Source: United Nations secretary general
The Secretary-General met with H.M. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara, Brunei Darussalam. The Secretary-General and the Sultan exchanged views on the Brunei-UN partnership. They also discussed the important role of ASEAN in the region.
Source: The White House
Oval Office
12:30 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Sheikh Mohamed, welcome back to Washington.
PRESIDENT BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: You’ve been a good friend. Our countries have — our strategic partners have rooted in decades — literally decades of close cooperation and friendship. And I welcome the chance to open a new chapter.
We — UAE is a nation of trailblazers, always looking — always looking to the future, always making big bets. And that’s something our countries have in common and our people have in common.
In fact, it’s a cornerstone of our growing cooperation in AI, in clean energy, in space, and investing in infrastructure to connect regions. And for many years, our forces also stood shoulder to shoulder in the same most difficult places.
Today, we honor that legacy and carry our relationship forward, as UAB — UAE is going to become a major defense partner of the United States, joining only one other country: India.
We also will discuss our efforts to end the war in Gaza and a number of regional issues. I’ve been briefed on the latest developments in Israel and Lebanon. My team is in constant contact with their counterparts, and we’re working to de-escalate in a way that allows people to return to their home safely.
Mr. President, I want you to know that I remain committed to the UAE’s security. And I look forward to our discussion; it’s going to cover a lot of areas.
So, again, welcome.
PRESIDENT BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN: Thank you, Mr. President.
(As interpreted.) Your Excellency, Mr. President, I am pleased to meet with you once again, and I would like to thank you for the warm reception. And I look forward to continuously discussing our relationship between the two nations.
And I would like to reaffirm that the United Arab Emirates has a firm and unwavering commitment to work with the United States of America for the sake of deepening the strategic partnership between our two nations.
Once again, Your Excellency, Mr. President, I am pleased to meet you, and I would like to extend to you and the American people the best of wishes.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you.
Thank you, everyone.
12:34 P.M. EDT
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 24 SEP 2024 12:17AM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met H.E. Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in New York on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future at UNGA on 23 September 2024.
Prime Minister congratulated President To Lam on assuming enhanced leadership responsibilities and expressed hope for continued collaboration towards strengthening bilateral ties between India and Vietnam.
Prime Minister reiterated his sympathies and solidarity with Vietnam in the face of loss and damage caused by Typhoon Yagi earlier this month. President and General Secretary To Lam thanked Prime Minister for the timely supply of emergency humanitarian assistance and disaster relief by India under Operation Sadbhav.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of deep civilizational and cultural links and growing strategic ties, marked by unwavering mutual trust, understanding and shared interests between the two countries. Recalling the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Pham Minh Chinh to India last month, they discussed prospects of advancing bilateral cooperation and further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The leaders also exchanged views on important regional and global issues, including the Indo-Pacific and underscored a collective role for Global South at international platforms.
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MJPS/VJ/SR/SKS
(Release ID: 2058085) Visitor Counter : 25
Source: The White House
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and President Joseph R. Biden Jr. met today at the White House during an official visit of His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to the United States. The visit is the first-ever by a President of the United Arab Emirates to Washington and marks the leaders’ fourth bilateral meeting in the Biden-Harris Administration. The leaders affirmed the enduring U.S.-UAE strategic and defense partnership, bolstered areas of deepening cooperation in advanced technology and investments, and discussed global and regional matters. The leaders pledged to pursue new opportunities to strengthen their economic and defense partnership; promote peace and stability across the Middle East and wider region; and deliver global leadership on issues of shared importance. The five decades of U.S.-UAE ties and friendship are rooted in a strong foundation of close collaboration that has underpinned our countries’ prosperity and security.
The leaders welcomed the significant progress between the United Arab Emirates and the United States during their tenure through cooperation in building trusted technology ecosystems, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), the U.S.-UAE Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE) initiative, and the Economic Policy Dialogue (EPD), all of which serve to uplift economic and trade ties between the two countries.
On particular issues of discussion:
Dynamic Strategic Partnership: Trade and Advanced Technology
Our countries’ strong foundation of partnership is reflected in our close alignment on key economic objectives and in the excellence of our private sectors that generate more than $40 billion of bilateral trade annually and an access of $26 billion of U.S. exports to the UAE. The Leaders charted an ambitious course for the United Arab Emirates and the United States to lead global efforts to develop and expand new fields central to the global economy, particularly in advanced technologies and the clean energy required to power Artificial Intelligence.
They welcomed the partnership between Microsoft and UAE’s Group 42 (G42) through Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in April 2024. This investment is accelerating joint AI development to bring advanced AI and digital infrastructure to countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.
The leaders further welcomed Microsoft and G42’s ongoing digital transformation in Kenya, which will leverage 1GW of geothermal energy to power data-centers to enable the deployment of cloud infrastructure and AI services for the public sector and regulated industries as well as enterprises. Further, the partnership will support the development of local Large Language Models and the establishment of an East African Innovation Lab. Additionally, the partnership hopes to encourage international and local connectivity investments, and collaboration with the government of Kenya to enable digital transformation programs across East Africa.
These initiatives mark the beginning of our partnership and investments in the responsible deployment of advanced technologies, clean energy, and frontier technologies that will be the engine that powers our interconnected world.
To meet the promise of this transformational moment and harness the potential of leading-edge technologies to improve human welfare globally, President Biden and His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed welcomed the Common Principles for Cooperation on AI, endorsed today by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoon bin Zayed, and through which the United States and the United Arab Emirates aim to further strengthen cooperation, develop regulatory frameworks, promote the safe and trusted deployment of critical and emerging technologies, and enable enhanced support for joint private-public sector research and academic exchanges.
Building on our collaboration in the field of advanced technology, this partnership incorporates safeguards to protect the national security of both countries, enable trusted investments and entrepreneurship, and facilitate cross-border innovation, while creating jobs and facilitating the protection of advanced U.S. technologies and respect for international principles, best practices, and human rights. Moving forward, the leaders decided to promote the expansion of relationships among scientific, academic, and research and development communities.
Strengthening Critical Infrastructure and Supply Chain Resiliencies
The leaders reviewed progress on efforts to build a more interconnected, integrated world in committing to secure and resilient supply chains through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI).
His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and President Biden discussed progress on the landmark India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) launched at the 2023 G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi together with the leaders of India, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union. The leaders reaffirmed that the corridor – connecting India to Europe by ship-to-rail connections through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe through Greece – will generate economic growth, incentivize new investments, increase efficiencies and reduce costs, enhance economic unity, generate jobs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enable the transformative integration of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
They underscored that this transformative partnership has the potential to usher in a new era of international connectivity to facilitate global trade, expand reliable access to electricity, facilitate clean energy distribution, and strengthen telecommunication. The two leaders emphasized the importance of joint initiatives to promote a circular economy, reduce waste, facilitate recycling, and advance sustainable practices, underscoring their commitment to innovation for resource efficiency and environmentally responsible growth.
The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to continue their efforts with international partners and the private sector to connect the continents to commercial hubs and facilitate the development and export of clean energy; support existing trade and manufacturing synergies; strengthen food security and supply chains; and link energy grids and tele-communication lines through undersea cables to expand access to electricity, enable innovation of advanced clean energy technology, and connect communities to secure and stable internet.
The leaders additionally discussed the importance of ongoing efforts to cooperate on strategic investments in hard infrastructure and critical minerals-supply chains in Africa and emerging markets globally. These investments aim to diversify sourcing of critical minerals that are essential components to clean energy and advanced technologies, including batteries, wind turbines, semiconductors, and electric vehicles. President Biden recognized the United Arab Emirates’ leadership in strategic investments globally to ensure reliable access to critical infrastructure including, ports, mines, and logistics hubs through the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, Abu Dhabi Ports, and DP World.
Both leaders committed to remain in close touch on future investment opportunities and maintain cooperation on strategic investments.
The leaders additionally highlighted that the U.S.–UAE 123 Agreement, which provides a comprehensive framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation based on a mutual commitment to nuclear nonproliferation, is the “gold standard” for securing and propelling the next generation of technologies.
Partnering to Protect our Planet Through the Clean Energy Transition
The leaders underscored the importance of U.S.-UAE leadership at COP28, which galvanized world leaders to take action and address the climate crisis. President Biden thanked His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for his extraordinary commitment that was central to the groundbreaking outcomes at COP28 in Dubai resulting in the UAE Consensus.
The two leaders recognized that this moment represents a unique opportunity to create sustainable and clean energy jobs, revitalize communities, improve quality of life, and power digital infrastructure with renewable energy across both countries and around the globe. In this context, the two leaders affirmed their shared commitment to protecting our precious planet and securing a sustainable future for humanity through united leadership across various platforms, including the upcoming COP29 and beyond, which will serve to advance climate action and strengthen global partnerships.
The two leaders expressed their determination to leverage visionary initiatives, including the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C), the First Movers Coalition, the Net Zero Producers Forum, the Global Methane Pledge, Carbon Management Challenge, the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), the Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), the Global Biofuels Alliance, and Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Trust Fund; and encourage commercial partnerships to decarbonize our energy systems, reduce emissions in pursuit of a net zero economy, and deliver prosperity to future generations.
President Biden and His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reaffirmed their strong commitment to collaborate on sustainability and climate resilience, emphasizing their commitment to addressing global challenges through innovative solutions. The two leaders underscored their joint efforts in advancing agri-tech and vertical farming innovations, key drivers in enhancing food security for future generations. They highlighted ongoing cooperation in humanitarian initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity in vulnerable regions, particularly through agricultural development and capacity building in climate affected areas. Recognizing the impact of climate change on public health, the leaders emphasized the need to integrate health resilience into comprehensive climate action strategies.
President Biden also congratulated the United Arab Emirates on its many successes in its two Years of Sustainability (2023-2024), including the recent announcement on co-hosting the next UN Water Conference in 2026 with Senegal, noting the critical importance of accessible and affordable clean water to all; and its significance within various sectors in the clean energy transition, addressing climate change, and the sustainable development agenda.
Partnership to Accelerate Clean Energy (PACE)
Under the U.S.-UAE Partnership to Accelerate Clean Energy (PACE) initiative, the United States and the UAE are announcing several initiatives that will continue our efforts to ensure a swift and smooth transition towards clean energy. The United States and United Arab Emirates remain committed to investing together in Africa and working to end energy poverty across sub-Saharan Africa. Today, the UAE-based Averi Finance and AMEA Power are both private sector partners under the U.S.-led Power Africa Initiative, joining an existing partnership with UAE-based company Phanes. As private sector partners, these firms will be offered tailored assistance from transaction advisors and technical experts and can benefit from services offered by participating U.S. government departments and agencies.
To support the Power Africa initiative, Averi Finance intends to facilitate $5 billion in investments, build 3GW of power generation projects, construct over 3,000 kilometers of transmission or distribution lines, establish over 500,000 new home and business connections, and aim for a CO2 equivalent reduction or avoidance of 90 million tons. AMEA Power and Power Africa have recently entered into a partnership to accelerate power projects. AMEA Power is targeting 5GW of renewable energy capacity in Africa by 2030, and to realize this target, intends to mobilize $5 billion in capital.
Additionally, under PACE, ADNOC has announced a 35 percent stake in ExxonMobil’s proposed low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Baytown, Texas. This facility aims to produce up to approximately 900,000 tons of low-carbon ammonia per year, enabling the transition to cleaner fuels in hard-to-abate sectors. Plynth Energy – a recently established Abu Dhabi government-owned early-stage fund focused on fusion technologies and supply chains – invested in the U.S. company Zap Energy, which plans to build scalable and commercially-viable fusion energy. This investment will help fund the further development of Zap Energy’s small-format commercial fusion technology. Zap Energy is a participant in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, and will receive DOE funding based on reaching development milestones to support the design of a fusion pilot plant.
Lastly, as two of over 155 participants in the Global Methane Pledge, the U.S. and the UAE will accelerate their respective domestic methane reductions, work together to support countries undertaking methane abatement, and call on others to do the same by advancing methane reduction projects, strengthening methane standards and regulations, addressing methane super emitter events, and identifying appropriate financing for methane reduction.
Partners in Space Exploration
As founding nation members of the Artemis Accords, His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and President Biden reinforced the U.S. and UAE’s groundbreaking cooperation in space, the future of human exploration, and our shared interest in deepening our understanding of the universe.
The leaders recalled the role of this partnership in the historic launch of the first Arab probe to Mars, the Hope Probe in 2021, and the resulting and ongoing global scientific collaboration and contribution to the study of Mars’ atmosphere. This strategic partnership in deep space missions is further exemplified by the UAE Space Agency’s announcement of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, the first multi-asteroid tour and landing mission to the main belt, with the partner, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The leaders highlighted the January 2024 Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center agreement with NASA for the Center to provide an airlock for Gateway, humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon supported by NASA’s missions for long-term Moon exploration under the Artemis Program. The airlock will allow crew and equipment transfers to-and-from the habitable environment of Gateway’s pressurized modules to the vacuum of space. This agreement will also enable the first Emirati astronaut to fly to the Gateway for joint exploration of the Moon.
This cooperation builds on NASA and the UAE’s previous human spaceflight collaboration. In 2019, Hazaa Al Mansouri became the first Emirati astronaut to fly to space during a visit to the International Space Station (ISS), where he worked with NASA to perform experiments and educational outreach. A second Emirati astronaut, Sultan Al Neyadi, launched to the ISS in 2023, where he participated in the floating laboratory’s scientific research to advance human knowledge and improve life on Earth. The leaders welcomed continued training of astronauts, including two Emirati astronaut candidates in training at the Johnson Space Center, as well as ongoing work on Mars research and scientific studies to support mutual exploration goals.
Sharing the common spirit and ambition of humanity’s journey in space, the leaders reaffirmed the principles of the Artemis Accords to explore and use outer space for peaceful purposes and usher in a new era of exploration, as well as obligations under the Outer Space Treaty, including the requirement that countries not place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kind of weapons of mass destruction.
Partners in Security and Defense
His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed and President Biden praised the strong security and defense partnership with the UAE. President Biden strongly affirmed the United States’ commitment to the United Arab Emirates’ security and territorial defense, and to facilitating its ability to obtain necessary capabilities to defend its people and territory against external threats. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a strong bilateral security and defense relationship and to expanding defense and security cooperation to bolster joint defense capabilities against external threats, including through the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program.
The leaders affirmed a shared vision of an interconnected, peaceful, tolerant, and prosperous region as outlined by President Biden during the GCC+3 Summit Meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 16, 2022. They reviewed the proud legacy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder, in peace and in conflict, including the UAE’s support for American-led counterterrorism missions since the attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington on September 11, 2001, to deter threats, de-escalate conflicts, and reduce tensions globally. Specifically, the leaders recalled the United States and the United Arab Emirates standing alongside each other in the global coalition against Da’esh, and prior conflicts: Somalia, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya.
The leaders reviewed ongoing initiatives and investments in advanced systems that have made the United Arab Emirates one of the most capable U.S. military partners in the region, in addition to a robust schedule of bilateral and multilateral exercises. They underscored the importance of strengthening efforts to combat regional threats, advance counterterrorism initiatives, reinforce maritime security and counter-piracy efforts, increase security cooperation, and intercept illicit shipments of weaponry and technology.
The leaders discussed deepening investment in U.S. defense systems and acknowledged that military-to-military cooperation with the United Arab Emirates’ armed services helps ensure interoperability with the United States through the provision of advanced defense articles and services. They further decided to explore potential investment in our most advanced defense systems and to maintain regular exchanges to deepen partnership in research and development.
