Pennsylvania Avenue, would placing some of them in zoos be unethical? Would they be considered human enough to receive human rights?

During the 2015–16 migration crisis, European asylum systems were stretched to a breaking point. Yet many of the structural issues that contributed to failures to register newcomers, insufficient reception capacity, and growing backlogs of asylum cases existed before—and many remain unresolved. This report critically evaluates Common European Asylum System legal and operational shortcomings at a time when reform is on the table.

There's a simple and powerful way to confront the world's most pressing crises, says women's rights activist Yifat Susskind: think like a mother. As she puts it: "When you think like a mother, you prioritize the needs of the many, not the whims of the few." Follow along as she shares moving stories of people around the world who embody this mindset -- and shows how it can also help you see beyond suffering and act to build a better world.

STANDARD ERRORS VS STANDARD DEVIATIONS Click to enlarge There’s an ancient haiku that goes: People confuse a well-estimated mean with a certain outcome Ok, that’s not true. But Jake Hofman, Dan Goldstein, and Jessica Hullman have a new paper (recently accepted at CHI 2020) about this. They bet you’ll think the results of their paper […]

The post How visualizing inferential uncertainty can mislead readers about treatment effects in scientific results appeared first on Decision Science News.

Schools are slowly figuring out how to balance thinking globally with acting locally, and recognizing that some key skills are valuable no matter where students end up living.

Schools are slowly figuring out how to balance thinking globally with acting locally, and recognizing that some key skills are valuable no matter where students end up living.

Schools are slowly figuring out how to balance thinking globally with acting locally, and recognizing that some key skills are valuable no matter where students end up living.

Edinburgh : printed by J. Stark, [1836?]

Bath : And sold by Underwood, London, 1825.

London : printed for J. Dodsley, 1782.

Paris : Carre et Naud, 1897.

High dimensional data often contain multiple facets, and several clustering patterns can co-exist under different variable subspaces, also known as the views. While multi-view clustering algorithms were proposed, the uncertainty quantification remains difficult --- a particular challenge is in the high complexity of estimating the cluster assignment probability under each view, and sharing information among views. In this article, we propose an approximate Bayes approach --- treating the similarity matrices generated over the views as rough first-stage estimates for the co-assignment probabilities; in its Kullback-Leibler neighborhood, we obtain a refined low-rank matrix, formed by the pairwise product of simplex coordinates. Interestingly, each simplex coordinate directly encodes the cluster assignment uncertainty. For multi-view clustering, we let each view draw a parameterization from a few candidates, leading to dimension reduction. With high model flexibility, the estimation can be efficiently carried out as a continuous optimization problem, hence enjoys gradient-based computation. The theory establishes the connection of this model to a random partition distribution under multiple views. Compared to single-view clustering approaches, substantially more interpretable results are obtained when clustering brains from a human traumatic brain injury study, using high-dimensional gene expression data.

Yong-Chao Zhang, Na Zhang.

Source: Brazilian Journal of Probability and Statistics, Volume 33, Number 1, 184--191.

Abstract:
We investigate the equivalence of dynamic and static asset allocations in the case where the price process of a risky asset is driven by a Poisson process. Under some mild conditions, we obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for the equivalence of dynamic and static asset allocations. In addition, we provide a simple sufficient condition for the equivalence.

Building a scalable machine learning system for unsupervised anomaly detection via representation learning is highly desirable. One of the prevalent methods is using a reconstruction error from variational autoencoder (VAE) via maximizing the evidence lower bound. We revisit VAE from the perspective of information theory to provide some theoretical foundations on using the reconstruction error, and finally arrive at a simpler and more effective model for anomaly detection. In addition, to enhance the effectiveness of detecting anomalies, we incorporate a practical model uncertainty measure into the metric. We show empirically the competitive performance of our approach on benchmark datasets.

Wenjie Wang, Robert Aseltine, Kun Chen, Jun Yan.

Source: The Annals of Applied Statistics, Volume 14, Number 1, 51--73.

