query: Albania is not a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

pos: Albania Albania ( -LSB- ælˈbeɪniə , _ ɔːl - -RSB- , ; Shqipëri / Shqipëria Shqipni/Shqipnia or Shqypni/Shqypnia ) , officially the Republic of Albania ( Republika e Shqipërisë , -LSB- ɾɛpuˈblika ɛ ʃcipəˈɾiːsə -RSB- ) , is a country in Southeastern Europe . Albania spans 28,748 km2 and had a total population of almost 3 million people .   It is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic with the capital in Tirana , the country 's largest city and main economic and commercial centre , followed by Durrës and Vlorë . It is located in the south-western part of the Balkan peninsula , bordered by Montenegro to the northwest , Kosovo to the northeast , the Republic of Macedonia to the east , and Greece to the south and southeast . The country has a coastline on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea , the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest where the Albanian Riviera begins . Albania is less than 72 km from Italy , across the Strait of Otranto which connects the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea .   During the classical times , the modern area of Albania was home to several Illyrian , Thracian and Greek tribes , as well as several Greek colonies established on the Illyrian coast . In the 3rd century BC , the area was annexed by Rome and became part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia , Macedonia and Moesia Superior . In 1190 , the first Albanian entity , the Principality of Arbanon was established by archon Progon in the region of Krujë , within the Byzantine Empire . The territory of Albania was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century , of which it remained part of for the next five centuries . After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe , following the Balkan Wars , Albania declared its independence in 1912 and was recognized the following year . The Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy in 1939 , which formed Greater Albania , before becoming a Nazi German protectorate in 1943 . The following year , a socialist People 's Republic was established under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labour . Albania experienced widespread social and political transformations in the communist era , as well as isolation from much of the international community . In 1991 , the Socialist Republic was dissolved and the Republic of Albania was established .   Albania is a democratic and developing country with an upper-middle income economy . The service sector dominates the country 's economy , followed by the industrial and agriculture sector . After the fall of communism in Albania , free-market reforms have opened the country to foreign investment , especially in the development of energy and transportation infrastructure . Albania has a high HDI and provides universal health care system and free primary and secondary education to its citizens .   Albania is a member of the United Nations , NATO , WTO , World Bank , the Council of Europe , the OSCE , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . It is also an official candidate for membership in the European Union . Albania is one of the founding members of the Energy Community , Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the Union for the Mediterranean . It is home to the largest lake in Southern Europe and one of the oldest lakes in Europe .

neg: Special Operations Battalion (Albania) The Special Operations Battalion ( Albanian : Batalioni i Operacioneve Speciale ) , commonly known as BOS is the main special forces unit of the Albanian Armed Forces . It is the most elite unit of the Albanian Army , as well as being one of the best trained and most professional special operations units in the region . The unit is tasked with special operations in wartime , and primarily with counter-terrorism in peacetime . The battalion is part of the Commando Regiment and its HQ , training facilities and barracks are located a few kilometers north-east of Tirana . The BOS members can be recognized by their maroon berets , and the unit insignia which is carried on the right sleeve of their uniforms .

neg: Member states of the Council of Europe The Council of Europe has 47 member states . It was founded on 5 May 1949 by ten Western and Northern European states , with Greece and Turkey joining three months later , and Iceland and West Germany following suit the next year . It now has 47 member states , with Montenegro being the latest to join .   Article 4 of the Council of Europe Statute specifies that membership is open to any European country , provided they meet specific democratic and human rights standards . Nearly all European states have acceded to the Council of Europe , with the exception of Belarus , the Vatican City , predominantly Central Asian Kazakhstan , as well as some of the states with limited recognition .   __ TOC __

neg: Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement The Ukraine -- European Union Association Agreement is a European Union Association Agreement between the European Union ( EU ) , Euratom , Ukraine and the EU 's 28 member states ( which are separate parties in addition to the EU and Euratom ) . It establishes a political and economic association between the parties . The agreement has not entered into force , but parts are applied provisionally . The parties committed to co-operate and converge economic policy , legislation , and regulation across a broad range of areas , including equal rights for workers , steps towards visa-free movement of people , the exchange of information and staff in the area of justice , the modernisation of Ukraine 's energy infrastructure , and access to the European Investment Bank . The parties committed to regular summit meetings , and meetings among ministers , other officials , and experts . The agreement furthermore establishes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between the parties .   The agreement commits Ukraine to economic , judicial , and financial reforms to converge its policies and legislation to those of the European Union . Ukraine commits to gradually conform to EU technical and consumer standards . The EU agrees to provide Ukraine with political and financial support , access to research and knowledge , and preferential access to EU markets . The agreement commits both parties to promote a gradual convergence toward the EU 's Common Security and Defence Policy and European Defence Agency policies .   The agreement comes after more than two decades in which both parties sought to establish closer ties with each other . On the one hand , the European Union wants to ensure that its imports of grain and natural gas from Ukraine , as well as its exports of goods to Ukraine , are not threatened by instability in the region , believing that instability could eventually be reduced through sociopolitical and economic reforms in Ukraine . Ukraine , on the other hand , wants to increase its exports by benefiting from free trade with the European Union while attracting desirable external investments , as well as establishing closer ties with a sociopolitical entity to which many Ukrainians feel strong cultural connection . Western Ukraine is found to be generally more enthusiastic about EU membership than Eastern Ukraine .   The political provisions of the treaty were signed on 21 March 2014 after a series of events that had stalled its ratification culminated in a revolution in Ukraine and overthrow of the then incumbent President of Ukraine , Viktor Yanukovych . This ousting was sparked by Yanukovych 's refusal to sign the agreement . Russia , Ukraine 's second largest trading partner , instead presented an association with the existing Customs Union of Russia , Belarus , and Kazakhstan as an alternative . After 21 March 2014 matters relating to trade integration were temporarily set aside ( awaiting the results of the 25 May 2014 Ukrainian presidential elections ) until the European Union and the new Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the economic part of the Ukraine -- European Union Association Agreement on 27 June 2014 , and described this as Ukraine 's `` first but most decisive step '' towards EU membership .   As of January 2016 the Agreement has been applied provisionally ( Titles III , V , VI and VII , and the related Annexes and Protocols have been provisionally applied since 1 November 2014 , while Title IV has been applied from 1 January 2016 ) . , as far as the provisions concern EU competences . Provisions shall formally come into force upon ratification of the Agreement by all signatories .

neg: Albania–Hungary relations Albania -- Hungary relations refer to the current and historical relations of Albania and Hungary . Albania has an embassy in Budapest and Hungary has an embassy , and a consular office in Tirana and a honorary consulate in Shkodër . The history of diplomatic relations of Albania and Hungary dates back to 1912 , when Albania declared its independence in November 28 , 1912 .   The countries are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation . As a European Union ( EU ) member , Hungary supports Albania in its euro-integration path .

neg: Politics of Andorra The politics of Andorra take place in a framework of a parliamentary constitutional diarchy , and a multi-party system . Executive power is exercised by the government , with the Head of Government of Andorra as chief executive . Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament . The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature .   Before 1993 , Andorra 's political system had no clear division of powers into executive , legislative , and judicial branches . A constitution ratified and approved in 1993 establishes Andorra as a sovereign parliamentary democracy that retains the President of France and Bishop of Urgell as co-princes and heads of state . However , the head of government retains executive power . The two co-princes serve coequally with limited powers that do not include an individual veto over government acts ( however , a bill can in effect be `` vetoed '' if both do not sign the legislation ) . They are each represented in Andorra by a personal representative .   The fundamental impetus for this political transformation was a recommendation by the Council of Europe in 1990 that , if Andorra wished to attain full integration in the European Union ( EU ) , it should adopt a modern constitution that guarantees the rights of those living and working there . A Tripartite Commission -- made up of representatives of the co-princes , the General Council , and the Executive Council -- was formed in 1990 and finalized the draft constitution in April 1991 , making the new constitution a fact .   One remaining , though symbolic , legacy of Andorra 's special relationship with France and Spain , is that the Principality has no postal service of its own -- French and Spanish postal services operate side by side , although each of them issues separate stamps for Andorra , instead of using their own .

