rat

President Eisgruber issues statement on federal immigration executive order

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber issued a statement to the University community Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, on the federal immigration executive order.




rat

Eisgruber, other university presidents ask President Trump to 'rectify or rescind' immigration order

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber and 47 other American college and university presidents today sent a letter to President Trump urging him to "rectify or rescind the recent executive order closing our country's borders to immigrants and others from seven majority-Muslim countries and to refugees from throughout the world." "If left in place," the letters says, "the order threatens both American higher education and the defining principles of our country."




rat

Princeton joins court challenge to federal immigration executive order

Princeton University and 16 other universities filed a friend-of-the-court brief Monday supporting a legal challenge to the Trump administration's Jan. 27 executive order on immigration.




rat

How temperature guides where species live and where they'll go

A Princeton University-based study could prove significant in answering among the most enduring questions for ecologists: Why do species live where they do, and what are the factors that keep them there? The ranges of animals in the world's temperate mountain areas — often presumed to be determined by competition — may actually be determined more by temperature and habitat, the researchers report. The findings indicate that species living in temperate mountain habitats — particularly in the northern latitudes — could face even greater repercussions from climate change than previously thought.




rat

EPA Regional Administrator Meets with U.S. Virgin Islands Governor

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Recently, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Pete Lopez met with Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. of the U.S.




rat

EPA Regional Administrator Wraps Up Successful Visit to Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Recently, U.S.




rat

EPA public meeting on October 24 to discuss cleanup at Vernay Laboratories site in Yellow Springs, Ohio

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (October 17, 2019) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will present the proposed cleanup options for the Vernay Laboratories Inc. site at a public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 24 in Yellow Springs. The information session will run from 5-7 p.m.




rat

EPA Celebrates Earth Day 2019 with Video and Events

WASHINGTON (April 22, 2019) – Today, U.S.




rat

EPA Administrator Concludes Engagements at G7 Environmental Ministers Meeting

Metz, France (May 7, 2019) - Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler concluded his visit to Metz, France where he attended the annual G7 Environmental Ministers Meeting.




rat

EPA Administrator Concludes Engagements at G20 Environmental Ministers Meeting

KARUIZAWA, JAPAN – Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler concluded his visit to Karuizawa, Japan where he attended the inaugural G20 Energy and Environmental Ministers Meeting.




rat

Administrator Wheeler Discusses North American Environmental and Transboundry Water Issues with Canada, Mexico at CEC

(MEXICO CITY) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler wrapped up trilateral meetings with Canada and Mexico as part of the 25th Anniversary of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Council meetings in Mexico City.




rat

Administrator Wheeler Wraps Up Mission to Brazil with Visit to the Amazon




rat

EPA Celebrates Air Quality Awareness Week May 4 - May 8, 2020

WASHINGTON (May 4, 2020) — This week, as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) month-long celebration of our nation’s progress in improving air quality over the last 50 years, we are celebrating the 14t




rat

Strategien für das Alleinsein - Tipps von Extremreisenden

Jahrelang allein unterwegs? Hier erklären eine Langzeitwanderin, eine Seglerin und eine Radfahrerin, welche Strategien ihnen unterwegs helfen - und jetzt den Corona-Alltag erleichtern.




rat

Unhinged man shouts he has HIV, then punches, spits at train operator in Brooklyn

The C train reached its last stop just after 9 a.m. Saturday at the Euclid Ave. station in East New York when the man insisted he needed five more minutes before he could leave the car.




rat

Unhinged man shouts he has HIV, then punches, spits at train operator in Brooklyn

The C train reached its last stop just after 9 a.m. Saturday at the Euclid Ave. station in East New York when the man insisted he needed five more minutes before he could leave the car.




rat

Quarantine: 'We're not going to be able to police self-isolation', says Police Federation chair

Metropolitan Police Federation chairman says planned 14-day strategy is unenforceable




rat

'Shocked but also very grateful': Fundraiser for La Loche aims to double donations

A Saskatoon family physician wanted to find a way to help send supplies to the northern community of La Loche and set an initial goal for $15,000 - but within days the donations total over $26,000.




rat

mb 4.6 KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA

Magnitude  mb 4.6
Region  KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA
Date time  2020-05-10 02:34:07.1 UTC
Location  7.52 S ; 128.12 E
Depth  164 km




rat

Demonstrators describe arrest and pepper ball deployment during protest

Demonstrators describe an arrest and pepper ball use by IMPD during a protest over the death of Dreasjon Reed near 62nd Street and Michigan Road.

