Cyprus will try to improve tarnished image in West

Subject Nicosia’s decision to revoke the citizenship of 26 foreign nationals. Significance Cyprus has tightened up its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) with regard to certain controversial individuals out of a desire to strengthen relations with the United States and EU. This is particularly important given Turkish efforts to prevent Cyprus exploring for natural gas in its waters. Impacts According to a finance ministry study, CIP made a positive but relatively small contribution to GDP during 2013-18. The construction sector benefited in particular, with employment rising by about 8%. The effect on property prices seems largely to have been confined to Limassol. The impact on Cypriot banking amounted largely to stabilising the sector and providing a new source of finance during the banking crisis.

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril ◽  
Natasha Butz ◽  
Maria Belen Cadenas ◽  
Matthew Koci ◽  
Anne Ballou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Salmonella is estimated to cause one million foodborne illnesses in the United States every year. Salmonella -contaminated poultry products are one of the major sources of salmonellosis. Given the critical role of the gut microbiota in Salmonella transmission, a manipulation of the chicken intestinal microenvironment could prevent animal colonization by the pathogen. In Salmonella , the global regulator gene fnr ( f umarate n itrate r eduction) regulates anaerobic metabolism and is essential for adapting to the gut environment. This study tested the hypothesis that an attenuated Fnr mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (attST) or prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) could improve resistance to wild-type Salmonella via modifications to the structure of the chicken gut microbiome. Intestinal samples from a total of 273 animals were collected weekly for 9 weeks to evaluate the impact of attST or prebiotic supplementation on microbial species of the cecum, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. We next analyzed changes to the gut microbiome induced by challenging the animals with a wild-type Salmonella serovar 4,[5],12:r:− (Nal r ) strain and determined the clearance rate of the virulent strain in the treated and control groups. Both GOS and the attenuated Salmonella strain modified the gut microbiome but elicited alterations of different taxonomic groups. The attST produced significant increases of Alistipes and undefined Lactobacillus , while GOS increased Christensenellaceae and Lactobacillus reuteri . The microbiome structural changes induced by both treatments resulted in a faster clearance after a Salmonella challenge. IMPORTANCE With an average annual incidence of 13.1 cases/100,000 individuals, salmonellosis has been deemed a nationally notifiable condition in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Earlier studies demonstrated that Salmonella is transmitted by a subset of animals (supershedders). The supershedder phenotype can be induced by antibiotics, ascertaining an essential role for the gut microbiota in Salmonella transmission. Consequently, modulation of the gut microbiota and modification of the intestinal microenvironment could assist in preventing animal colonization by the pathogen. Our study demonstrated that a manipulation of the chicken gut microbiota by the administration of an attenuated Salmonella strain or prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) can promote resistance to Salmonella colonization via increases of beneficial microorganisms that translate into a less hospitable gut microenvironment.


Significance US natural gas prices have surged over the past six weeks thanks to falling supply, strong demand from the power sector and rising exports. The uptick in prices has provided a glimmer of hope to gas producers in the United States, hard hit by a prolonged slump in prices. Impacts Declining gas production and rising demand will mean increased pipeline imports from Canada over the coming months. Mexico will pay higher prices for US natural gas imports as the Henry Hub benchmark, potentially hitting demand. US producers that have more gas-producing assets in their portfolio will benefit from rising prices.


Significance Mestan also implied that Borisov and Dogan were allied in promoting Russian interests in Bulgarian politics -- while Bulgaria's 'yellow press' accuses him of being a Turkish puppet. On January 13, Borisov dismissed reports that he was keen to revive the South Stream gas pipeline project, but confirmed that Bulgaria was lobbying the European Commission for a Varna gas hub that would revive at least the underwater part of South Stream bringing Russian natural gas to Europe. Impacts DPS realignment will strengthen Borisov's hand domestically, but alienate Turkey and worry the United States. His interest in a gas hub enjoys overwhelming support in both government and opposition, with only about 20 deputies likely to oppose it. Broadly coinciding with Russian interests, the hub must now secure EU financial and political support, in the teeth of US opposition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-402
Author(s):  
José Osorio-Antonia ◽  
Lila Margarita Bada-Carbajal ◽  
Luis Arturo Rivas-Tovar

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the agribusinesses of corn production in Mexico is analyzed, taking into special consideration the policy of encouragement to small producers, productive restructuring and identification of positive and negative effects. Second, the evolution of the US–Mexican maize belts (1994–2017) is analyzed, establishing the economic and political impacts with respect to NAFTA.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for a documentary meta-analysis study using data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the System of Agricultural and Fishery Information (SIAP) in Mexico. The data were completed with documentary analysis of research on maize productivity.FindingsProvided is the information about the impacts of maize belts in the United States (US) and Mexico, where it was determined that the leading states maintained productive hegemony to a greater and lesser extent and that Mexico experienced a productive reorientation. The findings show that it is a myth that there are losers in the maize agroindustry of Mexico and the United States as it is suggested that after twenty-four years they have become complementary.Research limitations/implicationsSummarized is the state of knowledge from 1994 to 2017, aligned to the databases of the United States and Mexico.Originality/valueA need to study the relation between the productive evolution of maize production and NAFTA is identified.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 5192
Author(s):  
Andrew Speake ◽  
Paul Donohoo-Vallett ◽  
Eric Wilson ◽  
Emily Chen ◽  
Craig Christensen