The leaders reaffirmed the 2017 Defense Cooperation Agreement, an important step for both countries that underscored their vital and longstanding collaboration in defeating terrorist groups, such as Da’esh and al-Qaida, securing regional stability, and combatting threats against their common interests including terrorist financing. They underscored the importance of the annual Joint Military Dialogue as the foremost bilateral defense forum for advancing the U.S.-UAE defense partnership, including reviewing shared security interests, as well as discussing strategic objectives for the relationship and challenges in the region, such as maritime security, counter-piracy, counterterrorism cooperation, and domain awareness in the Middle East, the Indian Ocean, and East Africa. They further noted the recognition by the Security Council in Resolution 2686 that hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, related forms of intolerance, gender discrimination and acts of extremism can contribute to driving the outbreak, escalation and recurrence of conflict.
Designation as a Major Defense Partner of the United States
Acknowledging the U.S. and UAE’s deepening security partnership and cooperation in advanced technology and acquisition, shared interest in preventing conflict and de-escalation, President Biden today recognized the United Arab Emirates as a Major Defense Partner of the United States, joined by only India, to further enhance defense cooperation and security in the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean regions. This unique designation as a Major Defense Partner will allow for unprecedented cooperation through joint training, exercises, and military-to-military collaboration, between the military forces of the United States, the UAE, and India, as well as other common military partners, in furtherance of regional stability.
Both leaders committed to close and sustained cooperation among our militaries.
Partners in a Stable, Integrated, and Prosperous Middle East and Wider Region
The leaders stressed the importance of reaching a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.
The leaders discussed persisting and emerging threats to peace and stability in the Middle East and the wider region. They renewed their commitment to upholding international law, particularly international humanitarian law, work with parties to resolve conflicts and protect civilians, and to provide urgently needed aid to alleviate human suffering. They reiterated the importance of sustainable and enduring solutions to the security threats in the region, including those posed by non-state terrorist actors. They discussed the enduring importance of the Abraham Accords and continuing on the path of peace, integration, and prosperity in the region.
The leaders discussed the war in Gaza. They underscored their commitment to continue working together towards ending the conflict, calling for a lasting and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2735, and affirmed that all sides to the conflict must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. President Biden commended the UAE’s extraordinary humanitarian efforts in Gaza, which have been critical in addressing the humanitarian crisis, including through the launch of a maritime corridor for movement of aid, opening a field hospital in Gaza, and supporting evacuations of wounded civilians and cancer patients.
The two leaders emphasized the ongoing need for the urgent, unhindered, and sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance, at a scale commensurate with the growing needs among the civilian population throughout Gaza. They called on all parties to ensure the safety, security, and sustained access of aid workers to all those in need, and to create the conditions needed to facilitate an effective humanitarian response in Gaza.
His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed commended the mediation efforts by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, to reach a lasting and sustainable ceasefire and hostage release deal to help end the war in Gaza. His Highness also echoed the principles laid out by President Biden on May 31, 2024, and stressed the importance of building on this proposal in order to create a serious political horizon for negotiation. To that end, the leaders discussed a path to stabilization and recovery that responds to the humanitarian crisis, establishes law and order, and lays the groundwork for responsible governance. The leaders expressed their commitment to the two-State solution, wherein a sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state lives side-by-side in peace and security with Israel, as the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with the internationally-recognized parameters and the Arab Peace Initiative. They stressed the need to refrain from all unilateral measures that undermine the two-State solution, and to preserve the historic status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites, recognizing the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in this regard.
On the conflict in Sudan, the leaders expressed their deep concern over the tragic impact the violence has had on the Sudanese people and on neighboring countries. Both leaders expressed alarm at the millions of individuals who have been displaced by the war, the hundreds of thousands experiencing famine, and the atrocities committed by the belligerents against the civilian population. They stressed that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Sudan and underscored their firm and unwavering position on the imperative for concrete and immediate action to achieve a lasting cessation of hostilities, the return to the political process, and transition to civilian-led governance.
Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to de-escalate the conflict, alleviate the suffering of the people of Sudan, ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the Sudanese people, and prevent Sudan from attracting transnational terrorist networks once again. Noting their shared concern about the risk of imminent atrocities, particularly as fighting continues in Darfur, they underscored that all parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, and all individuals and groups that commit war crimes must be held accountable. The leaders emphasized that the priority right now must be the protection of civilians, particularly women, children and the elderly, securing humanitarian pauses in order to scale up and facilitate the movement of humanitarian assistance into the country and across conflict lines, and ensuring the delivery of aid to those in need, especially to the most vulnerable.
Partners in Cyberspace
The leaders emphasized that safety and stability in cyberspace is critical for digital economic growth and development, and reaffirmed their commitment to an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet, underpinned by the multistakeholder model of internet governance.
They committed to deepen cooperation on cybersecurity and to enhance cyber collaboration to protect critical infrastructure, counter malicious cyber activity by state and non-state actors, and noted that the UAE’s significant contributions to the International Counter Ransomware Initiative reflects the strength of our cooperation. The leaders committed to promote stability in cyberspace based on the applicability of international law including the United Nations Charter, the promotion of voluntary norms of responsible state behavior during peacetime, and the development and implementation of confidence building measures between states.
Looking Forward
The United States and the United Arab Emirates are both entrepreneurial nations, joined together by a relentless focus on the future. Our aspirations are rooted in a common resolve to pursue innovative partnerships in new fields, including AI, food security, infrastructure investment, and supply chain resilience, even as we continue to strengthen the foundational element of our partnership: our longstanding people-to-people ties. These connections between our countries drive progress and expand horizons, from clean energy technologies, to AI, defense cooperation, space exploration, and ongoing coordination across priority areas of science, education, and culture. This first-ever official visit by a President of the United Arab Emirates to the United States sets a new foundation for our countries’ cooperation for decades to come
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Source: Government of India
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 10:12PM by PIB Delhi
Excellencies,
On behalf of India, the world’s largest democracy, and 1.4 billion Indians, Greetings to all of you. In the largest elections in human history held recently in June, the people of India have given me the opportunity to serve them, for a third consecutive term. And today I bring the voice of this one sixth of humanity to you. ,
Friends,
When we are discussing Global Future, we must accord the highest priority to a Human centric approach. While prioritizing sustainable development, we must also ensure human welfare, food and health security. By lifting 250 million people out of poverty in India, we have demonstrated that Sustainable Development can be Successful. And we are ready to share this experience of our success with the entire Global South. ,
Friends,
Success of Humanity lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield. And for global peace and development, reforms in global institutions are essential. Reform is the key to relevance! Permanent membership of the G20 to the African Union at the New Delhi Summit, was an important step in this direction. While on the one hand, terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global peace and security, on the other hand, areas such as cyber, maritime and space, are emerging as new theaters of conflict. On all these issues, I will stress, that, Global Action must match Global Ambition!,
Friends,
There is a need for balanced regulation for the safe and responsible use of Technology. We need global digital governance, which ensures that national sovereignty and integrity are upheld. Digital Public Infrastructure should be a Bridge, not a Barrier! For Global Good, India is ready to share its digital public infrastructure with the entire world.,
Friends,
For India, “One Earth, One Family, One Future” is a commitment. This commitment is also reflected in our initiatives such as “One Earth, One Health”, and “One Sun, One World, One Grid”. India will continue to work in thought, words and deeds to protect the rights of all humanity and for global prosperity.
Thank you very much.
DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 11:09PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister addressed the ‘Summit of the Future’ at the United Nations in New York today.
The theme of the Summit is ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’. The Summit witnessed the participation of a large number of world leaders.
In his address, Prime Minister highlighted India’s vision for shaping a sustainable world for future generations. He noted that he was speaking at the Summit on behalf of one-sixth of humanity which seeks global peace, development and prosperity. Calling for the primacy of a human-centric approach in our collective quest for a bright global future, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s success at scaling sustainable development initiatives and, in this regard, noted that the country had lifted 250 million people out of poverty in the last decade. Expressing solidarity with countries of the Global South, he emphasized that India was privileged to share its development experience with them. He called for balanced regulations to promote safe and responsible use of technology, noting that India is open to sharing its digital public infrastructure for greater public good. He also underlined India’s commitment to “One Earth, One Family, One Future” as a guiding principle.
Prime Minister noted that reform is key to relevance and called for urgent reform of the institutions of global governance, including the UN Security Council. He noted that global action must match global ambition. Full remarks of the PM may be seen here. https://bit.ly/4diBR08
The Summit concluded with the adoption of an outcome document – A Pact for the Future, along with two annexes, Global Digital Compact and A Declaration on Future Generations.
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MJPS/VJ/SR/SKS
(Release ID: 2058080) Visitor Counter : 65
Source: Government of India
Increase of Around 152% In Budget Allocation for DoNER Ministry From ₹2,332 Cr (FY 2014-15) To ₹5,892 Cr (FY 2023-24)
In Comparison To Period 2009-2014, A 384% Increase in Average Annual Budget Allocation under Railways Totaling ₹9,970 Cr (FY 2023-24). 1,909 Km Increase in Railway Tracks
In 100 days 6 Projects worth ₹419.13 Cr have been sanctioned including for establishing a State Cancer Institute at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh under PM-DevINE
Policy reforms for simplification of Scheme Guidelines and Streaming of release of funds
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 9:44PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Shri JyotiradityaScindia addressed a press conference in New Delhi today on the important initiatives, decisions and achievements of the last ten years and first 100 days of the third term of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
On this occasion, Union Minister Shri JyotiradityaScindia launched the ‘EkPedMaaKeNaam’ mobile application along with Union MoS for Department of Telecommunications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar. This campaign, launched on World Environment Day, 2024, encourages citizens to plant trees to honour their mothers, promoting nationwide environmental awareness and action. By leveraging technology, this app empowers individuals to contribute to a greener India, fostering a culture of sustainability and community engagement.
Addressing the media persons, Union Minister highlighted the development activities in North Eastern Region by various Ministries/Department of Government of India. He informed that more than ₹5 lakh Cr has been allocated in NER under 10% Gross Budgetary Support by 54 Ministries. The expenditure in NER has increased from ₹24819 Cr in FY 2014-15 to ₹1,02,749.46 Cr in FY 2023-24. There is also 152% increase in Budget allocation of MDoNER from ₹2332 Cr in 2014-25 to Rs.5892 Cr in 2023-24.
He said that during the first ten years of Modi Government, there is 384% of increase in average Annual Budget Allocation of Railways totaling ₹9970 Cr in 2023-24. The Annual commissioning was 66.6 KM/year during 2009-2014 which has increased by 170% to 179.78 Km/Year (2014-23). There is 1,909 Km increase in Railway Tracks.19 Railway projects worth ₹81941 Cr are in different stages of execution.
Talking about the revolutionary work done by the government in the last 10 years, he also highlighted completion of 46,296 Km Rural Roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) with an expenditure of ₹47,279 Cr. He made a mention of laying foundation stone and inauguration of many projects in NER by Hon’ble PM on 9th March, 2024 including inauguration of Sela Tunnel for all weather connectivity to Tawang. Increase in number of airports from 9 to 17 (including operationalization of 72 routes under Udan Scheme), increase in Number of National Waterways from 1 to 20 and an expenditure of ₹21,151 Cr on education and establishment of 843 new Schools in NER during last ten years was also mentioned by Hon’ble Minister.
100 Days Achievements:
Union Minister said that the during first 100 days of Modi 3.0, MDoNER has sanctioned 6 Projects worth ₹ 419.13 Cr under PM-DevINE, including establishment of State Cancer Institute at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, 3 Projects worth ₹152.6 Cr. under NESIDS (OTRI)including augmentation of Water Supply System at Namsai Township in Arunachal Pradesh and 5 Projects worth ₹ 370.16 Cr under NESIDS (Roads).
Union Minister has informed that guidelines of various Schemes of MDoNER have been simplified to jointly consider concept note and DPR of project proposals in one go to reduce the lead time in conceptualization and sanction of projects substantially. Financial and sectoral demarcation among the schemes of MDoNER have been rationalized and issued on 21.08.2024, to prevent duplication of sanction of projects. Funds flow process for projects sanctioned under Schemes of MDoNER/NEC has been simplified to enable the release of funds for projects in 4 installments only.
MDoNER has empanelled the Third Party Technical Inspection (TPTI) Agencies and Project Quality Monitors (PQMs) through NEDFi for inspection of ongoing projects to strengthen the monitoring and inspection mechanism of ongoing projects sanctioned under various schemes of MDoNER.
Union Minister informed that for supporting new Start-ups, Manipur Strart-up Venture Fund with an initial corpus of Rs. 30 Crhas been initiated and two Start-ups have received in-principle investment commitments from this fund.
The Ministry is organizing Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav-2024 from 6th to 8th December, 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi to promote rich heritage, handicrafts, handloom, agri-produce and craft tourism of the North Eastern States.
North East Science and Technology (NEST) Cluster for innovation ecosystem: The Ministry of DoNER approved NEST on 13.8.2024, North east Science & Technology Cluster (NEST cluster) ecosystem exclusively for the North eastern Region similar to the S&T Cluster of the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor. 4 Verticals have been approved viz. (i) Innovation Hub on Grassroots Technologies, (ii) Technology Hub for Artificial Intelligence & Semiconductor (iii) CoE for Innovation in Bamboo based Technology, Entrepreneurial promotion & skill development and Skill Development and (iv) Innovation Centre on Biodegradable, eco-friendly Plastics & Solid-Waste Management. The objective of the NEST cluster is to identify and address the issues and challenges of the people of NER through the technological interventions for the holistic development of North Eastern Region.
Launch of North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity e-Connect (NE-RACE) Portal: It is a transformative step for the agricultural sector in North East, aligning with Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local’ and opening global markets to our farmers.The North Eastern Council (NEC) under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) in collaboration with North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) launched on 12th July 2024 a digital initiative called North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity E-Connect (NE-RACE) to provide market linkage for agricultural and horticultural products from the North Eastern Region (NER) in both fresh and processed forms. The NE-RACE digital platform is funded by NEC and is developed and managed by the NEDFi.
Development of various Portals – On 22nd July, 2024, a portal was launched for robust monitoring and evaluation of the projects being implemented under various scheme of Government of India’s 54 Ministries/Departments (non-exempted under 10% GBS). The said portal has been developed. All the Ministries have been sensitized through a live demo on 6th September, 2024. This portal will help in robust monitoring and evaluation of the projects being implemented under various scheme of Government of India’s Ministries/Departments. Similarly, a portal has been developed to capture the expenditure being made under the 10% GBS of the 54 non-exempted Ministries/Departments. The expenditure details monitored will be State- wise and scheme-wise by respective Ministries/Departments. The portal will capture expenditure details State wise and scheme wise therefore ensuring effective evaluation and monitoring.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) teamed up with U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-01) and Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC-12) to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral resolution recognizing September 19th as National Stillbirth Prevention Day.
Earlier this year, the bipartisan Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act—led by Merkley in the Senate and Hinson and Adams in the House—was signed into law by President Biden to help save the lives of mothers and babies across America. With at least 25 percent of stillbirths being potentially preventable, this resolution stresses the need for continued stillbirth prevention activities in the United States.