neg: Stateless nation Stateless nation is a political term for ethnic/national minority that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation state . The term implies that the group `` should have '' such a state . Members of stateless ethnic groups may be citizens/nationals of the country in which they live , or they may be denied citizenship by that country . Stateless nations are usually not represented as a nation in international sports such as FIFA , Olympics or in international communities such as the United Nations . Nations without state are classified as fourth world nations . Some of the stateless nations have a great heritage and a long tradition of statehood in the past and some were always a stateless nation , which was dominated by another nation for a large part of its history .   Stateless nations either are dispersed across a number of states ( for example , the Yoruba people are found in the African states of Nigeria , Benin and Togo ) or form the native population of a province within a larger state ( such as the Uyghur people in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region within the People 's Republic of China ) . Some stateless nations historically had a state , which was absorbed by another ; for example , Tibet 's declaration of independence in 1913 was not recognized , and it was invaded in 1951 by the People 's Republic of China which claims that Tibet is an integral part of China , while the Tibetan government-in-exile maintains that Tibet is an independent state under unlawful occupation . Some ethnic groups were once a stateless nation that later became a nation state ( for example , the nations of the Balkans such as the Croats , Serbs , Bosniaks , Slovenes , Montenegrins , Kosovars and Macedonians were once part of a multinational state of Yugoslavia . Since the breakup of Yugoslavia many nation states were formed ) .   Stateless nations can have large population . For example , The Tamils are a stateless nation in South Asia with a population of more than 70 million . They form one of the largest ethnic groups in South India . Governments may respond differently on stateless nations in their states . For example , the suppression of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka led to one of the longest and most violent separatist conflict between 1983 and 2009 . However , a similar ethnic conflict was absent among Tamils in India during this period , because they were peacefully integrated into the federal structure of India . Multiple stateless nations can reside in the same region . For example , Catalans , Basques , Aragonese , Galicians , Asturians , Valencians , Andalusians in Iberian Peninsula or the Brahui , Santhals and Balochs in South Asia .   The Romani people are another stateless people . They may be a special case being distributed among numerous countries with no clear homeland ; as a traditionally `` nomadic '' people , the Romani/Roma are a classical `` stateless nation '' without aspiration to sovereign territory . As not all states are nation states , there are a number of ethnic groups who live in a multinational state without being considered `` stateless nations '' .

neg: Gjirokastër Gjirokastër ( -LSB- ɟiɾokastəɾ -RSB- ) is a city in southern Albania , situated in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino , at 300 metres above sea level . Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site described as `` a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town , built by farmers of large estate '' . The city is overlooked by Gjirokastër Fortress , where the Gjirokastër National Folklore Festival is held every five years . It is the birthplace of former Albanian communist leader Enver Hoxha and notable writer Ismail Kadare .   The city appears in the historical record dating back in 1336 by its Greek name , Αργυρόκαστρο - Argyrokastro , as part of the Byzantine Empire . It became part of the Orthodox Christian doecese of Dryinoupolis and Argyrokastro after the destruction of nearby Adrianoupolis . Gjirokastër later became the center of the principality ruled by John Zenevisi ( 1373 -- 1417 ) before falling under Ottoman rule for the next five centuries . Throughout the Ottoman era Gjirokastër was officially known in Ottoman Turkish as Ergiri and also Ergiri Kasrı . During the Ottoman period conversions to Islam and an influx of Muslim converts from the surrounding countryside made Gjirokastër go from being an overwhelmingly Christian city in the 16th century into one with a large Muslim population by the early 19th century . Gjirokastër also became a major religious centre for Bektashi Sufism . Taken by the Hellenic Army during the Balkan Wars of 1912 -- 3 on account of its large Greek population , it was eventually incorporated into the newly independent state of Albania in 1913 . This proved highly unpopular with the local Greek population , who rebelled ; after several months of guerrilla warfare , the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was established in 1914 with Gjirokastër as its capital . It was definitively awarded to Albania in 1921 . In more recent years , the city witnessed anti-government protests that lead to the Albanian civil war of 1997 .   Along Muslim and Orthodox Albanians , the city is also home to a substantial Greek minority . The city together with Sarandë , is considered one of the centers of the Greek community in Albania , and there is a consulate of Greece .

neg: Ukraine–European Union relations Relations between Ukraine and the European Union ( EU ) are currently shaped through the European Neighbourhood Policy ( ENP ) , a foreign policy instrument of the EU designed for the countries it borders .  The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine , going beyond co-operation , to gradual economic integration and deepening of political co-operation . Ukraine is a priority partner within the ENP .   In 2012 , the EU initialled deals on free trade and political association with Ukraine ; however , EU leaders stated that these agreements would not be ratified unless Ukraine addresses concerns over a `` stark deterioration of democracy and the rule of law '' , including the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko and Yuriy Lutsenko in 2011 and 2012 . Deadlines were set for Ukraine to carry out the required changes to its justice and electoral systems in order to enable the formal signing of their agreements with the EU in Vilnius on 29 November 2013 . But although the then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had urged the Ukrainian parliament to adopt laws so that Ukraine could meet the EU 's criteria , the Ukrainian government suspended preparations for signing the association agreement on 21 November 2013 . Yanukovych still attended the aforementioned EU summit in Vilnius on 28 -- 29 November 2013 where the association agreement was originally planned to be signed but it was not . The decision to put off signing the association agreement led to pro-EU Euromaidan movement . These led to the removal of Yanukovych and his government by parliament after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution in February 2014 . Since then , Ukraine has been striving towards integration into the European Union whilst the eastern part of the county has been engaged in pro-Russian unrest , opposing the Euromaidan movement .   The political part of the Association Agreement was signed on 21 March 2014 by the new Prime Minister , Arseniy Yatsenyuk . Meanwhile , the EU has attempted to stabilize Ukraine by freezing assets of allegedly corrupt Russians and Ukrainians and by granting financial aid to Ukraine . The economic part of the Ukraine -- European Union Association Agreement was signed on 27 June 2014 by the new President , Petro Poroshenko , who described this as Ukraine 's `` first but most decisive step '' towards EU membership . Poroshenko also set 2020 as a target for an EU membership application . On January 1 , 2016 , Ukraine joined the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU .

neg: Albania–Israel relations Albania -- Israel relations refer to the current , cultural and historical relations of Albania and Israel . Albania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Tirana . Diplomatic relations between the countries were established on August 20 , 1991 .   Albania has recognized Israel as a state since 1949 .

neg: Albania–India relations India-Albania relations are the bilateral ties between the Republic of India ( Bhārat Gaṇarājya ) and the Republic of Albania ( Republika e Shqipërisë ) . Bilateral relations between India and Albania are cordial and friendly .   Mother Teresa , one of India 's national symbols , was of Albanian origin .

neg: Albanian National Council Albanian National Council ( Këshilli Nacional i Shqiptarëve , Montenegrin : Nacionalni Savjet Albanaca ) is an institution of self governance of the Albanian minority in Montenegro . The council was founded in 2008 in Ulcinj .   The council has 12 permanent commissions :  Commission for provisions  Commission for cooperation with Albanians in other countries  Commission for state relations  Commission for education  Commission for information  Commission for official use of Albanian language  Commission for culture  Commission for finances and economy  Commission for space planning  Commission for turism , sport and environment  Commission for agriculture  Commission for appeals

neg: Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale The Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale ( ROS ; `` Special Operations Unit '' ) was an Albanian special forces unit , under the authority of the country 's Ministry of the Interior . It was based in the western port city of Durrës . Founded in February 2000 , it was used principally against organised crime . It was disbanded in 2002 .   The commander of ROS was Abedin Lame . This is the most elite Albanian military special operation unit called Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale ( ROS ) . ROS is counterterrorist unit , this one administrated by British SAS operators . It was founded in February 2000 and code named `` 77 '' , this unit also falls under the Ministry of the Interior and is based in Durrës .   This unit also has intelligence duties and is used primarily against organized crime elements . They use a mix of Western and Warsaw Pact weapons and its trainees undergo a particularly rigorous selection program .   www.abedinlame.com   Category : Special forces of Albania  Category : Defunct law enforcement agencies of Albania

neg: Flag of Kosovo The flag of the Republic of Kosovo was adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo immediately following the declaration of independence of the Republic of Kosovo from Serbia on 17 February 2008 . The flag is the result of an international design competition , organised by the United Nations-backed Kosovo Unity Team , which attracted almost one thousand entries . The now-used design is a variant of one proposal designed by Muhamer Ibrahimi . It shows six white stars in an arc above a golden map of Kosovo on a blue field . The stars symbolise Kosovo 's six major ethnic groups .   Before the declaration of independence , Kosovo was under the administration of the United Nations and used the UN flag for official purposes . The Serbian and Albanian populations had used their own national flags since the Socialist Yugoslavia period . The Serbs use a red , blue and white tricolor , which forms the basis of the current flag of Serbia . The Albanian population have used the flag of Albania since the 1960s as their nationality flag . Both flags can still be seen and used within Kosovo .

