ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Transnational crime is a persistent issue that affects many countries, governments, and international organizations. Transnational crime is organized and carefully planned; moreover, the differences in laws and executive machinery between countries can help criminals to escape the punishment, which makes transnational crime difficult to fight and prevent (Reichel, 2013). The purpose of this essay is to discuss two types of transnational crime: human trafficking and terrorism, and to outline the U.S. efforts against these types of transnational crime. Terrorism International Response The main organization that governs global anti-terrorism efforts is the United Nations, which governs the efforts of governmental and regional organizations that aim to combat terrorism. One of the key positive results of the global counter-terrorism efforts was the reduction of Al Qaeda’s presence both globally and in the Middle East, and the enhancement of travel safety. Following the 9/11 terror attack on the World Trade Center, which remains the deadliest terror attack in the U.S. history, the safety of global air travel became one of the key concerns. Today, the vast majority of international airports have extensive screening procedures in place, which allows reducing the occurrence of hijackings and attacks using civilian aircraft. The global efforts against Al Qaeda also proved to be useful, as the presence of this organization decreased significantly since the 2000s. Improvement of worldwide migration policies, as well as surveillance, helped to decrease the flow of potential terrorists to Europe and the U.S. However, as the counterterrorism efforts proved to be successful, a new terrorist threat emerged – ISIS. Contrary to Al Qaeda, which relied on sponsorship and criminal activity for its funding, ISIS is a territorial power that supports its activity through the trade of natural resources, such as oil and gas. Moreover, whereas Al Qaeda supported organized terrorist groups, such as the one involved in the 9/11 attack, ISIS uses the Internet and social networks to spread its message, which has led to the popularization of lone wolf terrorism. To address the emerging threat effectively, it is crucial to enhance surveillance measures and to employ efficient IT strategies to diminish the ISIS’ presence online. Finally, another significant recommendation is to create a separate international organization focusing on terrorism. As the UN has many other functions, creating a unit focused solely on terrorism would enhance counterterrorism efforts. People’s Role With the rise of lone wolf terrorism, the people’s role in anti-terrorism efforts became more significant than ever before. Most of the lone wolf terrorists live in the midst of a community, which remains unsuspecting of the planned attack until it is too late. As shown by the 2016 Orlando club attack, there are times when the intelligence services do not recognize a threat based on online activity and personal surveillance. However, there are certain warning signs that can help to identify a community member that could be planning a terror attack as a lone wolf. First of all, a lone wolf terrorist is
Description of the Breach Marriott International is an American global diversified hospitality enterprise that administers and franchises a wide range of hotels and associated residential facilities and incorporates many well-known hotel brands, including Sheraton and W Hotels. The Marriott-Starwood data breach, which occurred from 2014 to 2018, declared that the personal data of about 500 million of their customers was corrupted. Data breaches are a serious issue to consider that leads to financial and sensitive data loss, as well as jeopardizes customers’ privacy and essential information infrastructure. Abuse Techniques The unauthorized access to customers’ data was processed in 2014. The situation was compounded by the fact that the data hacking or unauthorized taking of personal information was fully revealed only after four years of its beginning. Furthermore, it was not entirely clear what type of personal information was compromised, which means that those affected may be open to different forms of identity fraud. Considering the data-dependent nature of the tourism industry, hotels, airlines, and other corporations contain personal customer information as a “convenience to guests and as a way of being more efficient” (Tarlow 2). This implies keeping clients’ credit card numbers on file, as well as using passports and driver’s licenses as evidence of personal identity. Therefore, the Marriott-Starwood data breach functions as a caution for the overall tourism sector. Damages The breach was announced in November 2018 and included compromised guests’ names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and emails, SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) account information, as well as arrival and departure information, and reservation data. The breach corrupted even highly important personal information, such as passport number, birth dates, gender, and communication preferences. Moreover, for some people, the data affected involved encrypted payment card numbers and payment card termination dates. Consequences When a customer’s trust is being undermined, then the long-term outcomes of the tourism industry might become fatal. This implies the case when one is no longer confident that his or her personal information is safe and can be accessed only by a limited number of personnel. As described by Tarlow, this unfortunate breach of the Marriott hotel Starwood brand database, which led to the loss of