“Thousands of families grapple with the unimaginable pain of stillbirths, and, devastatingly, Black women and underserved communities are disproportionately impacted by these tragedies,” Booker said. “By designating September 19 as National Stillbirth Prevention Day, we will help raise awareness, promote research and develop solutions so all mothers and babies, regardless of their background or circumstances, have access to the care and support they deserve.”
“A single family affected by stillbirth is one too many. Yet this tragedy impacts thousands across America, upending the lives of individuals and families from all walks of life,” Merkley said. “Getting my Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act signed into law was an important first step, but we must do more to reduce the alarming rate of stillbirth, which disproportionately impacts Black, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native women. This National Stillbirth Prevention Day we recommit to doing everything we can to end this public health crisis, so no one again ever has to experience the trauma of stillbirth.”
“Iowa has made strides towards reducing stillbirths in our state. This bipartisan resolution recognizes researchers like we have in Iowa, as well as care providers and advocates. It also reaffirms our goal to improve maternal care resources, particularly in rural areas,” Grassley said. “No mom should know the heartbreak of a stillbirth. I’m glad to be partnering on a number of federal legislative efforts to help target contributing factors and save babies’ lives.”
“Over 21,000 babies are stillborn in the U.S. each year. This rate is unacceptably high, and we must do more to ensure more women experience healthy pregnancies and have healthy babies. I am proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to recognize September 19th as National Stillbirth Prevention Day to raise awareness about stillbirth prevention so we can help save more moms and babies,” Hinson said.
“I was proud to co-lead the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act and see it pass into law this year, which will increase awareness for families on how to prevent this painful, yet common experience. Today we recommit to ending stillbirth and to giving more families a chance to be whole. This is just the beginning, and I am committed to doing my part on behalf of all of America’s families,” Adams said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 175 U.S. births tragically result in stillbirth—accounting for nearly 21,000 stillbirths a year—more stillbirths annually than the number of babies who pass away during their first year of life. In the last two decades, the stillbirth rate in the United States declined by a negligible 0.4 percent. In a report published by the World Health Organization comparing progress in improving stillbirth rates, the United States ranked 183 out of 195 countries.
“For the third year in a row, and under Senator Merkley’s leadership, we pause to recognize the crisis of stillbirth in this country and celebrate progress on stillbirth prevention efforts. When Congress recognizes this important day, when buildings and bridges are lit up across the country, and moms and dads make their voices heard through OpEds and sharing their personal stories of loss — progress happens and lives are saved. We mourn the tens of thousands of babies who should be with their families right now and accelerate progress so no other family has to endure the tragedy of stillbirth,” said Emily Price, Healthy Birth Day Inc. CEO.
In the Senate, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM). Healthy Birth Day Inc., Charles Martin Corvi Fund, Birth and Breastfeeding in Color Inc, American College of Nurse-Midwives, Aaliyah in Action, Yale University Reproductive and Placental Research Unit, Yale University, The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation, Nitamising Gimashkikinaan Our First Medicine Indigenous Perinatal and Lactation Support Circle, Division of Indian Work, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 1st Breath, 2 Degrees, Dieudonne Foundation, Jace’s Journey, Start Healing Together, In the Arms Of Jesus Grief Support, Healing Our Hearts Foundation, Matties Memory, Society for Reproductive Investigation, March of Dimes, Measure the Placenta, Nurturing Babyhood N’ Beyond LLC, PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, March for Moms, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, Gifts from Liam, Mera’s Mission, and Kansas Birth Justice Society also endorsed the resolution.
Previous Efforts
Last year, Booker reintroduced the Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education (SHINE) for Autumn Act, legislation that aims to reduce the alarmingly high U.S. stillbirth rate. Named after Autumn Joy, a New Jersey baby who was stillborn in 2011, the bill would provide critical resources to states, local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other related federal agencies to improve data collection and increase education and awareness of stillbirth in the United States.
The full text of the resolution can be found by clicking here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
September 23, 2024
“The absence of robust requirements has severely hindered the effectiveness of 45Q.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine), along with Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), wrote to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agencies to develop strong guardrails for the 45Q tax credit, which is designed to encourage carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects.
The 45Q credit was initially designed to incentivize investment in CCS and emission reductions. However, the credit has been primarily used to “increase oil production from aging wells, canceling out most of the emissions reduction benefit.” In 2022, Congress expanded the tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), allowing more companies to claim the credit and receive more money per ton of carbon captured. The IRS is expected to release updated guidelines about the tax credit later this year, and the Department of Treasury has estimated that the 45Q tax credit could cost taxpayers up to $30.3 billion over the next ten years.
In 2020, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) found that between 2010 and 2019, 87% of tax credit claims, worth almost $900 million dollars, were awarded to taxpayers who did not meet the EPA’s verification requirements. Currently, IRS examiners are not required to coordinate with EPA personnel to confirm the amount of carbon sequestered by companies claiming the credit, even allowing self-certification in some instances.
The lawmakers make three recommendations for the tax credit to be effective. First, the IRS should require independent, third-party verification of carbon sequestration. Second, the IRS and the EPA must coordinate effectively through a memorandum of understanding to more effectively share basic data about the credit’s implementation. Third, the IRS should require stricter record-keeping requirements and establish a 12-year recapture period, during which every company receiving the tax credit needs to maintain detailed records of their carbon sequestration amounts.
The following organizations endorsed the letter: Taxpayers for Common Sense, Evergreen Action, the Vessel Project, Port Arthur Community Action Network, Better Bayou, Healthy Gulf, Eco-Justice Collaborative, Science Roundtable on Carbon Capture and Storage, Food and Water Watch, Ohio River Valley Institute, Better Path Coalition, No False Solutions PA, Save Our Illinois Land, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action, Center for Coalfield Justice, Watchdogs of Beaver County, Clean Air Council and Environmental Health Project.
“We need an end to weak oversight and poor safeguards that could allow some of the richest companies in the world to take public money without delivering the real, measurable climate benefits the policy intended. The IRS must act decisively to ensure this tax credit is used only as a genuine tool for carbon reduction by implementing robust, enforceable guardrails. This is the administration’s chance to stop subsidizing climate pollution and ensure the credit has real oversight,” said Craig Segall, Senior Vice President, Evergreen Action.
“Senator Warren, Representative Khanna, and their Congressional colleagues are asking for what every taxpayer deserves – guardrails and transparency measures that ensure the 45Q tax credit is being used appropriately and effectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Autumn Hanna, Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “To date the vast majority of the carbon capture tax credit has gone to companies pumping carbon into wells to get more oil. But the country can’t afford to give more unchecked subsidies to the oil and gas industry. With an estimated cost of more than $30 billion by 2033, we must take strong steps to avoid any chance of fraud or abuse.”
The lawmakers requested a briefing from the three agencies by October 4, 2024.
Senator Warren has long worked to protect taxpayer money and ensure strong implementation of climate policy:
In June 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) led a letter to the Federal Reserve Board (Fed), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging regulators to stop their obstruction of global financial regulators’ work to tackle climate-related financial risks. The lawmakers also called out the weaknesses revealed by the Fed’s 2023 “pilot scenario analysis” exploring six major banks’ resilience to climate-related financial risks.
In May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) reintroduced the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify and modernize public vehicles and rail and build new electric transportation infrastructure across the country. The bill would also create 1 million new jobs, save $100 billion annually in health damages, and prevent 4,200 deaths per year from air pollution.
In April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), urged the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to finalize the Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule as quickly as possible.
In March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), released a statement describing the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) finalized climate risk disclosure rule as “the bare minimum.”
In September 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called on the Treasury Department to take key actions pertaining to climate and climate-related financial risk to avert the impending environmental and economic crises.
In September 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren urged Chair Gensler to quickly finalize a strong climate risk disclosure rule, reminding him that he has a mandate to protect investors and strong public support.
In March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-M.D.) and 47 of their colleagues sent a letter to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, urging him to protect investors and finalize a strong climate disclosure rule without further delay.
In September 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on SEC Chair Gary Gensler to protect investors and stand up to fossil fuel lobbying by issuing a strong climate risk disclosure rule quickly.
In June 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a comment letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) on the SEC’s mandatory climate disclosure rule, highlighting several areas for improvement and key elements that the SEC should preserve in its final rule, including strong Scope 3 emissions disclosure requirements.
In March 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) urging the SEC to require disclosure of anti-climate lobbying activities in the Commission’s rule.
In May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Buy Green Act to use the enormous breadth of U.S. federal procurement to help fight the climate crisis, spur innovation, and boost demand for American-made clean energy products at home and in the rapidly-growing markets for green products abroad.
In May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the National Institutes of Clean Energy Act of 2021, legislation that would invest $400 billion over the next ten years to establish and operate a new system of institutes at the Department of Energy dedicated to research and development (R&D) of advanced clean energy technologies.
In April 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2021 which would reduce the chances of environmental and financial catastrophe by requiring public companies to disclose more information about their exposure to climate-related risks.
In March 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren unveiled the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act which would invest $500 billion over ten years in state, local, and tribal projects to jumpstart the transition to all electric public vehicles and rail and help modernize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
September 20, 2024
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE)—members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee— joined U.S. Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06) and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) in launching the bipartisan Senate and House Quad Caucuses. This announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, where President Biden will welcome heads of state from Australia, India and Japan. The Quad is committed to supporting the region’s development, stability and prosperity to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. The leaders’ ambitious efforts include major initiatives on infrastructure, maritime security, public-private partnership, climate, health, critical and emerging technologies and space.
“Over the years, the Quad has represented the United States’ steadfast commitment to the current and future prosperity, strength and stability of the Indo-Pacific region—and proof of our ability to come together with allies and partners to uphold our shared principles,” said Senator Duckworth. “In a strong display of bipartisan support for the region, I’m proud to help launch the Senate’s first-ever Quad Caucus alongside co-chair Senator Ricketts ahead of President Biden’s leaders’ summit this weekend. Together, we’re sending a strong message to our allies and partners—and our competitors—that the United States is here for the long haul.”
“Partnerships like the Quad are our greatest strength in protecting a prosperous, free and open Indo-Pacific against coercion and malign aggression The launch of the bipartisan Senate Quad Caucus should send a clear signal about the growing importance of the United States, Australia, Japan, and India working closely together in the region. We are committed to finding tangible ways to bolster collaboration with our Quad partners,” said Senator Ricketts.
“As the Indo-Pacific becomes increasingly important to global security and economic prosperity, it is essential that the United States continues to strengthen relationships with our Quad partners,” said Congressman Bera. “The launch of the Quad Caucus underscores our shared commitment to fostering peace, stability, and development in the region. By promoting collaboration on key issues like maritime security, infrastructure, and climate, we can ensure a safer and more prosperous future for all.”
“Cooperation between the United States, Japan, India, and Australia is crucial for the future stability of the Indo-Pacific,” said Congressman Wittman. “The Quad’s support for the governance of emerging technologies, countering illegal fishing, and enhanced maritime domain awareness proves that we will build a better future for the region by working together. I am proud to join my colleagues to launch this bicameral, bipartisan Quad Caucus to foster stable collaboration for years to come.”
As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been a leader in strengthening relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific. In July, Duckworth led an official Senate visit to Laos and Vietnam to reinforce America’s commitment to our partners in ASEAN and strengthen U.S.-ASEAN economic ties. In May, Duckworth led a bipartisan delegation to Singapore to participate in this year’s International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue, where she and other Senators reaffirmed our nation’s strong bipartisan commitment to our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific. Last year, Duckworth met with ASEAN leaders on an official Senate visit to Indonesia to reinforce U.S. partnership throughout the region and find opportunities to increase cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as countering climate change, increasing energy security and ensuring regional stability and freedom of navigation.
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anjum Naweed, Professor of Human Factors, CQUniversity Australia
How often do you find yourself hitting “play” on an old favourite, reliving the same TV episodes you’ve seen before – or even know by heart?
I’m a chronic re-watcher. Episodes of sitcoms like Blackadder (1983–89), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–21), Doc Martin (2004–22) and The Office US (2005–13) – a literal lifetime of TV favourites – are usually dependable in times of stress.
But recently, ahead of an exceptionally challenging deadline, I found myself switching up my viewing. Instead of the escapist comedy I normally return to, I switched to Breaking Bad (2008–13), a nail-biting thriller with a complex reverse hero narrative – and immediately felt at ease.
What do our re-viewing choices tell us about ourselves? And is it OK that we keep returning to old favourites?
Although one-sided, the relationships we form with characters in our favourite TV shows can feel very real. They can increase a sense of belonging, reduce loneliness – and keep pulling us back in.
When we rewatch, we feel sadness, wistful joy and longing, all at the same time. We call the sum of these contradictions nostalgia.
Originally coined in the 17th century to describe Swiss soldiers impaired by homesickness, psychologists now understand nostalgic reflection as a shield against anxiety and threat, promoting a sense of wellbeing.
We all rely on fiction to transport us from our own lives and realities. Nostalgia viewing extends the experience, taking us somewhere we already know and love.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a wave of nostalgia viewing.
In the United States, audience analyst Nielsen found the most streamed show of 2020 was the American version of The Office, seven years after it ended its television run. A Radio Times survey found 64% of respondents said they had rewatched a TV series during lockdown, with 43% watching nostalgic shows.
We were suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar situation and in a perpetual state of unease. We had more time on our hands, but also wanted to feel safe. Tuning into familiar content on television offered an escape – a sanctuary from the realities of futures unknown.
Revisiting connections with TV characters gave us a sense of control. We knew what lay in their futures, and the calm and predictability of their arcs balanced the uncertainty in ours.
Nostalgia has been in the DNA of television since some of the earliest programming decisions.
Every December, broadcasters scramble to screen one of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ much-retold and family-friendly ghost story, which also features nostalgia as a plot device.
First screened on live TV in New York City in 1944, on the still-new technology, the broadcast continued a 100-year-old tradition of the classic appearing on stage and cinema screens.
Settling in around the telly for A Christmas Carol connects us to the holiday period and a heartwarming metamorphosis. Ebeneezer Scrooge revisits long-lost versions of himself and turns from villain to hero and our old friend in a single night.
For viewers, revisiting this character at the same time every year can also reconnect us with our past selves and create a predictable pattern, even in the frenzy of the silly season.
The neuroscience of nostalgic experiences is clear. Nostalgia arises when current sensory data – like what you watch on TV – matches past emotions and experiences.
It triggers a release of dopamine, a reward-system neurotransmitter involved in emotion and motivation. Encountering nostalgia is like autoloading and hitting play on past positive experiences, elevating desire and regulating mood.
So, nostalgia draws on experiences encoded in memory. The TV shows we choose to rewatch reflect our values, our tastes, and the phases of life we have gone through.
Perhaps this is a reason why reboots of our favourite shows sometimes fall flat, and ultimately set fans up for disappointment.
I still remember the crushing disillusion I felt while watching the reboot of Knight Rider (2008–09). I immediately turned to social media to find a community around my nostalgic setback
Going back to my challenging deadline, what was it about the nostalgic experience of watching Breaking Bad that made it different?
Breaking Bad evokes a particular phase in my life. I binged the first three seasons when writing up my PhD thesis. Walter White’s rise and fall journey towards redemption is enmeshed in the nostalgia of a difficult time I made it through.
The predictability of Walter White’s arc on second viewing was an unlikely haven. It’s escalating high-stakes drama mirrored my rising stress, while connecting me to who I was when I first enjoyed the show.
The result? “Dread mode” switched off – even as my anti-heroes marched again to their dire cinematic comeuppance. Reality, past and present, could be worse.
