new ARK’s investment process initially examines from the top-down how the world is changing and where it is headed. ARK employs an open research strategy to gather information, both helping to define and refine its internal research process. Inputs include theme developers who are thought leaders in their fields, social media interactions, and crowd-sourced insights as people respond to ARK’s public research. Using this information in an iterative fashion, ARK’s research and investment team work to “size” and “re-size” the opportunities. As a result of extensive and iterative research steps, ARK anticipates and quantifies multi-year value-chain transformations and market opportunities. Through this process, specific companies percolate to the top as best positioned to benefit from the identified investment premise, at which point ARK begins its bottom-up process. ARK scores potential investments based on key metrics, inputting the values into a proprietary scoring system to quantify the companies in the context of the opportunity. Finally, as the CIO and Portfolio Manager, Catherine Wood has the final accountability for the selection of investments and approval for all investment decisions. — Ark Invest, 8h ago

new By all accounts, the call, which took place over Zoom, was largely cordial. (An exception: At one point, one of the participants told Chew, “I don’t believe I can trust you,” according to someone who was at the meeting). But the group of techies were strong-worded in their concerns over the type and volume of war-related content prevalent on TikTok, and what impact it could have on stoking more antisemitism. The main gist: The tech executives wanted to understand how content on TikTok could lean so heavily pro-Palestinian (the group contends that even in Israel, the ratio of engagement with the top pro-Palestine hashtags to the top pro-Israel hashtags are 2:1). They also wanted to push TikTok to reexamine its community guidelines, arguing that even some posts that aren’t technically in violation of current rules could be leading to harm by spreading highly biased and spurious information that causes users to form antisemitic views or commit antisemitic acts. — Fortune, 8h ago

new In times of war, particularly where there is conscription for military service, each Quaker must struggle with their own conscience to determine how the peace testimony is to be discerned. Historically, Quakers have chosen one of two routes – to seek exemption from military service as a conscientious objector but to work in some other role, such as in the Friends Ambulance Unit, or a path of total resistance on the basis that participation in any activity that directly or indirectly supports the war effort contributes to a continuation of war. This latter option can lead people to prison, and is often accompanied by hard labour and solitary confinement. — the Guardian, 12h ago

new We acknowledge these challenges, yet argue that the ultimate test of the effectiveness is not whether governments can ‘pick winners’ but whether they are able to ‘let losers go’. Although cutting losers ex post may be difficult, it is far less demanding than governmental omniscience in selecting winners ex ante. In this sense, we would argue that industrial policy is not that different from many other domains of public policy choice (education policies, stabilization policies, etc.) where the justifications for government intervention are well-established (human capital externalities, Keynesian ‘rigidities’) but what works is not obvious. Yet, unlike industrial policy, debates in these arenas typically focus on how to do policy well, not whether policy should be attempted. — CEPR, 18h ago

new The conference kicked off with keynotes and comments from Black Hat and DEF CON founder Jeff Moss and Azeria Labs founder Maria Markstedter, who explored the future of AI risk — which includes a raft of new technical, business, and policy challenges to navigate. The show features key briefings on research that has uncovered emerging new threats stemming from the use of AI systems, including flaws in generative AI that makes them prone to compromise and manipulation, AI-enhanced social engineering attacks, and how easily AI training data can be poisoned to impact the reliability of the ML models that depend on it. The latter, presented today by Will Pearce, AI red team lead for Nvidia, features research for which Anderson was a collaborator. He says the study shows that most training data is scoured from online sources that are easy to manipulate. — darkreading.com, 18h ago

new Intense, ongoing stress can, at any age, contribute to disease, from psychiatric disorders to obesity and diabetes. But in the first years of life – and also in the womb – such stress can have dramatic ramifications. “The wars in Israel, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere, and the unprecedented global refugee crisis that is caused, in part, by climate change, alongside an increased understanding of the long-term harm caused by exposure to war and violence at a young age – all these highlight the need for better rehabilitation capabilities,” says Chen. “Our new study identifies a key brain mechanism that is especially sensitive to childhood trauma. But the most exciting part is the prospect of using the plasticity of the young brain to help it recover, avoiding the toll this trauma can exact in adulthood.”... — Weizmann Wonder Wander - News, Features and Discoveries from the Weizmann Institute of Science, 1d ago

