A stretch of State Highway 1 south of the Manakau Rail overbridge between Ōtaki and Levin will be under stop/go traffic management on Monday night.
During the overnight work, crews will be providing a more permanent fix for potholes in the area.
Crews will be onsite near Whakahoro Road on the evening of Monday 23 September, between 7pm and 6am to complete the work.
While work is underway stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30km/h speed limit. We expect minimal delays due to this work.
This work will see a more permanent solution to the potholes that have developed over the winter months. We understand the importance of ensuring potholes are repaired and filled as quickly, and safely as possible, for the safety of all road users.
This work is weather dependent and could be postponed to a later date if necessary.
Police are investigating following an aggravated robbery in the northern suburbs late last night.
Just before midnight on Monday 23 September, patrols were called to Curtis Road at Munno Para after reports of a robbery.
Police will allege a group of youths approached a man who was leaving a fast-food restaurant. The group made conversation with the man as he got into the driver’s seat of his car. One youth prevented him from closing his door and assaulted him.
The victim exited the car, and a teen has threatened him with a paper cutter and grabbed his phone and car keys from his hands.
The group all got into the car, a dark blue Toyota Corolla Sedan with registration S874CHG, and were last seen heading east on Curtis Road.
The victim, a 27-year-old man from Marion, was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
Police are investigating and ask anyone who spots the stolen dark blue coloured Toyota Corolla Sedan with registration S874CHG to contact the police assistance line on 131 444.
If anyone has information about the incident they are asked to contact Crime Stoppers. You can anonymously provide information to Crime Stoppers online at https://crimestopperssa.com.au or free call 1800 333 000.
Emergency Alliance brings together some of New Zealand’s leading relief agencies who have agreed to collaborate rather than compete for donations during a humanitarian emergency.
Collaboration generates more funds, and makes distribution of those funds more efficient during an emergency.
“Simply put, more donations get to those who need it most,” says Emergency Alliance Executive Director, Paul Brown.
“Having a joint appeal makes it easy for the public to donate during a crisis. They don’t have to choose which charity to support. They can donate via one platform, knowing Emergency Alliance will distribute the funds to the charities best positioned to get effective support quickly to where it is most needed.”
The Emergency Alliance was launched in 2023, and connects the New Zealand aid sector to other successful collaborative alliances in 13 other countries.
ChildFund New Zealand is part of a global network of ChildFund organisations working in over 70 countries and reaching over 30 million children and young people. It brings this global reach and experience, plus its extensive work in the Pacific, to Emergency Alliance.
“We are very excited to welcome ChildFund to our family. They bring a global network, with depth in understanding of how emergencies affect children and youth. ChildFund’s work in the Pacific is particularly important as we gear up for another cyclone season,” saysPaul Brown.
“When disaster strikes, it’s critical that we work together, not just in coordinating responses on the ground, but also coordinating how we raise funds. By making it simple for the public, New Zealanders can trust that donations will get to where they are most needed,” says Josie Pagani CEO of ChildFund New Zealand.
“I have seen how these joint appeal mechanisms work around the world. Often the public are ahead of governments in wanting to do something to help people in a crisis. So, let’s make it easy for generous Kiwis to donate.”
“Working together achieves so much more than going it alone. We look forward to doing the best job we can by collaborating to help people during a humanitarian crisis,” says Josie Pagani.
On Monday 23 September at 1pm, Peace Action Wellington will protest against the Aerospace Summit. The Wellington protest will be outside the Ministry of Business at 15 Stout Street.
“The Aerospace Conference raises serious concerns because of its ties to the US weapons industry and US military. The aggressive steps taken by the NZ government to join the US in the weaponisation of space, contrary to the Outer Space Treaty, is a deeply alarming agenda,” said Valerie Morse, spokesperson for Peace Action Wellington.
The Aerospace Summit is an annual event sponsored by Rocket Lab and supported by the US government. Rocket Lab is partly owned by Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest arms dealer. Summit speakers include a representative from Boeing Aerospace, the second largest arms dealer. The Summit is held in Ōtautahi/Christchurch.
Rocket Lab has been launching US military satellites providing actionable information for the genocide in Gaza.
“Despite weekly outpouring across Aotearoa of calls for peace, the New Zealand Government seems determined to follow the US into their wars more than ever,” said Valerie Morse, spokesperson for Peace Action Wellington. “New Zealand has taken three steps to join the US Space Race in just the past few months.” (1)
“New Zealand is now one of the top ‘spots’ for space launches – why? Because NZ has become a US military spaceport,” said Morse. “All other major space programmes – US, India, China, Russia – are directly linked to their militaries. Ours is linked, too, but not to the NZ military, but rather to the US military. That gives the US huge sway in the things that are launched from Aotearoa, including things that are contrary to the interests of ordinary people here like surveillance and private spying satellites”
This is the third Aerospace Conference hosted in Ōtautahi, and the third year of peace organising to oppose it. The Wellington action is supported by the Stop AUKUS Coalition, Victoria University Socialists, Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga, climate and peace activists, and local solidarity band the Brass Razoo.
“We invite members of the public in Wellington to join us in opposing the militarisation of space. We stand in solidarity with Stop the Space Waste in Ōtautahi who are mobilising against the Aerospace Conference and have a nationwide petition (2). We stand in solidarity with: RocketLab Monitor in Māhia who have long exposed the military aims of RocketLab, with Kanaky, against French militarisation. Rocket Lab is launching technology for Kineis, a company based in France that builds French military satellites; with Palestine and with the Anti-Bases Campaign who have long opposed military bases,” said Ms Morse.
Notes:
About Peace Action Wellington: For the past quarter-century, Peace Action Wellington has worked for peace and justice throughout the world, with a special focus on the New Zealand government’s involvement in international affairs. PAW stands for peace with justice and self-determination.
Nicola Willis has set up the public service to fail to pay for reckless tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco industry.
Today’s analysis by the Council of Trade Unions shows that significant cuts to frontline public services will likely be needed to meet the Government’s directive to fund cost pressures – such as from inflation and population growth – from baseline funding.
“Nicola Willis has just gutted the public service to the tune of some 6000 people. Public services are already having to do more with less and we’ve seen how the frontline is being affected,” said Labour public service spokesperson Ayesha Verrall.
“To also have to manage cost pressures without more funding will likely lead to more job cuts and further undermine frontline work.”