Anjum Naweed does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. The power of nostalgia: why it’s healthy for you to keep returning to your favourite TV series – https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-nostalgia-why-its-healthy-for-you-to-keep-returning-to-your-favourite-tv-series-237753
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wood, Professor, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney
Vaccination is one of the most effective methods to protect individuals and the broader public from disease. Vaccines are typically given to healthy people to prevent disease, so the bar for safety is set high.
People benefit from vaccination at an individual level because they’re protected from disease. But for some vaccines, strong community uptake leads to “herd immunity”. This means people who are unable to be vaccinated can be protected by the “herd”.
As with any prescribed medicine, vaccines can cause side effects. In the rare case that COVID vaccines did cause a specified serious injury (the scheme listed certain conditions that a person could claim for), Australians have been able to claim compensation. But this ends at the end of this month.
From then, Australians won’t be able to access no-fault compensation for any vaccine injury – from COVID or any others.
Fortunately, serious vaccine injuries are rare. Most are not a result of error in vaccine design, manufacturing or delivery, but are a product of a small but inherent risk.
As a result, people who suffer serious vaccine injuries cannot get compensation through legal mechanisms. This is because they can’t demonstrate the injury was caused through negligence.
Vaccine injury compensation schemes compensate people who have a serious vaccine injury following administration of properly manufactured vaccines.
In 2021, in recognition of the rare risk of a serious vaccine injury, and in support of the roll out of the COVID vaccine program, the Australian government introduced a COVID vaccine claims scheme.
The aim was to provide a simple, streamlined process to compensate people who suffered a moderate to severe vaccine injury, without the need for complex legal proceedings. It was limited to TGA-approved COVID vaccines, and to specific reactions.
The Australian government has said the scheme will close this month and claims need to be lodged before September 30 2024.
Following its closure, Australia will not have a vaccine injury compensation scheme.
Australia lags behind 25 other countries including the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand which have comprehensive no-fault vaccine injury compensation schemes. These cover both COVID and non-COVID vaccines.
The schemes are based on the ethical principle of “reciprocal justice”. This acknowledges that people acting to benefit not just themselves but also the community (for the benefit of the “herd”) should be compensated by the same community if it has resulted in harm.
In Australia, people with non-COVID vaccine injuries or COVID vaccine injuries not covered by the current claims scheme must bear the costs associated with their injury by themselves or access publicly funded health care. They will not receive any compensation for their injury and suffering.
Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding support to access therapies for people with a permanent and significant disability. However, it does not cover temporary vaccine-related injuries.
Participants with vaccine injuries as a result of taking part in a clinical vaccine trial are compensated. This typically includes income-replacement, personal assistance expenses and reimbursement of expenses resulting from the incident, including medical expenses.
In Australia, we also have strong compulsion for people to receive routine vaccines through legislative requirements such as No Jab No Pay (which requires children to be immunised to receive some government payments) and, in some states, No Jab No Play (which requires children be fully immunised to attend childcare).
Countries such as ours that mandate vaccination without providing no-fault injury compensation schemes for rare vaccine injury could be abrogating the social contract by not protecting the individual and community.
The Australian immunisation system is among the most comprehensive in the world. Our government-funded national immunisation program provides free vaccines for infants, children and adults for at least 15 diseases.
We also have a whole-of-life immunisation register and comprehensive vaccine safety surveillance system.
A recent Senate committee recommended:
the Australian government consider the design and compensation arrangements of a no-fault compensation scheme for Commonwealth-funded vaccines in response to a future pandemic event.
Vaccines are designed to be very safe and effective. But the “insurance policy” of an injury compensation scheme, if designed and communicated appropriately, should build trust and give confidence to health workers and the general public to support our national vaccine program. This is particularly important given the reductions in uptake of routine vaccines.
A no-fault vaccine injury compensation scheme could be funded via a vaccine levy system, as is done in the US, where an excise tax is imposed on each dose of vaccine.
An effective vaccine injury compensation scheme needs to be:
Legislation to introduce and allocate funds to support an Australian injury compensation scheme for all vaccines is overdue. The draft National Immunisation Strategy 2025–2030 hinted at the opportunity to explore the feasibility of a no fault compensation scheme for all vaccines the Australian government funds, without committing to such a program.
An Australian vaccine injury scheme, covering all national immunisation program vaccines, not just pandemic use vaccines, should be seen as a crucial component of our public health system and a social responsibility commitment to all Australians.
Nicholas Wood previously received funding from the NHMRC for a Career Development Fellowship and is a Churchill Fellow.
Sophie Wen receives funding from Queensland Government for an Advancing Clinical Research Fellowship and is a Mary McConnel career boost program recipient from Children’s Hospital Foundation. Sophie Wen is an investigator for several industry-sponsored clinical vaccine trials but does not receive any direct funding.
Tim Ford does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. In the rare event of a vaccine injury, Australians should be compensated – https://theconversation.com/in-the-rare-event-of-a-vaccine-injury-australians-should-be-compensated-232396
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, University of Wollongong
This piece is the second in a series on Australia’s defamation laws. You can read the first article here.
Over recent years, forces like the #MeToo movement have shone a light on how Australia’s defamation laws play out for women. These laws influence whether and how women speak about their experiences of violence and harassment.
Multiple high-profile cases have highlighted the gender dynamics at play. Both Geoffrey Rush’s successful defamation claim against the Daily Telegraph in 2018 and Bruce Lehrmann’s ongoing litigation against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson attracted much media attention. This included commentary about how defamation can silence women.
But these laws don’t only affect women speaking out publicly and through the media. They also affect women seeking to report sexual violence to the police and sexual harassment in the workplace.
Defamation law is weaponised against women in a variety of settings across the country. Our politicians have acknowledged this, but there’s been little appetite for fixing it.
To bring a defamation claim under Australian law, a plaintiff must prove a number of things. But one thing the plaintiff does not have to prove is that the publication is false.
Many defendants rely on the “truth defence”, which requires them to prove the substantial truth of the publication. If it’s successful, that wins them the case.
But with allegations of sexual violence, establishing the truth is notoriously difficult. That’s even with a lower standard of proof (the balance of probabilities) than in criminal courts (beyond reasonable doubt).
Look no further than in Lehrmann’s case against Ten. The quality and quantity of the evidence brought by the defence, including extensive audio-visual recordings and the testimony of multiple third parties, shows what’s needed to meet this very high standard.
This means it is relatively easy for an alleged perpetrator to bring a defamation claim against a person who reports sexual violence or harassment, and relatively difficult for a victim-survivor to defend the claim.
The weaponisation of defamation law by perpetrators against women reporting sexual violence and harassment is well documented.
In the Respect@Work Report, the Australian Human Rights Commission heard evidence that women reporting workplace sexual harassment were being threatened with and sued for defamation. The report found Australia’s defamation laws “discourage sexual harassment victims from making a complaint”.
Recent research has revealed that threatening or commencing defamation proceedings is a widely used tactic by alleged perpetrators to silence victim-survivors and pressure them to withdraw complaints.
The destructive effects of defamation litigation for victim-survivors are evident in a 2022 Queensland case called Sherman vs Lamb.
A victim-survivor of coercive control in a relationship that had recently ended reported the violence to a police officer. She was then successfully sued for defamation by the perpetrator at trial.
The judge also found the victim-survivor’s report was malicious. He found “police have no interest in or a duty to receive gossip or adverse commentary”.
Both of these findings were overturned on appeal, but by then, the costs of the defamation litigation had forced the victim-survivor to declare bankruptcy.
The impact of perpetrators weaponising defamation law is both individual and structural.
On an individual level, it targets victim-survivors reporting and complaining of sexual harassment and violence.
Structurally, it contributes to a culture of fear of speaking out, contributing to the ongoing silencing of violence against women.
Yet the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (the federal attorney-general and those from every state and territory) has chosen not to act to protect women reporting sexual violence and harassment from defamation claims in the workplace.
The council did agree that absolute privilege should be extended to reporting to police. Absolute privilege means a person can’t be help liable for defamation, like in parliament.
So far, attorneys-general in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT have brought in legal protections for women reporting violence to police. That’s a good thing, though other state and territories are yet to follow.
But it obscures the group’s refusal to extend those protections to the workplace, where much of this abuse occurs.
In its review of defamation laws, the council considered how these laws affect workplace sexual harassment. In particular, it considered whether absolute privilege should apply to sexual harassment and violence in particular contexts, like work.
The council found victim-survivors and witnesses of sexual violence, sexual harassment and other forms of unlawful personal conduct are being threatened with and sued for defamation. It found this causes victim-survivors to withdraw reports and complaints, and that it deters them from making reports and complaints in the first place.
A key advantage of extending absolute privilege is that many defamation claim would likely be summarily dismissed without the need for a costly and lengthy trial, which is usually required. This would likely reduce the weaponisation of defamation law by perpetrators.
The council decided not to do this in workplaces. It blamed a division of stakeholder opinion within the consultation process. It also said there weren’t enough protections for alleged perpetrators, like penalties for false reporting.
The rationale appears to be that employers implementing Respect@Work and eliminating sexual harassment from their workplaces will also eliminate the need to report it, in turn removing the threat presented by defamation law.
But the council’s decision also reinforces how important the idea of reputation is within Australian defamation law.
Protecting the reputation of alleged perpetrators of violence is of greater value to Australia’s attorneys-general than protecting the speech of victim-survivors of sexual violence and harassment.
It also reinforces myths about workplace sexual harassment: that men are at significant risk from women making false reports, and that sexual harassment is an individual, interpersonal problem rather than a structural issue that should be addressed by law reform.
Australian women remain at risk of being threatened with or sued for defamation for reporting sexual harassment and violence in the workplace.
This is yet another instance of a law reform process failing to listen and act in response to violence against women. Our chief legal officers have acknowledged the weaponisation of defamation law to silence women in the workplace and refused to do anything to prevent it.
Sarah Ailwood does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Politicians know defamation laws can silence women, but they won’t do anything about it – https://theconversation.com/politicians-know-defamation-laws-can-silence-women-but-they-wont-do-anything-about-it-238079
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Contact: Alexis.Torres@mail.house.gov
Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37) and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led an effort to urge the Biden Administration to improve American health and well-being by lowering the cost of vital weight-loss drugs. Specifically, the members are calling for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to use existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug commonly used to treat obesity and diabetes and is sold under the brand names of Ozempic and Wegovy. Similarly, a coalition of more than 20 organizations has also called on Secretary Becerra to take such action.
“With a sticker price of up to $1,400 per month, patients can rarely afford Wegovy or Ozempic out-of-pocket and few insurance plans offer complete coverage due to the prohibitive cost,” the members wrote. “One study has found that covering these drugs for just 10% of Medicare beneficiaries with obesity would cost taxpayers $27 billion a year. Coverage for all Americans would cost nearly $1 trillion. A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the cost to cover these drugs would outweigh any savings from reduced utilization of associated health services and treatments.”
“Manufacturers will frequently cite the cost of innovation and the need to recoup research and development costs as the reason for charging sky-high prices. Yet, time and again, this is debunked,” the members continued. “In the case of Ozempic and Wegovy, the manufacturer has earned over $38 billion in revenue from these two drugs and Goldman Sachs Research predicts revenue will reach $100 billion within this decade. Meanwhile, last year, the manufacturer spent nearly twice as much on enriching its shareholders with stock buybacks and dividends ($8.95 billion) than on research and development ($4.71 billion).
Under Section 1498, a more than a century-old statutory authority, the Biden Administration may lower prices by permitting generic competitors to license patented inventions in exchange for reasonable compensation to the brand-name manufacturer. By exercising this existing authority, HHS could help stabilize the health care market while meeting high consumer demands at more affordable prices.
Additional signers include Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Cori Bush (MO-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Greg Casar (TX-35) and Barbara Lee (CA-12).
The letter in full can be found here and below.
Dear Secretary Becerra:
We write to strongly urge you to use your existing legal authority under 28 U.S.C. § 1498 to protect the public’s health and safety to ensure reasonable prices on semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the brand names of Ozempic and Wegovy and commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity. By utilizing your competitive licensing authority to permit generic competitors to Wegovy and Ozempic, you can stabilize supplies at a time of enormous demand and lower outrageous prices that have severely limited access to these life-changing drugs.
Approximately 38 million, or one in ten, Americans has diabetes, and an additional 100 million American adults have prediabetes. Nearly one-third of adults are overweight and 42% are obese. Diabetes and obesity are associated with heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and more. Yet, the federal government has failed to restrain Big Pharma price gouging to ensure patients can afford the newest treatments.
With a sticker price of up to $1,400 per month, patients can rarely afford Wegovy or Ozempic out-of-pocket and few insurance plans offer complete coverage due to the prohibitive cost. One study has found that covering these drugs for just 10% of Medicare beneficiaries with obesity would cost taxpayers $27 billion a year. Coverage for all Americans would cost nearly $1 trillion. A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the cost to cover these drugs would outweigh any savings from reduced utilization of associated health services and treatments.
Due to budget-busting prices, only 16 states offer state employee or Medicaid coverage for these drugs. About 34% of employer plans offer coverage and only about 1% of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans do the same. Put another way, 99% of consumers with Marketplace plans have no access to these drugs, while 66% of workers with private employer plans and 68% of state employees and Medicaid recipients are denied access. The few insurers that offer coverage for Ozempic and Wegovy often include several restrictions to limit the financial impact. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs requires patients with diabetes to try and fail with two or more medications before the VA will cover Ozempic.
We do not condemn the states and insurers that have limited access to these drugs under such difficult circumstances. It would be irresponsible to offer unlimited coverage when prices are also unlimited. The North Carolina State Health Plan ended coverage after spending $100 million in a single year on these drugs—spending that would have required insurance premiums to double to offset the cost. If half of all Americans with obesity could access these drugs, it would cost an estimated $411 billion a year, more than all existing prescription drug spending in the U.S.
We do not need to waste taxpayer dollars, bankrupt health systems, or deny patients access to effective treatments. We can save consumers’ health and be fiscally responsible by stopping Big Pharma monopoly abuse. These drugs cost Americans up to 15 times more than patients in peer countries like Canada, Japan, Germany, the UK, and Denmark. There is no reason for Americans to pay the world’s highest prices, substantially more than other wealthy Nations, for the exact same medicines.
Manufacturers will frequently cite the cost of innovation and the need to recoup research and development costs as the reason for charging sky-high prices. Yet, time and again, this is debunked. In the case of Ozempic and Wegovy, the manufacturer has earned over $38 billion in revenue from these two drugs and Goldman Sachs Research predicts revenue will reach $100 billion within this decade. Meanwhile, last year, the manufacturer spent nearly twice as much on enriching its shareholders with stock buybacks and dividends ($8.95 billion) than on research and development ($4.71 billion).
The exorbitant prices paid by Americans are financing corporate greed, not innovation. While we recognize the important role of the private sector in research and development and support the ability to make a reasonable profit, industry interests should not outweigh meeting health and safety needs for all consumers and providing accountability to taxpayers. When manufacturers use their monopoly power to extract unfair and unjustified prices at the expense of consumers, the federal government must restrain such abuse.
Under Section 1498, the Administration has the clear authority to license generic competition on any patented invention “used or manufactured by or for the United States.” Rightly, patentholders are entitled to reasonable compensation set by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. This law ensures Americans may access important goods while protecting the rights of inventors and providing fair compensation. For over a century, this authority has been used across technologies, ranging from fraud detection banking software and electronic passports to methods of removing hazardous waste. Section 1498 has also been used to authorize generic, lower cost drugs, and just the threat of this authority, has incentivized brand-name manufacturers to voluntarily cut prices.
