Partner States Research Articles

Vieglā valoda Latvijā

The paper provides a general overview of easy-to-read language both abroad and in Latvia. In English, there are two terms that are used to refer to easy-to-read language: “easy-to-read” (also “easy write”, “easy info”, “easy access”, “aphasia friendly”) and “plain language” (also “plain writing”, “layman terms”); in Latvian, “easy-to-read” is used the most. Currently, the Latvian National Terminology Portal offers only one term, namely, vieglā valoda (“easy-to-read” in English); therefore, this term is used throughout the paper. Since 1980s easy-to-read language both in Europe and the whole world has been known as a way of presenting information to people with various language learning disabilities. However, over time it became clear that easy-to-read language is suitable not only for people with learning disabilities: it is convenient for other groups of people as well, such as those who have just started learning the language in question, elderly people and children. At first, easy-to read language developed in parallel in Scandinavia and Germany. In 1990s, Latvian experts visited colleagues in Sweden to learn about easy-to-read language. Already during the first meeting, the idea to introduce easy-to-read language in Latvia in cooperation with the Easy-to-Read Language Centre was born. In 2000, the Easy Language Agency was founded in Riga, and up until now it remains the only organisation in Latvia consistently and purposefully working in this field. Although at first the aim was to help people with intellectual disabilities, now there are already 7 target groups in Latvia that use easy-to-read language. Latvian Radio 1 features news broadcast in easy-to-read language every evening. There is a lack of public understanding and information on easy-to-read language in Latvia, as well as its role and importance, since many people believe that it concerns only the target audience or target groups in question and does not need to be addressed at the national level. While the websites of Latvian state institutions are required to have an “Easy-to-read” section, the regulations do not specify the content such a section should have. In addition, there is a general lack of knowledge and understanding how to adapt a text to easy-to read language: often such adaptations are formal or inadequate. In the autumn of 2020, the University of Latvia Centre for Applied Linguistics and the Latvian Language Agency began a new cooperation project with ERASMUS+: “Promoting Easy-to-Read Language for Social Inclusion” (abbreviated to PERLSI). The project duration is set until 2022, and the partners are Slovenia and Lithuania. The project aims to present a comparative study on easy-to-read language in the partner states. Regarding the project outcomes, Latvia awaits easy-to-read language guidelines that would promote further development of easy-to-read language in Latvia, as well as its practical application.

East African Community’s Response to Coronavirus: Old Habits Die Hard

The coronavirus response divulged how EAC partner states prioritize national interests over regional ones and exposed widening cracks within the community. After detecting the virus in the region, individual countries deployed varied approaches against the pandemic despite the indication of a joint response from the EAC secretariat. On the outset, the secretariat called for harmonized surveillance and reporting of the pandemic at all border points, control and prevention materials distribution, and joint training of the EAC mobile laboratory experts. Contrarily, each country acted unilaterally by imposing restrictions and border checks. Some concealed Covid-19 cases and issued non-harmonized Covid-19 certificates at regional border points. While the absence of regional solidarity might have been motivated by the need to contain the spread of the virus, lack of collective action was greatly influenced by simmering differences among EAC member countries. Before Covid-19, tensions revolved around Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. No wonder the region’s responses to the pandemic laid bare the simmering disagreement within the community. This paper employs discourse analysis to examine how Covid-19 revealed cracks in the community reminiscent of the one leading to the collapse of EAC I.

Conspecific "gaze following" in bottlenose dolphins

"Gaze following"—when one individual witnesses another shift its orientation, and then re-orients in the same direction—has been observed in a wide range of species. Related work with dolphins has to date focused on human–dolphin interactions. In this conspecific study, we examined a group of dolphins orienting, in passing, to gateways between their pools, as opportunities for witnesses to demonstrate "gaze following". Seven bottlenose dolphins were synchronously videotaped on six underwater cameras, for 21 h over three days, and the recordings analyzed by trained observers. The identities of all animals present, their partner state, and whether and to what degree they had altered their access to the gate (e.g., from Monocular to Binocular, or Binocular to Visio-Echoic) was recorded. Compared to animals that did not witness such a change, witnesses of an increase in access by another dolphin were significantly more likely to also act to increase their own access. We observed 460 such cases of "gaze following" in these animals. Dolphins who were partnered (showed sustained swimming within 1 body length) were significantly more likely, than non-partnered animals, to "gaze follow". Dolphins also showed a significant tendency toward matching the kind of access they observed. No significant difference was found in the presence of animals in the back pools, during changes in orientation that were followed, versus in those that were not. These findings support adding bottlenose dolphins to the growing list of species that display conspecific "gaze following".