The state of Florida has an excellent program for gifted and exceptional students, K-12, not least due to the work of Florida’s Association for the Gifted (2011). This program is comprehensive and needs comprehensive explanation as to its goals, intents and functions. The mission, as stated by the Florida Association for the Gifted (2010), is to bolster “the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient system, by providing them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities, and to maintain an accountability system that measures student progress toward the following goals: Highest student achievement; Seamless articulation and maximum access; Skilled workforce and economic development; Quality efficient services”. This is connected to a broader vision. American students are in many ways falling behind world students, even Chinese and Indian students. India in particular is graduating more science students than even the EU and China (D-Sector, 2009)! The United States needs to close its educational achievement gap. However, to do so will require funding and providing resources so that gifted students don’t languish in boredom, ahead of their classmates and having no resources to continue to advance. The vision of Plan B or Plan II, which is a Pre K-20 plan that aims to guide gifted students from the entrance to the school system out through graduate school and has been codified by state legislative mandates such as Section 1003.01, Section 1003.21 and Section 1012.42, is to create a means to qualitatively transform the nature of Florida schools so that they are fit for 21 st century education. All students need special attention and care. But gifted students who, for whatever reason (whether it be innate intelligence or highly educated parents who make sure to augment their child’s education with home teaching and tutors), are ahead in educational indicators and progress of other students, need a particular kind of special attention and care. In some ways, they need just as much special guidance as do under-performing students; indeed, gifted students can often rebel, get into trouble or see grades drop because they become detached and bored! Plan B tries to fix that problem and head that risk off preemptively by making sure that gifted students get the resources and attention they need. Plan B defines a gifted student as “one who has superior intelligence and is capable of high academic performance” (Florida Association for the Gifted, 2010, 8). This
Introduction Freeways Aviation Parts Inc. is a company that trades in parts for aircraft. It is a middle size company with a net worth of about $ 10 million. The company has become a major supplier of aircraft parts to major airlines in the GCC countries for the past four decades, and as a result, it has created a brand of quality for itself in the aviation industry for the supply of high-quality products. With the success that Freeways Aviation has experienced in the Arab region, the management is looking into expanding operations to other regions globally. Having been in the business for over four decades, the management feels that it is time to broaden its business territory and set the business on the global map. They want the company to be a well-known mark of quality. The history of Freeways Aviation Parts Inc. dates 40 years back in the year 1974. Freeways Aviation Parts was incorporated in February 1974 and was founded as a family business. The family decided to start the business, having developed an interest in aircraft from the early years. Two of the family members studied aeronautical engineering in different institutions and worked for a number of aviation companies before they decided to venture into their own business. One of our siblings is a financial analyst and assists with the financial component of the business. This includes giving financial counsel, bookkeeping, investment appraisal, and sourcing for finance when needed, among other activities. Freeways Aviation Parts Inc. would like to penetrate the global market by getting into joint ventures with other like-minded organizations in different parts of the world. This study will look into the issues pertinent to this new expansion project and help the management of Freeways Aviation to know what to expect with this movie. Some of the issues to be discussed are; the company’s strategy of choice for going global, international strategy, marketing products, hiring and managing employees, cross-cultural, political, and economic issues, government relations of target markets as well as foreign direct investments that are likely to affect the business. Globalization Strategy The management of Freeways Aviation Parts Inc. hopes to expand operations across the world by establishing businesses in Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America. The main strategy for entering the global market is to get into the export market by use of specific contacts in these regions. The company intends to start with Asia and SE Asia by making use of the contacts the family has already made. Venturing into this business using the export strategy is the least risky compared to forming partnerships, joint ventures, and establishing subsidiaries. It will, however, take the company time to grow with this strategy. The other strategies mentioned above can be used later once the company has been introduced into the global market. Additionally, the management intends to make use of e-commerce as a marketing strategy for Freeways Aviation’s products (Cadogan, 2009). The company’s website will be modified to captur
