Plans will raise China's profile in standard-setting

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Setting ◽  
The United States ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
International Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Green Development ◽  
Development Feature ◽  
Market Driven ◽  
Industry Associations

Significance They establish a framework for building China’s influence in the standard-setting realm over the next 15 years. China has developed a considerable presence in standards development organisations, both at the international level and in industry associations primarily based in the United States and Europe. However, its influence in these forums remains low relative to its ambitions. Impacts China will allow market-driven multistakeholder standards associations a greater role in a process so far coordinated mainly by the state. The Communist Party will maintain an overall leadership role in driving China’s standardisation work. China-led regional forums and China-based multistakeholder associations may in the long term displace US-based forums in specific areas. Environmental protection and 'green development' feature heavily in the guidelines, offering concrete areas for international cooperation. China will look to gain competencies in accreditation, certification, inspection and testing, where it has historically lagged.

India’s vaccine diplomacy brings money and influence

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
The United States ◽  
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pharmaceutical Ingredients ◽  
The World

Significance Last week, its partners in the ‘Quad’ grouping -- the United States, Japan and Australia -- agreed to help increase its vaccine manufacturing and exporting capacity. Each of the Quad members is wary of China, which like India is gifting and selling coronavirus jabs around the world. Impacts India’s manufacturing sector will attract more foreign direct investment. Greater cooperation over supply chains will help strengthen India-Australia ties. Indian pharma will in the long term aim to ease dependence on imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients from China.

Overeducation, persistence and unemployment in Spanish labour market

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Sánchez-Sánchez ◽  
Adolfo Cosme Fernández Puente
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
The United States ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Elasticity ◽  
The One ◽  
Term Labour

PurposeThe phenomenon of overeducation and the magnitude and persistence of the imbalance impact are analysed for the Spanish labour market from 2006 to 2013.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present random-effects probit estimations comparing individuals and their short-term and long-term labour mismatches.FindingsThe results support the existence of long-term persistence (status in the previous year) and short-term persistence (status at the beginning of the observed period) in overeducation. Precariousness in the labour market, measured by temporality or by the strong destruction of employment, could force individuals to choose a job below their qualification. Additionally, the phenomenon of overeducation is shown to have increased in the period 2010–2013 in relation to the period 2006–2009 independently of the region considered, though those regions with higher unemployment rates display greater imbalances.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the results come from two different samples, it is possible to conclude that overeducation is a phenomenon that tends to perpetuate over time in Spain.Practical implicationsOne of the issues of greatest interest that is crucial to assess the relevance of the spreading of overeducation is whether overeducation can be considered as a temporal mismatch, in which case the seriousness of the problem would not be so important, or, on the contrary, as a persistent one, in which case, governments should take it into account in their education reform programmes.Originality/valueOvereducation persistence has been studied in countries such as the United States, Canada, Switzerland or Germany; however, in Spain, there are hardly any studies. Spanish labour market has certain specificities that make the analyses relevant: the high unemployment rates and high elasticity of employment with respect to the economic cycles. Under these circumstances, workers could opt for more stable positions that require a lower qualification than the one they have. This option could be even more convenient during crisis. Additionally, the article includes a disaggregated analysis by Spanish regions. The differences in the unemployment rates within and between regions are significant (some of them had at the beginning of the crisis an unemployment rate close to 7%, while in others it exceeded 12%) which allows the authors to study the phenomenon in different contexts.

scholarly journals New Zealand White Rabbits Effectively ClearBorrelia burgdorferiB31 despite the Bacterium’s FunctionalvlsEAntigenic Variation System

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maliha Batool ◽  
Andrew E. Hillhouse ◽  
Yurij Ionov ◽  
Kelli J. Kochan ◽  
Fatemeh Mohebbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Persistent Infection ◽  
Antigenic Variation ◽  
Surface Expression ◽  
The United States ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatment ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Highly Evolved

ABSTRACTBorrelia burgdorferiis a tick-borne bacterium responsible for approximately 300,000 annual cases of Lyme disease (LD) in the United States, with increasing incidences in other parts of the world. The debilitating nature of LD is mainly attributed to the ability ofB. burgdorferito persist in patients for many years despite strong anti-Borreliaantibody responses. Antimicrobial treatment of persistent infection is challenging. Similar to infection of humans,B. burgdorferiestablishes long-term infection in various experimental animal models except for New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, which clear the spirochete within 4 to 12 weeks. LD spirochetes have a highly evolved antigenic variationvlssystem, on the lp28-1 plasmid, where gene conversion results in surface expression of the antigenically variable VlsE protein. VlsE is required forB. burgdorferito establish persistent infection by continually evading otherwise potent antibodies. Since the clearance ofB. burgdorferiis mediated by humoral immunity in NZW rabbits, the previously reported results that LD spirochetes lose lp28-1 during rabbit infection could potentially explain the failure ofB. burgdorferito persist. However, the present study unequivocally disproves that previous finding by demonstrating that LD spirochetes retain thevlssystem. However, despite thevlssystem being fully functional, the spirochete fails to evade anti-Borreliaantibodies of NZW rabbits. In addition to being protective against homologous and heterologous challenges, the rabbit antibodies significantly ameliorate LD-induced arthritis in persistently infected mice. Overall, the current data indicate that NZW rabbits develop a protective antibody repertoire, whose specificities, once defined, will identify potential candidates for a much-anticipated LD vaccine.