Protecting children on the move at the East African community border posts during covid-19 pandemic

The aim of this study was to find out the protection of children on the move at the East African community border posts during Covid 19 pandemic. A visit to any East African border posts shows that COVID 19 Communication and protection measures are directed toward adults, not children. This is despite the fact that children are not only affected by COVID but are also border post users. More than this, the poor economic climate caused by the Corona pandemic has also led to the rise of children on the move being at risk in several ways. There are numerous challenges that children on the move have had to endure across the EAC borders. It is clearly evident that these challenges have only been exuberated by the covid-19 pandemic. However, despite its many shocks, the pandemic has presented an opportunity for EAC partner states to reassess their strategies and protection mechanism where children on the move are involved. The study recommends that the principle of non-discrimination and inclusion at all stages of the checkpoint should be adopted, as well as adopting effective communication mechanisms and relaying child-friendly information, child participation in the decision-making process to establish the views and needs of the children on the move.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the EAC tourism and hospitality industry

Worldwide, the COVID-19 epidemic has impacted all economies. The study examines the impact of the pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry in East African Community member nations. This study is a systematic review of Covid19’s influence on the tourist and hospitality industries. The analysis is based on 54 publications collected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The current study was motivated by an extensive review of literature. According to these studies, the spread of COVID-19 disease to workers in the tourism industry has put the sector in jeopardy; travel restrictions and tourism guidance have made tourism and hospitality industry suffer from severe reduction of revenues. All these studies however do not clarify how, the pandemic has impacted tourism and hospitality industry in terms of national park visitors, hotel occupancy, and unemployment in particular. Therefore, the current study assesses the impact of COVID-19’s on tourism and hospitality in the EAC Partner States by using such indicators as the number of international tourists, receipts and tourism jobs generated, visitors to the parks and the rates of hotel occupancy. The study’s findings show that the EAC Partner States lost USD 4.8 billion in foreign tourist earnings and two million jobs in the tourism sector due to COVID-19. The numbers of visitors to the National parks decreased by 65 percent, hotels in the region had an average occupancy rate of less than 30 per cent, which had a substantial impact on their operations. The study recommends to actors in tourism destinations, to have pandemic preparedness and risk management plans.

Complicity of States in Partnered Drone Operations

Abstract Military operations carried out with armed drones call into question not only the international responsibility of the drone-sending State but also the potential international responsibility for complicity of assisting States. Drone strikes are conducted through a complex set of tasks that would not be possible without the military cooperation of partner States. Three main scenarios of partnered drone operations are described, namely lending foreign military bases, providing logistical and technological support and intelligence sharing for targeting purposes. The article explores the issue of State complicity under the lens of Article 16 of the Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts. The core features of State complicity—the ‘significant contribution element', the ‘mental element' and the ‘opposability element'—are discussed and applied to the three scenarios. The practice of partnered drone operations is extensively analysed, focusing on the assistance provided by Italy, Germany and the Netherlands to the US drone programme. The study concludes that in the cases under consideration, the international responsibility for complicity of assisting States is likely to be entailed, should the action of the assisted State result in an internationally wrongful act.

Some ways to modernise and increase the efficiency of trade and investment flows between the European Union and South East Asian Countries

Abstract Since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, the European Union’s economic and sociopolitical strength has been subjected to a harsh test as all societal actors, in very specific ways, were obliged to keep the virus from spreading out of control, minimise the economic damage and ensure timely and urgent treatment for covid-19 patients while also managing social unrest and the rise of Eurosceptic rhetoric. As is characteristic for the modern trading landscape, supply chains have also been negatively affected by the pandemic, with figures plummeting sharply in 2020 with varying rates of recovery in 2021. Analysis of the current global geoeconomic context and the European Union’s external trade and investment partnerships suggests that it could benefit from focusing its attention on one of the world’s fastest growing economies, namely the South-East Asia region. In the present paper, we investigate the extent to which trade reliance on China and/or the United States, economic complexity, political uncertainty and number of dominant foreign trade partners have influenced the economic performance of the European Union and South-East Asia during the pandemic. The results and the implications thereof are discussed in the broader context of a possible paradigmatic change in the European Union’s foreign trade.

