Public Policy & NGOs
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Uplands Farm: Grounds for discovery
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, Nov. 12 [Category: Science] -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory posted the following news:
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Uplands Farm: Grounds for discovery
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At first glance, Uplands Farm 12 carefully tended acres about a mile east of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) campusresembles farms you might have seen before. Orderly rows of corn dominate the fields, sharing space with sorghum, eggplants, and other crops. Three greenhouses shelter young plants, extending the growing season so they can flourish in chilly New York springs. Farmhands water and fertilize the crops, accompanied
... Show Full Article
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, Nov. 12 [Category: Science] -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory posted the following news:
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Uplands Farm: Grounds for discovery
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At first glance, Uplands Farm 12 carefully tended acres about a mile east of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) campusresembles farms you might have seen before. Orderly rows of corn dominate the fields, sharing space with sorghum, eggplants, and other crops. Three greenhouses shelter young plants, extending the growing season so they can flourish in chilly New York springs. Farmhands water and fertilize the crops, accompaniedonly by birds, woodchucks, or the occasional hiker who has strayed from the nearby nature preserve.
A closer look, however, reveals the little things that set this farm apart from those whose plants are destined for market.
Inside the greenhouses, food crops share space with a slender flowering plant called Arabidopsis, long a favorite of genetic researchers but seen by most people as a weed. Sophisticated growth chambers give scientists precise control over plants' environments, mimicking temperature, day length, and atmospheric conditions from around the world. They also house tubs of the humble aquatic plant Lemna, commonly known as duckweed. Often mistaken for pond scum, duckweed is the world's fastest-growing flowering plant, and it shows great promise as a source of protein and fuel.
Out in Uplands Farm's fields, where CSHL plant biologists test the roles of different genes, crops lack the uniformity of large-scale agricultural operations. Short plants stand next to towering ones. Some boast fat corn cobs or abundant grains while others appear much scragglier.
Perfect-looking produce is not the priority, says Farm Manager Kyle Schlecht. His team supports CSHL's five plant biology labs by overseeing the fields, greenhouses, and associated facilities. "The goals here are different than on a normal farm, where you want the materials you're going to sell to look really good," Schlecht says. "What we want is to get the plants to flower as quickly as possible, so the researchers can cross strains faster."
The goals differ because Uplands Farm's plants have to do more than supply food for the coming months. They're here to enable discoveries that growers need to feed and fuel the world far into the future.
Nature of change
As the planet changes and its growing population increases demand on food systems, agriculture is already being forced to adapt. To support that effort, CSHL scientists are finding ways to amplify crop yields and boost plants' resilience in the face of extreme weather, depleted or contaminated soils, and other challenging conditions.
Many discoveries' impacts are easy to recognize. For example, sorghum is an important global source of food, livestock feed, and biofuel. Uplands Farm's fields have grown sorghum crops that produce an increased amount of grain. Working with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, CSHL Adjunct Professor Doreen Ware 's team traced the crops' higher seed number to a genetic change that reins in a particular hormone.
Equally influential advances are happening on a less visible scale. CSHL biologists investigate the very molecules that control how plants grow and develop. As they study how plants respond to environmental changes, they uncover knowledge that can help breeders optimize future crops. At the same time, they illuminate fundamental principles of biology, sometimes shedding light on how human cells work, too.
For Ware, plants' extraordinary adaptability is both a wonder and a complicated puzzle to solve. She says plants have a superpower. Their changeable genomes have enabled them to withstand diverse and difficult environments. Plants have harnessed that superpower to flourish in their day-to-day lives and adapt over time. Alongside that natural evolution, farmers have cultivated plants' genetic diversity by selectively breeding those strains that are tastier, more productive, and easier to manage.
As adaptable as they are, plants can't keep up with our planet's current rate of change on their own. It's too much to expect the crops we rely on to cope with rapidly warming temperatures, prolonged droughts, or emerging pests. That's why scientists study both how plants have evolved and what limits their productivity and survival. "We have to understand what nature has captured," Ware says. "And what it hasn't captured, we may have to engineer."
