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How cartoonists are satirizing the Trump impeachment hearings to ‘keep us sane’

Pulitzer-winning cartoonists use humor to peer behind all the political posturing.




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‘A Short Hike’: A pleasant break from the winter doldrums

'A Short Hike" is a good example of how a familiar video game form can be made into something more quiet and unhurried.




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Bernie Sanders’s newest fan? Harley Quinn in ‘Birds of Prey.’

The Democratic presidential candidate gets a shout-out in the new film.




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Sanaa Lathan’s Catwoman is here to steal scenes, jewelry and hearts in the ‘Harley Quinn’ animated series

"She’s the coolest superhero out there. She’s extremely confident. Sexy. Not surprised by anything," says Sanaa Lathan of Catwoman, her new role in DC Universe's "Harley Quinn" series.




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San Diego Comic-Con canceled because of coronavirus pandemic

For the first time in 50 years there won't be a San Diego Comic Con.




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Sarah Sanders may be joining an exclusive group of ex-Trump aides

The former press secretary is reportedly writing a book about her tenure — adding to a growing list of White House advisers with stories to sell.




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Cardi B continues her support of Bernie Sanders by filming a campaign video together

The rapper has been a supporter of the Democratic presidential candidate, and says she wants to help "a movement of young people to transform this country."




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Cardi B and Bernie Sanders talk police brutality and health care — while in a nail salon

The senator from Vermont and the rapper bantered and got into the issues in a new campaign video.




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Ariana Grande is the latest celebrity to show support for Bernie Sanders, calling him ‘my guy’

The singer posted photos of the duo embracing after one of her concerts.




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Kenan Thompson to host White House correspondents’ dinner with guest Hasan Minhaj

After taking a break from professional comedians, the organization has returned to tradition.




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Celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski and Mark Ruffalo send messages of thanks to Bernie Sanders

Famous supporters flocked to social media as Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential campaign.




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Bernie Sanders and Cardi B talk Joe Biden, coronavirus and manicures on Instagram Live

Bernie Sanders joined rapper Cardi B on her Instagram page to talk politics and nail care.




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PayPal Test Cards (Sandbox Testing)

If you are using PayPal as the main payment gateway on your website, you may be wondering how you can complete a test transaction to ensure the payment process is running smoothly. In this tutorial, we will look at how you can use PayPal’s ‘test‘ mode known as Sandbox to complete test transactions with a […]

The post PayPal Test Cards (Sandbox Testing) appeared first on Tips and Tricks HQ.




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Perhaps Sanders and Warren are the ones being politically expedient

It’s been frustrating to watch more moderate positions be characterized as solely driven by political calculations.




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Elizabeth Warren tried to do Bernie Sanders’s homework for him. She failed.

Maybe they need a new assignment.




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A socialist is likely to win the 2020 election. No, not Bernie Sanders.

How the president has proved himself a more successful socialist than Sanders is likely to ever be.




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velocityconf: @tsantero @garethr No, there's just a lot that goes into producing #velocityconf. Plus the chairs are getting ready for Santa Clara + NY! :)

velocityconf: @tsantero @garethr No, there's just a lot that goes into producing #velocityconf. Plus the chairs are getting ready for Santa Clara + NY! :)




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AT#48 - Travel to San Diego, California

San Diego, California




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AT#73 - Bike tour from Vancouver, B.C. to San Jose, CA

Bike tour from Vancouver, B.C. to San Jose, CA




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AT#159 - Travel to San Francisco, California

The Amateur Traveler talks to Richard Miller of the SparkleTack podcast (about San Francisco history) about San Francisco. Richard guides us in a driving/walking tour from west to east. We start at lands end and end up near fisherman's wharf while talking about the sites and history of many of the places in between. This is a great companion episode with the 2 part soundseeing walking tour of San Francisco.