Политологический анализ реализации информационной политики Российского государства в современных внешнеполитических условиях

The article examines, through a political analysis, the reasons that determine the need for corrective actions in the implementation of the state information policy of Russia in the current foreign policy situation, as well as the countermeasures taken by the Russian Federation in relation to the broadcast of intrusive anti-Russian propaganda by American and Western European media corporations. The author emphasizes the fact that in order to ensure the access of the European audience to a high-quality objective information product, it is necessary to strengthen the work on activation in the field of cooperation with the institutions of the information environment of the eastern partner states for the purpose of mutual exploitation of information platforms, and to rid the Russian mass consumer of information from external insults and threats to block channels with such content, offering as alternatives are domestic Internet resources that exclude information of this kind.

Investigation of the Impact of Covid-19 on Freight Volume: A Case of Tanzania - Rwanda Transit Trade

Cross-border trade in goods and services has expanded steadily over the past six decades due to increase of globalization and liberalization. Nonetheless, the current outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented impediments to freight volume of transit trade across various international borders. This study analyses the effect of COVID-19 on cross-border trade between Tanzania and Rwanda. The analysis is carried by Multiple Linear Regression Model to explore the impact of explanatory variables on responsive variable, freight volume of full container loads (FCLs). The results reveal that the freight volume of transit trade between Rwanda and Tanzania varies linearly with the explanatory variables. More specifically, the freight volume varies positively with the number of trucks deployed and transit time days whereas the freight volume varies negatively with the number of port calls and logistics transit cost in dollars. The findings call both partner states to take corrective policy actions.

Irregular Migration Governance in the East African Community: Assessing the Legal and Institutional Response

Governance of irregular migration has recently occupied the agenda of most Regional Economic Communities. The agenda is being sparked by the existing intersection between irregular migration and national security of partner states as well as its implications for the economy and development broadly. These initiatives also find justification in the fact that migration governance is increasingly cross-cutting and requires cooperation between States and regions. One of the major tools used to achieve regional cooperation in migration governance is the adoption of coherent policies and measures. This article surveys the East African Community (EAC)’s legal and institutional frameworks designed to address irregular migration in the region with a view to depicting the existing gaps and their implications to irregular migration governance. To achieve this objective, desk research and key informant interviews were the resorted methodologies. The article finds that, the key challenges facing irregular migration governance in the EAC are incomprehensive frameworks, implementation challenges, contradicting provisions in the EAC laws, incoherent institutional framework and security challenges. It is recommended that the identified challenges should be addressed through incorporation in the legislative and institutional framework. Keywords: East African Community, Legal Framework, Migration, Regional Integration.

Actor and partner effects of positive affect on communal coping

Positive affect (PA) has been shown to facilitate the accrual of social resources which, in turn, reduces stress and improves health. These social resources may encourage interpersonal coping strategies, but this effect has been understudied. The present research examined if PA facilitates the interpersonal coping style of communal coping, defined as the perception of a stressor as shared (shared appraisal) and collaborative action to manage the stressor (collaboration). We assessed whether trait and state PA predicted increased collaboration and shared appraisal on the same day, and whether state PA predicted increased collaboration and shared appraisal the following day. Participants were romantic partners in which one person had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Patients ( n = 198, 45% female, 44.9% Black, 72% married) and their significant others completed daily diary surveys that assessed PA, negative affect, and diabetes-specific shared appraisal and collaboration for 14 days. Multilevel modeling was used to differentiate the effects of within-person (state) and between-person (trait) PA. Actor Partner Interdependence Modeling was used to assess the effects of both couple member’s mood on one person’s coping. Results showed partner state PA was cross-sectionally linked to shared appraisal, but the link of actor PA to shared appraisal was accounted for by the inclusion of actor NA. Both actor and partner state and trait PA were cross-sectionally linked to collaboration. Importantly, actor state PA predicted next-day shared appraisal. Findings provide initial support for the role of affect in predicting communal coping.

The [formula omitted] reaction to detect the I = 0,JP = 1+ partner of the X0(2866)

We have chosen the B¯0→D⁎+D¯⁎0K− reaction in order to observe the I=0,JP=1+ (R1) partner state of the X0(2866) stemming from the D⁎K¯⁎ molecular picture. The reaction proceeds via external emission in the most favored Cabibbo decay mode and one observes the R1 state as a very strong peak versus the background in the D⁎+K− spectrum. The branching ratio for R1 production in this reaction is estimated of the order of 4×10−3. The method used, applied to the B+→D−D+K+ reaction, produces a ratio of signal to background in the D−K+ spectrum in very good agreement with the LHCb experiment that observed the X0(2866).