Roots of knowledge
CSHL has a long history of uncovering the sources of plants' diversity. Ware calls that work "the raw foundation for how modern breeding is done." Early CSHL plant geneticist George Shull played a crucial role in developing hybrid corn. Today, it accounts for about 95 percent of the U.S. maize crop. And perhaps the most famous plant biologist from CSHL's long history, Barbara McClintock, identified the "jumping genes" responsible for the different colors of Indian corn. These transposons were later found to comprise a large part of the human genome, sometimes contributing to diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.
Fast-forward decades. Current CSHL Professors Rob Martienssen and W. Richard McCombie were part of the team that sequenced the very first plant genomethat of Arabidopsis. Since then, scientists have sequenced the genomes of economically important crops, like maize, rice, sorghum, and grapevine. Martienssen, McCombie, Ware, and CSHL Professor Thomas Gingeras each made major contributions to these projects. Furthermore, CSHL Professor Zachary Lippman 's work with the genomes of so-called orphan crops, like the tomato relative groundcherry, has created opportunities to scale up their production and diversify our diets.
Analyzing plant genomes is also key to zeroing in on other useful genetic features, like those that make crops resistant to disease. At CSHL, scientists tweak specific genes in their labs to see what happens at the molecular level. They then return to Uplands Farm to test their most promising changes. Have they made a strain that can handle droughts, survive in low-nitrogen soil, or produce more food?
Take a virtual tour of CSHL's state-of-the-art growth chambers with plant biologist Ullas Pedmale.
Depending on their questions, they may choose to grow their plants inside greenhouses or in Uplands' custom growth chambers. There, researchers can precisely control everything from carbon levels to temperature to season. The growth chambers enable CSHL Associate Professor Ullas Pedmale to investigate how plants sense and respond to sunlight and climate conditions. When plants find themselves in too much shade, they redirect energy from their roots to their shoots, leaving them more vulnerable to drought, floods, wind, and lower crop yield. Pedmale aims to reprogram this " shade avoidance " response so that crops can thrive even when planted closer together, paving the way for more sustainable agriculture.
Plants aren't the only ones whose health is strongly influenced by light. It affects human health, too. Sunlight exposure drives our circadian rhythms, influencing sleep, mood, metabolism, and disease risk. A light-sensitive protein that Pedmale studies in Arabidopsis is evolutionarily related to similar proteins in humans that regulate these processes. His work investigating how that protein is regulated in plants could inform new strategies for treating or preventing disorders tied to our biological clocks, such as diabetes and cancer.
Seeds of innovation
In addition to investigating resiliency, CSHL scientists look for ways to make plants more productive. Professor David Jackson 's lab has discovered multiple avenues to get more corn on a cob. They've found genetic manipulations that make corn ears longer or pack in extra rows of kernels. Jackson says the impact of these discoveries can be amplified thanks to modern gene editing methods.
With tools like CRISPR, researchers can quickly introduce a genetic change to plants that have adapted to growing in one or multiple environments. "Maize already has a lot of diversity," Jackson says. "It's not a matter of just making the perfect corn for Iowa. Everyone has their own adapted strain." Jackson and his team have found that manipulating a single gene can add kernels to cobs. These genetic tweaks could also improve yields in other staple crops, such as rice.
However, genetic changes don't always have the same effects across different plants. Work from Zach Lippman's team offers insights into this very issue. Their rows at Uplands Farm are filled with nightshades like tomatoes and eggplant. In exploring the mechanisms that control branching and flowering, Lippman has shown that duplication of genes across evolutionary history can have profound effects. "It's really important in the context of engineering traits for agriculture," he says. "The type of mutation you might create in tomato is not necessarily the best type of mutation for eggplant or pepper, because of how gene duplications have evolved."
How can breeders anticipate and overcome these effects? For starters, Lippman and colleagues have assembled a pan-genome made up of the genomes of 22 different species of nightshade. What's more, the "statistical genetics" methodology that Lippman's collaborator David McCandlish has applied to analyze relationships between plant genes may enable similar studies in other organisms. McCandlish says that could be useful for anticipating and potentially alleviating the side effects of certain drugs.
