NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Analysis: UN peacekeepers at risk in southern Lebanon

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have reported a series of incidents over the past few days in which they have been endangered by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Israel continues its incursion into southern Lebanon. From bearing witness to sheltering the local population, the UN Unifil mission has a vital role to play in Lebanon, but at what cost?

    Read the analysis by experts Chiara Ruffa, Professor in political science at Sciences Po Center for International Studies (CERI), and Vanessa Newby, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University, initially published by our partner The Conversation.

    United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have reported a series of incidents over the past few days in which they have been endangered by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Israel continues its incursion into southern Lebanon.

    Two members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) were wounded on October 10 when an Israeli tank fired its weapon at Unifil’s headquarters in the city of Naqoura. They are reported to be receiving treatment in hospital for minor injuries.

    This follows a series of other reports of IDF troops firing on other Unifil positions in recent days. A Unifil statement called on the IDF “and all actors to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times”.

    For 44 years the presence of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon has provided a much-needed measure of predictability and stability on an international fault line that has the potential to trigger a larger war in the Middle East. Its value has often been to shine an international spotlight on events on the ground and to provide humanitarian assistance to the local population.

    The Unifil peacekeeping mission is in an area of southern Lebanon that stretches from the de facto Lebanese border with Israel about 18 miles northwards up to the Litani River. In violation of UN security council resolution 1701, which was issued in 2006 and was designed to bring to an end the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli tanks have been advancing into southern Lebanon since September 30. Hezbollah is fighting back – and casualties are mounting.

    On October 5, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pressed the Unifil Irish Battalion, stationed south-east of Marun al-Ras, to leave its position to allow the IDF to proceed with their invasion. On October 6, Unifil force commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz denied the request. A Unifil statement said: “Peacekeepers remain in all positions and the UN flag continues to fly.”

    The IDF reportedly ceased their military operations in the area on October 8. This is most likely because their military goals have changed. The rapidly unfolding Israeli military action in Lebanon has now deployed an additional 15,000 troops. This raises questions about the “limited” nature of the IDF’s incursion and its goals.

    Since 1978, Unifil has provided medical services, electricity, generators, language courses, financial aid and water to local communities. The peacekeeping force has also helped to clear millions of square meters of land from anti-personal mines and cluster bombs, releasing farmland for cultivation and preventing injuries or deaths since the 2006 war.

    In 2006, the Unifil mission adopted a new mandate under UN Resolution 1701. Like all newer UN peacekeeping mandates, it contained a protection of civilians clause which authorises Unifil to “protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence”.

    Israel contends that Hezbollah missile attacks into northern Israel are an indication that Unifil has never fully implemented 1701 – hence the need to invade and destroy the militant group. But protection of civilians is central to Unifil’s mandate. While the IDF claims it is targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and leadership, thousands of civilian lives in southern Lebanon remain at risk.

    It has recently been reported that more than 2,000 civilians have died in the latest Israeli incursion, with more than 9,000 injured and over 608,000 displaced. So, implementation of this protection clause has never been more important.

    Unifil must not become collateral damage

    Unifil’s ability to protect civilians during Israeli incursions has often been challenged because the IDF refused to guarantee the safety of fleeing civilians, either in convoys out of the villages, or in UN compounds.

    The most notorious incident was the Qana incident of 1996, when 106 civilians died while sheltering in the Fijian UN compound. In July 2006, the IDF used a precision guided aerial bomb on a Unifil post. The attack killed four international unarmed military observers working under Unifil operational control, despite repeated verbal warnings from Unifil headquarters to avoid the post. The IDF has also damaged Unifil positions in times of peace. In January 2005 an unarmed French UN observer was killed by IDF tank fire. In January 2015 IDF artillery killed a Spanish peacekeeper.

    So the challenge for Unifil has always been that if they allow civilians to take shelter in their compounds, they risk becoming part of the IDF’s collateral damage.

    Similarly, Hezbollah is also no friend of Unifil. In December 2022, Hezbollah supporters killed an Irish peacekeeper who ventured accidentally into a village just outside the area of operation.

    International witness

    Despite these challenges, Unifil still has a powerful role to play in southern Lebanon. As the fog of war engulfs all the protagonists, Unifil has the ability to bring the world’s attention to the current conflict which may help constrain the parties. It is critical at this time to have an international force bear witness to events on the ground and provide basic humanitarian assistance, monitor and report potential violations and guarantee shelter to the local population whenever possible to help the displaced people that remain within the Unifil area of operation.

