Africa’s vaccine deficit presents risks of variance

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Recovery ◽  
African Union ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Transmission ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
High Prevalence

Significance Both the WHO and African Union (AU) have called for a moratorium on booster shot programmes to allow more supply to flow to regions such as Africa, where vaccination numbers remain extremely low. Impacts High prevalence of co-morbidities such as HIV may require African nations to consider additional protective measures beyond vaccines. New cooperative initiatives across Africa represent a step towards self-sufficiency, but only if they are sustained. High transmission of new variants may force governments to consider new lockdowns, further slowing economic recovery.

Kinshasa riot portends disorderly executive transition

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
International Community ◽  
Term Limits ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
African Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Executive Transition ◽  
Near Term

Significance Violent protests engulfed the capital city last week as police clashed with demonstrators demanding President Joseph Kabila honour presidential term limits. The president's intransigence has driven the violent reaction, but divisions within the opposition are also fuelling the violence. Impacts Recent violence may have ended the prospect of opposition unity in the near term. The DRC is unlikely to experience a third civil war but security may deteriorate, especially in Kinshasa. The international community may broker peace talks led by the African Union. The increasing instability will almost certainly shatter the DRC's fragile economic recovery.

Germany’s coalition faces division on several fronts

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strong Emphasis ◽  
Investment Agreement ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
The Eu

Significance The three parties successfully negotiated a coalition agreement with a strong emphasis on modernising Germany’s economy. Throughout the negotiations, the parties presented a public image of stability and harmony, yet several divisive issues will test the new government's stability and effectiveness. Impacts The composition of the new government will make it harder for Berlin to win approval for the EU-China Comprehensive Investment Agreement. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will seek to prioritise more unity at the EU level when it comes to foreign policy decision-making. The spread of the Omicron variant will slow economic recovery and potentially delay the transition to a greener economy.

Prospects for Turkey to end-2021

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
First Time

Subject Prospects for Turkey to end-2021. Significance Deepening popular discontent, a growing opposition bloc and internal rivalries have put the ruling coalition on the back foot for the first time, but also made it more unpredictable. The economic recovery has continued, notwithstanding policy tightening, but the lira has been weak and inflation high. Unemployment is a significant concern.

Water woes will drag on economic recovery in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Content Type

Headline BRAZIL: Water woes will drag on economic recovery

Alberta's economic woes have political consequences

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Provincial Government ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Structural Unemployment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Consequences ◽  
Remaining Oil ◽  
Keystone Xl

Significance With steep reductions in public spending affecting education and social programmes, the budget signals an era of austerity in what had been Canada’s wealthiest province. One consequence is likely to be greater tension between the provincial government and the federal government in Ottawa. Impacts Major international funds will continue to divest from the oil sands sector, further depressing output as subsidies are cut. Remaining oil sands production will be increasingly automated, meaning that structural unemployment will persist. Ottawa’s refusal to contest US cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline has raised tensions with the UCP government in Edmonton. The national broad-based economic recovery expected this year will largely bypass Alberta.

Florida voters react to Biden's Caribbean policy

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Electoral Politics ◽  
The State ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Connections ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The Government

Significance Many areas of the Caribbean have trade, investment and family connections with communities in Florida. As the state now plays a pivotal role in US electoral politics, crises in the region can take on added political importance for parts of Florida’s electorate. Impacts Forecasts of short-term economic recovery for Florida remain highly uncertain given the continuing impact of the pandemic. Clashing interests across the Caribbean may demand greater coordination of US policy than the government can currently offer. Healthcare and disaster relief capabilities within the state are severely overstretched and could be overwhelmed by a new crisis.

Multiple crises mean future instability in Madagascar

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Humanitarian Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Pressure ◽  
Inner Circle

Significance Rajoelina faces a wide array of challenges as he looks towards the final two years of his current presidential term. These include severe tensions within his inner circle, a substantial economic crisis, problems linked to his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a major humanitarian crisis. Impacts Increasing domestic and international pressure will lead to an opening of borders, possibly by October. The planned vaccine campaign will not prevent a new wave of COVID-19 infections. Economic recovery will be slow.

Prisoner’s insomnia prevalence, insomnia associated factors and interventions with sleep as an outcome: a review and narrative analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Griffiths ◽  
Farah Hina
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Randomised Control Trials ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Purpose Insomnia is highly prevalent in prisoners. The purpose of this paper is a review of research evidence on interventions with sleep as an outcome (2000 to 2020) and rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons (2015 to 2020). Design/methodology/approach An internet-based search used Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), Embase, Web of Science and Scopus. Seven interventions and eight sleep prevalence or sleep-associated factor papers were identified. Findings Intervention research was very limited and the quality of the research design was generally poor. Interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), yoga and mindfulness can be beneficial in a prison setting. This review identified a high prevalence of insomnia in prisons across the world, which was supported by recent evidence. Factors associated with insomnia include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorder and pain. Research limitations/implications There is a need for appropriately powered randomised control trials of CBT-I in prisons and a need to use objective measures of sleep quality. Originality/value Due to a lack of an up-to-date review, this paper fulfils the need for a review of the evidence on interventions in prison settings with sleep as an outcome, rates of insomnia prevalence and associated factors in prisons.

No sign of break in Turkish-US arms deal impasse

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Defence System ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Defence Sector

Significance Blinken was told Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence system was a closed issue, Cavusoglu said. NATO member Turkey remains unwilling to give them up even at the expense of relations with the United States deteriorating further under President Joe Biden. Impacts Biden’s determination to revitalise NATO, post-Trump, signals there will be no tolerance for Turkish moves to destabilise the alliance. Sanctions on Turkey’s procurement agency will work against Turkey’s push towards defence sector self-sufficiency. Anything short of deploying the S-400s would be politically unacceptable for the government’s domestic base.

Skills shortage may hit Australia's post-COVID growth

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
General Election ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skills Shortage ◽  
Key Industries ◽  
Skills Shortages

Significance The closing of internal and external borders in response to COVID-19 has heightened a longstanding skills deficit in key industries, with implications for wage levels, prices and broader economic growth. However, a general increase in immigrant numbers may not provide the skills that are needed. Impacts Labour shortfalls may delay government infrastructure projects that were designed to lead the post-pandemic economic recovery. Foreign investment may be affected by skills shortages in key areas such as mining and metallurgy. Debate on immigration levels could influence voting in the general election that is now likely to be held in April.

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