You have the opportunity and responsibility to dramatically improve health care access and achieve substantial taxpayer savings by using Section 1498 to authorize generic competitors to Ozempic and Wegovy. We strongly urge you to use your clear statutory authority and stand ready to assist in your efforts to deliver long overdue relief to American taxpayers and consumers.
Source: Government of India (2)
Emphasized on the need to shift to e-vehicles and also develop EV charging infrastructure in NCR areas
Calls for strict implementation of the actions listed in GRAP
Ensure commitment in eliminating paddy stubble burning across Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh: Principal Secretary
Various steps to improve preparedness for dealing with the issue of adverse air quality in Delhi-NCR decided in the review meeting
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 8:29PM by PIB Delhi
Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, chaired a High-Level Task Force meeting today at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to assess the readiness of stakeholders in addressing the issue of deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, particularly as the winter season approaches.
The meeting focused on evaluating ongoing efforts to tackle pollution from various sources, including paddy stubble burning, vehicular emissions, road and construction dust, solid waste management, and diesel generator (DG) sets. Dr. Mishra emphasized the critical importance of strict and timely implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by all relevant agencies to mitigate worsening air quality during the winter months.
Chairman, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Shri. Rajesh Verma presented details on the upcoming paddy straw generation, estimating 19.52 million tonnes in Punjab and 8.10 million tonnes in Haryana. Both states have committed to eliminating stubble burning this year. Punjab plans to manage 11.5 million tonnes of its paddy straw through in-situ crop residue management and the rest via ex-situ methods. Haryana will similarly manage 3.3 million tonnes in-situ and use ex-situ methods for the remainder. Over 1.50 lakh crop residue management (CRM) machines will be available in Punjab, supported by 24,736 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), while Haryana has 90,945 CRM machines supported by 6,794 CHCs.
In addition, 2 million tonnes of paddy straw will be co-fired in 11 thermal power plants across the NCR region. The meeting stressed the need for regular monitoring of thermal plants to ensure co-firing targets are met, with penalties for non-compliance.
Regarding industrial pollution, CAQM informed that 220 out of 240 industrial areas in the NCR region are now equipped with gas infrastructure, with the remaining areas set to be connected soon. Dust pollution from construction and demolition (C&D) activities is being remotely monitored through a web portal, with mandatory registration for projects over 500 square meters.
Dr. Mishra instructed Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to rigorously monitor and implement action plans aimed at eliminating stubble burning as committed in their action plans. He stressed the need for full utilization of CRM machines, strengthening the supply chain for ex-situ management, and supporting small industries in briquetting and pelletizing operations to enhance the economic use of paddy straw. Strict enforcement actions against violators, with appropriate penalties and record entries, were also highlighted.
Principal Secretary also requested Chief Secretary’s of NCR region states to augment their e-Bus services in the region. PM eBus Sewa Scheme aims to increase the e-Buses in our country by 10,000 e-Buses. States/UTs should judiciously aim to use the scheme to increase their fleet of eBuses.
He also emphasized on the importance of Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam program and its sentimental value for every individual should be used in greening the City.
In terms of firecracker pollution, state governments and law enforcement agencies were asked to strictly enforce bans and restrictions, while the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was urged to expedite the collection of biomasses and accelerate the construction of compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
The meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary Dr.T.V Somanathan, Delhi Police Commissioner and key officials from the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Power, Petroleum, Road Transport, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Animal Husbandry, along with representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), and the Chief Secretaries and their representatives from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and UT of Delhi.
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GS
(Release ID: 2058034) Visitor Counter : 318
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 8:37PM by PIB Delhi
It’s Day 7 of SHS 2024 campaign, themed “Swabhav Swachhata Sanskaar Swachhata,” and a noteworthy milestone has already been achieved! In just seven days since the campaign began, 25% of the identified Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) have already been transformed into clean spaces and beautified. More than 5 lakh CTUs – dark, difficult, and neglected spots – have been targeted for cleanliness drives across the nation. This initiative is one the significant pillars of the two-week campaign running from 17thSept., to 2ndOct., 2024, as Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U) completes an iconic decade of swachhata.
For SHS 2024, more than 15 lakh events are taking place nationwide under the three pillars of Swachhata Lakshit Ekayi (CTUs), Swachhata Mein Jan Bhaagidaari and SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir, engaging over 3 Crore citizens. So far, cleanliness initiatives in CTUs are actively underway in over 4 lakh locations nationwide, showcasing impressive participation across various States. Over 1 lakh such units have already been transformed. Uttar Pradesh is at the forefront, having cleaned and transformed over 45,000 CTUs. Tamil Nadu follows closely with more than 28,000 units addressed, while Bihar has successfully tackled over 19,000 target areas, over 18,000 CTUs have already been transformed in Rajasthan, whereas Andhra Pradesh has completed transformation for nearly 17,000 target locations.
As part of the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, over 1 million trees have been planted so far. In the past week, more than 7,000 food streets were cleaned, and nearly 50,000 cultural festivals showcasing regional traditions were held.
Various Central Ministries are actively participating in Swachhata Hi Seva with large-scale cleanliness drives at designated CTUs, as well as plantation drives, cyclothons, plogathons, and cultural festivals. Leading from the front many State CMs initiated cleanliness drives at CTUs, launched SafaiMitra Shivirs, offered shramdaan, as the campaign rolled out nationally. Union Ministers also joined the ground action by actively participating in pledges, plantation drives, and other initiatives across the nation.
Reaffirming their dedication to cleanliness in every aspect of daily life, states, urban local bodies, gram panchayats, faith organizations, NGOs, CPSUs, central ministries, and other state governments have united in action for Swachhata Hi Seva 2024. With growing momentum and active participation nationwide, the visible impact on the ground is significant. This collective effort not only strengthens the campaign but also advances the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, aiming for garbage-free cities.
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Sushil Kumar
(Release ID: 2058045) Visitor Counter : 42
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 8:28PM by PIB Delhi
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs organised the Mass Cleanliness Drive Program today with Shramdaan for Swachhata under Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) Jan Andolan to achieve the objective of clean India. Nationwide “Swachhta Hi Seva Abhiyan 2024”is being observed from September 14th, 2024, to October 1st, 2024 on the theme of Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskar Swachhata. The Swachhta Hi Seva Abhiyan 2024 aims to create greater awareness about the importance of cleanliness and environmental stewardship, with tree plantation being a key activity. This initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to promote a clean and green India under the Swachh Bharat Mission, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of its launch in 2014 by Prime Minister on 2nd October (Gandhi Jayanti).
Shri Umang Narula, Secretary and Dr. Satya Prakash, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs led the Mass Cleanliness Drive at and around Kerala Education Society Sr. Sec. School, R. K. Puram, New Delhi. Officers and members of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs along with School children took part in the Shramdaan for the cause of Swachhata.
A Cleanliness drive was undertaken for about three hours in the school besides its park and on the road in front. It was magnificent group of enthusiastic citizens including small school going children who were full of resolve to ensure cleanliness and make Garbage Free Bharat a reality. Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs thanked all the participants who contributed to a much-cherished dream of implementing Swachhata across the country.
In line with the campaign, a tree plantation drive was conducted under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Abhiyan, led by Shri Umang Narula, Secretary and Dr. Satya Prakash, Addl. Secretary, MoPA in Kerala Education Society Sr. Sec. School. The tree plantation symbolizes the Ministry’s commitment to environmental conservation besides its protection and the promotion of a cleaner and greener India.
This event underscores the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to uphold the values of cleanliness and environmental responsibility as part of its larger mission to serve the public good. “Trees play an important role in keeping our environment clean. By providing clean air, they make us healthy.
To imbibe the spirit of Swachhata amongst students, an Essay writing competition was also held in the same school on the theme of SHS 2024 “Swabhaav Swachhata, Sanskar Swachhata”wherein around 120 students from different classes participated.
To encourage students, Secretary, MoPA awarded best three students of Essay competition with Cash prize and certificates for their performance in Essay writing competition.
On the eve of Mass Cleanliness Drive, the Secretary, MoPA, underscored the significance of this campaign encouraging students of Kerala Education Society Sr. Sec. School and officials from MoPA to actively engage in promoting cleanliness and hygiene. Highlighting Mahatma Gandhi’s vision and Prime Minister’s mission, Secretary emphasised the need for collective efforts to make cleanliness a regular practice, aiming to create a cleaner and healthier environment for students and communities.
The Chairman of Kerala Education Society, Shri K. P. Menon informed that they have a very active Eco Club in their School consisting of hardworking and dedicated students with a most progressive mindset to keep their surroundings green and clean. He also thanked Secretary and Addl. Secretary of MoPA for choosing their School for Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign – 2024 .
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SS/KC
(Release ID: 2058035) Visitor Counter : 46
Source: Government of India (2)
3400+ exporters onboarded on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra
DIGIPIN pilot completed in 1 town & 10 villages
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 8:14PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia along with Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar today addressed the media on achievements of the Ministry of Communications (DoT& DoP) and Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DONER)in 100 days of the Government in New Delhi. Secretary (Telecom), Secretary (Department of Post), Secretary DONER and senior officials of the ministries were present.
Speaking at the Conference, Minister Scindia shared that “With the resolve of ‘Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa’ the India Post Department in the last 100 Days has focused on amplifying financial inclusion, incorporating new technology and applying a new approach to policy reforms.”
Press Conference at National Media Centre
The Department of Posts has accomplished significant milestones as part of its 100-day action plan, aimed at enhanced service delivery and operational efficiency for the benefit of the nation. Through a series of strategic initiatives, the Department has not only streamlined its services but also brought essential government schemes and programs closer to citizens, particularly in rural areas. From empowering rural exporters to creating a digital infrastructure for standardized addressing, the Department’s efforts have touched various facets of citizens’ lives. Key objectives such as holding more than 5000 Dak Chaupals, onboarding more than 3000 exporters on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra, launching DIGIPIN as pilot in 1 town & 10 villages have successfully been completed.
Details on the above achievements:
Dak Chaupal: Bringing services to rural doorsteps –
The Dak Chaupal initiative has proven to be a resounding success, with the Department organizing 15,163 Dak Chaupals nationwide, far surpassing the initial expectations. These Chaupals have facilitated vital government services directly at the rural level, engaging over 8.52 lakh citizens, with 44% of participants being women. The Dak Chaupal initiative enabled on-spot account opening, Aadhaar updates, and enrolment in various government schemes like Jan Suraksha, thereby significantly enhancing the accessibility of essential services in rural regions in a manner that actively contributes to the broader goals of “Vittiya Sashakhtikaran and Samaveshan”.
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Utersoo, Srinagar, J&K |
Mandapeta, Rajahmundry |
Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK): Boosting rural exports
Under the Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) initiative, the Department on-boarded more than 3,400 new exporters to support rural and small-scale exporters. This program, closely aligned with the ‘One District—One Product’ initiative, has provided exporters with services such as market information, documentation support, and paperless customs clearance. By doing so, the DNK has empowered micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, and small businesses to access global markets through postal channels easily. In the past 100 days, over 1.07 lakh shipments were processed under the DNK scheme, resulting in Rs. 8.50 crore in postage revenue and an export value of Rs. 23.01 crore. Additionally, Seven Exporters awareness workshops involving DGFT, MSMEs, Export Promotion Councils, State authorities and exporters were also organized.
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Glimpses from the workshop on Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra at Indore
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Standardized Geo-Coded Addressing System: Revolutionizing service delivery
The Standardized Geo-Coded Addressing System has also made significant strides with successfully completing a pilot program in 10 villages and 1 town. This initiative aims to establish a digital public infrastructure for a standardized, geo-coded addressing system in India, which can simplify addressing solutions for citizen-centric delivery of public and private services to enable “Address as a Service” (AaaS) in India. This will simplify addressing across India by using automated DIGIPIN allocation using SVAMITVA data and other open-source GIS data. The beta version of DIGIPIN was launched on 19th July 2024, marking a key achievement in developing this system. The Department has forged key partnerships, including an MoU with the National Remote Sensing Centre (ISRO) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs, to further enhance this initiative.
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These partnerships aim to leverage advanced technologies and expertise to provide precise mapping and addressing solutions, ultimately revolutionizing service delivery across the country. This grid-based system will be a robust pillar of Geospatial Governance, leading to enhancements in public service delivery, faster emergency response, and a significant boost to logistics efficiency. |
The Post Office Act, 2023
The Post Office Act, 2023 came into effect on 18th June 2024, replacing the Indian Post Office Act of 1898. This forward-thinking legislation has modernized the postal system, addressing both contemporary challenges and future needs. By focusing on improving customer experiences and service delivery mechanisms, the new Act positions the Department of Posts to be more responsive to the evolving requirements of citizens, embodying the principle of “Dak Sewa Jan Sewa.” The subordinate legislation, including the Post Office Rules, 2024 and Regulations 2024, are currently in the process of issuance.
Indo-Africa Postal Leaders Meet
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Visit to India Post Mail Processing facility in Mumbai
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Delegates at the closing ceremony of the India Africa Postal Leaders Meet |
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The Indo-Africa Postal Leaders Meet, the first such event, was hosted by India from June 21st to 25th, 2024. It brought together over 50 senior delegates from 22 African countries, alongside representatives from the Universal Postal Union. The event highlighted India’s successful postal service model and underscored the critical role of postal services in financial inclusion and capacity building. It also opened new avenues for collaboration in postal technology and service delivery under the South-South and Triangular Cooperation framework. |
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Delegates visit to Dak Chaupal in Navi Mumbai Region |
Tracked Packet Service expansion
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On the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Postal Union Executive Council meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 17th Aug 2024, India Post & Thailand Post signed the commercial document for a competitive bilateral exchange of Tracked Packet service between the two countries. This is an important step towards promoting cross border e-commerce exports.
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DBT disbursal to beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana
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The scheme Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin, launched by the Maharashtra Government in June 2024, aims to provide financial assistance and empowerment to women in the state and provides for disbursal of Rs.1,500 every month to eligible women, among other benefits. The IPPB has successfully disbursed approximately 465.5 crores in accounts of 15.51 lakh beneficiaries.
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MoU between Department of Posts & Khadi and Village Industries Commission
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Unit Verification |
A New Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Posts & Khadi and Village Industries Commission on 20.8.2024 for Physical Verification of the units set up by first-generation entrepreneurs. This verification will facilitate the adjustment of government subsidy to the loan account of beneficiaries under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Around 1.35 lakh PMEGP units will be verified by the end of FY 2024-25. Proof of concept has been completed successfully, and Roll out for the actual Physical Verification process PAN India will start after the completion of training to Officials of the Department of Posts . |
Increasing E-Commerce footprint in the NER
In a major boost to its e-commerce operations, the Department entered into a strategic partnership with Amazon on 27th June 2024 to enhance its delivery services across the Northeast Region (NER). Under this collaboration, consignments booked in Guwahati are seamlessly transmitted and delivered by the Department to all states in the region. The range of items being handled includes apparel, household goods, mobile accessories, beauty products, books, toys, appliances, and sporting goods among others. In just the last two months, approximately 35,000 consignments have been successfully booked, generating a revenue of Rs. 31 lakh. This partnership is a significant step towards strengthening the Department’s e-commerce capabilities in the NER, improving access to essential products, and boosting regional connectivity through its extensive postal network.