Coherent multichannel optical theorem: Quantum control of the total scattering cross section

The optical theorem is a fundamental aspect of quantum scattering theory. Here, we generalize this theorem to the case where the incident scattering state is a superposition of internal states of the collision partners, introducing additional interference contributions and, e.g., providing a route to control the total integral cross section. As in its standard form, forward scattering plays an essential role in the multichannel optical theorem, but with interference terms being related to the inelastic forward scattering amplitudes between states in the initial superposition. Using the resultant control index, we show that extensive control is possible over ultracold collisions of oxygen molecules in their rovibrational ground states, and of $^{85}\mathrm{Rb}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ collisions, promising systems for the experimental demonstration of the quantum interference control of the total scattering cross section.

Lawships or warships? Coast guards as agents of (in)stability in the Pacific and South and East China Sea

Do coast guards generally promote good governance in the maritime domain, and are they a means of preventing conflict escalation? Sam Bateman argued that the use of ‘white hulled’ coast guard vessels was fundamentally less provocative than deploying gray-painted warships in contested waters. Thus, the use of ‘lawships’ instead of ‘warships’ could serve to de-escalate tensions. He also saw them as better able to pursue ends of oceans governance than naval vessels, for a range of reasons including the need for specialization. Nonetheless, there has been increasing concern that some coast guards are becoming a tool of ‘gray zone’ tactics: efforts to alter the strategic status quo short of armed conflict. China is often portrayed as using the China Coast Guard in such a manner. By contrast, the Australian Pacific Patrol Boats program – which gifts coast guard patrol assets to partner States – is often portrayed as an unqualified good. This paper examines both case studies in light of the Bateman thesis to conclude that the China Coast Guard may be more of a tool for de-escalation, or at least containment of tensions, than is commonly conceded and that the most obvious benefits of the Australian Pacific Patrol Boats program may have a strategic dimension.

Coming into the Cold: China’s interests in the Antarctic

ABSTRACT China took its first tentative steps into the Antarctic around 1980, travelling South with other nations’ Antarctic programs. Australia hosted the first Chinese scientists to travel to East Antarctica to conduct research in the early 1980s. China signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1983 and became a Treaty Consultative Party in 1985. Since its first small forays, China’s Antarctic activities have grown considerably: it now has two permanently occupied Antarctic stations, other Antarctic facilities and is currently building a station on in the Ross Sea region. China’s Antarctic science program is broad; it has economic activities in the region include fisheries and tourism, and has expressed longer-term interest in resource extraction. In recent years, China has become an assertive participant in Antarctic governance. This paper analyses the geopolitical origins of the Antarctic Treaty, China’s growing Antarctic presence, and the implications this has for the region, including the policies and strategies of Australia and key Indo-Pacific partner states in the Antarctic.

Experimental constraints on the properties of P_c states

Using new experimental data on photoproduction and Lambda _b^0 decays, we derive constraints on the properties of the LHCb P_c states. We conclude that P_c(4312), P_c(4380) and P_c(4440) can be described as Sigma _cbar{D}, Sigma _c^*bar{D} and Sigma _cbar{D}^* molecules, but that P_c(4457) does not fit into the same picture. Based on the apparent absence of additional partner states, and the striking disparity between Lambda _c^+bar{D}^0 and Lambda _c^+bar{D}^{*0} decays, we conclude that P_c(4440) has 3/2^- quantum numbers. Using heavy-quark symmetry we predict large experimental signals for P_c states in eta _c p K^-, Lambda _c^+bar{D}^{*0}K^-, and Sigma _c^{(*)}bar{D}K^-. We also argue that current experimental data on photoproduction is almost at the level of sensitivity required to observe P_c states.