       




rat

The day the pirates came

A life on the high seas promised adventure, until a kidnapping turned a young man's life upside down.




rat

Demonstrations at Co-op facilities affecting Sask. producers: APAS

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is the latest organization to weigh in on the Co-op Refinery labour dispute, saying demonstrations at Co-op facilities could negatively affect farmer’s seeding.




rat

Channel24.co.za | Prince Harry shares heartfelt video message to commemorate Invictus Games

The Duke of Sussex sent a special video message to mark what would have been the opening ceremony of the 2020 Invictus Games.





rat

Frigid temperatures, snow showers not enough to stop Brockville food drive

While the weather may have looked like mid-November in Brockville Saturday morning, that didn't stop people from donating to the Brockville community food drive.




rat

Polar vortex brings 'once in a generation May snowstorm' to US East Coast

A polar vortex has blasted into the northeastern US this weekend bringing rare May snowfall and record low temperatures to some areas.




rat

Demonstrations in Thailand? No Problem, Travelers Say.

Filed under: ,

Shutterstock
The political protests currently taking place in parts of Bangkok don't seem to be affecting travel to and within Thailand. And that should be no surprise. Despite events -- a coup, floods and protests that closed an airport among them -- that have rocked the country in recent years, travelers remain unfazed about visiting Thailand.

Quartz reports:

Not only are tourists still coming, but they've been arriving in increasing numbers in recent years, according to government data.

The story adds:

Continue reading Demonstrations in Thailand? No Problem, Travelers Say.

Demonstrations in Thailand? No Problem, Travelers Say. originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 02 Dec 2013 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments




rat

News24.com | Covid-19: SAPS joint operational committee in Tshwane self-isolating after member tests positive

Members of the Joint Operational Committee in Tshwane is in self-isolation after one member tested positive for Covid-19, spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo has told News24.




rat

News24.com | Haroon Bhorat: Economic fallout is ferocious, but health crisis must be focus

Ultimately, there are no easy solutions to reigniting a Covid-19 affected economy. It is evident, however, that addressing the public health crisis is non-negotiable, writes Haroon Bhorat.




rat

Drive-by Mother's Day celebration at Edmonton retirement home

Messages to mothers and words of support were front and centre as Edmontonians cruised by MacTaggart Place retirement residence on Saturday afternoon.




rat

Angola as a Global Influence: Priorities for International Cooperation

Research Event

13 June 2014 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm

Chatham House, London

Event participants

Dr Maria Ângela Bragança, Secretary of State for Cooperation, Ministry of External Relations, Angola

Reaping the benefits of more than a decade of stability and fast economic growth, Angola increasingly wields global influence. Angola seeks to diversify its bilateral partnerships and improve existing ones, and is well-placed to exert its influence in multilateral fora. 

At this roundtable event, Angola’s Secretary of State for Cooperation, Hon Dr Maria Angela Bragança, will discuss Angola’s international priorities and how Angola is helping to shape key issues of global importance in a multipolar world.

Department/project

Christopher Vandome

Research Fellow, Africa Programme
+44 (0) 20 7314 3669




rat

Politics in Northern Nigeria: The Impacts of Democratic Transition

Invitation Only Research Event

14 July 2014 - 9:00am to 10:00am

Abuja, Nigeria

Event participants

Dr Leena Koni Hoffmann, Centre for Population, Poverty and Public Policy Studies; Author, Who Speaks for the North? Politics and Influence in Northern Nigeria; ERANDA Junior Research Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House (2013)
Chair: Elizabeth Donnelly, Assistant Head, Africa Programme, Chatham House

As Nigeria celebrates one hundred years of unity, significant differences – real and perceived – remain between different parts of the country. This event marks the Nigeria launch of the Chatham House Briefing Who Speaks for the North? Politics and Influence in Northern Nigeria. Its author, Dr Leena Hoffmann, will discuss the effects of democratization and pacted politics on northern Nigeria, broader governance challenges, and how relations among decision-makers nationally have evolved.

Attendance at this event is by invitation only.

Event attributes

External event

Department/project




rat

Nigeria’s Priorities for Progress: Imperatives for Stability and Inclusive Growth

Research Event

24 July 2014 - 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Chatham House, London

Event participants

Dr Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President of Nigeria 

Nigeria’s prospects, with its rise to international prominence as Africa’s largest economy, are tempered by the many development and security challenges the country faces. While essential reforms in the power and agriculture sectors are underway, such efforts are balanced against the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, significant concerns around youth unemployment, and an increasingly contentious political environment in the run-up to the February 2015 elections. 