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AT#260 - Biking Spain's Camino di Santiago

The Amateur Traveler talks to Ben Dixon about biking the route of the Camino di Santiago in northern Spain. The Camino di Santiago is a an ancient pilgrim trail that runs across northern Spain from the border with France to Santiago di Compostella. The cathedral in Santiago di Compostella reputedly holds the remains of St. James. Modern day pilgrims are sometimes drawn by faith and sometimes just drawn by the journey itself to trek for a month across the varied landscapes of northern Spain. As an American, Ben did not have a month of vacation but rather than be one of those pilgrims who only traverses the very end of the trail he chose to take on the pilgrim route on a bicycle. Along the way he stayed in the hostels that house the many pilgrims where he met people who had been walking from far beyond the border with France. Through countryside, cities and picturesque towns he rode in both sunshine and driving rain, but the highlight of the trip might not be what you think.




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AT#269 - Pamplona Spain - The Running of the Bulls and the San Fermin Fiesta

The Amateur Traveler talks to Vicente Perez about his home city of Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona is best known for the festival of San Fermin and of course for the running of the bulls. Vicente tells us more about that colorful festival, of which, the running of the bulls is actually a very small part. From the Txupinazo, the ceremonial firing of a rocket on July 6th until July 14th the population of Pamplona swells with celebrants. Processions of giant figures (the Comparsa), music, bull fights and lots and lots of partying fill the days and nights. But Vicente also tells of some of the other features of Pamplona and the Navarre region that can be enjoyed any time of year including wonderful food, beautiful mountains, castles, and the nearby cave of Zugarramurdi (Known for the Basque witch trials).




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AT#310 - Travel to San Antonio. Texas

The Amateur Traveler talks to Carlos Gutierrez about his home town of San Antonio, Texas. Carlos gives us a guide to some of the obvious spots like the Alamo but also shares some of his favorite hole in the wall restaurants, a tip about the best time to come to San Antonio, and a great drive in the Texas countryside.




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AT#340 - Travel to the Microstates of Europe (Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino)

The Amateur Traveler talks to to Gary Arndt about the 4 micro-states in Europe: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino.  "They all have very unique histories and the one thing that they are all very small"




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AT#356 - Travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Hear about travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks to Billie Frank from SantaFeTravelers.com about her city, the second oldest in the United States and the oldest capital city in the U.S.




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AT#453 - Travel to Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Hear about travel to the state of Guanajuato Mexico (including San Miguel de Allende) as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tim Leffel of perceptivetravel.com about his adopted home.




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AT#481 - Travel to Santa Barbara, California

Hear about travel to Santa Barbara, California as the Amateur Traveler talks to Heather Simon from wellplannedtravel.net about the "American Riviera".




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AT#482 - Hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain

Hear about hiking the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) in northern Spain as the Amateur Traveler talks to Linda Martin from The Indie Travel Podcast.

Linda says, "the thing about the Camino is that it is as long as you wanted to be."




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AT#494 - Travel to San Diego, California

Hear about travel to San Diego as the Amateur Traveler talks to Mike from MikesRoadTrip.com about this beautiful city in Southern California.




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AT#622 - Travel to San Francisco, California

Hear about travel to San Francisco, California as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jill Robinson and Kimberley Levato authors of 100 Things to Do in San Francisco Before You Die.




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Media Lies at Work: As NY Deaths Go Up, So Do Cuomo’s Polls – As FL Deaths Go Down, So Do DeSantis’ Polls

The mainstream media is still a powerful entity in America, even as its influence wanes in favor of social media. The evidence of this has come again in recent polls that show Republican Gov. Rob DeSantis’ slipping poll numbers in Florida versus Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s rising numbers in New York. And the curious part…

The post Media Lies at Work: As NY Deaths Go Up, So Do Cuomo’s Polls – As FL Deaths Go Down, So Do DeSantis’ Polls appeared first on The Western Journal.




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A Campaign of Disappearances in Syria Leaves Thousands Missing

At least 65,116 individuals have been "forcibly disappeared" by the Syrian government, according to a new report by Amnesty International.




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EIT Elsewhere | “Time Out: San José” in Delta Sky Magazine

I was excited to finally get the word that an article I wrote sharing my love for my hometown – San Jose, California – is out in Delta Sky Magazine this month! Time Out: San José (Are you flying Delta this month? If so, pick up a copy for me! I’d love to see it […]

The article EIT Elsewhere | “Time Out: San José” in Delta Sky Magazine originated at EverInTransit.com




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A Sandwich, A Wallet, and Elizabeth Taylor's Cousin

Being a Parable for the Edification of Independents Seeking Independence

THE PARABLE

THE OSTENSIBLE CUSTOMER enters a deli and saunters up to the counter. The deli is tended by its rakishly handsome owner, THE SANDWICH GUY.