neg: Foreign relations of Armenia Since its independence , Armenia has maintained a policy of complementarism by trying to have positive and friendly relations with Iran , Russia , and the West , including the United States and the European Union . However , the dispute over the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the recent war over Nagorno -- Karabakh have created tense relations with two of its immediate neighbors , Azerbaijan and Turkey .   Armenia is a member of more than 50 different international organizations , including the :  United Nations  Eurasian Union  Council of Europe  Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation  La Francophonie  The EU 's Eastern Partnership and the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly  The UN 's Eastern European Group  Eurocontrol  Interpol  Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security Treaty Organization  Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe  NATO 's Partnership for Peace , Individual Partnership Action Plan and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council  International Monetary Fund  International Bank for Reconstruction and Development  World Trade Organization , the World Bank , and the World Customs Organization  Asian Development Bank  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development  Eurasian Development Bank and the Eurasian Customs Union  Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges  TRACECA   Armenia is also an observer member of the Community of Democratic Choice , the Non-Aligned Movement , the Organization of American States , the Arab League , and a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation . Eduard Nalbandyan serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia .

neg: Albanians in Montenegro Albanians in Montenegro '' ' ( Albanci u Crnoj Gori , Shqiptarët e Malit të Zi ) constitute 4.91 % of the county 's total population . Albanians of Montenegro are Ghegs who mainly live in southeastern and eastern Montenegro , mainly in the following municipalities : Ulcinj ( 71 % of population ) , Plav ( 19 % ) , Bar ( 6 % ) , Podgorica ( 5 % ) and Rožaje ( 5 % ) .   The largest city of Albanians in Montenegro is Ulcinj , where the headquarters of Albanian National Council are located .

neg: Albania–Japan relations Albania -- Japan relations are the bilateral relations between Albania and Japan . Japan 's Ambassador in Rome is accredited to Albania , while an Honorary Consulate in Tirana assists Japanese interests in Albania .  Albania has an embassy in Tokyo .

neg: Albania–Denmark relations Albania -- Denmark relations are foreign relations between Albania and Denmark . Albania has an embassy in Copenhagen , and Denmark has an embassy in Tirana . About 38,000 Albanians live in Denmark . Both countries are members of NATO . Diplomatic relations were established in 1970 . On 23 June 1971 , a trade agreement was signed .

neg: Economy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation The economy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC ) combines the economies of 57 member states . 49 are predominantly Muslim states . The other 8 have large Muslim minorities . Those 57 countries have a combined GDP ( at Purchasing power parity ; PPP ) of USD 18,600 billion . The richest country on the basis of GDP per capita at PPP is United Arab Emirates . On basis of per capita GDP , Qatar is richest country with incomes exceeding US$ 108,000 per capita . According to a report by Salam Standard , the GDP impact of the world 's Muslim tourism sector exceeded $ 138 billion in 2015 , generating 4.3 million jobs and contributing more than $ 18 billion in tax revenue .

neg: Albanian-American Enterprise Fund Albanian-American Enterprise Fund ( AAEF ) is a non-political , not-for-profit US corporation established pursuant to the Support for East European Democracy Act of 1989 ( `` SEED Act '' ) . It was incorporated in 1995 and maintains offices in New York City and Tirana . It is located in `` Ibrahim Rugova '' str , `` Green Park '' Complex , Tower 2 , 12th Floor , Postal Code 1019 , Tirana , Albania .

neg: Armed Islamic Group of Algeria The Armed Islamic Group ( GIA , from Groupe Islamique Armé الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة , ) was one of the two main Islamist insurgents groups that fought the Algerian government and army in the Algerian Civil War . It was created from smaller armed groups following the 1992 military coup and arrest and internment of thousands of officials in the Islamist Islamic Salvation Front ( FIS ) party after that party won the first round of parliamentary elections in December 1991 . It was led by a succession of amirs ( commanders ) who were killed or arrested one after another .   Unlike the other main armed groups , the MIA and later the AIS , in its pursuit of an Islamic state the GIA sought not to pressure the government into concessions but to destabilise and overthrow it , to `` purge the land of the ungodly '' . Its slogan inscribed on all communiques was : `` no agreement , no truce , no dialogue '' .  The group desired to create `` an atmosphere of general insecurity '' and employed kidnapping , assassination , and bombings , including car bombs and targeted not only security forces but civilians .   Between 1992 and 1998 , the GIA conducted a violent campaign of civilian massacres , sometimes wiping out entire villages in its area of operation , ( notably the Bentalha and Rais ) . It attacked and killed other Islamists that left the GIA or attempted to negotiate with the government . It also targeted foreign civilians living in Algeria , killing more than 100 expatriate men and women in the country . The group established a presence outside Algeria , in France , Belgium , Britain , Italy and the United States , and launched terror attacks in France in late 1994 .   The `` undisputed principal Islamist force '' in Algeria in 1994 , by 1996 , militants were deserting `` in droves '' , alienated by its execution of civilians and Islamists leaders . In 1999 , a government amnesty law motivated large numbers of jihadis to `` repent '' . The remnants of the GIA proper were hunted down over the next two years , leaving a splinter group the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat ( GSPC ) , which announced its support for Al-Qaeda in October 2003 .   The GIA was and is considered a terrorist organisation by the governments of Algeria and France . To what extent the group was infiltrated and manipulated by Algerian security services is disputed . The GIA remains a Proscribed Organisation in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act 2000 .


query: Asia has arid and tropical climates.

pos: Asia Asia is Earth 's largest and most populous continent , located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres and sharing the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa . Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 km2 , about 30 % of Earth 's total land area and 8.7 % of the Earth 's total surface area . The continent , which has long been home to the majority of the human population , was the site of many of the first civilizations . Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population , but also dense and large settlements as well as vast barely populated regions within the continent of 4.4 billion people .   In general terms , Asia is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean , on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean . The western boundary with Europe is a historical and cultural construct , as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them . The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal , the Ural River , and the Ural Mountains , and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas .   China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE . China was a major economic power and attracted many to the east , and for many the legendary wealth and prosperity of the ancient culture of India personified Asia , attracting European commerce , exploration and colonialism . The accidental discovery of America by Columbus in search for India demonstrates this deep fascination . The Silk Road became the main East-West trading route in the Asian hitherland while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route . Asia has exhibited economic dynamism ( particularly East Asia ) as well as robust population growth during the 20th century , but overall population growth has since fallen . Asia was the birthplace of most of the world 's mainstream religions including Christianity , Islam , Judaism , Hinduism , Buddhism , Confucianism , Taoism ( or Daoism ) , Jainism , Sikhism , Zoroastranism , as well as many other religions .   Given its size and diversity , the concept of Asia -- a name dating back to classical antiquity -- may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography . Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups , cultures , environments , economics , historical ties and government systems . It also has a mix of many different climates ranging from the equatorial south via the hot desert in the Middle East , temperate areas in the east and the continental centre to vast subarctic and polar areas in Siberia .

neg: January 2016 East Asia cold wave In late January 2016 , a cold wave struck much of East Asia , parts of mainland Southeast Asia and parts of northern South Asia , bringing record cold temperatures and snowfall to many regions . Sleet was reported in Okinawa for the first time on record , and many other regions saw their coldest temperatures in decades . Snowfall and frigid weather stranded thousands of people across four countries . At least 85 people in Taiwan died from hypothermia and cardiac arrest following a sudden drop in temperature during the weekend of January 22 -- 24 . The cold claimed a further fourteen lives in Thailand , and snowstorms resulted in six deaths across Japan . This event was driven by a fast Arctic warming that occurred within the troposphere , forcing the Arctic Oscillation to change phase rapidly from positive ( in late December ) to negative ( in late January ) , facilitating the atmospheric blocking and associated Siberian high buildup .