new The recent diplomatic efforts in peace brokering put forward a promising path towards fostering cooperation between rival states in the region. This demonstration of a potential collaboration also underscores the urgency for regional leaders to seize the opportunity to advance the collective interests of regional stability and economic prosperity. It is imperative that they do so without excessive reliance on foreign intervention in security matters while safeguarding the region from becoming a mere chess piece in the broader geopolitical game between the United States and China. The unfolding diplomatic overtures between Iran and Saudi Arabia signify a remarkable turning point in the region’s history. This shift toward cooperation signals that longstanding rivalries and disputes can be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation. It is testament to the power of diplomacy to bridge gaps and foster a more stable and prosperous environment in the Middle East. However, it is vital that the region adopts an approach of strategic hedging and remains neutral for this environment to become sustainable. — E-International Relations, 1d ago

new Abroad is a large place, but ultimately, Russian propaganda is effective wherever it can latch onto existing prejudices, hopes, fears, and beliefs. The strength of Russian propaganda — indeed, any propaganda — is in finding out which messages work to stir up emotions and shut down critical faculties in a given audience, and then to make those same messages work for you. That is what the Kremlin did at home, playing on historical grievances, traumas, and a sense of deep pride in the great Soviet victory of 1945. And that is a similar approach abroad, albeit since Russian interests are defined differently there than at home, they are of course applied in different ways. So we must not overestimate the power of Russian propaganda in the West, or elsewhere. In Russia, the Kremlin can control the platforms and threaten citizens with persecution in a way it simply cannot replicate in the West, for example. Which means it can only bolster certain messages artificially and play on organic resonance of certain topics that would lead to political outcomes that play in the Kremlin’s favour (e.g. Trump as an anti-elite crusader who should be President; the UK should leave the EU; Scotland should leave the UK; France is a neo-colonial force). But none of these narratives are powerful because of Russia, they are powerful because they resonate with audiences, and then Russia tries to use, or harness, or increase this power for its own interests. If we want to understand Trump, Brexit, or African disdain for the West, then we would do best to listen to the often legitimate complaints of those who align with these positions, rather than seek to delegitimise them, and remove their agency, by ascribing these political positions as Putinist. — E-International Relations, 1d ago

new My passion for climate change and environmental sustainability is deeply rooted in my realization of the urgent need for global action. It’s not just about acknowledging the problems; it’s about driving practical solutions. I actively engage in initiatives aimed at educating my community on the impact of climate change and other environmental issues. We organize tree-planting events, school seminars, and workshops to raise awareness about the environment’s fragility and what we can do to protect it. We see how floods have become rampant on our coastlines and how people are losing their ancestral homes. I firmly believe that educating the public is a vital step toward meaningful change. — The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News, 1d ago

new The truth is many of the ills of today’s internet have a single thing in common: they are built on a system of corporate surveillance. Multiple companies, large and small, collect data about where we go, what we do, what we read, who we communicate with, and so on. They use this data in multiple ways and, if it suits their business model, may sell it to anyone who wants it—including law enforcement. Addressing this shared reality will better promote human rights and civil liberties, while simultaneously holding space for free expression, creativity, and innovation than many of the issue-specific bills we’ve seen over the past decade. In other words, whatever online harms you want to alleviate, you can do it better, with a broader impact, if you do privacy first…”... — bespacific.com, 1d ago

new To get the trillions of dollars needed to tackle climate change, governments could increase taxes on polluting activities and cut fossil fuel subsidies, said an advisory panel to the COP28 talks in Dubai. Emerging and developing countries will need $2.4 trillion of investment a year between now and 2030 to transition to clean energy and adapt their economies, according to a report published at the conference by a group of independent economists. Among those taxes could be levies on shipping, which accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, and aviation, which accounts for 2%-3% of emissions and is not covered by the Paris Agreement. “We see great potential, particularly when it comes to taxing bad things internationally and using that money to generate predictable resources,” said panel member Amar Bhattacharya of the Brookings Center for Sustainable Development. — capitalandmain.com, 1d ago

new Some of Airbnb’s ills, such as its impact on housing markets, won’t get solved overnight. But service quality can be fixed with greater haste. It improves the experiences of guests, but also the businesses of the hosts, so it should be a no-brainer. But it requires the host putting in more work, and committing to treat their trade with the pro-active approach necessary to cater to hotel customers, instead of the reactive approach landlords take with tenants. If that’s too much work, my advice is to divest their properties and buy some vending machines or a laundromat. It will be a lot less headache for all involved. — The Globe and Mail, 1d ago