“From cutting frontline work the Department of Conservation does to protect our most precious native species to hiring freezes at our hospitals, it’s clear the National Government has broken its promises to New Zealanders that frontline services would not be affected.”
The Government Workforce Policy Statement sets out the Government’s expectation that departments manage cost pressures through their baselines.
“This approach might ordinarily be sensible, but not after the public service has already been pared back to basics.
“Departments have just cut 6.5% or 7.5% from their baselines, leaving them already struggling to deliver their core functions. And now expecting them to absorb cost pressures when there is no capacity left, will lead to further front line cuts.
“Nicola Willis made reckless commitments about tax cuts that she couldn’t afford. She’s had to gut the public service and borrow to pay for them, all while handing $216 million to the tobacco industry, and $2.9 billion to landlords.
“Almost a year into her tenure as finance minister it’s time Nicola Willis took some responsibility, and realised that she cannot cut her way to a better New Zealand.
“Day by day we see cuts going deeper and further. A weakened public service is not good for anyone and New Zealanders are worse off for it,” Ayesha Verrall said.
The Science, Innovation and Technology sector is working together to improve collaboration and access to infrastructure and expertise via a new online platform.
Kitmap is an online directory and database of scientific infrastructure and equipment owned by publicly funded institutes and is the first of its kind for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kitmap was announced today by Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Judith Collins. The online platform is part of a wider project led by the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) that seeks to optimise the use of Aotearoa New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure.
“We are excited to be part of the delivery and management of a tool that streamlines access to facilities that also helps to enhance collaboration and efficiency,” says Callaghan Innovation Chief Executive, Stefan Korn.
It includes advanced facilities such as clean rooms, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified testing, pilot and manufacturing infrastructure, and specialised Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy capabilities that are now more accessible.
Kitmap currently catalogues 260 R&D items of infrastructure, specialised equipment, much of which are found nowhere else, or not easily accessible in this country.
It provides easy access to equipment and facilities owned by Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), the National eScience Infrastructure (NeSI) and Callaghan Innovation.
“Our colleagues at MBIE have done the heavy lifting gathering the relevant information for this tool. As an innovation agency and R&D provider, we are very happy to host and promote Kitmap to support improved collaboration, and optimised resource use across the public sector and beyond.
“We engaged with MBIE late last year to see what we could do to help. They welcomed our input and their shared requirements for an online tool. We assembled our own team to deliver a dynamic platform that provides instant access to a comprehensive directory of R&D infrastructure and equipment.
“As scientific fields, interdisciplinary research and private sector R&D areas continue to evolve rapidly, it’s crucial that our public science and technology resources are deployed to the areas where they can deliver the greatest impact for New Zealand.
“And as the fourth industrial revolution gathers pace, Kitmap will offer valuable insights and access to a broad spectrum of research facilities and equipment, ensuring Kiwi innovators have the tools they need to successfully develop products and inventions.
“In the near future Kitmap will look to incorporate generative AI functionality to suggest potential methods and machinery required for rapid prototyping of new products or innovations,” says Stefan Korn.
Kitmap resource categories include:
Laboratories: Conventional research rooms/buildings
Field sites: Physical spaces for non-laboratory research activities
Livestock facilities: Spaces for rearing or researching livestock, including animals, fish, and insects
Vessels: Ships or boats equipped for sea research
Digital collections: Online databases and digital archives
Computing: Physical computing hardware or virtual networks
Workshops: Spaces with CNC machinery, tools and equipment for rapid prototyping
Sample collections: Physical specimen collections
Monitoring: Networks of monitoring equipment
Pilot plants: Facilities for pre-commercial production technology trials.
Callaghan Innovation is New Zealand’s innovation agency. It activates innovation and helps businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand. The government agency partners with ambitious businesses of all sizes, delivering a range of innovation and research and development (R&D) services to suit each stage of their growth. Its staff – including more than 150 of New Zealand’s leading scientists and engineers – empower innovators by connecting people, opportunities and networks, and providing tailored technical solutions, skills and capability development programmes, and grants co-funding. Callaghan Innovation also enhances the operation of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, working closely with MBIE, NZTE, NZVIF, Crown Research Institutes, and other organisations that help increase business investment in R&D and innovation. The agency operates from five urban offices and a regional partner network in a further 12 locations across Aotearoa.
On the sidelines of the high-level week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, today held a series of meetings with representatives of the innovation sector and in particular with the CEOs of the Google-Alphabet group, Sundar Pichai, of Motorola, Greg Brown, and of Open AI, Sam Altman.
At the center of the discussions, the prospects of global technological and IT development with particular reference to Artificial Intelligence, the opportunities to be seized and the risks to be prevented.
The investment plans of the various Groups in Italy were also discussed, as well as which initiatives could be adopted, also in light of Italy’s strategic position at the centre of the Mediterranean, to increase Italian competitiveness in the most high-tech sectors, in particular by leveraging Italian excellence in higher education and research.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Last night, several people were killed and many more wounded in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. And once again, our entire nation is watching in horror as another community is devasted by the national epidemic of gun violence. President Biden and Vice President Harris join Americans across the nation in praying for the families affected by this senseless violence. At the direction of the President, the White House is coordinating with Federal, state, and local officials as investigations are underway.
Americans should not have to live like this. And we can’t let it become normal. This year alone there have been more than 400 mass shootings which have traumatized Americans and torn communities apart. As President Biden often says: Enough is enough.
One year ago today, President Biden took the historic step of establishing the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to reduce gun violence ravaging communities across the country. The office builds on historic action taken by the President and Vice President to save lives, including signing into law the most significant legislation to combat gun violence in 30 years. President Biden and Vice President Harris have also made historic investments in community violence interventions and taken action to stop the illegal flow of guns into our communities. But we know it is not enough. That’s why President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to call on Congress to act, including by banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and requiring background checks for all gun sales. Americans deserve nothing less.
The Coast Guard suspended its search at noon Sunday for two men off Virginia Beach. Coast Guard Sector Virginia watchstanders received a report at approximately 8:30 p.m., Saturday of three swimmers in distress near Virginia Beach. Nearly 10 minutes after the initial report one of the swimmers was recovered unconscious on the beach and immediately received medical attention prior to being transported to a local hospital for further care.
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Inflation rates remain a mixed bag and vary widely among different countries. Although inflation has moderated across some markets, it remains high for some countries, and accordingly the trend shifts towards rebalancing its impact. Companies have been vocal about their concerns related to inflation and discussing these extensively in filing documents, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Company Filing Analytics Database revealed that companies are increasingly concerned about inflation, which is affecting consumer behavior and leading to lower-than-anticipated net sales and profits on both a quarterly and annual basis.