neg: Habitat A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal , plant , or other type of organism . The term typically refers to the zone in which the organism lives and where it can find food , shelter , protection and mates for reproduction . It is the natural environment in which an organism lives , or the physical environment that surrounds a species population .   A habitat is made up of physical factors such as soil , moisture , range of temperature , and light intensity as well as biotic factors such as the availability of food and the presence or absence of predators . Every organism has certain habitat needs for the conditions in which it will thrive , but some are tolerant of wide variations while others are very specific in their requirements . A habitat is not necessarily a geographical area , it can be the interior of a stem , a rotten log , a rock or a clump of moss , and for a parasitic organism it is the body of its host , part of the host 's body such as the digestive tract , or a single cell within the host 's body .   Habitat types include polar , temperate , subtropical and tropical . The terrestrial vegetation type may be forest , steppe , grassland , semi-arid or desert . Fresh water habitats include marshes , streams , rivers , lakes , ponds and estuaries , and marine habitats include salt marshes , the coast , the intertidal zone , reefs , bays , the open sea , the sea bed , deep water and submarine vents .   Habitats change over time . This may be due to a violent event such as the eruption of a volcano , an earthquake , a tsunami , a wildfire or a change in oceanic currents ; or the change may be more gradual over millennia with alterations in the climate , as ice sheets and glaciers advance and retreat , and as different weather patterns bring changes of precipitation and solar radiation . Other changes come as a direct result of human activities ; deforestation , the ploughing of ancient grasslands , the diversion and damming of rivers , the draining of marshland and the dredging of the seabed . The introduction of alien species can have a devastating effect on native wildlife , through increased predation , through competition for resources or through the introduction of pests and diseases to which the native species have no immunity .

neg: Geology of the Himalaya The geology of the Himalaya is a record of the most dramatic and visible creations of modern plate tectonic forces . The Himalayas , which stretch over 2400 km between the Namche Barwa syntaxis in Tibet and the Nanga Parbat syntaxis in India , are the result of an ongoing orogeny -- the result of a collision between two continental tectonic plates . This immense mountain range was formed by tectonic forces and sculpted by weathering and erosion . The Himalaya-Tibet region supplies fresh water for more than one-fifth of the world population , and accounts for a quarter of the global sedimentary budget . Topographically , the belt has many superlatives : the highest rate of uplift ( nearly 10 mm/year at Nanga Parbat ) , the highest relief ( 8848 m at Mt. Everest Chomolangma ) , among the highest erosion rates at 2 -- 12 mm/yr , the source of some of the greatest rivers and the highest concentration of glaciers outside of the polar regions . This last feature earned the Himalaya its name , originating from the Sanskrit for `` the abode of the snow '' .

neg: Asia-Pacific region Asia-Pacific region ( or Region ) may refer to :   Asia-Pacific , a geographic designation  Asia-Pacific Scout Region ( World Organization of the Scout Movement )  Pacific Rim , countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean

neg: Hot summer cold winter zone Hot-summer/cold-winter zone is the transient climate region between the cold and the hot zones in China .   It includes the whole of Hubei , Hunan , Jiangxi , Anhui , Zhejiang provinces , Shanghai and Chongqing two municipalities , the eastern part of Sichuan and Guizhou provinces , the southern part of Henan , Jiangsu , Shanxi and Gansu provinces , and the northern part of Fujian , Guangdong and Guangxi provinces . The zone includes an area of 1800000 km2 with a population of 550 million people . This region is the most populous and economical-developed area of China , producing 48 % of the gross domestic product ( GDP ) of the whole country .   The main bother of hot-summer/cold-winter zone is hot , humid summers and cold , humid winters . The temperature difference between day and night is normally small . The precipitation in an average year is large . Sun radiation is relative weak due to cloud cover .   The most durable time you will ever have outside during the hottest summer month is 25 - , with peak temperatures above 40 ° C . The average outside temperature during the coldest winter month is 0 - , with lowest temperatures below 0 ° C.   For historical reasons , the residential buildings in this zone do n't have central HVAC systems and are not well insulated or otherwise weatherized . With the recent and rapid economic development of this region , demand for better indoor environments is rising .   Many residents install ` minisplit ' air conditioners to improve their thermal comfort . But electrical energy consumption is rising accordingly and is taxing the generation capacity . The Chinese government has created new national design standards and other efforts to lower the energy consumption while also constructing new power generating stations .

neg: Irrigation in Mexico Mexico , a classified arid and semi-arid country , has a total land area of 2 million square kilometres , 23 % of which is equipped for irrigated agriculture . The agricultural sector plays an important role in the economic development of the country accounting for 8.4 of agricultural gross domestic product ( GDP ) and employing 23 % of the economically active population . Irrigated agriculture contributes about 50 % of the total value of agricultural production and accounts for about 70 % of agriculture exports . Mexico 's government initiated a number of structural reforms in the water sector aimed to introduce modern water management and irrigation .

neg: List of ecoregions in Japan Japan is home to a nine forest ecoregions , which reflect its climate and geography . The islands that constitute Japan generally have a humid climate , which ranges from warm subtropical in the southern islands to cool temperate on the northern island of Hokkaidō .   Japan lies at the convergence of three terrestrial ecozones , the Palearctic , Indomalaya , and Oceania , and its flora and fauna combine elements from all three . The ecoregions that cover the main islands of Japan , Honshū , Hokkaidō , Kyūshū , and Shikoku , along with the nearby islands , are considered part of the Palearctic ecozone . The island arcs of southern Japan , the Ryukyu Islands to the southwest and the Ogasawara Islands to the southeast , are home to subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregions ; the Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests ecoregion is part of the Indomalaya ecozone , while the Ogasawara subtropical moist forests of the Ogasawaras is part of the Oceania ecozone .

neg: Sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature ( SST ) is the water temperature close to the ocean 's surface . The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used , but it is between 1 mm and 20 m below the sea surface . Air masses in the Earth 's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a short distance of the shore . Localized areas of heavy snow can form in bands downwind of warm water bodies within an otherwise cold air mass . Warm sea surface temperatures are known to be a cause of tropical cyclogenesis over the Earth 's oceans . Tropical cyclones can also cause a cool wake , due to turbulent mixing of the upper 30 m of the ocean . SST changes diurnally , like the air above it , but to a lesser degree . There is less SST variation on breezy days than on calm days . In addition , ocean currents such as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation ( AMO ) , can effect SST 's on multi-decadal time scales , a major impact results from the global thermohaline circulation , which affects average SST significantly throughout most of the world 's oceans .   Coastal SSTs can cause offshore winds to generate upwelling , which can significantly cool or warm nearby landmasses , but shallower waters over a continental shelf are often warmer . Onshore winds can cause a considerable warm-up even in areas where upwelling is fairly constant , such as the northwest coast of South America . Its values are important within numerical weather prediction as the SST influences the atmosphere above , such as in the formation of sea breezes and sea fog . It is also used to calibrate measurements from weather satellites .

neg: Desert A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life . The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to the processes of denudation . About one third of the land surface of the world is arid or semi-arid . This includes much of the polar regions where little precipitation occurs and which are sometimes called polar deserts or `` cold deserts '' . Deserts can be classified by the amount of precipitation that falls , by the temperature that prevails , by the causes of desertification or by their geographical location .   Deserts are formed by weathering processes as large variations in temperature between day and night put strains on the rocks which consequently break in pieces . Although rain seldom occurs in deserts , there are occasional downpours that can result in flash floods . Rain falling on hot rocks can cause them to shatter and the resulting fragments and rubble strewn over the desert floor is further eroded by the wind . This picks up particles of sand and dust and wafts them aloft in sand or dust storms . Wind-blown sand grains striking any solid object in their path can abrade the surface . Rocks are smoothed down , and the wind sorts sand into uniform deposits . The grains end up as level sheets of sand or are piled high in billowing sand dunes . Other deserts are flat , stony plains where all the fine material has been blown away and the surface consists of a mosaic of smooth stones . These areas are known as desert pavements and little further erosion takes place . Other desert features include rock outcrops , exposed bedrock and clays once deposited by flowing water . Temporary lakes may form and salt pans may be left when waters evaporate . There may be underground sources of water in the form of springs and seepages from aquifers . Where these are found , oases can occur .   Plants and animals living in the desert need special adaptations to survive in the harsh environment . Plants tend to be tough and wiry with small or no leaves , water-resistant cuticles and often spines to deter herbivory . Some annual plants germinate , bloom and die in the course of a few weeks after rainfall while other long-lived plants survive for years and have deep root systems able to tap underground moisture . Animals need to keep cool and find enough food and water to survive . Many are nocturnal and stay in the shade or underground during the heat of the day . They tend to be efficient at conserving water , extracting most of their needs from their food and concentrating their urine . Some animals remain in a state of dormancy for long periods , ready to become active again when the rare rains fall . They then reproduce rapidly while conditions are favorable before returning to dormancy .   People have struggled to live in deserts and the surrounding semi-arid lands for millennia . Nomads have moved their flocks and herds to wherever grazing is available and oases have provided opportunities for a more settled way of life . The cultivation of semi-arid regions encourages erosion of soil and is one of the causes of increased desertification . Desert farming is possible with the aid of irrigation and the Imperial Valley in California provides an example of how previously barren land can be made productive by the import of water from an outside source . Many trade routes have been forged across deserts , especially across the Sahara Desert , and traditionally were used by caravans of camels carrying salt , gold , ivory and other goods . Large numbers of slaves were also taken northwards across the Sahara . Some mineral extraction also takes place in deserts and the uninterrupted sunlight gives potential for the capture of large quantities of solar energy .