Leveraging PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
The Department of Posts has gone live on the National Master Plan (NMP) portal, marking a key step in enhancing infrastructure and operational planning through geospatial technology. The Department now has its own dedicated layer on the NMP, alongside a separate portal embedded within it. Over 1.29 lakh assets of the Department have been mapped on this platform, organized into 14 data layers (4 administrative and 10 thematic) with detailed attributes for optimized decision-making.
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The use of layers and attributes of other Ministries/Departments on NMP and the Department of Posts’ layers by functional divisions/field formations of the Department will be a vital tool for functional divisions of the Department and administrative units for planning postal infrastructure and operations. Possible use cases are (a) visualization of all postal facilities on a single map for more efficient planning, (b) PIN code mapping, (c) route optimization (trucking routes, postmen’s beat), (d) planning outreach programmes for special schemes, (e) estates planning – ownership of land, category of land – forest etc.
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In consultation with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), Gandhinagar, an application has also been developed free of cost for the Department of Posts. With this application, additional assets can be mapped on NMP and already mapped assets can be updated so that postal infrastructure data is the latest available data. Circle/Region/Division /Functional Divisions of the Postal Directorate will be able to use the data.
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Under the able guidance of the Hon’ble Minister of Communications Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Department of Posts seeks to enhance citizens’ quality of life and promote inclusive growth and development nationwide through these new initiatives.
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MG/PD/DP
(Release ID: 2058028) Visitor Counter : 10
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 7:50PM by PIB Delhi
On the first day of his visit to Australia, Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce & Industry had several productive engagements with various stakeholders in Sydney today, September 23, 2024.
The Minister attended a business roundtable hosted by the Business Council of Australia in which prominent Australian and Indian CEOs participated. The Minister invited Australian business leaders to explore the opportunities presented by the high and sustained economic growth in India.
The Minister also met senior representatives from the Australian pension funds. Discussions focused on the robust policies and reform agenda of the Government of India which have boosted investor confidence. The Minister encouraged greater investments into the emerging sectors in the Indian market viz renewable energy, manufacturing, education, fintech, agritech etc.
The Minister had a productive meeting with Ms Tania Constable, CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia regarding ways to strengthen collaboration in the critical minerals sector between India and Australia. The Minister also met Mr. Joel Katz, Managing Director of the Cruise Lines International Association to explore opportunities for enhancing coastal tourism in India. The Minister interacted with Mr. Robin Khuda, Founder & CEO of AirTrunk and discussed India’s digitalisation growth and the significant potential for collaboration in the data infrastructure sector between India and Australia.
The Centre for Australia-India Relations hosted a lunch in honour of the Minister with members of their Director network.
The Minister interacted with the representatives of the Indian community at a reception hosted by the Consulate General of India at Sydney Cricket Ground. He offered prayers at the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Parramatta and recalled his previous visit to the temple in 2022. The event was attended inter-alia by Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP, Chair of Parliamentary Friends of India and Hon Warren Kirby, Member of NSW legislature and Co-chair of NSW Parliamentary Friends of India.
Before proceeding to Adelaide on 24th September 2024, the Minister’s official bilateral engagements include the reception hosted in his honour by Australia-India Business Council (AIBC) and NSW Parliamentary Friends of India in the Parliament of New South Wales. A number of political dignitaries and prominent business representatives are expected to attend the event.
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AD/VN
(Release ID: 2058010) Visitor Counter : 47
Source: Government of India
These initiatives reaffirm to expanding and enhancing India’s Telecom ecosystem, for a more digitally empowered future
DoT’s initiative,’Ek Ped MaaKe Naam’ App also gets launched, combining environmental responsibility with a personal touch
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 5:53PM by PIB Delhi
The Minister of Communications (Department of Telecom & Department of Post) and Development of Northeastern Region (DONER), Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia today said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s governmenthas prioritized connectivity for every citizen across the nation. He said, the initiatives of Department of Telecommunications aim to ensure that digital and infrastructural links are ubiquitous, facilitating access to essential services and opportunities. He emphasized that maintaining this connectivity is crucial for fostering inclusive growth and development throughout India.
Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia along with Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekharwas addressing the media on achievements of the Ministry of Communications (DoT& DoP) and Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DONER)in 100 days of the Government in New Delhi. Secretary (T), Secretary (DoP), Secretary DONER and senior officials of the ministries were present.
Shri JyotiradityaScindia also launched ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam(EPKMN) App, a uniqueinitiative of DoT, where citizens can plant a tree in honour of their mother and record the location, latitude, longitude, and timestamp of the dedicated tree.The app allows them to update the tree’s growth by uploading a new image every 30 days, allowing for continuous tracking.(The android application can be downloaded from https://usof.gov.in/en/ek-ped-maa-ke-naam).
Highlighting the accomplishments of the Department of Communications during the first 100 days of the government, Minister Scindia gave a detailed outline of the work done. He pointed out that DoT has successfully completed several key initiatives as part of the Government of India’s 100-day programme. He said, during this period, DoT has made significant strides in strengthening the four goals of a developed telecom ecosystem – Samaveshit (ubiquitous connectivity fuelling inclusive growth), Viksit (developed India through triad of perform, reform and transform), Tvarit (accelerated development and swift resolution), and Surakshit (safely and securely). The major achievements of 100-day programme are:
Samaveshit
Under various initiatives funded by the Digital Bharat Nidhi (Erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)), 4G mobile coverage is being expanded to uncovered villages across India. These efforts are focused on regions such as aspirational districts, the North-Eastern region, border areas, islands, and areas affected by left-wing extremism. A total of 7,101 4G mobile towers have been commissioned by Telecom Service Providers (Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel & BSNL) under various Digital Bharat Nidhi funded 4G schemes including 4G Saturation scheme. Out of these 4G towers 2,618Towers have been made on-air since June 2024.
5G technology has reached almost all districts of India. As of today, 98% districts in India have presence of 5G technology thereby empowering citizens with highspeed data network. 5G networks have been rolled out in all States/ UTs across the country and more than 4.5 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed across the country.
Viksit
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Bharat 6G Vision in March 2023 with the objective to be a front-line contributor in design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. In line with the Bharat 6G Vision and to support India’s prominence in 6G technology and develop the 6G RAN for the world, the DoT invited proposals from academia, industry, and other bodies engaged in R&D. So far 111 project proposalshave been processed for funding to expedite the research under “Accelerated research on 6G Ecosystem”.
100 5G Labs
Labs with indigenously developed 5G technology are being set up at 100 institutions, equally distributed across four zones in the country. The labs are being set up with the aim of capacity building in new telecom technologies and creating use cases in various socio-economic sectors for 5G technologies in collaboration with academia and start-ups. From June 2024 onwards, 41 out of the total 100 labs have been installed making the cumulatively installed labs to 81.
A Centre of Excellence (CoE) on “Classical and Quantum Communications for 6G” has been established at IIT Madras.Another MoU has been signed between the Telecom Centre of Excellence (TCOE) India and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) – Visvesvaraya Research & Innovation Foundation (VRIF) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Quantum Technology, focusing on associated 5G/6G technologies. TheseCoE will serve as a hub for innovation bringing together industry and academic experts to collaborate on cutting edge project in advance telecommunication technologies to foster and spearhead the development and deployment of 6G technology
A MoU has been signed between TCoE India and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) Gandhinagar for setting up of Centre of Excellence on Telecom Security. The MoU envisages strengthening the National cyberspace by securing the Telecom network and to develop an Indian telecom network security stack to enhance security of the nation’s communication infrastructure.
Sangam Digital Twin with AI Driven Insights:Digital Twin with AI-Driven Insights is an initiative to revolutionize infrastructure planning. This two-stage initiative began with a creative exploration phase designed to build confidence among participants through networking events.Over 150 organizations and experts participated in Stage-I in the form of networking events held in July 2024, demonstrating a willingness and foundational capability to develop the envisioned ecosystem for advanced infrastructure planning.In the Stage-II of Sangam development and demonstration of specific use cases are being planned.
PoC of Metro route planning: DoT, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have successfully conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC) to demonstrate the feasibility of using aggregated telecom data for metro route planning addressing privacy challenges. PoC explored solution’s flexibility to evolve and tackle ridership issues in ongoing metro projects by accurately identifying catchment areas, analysing arrival times, assessing interchange durations, utilization optimize operations, generating an Origin-Destination (OD) matrix for metro network planning and improving ongoing operational strategies. The promising results achieved endorse the Sangam Digital Twin initiative and represent a significant first step.
To boost domestic manufacturing, investments and export in the telecom and networking products PLI scheme with a financial outlay of ₹ 12,195 Crores over a period of 5 years has been initiated. So far, 42 PLI beneficiary companies, collectively invested Rs. 3,718 crores achieved sales of Rs. 57,498 crore including export of Rs. 11,506 crores and direct employment of 22,315.
Tvarit
MSME Certification assistance scheme:DoTlaunched reimbursement scheme aimed at easing financial burdens for startups and Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) in the telecom sector. With the objective of fostering domestic manufacturing, attracting investments and enhancing exports, the scheme will reimburse up to INR 50 lakhs per startup or MSE for testing and certification costs essential for product quality and market access.
With an objective of improving the telecom network performance, benchmarks will be gradually tightened for key network parameters like network availability, call drop rates, packet drop rates, etc. In this regard, TRAI has released its revised regulations, “The Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wirelines and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024 (06 of 2024)’.
To update the existing laws and to address the challenges of the Telecom sector, Central Government enacted Telecommunications Act, 2023 on 24th Dec 2023. The Act replaces colonial era’s Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933. Enforcement of its provisions and rules will enable effective and modern regulation of Telecom sector. It will provide clearly defined framework for Spectrum assignment and its optimal utilization, Effective and efficient RoW framework, Strong provisions for National Security and Public emergency, etc
In accordance with section 1(3), the Central Government has on 21.06.2024 issued Gazette Notification enforcing sections 1,2, 10 to 30, 42 to 44, 46, 47, 50 to 58, 61 and 62 of the Telecommunications Act w.e.f. 26.06.2024. The Department has also, on 04.07.2024, notified sections 6 to 8, 48 and 59(b) of the Act w.e.f. 05.07.2024.
Draft Rules for Security related provisions have been published for public consultation. Public consultation on draft rules for Adjudication, Amateur Station Operator and Commercial Radio Operator’s Certificate of Proficiency to operate Global Maritime Distress and Safety System has been completed. Two set of rules i.e. Telecommunications (Administration of Digital Bharat Nidhi) Rules, 2024 and Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024 have come into force through gazette notification dated 31.08.2024 and 18.09.2024 respectively.
Spectrum Auction
Spectrum Auction in 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz bands was held in June 2024. A total of 141.4 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 2500 MHz bands were sold at a market determined price of Rs. 11340.78 crores.
Surakshit
DoThas developed an online secure Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) under Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) Project for sharing information related to misuse of telecom resources among the stakeholders on near real time basis for prevention of cyber-crime and financial frauds. Different stakeholders are being onboarded on it including Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), law enforcement agencies, RBI, banks, financial institutions (FIs), GSTN, UIDAI and social media platforms. 32 States/UTs police, Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) have on boarded this platform during Jul-Aug 2024.
Till date 750 users of various stakeholders have on boarded on DIP. These stakeholders include field units of Department of Telecommunications (DoT), telecom service providers (TSPs), MHA, Indian Cybercrime coordination centre (I4C), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), 32 States/UTs police, 460 banks, FIs, fintechs, Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), SEBI, GSTN, IRCTC and social media platforms
The Department of Telecommunications, through these 100 days achievements, reaffirm to expanding and enhancing India’s telecom infrastructure, ensuring seamless connectivity, promoting digital inclusion, fostering innovation and preparing the country for a more digitally empowered future.
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MG/PD/DP
(Release ID: 2057958) Visitor Counter : 325
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 7:17PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal inaugurated COMPUTER SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM – POWER (CSIRT–POWER) facility at Northern Regional Power Committee, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi,today.
On the occasion Union Minister said the CSIRT Power facility is a significant step forward in the mission to protect one of the most vital components of our national infrastructure—our power infrastructure.
Shri Manohar Lal also said that the threats we face today are unlike those of the past. Cyberattacks have emerged as a serious and growing concern, capable of causing significant disruptions with far-reaching consequences. The power sector, being at the heart of our national infrastructure, is a prime target for such attacks.
He said that the CSIRT-Power, which is being inaugurated today, is a proactive response to these challenges. It is more than just a facility—it is a fortress, built to defend our power system from the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.
The power sector’s digital infrastructure faces heightened threats from nation/state-sponsored adversaries with advanced capabilities. The existing sub-sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) lack the necessary legal mandate, resources, and skilled professionals to address cybersecurity incidents effectively. The sector’s ongoing digital transformation has expanded the attack surface, increasing vulnerabilities. Additionally, compliance with the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013, requires the establishment of sectoral CERTs, emphasizing the need for centralized coordination to strengthen cybersecurity efforts and support constituent utilities in decision-making and specialized responses.
In response to potential cyber threats, the Ministry of Power, as part of the 100-day initiatives, following the National Cyber Security Policy and in collaboration with CERT-In, initiated the creation of a specialized Computer Security Incident Response Team for the power sector (CSIRT-Power). Equipped with advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge cybersecurity tools, and key resources, CSIRT-Power is now well-prepared to tackle emerging threats. With a dedicated team of experts, it is set to become a cornerstone of the sector’s cyber defence, coordinating incident response, establishing a strong cybersecurity framework, and implementing crucial measures to enhance overall preparedness and resilience.
The primary objective of CSIRT-Power is to build and enhance the cybersecurity resilience in the Indian Power Sector, through a structured and coordinated approach. The associated key objectives are:
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SUSHIL KUMAR
(Release ID: 2058001) Visitor Counter : 32
Source: USAID
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ISOBEL COLEMAN: Good afternoon. Thank you to our colleagues at UNDP for bringing us together today, and to our partners joining the discussion.
It’s a pleasure to be with you as we explore the promise of African-led innovation in education, technology, and entrepreneurship to drive global progress.
All of us here today know that the African continent is a powerhouse of promise. This year, the continent is poised to be the world’s second fastest-growing region – Africa is home to 12 of the 20 fastest growing economies on the planet.
The African continent also boasts an exceptionally young and growing population, with 60 percent of its inhabitants under the age of 25, and by 2040, Africa will have the largest workforce in the world – larger than China and India combined.
If we are going to achieve the SDGs and build the peaceful and prosperous world we all seek to advance, we must invest in harnessing that enormous potential.
This past March, I visited Atlanta to take part in the Phambili Trade and Innovation Event. While in Atlanta, I started discussing with Helene Gayle, the President of Spellman college, the potential for connecting American Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, with universities and colleges in Africa – harnessing cultural ties, and connecting young people pursuing careers in STEM on both sides of the world, empowering the next generation of students that could develop relationships and trade between the continent and the United States.
Since then, USAID has been in conversation with Spellman and other HBCUs about making this idea a reality, starting with one class that could count toward the HBCU students’ college degrees.
The idea blossomed, and in May of this year, USAID officially announced the launch of this program during the official visit of Kenyan President Ruto to the United States.
EdTech Africa will pilot in Kenya featuring a select cohort of students from two to three HBCUs in the United States – Howard University and the Atlanta University Consortium – and three Kenyan Universities – University of Nairobi, University of Embu, and the Open University of Kenya – focusing on data science.