new Under the current international financial architecture, the exploitative dynamics that have plagued poor communities and the Global South during the colonial era persist to this day. Private creditors are taking advantage of low-income countries that rely heavily on external financing to address their development requirements. They argue against debt forgiveness, asserting that it would damage these countries’ reputation with investors and restrict their access to capital markets. However, the current financial system is predominantly configured to uphold the structural power of creditors, prioritizing their interests over those of borrowing nations in the Global South. Consequently, these nations are increasingly at risk of becoming debt colonies, trapped in a cycle of perpetual indebtedness. — Modern Diplomacy, 2d ago

new Of course, this close link between economic performance and security is why analysts so often focus mainly on the local damage suffered by war-torn countries. But it’s becoming impossible to ignore how seemingly isolated foreign wars create disruptions that ripple through the global economy. Recognizing that damage doesn’t diminish the immediacy of problems in conflict zones. On the contrary, it means our ledger of war’s costs has to include entries for markets elsewhere. In today’s globalized, “shock-prone” international system, war’s harms reach far beyond the battlefield. — The National Interest, 2d ago

new Roughly speaking, that is my, perhaps unfashionable, view. Williams is, of course, a hugely influential figure, but he doesn’t represent the main trajectory of contemporary philosophy, which is now heavily focused on the interpretation of science-based findings. Generally speaking, Williams is sceptical about the dominant effort to turn philosophy into a handmaiden of science, except in those specific areas that call for this. The overall view that I find most plausible and truthful about our human situation is that — contrary to the sceptical view that we just considered — we can defend a robust understanding of both freedom and responsibility, that can be provided in entirely naturalistic terms. However, what’s interesting about the sort of view Williams describes, which goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks, is that this does not serve to vindicate an easy optimism about the human condition. On the contrary, understanding our situation in these terms grounds a pessimism that is rooted, not in the sceptical thought that we aren’t really free and responsible, but in a more difficult and subtle truth about our predicament, which is that while we may well be free and responsible agents, we nevertheless remain vulnerable to luck, contingency, and aspects of fate in the exercise of moral life itself. It is our awareness of this that we find uncomfortable and tend to resist. Most available theories in the free will debate seek, in various ways, to evade this pessimistic conclusion. Although this understanding of our predicament as human agents may not be one we find comfortable it is, nevertheless, the most truthful interpretation. — Five Books, 2d ago

new That Napoleon is only a movie doesn’t make it better. There are documented cases of films influencing a policymaker’s decisions to go to war. In 1970, for example, then-U.S. President Richard Nixon repeatedly watched the film Patton during the decision-making process to expand the Vietnam War into Cambodia, taking inspiration from the movie general’s willpower and single-minded belief in U.S. military power. One academic study found that popular culture, including fictional films, can frame the way we think about a multitude of issues, and there is no reason to believe that military officers and policymakers are exempt from these effects. Movies can help prevent wars, too. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan was inspired by the television film The Day After and Tom Clancy’s novel Red Storm Rising to push for nuclear arms control. But if decision-makers and military leaders are prone to fighting the wars of their imagination, then a popular culture that reinforces the idea that wars can be short and decisive may incentivize willingness to look for a quick military solution to a political problem. — Foreign Policy, 2d ago

new Ravi Annavarapu, President, FMC India commented, “FMC India has always demonstrated a strong commitment to the well-being of India’s farming community. Through this safety awareness program, we want to improve farmers’ awareness and knowledge of using agrochemicals in a safe manner, while preventing accidental poisoning. Every year, FMC provides more than a million farmers in India with training on the responsible and safe use of pesticides. We believed it was appropriate to provide local physicians with the same training in order to assist them in detecting and treating any cases of pesticide exposure. We will steadily scale up the program to reach the wider farming community in the state”. — Chemical Industry Digest, 2d ago

new To bridge the gap (i) international public adaptation fin­ance, (ii) domestic expenditure on adaptation, and (iii) private sector expenditure on adaptation, should be supplemented by (iv) utilising remittances by migrants, (v) reform of global financial architecture, comprising World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc, (vi) increasing finance tailored to small and medium enterprises, and (vii) implementation of Article 2.1(c) of Paris Agreement on making finance flows consistent with low-carbon pathways. Adaptation as against loss and damage expenditure makes more economic and common sense. Every additional $1 billion and $16 billion investment in adaptation against coastal flooding and agriculture can reduce $14 billion of economic damages and prevent 78 million people from chronic hunger due to climate change, respectively. — Economic and Political Weekly, 2d ago