Dr Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, will discuss what steps the presidency is taking to address the country’s most urgent challenges, and how the political environment can be managed to overcome tensions that may impede progress.

Department/project

Christopher Vandome

Research Fellow, Africa Programme
+44 (0) 20 7314 3669




rat

Peace and Cooperation in Northeast Asia

Invitation Only Research Event

6 October 2014 - 8:30am to 7 October 2014 - 1:45pm

Seoul, Republic of Korea

The overarching theme of this event will be Korea’s changing role as a global power and its effect on the country’s relationships, including with the UK and Europe. It will aim to raise awareness of these issues to an audience of key decision-makers, and to encourage experts to think together strategically about areas of mutual interest, as well as practical ways to achieve deeper cooperation. 

Attendance at this event is by invitation only.

This event is held in partnership with the South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo.

Event attributes

External event

Joshua Webb

+44 (0)20 7314 3678




rat

Scholarship and the ship of state: rethinking the Anglo-American strategic decline analogy

12 March 2015 , Volume 91, Number 2

Katherine C. Epstein




rat

South China Sea: The Result of the Arbitration

Invitation Only Research Event

18 July 2016 - 9:30am to 10:30am

Chatham House, London

Event participants

Professor Philippe Sands QC, Barrister, Matrix Chambers
Chris Whomersley, Deputy Legal Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2002-14)
Professor Julia Xue, Academy Senior Fellow, International Law Programme, Chatham House
ChairElizabeth Wilmshurst, Distinguished Fellow, International Law Programme, Chatham House

The arbitration between the Philippines and China on the dispute in the South China Sea is coming to an end. The Permanent Court of Arbitration is to issue its decision on 12 July. This meeting will discuss the notable points of the tribunal’s award and the next steps. 

Attendance at this event is by invitation only.

Chanu Peiris

Programme Manager, International Law
+44 (0)20 7314 3686




rat

Turkey’s Post-Coup Reverberations Are Just Beginning

21 July 2016

Fadi Hakura

Consulting Fellow, Europe Programme
President Erdogan’s harsh crackdown is causing severe damage to the country’s political and social fabric.

2016-07-21-Erdogan.jpg

People wave Turkish flags in front of a billboard displaying the face of Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a rally in Ankara on 17 July 2016 in Ankara. Photo by Getty Images.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded with an iron fist to last Friday’s failed military coup attempt in Turkey by detaining, dismissing or suspending, so far, 60,000 military officers, police and intelligence officials, judges, teachers, academics and civil servants, and imposing a widespread travel ban and a three-month state of emergency. He is vowing to reintroduce the death penalty, abolished in 2004 as part of reforms required for opening EU accession negotiations.

This uncompromising approach in the post-coup period will have profound negative implications on Turkey’s domestic politics, security and foreign policy in the foreseeable future to the detriment of its stability and prosperity.

Fractured politics

Erdogan’s indifference to the unprecedented political unity against the coup is, regretfully, a missed opportunity to dilute the deepening polarization and divisiveness bedeviling Turkish politics. His determination to use the putsch to consolidate political power in the presidency and to erode or eliminate the secular character of the Turkish state by means of a new constitution will widen the ideological and ethnic divide between, respectively, secular and conservative Turks and Turks and Kurds. Just a few months ago, Ismail Kahramam, speaker of the Turkish parliament and Erdogan ally, exhorted that ‘secularism cannot feature in the new [religious] constitution’.

His policies and rhetoric, in other words, will undermine even more the almost imperceptible presence of ‘interpersonal trust’ in Turkish society - the willingness of one party to rely on the actions of another party – seen as incongruent with a robust polity and cohesive society. According to a 2010 OECD survey Turkey’s levels of interpersonal trust are considerably lower than OECD averages and it stands out among the 20 surveyed countries as the only one where higher educational attainment correlates with lower feelings of trust. That posture can only breed even more discord and mistrust between the different segments of the Turkish electorate and entrench personality-based and top-down politics, the root cause of political turmoil in Turkey.

Diminished state capacity

Turkey’s NATO partners fear that the purges of experienced military and security personnel have the potential to diminish its capability to thwart the threat posed by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other militant groups and to better manage its long and porous borders with Syria and Iraq. Thus far, Turkish authorities have incarcerated nearly one-third of Turkey’s senior military commanders and more than 7,000 police and intelligence officials. This constitutes a major loss of expertise and institutional memory at a time of heightening security challenges. After all, Turkey witnessed 14 bomb attacks over the last year, many of them carried out by ISIS or the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Similarly, the removal of tens of thousands of school teachers, both in private and state schools, university academics and education ministry officials will severely disrupt the provision of adequate educational services to enable future generations to succeed in an increasingly complex global economic environment. This ‘cleansing’ operation did not spare even the elite and renowned state and private universities considered bastions of liberalism and cosmopolitan values in Turkey.