In addition to academic coursework, the partnership will provide workforce development training in association which will require a collaborative project as a capstone to the class.
They will also participate in an entrepreneurship bootcamp in Atlanta sponsored by Mastercard and project based work sponsored by Microsoft at their Microsoft Africa Research Institute in Nairobi.
This hands-on approach will equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s competitive job market.
This is just the first partnership under EdTech Africa that will develop enduring connections with industry and between African and U.S. institutions focused on technology research and development and private-sector job growth.
The EdTech Africa initiative is poised to make a significant impact at a time when Africa is experiencing rapid digital transformation characterized by technological advancements, increased connectivity, and emerging job opportunities.
To thrive in this new digital landscape, a safe and secure ecosystem is essential, and the EdTech Africa initiative will contribute to building such an environment.
The United States is eager to partner with Africa to uplift the next generation of innovative, African-led solutions – helping generate broadly shared opportunity and prosperity that benefits families and communities across the continent, and sustainable growth that benefits economies across the world.
These are just a few of the ways USAID is investing in Africa’s future.
But we know our work is not done.
The African continent is teeming with potential to drive the next generation of global progress, and now, it’s up to all of us – governments, partner countries, UN organizations, and the private sector – to invest in that potential.
Thank you.
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 7:10PM by PIB Delhi
The Government of India (GoI) has announced the sale (re-issue) of (i) “7.04% Government Security 2029” for a notified amount of ₹12,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction using multiple price method, (ii) “7.23% Government Security 2039” for a notified amount of ₹12,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction using multiple price method and (iii) “7.09% Government Security 2054” for a notified amount of ₹10,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction using multiple price method. GoI will have the option to retain additional subscription up to ₹2,000 crore against each security mentioned above. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on September 27, 2024 (Friday).
Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the securities will be allotted to eligible individuals and institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.
Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on September 27, 2024. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
The result of the auctions will be announced on September 27, 2024 (Friday) and payment by successful bidders will be on September 30, 2024 (Monday).
The Securities will be eligible for “When Issued” trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‘When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities’ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2018-19/25 dated July 24, 2018 as amended from time to time.
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NB/KMN
(Release ID: 2057996) Visitor Counter : 23
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 6:56PM by PIB Delhi
On the 7th days, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, continues the Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign 2024. Various activities took place today in DoCA as well as its subordinate/autonomous/statutory bodies.
Today, the BIS training wing i.e. National Institute of Training for Standardization (NITS), Noida hosted Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir offering free health check-ups and wellness camp. In the Shivir for around 70 Safai Mitra health check-ups was done. The event was inaugurated by Shri. BL Verma, Hon’ble Minister of State Minister of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, along with Shri. Pramod Kumar (DG, BIS). In his inaugural address, Hon’ble Minister emphasized the vital role of cleanliness in our daily lives. He highlighted the need to cultivate cleanliness as a fundamental part of our character and our daily culture. Hon’ble MoS also planted a tree under the campaign “Ek Ped Ma ke Naam” in the premises of NITS, Noida and distributed safety kits to Safai Mitra of BIS and the department.
Glimpse of Safai Mitra Camp held at NITS, Noida under the Swachhata hi Seva Campaign 2024.
Distribution of safety kits to Safai Mitra by Hon’ble MoS (CA, F&PD) Shri. BL Verma at NITS, Noida
Hon’ble MoS (CA, F&PD) Shri. BL Verma at NITS, Noida planting tree under the Campaign Ek Ped Ma ke Naam (Plant4Mother)
Free Health Check-up Camps at NTH Jaipur: Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir were also organized at the DoCA’s other attached and subordinated offices on 23rd September 2024, namely NTH Jaipur, RRSL Bangalore and RRSL, Bhubaneshwar. These camps was conducted exclusively for the sanitation staff members and temporary outsourced staff of these organisation . The initiative was aimed at ensuring the health and well-being of these essential Safai Mitra, who play a vital role in maintaining the cleanliness and efficiency of our facility. Medical professionals were present to provide thorough health screenings, and the response from the staff was highly encouraging.
Deputy Director of RRSL Bangalore honored the Safai Mitra for their invaluable contributions to cleanliness and public health. As a token of appreciation, each Safai Mitra was honoured by providing a towel to recognize their dedication and hard work.
Health Check-up organised at NTH, Jaipur on September 23, 2024
Deputy Director of RRSL Bangalore with Safai Karamcharis of the office
Soap Distribution at RRSL, Faridabad: To promote cleanliness and hygiene in the community, RRSL Faridabad distributed soap bars amongst their safai workers to raise awareness about the importance of hand hygiene and sanitation today.
Safai Karmchari getting Soaps in their office./ Workplace.
Cleanliness Drives: RRSL, Nagpur organised a cleanliness drive in its nearby park areas. All the office employees got together to clean the park.
Staff at RRSL Nagpur cleaning the park nearby their office.
Slogan writing and Painting competition: The Autonomous Body of DoCA, BIS, Kolkata Branch Office –I conducted various activities today in the city including a cleaning drive in the office space and organised a slogan and painting competitions programme in different schools of the city.
BIS, Kolkata Branch Office organized painting and slogan writing competition in three schools of Kolkata.
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AD/NS
(Release ID: 2057989) Visitor Counter : 74
Source: Government of India (2)
Massive Participation in Cleanliness Drives, Eco-Tourism Activities, and Health Camps for Safai Mitras
Posted On: 23 SEP 2024 6:48PM by PIB Delhi
Today, Secretary of Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri T.K. Ramchandran, led over 400 senior officials and staff members in taking the Swachhata Pledge and making cleanliness a way of life. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, along with its all associated organizations, has launched the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 Campaign from 17th September to 2nd October 2024. The campaign is part of a national movement to promote cleanliness under the theme ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata.’
👉Swachhta Hi Sewa Pledge Ceremony 2024
👉Shri T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Secretary, MoPSW lead all Officers & Staff Members in taking the Swachhta Pledge
👉MoPSW is committed to maintain cleanliness & promoting the ideals of “Swachhta.”#SHS2024 pic.twitter.com/7SYcDcrHML— Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (@shipmin_india) September 23, 2024
As part of SHS 2024 campaign, Organizations under the Ministry are undertaking various activities covering all three pillars of the Campaign with participation of officials, students, citizens, NGOs and stakeholders. Mass plantation drive has been initiated by the Organizations carrying forward the message of “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”. Several other activities promoting environmental protection measures and eco-tourism theme are also being undertaken. Beach cleaning, cleaning of nearby areas, cleaning of dock areas, street plays, competitions and marathons promoting the theme of Swachhata are being focussed by the Organizations as part of SHS 2024. Health and welfare camps for Safai Mitras for preventive health care and linkages with various welfare schemes of Government are also being organized.
NB/AK
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(Release ID: 2057986) Visitor Counter : 95
Source: US State of New York
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in a Clinton Global Initiative fireside chat on gun violence prevention.
VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).
AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.
PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page has photos of the event here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: So the issue we are about to talk about, gun violence, is urgent, complex, and multifaceted. Before we jump into some of the solutions and approaches you’ve taken in New York, I’d like to talk to you about how you’ve addressed the issue here. First to start out I’d like to talk about one of the countless tragedies that has befallen our state. The May 2022, mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, your hometown. Tell me what that was like and what actions you’ve taken as a result.
Governor Hochul: Well, it was the most horrific event in Buffalo’s history and that was ten minutes from where I live. That was an area I’ve been to so many times. I knew the people. And to have an individual who was radicalized online, which again is another topic, but really important as to how people are developing these horrible, horrible thoughts. And his intent was to replicate the shooting in New Zealand just a few years before. So he learned how to do it online is the point.
He was able to walk into a store on his 18th birthday and to be able to buy an AK-47. Okay? Buy it. Go over to Pennsylvania where they have different laws and a magazine enhancer so he could have the highest number of casualties possible. And what he did was he looked geographically to find the largest black population closest to him. It was 3 hours and 10 minutes to Buffalo, it would have been 3 hours and 20 minutes to Brooklyn. Or to, to the Bronx. So he was trying to find a population that he intentionally wanted to slaughter. He scoped out the location. He knew where he was going. And when I went there and saw the scene of that massacre and held weeping families and hugging them and just trying to give some comfort to them, I knew I had to do something in that moment. Dramatic. And change the whole dynamic, change every law I could in the State of New York. And that has been an inspiration to me, to know that can happen in an innocent place. A sunny day in May, where people are shopping for groceries, including a dad who is buying a birthday cake for his little girl’s third birthday that he never got to see. I’ve held that little girl. And this just tears at you. At a very human level.
And all of us in government – we shouldn’t have to wait to have the kind of slaughter I saw in Buffalo or you experienced in covering Uvalde, and other people have day after day to a point where my fear is that people become desensitized to this and they don’t have that shock and that sense of urgency to do something. I don’t ever want to get to that place in this country because it would be a sad commentary on how far we’ve fallen.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: In the last few years, more than 20 states including New York, have passed new laws restricting how people can buy and carry guns but we’re seeing data that indicates there’s a thriving underground market for guns. Can you talk about the 2022 Interstate Task Force to stop the illegal trafficking of guns?
Governor Hochul: When I took office three years ago, we were in the throes of a major crime wave nationwide, not just New York. It was a nationwide phenomena. And my husband was the United States Attorney for Barack Obama. And I saw how collaboration can help and eradicate crime. And I thought, why don’t we harness the power of not just New York State, but all of our neighbors? Because 80 percent of the guns in New York come from out of state. We don’t manufacture them. So there is a pipeline that’s bringing these guns right to the streets of New York, and we have to stop that.
So I reached out to other Governors. We had nine at first. We now have 12 states that are all contiguous. And if we’re sharing data, identifying perpetrators, stopping them at the border, we can stop the flow of illegal guns from coming into our state. And the numbers have been incredibly successful.
The number of gunned addictions about 9,500. We’ve taken 10,000 guns off the streets. These are numbers that were just escalating year after year until someone finally says, “We’re gonna work together. I’ll put the resources behind it.” We have spent over 800 million directly on gun interdiction measures and another billion dollars to help support our local communities for the gun violence disrupter program. So combined almost $2 billion into in three years to say no more, no more slaughter in my state.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Following our conversation here I’m going to dive in with our panelists on community based solutions and approaches that they’re doing on the ground throughout the country. We know that these solutions from the communities themselves are promising toward reducing gun related injuries and killings. In a similar vein from your perch what do you see as promising solutions and approaches to the issue?
Governor Hochul: It does absolutely come down to engaging the community. They’re the ones who are victimized. They’re the ones who often see perpetrators. They’re the ones who have evidence that can come forward.
But also, how do we change the hearts and minds of particularly young men? Young kids in these neighborhoods who think that the only alternative they have is to be part of a gang because they’re not getting the love and nurture they need at home. This becomes their family. And that is what’s so tragic about this.
But, what you can do with these violence disruptor programs, and we funded so many of them, all across the state – is that oftentimes these might be former gang members, these are people who’ve been involved with the law. And so they’re the ones who have the story to say, don’t make the same mistake I did. And if we fund them and increase the number of them in every community, they are making a real difference. So I’m going to continue focusing on not just the law enforcement side, which has been quite extraordinary.
And back to changing our laws, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a law that we had on the books for over 100 years. A concealed carry law that says you should not be able to walk into this venue right now with a gun in your pocket, go on our subways, walk around Times Square. And the Supreme Court took that power away from me as the Governor of New York to protect my citizens. And I said, the next day, we’re fighting back. We’re going to structure a different law. We’ll go right up to the line. to where we can go and now we’ve identified sensitive locations, which is a large part of New York where you cannot carry a gun, including Times Square and houses of worship and other places. So I had to come around and do an end run basically around what the Supreme Court was trying to do, taking away my rights.
So the violence disruptor programs, the massive funding into law enforcement, the community policing, the interdiction at the borders with our consortium is making a difference to a point where our murders are down almost to the 1960s levels, which is extraordinary. In one year, we had, in 1990, we had 2,600 murders in the State of New York. We’re trending to be about 350 this year. Look at the difference in that. It’s gone. Shootings are down 47 percent since I became Governor because we had an intentional strategy that said, “We’re not going to lose any more lives senselessly to guns.”
And again the laws are so important the laws that we have on the books – the red flag laws. We had about 1,300 Extreme Risk Protection Orders – when you identify someone who shows a propensity to do harm to themselves or to others, someone sees that red flag – a school counselor, a family member, a, law enforcement, a principal, a teacher, someone’s seeing this behavior, someone’s watching it. And they don’t think they have the power to do something about it. But we said, “You do have the power.” And by changing the law to say you are required to notify the authorities so they can identify whether they have access to a gun, we have had a 1,300 percent increase in the number of Extreme Risk Protection Orders where other states aren’t doing anything.
And I need to, this should be a national policy. This should be a national policy passed by Congress because we have taken guns out of the hands that we know from people that could do harm to others before there’s a tragedy that happens. This is what smart policies are all about. Getting there before you have to go to another funeral of a child. And that’s what I want to continue doing here in New York. And I hope other states will follow suit.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: The Supreme Court stands poised to knock down any legislation, attempts to legislate the gun violence epidemic. You mentioned going right up to the line. What is that line? What can you do? What can’t you do?
Governor Hochul: We weren’t allowed to ban concealed carry weapons, but I put in place more restrictions on who can apply for them. We are able to look at your social media. That’s where people are telegraphing what they’re going to do. That was our Buffalo killer. It was all out there on social media. It’s often out there. People are telegraphing what they’re going to do. And if you can’t be aware of that and you can’t see what’s out there about them, then you’re not protecting yourself or society.
My number one job as Governor of the State is to protect our citizens. Full stop. And this is part of that strategy. So we made – we have more requirements on background checks. Our background checks are very strong, but even if someone is able to secure a concealed weapon permit and many of them are legitimate, there’s people in security and there are legitimate purposes that I will agree with, but it’s time, place and manner.
And again, I don’t want them on the streets of New York. I don’t think that’s appropriate. I don’t think it should be in a schoolyard. That’s not appropriate. A playground. So many places, they don’t make that. So we went right, when they said, I can’t ban them, I said, but they threw some words about sensitive places and I define sensitive places in New York and our law is holding, so far.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: You mentioned violence diversion programs. What’s entailed in these programs?
Governor Hochul: We fund an enormous number of these. We know the neighborhoods where they need them. These are individuals who – community based organizations, SNUG is one of them. It’s just “guns” spelled backwards.
It’s one I was familiar with in Buffalo, New York. Like I said, I was – I have a family member in law enforcement, a prosecutor, and I saw the power of these organizations when they got together. I did a lot of events with them. We announced a lot of funding for them all over the state. And what they do is, they develop relationships.
They intervene because if a young person has a strong role model at home, both parents, one parent, grandparents, someone that’s taking care of them and watching them and knows where they are after school and keep an eye on them. There’s not likely to be a problem, but that’s not the reality for so many families in so many of our communities.
The parents have to work, the mom has to work, and there’s no one there after school. And this is where the temptation is great to find alternatives. These members, like I said, many of them have done time themselves. They can speak truth to what they saw. They’re credible messengers that are the only ones who can break through and make a difference.
And they’ve been successful and I’ll keep supporting them over and over again as part of a holistic strategy. But another part of that strategy deals with mental health. We have seen the radicalization of people on social media, but also our teenagers are – many of them are despairing. And I’ve seen this because I’ve convened countless roundtables with teenagers over the last year as I look at social media, the effect it has on their well being, how they feel about themselves, and also cell phones in schools.