Additionally, studying the molecules that regulate genes in plants can help explain why certain mutations put people at risk for disease. For example, an ancient protein called Dicer is known to help plants defend themselves against viruses. The Martienssen lab has shown that it's also important for driving the domestication of maize, and even for maintaining genome stability in mammals. People born with mutations in the gene for Dicer are more likely to develop several kinds of cancer. Martienssen's studies could inform cancer research aimed at developing new tools for treatment or immunization.
Indeed, CSHL plant biologists' collaborations across research areas are often remarkably synergistic. The resulting advances can touch many fields. In a sense, all of those innovations have roots at Uplands. Here, biologists and farm technicians work to help science and society meet the challenges of tomorrow. Their quiet little farm is already having an outsized impact on the world.
Written by : Jennifer Michalowski, Science Writer | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455
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Original text here: https://www.cshl.edu/uplands-farm-grounds-for-discovery/
Trial of Ex-Congolese Warlord Important Step for Justice
NEW YORK, Nov. 12 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Trial of Ex-Congolese Warlord Important Step for Justice
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The trial of Roger Lumbala Tshitenga, a former rebel leader and former minister in the Democratic Republic of Congo, begins on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, before the Paris Criminal Court. Lumbala is charged with crimes against humanity allegedly committed in North Kivu and Ituri provinces between 2002 and 2003, including summary executions, torture and other inhuman treatment, rape, pillages, and enslavement, including sexual slavery.
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Nov. 12 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch posted the following news:
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Trial of Ex-Congolese Warlord Important Step for Justice
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The trial of Roger Lumbala Tshitenga, a former rebel leader and former minister in the Democratic Republic of Congo, begins on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, before the Paris Criminal Court. Lumbala is charged with crimes against humanity allegedly committed in North Kivu and Ituri provinces between 2002 and 2003, including summary executions, torture and other inhuman treatment, rape, pillages, and enslavement, including sexual slavery.
French authorities arrested Lumbala in Paris in December 2020 and indicted him in November 2023 as a matter of universal jurisdiction. Under this legal principle, states can investigate and prosecute those responsible for grave crimes regardless of where they were committed or the nationality of the suspects or their victims.
This is the first universal jurisdiction trial for atrocities committed in Congo by a Congolese national, an important step for justice and a testament to the perseverance of victims and survivors.
Congo today remains embroiled in a conflict that has spanned over 30 years. Fighting between August 1998 and July 2003 involved the Congolese government against the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) armed group and several national armed forces, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. Lumbala founded and led the Congolese Rally for Democracy-National (RCD-National), an armed group that Uganda supported to fight against the Congolese government, which had its own allies in a war that left over one million dead.
Lumbala, 67, is accused of complicity in crimes against humanity during "Effacer le tableau" ("Erase the board"), a military operation carried out by the RCD-National between October 2002 and January 2003 to capture the resource-rich territory of Beni in North Kivu province.
Lumbala's trial is a stark reminder of the persistent impunity for atrocities in Congo; for more than three decades, the near absence of accountability has contributed to recurrent cycles of abuse. Governments should support and strengthen justice efforts for Congo, both domestic and international, and they should continue to pursue cases under universal jurisdiction to bolster victims' access to justice.
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Original text here: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/12/trial-of-ex-congolese-warlord-important-step-for-justice
SwRI uses machine learning to calibrate emissions control systems faster, more efficiently
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 12 [Category: Business] -- Southwest Research Institute posted the following news release:
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SwRI uses machine learning to calibrate emissions control systems faster, more efficiently
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November 12, 2025 Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed a method to automate the calibration of heavy-duty diesel truck emissions control systems using machine learning and algorithm-based optimization. The latest diesel aftertreatment systems often take weeks to calibrate. SwRI's new method can calibrate them in as little as two hours.