new Palestine submitted its first NDC to the UNFCCC in 2017 and an updated version in October 2021. The document cites adaptation to climate change as its main goal, since Palestine contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. Both that report and Palestine’s National Adaptation Plan, which it submitted to the U.N. in 2016, name numerous challenges stemming from the Israeli government’s strict control over Palestinian land and natural resources. One of the focuses of both documents is the agricultural sector, which the vast majority of Palestinians rely on for their livelihoods. Rain-fed agriculture accounts for more than 80 percent of farming in Palestine, and increasingly frequent dry spells and soil evaporation from high temperatures are degrading the quality of the harvest. The National Adaptation Plan notes that the Israeli occupation has limited Palestinians’ ability to develop wastewater treatment plants, which could provide an alternative form of irrigation to save desiccated crops. — Grist, 2d ago

new The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gave the world a surprise on its first day, Thursday. Delegates from more than 160 countries unanimously agreed to formally establish the Loss and Damage Fund, pledging more than $400 million to support the world's particularly vulnerable countries in their efforts to cope with the loss and damage caused by climate change. This groundbreaking progress has brought much-needed good news to the world, raising confidence and expectations for the outcomes of this conference.The issue of funding has been a focal point in recent UN climate conferences, with prolonged and intense debates surrounding the amount of aid and compensation developed countries should offer for their historical emissions, as well as the ways of raising and distributing the funds. However, the urgency of the severe climate change situation has led to significant achievements. Developed countries have committed to mobilizing $100 billion a year to support climate finance. The establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund was a decision made at COP27 in Egypt in 2022, but its implementation has not been easy. Nonetheless, this time, several developed countries have made pledges toward the fund. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), host country of COP28, committed $100 million, Germany, $100 million, the UK, 40 million pounds (about $50.6 million) and 20 million pounds for other arrangements, Japan, $10 million, and the US, known for its grandstanding on climate issues, only $17.5 million. When it comes to paying, some countries revealed their true face. The amount pledged by the US is meager in comparison with its status as the world's largest economy and the responsibility in addressing climate change it should bear given its highest historical cumulative carbon emissions, leading to criticism from attending delegates and experts who deemed it "disappointing," "shocking," and "embarrassing."However, amid this disappointment, there were heartening developments. When the US once again let the world down at the critical moment, other countries stepped up. On the second day of the climate conference, Friday, the UAE announced $30 billion for a new climate finance fund, aiming to mobilize $250 billion by the end of the decade. It also aims to improve the flow of money into projects to reduce emissions, especially in the Global South.Washington should really feel ashamed of this scene. The New York Times bluntly questioned in a September article: How Long Can America's Climate Hypocrisy Last? "It's nothing new for climate ambition and climate hypocrisy to flicker back and forth like the two faces of a lenticular hologram," said the article. Even the American media itself says so, showing how bad the US' performance is on climate issues.Another typical example is the deliberate effort by the US to woo Pacific island nations, establishing new embassies and claiming to help them maintain "maritime security." However, when it comes to the climate issues that these countries genuinely care about, Washington exhibits conspicuous stinginess and parsimony. The true focus of Washington in its diplomacy is becoming increasingly evident to people.At any rate, the US cannot be absent when addressing the issue of climate. Even if other countries are proactive, they cannot fill the irresponsible void left by the US. Conversely, if the US fails to set an example on climate issues, it completely loses its qualification to pursue global leadership. In any case, the US must shoulder its due obligations and responsibilities. The Democratic Party shows a more positive attitude toward climate issues than the Republican Party. The Biden administration should take advantage of its time in office to push for substantive progress on climate issues with greater determination and force.This current climate conference's crucial agenda is the "Global Stocktake," where each contracting party will review progress and gaps in implementing key provisions of the Paris Agreement. The focus will also be on "four paradigm shifts": fast-tracking energy transition and slashing emissions before 2030; transforming climate finance, by delivering on old promises and setting the framework for a new deal on finance; putting nature, people, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action; mobilizing for the most inclusive COP ever. These are ambitious goals indeed.In the realm of climate, every step forward is incredibly challenging. It is precisely because of this difficulty that each achievement is so valuable. Regardless, we observe that human society is moving forward step by step, even though the pace is still too slow and lags behind the rate of environmental degradation. How to ensure that this collective effort of all humanity involves less short-term selfish calculations and more long-term vision of shared future, and stronger climate actions, is crucial for the future and fate of humanity. No one can escape or evade this duty, especially for countries with significant responsibilities and obligations. — globaltimes.cn, 2d ago