Misa Singh, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Inflation impacts business in multiple ways, from dampened customer sentiment, reduced demand, rising raw material costs to higher labor costs, ultimately squeezing profit margins. As consumer confidence wanes, companies are observing a shift toward lower-cost products and are prioritizing market development and portfolio diversification to navigate these challenges.”
Campbell Soup Co revealed in its earnings calls that it anticipates core inflation to remain in the low-single-digit range for fiscal ’25 and remains focused in areas of the portfolio where it has higher year-over-year input costs, including olive oil, cocoa, and packaging costs, and other areas of persistent inflation, such as labor costs and warehousing costs.
Haier Smart Home Co Ltd discussed persistent high inflation dampening consumer sentiment in Europe. The company also witnessed suppressed demand due to inflation in markets like the US and Europe. Because of high interest rates and inflation, consumers are increasingly seeking value-for-money products.
Darden Restaurants Inc mentioned that it is operating in a period of higher-than-usual inflation, led by food and beverage costs and labor inflation. This is principally due to increased costs incurred by vendors related to higher labor, transportation, packaging, and raw materials costs.
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd talked about soaring inflation in its reports particularly in controlling service inflation, which remains stubbornly high. The company believes that inflation surged initially due to supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co experienced rising input component costs, principally driven by inflation.
Some developing emerging markets continue to experience intense inflation as revealed by The Coca-Cola Co in its earning transcripts. The company further mentioned that performance was driven by strength in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia while Argentina continued to experience highly inflationary conditions.
About GlobalData
4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.
The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm September 23, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:45pm (USEDT).
In this episode of A View from Afar political scientist and former Pentagon Analyst, Paul G. Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning will discuss: The Murky World of Israel’s Booby-Trapped Pagers and Walkie-Talkies.
Today, Paul and Selwyn will reveal Israel’s long-form planning that led to it sabotaging hand-held communication devices that Hezbollah used to communicate with.
This episode’s questions will include:
Who was behind the manufacturing of the booby-trapped devices?
How long has Israel been planning last week’s attack – an attack that saw thousands injured and many killed in Lebanon after Israel remotely pulled the virtual-pin and exploded the devices indiscriminantly?
And why now? Presumably the devices were also programmed to be tracked. So why did Israel decide to abandon tracking Hezbollah and to attack?
Was it to cause chaos among its enemies in a preemptive move immediately prior to its widespread bombing and targeting of communities in Lebanon?
And what of international law? Has Israel gone so far beyond the Rubicon with Gaza that it senses international law no longer applies to Israel?
And, finally, has the United Nations abandoned its right to protect principles, its peacemaking and peacekeeping responsibilities in favour of aid, development and an overly bureaucratic institution?
Live Audience: Remember, if you are joining us live via the social media platforms, feel free to comment as we can include your comments and questions in this programme.
INTERACTION WHILE LIVE:
Paul and Selwyn encourage their live audience to interact while they are live with questions and comments.
To interact during the live recording of this podcast, go to Youtube.com/c/EveningReport/
Remember to subscribe to the channel.
For the on-demand audience, you can also keep the conversation going on this debate by clicking on one of the social media channels below:
RECOGNITION: The MIL Network’s podcast A View from Afar was Nominated as a Top Defence Security Podcast by Threat.Technology – a London-based cyber security news publication. Threat.Technology placed A View from Afar at 9th in its 20 Best Defence Security Podcasts of 2021 category.
You can follow A View from Afar via our affiliate syndicators.
The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm September 23, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:45pm (USEDT).
In this episode of A View from Afar political scientist and former Pentagon Analyst, Paul G. Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning will discuss: The Murky World of Israel’s Booby-Trapped Pagers and Walkie-Talkies.
Today, Paul and Selwyn will reveal Israel’s long-form planning that led to it sabotaging hand-held communication devices that Hezbollah used to communicate with.
This episode’s questions will include:
Who was behind the manufacturing of the booby-trapped devices?
How long has Israel been planning last week’s attack – an attack that saw thousands injured and many killed in Lebanon after Israel remotely pulled the virtual-pin and exploded the devices indiscriminantly?
And why now? Presumably the devices were also programmed to be tracked. So why did Israel decide to abandon tracking Hezbollah and to attack?
Was it to cause chaos among its enemies in a preemptive move immediately prior to its widespread bombing and targeting of communities in Lebanon?
And what of international law? Has Israel gone so far beyond the Rubicon with Gaza that it senses international law no longer applies to Israel?
And, finally, has the United Nations abandoned its right to protect principles, its peacemaking and peacekeeping responsibilities in favour of aid, development and an overly bureaucratic institution?
Live Audience: Remember, if you are joining us live via the social media platforms, feel free to comment as we can include your comments and questions in this programme.
INTERACTION WHILE LIVE:
Paul and Selwyn encourage their live audience to interact while they are live with questions and comments.
RECOGNITION: The MIL Network’s podcast A View from Afar was Nominated as a Top Defence Security Podcast by Threat.Technology – a London-based cyber security news publication. Threat.Technology placed A View from Afar at 9th in its 20 Best Defence Security Podcasts of 2021 category.
You can follow A View from Afar via our affiliate syndicators.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking research proposals to help improve New Zealand’s reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses.
The annual funding round for the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research (GHGIR) fund is now open, with $2.9 million of funding available for new GHGIR projects in the 2024/25 financial year.
“The GHGIR focuses on improving our knowledge of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, to ensure we have the best possible data to help manage New Zealand’s emissions and inform policy decisions,” says Stephanie Preston, MPI’s director of programmes and planning, policy and trade.
“This year we’re looking for very specific research proposals in 10 priority areas, ranging from improving liveweight estimation of sheep and beef to exploring remote sensing methods of collecting data, such as using satellite data to measure feed type and quality.
“The outcomes will inform MPI’s reporting to the New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the United Nations under the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Applications close on 30 October 2024, with successful proposals expected to be announced by the end of February 2025.
Background information
The annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory reports on human-induced emissions and removals of greenhouse gases for energy, industrial processes, agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry, and waste.
The Inventory is produced by government agencies, with MPI being responsible for producing the chapter on agricultural emissions (the Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Inventory). The report is submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat each year.