In all probability, the government’s replacements of key staff with less qualified loyalists will rupture the institutional integrity and professionalism of the military establishment and the state institutions. Such a hollowing out process was already underway prior to the coup but post-coup decision-making has greatly accelerated the speed. Sadly, under the best case scenario, it will take Turkey years, if not decades, to restore a modicum of rule of law and public services’ delivery at pre-coup standards to which the Turkish citizenry have been accustomed.

Foreign policy challenges

Erdogan’s endorsement of the death penalty might signal the end of Turkey’s (already nearly non-existent) EU accession prospects and a more troubled relationship with Europe and the US. He was, before the coup, a prickly and challenging partner for the US and NATO to handle, a recalcitrant member of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition and vociferously against the US cooperation with PKK-affiliated Syrian Kurdish fighters targeting ISIS in northern Syria. After the coup, he will probably become more disagreeable to US and European foreign policy and security objectives.

His disagreeability will probably extend to Turkey’s deal with the EU to stem the flow of Syrian migrants across the Aegean Sea and Greece into mainland Europe, which looks increasingly unsustainable. A pugnacious Erdogan may utilize the forthcoming EU refusal to abolish visas for Turkish travellers to the Schengen borderless zone by end-October to wring out more concessions from an Erdogan-sceptical Europe. Despite their exasperation, they should decipher from his rapprochement with Israel and Russia that he tends to compromise with muscular diplomacy as opposed to diplomatic niceties.    

Turkey will be so convulsed and self-absorbed by internal political machinations and its security and military capabilities so compromised that it cannot afford to deploy sizeable assets to promote regime change in Damascus. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers are, naturally, the prime beneficiaries while the armed largely Sunni opposition are the biggest losers. Arguably, Assad must now feel very secure in power and confident that he will enlarge his territorial acquisitions at the expense of the Sunni groups. Equally, the Syrian Kurds will seek to strengthen and, perhaps, extend the quasi-autonomous zone along the Turkey−Syria border commensurate with Turkey’s declining influence in the Syrian quagmire.

Europe’s lesson

Turkey is a bitter testimony to the ill-effects of sacrificing progressive values to political expediency, fear and interests. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy demonstrated a lack of strategic foresight by stymying Turkey’s desire to join the EU in 2005. Had the EU engaged Turkey in a credible accession process, however arduous it may have been, the coup would probably have never occurred. Turkish political leaders would have been forced to implement deeper and wider reforms to strengthen democracy, secularism, human rights and a functioning market economy. Instead, Europe is reaping what it sowed: a coup-rattled and more unstable Turkey on its doorstep.

To comment on this article, please contact Chatham House Feedback




rat

Shopping Cart Abandonment Rates - What are yours?




rat

Celebrating vappu

gali_nette posted a photo:




rat

Sean Hannity on the Obama administration's big lie

Sean Hannity reacts on 'Watters' World' to the Obama administration being caught lying about Russia collusion.





rat

Ousted health official dismisses Trump's claim he is disgruntled: 'I am frustrated at a lack of leadership'

Ousted vaccine expert Rick Bright said he is "frustrated at our inability to be heard as scientists."





rat

Affinity maturation, humanization, and co-crystallization of a rabbit anti-human ROR2 monoclonal antibody for therapeutic applications [Immunology]

Antibodies are widely used as cancer therapeutics, but their current use is limited by the low number of antigens restricted to cancer cells. A receptor tyrosine kinase, receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2), is normally expressed only during embryogenesis and is tightly down-regulated in postnatal healthy tissues. However, it is up-regulated in a diverse set of hematologic and solid malignancies, thus ROR2 represents a candidate antigen for antibody-based cancer therapy. Here we describe the affinity maturation and humanization of a rabbit mAb that binds human and mouse ROR2 but not human ROR1 or other human cell-surface antigens. Co-crystallization of the parental rabbit mAb in complex with the human ROR2 kringle domain (hROR2-Kr) guided affinity maturation by heavy-chain complementarity-determining region 3 (HCDR3)-focused mutagenesis and selection. The affinity-matured rabbit mAb was then humanized by complementarity-determining region (CDR) grafting and framework fine tuning and again co-crystallized with hROR2-Kr. We show that the affinity-matured and humanized mAb retains strong affinity and specificity to ROR2 and, following conversion to a T cell–engaging bispecific antibody, has potent cytotoxicity toward ROR2-expressing cells. We anticipate that this humanized affinity-matured mAb will find application for antibody-based cancer therapy of ROR2-expressing neoplasms.