neg: Maritime Continent Maritime Continent is the name given primarily by meteorologists and oceanographers to the region of Southeast Asia which comprises , amongst other countries , Indonesia , Philippines and Papua New Guinea . Located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans , it is situated within a warm ocean region known as the Tropical Warm Pool .   The maritime continent consists of many islands , peninsulas and shallow seas . The region is significant in meteorology because it is considered the most important energy source region in the entire global circulation system owing to a number of coincident factors , the most significant being geographic location and topography , both of which contribute to the development of the Tropical Warm Pool , which is the warmest large area of ocean on Earth .   Coined by Colin Ramage in 1968 , the name combines the terms maritime and continent normally used as opposites in the description of climate . Maritime air is humid , and continental air is dry .   In the Southeast Asia region , land masses and bodies of water are , roughly-speaking , evenly distributed . Moreover , the land masses are characterized by high mountains , and the seas are among the warmest on the earth . This produces a widespread area of diurnal thunderstorms which pump huge quantities of moisture and heat high up into the atmosphere which in turn feeds the upper level winds which circle the globe .

neg: Tropical rain belt Rainfall and the tropical climate dominate the tropical rain belt , which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year , roughly following the solar equator . The tropical rain belt is an area of active rain that is positioned mostly around the tropics . According to the website Journey North , the reason the rain belt is situated near the tropics can be attributed to the fact that most of the sun 's radiation is directed toward the equator , which is located in the middle of the tropics . This solar radiation generates large amounts of heat near the equator providing tropical regions with higher temperatures than most other regions on Earth .   With all this solar radiation , the air around the tropics begins to warm up . Because hot air is less dense than cold air , the hot air rises into the upper levels of the atmosphere and as a result , cold air filters down into the lower levels of the atmosphere . The dynamics that provide the tropics with the rain belt are founded on the principal that warmer air is able to retain more moisture than colder air . When the colder air replaces the warmer air in the lower atmosphere , the abundant moisture from the tropics loses the ability to be stored in the atmosphere . As a result , the excess moisture that can not be held by the colder air is then turned into thunderstorms and rain showers . These thunderstorms and rain showers are usually located along the equator , but they will extend out to the Tropic of Cancer , which is the 23.5 north latitude , as well as the Tropic of Capricorn , which is the 23.5 south latitude . It is largely a manifestation of the ITCH ( incorrect citation ) .   The tropical rain belt lies in the southern hemisphere of the Indian ocean and western Pacific ocean roughly from October to March , and during this time the northern tropics experience a dry season in which precipitation is very rare , and days are typically hot and sunny throughout . From April to September , the rain belt lies in the northern hemisphere , and a wet season occurs there , while the southern tropics experience their dry season .   The rain belt reaches roughly as far north as the Tropic of Cancer and as far south as the Tropic of Capricorn in the western Pacific ocean . Its variation in the Western Hemisphere is minimal , roughly between the equator and the 15th parallel north latitude . Near these latitudes , there is one wet season and one dry season annually . On the equator , there are two wet and two dry seasons as the rain belt passes over twice a year , one moving north and one moving south . Between the tropics and the equator , locations may experience both a short wet and a long wet season . Local geography may substantially modify these climate patterns .

neg: 2015 Indian heat wave In May 2015 , India was struck by a severe heat wave . , it has caused the deaths of at least 2,500 people in multiple regions . The heat wave occurred during the Indian dry season , which typically lasts from March to July with peak temperatures in April and May . Although it typically remains hot until late October , Indian monsoons often provide some respite from the heat .   The South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring Telangana , where more than 1,735 and 585 people died respectively , were the areas most affected by the heat wave . Other casualties were from the eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha . The high demand for electricity to power air conditioning led to power outages in some cities . The 2015 heat wave has had the highest recorded temperatures since 1995 . In May 2016 , a new record was set in Phalodi .

neg: Near East The Near East is a geographical term that roughly encompasses Western Asia . Despite having varying definitions within different academic circles , the term was originally applied to the maximum extent of the Ottoman Empire . The term has fallen into disuse in English and has been replaced by the terms Middle East and Western Asia .   According to the National Geographic Society , the terms Near East and Middle East denote the same territories and are `` generally accepted as comprising the countries of the Arabian Peninsula , Cyprus , Egypt , Iraq , Iran , Israel , Jordan , Lebanon , Palestinian territories , Syria , and Turkey '' . The Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) of the United Nations defines the region similarly , but also includes Afghanistan while excluding the countries of North Africa and the Palestinian territories .

neg: East Asian rainy season The East Asian rainy season , commonly called the plum rain ( ; Russian : затяжные , zatyazhnie ) , is caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary front known as the Mei-Yu front for nearly two months during the late spring and early summer between eastern Russia , China , Taiwan , Korea , and Japan . The wet season ends during the summer when the subtropical ridge becomes strong enough to push this front north of the region .

neg: List of Asian astronauts If `` Asian '' is restricted to refer to people from the continent of Asia , exclusive of Asian Russia , who are not of predominantly European , African , or American ancestry , then the list is as follows : .   The first country listed is that of citizenship ; the second , if any , is that of the Asian country of birth and/or ancestry , where different .   The list is divided between those astronauts whose origin or ancestry is in West or South Asia ( Afghanistan , Azerbaijan , Georgia , India , Israel , Iran , Saudi Arabia , Syria ) and those whose origin or ancestry is in East or Central Asia ( China , Japan , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Malaysia , Mongolia , Vietnam ) .

neg: 2011–12 Australian region cyclone season The 2011 -- 12 Australian region cyclone season was a below average tropical cyclone season , with 7 cyclones forming rather than the usuall 11 . It began on 1 November 2011 , and ended on 14 May 2012 . The regional tropical cyclone operational plan defines a `` tropical cyclone year '' separately from a `` tropical cyclone season '' ; the `` tropical cyclone year '' began on 1 July 2011 and ended on 30 June 2012 .   The scope of the Australian region is limited to all areas south of the equator , east of 90 ° E and west of 160 ° E . This area includes Australia , Papua New Guinea , western parts of the Solomon Islands , East Timor and southern parts of Indonesia .   Tropical cyclones in this area are monitored by five Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres ( TCWCs ) : the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in Perth , Darwin , and Brisbane ; TCWC Jakarta in Indonesia ; and TCWC Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea . The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issues unofficial warnings for the region , designating tropical depressions with the `` S '' suffix when they form west of 135 ° E , and the `` P '' suffix when they form east of 135 ° E.  __ TOC __

neg: Economy of Punjab, India According to the 2008 Global Hunger Index , Punjab has the lowest level of hunger in India . Less than one-fourth of children below the age of five are underweight , although Punjab `` came off worse than countries like Gabon and Vietnam when measured on the index '' .   Punjab has relatively good infrastructure . This includes road , rail , air and river transport links that are extensive throughout the region . Punjab has also one of the lowest poverty rate in India at 6.16 % ( 1999-2000 figures ) , and has won the best state performance award , based on statistical data compiled by the Indian Government . In 2012 , the state was one of the highest receiver of overall remittances to India which stood at $ 66.13 billion ( 4547429450000.00 Indian Rupees ) , below Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh .

neg: Life zones of Peru When the Spanish arrived , they divided Peru ( very simplistically ) into three main regions : the coastal region ( 11.6 % of Peru ) , that is bounded by the Pacific Ocean ; the highlands ( 28.1 % of Peru ) , that is located on the Andean Heights , and the jungle , that is located on the Amazonian Jungle ( Climate of Peru ) . But Javier Pulgar Vidal ( es ) , a geographer who studied the biogeographic reality of the Peruvian territory for a long time , proposed the creation of eight Natural Regions . In 1941 , he presented his thesis `` Las Ocho Regiones Naturales del Perú '' at the III General Assembly of the Pan-American Institute of Geography and History .   These eight Peruvian regions are :  Chala or Coast ( subtropical dry and tropical savanna )  Yungas  Fluvial Yunga  Loma-Vegetation  Quechua  Suni or Jalca  Puna  Janca  Rupa - Rupa or Highland Jungle  Omagua or Lowland Jungle

neg: Saharan Air Layer The Saharan Air Layer ( SAL ) is an extremely hot , dry and sometimes dust-laden layer of the atmosphere that often overlies the cooler , more-humid surface air of the Atlantic Ocean . In the Sahara Desert region of North Africa , where it originates , it is the prevalent atmosphere , extending from the surface upwards several kilometers . As it drives , or is driven , out over the ocean , it is lifted above the denser marine air . This arrangement is an inversion where the temperature increases with height . The boundary between the SAL and the marine layer suppresses or `` caps '' any convection originating in the marine layer . Since it is dry air , the lapse rate within the SAL itself is steep , that is , the temperature falls rapidly with height .   Disturbances such as large thunderstorm complexes over North Africa periodically result in vast dust and sand storms , some of which extend as high as 6,000 meters . These can be driven out to sea within the SAL as far west as North America .   In the case of Africa , winds blow twenty percent of dust from a Saharan storm out over the Atlantic Ocean , and twenty percent of that , or four percent of a single storm 's dust , reaches all the way to the western Atlantic . The remainder settles out into the ocean or washes out of the air with rainfall . Scientists think that the July 2000 measurements made in Puerto Rico , nearly 8 million tonnes , equaled about one-fifth of the total year 's dust deposits .   The SAL passes over the Canary Islands where the phenomenon is named `` Calima '' and manifests as a fog that reduces visibility and deposits a layer of dust over everything .   These clouds of dust are visible in satellite photos as a milky white to gray shade , similar to haze .   Findings to date indicate that the iron-rich dust particles that often occur within the SAL reflect solar radiation , thus cooling the atmosphere . The particles also reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the ocean , thus reducing the amount of heating of the ocean . They also tend to increase condensation as they drift into the marine layer below , but not precipitation as the drops formed are too small to fall and tend not to readily coelesce . These tiny drops are subsequently more easily evaporated as they move into drier air laterally or dry air mixes down from the SAL aloft . Research on aerosols also shows that the presence of small particles in air tends to suppress winds . The SAL has also been observed to suppress the development and intensifying of tropical cyclones , which may be related directly to these factors .   The SAL is a subject of ongoing study and research .

neg: Asiatic Asiatic refers to something related to Asia .   Asiatic may also refer to :  Asiatic style , a term in ancient stylistic criticism associated with Greek writers of Asia Minor  In the context of Ancient Egypt , Asiatic is used to mean beyond the borders of Egypt and the continent of Africa to the east , but only of western Asia , or of what may now be considered the Middle East .


query: Kamala Harris is an alum of Howard University.

pos: Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( -LSB- ˈkɑːmələ -RSB- born October 20 , 1964 ) is an American attorney and politician who is the junior United States Senator from California . She is a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 32nd Attorney General of California .   Harris graduated from Howard University and University of California , Hastings College of the Law . She worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County , California ( 1990 -- 98 ) . She served as Managing Attorney of the Career Criminal Unit in the San Francisco District Attorney 's Office ( 1998-2000 ) and as Chief of the Community and Neighborhood Division in the office of San Francisco City Attorney ( 2000 -- 03 ) . In 2003 , she was elected as California 's first African American female District Attorney of San Francisco , defeating incumbent Terence Hallinan . She was re-elected in 2007 and served from 2004 to 2011 .   Harris was elected California 's Attorney General in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 . Harris was the first woman , the first Jamaican American , the first Asian American , the first Indian American , and the first African American attorney general in California .   On November 8 , 2016 , she defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 U.S. Senate election to replace outgoing Democratic senator Barbara Boxer , becoming the third woman of color , first Indian American , and first biracial woman ( alongside Tammy Duckworth and Catherine Cortez Masto ) elected to serve in the United States Senate .

neg: Education Law Association The Education Law Association ( ELA ) is a professional organization composed of school and university administrators , professors , consultants , and attorneys , for the purpose of interdisciplinary dialogue regarding legal issues in education . This is accomplished through seminars , webinars , an annual conference , and the highest quality monographs and books , some of which are popular graduate textbooks . Members receive special pricing on most products and events , and also receive monthly and quarterly updates , access to an online searchable case database of summaries of cases in education law , and numerous other products and services not available to the public .   Annual Conference   Publications   History   Founded in 1954 during an education conference at Duke University , the National Organization on Legal Problems in Education was founded with 57 members from 15 states and the District of Columbia . Within six weeks of its inception , NOLPE had 205 members from 40 states , the District of Columbia and Guam .   The first annual meeting was held in the fall of 1955 at the University of Chicago and the first full-sized book was published in 1958 , titled Law and the School Superintendent . By 1963 , nearly one-third of the membership were attorneys .   The annual conference attracts hundreds of participants and attendees from around the United States and a number of other countries . The conference has been held in such places as Philadelphia , Chicago , Denver , Miami Beach , Las Vegas , New Orleans , and Nassau , Bahamas . In 1994 , NOLPE officially became known as the Education Law Association .   Past Presidents of ELA   The Education Law Association is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional advice and assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions by any of its contributing authors or editors . If you have any questions about the application of issues raised herein to your present situation , seek the advice of a competent attorney or professional .

neg: Chapin A. Harris Chapin Aaron Harris A.M. , MD , D.D.S. ( May 6 , 1806 in Pompey , N.Y. -- September 29 , 1860 in Baltimore , Maryland ) was an American physician and dentist and dentistry school founder .

neg: Howard Husock __ NOTOC __  Howard Husock is vice president for policy research at the Manhattan Institute , where he is also director of its Social Entrepreneurship Initiative and a contributing editor to the Institute 's quarterly magazine , City Journal . He is the author of the blog Philanthropy and Society on Forbes.com and author of the book Philanthropy Under Fire .   Husock was nominated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board of Directors by President Barack Obama in June 2013 and confirmed by the Senate in August 2013 . From 1987 through 2006 , Husock served as director of case studies in public policy and management at Harvard University 's Kennedy School of Government , where he was also a fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations . His publications on the nonprofit sector have appeared in The Wall Street Journal , National Affairs , Society Magazine , The Chronicle of Philanthropy , The Public Interest , The New York Times , and the Washington Post . In addition , Husock has written widely on housing and urban policy , including in his book , The Trillion-Dollar Housing Mistake : The Failure of American Housing Policy ( Ivan R. Dee , 2003 ) and his monograph Repairing the Ladder : Toward a New Housing Policy Paradigm ( Reason Foundation , 1996 ) . His work has also appeared in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management , Philanthropy , and The Wilson Quarterly . Husock is a former broadcast journalist and documentary filmmaker whose work at WGBH-TV in Boston won three Emmy awards .   His WGBH series Community Disorder : Racial Violence in Boston ( 1979 ) won the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award for television . His WGBH credits include The Paterson Project : One City in the Reagan Era ( 1982 ) ; Pat Ewing and an American Dream ( 1981 ) ; Meet Tom Menino ( 1983 ) ; The World Halfball Tournament ( 1983 ) and America 's First School : 350 Years at Boston Latin ( 1984 ) .