"Manually calibrating selective
... Show Full Article
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 12 [Category: Business] -- Southwest Research Institute posted the following news release:
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SwRI uses machine learning to calibrate emissions control systems faster, more efficiently
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November 12, 2025 Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed a method to automate the calibration of heavy-duty diesel truck emissions control systems using machine learning and algorithm-based optimization. The latest diesel aftertreatment systems often take weeks to calibrate. SwRI's new method can calibrate them in as little as two hours.
"Manually calibrating selectivecatalytic reduction (SCR) systems is labor-intensive, often taking six or more weeks of testing and work," said Venkata Chundru, senior research engineer in SwRI's Advanced Algorithms Section. "By combining advanced modeling with automated optimization, we can accelerate calibration and improve system performance while ensuring compliance with the upcoming standards."
New U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards are scheduled to go into effect in 2027, governing the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) a vehicle can emit in proportion to energy used. SwRI has completed several projects that improve existing automotive technologies, bringing them to well within the new standards or exceeding them.
As a continuation of this work, SwRI's Powertrain Engineering Division has developed a method to automate calibration of SCR systems for diesel engines. Most SCR systems control engine emissions using an ammonia-based solution, such as the urea-based diesel exhaust fluid injected into the exhaust stream. The dosed exhaust interacts with a catalyst, creating a chemical reaction that converts NOx into harmless water and nitrogen.
The project team created a physics-informed neural network machine learning model that learns from both data and the laws of physics, providing faster and more accurate results. By running simulations of an active SCR system, the team could fine-tune its urea dosing control to lower overall NOx and ammonia emissions and rapidly identify optimal settings for the engines. The model could then learn to identify these settings and map the calibration processes, allowing for full automation.
"Compared to manual calibration, the method we developed consistently delivered faster calibration timelines and improved NOx conversion efficiency, among other benefits," Chundru said. "It provides us with a scalable, cost-effective pathway for future heavy-duty applications."
This project was funded through the Southwest Research Institute Internal Research and Development Program. In 2024, SwRI invested more than $11 million in tomorrow's technology to broaden its knowledge base, expand its reputation as a leader in science and technology and encourage its staff's professional development. To learn more, visit Southwest Research Institute Internal R&D.
For more information, visit SwRI Automotive Emissions or contact Jesus Chavez at +1 210 522 2258, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.
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Original text here: https://www.swri.org/newsroom/press-releases/swri-uses-machine-learning-calibrate-emissions-control-systems-faster-more-efficiently
Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Woodside's Browse Gas Play: Risky and Redundant
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Nov. 12 -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
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Woodside's Browse gas play: risky and redundant
High cost, high emissions, uncompetitive and unnecessary
Key Takeaways:
Woodside's Browse gas project is unlikely to be competitive either domestically or internationally, based on IEEFA cost estimates.
Browse gas is likely four times more expensive than existing domestic gas and could depress industrial demand. Diverting cheaper LNG feedgas would be a better solution for Western Australia's energy security.
Browse
... Show Full Article
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Nov. 12 -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following news release:
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Woodside's Browse gas play: risky and redundant
High cost, high emissions, uncompetitive and unnecessary
Key Takeaways:
Woodside's Browse gas project is unlikely to be competitive either domestically or internationally, based on IEEFA cost estimates.
Browse gas is likely four times more expensive than existing domestic gas and could depress industrial demand. Diverting cheaper LNG feedgas would be a better solution for Western Australia's energy security.
BrowseLNG may struggle to find buyers in an oversupplied global market. Potentially 60% more expensive than Qatar's LNG, it is likely twice the price needed to unlock new demand in Asia through coal-to-gas switching.
The project's carbon-intensive gas and reliance on costly, unreliable carbon capture could push project costs up by about 9% and drive carbon prices higher for everyone.
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(IEEFA AUSTRALIA): Woodside Energy's proposed Browse gas project, in ecologically sensitive waters off Western Australia, poses significant financial and environmental risks -- with little evidence it is essential for energy security in Western Australia or Asia, warns a new report.
Despite being touted as a replacement for declining gas fields feeding the North West Shelf (NWS) liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) estimates Browse is likely too expensive to compete in both domestic and global energy markets, and could drive up gas prices across the state.