In regions where natural gas is used for both power generation and heating buildings, extreme cold weather events can place the electrical system under enormous stress and challenge the ability to meet residential heating and electric demands. Residential demand response has long been used in the power sector to curtail summer electric load, but these types of programs in general have not seen adoption in the natural gas sector during winter months. Natural gas demand response (NG-DR) has garnered interest given recent extreme cold weather events in the United States; however, the magnitude of savings and potential impacts—to occupants and energy markets—are not well understood. We present a case-study analysis of the technical potential for residential natural gas demand response in the northeast United States that utilizes diverse whole-building energy simulations and high-performance computing. Our results show that NG-DR applied to residential heating systems during extreme cold-weather conditions could reduce natural gas demand by 1–29% based on conservative and aggressive strategies, respectively. This indicates a potential to improve the resilience of gas and electric systems during stressful events, which we examine by estimating the impact on energy costs and electricity generation from natural gas. We also explore relationships between hourly indoor temperatures, demand response, and building envelope efficiency.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Jiang ◽  
Annie Peng Cui ◽  
Juan Shan

PurposeThis study examines the impact of narcissism on young luxury consumers' preferences for quiet versus loud luxury products in China and the United States. As young consumers are increasingly becoming the bedrock of global luxury growth, it is imperative for marketing researchers and practitioners to understand the psychological and social needs of these consumers.Design/methodology/approachA two-study examination of young Chinese and US luxury consumers suggests that the two types of narcissism influence luxury consumption in different ways. Study 1 is a survey of young Chinese consumers that examines how the impact of narcissism on luxury purchase is mediated by social attitude functions and moderated by social anxiety. Study 2 is an experiment conducted in both the United States and China that establishes the causal relationship between the different types of narcissism and purchase intention toward quiet versus loud luxury products.FindingsBuilding on an overarching framework that integrates both the narcissism literature and social attitude function theory, this study shows that overt narcissistic (vs. covert) consumers hold a value-expressive (vs. social-adjustive) attitude toward luxury products, which leads them to prefer quiet (vs. loud) luxury. In addition, higher levels of social anxiety enhance the mediating role of narcissistic consumers' social attitude functions.Originality/valueThis study advances understanding of young Chinese and US luxury consumers' narcissistic consumption patterns by proposing and empirically testing a novel research model that examines the mechanisms by which overt and covert narcissism leads to a different preference of quiet and loud luxury via the routes of different social attitude functions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Shoffner ◽  
Mark Slavich ◽  
Gi-Yong Koo

PurposeIn 2017, the National Basketball Association (NBA) became the first major professional North American sport league to adopt jersey sponsorship. While professional leagues across the globe have allowed this practice for decades, the NBA's decision marked what may be the start of a new trend in North American sport sponsorship. With this in mind, the current study sought to assess the impact of fans' perceptions of these sponsorships on sponsor- and team-related outcomes.Design/methodology/approachAn online sample of 301 NBA fans across the United States was conducted through Amazon's MTurk.FindingsResults exhibited the importance of sponsorship authenticity, which maintained the strongest influence on sponsor- and team-related outcomes. Brand–team fit, sponsorship familiarity and sponsorship identification were also assessed, with mixed results for each factor.Originality/valueResults of these findings related to sponsorship authenticity and consequent practical and theoretical implications are discussed, and areas for future research are provided.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liya A ◽  
Qian Qin ◽  
Hafiz Waqas Kamran ◽  
Anusara Sawangchai ◽  
Worakamol Wisetsri ◽  
...  

PurposeThis study purposes to measure the influencing relations between macroeconomic indicators and the prices of gold. Further study measures several factors with the gold price in the context of the United States.Design/methodology/approachThe secondary data are collected to measure relationship and fluctuation of gold prices the data collected from the website world development indicators (WDI) for the period of 31 years 1990–2019. This paper uses different econometric analysis such as analytical unit root test for stationary of data, descriptive statistical analysis for description of data, correlation coefficient test for measuring the inter correlation, and ordinary least square regression analysis for determine the impact of dependent and independents variables. In this research paper, gross domestic product (GDP), inflation rate (IR), unemployment rate (UR), real interest rate (RIR), gross national product (GNP), standard trade value (STV) are included in macroeconomic indicators and consider as independent. The gold prices are considered as dependent variable.FindingsThis study's overall results show an important and optimistic association between GDP, IR and STV with the gold price. Moreover, the RIR shows negative and does not show significant relation with the gold prices.Originality/valueSince several economic crises were included during the data selection studied in this research paper, data error may be present, resulting in the instability of the overall data. However, the study still hopes to find the guiding role of these macro gold price factors in the price of gold from the limited data set. The basic scope of research is that research is limited in the United States.


1990 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-819
Author(s):  
Jimmy Carter

✓ In discussing the role of the United States in world politics, President Jimmy Carter described the changes in Europe as it prepares for unification into one economic bloc; the deteriorating conditions in the third world; the impact of the recent changes in communist countries; and the persistence of regional wars and civil disputes. He summarized the policies and activities of The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This nonprofit organization receives no government funds and can act as an independent agent in areas such as disease eradication and promotion of food production in the third world countries, and can intercede on behalf of peace in countries with civil unrest. He urged the members of the Association, as leaders of society, to use their influence in alleviating worldwide suffering.


Subject Prospects for natural gas in the fourth quarter. Significance Platts report that US average spot monthly natural gas price for September fell to 2.35 dollars per million British thermal units (mmbtu), comparing with prices of around 4.0 dollars/mmbtu a year ago. Outside the United States prices are higher, but the trend of softening prices and a relatively weak demand response is the same. China's demand is growing, but not enough to outdo the global supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the fourth quarter.


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