Weaker AKP would reduce Turkish president's authority

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Monetary Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Proportional Representation ◽  
Representation System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Justice And Development Party ◽  
Fiscal And Monetary Policy ◽  
At Home

Significance The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) should easily get the most votes, but it faces a likely setback and a dent in its authority. Weakening support from its voters and Turkey's proportional representation system are likely to drive its number of parliamentary seats down from the 327 out of 550 seats it won in 2011, perhaps even to the point where an overall majority is in doubt. Impacts Market confidence and the lira may weaken, but will not deteriorate drastically, unless AKP is forced out of office -- a remote scenario. Fiscal and monetary policy may be loosened to win support until a new government able to last for a full four-year term is in office. A politically weaker AKP risks long-term splits, but these will not emerge unless there have been months of instability. Growing internal discord -- and the government's defiant response to its critics at home and abroad -- may isolate Turkey internationally. The United States and EU will continue to avoid confrontation with the Erdogan government as far as possible.

Obama's push on nuclear arms control faces hurdles

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Arms Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nuclear Material ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Profile ◽  
The Us ◽  
Nuclear Security ◽  
Nuclear Opacity ◽  
Nuclear Arms Control

Subject The US arms control agenda. Significance Despite having less than a year in office, President Barack Obama's administration is sustaining a high-profile arms control agenda in 2016. The administration wants to restore several damaged treaties with Russia, broaden Russia-China-US cooperation on various non-proliferation issues and leave Obama's successor a firm nuclear security architecture. Arms control is a consultative, long-term diplomatic process, and is susceptible to the political imperatives of more immediate regional crises. Impacts Tacit US support of Israeli nuclear opacity will undermine arms control efforts in the Middle East. Post-Obama arms control efforts are likely to focus on the security of nuclear material, rather than strategic arms reductions. Senate retirements will undermine US arms control advocacy in Congress. The United States will retain its nuclear arsenal indefinitely despite criticism from its allies.

Iran gas can diversify European supplies in long term

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Third ◽  
Un Security Council ◽  
To Come

Significance The deal reached between Iran and the P5+1 negotiating group (UN Security Council permanent members plus Germany) on July 14 promises to end most sanctions on the country, in return for suspension and monitoring of its nuclear programme. If ratified by all parties, it will create opportunities for an expansion of Iran's gas production and exports. Iran is the holder of the world's largest gas reserves, according to BP estimates. It is also the third-largest producer (after the United States and Russia, and probably having overtaken Qatar during 2015), and the fourth-largest consumer. Impacts Iran could increase gas exports by advancing projects stalled by sanctions, although most of these will take some years to come to fruition. Iran would seek to attract foreign investment into its gas industry to increase production and exports in the longer term. If this occurs, Iran will compete with other gas exporters, particularly Russia, into the 2020s.

Thai palace politics portends long-term risks

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Uncertainty ◽  
Domestic Consumption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sharp Criticism ◽  
Legal Controls ◽  
The Military

Subject Palace politics Significance Military courts earlier this month handed down the most severe sentences thus far in lese majeste cases, sentencing two people to 30 and 28 years in prison for criticising the monarchy on Facebook. The sentence, which has drawn sharp criticism from the United States and the UN, reflects a broader trend of tighter political and legal controls by the military in the context of the monarch's declining health. Impacts Domestic consumption will suffer as long as political uncertainty regarding the return of civilian rule persists. The palace has become more partisan since 2006; this is likely to continue after the royal transition. Lese majeste prosecutions will damage US-Thai relations, but Washington will not expand sanctions.

Gulf rivals will likely increase US lobbying efforts

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
The United States ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Influence ◽  
Gulf States

Subject Gulf states lobbying in the United States. Significance The Gulf states have long been among the largest spenders on lobbying initiatives in the United States, promoting their economic interests and perspectives on regional geopolitics. This has intensified since 2017 as the Qatar dispute has polarised the region and both sides have sought to win over crucial US decision-makers. These efforts have often backfired and drawn accusations of improper behaviour that could damage bilateral relationships and may affect US domestic politics. Impacts Others considering influencing US policy will look carefully at the successes but also the controversies this lobbying has generated. There is a risk of long-term damage to some Gulf-US relationships amid growing suspicion of foreign influence. Robert Mueller’s probe into the Trump campaign and Russia, which may conclude this year, may also implicate some Gulf states.

Mongolia's stability and growth face external threats

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Movement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Threats ◽  
Political Unity ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
The Government ◽  
External Forces

Subject The political and economic outlook for Mongolia. Significance Mongolia is recovering from a largely self-inflicted financial crisis that resulted in an IMF bailout two years ago. Meanwhile, isolationism in the United States and weakened political unity in the EU leave Mongolia with little choice but to slide further towards the neighbouring powers, China and Russia -- an uncomfortable trend for the sole liberal democracy in the region. Mongolia’s return to growth and relative political calm is dampened by external forces including weakness in metals prices and emerging market currencies. Impacts The government will focus on strengthening the economy; the direction of economic policy bodes well for continued growth. Infrastructure needs, such as energy and secure long-term water supplies for the capital, will see significant progress towards resolution. The 'truce' between the two major parties makes political conditions ripe for disruption by a new political movement or politician.

Long term US-China decoupling will hit US energy sales

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
The United States ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Energy Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
China Trade ◽  
Project Costs ◽  
The Us ◽  
Alternative Markets

Subject Impact of the US-China tariffs on the energy market. Significance Global trade is slowing, and the US-China trade tariffs are exacerbating the slowdown. US oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters are finding alternative markets, but competitive pressures are likely to rise as both oil and LNG markets face oversupply. The tariffs on goods imported to the United States are also raising costs for the renewable and non-renewable sectors. Impacts US LNG producers could struggle to place cargoes as European gas storage approaches capacity. The large number of US offshore wind projects underway may be held back because the US-China tariffs are increasing project costs. Weak world trade and GDP growth is capping energy demand, offsetting supply worries and curbing oil price gains.

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