The 10 priorities for this year’s funding round are:
non-forest land-use emissions model
review and improve energy equations and intake
review QA/QC of inventory model code
review liming emissions
measure values relevant to the inventory using remote sensing techniques
improving the modelling of dairy beef cattle
improve liveweight estimation of sheep and beef
seasonal dairy supplementary feed data intake
new afforestation and deforestation intentions survey
improved activity data and parameters for deer.
The priorities paper for 2024 is on MPI’s Applying for Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research funding web page.
A man who stole a car then used it to ram his way out of the victim’s garage has been arrested after he returned back to the scene of the crime.
At about 1.20am, a man allegedly entered a property in Grove Road, Papakura.
Counties Manukau South Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes, says the alleged offender has gone into the garage and hoped inside a Toyota Funcargo which was parked inside, using it to ram his way out of the garage.
“About five minutes later the vehicle returned to the address while the owner was speaking to Police on the phone.
“The driver has quickly fled and the Police Eagle helicopter was able to gain observations, tracking the vehicle around the Papakura area.
“The vehicle then drove around multiple streets in Flat Bush before heading into Manukau.”
Inspector Hoyes says the vehicle was then spiked and came to a stop on Weymouth Road where the driver was taken into custody without incident.
“This was a fantastic response from all Police teams involved to bring a quick resolution.
“As we have said before, vigilant reporting is often be the key to Police being able to respond in a timely manner and hold people to account for their actions.
“This also serves as a reminder to those who choose to engage in this type of offending, know that we will not tolerate it.”
A 32-year-old man will appear in Papakura District Court today charged with unlawfully taking a vehicle and burglary.
Waikato Police are disappointed with the drunken behaviour and high levels of disorder, which crossed the line in the central Hamilton CBD overnight on Saturday.
A total of 30 people were arrested with high levels of intoxication, obstruction and general disorder witnessed by our police staff late Saturday night.
This is a significantly higher number of arrests than a standard Saturday night.
Of these arrests – three people were arrested for assault, 11 for disorderly behaviour, five for obstruction and four had warrants to arrest and were actively being sought by police.
It’s disappointing that five people physically obstructed our staff while officers were in the process of arresting others. Those offenders were themselves arrested for obstruction.
This is a timely reminder to people to let police do their job.
Police understand that this type of offending creates a sense of distress among our community, especially those socialising appropriately and legitimately.
It was a particularly busy night in the CBD with several events being held at different premises. Our staff were present in the central city from 8pm and further staff were called in to support them due to the amount of disorder taking place.
Several senior police staff were also on site in the CBD and checked 10 licensed premises to ensure they were complying with the liquor licensing rules.
A total of 10 liquor ban infringements were also issued to members of the public for drinking in a public place.
When individual behaviour affects other’s enjoyment of Hamilton’s hospitality scene, police will take enforcement action.
With daylight savings and warmer weather ahead, the city is only set to get busier.
Be assured police will be present in future and will hold offenders to account to stop the antisocial behaviour when it arises.
Most of the offenders were bailed to appear in court at a later date, however those with warrants to arrest will appear before the courts today.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Partnership unites six organisations including: Action with Communities in Rural England; Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; Environment Agency; National Farmers Union; and Natural England
With rural communities increasingly on the frontline of extreme weather and the devastating impacts of flooding, a unique partnership has been launched today (23 September 2024) to support rural flood resilience and help farmers and communities adapt to a changing climate.
Climate change means that people, places and nature are facing more frequent and more severe storms and floods. Last winter saw one of England’s wettest periods since records began in 1836.
The Rural Flood Resilience Partnership has been established to improve collaboration, deepen understanding of vulnerabilities, and support rural communities and agricultural businesses in building their resilience to present and future flood risks and coastal erosion.
The Partnership unites organisations representing government agencies, trade associations, rural communities and businesses to tackle a joint challenge with joint solutions.
The six equal founding partners are: Action with Communities in Rural England; the Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; the Environment Agency; the National Farmers Union; and Natural England.
Today, the Partnership publishes its work plan covering 2024 to 2026. Partners and a wide range of projects will work together to improve their evidence base and will draw on this to co-develop solutions.
The work plan sets out 21 actions supporting seven strategic outcomes focused on: developing the evidence base behind decision-making to increase resilience; ensuring communities, farmers and landowners have access to quality advice and support; and engaging rural communities in flood resilience.
James Blake, Chair of Trustees Action with Communities in Rural England, said:
It’s vital that everyone living and working in rural communities – not just those involved in land management and agriculture – have an opportunity to engage with and influence plans to manage the consequences of climate change.
As one of the founding members of this partnership, we look forward to drawing on the experience and reach of ACRE members to build the capacity of rural communities to come together and consider what can be done based on local circumstances in response to this most pressing global issue.
Robert Caudwell, Chair of the Association of Drainage Authorities, said:
Our climate is changing rapidly, and those living and working in rural parts of England are some of the most aware of, and most vulnerable to, those changes.
Listening to the voice of rural communities is essential if we are to build England’s resilience to flooding and drought in the future.
The best solutions can often be achieved when public authorities work together with local businesses and communities, combining their land and water management expertise with a deeper understanding of our local landscape and those impacted.
ADA is proud to play its part in this new Partnership in support of our members, England’s flood and water management authorities.
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:
The damage to rural land and businesses from flooding is localised but acute, and the frequency of these events will increase with climate change.
It is crucial to improve the resilience of rural businesses and communities to flooding. The CLA hopes this partnership will provide the evidence, awareness of risks, and access to practical advice that will allow them to improve their resilience.
This partnership will look for short and medium-term solutions whilst raising awareness of the rural-specific costs and challenges from flooding which our members face.
Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency, said:
Flooding presents specific challenges to those living and working in rural communities, from ruined crops to having road access cut off by floodwaters.
Since 2015, flooding and coastal change projects have been completed to protect more than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land better. This includes 280,000 hectares between 2015-2021, helping to avoid more than £500 million worth of economic damage to agricultural land production.
While the Environment Agency continues to work to strengthen rural flood resilience, no single organisation can tackle these challenges in isolation. This partnership provides the opportunity to accomplish more than any one organisation can manage alone.
The new Rural Flood Resilience Partnership will help farmers, land managers and rural communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change while retaining the vital role of managing land and producing sustainable food.
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said:
The NFU is pleased to be involved in this new Partnership and hope it will enable farmers and rural communities to strengthen the resilience of their homes and businesses by providing practical solutions based on tangible evidence to some of the challenges they face in the event of flooding.