This is an issue I’m looking intensely at because kids are spiraling. They’re not paying attention in class. They’re being bullied all day long. They don’t have a break from it. And one young woman said to me at one of our forums, “You have to save us from ourselves. You have to help us. You have to stand up and say we shouldn’t be doing this because we can’t do it alone.”
So that’s only tangentially related to gun violence, but it also goes to the psychology of people. And if we’re not helping children and teenagers be healthy now, what are we supposed to expect from them when they turn to adults? We’re supposed to not just raise children, but raise adults who are healthy and fully functioning and have human connections that they’re being denied right now. The way this device has taken over their lives.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: I have to wrap up here. But one more question. If there’s one key message that you’d the audience here, to walk away with, what would it be?
Governor Hochul: We have seen in New York State, that leadership that is committed to ensuring that you look at all the levers at our disposal, the platforms we have, the ability to change.
There are ways that we can stop gun violence in this country. We can be like the other countries who are gathering in our city right now that don’t know a fraction of the shootings we have. It’s accessibility to guns. I continue to call on Congress to do the right thing and reinstate the ban on assault weapons that was so effective for an entire decade until it was repealed.
That’s number one. Call on other states to do as we’ve done with the red flag law. Just pass what we did here in New York and you could have prevented so many of the mass shootings. Every time you look at and analyze the social media and the footprint that’s out there for these shooters, it’s always telegraphed in advance.
You can – and they – and there’s always someone who says, “Yeah, I thought that kid was – Something wrong was there.” The evidence is there. We have to give people the responsibility to report it to law enforcement. Let them get the order of protection. And let’s start protecting people. That’s what this is all about.
I would say, don’t give up hope. The situation is dire. It is spiraling. One more mass shooting on the news is just making us sick and it’s taking us to a dark place, but it does not have to be that way. I reject the notion that this has to be our destiny. There are policies out there that are working.
Otherwise, how do we cut shootings down 47 percent? This is all since I’ve been Governor in just a few years. Look at the impact that we have had here in the State of New York. I want every state to be just like that. And then we start reclaiming our kids and our safety and the mental health that we need to know that we are safe in our country.
Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Governor Hochul, thank you so much for being here.
Source: United States Attorneys General 13
From June 17 to 21, ICITAP conducted a five-day workshop on i2 Analyst’s Notebook, attended by seventeen (17) criminal investigators, intelligence officers, bank officers, and analysts from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). The workshop aimed to enhance skills in managing large volumes of disparate data, importing financial spreadsheets for quick link analyses, and transforming data into easy-to-understand visual charts for actionable intelligence and decision-making. Participants engaged in hands-on practical exercises, creating link analyses to show relationships between financial transactions and persons of interest, effectively following the money trail and connecting the dots. By the end of the training, attendees were proficient in using Analyst’s Notebook to generate actionable intelligence, supporting more informed decision-making. The workshop received positive feedback, with participants valuing the practical exercises and real-world applications, which will significantly enhance their investigative efforts in crime prevention and resolution. This workshop is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cayson Acquisition Corp (the “Company”) announced today that it closed its initial public offering of 6,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The offering resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of $60,000,000.
The Company’s units are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) and commenced trading under the ticker symbol “CAPNU” on September 20, 2024. Each unit consists of one ordinary share and one right entitling its holder to receive one tenth of one ordinary share upon the Company’s completion of an initial business combination. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the ordinary shares and rights are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “CAPN” and “CAPNR,” respectively.
The Company is a Cayman exempt company, formed as a blank check company for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. The Company intends to focus its search for a target business on entities located throughout Asia but will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location. The Company is led by its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Yawei Cao.
Of the proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering and a simultaneous private placement of units, $60,000,000 was placed in trust.
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. acted as the book-running manager for the offering and Revere Securities acted as co-manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, from EarlyBirdCapital, Inc., 366 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Syndicate Department, or (212) 661-0200.
A registration statement relating to these securities was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and was declared effective on September 19, 2024. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the anticipated use of net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Contact:
Taylor Zhang
taylorzhang@caysonspac.com
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Naugle, PhD Candidate in Coral Ecology, Southern Cross University
Just as individual humans handle stress differently, so do corals. Even coral colonies of the same species, growing side by side, vary in their tolerance to pressures such as heatwaves.
In research published today, we discovered surprising new evidence of variable heat tolerance in corals. As the world’s oceans warm, these differences are important.
Earlier this year, the world’s fourth global mass bleaching event was declared. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered five mass bleachings since 2016 – most recently this past summer. The declarations followed the world’s warmest year on record.
To keep the world’s coral reefs healthy and functioning, global carbon emissions must be dramatically curbed to reduce the rate of ocean warming. As humanity works towards that goal, interventions may buy time for corals to survive in their warming environments.
The heat tolerance of corals can be measured by analysing their responses to elevated water temperatures. Our research involved measuring the bleaching thresholds of more than 500 colonies of the tabular coral, Acropora hyacinthus.
Acropora hyacinthus is a common coral that forms “tables” of tiny branchlets. This species is both ecologically important and highly vulnerable to heat waves, making it a prime candidate for conservation.
The characteristic colour of coral is provided by algae living inside its tissue. The algae also provide most of the coral’s nutrition. When water temperatures get too high for too long, the coral expels the algae, causing it to bleach and starve.
While at sea, we visited 17 reefs to scuba dive and search for Acropora hyacinthus. We then brought samples of these corals on board a research vessel to conduct experiments.
Our specially designed portable experiment system contained 12 tanks set to four different temperatures. Coral fragments were placed in each tank and subjected to short-term heat stress at different temperatures.
Afterwards, we measured the amount of pigment left in the coral fragments, which directly aligns with the amount of algae left in the coral’s cells.
We then determined each coral’s bleaching thresholds – in other words, the temperature at which the coral’s pigmentation drops to 50% of its healthy level. This allowed us to understand how much variation exists and where the most heat-tolerant colonies live.
So what did we find? Under our experiments, the amount of pigment retained under high temperatures varied from 3% to 95%. This means at high temperatures, some coral colonies completely bleached while others seemed barely affected.
Of the 17 reefs we studied, 12 contained colonies with bleaching thresholds in the top 25%. This means heat-tolerant corals could be found at most of the reefs we sampled.
Corals handle stress differently for two reasons: nature and nurture.
Each coral has a unique “nature” or genetic makeup that can affect its heat tolerance. Our results suggest corals found across the entire Great Barrier Reef may hold unique genetic resources that are important for recovery and adaptation.
However, aspects of the marine environment may nurture, or hinder, a coral’s heat stress response. These include water temperatures, nutrient conditions, and the symbiotic algae living inside coral tissue.
We found corals living in warmer regions, such as the northern Great Barrier Reef, can handle higher water temperatures. However, because the water is so warm in these areas, the corals are already pushed close to their temperature limits.
Corals in the southern Great Barrier Reef cannot handle temperatures as high as their northern neighbours. Our findings suggest these corals can tolerate more warming above their local temperatures than corals to the north.
These tolerance patterns may affect which corals survive marine heatwaves.
Our findings have potentially important implications for the ability of corals to adapt to warmer seas under climate change.
The results may also inform reef restoration and conservation efforts. For example, heat-tolerant parent corals could be selectively bred to produce offspring better suited to warmer waters.
The success of such programs depends on the extent to which a coral’s genetic makeup controls its tolerance to heat. So, the next step in this research is investigating these genetic differences.
Selective breeding trials are already underway, using the most heat-tolerant corals identified in this study.
When it comes to protecting our coral reefs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is imperative. However, interventions such as selective breeding may be useful supplements to give coral reefs the best future possible.
Melissa Naugle receives funding from the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, funded by the partnership between the Australian government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Emily Howells receives funding from the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, funded by the partnership between the Australian government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Line Bay works for the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a publicly funded research organisation that receives funding from the Australian government, state government departments, foundations and private industry. She receives funding from the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, a partnership between the Australian Governments Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Revive and Restore, the Paul G Allen Family Foundation and BHP.
– ref. Scientists discover heat-tolerant corals hidden in plain sight. Could it help protect the Great Barrier Reef? – https://theconversation.com/scientists-discover-heat-tolerant-corals-hidden-in-plain-sight-could-it-help-protect-the-great-barrier-reef-231823
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Today, Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Gwen Moore (WI-04), along with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), introduced the Security and Financial Empowerment (SAFE) for Survivors Act to establish provisions that promote the safety and security of survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence, and stalking.
The 2024 SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims to take time off from work without fear of penalty, requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to assist survivors dealing with the aftermath of violence, provides access to unemployment benefits for survivors, and establishes insurance protections to support survivors–ensuring that victims are not punished for their abusers’ crimes.
“Financial abuse occurs in nearly every case of domestic violence. So many survivors are financially tied to their abuser, which ends up being one of the main reasons survivors stay with an abusive partner,” Dingell said. “Survivors have unique needs in their journey to economic independence, and the provisions in this bill will support their ability to provide for their families safely and independently, whether they choose to enter, remain, or take time off from the workplace.”
“Domestic violence survivors shouldn’t face financial hardship as they work to pick up the pieces after experiencing abuse,” Moore said. “But too many endure a financial cost, which is why we must work to remove these barriers, so that survivors can access the resources they need. That’s why I am thankful to partner with my House and Senate colleagues in much-needed legislation to strengthen survivors’ access to health care, unemployment benefits, and paid leave.”
“No survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault should be forced to choose between their safety and their paycheck, job, or ability to support their family,” Murray said. “Survivors who are dealing with the mental and physical impacts of assault and violence often can’t afford to miss a day of work or can’t provide for their families on their own if they choose to leave a dangerous situation. We must do everything we can to change this heartbreaking reality. The SAFE Act for Survivors Act would take a huge step toward ensuring no woman or person is stuck between worrying for their safety and making ends meet.”
One in four women in the U.S. experience physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime and one in four women report an attempted or completed rape during their lifetime. Individuals who experience intimate partner violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence and stalking often find that abuse and threats follow them from home into the workplace. This type of violence has direct consequences for survivors’ economic security, which can affect their ability to recover, provide for their families, and remove themselves from dangerous situations.
According to the Domestic Violence Hotline, 44% of full-time employed adults in the US reported experiencing the effect of domestic violence in their workplace; 21% identified themselves as victims of intimate partner violence. Domestic violence issues lead to nearly 8 million lost days of paid work each year, the equivalent of over 32,000 full-time jobs.
Highlights of the 2024 SAFE for Survivors Act include:
Increased Access to Leave
Enhanced Workplace Protections
Access to Unemployment Benefits
Insurance Protections for Survivors
A section by section of the SAFE for Survivors Act is available HERE.
In the House, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by: Ann Kuster (NH-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Barbara Lee (CA-12)
In the Senate, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by: Baldwin, Blumenthal, Casey, Hirono, Klobuchar, Padilla, Sanders, Shaheen.
The SAFE for Survivors Act is endorsed by: National Partnership for Women & Families, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Ascend Justice, Just Solutions, Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, Family Values @ Work, Center for American Progress, Futures Without Violence, A Better Balance, Legal Aid at Work, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, MomsRising, Center for Law and Social Policy, Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Women Employed, Project Safeguard, The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC UNITED), Family Forward, Caminar Latino-Latinos United for Peace and Equity, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence, The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence.
“In Illinois, we are fortunate to have job-protected leave for survivors under the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act,” said Katherine Gaughan-Palombi, Senior Attorney of Economic Justice Project, Ascend Justice. “However, passage of the Federal SAFE Act would enhance employment protections and economic security for survivors in Illinois – such as including paid leave. It would also provide crucial safe leave and job protections for survivors across the nation.”
“In our decades of work to enact workplace protections for survivors of gender-based violence and harassment, Legal Momentum has seen how essential these laws are to ensuring the safety of survivors. Yet, the slim patchwork of state and local laws leaves too many survivors at risk,” said Seher Khawaja, Director of Economic Justice, Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund. “We are grateful to Representative Dingell, Representative Moore, and Senator Murray for their leadership in introducing a comprehensive bill that would establish federal paid safe leave, anti-discrimination protections and reasonable accommodations in the workplace, and access to unemployment insurance for survivors. These protections are at the heart of safeguarding and empowering survivors, and we are proud to endorse the SAFE Act.”
“At The Hotline, we hear time and time again that economic insecurity is the largest barrier preventing survivors from leaving abusive situations,” said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of The National Domestic Violence Hotline. “The SAFE for Survivors Act, introduced by Senator Murray, and Representatives Dingell and Moore, answers this call by giving survivors the protections they need—whether it’s leave from work, unemployment benefits, or increased protections—they can better focus on their safety and recovery. We commend their efforts to prioritize survivors’ economic security,”
“Family Values @ Work is proud to support Representatives Dingell and Moore’s and Senator Murray’s SAFE For Survivors Act of 2024,” said Family Values @ Work (FV@W) Deputy Director Erica Clemmons Dean. “We have long championed and advocated for the need for paid sick and safe time for all, and ensuring victims of domestic violence have access to paid sick and safe time is good policy. For 20 years, FV@W has worked to win paid time to care for all workers. We’ve been fortunate to have the support of the Congresswomen and Senator, and are proud to endorse the SAFE Act as well.”
“Survivors deserve the opportunity to seek the care they need to leave their abusive partner without the looming fear that they will lose their job or income, and job-protected, paid safe leave provides that opportunity,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “We thank Senator Murray and Representative Dingell for their tremendous efforts to protect survivors and to support vulnerable workers and their families.”
“Survivors of domestic and sexual violence deserve paid leave from work so they can be safe and seek justice and healing while still being able to keep their jobs,” said Esta Soler, President and Founder of Futures Without Violence. “Thank you Senator Murray and Representatives Dingell and Moore for introducing the SAFE for Survivors Act and always fighting for the economic security of all of survivors.”
“For survivors of violence, safety and economic security go hand in hand,” said Molly Weston Williamson, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress. “The SAFE for Survivors Act would give survivors the tools they need to pursue safety without compromising their economic independence, including paid, protected safe leave from work for needs like relocating to safety or accessing legal or support services.”
“Through our free and confidential legal helpline, A Better Balance hears far too often from workers who are forced to choose between their jobs and their personal or family safety,” said Jared Make, Vice President of A Better Balance. “It is imperative to provide safe leave to workers across the United States, to ensure that survivors of domestic and sexual violence are able to stay connected to the workforce while also remaining safe.”
Dingell has long been a leader in Congress in combating domestic violence. She has led the Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act to close the boyfriend loophole and keep guns out of the hands of abusive dating partners and stalkers. In 2018, she established the Bipartisan Working Group to End Domestic Violence to bring together a bipartisan group of members to identify ways to strengthen resources and protections for survivors and their children.
She has been working to address funding shortfalls in the Victims of Crime Act’s (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund (CVF), the largest source of federal grant funding for victim services organizations, including organizations supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse, stalking, and other crimes.
In April, Dingell led a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, urging the Commission to take proactive measures to address the threat of domestic abusers exploiting connectivity tools in vehicles to harass and intimidate their partners.
This year she co-led the Justice in Sentencing for Survivors Act, which authorizes the court to impose a sentence that is below the mandatory minimum if the offender’s crime is connected to their survivor status, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which bans the publication of non-consensual intimate images (also known as deepfakes) prohibits their distribution and creates a criminal penalty for doing so, and requires websites to have a removal process.