rat

Three distinct glycosylation pathways are involved in the decoration of Lactococcus lactis cell wall glycopolymers [Microbiology]

Extracytoplasmic sugar decoration of glycopolymer components of the bacterial cell wall contributes to their structural diversity. Typically, the molecular mechanism that underpins such a decoration process involves a three-component glycosylation system (TGS) represented by an undecaprenyl-phosphate (Und-P) sugar-activating glycosyltransferase (Und-P GT), a flippase, and a polytopic glycosyltransferase (PolM GT) dedicated to attaching sugar residues to a specific glycopolymer. Here, using bioinformatic analyses, CRISPR-assisted recombineering, structural analysis of cell wall–associated polysaccharides (CWPS) through MALDI-TOF MS and methylation analysis, we report on three such systems in the bacterium Lactococcus lactis. On the basis of sequence similarities, we first identified three gene pairs, csdAB, csdCD, and csdEF, each encoding an Und-P GT and a PolM GT, as potential TGS component candidates. Our experimental results show that csdAB and csdCD are involved in Glc side-chain addition on the CWPS components rhamnan and polysaccharide pellicle (PSP), respectively, whereas csdEF plays a role in galactosylation of lipoteichoic acid (LTA). We also identified a potential flippase encoded in the L. lactis genome (llnz_02975, cflA) and confirmed that it participates in the glycosylation of the three cell wall glycopolymers rhamnan, PSP, and LTA, thus indicating that its function is shared by the three TGSs. Finally, we observed that glucosylation of both rhamnan and PSP can increase resistance to bacteriophage predation and that LTA galactosylation alters L. lactis resistance to bacteriocin.




rat

Structural basis of substrate recognition and catalysis by fucosyltransferase 8 [Protein Structure and Folding]

Fucosylation of the innermost GlcNAc of N-glycans by fucosyltransferase 8 (FUT8) is an important step in the maturation of complex and hybrid N-glycans. This simple modification can dramatically affect the activities and half-lives of glycoproteins, effects that are relevant to understanding the invasiveness of some cancers, development of mAb therapeutics, and the etiology of a congenital glycosylation disorder. The acceptor substrate preferences of FUT8 are well-characterized and provide a framework for understanding N-glycan maturation in the Golgi; however, the structural basis of these substrate preferences and the mechanism through which catalysis is achieved remain unknown. Here we describe several structures of mouse and human FUT8 in the apo state and in complex with GDP, a mimic of the donor substrate, and with a glycopeptide acceptor substrate at 1.80–2.50 Å resolution. These structures provide insights into a unique conformational change associated with donor substrate binding, common strategies employed by fucosyltransferases to coordinate GDP, features that define acceptor substrate preferences, and a likely mechanism for enzyme catalysis. Together with molecular dynamics simulations, the structures also revealed how FUT8 dimerization plays an important role in defining the acceptor substrate-binding site. Collectively, this information significantly builds on our understanding of the core fucosylation process.




rat

Re: Management of respiratory failure due to covid-19




rat

Immigrants in the United States: How Well Are They Integrating into Society?

Immigration is a prominent part of the United States’ DNA, despite concerns about immigrants’ ability to integrate. An examination of recent immigrant inflows shows newcomers to the United States are integrating well, based on language proficiency, socioeconomic attainment, political participation, residential locale, and social interaction indicators.




rat

Eight Policies to Boost the Economic Contribution of Employment-Based Immigration

Drawing on experiences from Asia, Europe, North America, and the Pacific region, this report presents eight strategies that represent best practices developed by immigrant-receiving countries to increase the economic contributions of immigration.




rat

Rethinking Points Systems and Employer-Selected Immigration

Two competing models for selecting economic-stream immigrants are now prevalent in advanced industrialized economies: points-based and employer-led selection. Increasingly, however, hybrid selection systems are being created, implementing best practices from each selection process.




rat

Migration and Development: Policy Perspectives from the United States

The report examines U.S. immigration and international development policies, which have unique objectives and respond to distinct political and administrative constraints, and points out that international development has never been a U.S. immigration policy objective; nonetheless, it is an unintended consequence.