Introduction The origin of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) goes back by nearly eight decades, when (ECT) was employed to induce epileptic fits as the means to treat mood disorders. Though its use declined from about 1950 onwards, it continues to be used for the treatment of depression and schizophrenia, particularly in those cases that are resistant to pharmacological interventions. In recent times ECT has come into focus again, because of the its increasing use in combination with pharmacological intervention, reigniting the controversy related to its use as an intervention in mood disorders. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Bennett 2006, p.79 defines ECT as “the brief discharge of an electric current through the brain with the aim of inducing a controlled epileptic convulsion to achieve an improvement in the abnormal mental state”. The ECT procedure involves the brief passing of current through the brain using electrodes that are placed on the scalp, for the purpose of causing generalized seizure activity. Body spasms are an issue with ECT and so an individual receiving ECT is placed under general anaesthesia and in addition muscle relaxants are given. When the electrodes for passing of current are placed on both sides of the head it is called bilateral placement and when it is placed only on one side of the head it is known as unilateral placement. Normally in unilateral placement the placement is done on the non-dominant side of the brain. The objective in the use of unilateral placement is to reduce the risk of cognitive side effects. The amount of current used in ECT for inducing seizures varies widely, as the seizure threshold of individuals are not the same (National Institute for Clinical Excellence, 2003). The mode of action through which the benefits of ECT are derived still remain elusive, though there is the suggestion that ECT acts by increasing the sensitivity to serotonin in the postsynaptic neurons present in the hippocampus, enhances the levels of GABA and lowers the levels of dopamine (Bennett, 2006). The ECT Controversy Most of the basis of the ECT controversy stems from moral grounds, rather than evidence of lack of effectiveness. Movies like One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest have contributed to the perception that ECT is an abusive form of treatment and some people are terrified on it being used. It is not that ECT is perfectly safe. It has its share of short-term risks that include use of an anaesthetic and fitting, tooth damage, vertebral compression fractures, peripheral nerve palsy and skin burns. However, the major issue with ECT is the problem of its effect on memory. Immediate to the treatment of ECT patients demonstrate an acute phase of confusion that takes five to ten minutes to dissipate. Impairment of the ability to learn and retain for some period of time subsequent to an ECT procedure has also been reported. In short ECT could bring about short or lo
In the modern world, the foundations of peacemaking, peacebuilding, and democracy are the reasons why humanity still exists. Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed seemed to follow peacemaking principles, resolving a conflict that lasted 20 years. However, Abiy Ahmed became a participant in a new contest, which contradicted democracy and peacebuilding a year later. Moreover, this violent conflict has led to a wave of migrants, an acute problem before that. The aim of this paper is to analyze the reasons and possible ways to end this conflict regarding the concepts of peacemaking and peacebuilding. In 2018, Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace agreement that ended a prolonged border conflict. Cultural, financial, and logistic ties were restored, and Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Prize. However, in 2020, a civil war was started against the forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian authorities. After the conflict turned into a military phase, fierce fighting and clashes led to a new wave of refugees and migrants. Thus, asylum seekers can lead to racial mixing or substitution and health issues (in the event that they have to live in unsanitary conditions for a long time). Before identifying possible ways to resolve this violent conflict, it is necessary to analyze such concepts as peacemaking and peacebuilding in more detail. The peak state of irritation and discontent from both parties is direct hostilities, which firstly originated from threats. Peacemaking is a way to achieve repose, which includes diplomatic, peaceful, and fair methods of resolving disputes. Peacebuilding includes more ambitious measures to achieve peace, such as supporting the fight against corruption and implementing humanitarian programs. Peacebuilding is more than just an instrumental method of achieving peace. It also includes training, education, and human rights monitoring through observation and analysis of past or existing violations. Elections held by the Tigray administration unleashed the conflict in Tigray, and the Ethiopian government declared the vote illegal. The reason for this was the Covid-19 pandemic, due to which the elections throughout the country were postponed. Further, the Ethiopian parliament broke off all diplomatic relations with the Tigray (Council of Representatives) legislative border, and the conflict entered a military phase. Armed formations of TPLF were created that opposed the Ethiopian army