"Hi," says The Sandwich Guy. "What looks good to you today?"

"Slow down," says The Ostensible Customer, as THE LUNCH RUSH starts trickling in. "Lots of delis want my business, so, first I need to really understand what you can do for me."

"Well," says The Sandwich Guy, "I guess I can try to do what I do for everybody here and make you a customized version of any of the 15 awesome sandwiches you see on my menu. What're you hungry for?"

"Easy, easy, Ricky Roma! Before I make any decisions here I'm going to need to know a lot more about my options. Why are you so obsessed with 'what I want?'"

"Okay, sorry," says The Sandwich Guy, uneasily eyeing the growing queue of The Lunch Rush now piling up behind The Ostensible Customer. "What else can I do to help here?"

"That's better," says The Ostensible Customer. "Let's start by sitting down for a couple hours and going over all the ingredients you have back there."

The Sandwich Guy laughs congenially and hands The Ostensible Customer a menu. "Friend, I can make you whatever you want, but, if it helps, the 15 sandwiches listed here show all the ingredients--right there between the name and the price..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! The price?!? Already you're reaching for my wallet? Jeez, I barely just arrived."

The Lunch Rush is getting restless and grumbling audibly.

"Well. You know. I do sell sandwiches for a living," says The Sandwich Guy. "Did you have a certain budget in mind for your lunch?"

"Oh, God, no. I'm nowhere near that point yet. I still need to learn a lot more about how you work, and so, obviously, I have no idea what I want to pay. Obviously."

"Okay," says The Sandwich Guy, "but...I can't do much for you here without knowing either what you want to eat or how much money you want to spend. You get that, right?"

The Ostensible Customer is miffed.

"Listen, here. What I 'get,' so-called Sandwich Guy, is that you're not going to rush me into some tricky lifetime sandwich commitment until I understand precisely who I'm working with. And, so far, I do not like what I see. Still. I intend to find out more. So, meet me in Canada tomorrow to talk about this for an hour."

The Lunch Rush begins waving their wallets as they lob their completed order forms at The Sandwich Guy's face.

"Sorry," says The Sandwich Guy. "I can't do that. How about I just make you a Reuben. It's really good, it's our most popular sandwich, and it only costs eight bucks."

"WHAT! EIGHT DOLLARS! 'Dollars' with a 'd?' That's way too much!"

"I thought you didn't have a budget," says The Sandwich Guy.

"Well, I don't. And, besides, I don't really 'need' a sandwich at all. Now, kindly fly to Canada."

"That's not going to happen, sir."

"Also," says The Ostensible Customer, "if I do decide to get a sandwich from you--and it's looking increasingly less likely that I will--I'll absolutely expect your deeply discounted price to reflect the fact that I'm not particularly hungry right now."

The Lunch Rush begins lighting torches and chanting a guttural chant, not unlike the haunting overtone singing of Tuvan herdsmen.

"Look," sighs The Sandwich Guy, "it sounds like you need a little more time. Here's a free Coke and a complimentary bowl of pickles. Please have a seat, take all the time you need, then just come on up whenever you're ready to order, okay?"

"‘READY?!?’ TO...‘ORDER?!?’ Are you out of your mind?"

"Mmmm...apparently."

Presently, The Ostensible Customer turns beet-red.

"This is an outrage! I can't even imagine how you stay in business when you treat your customers like this."

The Lunch Rush grows silent as The Sandwich Guy slowly leans over the counter and smiles--his nose one slice of corned beef from The Ostensible Customer's nose.

"Sir. First off: you aren't my customer yet. Right now, you're just some dude holding a bowl of free pickles."

"Buh?" fumbled The Ostensible Customer.

"And, second, the way I 'stay in business' is by making great sandwiches and having as few conversations like the one we're having as possible," The Sandwich Guy coos.

"Because, the truth is, my real customers are actually all those nice people standing behind you. They're the people who buy my sandwiches with real money over and over again. I really like them, and so I give them almost all of my attention."