It will also give rural communities the means to influence decision making, provide access to resources and support action on the ground, strengthening rural resilience to flooding in a changing climate.
Farmers are on the frontline of climate change – our biggest challenge. The extreme weather this brings is one of the main threats to UK food security and more severe storms, devastating floods, and increased periods of little or no rain are all impacting our ability to produce food.
The country has just experienced its wettest 18 months since records began in 1836 which left many thousands of acres of productive farmland under water. There are still many farm businesses in dire need of support, and we are awaiting details of how the Farming Recovery Fund can help those businesses recover from the impacts of the devastating flooding and saturated ground.
Natural England champions the power of nature and nature-based solutions to help tackle the joint climate and biodiversity emergencies.
NE welcomes the opportunity to join this partnership and add our science and evidence expertise and our local farm advice offer into the mix. Together we can support farmers and land managers to farm in more flood resilient ways – supporting communities to become more flood resilient and recovering nature at the same time.
From signing up to the Sustainable Farming Incentive to manage arable land for flood/drought resilience and water quality or by working with others to restore a river and floodplain in Landscape Recovery every farmer and land manager can make a difference.
The Partnership forms part of the wider work that all partners are undertaking on flood and coastal resilience.
All flood and coastal risk management schemes delivered by risk management authorities in England are carefully assessed to make sure they benefit the most people and property. Approximately 40% of all schemes and 45% of investment better protect properties in rural communities.
The United States (US) should urgently provide humanitarian aid to at least 8,000 displaced Syrians stranded in the besieged, isolated Rukban camp under US de facto control on Syria’s border with Jordan and Iraq without access to sufficient food, clean water or healthcare, Amnesty International said today.
The already dire humanitarian situation at the camp has deteriorated sharply in recent months after the Syrian government tightened the siege it has imposed on the territory around the camp since 2015, setting up checkpoints that have blocked informal smuggling routes that the camp’s residents relied on for essential supplies. The last UN humanitarian convoy allowed into the camp by the Syrian government was nearly five years ago in September 2019.
The US military operates a base near Rukban camp and has de facto effective control over the 55km territory on which the base and the camp are located. As such and in light of other governments’ human rights failures, the US government has an obligation under international human rights law to ensure that residents of the camp have access to essential supplies.
“It is unfathomable that thousands of people, including children, are stranded in an arid wasteland struggling to survive without access to life-saving necessities. The residents of Rukban are victims of a brutal Syrian government siege, they have been barred from safe refuge or faced unlawful deportations at the hands of the Jordanian authorities and been met with apparent nonchalance by the US,” said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
An estimated 80,000 people lived in Rukban before Jordan sealed its border to the area in 2016. That number has dwindled to 8,000 today as most left due to the dire conditions. Despite the serious risks facing them in Syrian government controlled areas, including being labelled “terrorists” and being subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance and other human rights violations for expressing opposition to the Syrian government, tens of thousands have had no option but to take this risk. Today, Jordan continues to unlawfully deport Syrians to Rukban despite the camp’s unliveable conditions, while the US makes little visible effort to improve the desperate conditions despite its ability to do so.
“The Syrian government must immediately lift its siege on the area and allow humanitarian aid deliveries to reach residents of the camp. In addition, given that the US has de facto effective control over the territory on which the camp is located, it should fulfil its human rights obligations and ensure that the camp’s residents have access to food, water and essential healthcare. Meanwhile, the international community must work towards sustainable solutions for the camp’s residents, such as the re-opening of the border with Jordan or safe passage to other areas in Syria where individuals would not face human rights violations,” said Aya Majzoub.
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in St. Mary Parish
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in St. Mary Parish
BATON ROUGE, La. – FEMA and the State of Louisiana will open a Disaster Recovery Center in Morgan City on Monday, Sept. 23 to provide one-on-one help to Louisiana residents affected by Hurricane Francine.
Center location:
St. Mary Parish
Morgan City Municipal Auditorium 728 Myrtle Street Morgan City, LA 70380
The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishescan visit the center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, along with other community partners. No appointment is needed to visit the center.
The center is accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and is equipped with assistive technology. If you need a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter, please call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish).
You do not have to visit the center to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. The quickest way to apply is by going online at disasterassistance.gov/.
Additional options when applying include:
Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.
Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.
A 52-year-old man from Turners Marsh will face a 3-month disqualification from driving and has been issued with a $858.50 fine after being caught 43km/h over the limit at Dilston. Acting Inspector Aleena Crack said police reportedly detected the man travelling at 143km/h in the 100km/h zone on the East Tamar Highway on Sunday afternoon. “This the second instance in a few days where police have detected a motorist travelling at such high speeds on the East Tamar Highway,” she said. “On Thursday police charged an 18-year-old George Town man after he was detected travelling at 163km/h in the 100km/h zone on the East Tamar Highway at Dilston.” “Such speeds place other road uses at risk of serious injury or death as a result of a collision.” “Police will continue to target dangerous driving behaviours on our roads, and urge all motorists to take care and drive safely to ensure everyone gets where they are going safely.”
Police in St Helens continue to target drink driving
Monday, 23 September 2024 – 8:59 am.
Police are continuing to crack down on drink driving in the St Helens area, with one driver caught twice in the same day over the weekend. Inspector Luke Manhood said a 60-year-old woman returned a positive breath test after she was intercepted in Beaumaris on Saturday morning for speeding. “She will appear in court after returning a reading of 0.153 per cent – more than three times the legal limit,” he said. “On Sunday, a 24-year-old man was intercepted in St Helens and returned a reading of 0.102 per cent.” “He was served an immediate disqualification.” “Police will allege the same man was intercepted again that afternoon in Scamander, and was also consuming alcohol while driving disqualified.” “A subsequent breath analysis returned a reading of 0.146 per cent, and he will appear in court at a later date.” “Drink and drug driving are significant contributing factors to serious and fatal crashes, and police will not tolerate this behaviour.” “We are actively targeting drink drivers, and we urge people to remember that drink driving operations can be conducted anywhere, at anytime.”
“The Greens say the Government is making a political choice not to end child poverty, bynot spending an additional $3 billion. If ending child poverty was as simple as government spending a few billion more taxpayer dollars, the Greens would have well and truly ended it while in government,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“From 2019 to 2023, non-pension Welfare Benefit Expenses increased from $12 billion to $18 billion while unemployment was fractionally lower in 2023. Even allowing for record inflation of 19 per cent in that period, the real increase was far more than $3 billion. And yet, child poverty was virtually static in that period. (The COVID Wage Subsidy Scheme began in 2020 and ended in 2022, so doesn’t affect these figures).