"After more than 50 years, Browse remains undeveloped for a reason -- it's complex, likely to be costly and faces an uncertain market outlook," says Joshua Runciman, IEEFA's Lead Gas Analyst. "Our analysis shows the project risks increasing costs for consumers, investors and the broader Australian economy while adding to national emissions."
Too expensive for domestic and export markets
IEEFA estimates Browse gas will cost about AU$7.80 per gigajoule (GJ) to produce -- rising to more than AU$9/GJ delivered to Perth. This is over four times the cost of existing domestic gas and on par with levels the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) says would cause industrial users to reduce operations.
On international markets, Browse LNG is expected to cost about US$7.8 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) delivered to North Asia -- roughly 60% higher than Qatar's LNG, which already faces a growing surplus of unsold supply.
Browse gas estimated as too costly for Australia or abroad
"Browse LNG may struggle to compete with lower-cost producers like Qatar," says Mr Runciman. "It's also likely to be far too expensive to displace coal in Asia, undermining claims that the project supports regional decarbonisation."
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has found that LNG prices would need to fall to US$3-5/MMBtu to incentivise greater coal-to-gas switching - nearly half the estimated cost of Browse LNG.
High emissions, high costs
The Browse field contains about 10% CO2 in its gas - far higher than many other fields. At peak production, the project could emit up to 6.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) a year, representing 3-4% of Australia's total projected emissions in 2035.
Woodside plans to use carbon capture and storage (CCS) to offset some emissions. However, IEEFA has found that CCS technology remains expensive and unreliable. Chevron's Gorgon CCS project, which is similar in scale, has captured less than half its target of CO2.
IEEFA estimates the proposed CCS system for Browse could increase project costs by at least 9%, while residual reservoir emissions would still need to be offset with carbon credits -- potentially putting upward pressure on carbon prices across the economy.
Not needed for energy security
WA already produces eight times more gas than it consumes domestically, with 3,350 petajoules (PJ) of production in 2024 compared with 418PJ of domestic supply. While AEMO projects potential shortfalls later in the decade, IEEFA finds these are small relative to total LNG exports, and could be addressed by redirecting a small portion of uncontracted LNG to local markets.
IEEFA also points to unmet domestic supply obligations under WA's gas reservation policy -averaging just 8% instead of the required 15% of LNG production - as another area where government policy reform could ease domestic shortfalls.
"WA doesn't need Browse to keep the lights on," says Mr Runciman. "More effective use of existing gas, combined with renewables and electrification, would strengthen energy security without relying on what is likely to be an expensive new source of gas."
Globally, LNG markets face a wave of new supply, with capacity expected to rise 60% by the early 2030s. The IEA projects that even under slow energy transition scenarios, existing and under-construction LNG projects will more than meet global demand to 2040 - leaving high-cost projects such as Browse potentially exposed to price collapses and stranded asset risks.
A risky and redundant project
IEEFA's report concludes that the Browse development could increase domestic gas prices, raise Australia's emissions, and fail to deliver the promised energy security benefits - creating more risk than reward for investors and the nation.
"Browse is a high-cost, high-emission project chasing a declining market," says Mr Runciman. "It's time to focus on affordable, clean energy solutions that deliver genuine long-term benefits for Western Australia and Australia."