The Sandwich Guy waves at The Lunch Rush. The Lunch Rush waves back. The Ostensible Customer looks stunned.

"Sir," says The Sandwich Guy "enjoy your Coke and your pickles with my compliments. But, please step aside. Because right now, there's a whole bunch of hungry people trying to buy sandwiches that won't require me flying to Canada. Next, please!"

The Lunch Rush roars approval. The Ostensible Customer is still stunned. Which is unfortunate.

Because, several men from the back of the line spontaneously rush forward to drag The Ostensible Customer, screaming and grasping, onto the busy sidewalk outside, where they proceed to devour his flesh like those street urchins who eat Elizabeth Taylor's cousin in Suddenly, Last Summer.

Meanwhile, The Sandwich Guy goes back to making sandwiches. And, The Lunch Rush goes back to eating them.

THE MORAL(S)?

  1. The Sandwich Guy can't do much for you until you're hungry enough to really want a sandwich.
  2. Once you're hungry enough, you still have to pay money for the sandwich. This won't not come up.
  3. Few people become "a good customer" without understanding both 1 and 2.
  4. Few companies become "a smart business" without understanding 1, 2, and 3.
  5. Basing his business on an understanding of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 doesn't make The Sandwich Guy a dick; it makes him a smart business.
  6. If you vacation with Elizabeth Taylor? Seriously. Avoid provoking the cannibalistic rent boys.

THE HOPE

Me? I just very much hope it takes you far less than 15 years to see and accept these sorts of things. Both as a customer and as a business.

Guys, avoid working for anyone who's not hungry enough to compensate you for your sandwich. It literally doesn't pay.

THE RESERVE READING

Tell them nicely that your price is a sucky $200K. The key here is to do so candidly, like you’re sitting on their side of the table and have to approve the budget with them. Admit that you’re way over the mark, and essentially apologize for it. I’ve said, “If you want to tell us to get lost, we understand”.

All those variables can change except your worth. That can’t change. It’s an undeniable fact beyond subjectivity and beyond the reality-bending rhetoric of your client-to-be. You are worth what you are worth and unless you’re feeling charitable something else has to give.

Within the first few minutes of contact — in my effort to be as open and detailed on how I work as possible — the client counteracted by lying about not having a budget to clearly having a budget.

Unspoken expectations unmet lead to seething unspoken frustration which ultimately bursts forth in an ugly mess when you’ve run out of budget.

Remember that client who said that we were “pretty expensive” for them? A qualifying question in the first phone call could have saved us many hours of working on this deal. If you decide that the deal is unqualified, you just save it under another bucket: the unqualified deals bucket.

A Sandwich, A Wallet, and Elizabeth Taylor's Cousin” was written by Merlin Mann for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on November 04, 2010. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?"




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Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Awarded 2015 Chatham House Prize

13 October 2015

Médecins Sans Frontières, the medical humanitarian organization, has been awarded the Chatham House Prize 2015 for its life-saving work in combating the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been awarded the Chatham House Prize 2015.

The Chatham House Prize is presented annually to the person or organization deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

This year, members voted for MSF in recognition of its work in combating the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. MSF was among the first groups to respond to the epidemic in March of that year and remained engaged on the ground throughout the crisis, caring for the majority of patients in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. MSF leaders and staff were persistent and forceful in their action to halt the spread of the epidemic and, as a result, were instrumental in saving thousands of lives. 

Dr Joanne Liu, MSF’s international president, will represent MSF at the Chatham House Prize award ceremony in London where she will be presented with a crystal award and a scroll, signed by Her Majesty The Queen, patron of the institute. Previous recipients of the Prize include former president Lula of Brazil, Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr Robin Niblett CMG, director of Chatham House, said: 

'I warmly congratulate Médecins Sans Frontières on being voted the recipient of this year's Chatham House Prize. This is the first time an organization has been awarded the Prize and I am delighted that their vital work has been recognized in this way. MSF led the fight against Ebola by sounding an early alarm on its dangers. It put into place a highly effective operation that saved thousands of lives, and helped prevent a more wide-spread catastrophe, risking and, in some cases, losing the lives of its own staff.'