“Despite the Government making a political choice to pump an extra $3 billion per year into welfare, child poverty barely moved in this period. The Greens don’t need to speculate what would happen if a government spent an extra $3 billion dollars to end child poverty.
“The Greens are right about some things, however. Child poverty is a problem in New Zealand, and it is a political choice. New Zealand’s children need a government that makes choices based on values proven to defeat poverty.
“The only true path out of poverty is building the individual’s capacity to provide for themselves and their family. There are no examples of anyone escaping poverty though dependence on others.
“I’m proud to be part of a government that believes the path out of poverty is paved by better school attendance and achievement, making it easier to develop resources and build homes, getting more investment into New Zealand, and ending open-ended welfare in favour of mutual obligation.”
The Albanese Government is committed to supporting a competitive and sustainable food and grocery sector that works for Australian families and farmers.
Today we are releasing an exposure draft of the new mandatory Food and Grocery Code (Code) and an exposure draft of amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 for consultation.
The new Code will see Aldi, Coles, Woolworths and Metcash subject to multi‑million‑dollar penalties for serious breaches. The Code increases protections for suppliers by introducing strengthened dispute resolution arrangements, and new obligations to protect suppliers from retribution, which will be complemented by the creation of an anonymous supplier and whistle‑blower complaints pathway through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The new Code implements the recommendations of Dr Craig Emerson’s independent review of the code in full and would commence on 1 April 2025.
The amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 will introduce higher maximum penalties for breaches of the Code, as well as higher infringement notice penalties for alleged breaches of the Food and Grocery Code and other industry codes. Legislation will be introduced into the Parliament later this year.
The Government’s economic plan is all about easing the cost of living for Australians. The new Code will help to ensure our supermarkets are as competitive as they can be so Australians get the best prices possible.
Strengthening the Food and Grocery Code is only one part of the Government’s broad competition reform agenda, which includes an ACCC supermarket inquiry, progress on the most significant merger reforms in Australia in almost 50 years, consultation on reforming non‑compete clauses, funding for CHOICE to conduct quarterly price monitoring and working with the states and territories to revitalise National Competition Policy.
The 72 hectare ‘Starrs Creek HR – Stage 2’ aims to provide a fuel reduced zone within Coorabakh National Park, aiding in the suppression of bushfire in the area.
The burn will also stimulate reproduction of the critically endangered Banksia conferta within the prescribed burn area.
NPWS crews will be working on roads and trails throughout Coorabakh National Park to implement the burn. The public are advised that smoke may affect roads in the area and motorists are reminded to exercise caution when driving along roads in the area.
Hazard reduction burns are essential to reduce bushfire fuel loads to help protect parks, neighbours and communities from future bushfires. Fires such as this one are also specifically planned to have an ecological outcome.
All burns around the state are coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Northern Territory Police are calling for information in relation to an aggravated robbery in Brinkin overnight.
Around 11:55pm, it is alleged an altercation occurred on Trower road, near the intersection with Bradshaw drive, between two dark coloured vehicles.
The offending vehicle is believed to be a sports utility vehicle carrying young adult male passengers.
The incident continued onto an address closer to casuarina beach, where police received reports that a man was threatened with a knife before the offenders stole his phone and fled the scene.
Northern Territory Police are urging anyone with information or who had witnessed the incidents to make contact on 131 444. Police quote reference NTP2400095169.
Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The ACCC has commenced separate proceedings in the Federal Court against Woolworths Group Limited (Woolworths) (ASX: WOW) and Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (Coles) (a subsidiary of Coles Group Limited – ASX: COL) for allegedly breaching the Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of common supermarket products.
The ACCC’s allegations relate to products sold by each of Woolworths and Coles at regular long-term prices which remained the same, excluding short-term specials, for at least six months and in many cases for at least a year.
The products were then subject to price rises of at least 15 per cent for brief periods, before being placed in Woolworths’ ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion and Coles’ ‘Down Down’ promotion, at prices lower than during the price spike but higher than, or the same as, the regular price that applied before the price spike.
“Following many years of marketing campaigns by Woolworths and Coles, Australian consumers have come to understand that the ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ promotions relate to a sustained reduction in the regular prices of supermarket products. However, in the case of these products, we allege the new ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ promotional prices were actually higher than, or the same as, the previous regular price,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We allege that each of Woolworths and Coles breached the Australian Consumer Law by making misleading claims about discounts, when the discounts were, in fact, illusory.”
“We also allege that in many cases both Woolworths and Coles had already planned to later place the products on a ‘Prices Dropped’ or ‘Down Down’ promotion before the price spike, and implemented the temporary price spike for the purpose of establishing a higher ‘was’ price,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
The ACCC alleges the conduct involved 266 products for Woolworths at different times across 20 months, and 245 products for Coles at different times across 15 months. The representations were made on pricing tickets displayed to consumers in-store on supermarket shelves and online, usually with a ‘was’ price displayed showing what the price was during the short-term price spike and the date of that price.
The ACCC identified this conduct through consumer contacts to the ACCC and social media monitoring, and then conducted an in-depth investigation using its compulsory powers.
“Many consumers rely on discounts to help their grocery budgets stretch further, particularly during this time of cost of living pressures. It is critical that Australian consumers are able to rely on the accuracy of pricing and discount claims,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We allege these misleading claims about illusory discounts diminished the ability of consumers to make informed choices about what products to buy, and where.”
The ACCC estimates that Woolworths and Coles sold tens of millions of the affected products and derived significant revenue from those sales.
The ACCC is seeking declarations, penalties, costs and other orders. The ACCC is also seeking community service orders that Woolworths and Coles must each fund a registered charity to deliver meals to Australians in need, in addition to their pre-existing charitable meal delivery programs.
Alleged conduct
The ACCC alleges that the supermarkets offered certain products at a regular price for at least 180 days. They then increased the price of the product by at least 15 per cent for a relatively short period of time, and subsequently placed it onto their ‘Prices Dropped’ or ‘Down Down’ program.
The ACCC alleges the display of the Prices Dropped and Down Down tickets was misleading, as the price of the products was in fact higher than or the same as the regular price at which the supermarket had previously offered the products for sale.
Alleged conduct by Woolworths
The ACCC alleges that Woolworths made false or misleading representations to consumers about the prices of 266 products during the period between September 2021 and May 2023.