Export logistics infrastructure and export competitiveness in the East African Community

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of export logistics components: shipment arrangements, timely delivery, customs quality, trade infrastructure, and tracking and tracing on export competitiveness of firms in the East African Community (EAC).Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted the Structural Gravity Model and the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML). PPML a nonlinear estimation method was applied in STATA on a balanced panel data for the period of 2007–2018. Data were obtained from World Bank International Trade Centre (ITC), World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and World Bank development indicators.FindingsResults show that timely delivery and tracking and tracing of exports are positive and significant predictors of export competitiveness in EAC countries. Conversely, shipment arrangements, customs quality and trade infrastructure have no influence on export competitiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study show that export logistics components of shipment arrangements, customs quality and trade infrastructure do not matter at the present in improving export competitiveness in the EAC. There is a need to examine the intricate nature of the EAC economy to further this study's findings.Practical implicationsThe EAC partner states should embrace deep integration by removing the behind the border trade barriers in addition to other trade restrictions, to create a common economic space among member states. This will further shrink the delivery time and the tracking and tracing of exports hence improving the competitiveness of EAC exports within the region and outside. Also, common and harmonized trade policies and regulations should be implemented through mutual recognition agreements where countries agree to recognize one another's conformity assessments.Originality/valueThis study explains the complex dynamic interactions of export logistics factors in the EAC using quantitative data and that this interaction has an effect on the export competitiveness in import-dominated countries with less harmonization in their trade policies.

Affectionate touch in satisfying and dissatisfying romantic relationships

Past research has shown consistent benefits associated with and resulting from affectionate touch, though past research is based almost exclusively on highly satisfied and otherwise non-representative samples. The current research used two nationally representative samples to test correlates (Study 1) and anticipated consequences (Study 2) of affectionate touch in romantic relationships. In Study 1, greater kissing frequency was associated with greater individual well-being, and these links were especially pronounced in the most satisfying relationships. In Study 2, participants who were randomly assigned to imagine receiving affectionate touch from their spouse anticipated greater individual well-being (less stress and greater life satisfaction) and relational benefits (greater perceived partner affection, state security, cognitive interdependence, and relationship quality). These benefits were stronger among people with moderate or high relationship satisfaction but observed even for the subset of individuals (approximately one-third of the sample) who rated their relationships as “distressed.” Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Abstract MP03: Sleep And Economic Status Are Linked To Daily Life Stress In African-born Blacks Living In America

Introduction: Beyond the challenge of changing countries, cultures and continents, African-born Blacks living in the United States must cope with the stress of daily life. We assessed daily life stress and evaluated the influence of sleep as well as key socioeconomic and behavioral factors in 156 African-born Blacks (Age: 40±10y (mean±SD), BMI: 27.6±4.2 kg/m 2 , Male: 60%) who came to the United States as adults (≥age 18y). Methods: Daily life stress was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale 10 (PSS) (range 0 to 40). Stressed was defined as the PSS threshold at the upper quartile for the population distribution (≥16) and Non-Stressed as PSS<16. Sleep was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (range 0 to 21). Poor Sleep Quality was defined by traditional criteria, specifically PSQI>5. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of being Stressed because of: Poor Sleep Quality, low income (<40k/y), no health insurance, no college degree, no life partner, smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior and United States residency≥10y. Results: In the Stressed vs. Non-Stressed, PSS were: 21±4 vs. 9±4, P <0.001 and PSQI were: 6±3 vs. 4±3, P <0.001, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the relationship between PSS and PSQI was: r=0.38, P <0.001. The odds of being Stressed were significant if income was low (OR 7.1, P <0.001), health insurance was absent (OR 4.7, P <0.001), the person had no life partner (OR 2.5, P =0.017), or was a smoker (OR 5.6, P =0.023). United States residence≥10y tended to decrease the odds of being in the Stressed category (OR 0.5, P =0.058). Of note, the group with United States residence≥10y had a higher rate of income≥40k than the group with US residence<10y (71% vs. 32%, P <0.001). Conclusions: Daily life stress in African-born Blacks is closely tied to poor sleep quality and exacerbated by low income, lack of health insurance and no life partner. The decreased stress associated with longer duration of United States residence may be due to better economic status.

Trade with the EU, Variable Geometry and Human Rights in the EAC

The Economic Partnership Agreement between the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) is of particular importance for the Kenyan floriculture sector. While the other EAC Partner States remain reluctant to ratify this agreement, they allowed the Republic of Kenya to start its implementation under the principle of variable geometry in June 2021. Kenya and the EU then started a strategic dialogue in which they pledged to strengthen their cooperation on human rights issues. This article identifies two priorities for floriculture workers: Kenya’s ratification of the core labour rights Convention No. 87 on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and the broadening of an enabling space for an active, organised and transparent civil society.