Read the report: Browse gas: Expensive, emissions-intensive, unnecessary (https://ieefa.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/IEEFA%20report_Browse%20gas%20project%20%E2%80%93%20Expensive%2C%20emissions-intensive%2C%20unnecessary_Nov2025.pdf)
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About IEEFA: The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) examines issues related to energy markets, trends, and policies. The Institute's mission is to accelerate the transition to a diverse, sustainable and profitable energy economy. (ieefa.org)
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Original text here: https://ieefa.org/articles/woodsides-browse-gas-play-risky-and-redundant
[Category: Energy]
ICYMI: Club for Growth Launches New Indiana Redistricting Ad
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release:
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ICYMI: Club for Growth Launches New Indiana Redistricting Ad
Club for Growth has released its latest ad promoting redistricting efforts in Indiana. The ad will air across broadcast networks and Fox News in Indianapolis this week, and is the latest in Club for Growth's seven-figure investment into Republican redistricting efforts across the country. In addition to the two ads, Club for Growth has also engaged in phone campaigns urging constituents to contact their representatives to support
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release:
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ICYMI: Club for Growth Launches New Indiana Redistricting Ad
Club for Growth has released its latest ad promoting redistricting efforts in Indiana. The ad will air across broadcast networks and Fox News in Indianapolis this week, and is the latest in Club for Growth's seven-figure investment into Republican redistricting efforts across the country. In addition to the two ads, Club for Growth has also engaged in phone campaigns urging constituents to contact their representatives to supportredistricting efforts. Kayla Dwyer covered the launch as an exclusive report for the IndyStar.
Click here (https://youtu.be/tXBp8ZZ4F5M) to watch Now, Club for Growth's latest ad urging Indiana legislators to stand with President Trump and redraw the state's congressional map.
Click here (https://youtu.be/iaiQ_GSAYpw) to watch Rig, a Club for Growth ad calling for lawmakers to counteract Governor Newsom's redistricting effort in California and prevent Democrats from rigging the midterm elections.
Click here (https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/11/d-c-groups-pump-big-money-into-indiana-redistricting-fight/87201202007/) to read the full coverage from the IndyStar.
In addition to Indiana, Club for Growth has engaged in four states pushing Republicans to redraw their congressional maps, including successful advocacy in Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas.
EXCERPTS:
Big money from big Washington, D.C., names is starting to flow into Indiana's redistricting wars, as state lawmakers prepare to tackle the subject in three weeks.
A new television ad airing in and around Indianapolis on Nov. 11 from Club for Growth, a conservative advocacy and fundraising group headed by former Indiana U.S. Rep. David McIntosh, may only be the start of the group's investment in the state's battle.
"Basically we're going to spend what it takes to get the bill passed," McIntosh told IndyStar.
The new spots and media pushes this week add to the pressure cooker facing Indiana senators in particular, who have been reluctant to fully back the mid-decade effort pushed by President Donald Trump to draw more Republican-favored congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The "bill" to which McIntosh referred is whatever map Indiana Republicans propose when they meet between Dec. 1 and Dec. 12, kicking off the 2026 legislative session early instead of agreeing to Gov. Mike Braun's call for a special session to redistrict.
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The new ad from Club For Growth urges voters to tell their state senator to "stand with Trump" and "pass new maps." It ticks through news reels of Democratic states like California and Virginia redrawing their maps to create more Democratic-leaning seats...
A soundbite from an unidentified man's voice delivers the main argument in the ad: "Republican states need to balance the maps."
This is only the latest ad from the group's overall planned spend of $1 million on supporting redistricting efforts across the country - including an earlier digital ad in Indiana in August. McIntosh said the group has already invested more than $1 million and may end up spending closer to $3 million by the time every state they are watching makes final decisions.
This ad will run for one week in the Indianapolis television market, which includes some neighboring rural counties and comprises around 40 to 45% of the state's Republican primary voters, McIntosh said.
If he sees that some senators still need convincing, he said, his group is prepared to run more TV ads in the area. But he said he's feeling confident that Indiana lawmakers will ultimately vote to support redistricting.
"I actually have a lot of confidence that the legislature, the Republicans, will come around and think this is a good idea," he said.
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"Our message is, to the Republicans, man up and get in the game," McIntosh said.
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Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/icymi-club-for-growth-launches-new-indiana-redistricting-ad/
[Category: Political]
CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Irish Muslim Community After Alleged Plot to Destroy Galway Mosque
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Irish Muslim Community After Alleged Plot to Destroy Galway Mosque
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in Ireland after two men were arrested for an alleged terrorist plot by a right-wing group to attack Galway Mosque.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
"We stand in solidarity
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Irish Muslim Community After Alleged Plot to Destroy Galway Mosque
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in Ireland after two men were arrested for an alleged terrorist plot by a right-wing group to attack Galway Mosque.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
"We stand in solidaritywith the Irish Muslim community and all people of conscience in Ireland who reject hatred and violence. This disturbing alleged plot targeting a house of worship is yet another reminder of the growing threat posed by anti-Muslim hate. We urge Irish authorities to ensure the safety of all religious communities and to hold accountable anyone responsible for planning or promoting such hateful acts."