Products affected include Arnott’s Tim Tams biscuits, Dolmio sauces, Doritos salsa, Energizer batteries, Friskies cat food, Kellogg’s cereal, President butter, Listerine mouthwash, Moccona coffee capsules, Mother energy drinks, Mr Chen’s noodles, Nicorette patches, Ocean Blue smoked salmon, Oreo cookies, Palmolive dishwashing liquid, Raid insect spray, Sprite soft drink, Stayfree pads, Twisties, Uncle Tobys muesli bars, and Vicks VapoDrops.
Example – Oreo Family Pack Original 370g
From at least 1 January 2021 until 27 November 2022, Woolworths offered the Oreo Family Pack Original 370g product for sale at a regular price of $3.50 on a pre-existing ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion for at least 696 days.
On 28 November 2022, the price was increased to $5.00 for a period of 22 days. On 20 December 2022, the product was placed on a ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion with the tickets showing a ‘Prices Dropped’ price of $4.50 and a ‘was’ price of $5.00. The ‘Prices Dropped’ price of $4.50 was in fact 29 per cent higher than the product’s previous regular price of $3.50.
In this example, the ACCC alleges Woolworths had planned the temporary price spike to establish a new higher ‘was’ price for the subsequent ‘promotion’. Woolworths had decided (after a request from the supplier for a price increase) on or around 18 November 2022 to take the product off ‘Prices Dropped’, increase the price, and then put the product back on to ‘Prices Dropped’ three weeks later.
Alleged conduct by Coles
The ACCC alleges that Coles made false or misleading representations to consumers about the prices of 245 products during the period between February 2022 and May 2023.
Products include Arnott’s Shapes biscuits, Band-Aids, Bega cheese, Cadbury chocolates, Coca Cola soft drink, Colgate toothpaste, Danone yoghurt, Dettol multi-purpose wipes, Fab laundry liquid, Karicare formula, Kellogg’s snack bars, Kleenex tissues, Libra tampons, Lurpak butter, Maggi two-minute noodles, Nature’s Gift dog food, Nescafe instant coffee, Palmolive shampoo, Rexona deodorant, Sakata rice crackers, Sanitarium Weet-Bix cereal, Strepsils lozenges, Sunrice rice, Tena pads, Viva paper towels, Whiskas cat food, and Zafarelli pasta.
Example Strepsils Throat Lozenges Honey & Lemon 16 pack
From at least 1 January 2021 until 11 October 2022, Coles offered the Strepsils Throat Lozenges Honey & Lemon 16 pack product for sale at a regular price of $5.50 (on a pre-existing ‘Down Down’ promotion) for at least 649 days, including one seven-day short-term special.
On 12 October 2022, the price was then increased to $7.00 for a period of 28 days. On 9 November 2022, the product was placed on a ‘Down Down’ promotion with the tickets showing a ‘Down Down’ price of $6.00 and a ‘was’ price of $7.00. The ‘Down Down’ price of $6.00 was in fact 9 per cent higher than the product’s previous regular price of $5.50.
In this example, the ACCC alleges Coles had planned the temporary price spike to establish a new higher ‘was’ price for the subsequent ‘promotion’. Coles had decided (after a request from the supplier for a price increase) on or around 7 October 2022 to take the product off ‘Down Down’, increase the price, and then put the product back on to ‘Down Down’ four weeks later.
The ACCC’s investigation into the conduct which is the subject of these proceedings pre-dates this inquiry. The inquiry will not consider the issues in dispute in these proceedings.
Note to editors
The ACCC does not regulate supermarket prices.
The ACCC has taken proceedings in respect of alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law, which provides that businesses must not make false or misleading statements about prices.
Separate proceedings are brought against Woolworths and Coles, and the ACCC is not making any allegation of any collusion or anti-competitive conduct by Woolworths and Coles as part of these proceedings.
The ACCC is not alleging any contravention of the ACL by any of Woolworths’ and Coles’ suppliers in these proceedings.
The maximum penalty for each breach of the Australian Consumer Law increased on 10 November 2022, part way through the period of the alleged conduct. For contraventions from 10 November 2022, the maximum penalty is the greater of:
$50,000,000
if the Court can determine the value of the ‘reasonably attributable’ benefit obtained, three times that value, or
if the Court cannot determine the value of the ‘reasonably attributable’ benefit, 30 per cent of the corporation’s adjusted turnover during the breach turnover period for the contravention.
Any penalty that might apply to this conduct is a matter for the Court to determine and would depend on the Court’s findings. The ACCC will not comment on what penalties the Court may impose.
Background
Woolworths runs the largest supermarket chain in Australia, with about 1,140 Woolworths supermarket stores across the country.
The ‘Prices Dropped’ Program is promoted by Woolworths as a shelf price reduction program designed to offer Woolworths’ customers consistently low prices over a prolonged period. The objective of the Prices Dropped Program was to lower the standard shelf price of a product from its previous standard (or regular) shelf price.
Example of a Prices Dropped ticket
Coles is the second-largest supermarket chain in Australia, operating more than 840 stores nationally.
Coles introduced the ‘Down Down’ Program in June 2010 and marketed it as a promotional campaign designed to reduce the regular shelf price of commonly purchased products — thereby offering customers predictable and reliable value on the items they purchased the most and reducing the cost of their shopping basket.
Example of a Down Down ticket
Separate to these proceedings, in December 2023, following a complaint by CHOICE and an investigation by the ACCC, Coles announced refunds for thousands of customers after it raised the price on 20 products that it had promised would remain ‘locked’ for a certain period of time as part of Coles’ ‘Dropped and Locked’ promotion.
These documents contain the ACCC’s initiating court documents in relation to these matters. We will not be uploading further documents in the event these initial documents are subsequently amended.
The City of Greater Bendigo is asking residents to complete a survey to help identify the most pressing social needs in our community.
The survey is now available on the City’s Let’s Talk community engagement website for community members to have input into the project until Monday October 21.
City of Greater Bendigo Community Partnerships Manager, Andie West said the City’s Community Partnerships Unit supports liveability by working together with residents and groups to support a community that is inclusive, strong, connected and resilient.
“This means it’s responsible for understanding the needs and priorities of the community to deliver on Council’s commitments to community development, fairness and social equity, accessibility and participation, community safety, respect for others and sense of belonging,” Ms West said.
“The aim of the Community Needs Assessment is to support a more evidence-informed and targeted approach to resource investment.