Abstract:
The concept of integrating data from disparate sources to accelerate scientific discovery has generated tremendous excitement in many fields. The potential benefits from data integration, however, may be compromised by the uncertainty due to incomplete/imperfect record linkage. Motivated by a suicide risk study, we propose an approach for analyzing survival data with uncertain event times arising from data integration. Specifically, in our problem deaths identified from the hospital discharge records together with reported suicidal deaths determined by the Office of Medical Examiner may still not include all the death events of patients, and the missing deaths can be recovered from a complete database of death records. Since the hospital discharge data can only be linked to the death record data by matching basic patient characteristics, a patient with a censored death time from the first dataset could be linked to multiple potential event records in the second dataset. We develop an integrative Cox proportional hazards regression in which the uncertainty in the matched event times is modeled probabilistically. The estimation procedure combines the ideas of profile likelihood and the expectation conditional maximization algorithm (ECM). Simulation studies demonstrate that under realistic settings of imperfect data linkage the proposed method outperforms several competing approaches including multiple imputation. A marginal screening analysis using the proposed integrative Cox model is performed to identify risk factors associated with death following suicide-related hospitalization in Connecticut. The identified diagnostics codes are consistent with existing literature and provide several new insights on suicide risk, prediction and prevention.

Quebecers, like the rest of the world, are growing accustomed to the uncertainty that's accompanied the pandemic. But they may not appreciate their government adding to that already hefty burden.

It will be a difficult road back to any kind of normal living.

Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers by Gene Ambrocio

Hailed as transitional by local observers, the latest polls were expected to usher in a new type of leadership in FRELIMO, with Filipe Nyussi being the first non-liberation northern leader in a southern dominated elite; they would also see opposition parties RENAMO and MDM alter their strategies and become more politically relevant; and would possibly be the last polls before the country became a mass resource-producing economy. However, the Presidential and parliamentary elections of 15 October have made the political setting, the prospects for improved governance and wealth redistribution more opaque, and the implementation of the new peace agreement harder.

Those anxious to reverse the aggressive federal role in education resulting from No Child Left Behind should not rush to simply push the pendulum as hard as possible in the other direction.

A leading autism researcher and former special education teacher offers advice to help students cope with the abrupt changes brought on by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

By Bishop Arthur Serratelli

A few years ago, Paul Croituru and his young son went out treasure hunting near their native village in Romania. To their surprise, they discovered ancient Greek currency dating back 2,350 years to the time of King Philip II. The 300 silver coins turned out to be counterfeit. The father and son now hold the distinction of having discovered the oldest counterfeit money known thus far.

Counterfeit money has been around as long as money has been around. In fact, some have named the production of counterfeit money “the world's second oldest profession.” During war time, nations often resort to counterfeit money to inflict harm on their enemies. During the Revolutionary War, Great Britain attempted to devalue the continental dollar by flooding the market with shovers (fake dollars). During World War II, the Nazis made prisoners in their camps forge British pounds and American dollars to destabilize their enemies’ economies and destroy them.

Satan constantly attempts to entice individuals into counterfeit religion where the forged currency is believing in God while denying sin. The devil would have everyone forget that sin is a reality. In this way, he can render ineffective in us the work of Christ who came to take away our sins. Failure. Weakness. Mistakes. Psychological pressures. Social customs. All these labels the devil uses to disguise sin. But, sin itself remains a fact.

Science always prides itself on beginning every research project with a fact. True religion, likewise, begins with the fact of sin in the world, original sin and personal sin. “The ancient masters of religion…began with the fact of sin. Whether or not man could be washed in miraculous waters, there was no doubt at any rate that he wanted washing. But certain religious leaders…have begun…to deny the indisputable dirt. Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved” (G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy). And so can the personal sins of hatred, envy, lust, pride, gluttony and greed likewise be proven.

Even a casual glance at Sacred Scriptures shows that sin taints even God’s greatest heroes and heroines. Adam and Eve lead the procession of sinners. Drunken Noah, untruthful Abraham, adulterous David and Bathsheba, disloyal Peter, and murderous Paul follow. Sin really is not that original. It is the monotonous repetition of the tragedy of Eden: choosing self over God. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8).

In the Sacrament of Penance, the Church offers us the gift of a personal encounter with our merciful Lord who forgives our sins. However, many people, and sometimes even faithful Catholics, say that they do not need to go to a priest for confession to have their sins forgiven. Why confess to a priest who is a sinner himself? God will forgive sins without the ministry of priests. Certainly, God can forgive sins when we turn to him and repent. But, he has chosen to offer us his forgiveness through the ministry of the Church. And, for a reason.

Sin is not just between the individual and God. Every sin that we commit offends God and affects others. Every sin harms Christ’s Body, the Church. The act of confession before a priest recognizes the true nature of sin as an offense against God and others. And so, it is through the Church’s priests that God chooses not simply to forgive our sins but to reconcile us to the Church. (cf. Pope Francis, General Audience, November 20, 2013).