Dr Joanne Liu, international president of MSF said:

'I am honoured that MSF will be the recipient of this year’s Chatham House Prize and I look forward to accepting this award on behalf of the thousands of people who worked in the Ebola outbreak. This includes the doctors, nurses and logisticians who volunteered from around the world, and the thousands more national staff in Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Sierra Leone who made our work possible. Knowing that they did this while coping with the fear of Ebola in their communities and in the face of incredible stigma makes their contribution even more remarkable. While we continue to work on the ground, our focus is also trying to ensure that next time there is an outbreak, that patients get the care and treatment they need, on time, before it spreads and turns into a killer epidemic. But we all still have a long way to go and it is important that we work together to respond to these challenges and opportunities.'

Members Event

Chatham House Prize 2015: In Conversation with Dr Joanne Liu of Médecins Sans Frontières
13 October 2015 - 17:00 - 18:00

Sponsors

Chatham House gratefully acknowledges the support of our lead sponsor Royal Dutch Shell, and other sponsors AIG, BHP Billiton, Chevron and DTCC.

Nominees

There were three other nominees for the Chatham House Prize 2015:

  • Mahamadou Issoufou, President, Republic of Niger (2011-) 
  • Juan Manuel Santos, President, Republic of Colombia (2010-)
  • Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Federal Republic of Germany (2005-)

About the Chatham House Prize

The annual Chatham House Prize, launched in 2005, is awarded to the person or organization that is deemed by Chatham House members to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

The selection process draws on the expertise of Chatham House's research teams and three presidents, who nominate candidates. Our members are then invited to vote for the winner in a ballot.

Further information about the Chatham House Prize




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President Juan Manuel Santos named winner of the Chatham House Prize 2017

19 October 2017

President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia has been voted the winner of this year’s Chatham House Prize.

The Chatham House Prize is presented annually to the person, persons or organization deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

This year, members of the institute voted for President Juan Manuel Santos in recognition of his role in formally ratifying a peace agreement with the FARC rebel group and bringing an end to the armed conflict in Colombia.

In 2016, after four years of negotiation, Juan Manuel Santos led the Colombian government in ratifying a peace agreement with the FARC. Success was by no means certain: after coming to a ceasefire and disarmament agreement in June, followed by a peace accord in September, Santos was forced to return to the drawing board with FARC negotiators after a referendum in October rejected the initial deal. But Santos persevered, drafting and signing a new deal that incorporated changes suggested by the No camp and was ratified by the Colombian congress on 24 November 2016.

The deal ended one of the world’s longest running armed conflicts, during which 220,000 people were killed and 6 million displaced. This was a complex, sensitive and intense process which required exceptional political diplomacy and perseverance. Ultimately, his determination and commitment to peace guided the main parties and international partners to one of the biggest successes in brokering peace in modern history.

Nominees

The nominees for the Chatham House Prize 2017 were:

  • Charlotte Osei, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana
  • Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia
  • Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of NATO

Event

President Santos will be presented the award at an event in London on Thursday 9 November.

About the Chatham House Prize

The Chatham House Prize is presented to the person, persons or organization deemed by members of Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

The selection process is independent, democratic and draws on the deep knowledge of Chatham House's research teams, making the Prize a distinctive and unique award in the field of international affairs.

A short-list of nominees is selected by the institute's three presidents from a longer list submitted by the research programmes and departments in their areas of expertise. The recipient is then determined by Chatham House's broad membership base on a one-member, one-vote basis. The award is presented on behalf of the institute's patron, Her Majesty the Queen, representing the non-partisan and authoritative character of the Prize.

The Chatham House Prize was launched in 2005. Previous recipients of the Prize include Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, Médecins Sans Frontières, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information, please contact: 
Jenny Williams, Head of Media
Email: jwilliams@chathamhouse.org
Phone:  +44 (0) 207 314 3687 




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12-LOX catalyzes the oxidation of 2-arachidonoyl-lysolipids in platelets generating eicosanoid-lysolipids that are attenuated by iPLA2{gamma} knockout [Signal Transduction]