“It’s important that services, policies, and programs meet the real needs of the community and work well. Without proper planning, services can become fragmented and may only react to problems instead of focusing on preventing them from happening in the first place and basing decisions on evidence.
“The City is now undertaking a systematic approach to understand the community’s social needs as funds and other resources are becoming increasingly constrained to address them.
“Community feedback will help us understand where we could focus our efforts. We can’t increase our services, so doing more in one area, will mean doing less in another – and we want to get it right.
“All community feedback will be analysed along with other information to form a fuller picture of community needs using current best evidence.
“Ultimately this evidence will inform decisions that the City makes about how it delivers to the community in terms of its role, whether that be service provider, advocate or facilitator, and to ensure that future resource allocations are invested for maximum positive social impact.
“The project aligns with our commitment to the City’s Social Justice Framework and will help inform the incoming Councillors in their future decision making. It will also assist with future planning via the City’s Council Plan and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan renewal.
“I encourage all interested people to visit the City’s Let’s Talk website and provide their feedback by Monday October 21, 2024.”
Met launches London Race Action Plan, committing to the next steps in becoming an anti-racist police service
The plan has been co-created with Black officers, staff and communities – with more than 2,200 Londoners consulted.
Improvements to the service’s culture, training and leadership all form part of the Met’s commitment to strengthening trust among Black Londoners and its own workforce.
A new stop and search charter which has been co-authored with Black communities. This re-sets how stop and search should be carried out in London.
Improvements in how we record and monitor the ethnicity of drivers when making vehicle stops, with external scrutiny for greater transparency.
An overhaul of our policy on intimate searches of children – increasing the threshold and oversight, ensuring they only occur when necessary and proportionate.
To better represent the communities we serve we’re working hard to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce that brings all the talents, experiences and perspectives of London to policing.
We’re also now training all new recruits so they understand the lived experience of Black Londoners and other communities across the capital.
We’ve committed to rooting out disparities in the Met’s misconduct system and have introduced focused workshops to improve promotion rates. As a result, since 2021 promotion pass rates for Black officers has increased from 68% to 75%.
The London Race Action Plan outlines the next steps in the Met’s mission to become an anti-racist organisation and a service that is more inclusive, diverse and representative of London.
It sets out across four pillars how the Met will better represent, respect, involve and protect Black Londoners.
Over many years the Met has let Black communities down and although steps have been taken in the right direction, there remains a long way to go to be an inclusive and anti-racist organisation.
The four pillars of the plan will be delivered through tangible action across London, co-designed by the communities we serve. This will include:
We know there is more to do, but this plan sets the right course to continue building a Met that our officers and public deserve.
Progress will be made publicly available via biannual updates.
Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police said: “This plan publicly sets out our next steps towards becoming a truly anti-racist and inclusive organisation.
“Black Londoners have been let down by the Met over many years and while we continue to take steps in the right direction, there remains a long way to go and there is a lot more work to do.
“Action not words will rebuild trust in our service, so we must now remain focused on delivering real change that is seen and felt by our communities and our workforce.
“We are changing our systems, our processes, culture and our leadership. We are better understanding and acting on disproportionality wherever it exists. We are working more closely than ever with communities we’ve let down to build a service that delivers for all of London.
“To achieve this critical change once and for all will take time, but I am determined that we will continue to strengthen our relationship with Black Londoners – whether that be members of the public or our own colleagues – and renew the principle of policing by consent.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This undated file combo photo shows a jade dragon unearthed from a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology. Measuring 15.8 cm long, 9.5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, the artifact was found at a site featuring a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, which is the only one of its kind ever found in the region. [Photo/Xinhua]
HOHHOT, Sept. 22 — Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology.
Measuring 15.8 cm long, 9.5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, the artifact was found at a site featuring a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, which is the only one of its kind ever found in the region.
Apart from the architectural remains, human skeletal remains, burials, fire pits, and cylindrical object pits have also been discovered at the site. The unearthed artifacts include jade and painted pottery basins and tripod pottery cups, among others.
The ongoing research at the site includes studies of the ancient environment, large-scale topographic mapping and carbon-14 dating, among others. The latest dating data indicates that the site belongs to the late Hongshan culture, dating back 5,100 to 5,000 years.
The finds were revealed during a themed seminar held Sunday in Chifeng, which provided updates on the archaeological progress at the stone tomb in Yuanbaoshan of Chifeng’s Aohan Banner.
This undated file photo shows the general view of a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows archaeologists working at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows jade wares unearthed at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows a circular tomb at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows a stone tomb site before excavation in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
7th Chinese farmers’ harvest festival celebrated across China
Updated: September 23, 2024 07:33Xinhua
A villager airs crops at Yangchan Village in Huangshan City, east China’s Anhui Province, Sept. 22, 2024. This Sunday marks the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer loads harvested corns onto a truck at Bianqiao Township of Linyi City, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer holds harvested rice at Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Farmers harvest rice at Zhanglou Village of Xinyang City, central China’s Henan Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer harvests grapes at an orchard of Xixiaoyi Village in Tangshan City, north China’s Hebei Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Farmers harvest rice at Wanchang Township in Yongji County, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo shows harvesters working in a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. This Sunday marks the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival. In recent years, China’s major grain production province Heilongjiang has enhanced its grain production capacity and advanced the quality of high-standard farmland development. [Photo/Xinhua]Harvesters work in a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo shows a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Folk artists throw molten iron to create fireworks in Haiyang, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 21, 2024. The event aims to commemorate the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival which falls on Sept. 22 this year. [Photo/Xinhua]Folk artists throw molten iron to create fireworks in Haiyang, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 22 — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong said on Sunday that China is on course for another bumper grain harvest this year after farmers and cadres at all levels across the country worked hard to overcome the adverse impacts of natural disasters and realize increased summer grain output and the steady production of early rice.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a tour to Lankao in central China’s Henan Province, where he attended a national main event celebrating the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival.
Liu called for solid efforts in promoting comprehensive rural revitalization by implementing the policies and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee so as to lay the foundation for the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, as well as for building China into an agricultural powerhouse.
During the event, Liu also went to an exhibition showcasing the achievements through learning from and applying the experience of the Green Rural Revival Program, and saw the display of high-quality agricultural products and rural craftsman skills.
Liu also called for persistent efforts in farm field management, disaster monitoring, early warning, as well as disaster prevention and response during the autumn grain harvest season.