neg: Lab School of Baltimore Baltimore Lab School ' is a private day school for bright children in grades 1-12 . Baltimore Lab School provides a unique educational opportunity for students with moderate-to-severe learning differences . Baltimore Lab School is located in Baltimore , Maryland in Goucher Hall ( one of the historic Old Goucher College Buildings ) built by renowned architect Stanford White . The school was founded in September 2000 as a division of its parent school in Washington D.C. , The Lab School of Washington . Both schools were founded and administered by Sally Smith , a nationally recognized leader in special education , until her death in 2007 .   Baltimore Lab School offers its students and the public clinical services , including speech-language therapy , occupational therapy and psychological services . Individual or small group related service sessions are offered on an outpatient basis or through pull-out or push-in services for an extra fee . All students are able to benefit from these on-site specialists through services integrated into instruction .   Baltimore Lab is a training site for interns from Temple University , Johns Hopkins University , Loyola University , Towson University , Goucher College , and Maryland Institute College of Art . These students complete an internship under the supervision of Baltimore Lab 's teaching staff . Baltimore Lab School faculty members are invited to speak at local universities and professional conferences . Baltimore Lab School strives to educate each student with a rigorous , yet non-traditional approach . In addition to core academics , visual arts , performing arts , and athletics , Baltimore Lab School fosters confidence , self-esteem , self-advocacy , and an awareness of individual learning styles and talents . Students of all ages are taught to develop their own personal `` tool kits '' of strategies , accommodations , and insight into their disability . Emphasis on each student becoming a master of his or her best self is especially emphasized in Baltimore Lab School 's high school program , where students explore their options for `` Life After Lab , '' through a community internship programs , opportunities to meet with college representatives , etc. .   Baltimore Lab School offers a low student-to-staff ratio that allows their students to have better academic support than special needs students would when enrolled in a traditional school setting .   The school also offers after-school activities and sports , such as cross country , indoor rock-climbing , tennis , track and field , basketball , and swimming , as well as many field trips to further enhance the learning experience of students . Baltimore Lab School also partners with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to organize a multitude of outdoor learning experiences for students of all ages .   Baltimore Lab School 's 9th commencement exercises took place in June 2016 . The commencement speaker was James Piper Bond , President of Living Classrooms Foundation . Previous commencement speakers have included Fred Lazarus , who at the time was President of Maryland Institute College of Art .   In March 2014 , Baltimore Lab School began operating fully independently from Lab School of Washington . The building that houses the school was purchased from Washington Lab .

neg: The Harlem School of the Arts Harlem School of the Arts ( HSA ) in Harlem , New York was founded in 1964 by soprano Dorothy Maynor , and offers its programs to students of all ages . Mezzo-soprano Betty Allen succeeded Maynor as President in 1979 when a new 37,000 square foot facility designed by Ulrich Franzen was completed . Other Presidents include Allicia Adams , Camille Akjeu , and Daryl Durham . In August 2015 , new President and CEO , Eric G. Pryor , was named .   According to its website , the mission of the Harlem School of the Arts is `` to enrich the lives of children and their families in the Harlem community and beyond , through exposure to and instruction in the arts . '' In 2005 , the school was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $ 20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation , which was made possible through a donation by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg .   Harlem School of the Arts was able to weather the financial crisis experienced in 2010 , and stabilize its fiscal position due to a generous gift of 6 million dollars from the Herb Alpert Foundation . Now HSA stands poise to implement sustainable business model , under the leadership of Board Chairman Charles J. Hamilton , Jr. , Esq. , Vice Chair Janice Savin Williams , and newly appointed President , Eric G. Pryor . This notable performing arts institution celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 .   The school offers courses in four disciplines ; music , theatre , visual arts , and dance . Courses in music include classical , jazz , gospel , R & B , electronic and world music . Dance courses including ballet , modern , ethnic , jazz , and tap dance . In addition to theater classes , the visual art department offers courses which include sculpture , and photography ( digital and film ) .   The school 's students are of diverse cultural backgrounds , and tuition is relatively inexpensive in contrast to similar educational institutions in the United States . HSA provides financial aid on a first-come , first-served basis through the generous donations on the Herb Alpert Foundation and other generous benefactors .

neg: Association of American Colleges and Universities The Association of American Colleges and Universities ( AAC&U ) is a national association headquartered in Washington , D.C , United States . It focuses on improving undergraduate education and advancing liberal education . Founded in 1915 , AAC&U comprises more than 1,350 member institutions -- including accredited public and private colleges , community colleges , research universities , and comprehensive universities .   The organization 's mission statement states its goal is `` to make liberal education and inclusive excellence the foundation for institutional purpose and educational practice in higher education . ''   Beginning its second century as a higher education association , AAC&U advocates for liberal education for all college students , across all fields and disciplines , at all types of institutions . This advocacy sets AAC&U apart from other non-profit higher-education associations and positions AAC&U in the midst of vigorous arguments about the purpose and quality of college education . AAC&U serves all sectors of higher education ; the association does not lobby for higher education . In August 2015 , Inside Higher Education 's Paul Fain characterizes AAC&U this way : `` Amid talk of higher education 's possible disruption and unbundling , the Association of American Colleges & Universities stakes out an aggressive middle ground . Are people listening ? '' Writing for the Chronicle of Higher Education , Dan Berrett offers a historical perspective on the purposes of college education . In an article titled `` If Skills Are the New Canon , Are Colleges Teaching Them ? '' Berrett explores how college teaching , learning , and assessment are changing . The article situates the work of AAC&U at the center of debate about the purpose of college education , specifically raising questions about quality of student learning and ways that educators are providing evidence that students are learning .

neg: Ingham University Ingham University in Le Roy , New York , was the first women 's college in New York State and the first chartered women 's university in the United States . It was founded in 1835 as the Attica ( NY ) Female Seminary by Mariette and Emily E. Ingham , who moved the school to Le Roy in 1837 . The school was chartered on April 6 , 1852 as the Ingham Collegiate Institute , and a full university charter was granted in April 1857 . After financial difficulties , the college closed in 1892 and its property was sold at auction in 1895 . Over several years , the college 's former buildings were demolished ; the stone from the Arts Conservatory , the last campus building to be dismantled , was used to build the Woodward Memorial Library at the same location in Le Roy .   Ingham University was the alma mater of Sarah Frances Whiting , who later founded the physics department and establish the astronomical observatory at Wellesley College .

neg: Benjamin Gwinn Harris Benjamin Gwinn Harris ( December 13 , 1805 -- April 4 , 1895 ) was a U.S. Representative from Maryland .   Born near Leonardtown , St. Mary 's County , Maryland , Harris attended Yale College in the late 1820s , and Harvard Law School from 1829 to 1830 . He served as member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1833 and 1836 , and was admitted to the bar in 1840 . Harris was removed from Yale after taking part in a student protest against the poor quality of the food in the campus housing . While serving in the Maryland House of Delegates , he opposed the Know-Nothing Party and championed religious freedom . Yet , he also sought to enforce slavery and the oppression of African-Americans including the re-enslavement of Maryland 's freedmen on the eve of the Civil War .   Harris was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Congresses ( March 4 , 1863 -- March 3 , 1867 ) . He voted against every war appropriations measure brought to the House of Representatives . His vote on the Thirteenth Amendment is recorded as nay . He was censured by the House of Representatives on April 9 , 1864 , for treasonable utterances . In his defense of Congressman Alexander Long , Harris openly prayed for a southern victory on the floor of the House . He was tried by a military court in Washington , D.C. in May 1865 for harboring two paroled Confederate soldiers , and sentenced to three years imprisonment and forever disqualified from holding any office under the United States Government , but President Andrew Johnson subsequently remitted the sentence . He died on his estate , `` Ellenborough , '' near Leonardtown , Maryland , April 4 , 1895 . He was interred in the family burying ground on his estate .

neg: Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University ( known as SHSU or Sam ) was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas . It is located approximately 70 minutes north of downtown Houston , in Huntsville , Texas . It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first such institution of its type in Texas . The school is named for Sam Houston , who made his home in the city and is buried there .   SHSU is a member of the Texas State University System and has an enrollment of more than 20,000 students across over 80 undergraduate , 59 masters ' , and 8 doctoral degree programs . The university also offers more than 20 online bachelor 's and graduate degrees , and its online programs are ranked high by U.S. News & World Report . It was the first institution classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education within the Texas State University System , and while education continues to be the most popular major among students at the university , SHSU has nationally recognized programs in banking , performing arts , mathematics and criminal justice .

neg: Seth Harris Seth D. Harris ( born October 12 , 1962 ) was the 11th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor , and served for six months as the Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor and a member of President Barack Obama 's Cabinet . Nominated by President Obama in February 2009 , Harris was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2009 , and became acting Secretary of Labor following the resignation of Hilda Solis in January 2013 . Harris was also a member of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation 's Board of Directors . Harris stepped down from his post on January 16 , 2014 . Since leaving the Obama Administration , Harris has been a Distinguished Scholar at Cornell University 's School of Industrial & Labor Relations , and Counsel in the Public Policy & Regulation and Employment & Labor practices of Dentons , a global law firm , before establishing his own law office . Harris is also a member of the United Cerebral Palsy Association 's Board of Directors .