Plastics is one of the products that are leading in polluting the environment. Some of the goods made of plastic include plastic water bottles. Bottled water is the most consumed drink and beverage across the world. This is since the product is easily accessible and cheap. They are bought in large numbers and end up being irregularly disposed of, thus polluting the environment. Plastics are detrimental to the environment; they affect the soil, water, air and eventually lead to climate change and global warming. Although plastic bottled water is a better alternative to sugary drinks, plastic bottles are a threat to the environment, hence they should be banned. Banning bottled water would be the right decision that would help reduce waste and protect the environment. The main component in water bottles is plastic. Plastics are a product of fossil fuels; when they are burned, they produce persistent organic pollutants (POP) (“Should Bottled Water Be Banned” 1). This is the polluting component of plastics. Although they are burnt, they still remain persistent in the air for a long time. When this happens, it forms its own clouds or merges with the existing ones forming polluted air. They are rich in toxic chemicals. Air pollution, one of the factors contributing to climate change, is caused by harmful emissions as a result of human activities. Factories and industrial facilities manufacturing plastic products are the major contributors to air pollution. Banning bottled water is a correct decision since plastics are harmful to our health when ingested or inhaled. Plastics are made of petroleum products that also contribute to air pollution. Regulating emissions from these agents will therefore ensure that air pollution is reduced not only in the community but globally (“Should Bottled Water Be Banned” 2). Most communities lack proper waste disposal mechanisms; one of the harmful ways of disposing of wastes is burning – this often leads to air pollution. Plastics are a threat
The whitebark pine tree species contributes greatly in the provision of food and shelter to the wild animals that live in the high mountainous regions. Visitors who visit this region also enjoy the beautiful woodlands created by the whitebark pine tree. The tree grows on crater rims in the Crater Lake national park where it thrives on a region that is higher than 7000 feet. Unfortunately, a fungus called Cronartium ribicola has invaded the region causing a disease called white pine blister rust which poses great danger to the tree species. Although the disease affects all the five-needled pine trees, the whitebark is the most susceptible. (Campbell and Antos, 2000, p 4) The fungus is transported by moist air and afterwards infects the pine needle trees and currant bushes though it is not as highly fatal as it is in the whitebark pine tree. When the spores come into contact with the leaves of the whitebark pine tree, the infection quickly spreads to the branches. The infection is usually a lot more fatal if the spores affect the main stem of the tree as it will result in the formation topkill which presents quite a dangerous case in which the tree might have extremely low chances of survival. Within one or two years of infection, the fruiting bodies form a canker therefore the living tissue at the region of infection is completely destroyed. The white pine blister rust in collaboration with other damaging agents like the mountain pine beetle and the wind can ultimately contribute to the death of the tree (Diana et al, 2001, p 200) The disease was initially documented in the park in 1935 but there are no clear records to the damage of the whitebark pine tree. The pathogen was introduced in Europe in the early days during plant movements. They invaded seedlings of the eastern white pine from Germany into North America at about 1898 and the others that were moving from France to Vancouver in1910. The seedlings that originated from North America were shipped to Europe to be grown and then later brought back to America for planting because this was the period when the United States had realised that it had been cutting its forests rapidly and it needed to focus on reforestation and management of its forests. The Europeans had already developed their nurseries and had adequate knowledge on how to produce seedlings but unfortunately during the shipping some seedlings were infected by the pathogens (Murray and Rasmussen, 2000, p 3) A comparison between the eastern and western side shows that the disease is more common on the western side mainly due to the fact that the climate of these two areas is different. This shows that there are more favourable conditions in the west to the spread of diseases than in the east. This might also be due to the possibility that the eradication programmes in the east were quite more effective than those carried out the west (Sarah, 2001, par 3) The blister rust disease is more hazardous in cool moist areas. These conditions support the production of spores, t