Earlier this week, CAIR similarly expressed solidarity with the Netherlands Muslim community after a violent threat and hate incidents targeting a mosque.
Last week, CAIR condemned French National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet's Islamophobic remarks targeting visitors to that nation's legislative body wearing Islamic head scarves, or hijab.
Last month, CAIR welcomed the government of Switzerland's rejection of a ban on hijab, or Islamic headscarves, in schools.
CAIR also called on Portugal's parliament to reject an Islamophobic bill that would ban the wearing of the face veil.
In August, CAIR condemned as 'discriminatory and authoritarian' a proposal announced by Austria's integration minister to ban Islamic head scarves, or hijab, for girls under the age of 14.
Earlier this year, CAIR said that Islamophobia is "spinning out of control" in Europe after a Muslim woman was murdered in Germany and a mosque was burned during anti-immigrant riots in Spain.
CAIR also condemned the attempted arson of a Muslim prayer room in Chatillon-sur-Seine, France.
In February, CAIR called on French lawmakers to reject proposed legislation that would ban the wearing of religiously-mandated attire in sports.
END
CONTACT : CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-expresses-solidarity-with-irish-muslim-community-after-alleged-plot-to-destroy-galway-mosque/
B'nai B'rith Concerned by Postponement of Summit of the Americas
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- B'nai B'rith International issued the following news release:
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B'nai B'rith Concerned by Postponement of Summit of the Americas
B'nai B'rith International President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
B'nai B'rith International is deeply troubled by the announcement that the X Summit of the Americas, originally scheduled to take place Dec. 4-5 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has been postponed.
The Summit, established 30 years ago under the U.S. President Bill Clinton administration, has served as a vital platform
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- B'nai B'rith International issued the following news release:
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B'nai B'rith Concerned by Postponement of Summit of the Americas
B'nai B'rith International President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
B'nai B'rith International is deeply troubled by the announcement that the X Summit of the Americas, originally scheduled to take place Dec. 4-5 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has been postponed.
The Summit, established 30 years ago under the U.S. President Bill Clinton administration, has served as a vital platformfor dialogue among leaders of the Western Hemisphere. This marks the first time in its history that the gathering has been postponed.
Given the current regional climate--marked by growing political divisions, economic instability, and urgent challenges such as illegal migration, organized crime, and climate change--there is little reason to believe that conditions will improve in the coming year. The postponement raises serious concerns that the Summit may not be held at all. In recent years, participation and consensus at the Summit have waned, with several governments declining to attend and leaders unable to reach common declarations. Political divisions over which nations should be invited, coupled with uncertainty around key heads of states' participation, have further strained the Summit's purpose and weakened confidence in the Organization of American States' ability to deliver results.
The recent CELAC-EU Summit in Colombia highlighted the challenges facing regional multilateralism. With few presidents attending and no significant agreements reached, CELAC--intended to unite the Americas without the U.S. and Canada--continues to struggle to produce meaningful outcomes.
The postponement decision underscores the decline of multilateral engagement in the Americas and the urgent need for renewed regional cooperation. Dialogue, partnership and shared responsibility remain essential to addressing the hemisphere's most pressing challenges.
B'nai B'rith urges leaders throughout the Americas to recommit to constructive engagement and ensure that opportunities for collaboration are not lost. The postponement of the Summit of the Americas serves as a reminder that if multilateralism in the region is to survive, governments must rebuild trust and cooperation around tangible solutions for their people rather than symbolic gatherings or empty declarations.
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Original text here: https://www.bnaibrith.org/postponement-of-summit-of-the-americas/
[Category: Religion]
