under its terms. The framework for implementation is still under development, and the creation of enabling infrastructure that is critical for connectivity will take time to develop and requires extensive investment.

Africa’s Future in a Changing Global Order: Africa’s Economic Diplomacy

Treasure Thembisile Maphanga talks about the international implications of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

So, the first test for the AfCFTA will be the level to which Africa’s leaders make it a domestic priority, and whether a consensus can be maintained across the AU’s member states as the costs of implementation become clear.

There is no guarantee that the gains of free trade will be evenly distributed. They will mainly depend on the extent to which countries embrace industrialization, liberalization of their markets and opening of their borders for free movement of goods and people – policies that some incumbent leaders may be reluctant to implement. Political will to maintain a unified negotiating position with diverse stakeholders, including the private sector, will come under increasing stress.

A second challenge is how the AfCFTA relates to already existing trade arrangements, notably with the EU. The AU has long preferred to pursue a continent-to-continent trading arrangement instead of the bilateral Economic Partnership Agreements being sought by the EU under the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) framework to which, with the exception of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa, all African states belong. The signing of the AfCFTA is one important step towards making this possible.

But there are currently negotiations under the ACP to replace the Cotonou Accord (the framework governing trade between ACP members and the EU, including Economic Partnership Agreements [EPAs], that is due to expire in 2020). Negotiations on the African pillar of the accord are due to take place after the AfCFTA has entered into force. So African states and the AU will face the challenge of balancing their commitment to the ACP bloc with pursuing their own interests.

And though the AfCFTA should supersede any other agreements, the EPAs or their successors, will continue to govern day-to-day trading, in parallel to the new pan-African market. It is not yet clear how these contradictions will be reconciled.

A new role for the AU?

The AU will need to play an active role as the main interlocutor with Africa´s international trading partners, with the AfCFTA secretariat being the arbiter of internal tensions and trade disputes. The AU´s engagement at continental level has to date revolved mainly around headline political diplomacy, security and peacekeeping. With the continental free market becoming a reality, an effective pivot to economic diplomacy will be critical for growth and development.

With the AfCFTA, the AU has endeavoured to address Africa’s unsustainable position in global trade, to stimulate growth, economic diversification and jobs for its growing population. Much will depend on the commitment of African leaders to maintaining a unified negotiating position to implement the agreement and the AU’s capacity to effectively move from political to economic diplomacy.

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Influencing the social impact of financial systems: alternative strategies

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Wed, 04 Mar 2020 13:35:39 +0000

4 March 2020 , Volume 96, Number 2

Lee-Anne Sim

Read Online

The social impact of the global financial crisis brought global and domestic financial systems into public focus. While over the last ten years governments have introduced a range of regulatory reforms, there are still low levels of public trust in financial sectors, and academics continue to express their concerns about financial systems and their desire for more influence. This is particularly the case for those framing their evaluation of the quality of financial systems in terms of social values. This article offers those seeking more influence over the social values of financial systems, a fresh perspective on their available strategic options for influencing outcomes. It argues that they should consider strategies aimed at making allies of financial sectors and regulators in influencing change. The main advantage of these alliance strategies is that they address key constraints to influence, as identified in existing scholarship, which are difficult to relax because they are tied to features inherent in financial systems. By addressing these constraints, alliance strategies could increase the likelihood that financial system outcomes align more closely with their preferred social values.

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Schnyder corneal dystrophy-associated UBIAD1 is defective in MK-4 synthesis and resists autophagy-mediated degradation

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: 2020-05-01

Dong-Jae Jun
May 1, 2020; 61:746-757
Research Articles

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The lncRNA Gm15622 stimulates SREBP-1c expression and hepatic lipid accumulation by sponging the miR-742-3p in mice

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: 2020-03-30

Minjuan Ma
Mar 30, 2020; 0:jlr.RA120000664v1-jlr.RA120000664
Research Articles

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Comparative profiling and comprehensive quantification of stratum corneum ceramides in humans and mice by LC-MS/MS

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: 2020-04-07

Momoko Kawana
Apr 7, 2020; 0:jlr.RA120000671v1-jlr.RA120000671
Research Articles

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UK Tech Weekly Podcast Episode One: The Internet of Looms (IoL)

By play.acast.com
Published On :: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 09:59:53 GMT

In the inaugural episode of the UK Tech Weekly Podcast host Matt Egan discusses Apple's disastrous Error 53 with David Price, acting editor of Macworld UK. Techworld.com editor Charlotte Jee discusses the London mayoral candidates views on the UK tech industry, including Zach Goldsmith's anti-Uber statement, and online editor Scott Carey jumps in with some inane ideas around fibre broadband. Finally the team talk about YouTube licensing rights, despite knowing absolutely nothing about the subject.