So important is confession that some of the holiest priests of the Church have spent hours in the confessional as missionaries of God’s mercy. St. Philip Neri, a busy parish priest in Rome, spent every morning hearing confessions before continuing his work with youth in the afternoon. So famous was St. Jean Vianney in hearing confessions that a new train station had to be built in his town of Ars so that people from all of France could go there to confess to this holy priest. Most recently, St. Padre Pio heard confessions for not less than 18 hours a day. There were always long lines awaiting him.  

During his public ministry, Jesus forgave sins (cf. Mk 2:5; Lk 7:48; Jn 8:1-11). And, then after the Resurrection, he entrusted this ministry of forgiveness to his priests. On Easter Sunday night, “Jesus said to them ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (Jn 20:21-23). In confession, the priest, weak and sinful himself, acts in the name of Jesus and with his authority.  

In going to confession, we approach the priest, one by one, not as group, not as family. We humbly place before him all our own sins. To receive absolution and be forgiven, it is necessary not simply to confess all mortal sins, but also to have a firm purpose of amendment of sinning no more. As difficult as this might be at times, how great the grace! For, when the priest absolves us, we have, as Jesus promised, the certainty that our sins are forgiven. 

Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993

 Exempts specified goods when imported into India from Nepal, from the whole of customs duty subject to certain cond

In another attempt to sell loss-making Air India, the government, in January this year, sought Expression of Interest (EoI) and the deadline for submission of EoI has now been extended till June 30.

Make sure that you have the contact information of your reporting manger and HR department in a diary or phone or a place where your spouse can access the same easily.

Contingency planning, taking heath insurance and avoiding unnecessary expenses is critical.

Manchester City are still in contention in this year's Champions League and face a two-legged tie with Real Madrid in this month's last 16 games.

New York needs Broadway to be alive and well, so that tourism, hotels and restaurants do well, observed the spokesperson of a Broadway performers' association, citing a study showing that Broadway contributes nearly $15 billion to the local economy

Current relaxations, prospective exemptions, and time taken to restore normalcy may depress tax collections. An increase in the tax rate of certain goods can compensate for losses.

The COVID-19 lockdown, came with a different set of concerns for class 12 students, whose board exams were postponed midway following the outbreak of coronavirus, putting on hold their future plans as well.

World number one Novak Djokovic said he initially struggled to cope with the uncertainty surrounding when tennis can restart after its shutdown in early March due to the novel coronavirus.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected the tech sector but also has given a massive blow to the world economy, resulting in massive layoffs and unemployment. Many companies in the US have started downsizing, due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Indians with H-1B Visas Getting Laid off Priya K, a techie […]

The post 65,000 Indians With H1B Visa Staring At Unemployment, Deportation, Uncertainty Over Visa Rules first appeared on Trak.in . Trak.in Mobile Apps: Android | iOS.

Tesla's decision part of broader trend of investment into Germany at UK's expense.

As the water levels in dams in South Africa continue to dwindle, the 2015 Zimbabwe Humanitarian Situation Report notes that water levels in all of Zimbabwe’s seven catchment areas are about 18%, their worst levels in decades.
 

In a portion of her statement delivered yesterday to the European Union, United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May said, “I hereby notify the European Council in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union of the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the European Union.”
 

by Chris Mitchell, vice president, global government relations The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has prioritized the review of Section 301 exclusion requests related to the U.S. response to COVID-19. In March, USTR granted approximately 200 separate exclusions primarily covering personal protective equipment products and other medical-care related products. On March 20, USTR published in the […]

Perceptions of political uncertainty and community opposition continue to weigh heavily on Mexico’s mining sector.

Comments made in Parliament yesterday by Theresa May, Minister for Women and Equalities, suggest that regulations introduced by the Labour government to extend paternity leave for fathers could be postponed and, ultimately, rewritten by the coalitio...

The UK government announced at the March Budget that they intend to introduce a requirement for large businesses to notify HMRC where they adopt an “uncertain tax treatment”.  The proposal is designed to improve HMRC’s ability...

As Russia prepared for scaled-down Victory Day ceremonies, coronavirus infections rose fast and Moscow's mayor suggested the real numbers may be much higher than the official count.

Right now M&A activity has been significantly decreased, and the projected numbers for foreign direct investment and Gross Domestic Product in many countries are concerning. However, we must remember that we have been through many crises over th...