new Id. at *16. The Court emphasized that an out-of-pocket expenditure was not required. The association “may not have incurred additional out-of-pocket costs in responding to” the company’s “allegedly illegal practices; its employees were salaried and would have been paid regardless. But the economic value” that the Association received from their labor was reduced.” Id. at *18. In other words, the association “‘lost money or property’ . . . when its personnel were diverted from other activities that would also have served its goal of assisting its physician members.” Id. By diverting staff from other “useful projects” to respond to an unfair business practice, the Association “enter[ed] into a transaction, costing money or property, that would otherwise have been unnecessary.” Id. That, said the Court, was an injury sufficient to confer standing on the organization under the UCL: “an organization that has expended staff time or other resources on responding to a new threat to its mission, diverting those resources from other projects has suffered an injury in fact,” even if the organization chooses to do so voluntarily. Id. at *28, 30-33. — natlawreview.com, 2d ago

new On the Global Stocktake (GST), a key mechanism in the Paris Agreement to accelerate climate action, China wants a facilitative and solution-oriented process and is sensitive to finger pointing. In Chinese official jargon, the GST should “convey positive energy.” This is both a tactical consideration to avoid scrutiny on China’s emissions and a genuine desire derived from the reality of domestic politics – a perceived hostile international environment may fuel domestic backlashes on the climate agenda. The Chinese delegation will also be guarded against any attempt to deviate from the “nationally determined” nature of future NDCs. As a result, debates can be expected on the level of prescription related to the forward-looking part of the GST decision. In UNFCCC preparatory talks in June, China also insisted on a section dedicated to “international cooperation” in the draft GST text. This section is where Beijing wants to debate unilateralism and trade barriers and voice its concern on how these measures harm Chinese commercial interests and delay global decarbonisation. — Eco-Business, 2d ago

new Subjecting the economy to democratic decision-making in this way would, admittedly, constitute a radical challenge to the current system of private ownership and market coordination. But it is essential to secure and maintain popular legitimacy for green industrial policies, as well as to facilitate collective and efficient decision-making and minimise mismanagement. Otherwise, we risk a public backlash that impedes the collective action needed to safeguard our future on this planet. — Eco-Business, 2d ago

new Furthermore, changing consumer behaviour towards a more environmentally friendly lifestyle is also a challenge. The government has introduced many strict measures, including hefty fines for littering and not sorting waste properly, as well as proposed compulsory community service for violators. Yet, case studies in Japan and Germany have shown that in addition to punitive measures (“sticks”), incentives (“carrots”) are also necessary. For instance, consumers can be incentivised to recycle plastic bottles if they receive a refund for returning them. Making recycling facilities more accessible in public venues is also essential. In the long term, it is imperative to integrate the “three Rs” (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) into societal norms. — Eco-Business, 2d ago

new As we clear-cut forests, as we turn farms into industrial monocultures that produce toxic, nutritionally empty commodities, as our diets become degraded through industrial processing with synthetic chemicals and genetic engineering, and as we perpetuate the illusion that earth and life are raw materials to be exploited for profits, we are indeed connecting. But instead of connecting on a continuum of health by protecting biodiversity, integrity, and self-organization of all living beings, including humans, we are connected through disease. — sgtreport.com, 2d ago

new It’s a deeply subversive book. It’s got a social agenda that we would at the very least today recognize as deeply social democratic. It’s also in line with Marx’s comment about changing the world [“Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it”] – proper philosophy has, as its mission, reconstructing the way the world is. One of the discussions one gets in this book, especially about knowledge and science, is that our culture is pervaded with, for example in America, the distinction between white collar and blue collar. In philosophy, we draw a distinction between ‘episteme’ and ‘techne,’ with episteme being the theoretical kind of knowledge which traditionally is what philosophy is interested in, and techne being the mechanics’ knowledge. Dewey thinks traditional philosophy has tried to exalt theoretical knowledge and downplay technical knowledge. Dewey thinks that’s backwards. All knowledge begins with dirty hands, with doing things, with getting dirt under your nails. The theory stuff comes later. That’s the message of the book. — Five Books, 2d ago

new Mitsotakis’s government might struggle to convince the public of its role as pious conservators of Greek architectural heritage, however. It has long suffered from a problematic relationship with the Greek Archaeological Association, clashing over the preservation of Greek ancient heritage, with critics arguing that the government is prioritising economic considerations over the protection of the sites. A new passageway made of reinforced concrete and a lift enabling disabled access to the site of the Acropolis fuelled an outpouring of condemnation. Yannis Hamilakis, professor of archaeology and modern Greek studies at Brown University, argued that these alterations played into the “neo-classical colonialist and nationalist dream” with little prior study. In a country where tourism is the main industry, attracting more visitors to the site seems to many to have been the main consideration driving the changes. — the Guardian, 2d ago