The canonical pathway of eicosanoid production in most mammalian cells is initiated by phospholipase A2-mediated release of arachidonic acid, followed by its enzymatic oxidation resulting in a vast array of eicosanoid products. However, recent work has demonstrated that the major phospholipase in mitochondria, iPLA2γ (patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 8 (PNPLA8)), possesses sn-1 specificity, with polyunsaturated fatty acids at the sn-2 position generating polyunsaturated sn-2-acyl lysophospholipids. Through strategic chemical derivatization, chiral chromatographic separation, and multistage tandem MS, here we first demonstrate that human platelet-type 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) can directly catalyze the regioselective and stereospecific oxidation of 2-arachidonoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine (2-AA-LPC) and 2-arachidonoyl-lysophosphatidylethanolamine (2-AA-LPE). Next, we identified these two eicosanoid-lysophospholipids in murine myocardium and in isolated platelets. Moreover, we observed robust increases in 2-AA-LPC, 2-AA-LPE, and their downstream 12-LOX oxidation products, 12(S)-HETE-LPC and 12(S)-HETE-LPE, in calcium ionophore (A23187)-stimulated murine platelets. Mechanistically, genetic ablation of iPLA2γ markedly decreased the calcium-stimulated production of 2-AA-LPC, 2-AA-LPE, and 12-HETE-lysophospholipids in mouse platelets. Importantly, a potent and selective 12-LOX inhibitor, ML355, significantly inhibited the production of 12-HETE-LPC and 12-HETE-LPE in activated platelets. Furthermore, we found that aging is accompanied by significant changes in 12-HETE-LPC in murine serum that were also markedly attenuated by iPLA2γ genetic ablation. Collectively, these results identify previously unknown iPLA2γ-initiated signaling pathways mediated by direct 12-LOX oxidation of 2-AA-LPC and 2-AA-LPE. This oxidation generates previously unrecognized eicosanoid-lysophospholipids that may serve as biomarkers for age-related diseases and could potentially be used as targets in therapeutic interventions.




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Ana Alecsandru

Research Assistant, International Security Programme

Biography

Ana Alecsandru is a research assistant for the International Security programme, covering projects related to nuclear weapons policy and emerging technologies. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Birmingham (awaiting Viva examination).

Her doctoral research examined the relationship between trust and verification in nuclear arms control negotiations between the United States and Russia.

Prior to joining Chatham House, she worked at the University of Birmingham on various projects concerning nuclear weapons policy while doing her PhD.

Ana completed an internship in the Arms Control, Disarmament, and WMD Non-Proliferation Centre at NATO HQ in Brussels in 2014. She was also a research intern at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in New York in 2016.

During her doctoral studies, she received full grants to participate in the 2017 IGCC’s Public Policy and Nuclear Threats Boot Camp hosted at UC San Diego and the 2017 Nuclear Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Training Course hosted by the European Commission’s Research Centre in Ispra.

Ana holds an MA in Security Studies and an MA in Research Methods from the University of Birmingham. She completed her BSc (hons) in International Relations at the University of Bath. For her doctoral research, she was awarded a studentship by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. 

Areas of expertise

  • Nuclear weapons policy
  • Nuclear arms control and strategic stability
  • Emerging military technologies
  • Emotions in strategic decision-making




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Partisanship Meets Trump’s Impeachment

19 December 2019

Dr Lindsay Newman

Senior Research Fellow, US and the Americas Programme
History shows that if those pushing for impeachment and removal want to succeed, they need to drive up popular support for a senate conviction.

GettyImages-1189454843.jpg

Opposing protests during the House of Representatives debate on whether to charge President Donald Trump with two articles of impeachment. Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images.

The vote to impeach Donald Trump holds almost no surprises - on both the abuse of power and obstruction of congress articles, the votes were split entirely on party lines with nearly all the majority-led House Democrats but not a single Republican voting to impeach Trump.

However, this ‘pre-ordained’ outcome of the House impeachment inquiry does serve to highlight that the US is in the midst of a hyper-partisan political moment. Policy gridlock has led to two government shutdowns during Donald Trump’s presidency, with one further budgetary fight narrowly avoided.

With a few notable exceptions (such as USMCA), policy areas that lend themselves to bipartisanship - including infrastructure and drug pricing - have seen very little progress under divided congressional chambers. Party identification can now be overlaid with the cable news channel one watches or the newspaper one reads.