neg: Howard Payne University Howard Payne University is a four-to-five-year ( depending on degree plan ) , private university located in Brownwood , Texas . The university is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas .   Currently the university has almost 1,200 full-time students . Howard Payne is known for its Christian Studies program , the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy , and its Music department .   HPU founders named the college after Edward Howard Payne , a Missouri resident . Payne , brother-in-law to John David Robnett , the college 's founder , gave the lead monetary gift to start the university .   HPU offers more than 50 majors , minors and pre-professional programs within six schools : Science and Math , Business , Christian Studies , Education , Music and Fine Arts , and Humanities .   With a student to professor ratio of 11:1 and peer tutoring through the collegium on campus , student success is a priority at HPU .   Athletic programs include NCAA Division III football , baseball , softball , women 's volleyball , men and women 's soccer , basketball and tennis . The HPU mascot is a yellow jacket named `` Buzzsaw . ''   The university also has extension centers located in New Braunfels , Texas and in El Paso , Texas .

neg: Evelyn Handler Evelyn Erika Handler ( née Sass ; May 5 , 1933 -- December 23 , 2011 ) served from 1980 to 1983 as the University of New Hampshire 's fourteenth , and first female , president . Handler was the first woman in the country to be named president of a publicly supported land grant university . She was credited with bringing in $ 15 million in federal grants for a science and engineering research center .   In 1983 , Handler was inaugurated as President of Brandeis University , where she was also the first woman to hold that position . Notable achievements during her tenure include the initiation of The Volen National Center for Complex Systems , the strengthening of life sciences at Brandeis , admission to the Association of American Universities , and founding membership in the University Athletic Association . After leaving Brandeis in 1991 , Handler was a research fellow and associate of the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University , and a senior fellow at The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching . From 1994 to 1997 , she served as California Academy of Sciences ' executive director and CEO .   Earlier in her career , she was Dean of Sciences and Mathematics , and professor of biological sciences at Hunter College , where she had earned her undergraduate degree . Dr. Handler earned M.Sc . and Ph.D. degrees from New York University , and a J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center . Her scholarly work includes many publications on myelogenous leukemia .   Handler was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , and a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences . Additionally , she was elected to the Board of Governors of the New York Academy of Sciences in 1979 , and served as a director of the Student Loan Corporation ( Stamford , CT ) . She held honorary degrees from the University of Pittsburgh , Rivier College and Hunter College . She was killed when she was struck by a car on December 23 , 2011 .

neg: Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University The Department of Epidemiology , Columbia University is one of six departments at Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health , located on the Columbia University Medical Center campus in New York City . It offers five graduate degrees , several doctoral and post-doctoral training programs , and holds a summer institute . The department also hosts a symposium series on public health issues like HIV , screening , and autism ; a lecture series on current epidemiologic topics , publishes a quarterly newsletter and sponsors a public health website called the 2x2 Project .   The department 's research strengths include cancer epidemiology , HIV care and treatment , biologic and social determinants of population health , psychiatric epidemiology , epidemiology of injury , and applying methodologic approaches to look at epidemiology over the life course . The department is organized into six research areas , which are known as clusters .

neg: University of Maryland University College The University of Maryland University College ( UMUC ) is an American public not-for-profit university located in Adelphi in Prince George 's County , Maryland in the United States . UMUC offers classes and programs on campus in its Academic Center in Largo , and at satellite campuses across the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area , throughout Maryland , as well as in Europe , the Middle East , and Asia .   UMUC serves over 90,000 students worldwide and is one of the largest distance learning institutions in the world . UMUC is open to all applicants with a 100 percent acceptance rate for undergraduate programs . The university offers 120 academic programs in instructor-led and online classes , including bachelor , masters , and doctoral degrees as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates . UMUC is a member of the University System of Maryland , which includes eleven separate public universities in Maryland . University of Maryland University College ( UMUC ) is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education .

neg: Joe Harris (mathematician) Joseph Daniel Harris ( born August 17 , 1951 ) , known nearly universally as Joe Harris , is a mathematician at Harvard University working in the field of algebraic geometry . He attended college at and received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1978 under Phillip Griffiths .   During the 1980s he was on the faculty of Brown University , moving to Harvard around 1988 . He served as chair of the department at Harvard from 2002 to 2005 . His work is characterized by its classical geometric flavor : he has claimed that nothing he thinks about could not have been imagined by the Italian geometers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries , and that if he has had greater success than them , it is because he has access to better tools .   Harris is well known for several of his books on algebraic geometry , notable for their informal presentations :  Principles of Algebraic Geometry ISBN 978-0-471-05059-9 , with Phillip Griffiths  Geometry of Algebraic Curves , Vol . 1 ISBN 978-0-387-90997-4 , with Enrico Arbarello , Maurizio Cornalba , and Phillip Griffiths  , with William Fulton   , with David Eisenbud  Moduli of Curves ISBN 978-0-387-98438-4 , with Ian Morrison .   Harris has supervised 41 Ph.D. students ( as of 2012 ) , including James McKernan , Rahul Pandharipande , Zvezdelina Stankova and Ravi Vakil .

neg: Howard Park Howard Park may refer to :  Howard Park , Queens , a neighborhood in Howard Beach , Queens , New York City  Howard Park , Baltimore , part of Forest Park  Howard Park , Kilmarnock , East Ayrshire , Scotland  Howard Park P.S. 218 , an elementary school in Baltimore , Maryland , United States  Howard Park Wines , a winery in Western Australia

neg: Deborah Jean Howard Deborah Jean Howard ( February 13 , 1967 -- July 24 , 2009 ) was an American beauty pageant titleholder . She was crowned Miss New Hampshire 1991 and competed for the Miss America 1992 title .   Howard was a graduate of Concord High School in Concord , New Hampshire , and Plymouth State University in Plymouth , New Hampshire . She earned a bachelor 's degree in English in 1989 and a master 's degree in special education in 2007 . After her reign , she continued acting , singing , and dancing in community productions and teaching Sunday school . She became a school teacher and a drama coach . She died on July 24 , 2009 , in a car accident on Interstate 93 . She was 42 .

neg: Howard College Howard College is a community college with its main campus in Big Spring , Texas and branch campuses in San Angelo and Lamesa .

neg: Howard Bison soccer For information on all Howard University sports , see Howard Bison and Lady Bison   The Howard Bison soccer team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Howard University in Washington , D.C. , United States . The team is an associate member of the Sun Belt Conference , which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association 's Division I. Howard 's first men 's soccer team was fielded in 1965 . The team plays its home games at Greene Stadium near the Park View neighborhood of the District . The Bison are coached by Howard alumnus and former U.S. national team player , Phillip Gyau .   Howard achieved much of their success in the early to mid-1970s and in the late 1980s , where they would win two NCAA Division I Men 's Soccer Championships , and reach the College Cup on six occasions . Howard is known as the first historically black college and university to win an NCAA soccer title . Despite these achievements , the Bison have had less success in modern times , with their last NCAA berth coming in 1997 .

neg: Virginia Harris Virginia S. Harris was Publisher of The Writings of Mary Baker Eddy , President and founding Trustee of The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity and Chair of The Christian Science Board of Directors between 1990 and 2004 . In these roles she was instrumental in expanding the availability of Mary Baker Eddy 's primary work , Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and increasing awareness of Mrs. Eddy 's life and ideas . The establishment of The Mary Baker Eddy Library enabled a large and valuable collection of 19th and early 20th century letters and artifacts to be available to the public for the first time .   Harris has spoken extensively on Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy . She was on the faculty of Harvard Medical School 's semi-annual Spirituality & Healing in Medicine symposium from 1995-2004 , speaking on Christian Science healing to hundreds of physicians , nurses , healthcare professionals , and clergy . She appeared in two exclusive interviews on Larry King Live , in 1999 and 2001 , and has been interviewed by The Boston Globe , The New York Times , The Los Angeles Times , NPR and many other media sources .   The Christian Science Board of Directors functions as a five-member Board in its governing system .   Virginia Harris made significant contributions , attempting to foster new appreciation and interest in the teachings of Christian Science by opening the doors and documents of the Church as well as creating new dialogue with a wide range of current thinkers on the relationships between healing and thought , including Dr. Herb Benson , Marianne Williamson and Dr. Larry Dossey .   Among the significant achievements during her time of service were the launch of The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity and the increase of global sales and distribution of `` Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures '' , available in 17 languages .   Virginia Harris is a practitioner and authorized teacher ( C.S.B. ) of Christian Science . She was recently appointed to the Christian Science Board of Lectureship to speak exclusively to medical and healthcare professionals about spiritual healing and specifically the practice of Christian Science healing .