Impeachment now moves to the Senate for a trial, requiring a two-thirds majority of the Republican-led senate (or 67 senators) for a conviction. Given the congressional partisanship we are seeing, the baseline scenario continues to be that the senate will not vote to convict Trump and remove him from office - despite much being made of how many senators are likely to vote for a Senate conviction.

Why public opinion could be crucial

There is another story to keep a close eye on. The number to track is 47.2 – the current polling average of public support for Trump’s impeachment. Polling averages from the end of September 2019 (before the hearings began, but after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal inquiry) had 49.4% supporting impeachment versus 47.2% this week.

Here’s why this number matters. If those pushing for impeachment and removal are unable to drive popular support across a critical threshold level, then those against impeachment and removal are not going to abandon the president and vote for a senate conviction. With Trump consistently polling in the low 40s on job approval, but in the high 80s/low 90s within the Republican party, this means Republican congress members concerned about re-election are extremely hesitant to distance themselves from him without a clear mandate from the domestic public. 

A tale of the two most recent presidents to face impeachment underscores this point. Gallup polling claimed 58% of adults supported impeaching and removing President Richard Nixon from office in August 1974, whereas only 35% of the public supported impeaching President Bill Clinton in December 1998, the month he was impeached.

Given the respective outcomes of those two impeachments, it suggests public support for impeachment and removal needs to increase well beyond the current 47.2%, to avoid the foregone conclusion of acquittal in the Senate (even if there are signs of the tide moving in the opposite direction with those against impeachment overtaking support for the first time in December).   

What does this mean for Democrats?

In the short term, if the Democrats want to make inroads into the hearts and minds of those across the partisan gulf, it will be critical to secure senate testimony from those in Trump’s inner circle at the time of the Ukrainian affair.

After Trump ordered individuals with first-hand knowledge of the administration’s efforts vis-à-vis Ukraine not to testify, House investigators were unable to call many witnesses with direct evidence (which in fact left the House testimony exposed to Republican claims of hearsay). With Trump impeached, more of the public is likely to tune in to the senate proceedings, and direct evidence by inner circle administration officials required to testify presents an opportunity to move public opinion.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi recognizes how crucial the procedures and participants for the senate trial will be, and has said she could delay sending the articles of impeachment to the senate as leverage for a 'fair trial'.

Democrats also have to consider how an impeachment inquiry that - at least from this vantage point - does not end in a conviction of the president plays out for the 2020 election campaign, especially if this also likely means that public opinion - and certainly Republican-party views - of Trump have not shifted.




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The Use of Sanctions to Protect Journalists




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Teste de sangue para detectar Alzheimer está próximo da realidade

Exame poderá detectar a doença na fase inicial. Pesquisadores da Faculdade de Medicina Osteopática da Universidade de Rowan, nos Estados Unidos, afirmam que estão perto de desenvolver um exame de sangue para detectar Alzheimer com precisão, o que dar...

The post Teste de sangue para detectar Alzheimer está próximo da realidade appeared first on Saúde Próspera.



  • Dicas de Saúde

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Sanctions on Russia: Will Asia Help?

Invitation Only Research Event

17 April 2020 - 10:00am to 11:30am

Event participants

Maria Shagina, CEES Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Eastern European Studies, University of Zurich
Chair: Richard Connolly, Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House

It has been nearly six years since the West imposed sanctions on Russia, targeting Russia's energy, defence and financial sectors. The sanctions exposed Russia's key vulnerabilities - dependence on Western capital and advanced technology, with knock-on effects in other sectors.

In an effort to offset the impact of sanctions, Russia has attempted a diversification strategy to non-Western states. The Asia-Pacific has emerged as a new export market for hydrocarbons and weapons, and as the main alternative to Western capital. Russia's self-proclaimed 'turn to the East' is intended to alleviate the sanctions burden and buy valuable time to come up with long-term solutions; but it has come at a high cost. 

In this discussion, Maria Shagina will examine the ways in which Asian states have helped mitigate the impact of Western sanctions and the pitfalls associated with it, while assessing the implications of Russia's pivot to Asia on its import substitution policy, and the effectiveness of sanctions overall.

Event attributes

Chatham House Rule

Department/project

Anna Morgan

Administrator, Ukraine Forum
+44 (0)20 7389 3274




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