    On October 7, the US State Department warned the IDF that it did not want to see military action taken against Unifil or for the peacekeepers to be put in danger in any way. This warning is welcome given the recent disregard for the UN demonstrated by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. who, when speaking to the UN general assembly on September 27, labelled the UN “contemptible in the eyes of decent people everywhere”. On October 2, the Israeli government barred UN secretary general António Guterres from entering Israel.

    Israel’s allies must increase the pressure for the IDF to allow Unifil to exercise the protection of civilians clause contained in its mandate. This would mean allowing the peacekeeping force the freedom of movement in south Lebanon to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. The IDF must also guarantee the safety of civilians escaping with Unifil’s assistance from the villages. And the IDF must allow Unifil to establish safe zones for civilians trapped in the conflict, to compensate for the absence of air raid shelters and bunkers in Lebanon.

    While Unifil may not be able to prevent the bloodshed, for now it can continue help to stem the flow, just as it always has.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: This is the way we brush our teeth…

    Source: Mayor of London

    A quarter (25.8 per cent) of 5-year-olds in London have tooth decay.1

    Since 2012, local authorities have been responsible for improving health in local areas, including oral health.
    In 2014, Public Health England stated that “local authorities are statutorily required to provide or commission oral health promotion programmes to improve the health of the local population, to an extent that they consider appropriate in their areas”.

    London Boroughs commission a range of oral health prevention programmes for both adults and children, including supervised toothbrushing in schools. The London Borough of Brent commissions Whittington Health NHS Trust to deliver these programmes, including the following initiatives: 

    • Supporting a number of education (early years & school) settings to promote good oral health such as the supervised tooth-brushing programme. 
    • Providing dental health support to families with children under 5 years who are at high risk of developing tooth decay (dental caries). 
    • Family Wellbeing Centres, who support parents from the moment they know they’re expecting, through pregnancy and birth, until the child is 18 years old.

    Tomorrow, Members of the London Assembly Health Committee will visit Brentfield Primary School, where they will observe supervised toothbrushing, an initiative to reduce tooth decay in young children. 

    The meeting will include teachers, Brent Public Health and the NHS. The visit will form part of the Committee’s investigation into Dentistry in London.

    MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS FILMING/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

    Location: Brentfield Primary School, NW10 0SL 

    Date:  Wednesday 16 October 2024

    Time: 12-1pm  

    Interviewees will include:

    • Krupesh Hirani AM, Chair of the Health Committee
    • Emma Best AM, Deputy Chairman of the Health Committee
    • Somebi Anwunah, Principal Public Health Strategist · Brent Council 
    • Erinna Proudfoot, Oral health promoter, Whittington Health, NHS Trust 
    • Debbie Edwards, Class Teacher and EYFS Leader 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s unity government won’t dent poverty and inequality if it follows the same old policies – sociologist

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roger Southall, Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand

    A recent poll by the Social Research Foundation, a think thank, found that 60% of South Africans thought the government of national unity was working well. It also reported that support for the unity government’s anchor political parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), had risen since 29 May 2024 when elections were held.

    The poll results came out at the same time as the business press was reporting increased collaboration between business and government, fostered by the unity government. Corporations have reportedly pledged up to R250 million (about US$14.3 million to assist the state to address various logistics crises and help the National Prosecuting Authority prosecute corruption.

    Although we should be cautious about taking such news at face value, it is worth noting that the arrival of the unity government has been accompanied by other good news. For example:

    This adds up to new shoots which suggest a better harvest to come.

    Read more: South Africa has a huge gap between the rich and poor – 4 urgent reasons to tackle inequality

    Still, it is wise not to get too excited unless any upturn in the economy benefits the majority of South Africans. As Frans Cronje, director of the Social Research Foundation, has observed, while the unity government may be good for the middle class, there is no sign yet that it is addressing the needs of the poor and the people on the periphery of the economy.

    Unless its benefits become socially inclusive, it might well collapse. We need to take Cronje’s reservations seriously. Note, however, that although the unity government is a coalition, it is led by the African National Congress. And, while all parties agree that they need to put the economy back on track and promote growth, there is little evidence yet that the government is pursuing distinctively new policies.

    Beware complacency

    We are often told that “a rising tide lifts all boats”.

    But this claim owes more to ideology than careful analysis of economic data. In any case, it is a catchphrase which condones inequality. It suggests that as long as living standards increase for the poor, it does not matter if the wealthy gain even more. Indeed, one version is that the more the well-off benefit, the more likely they are to spend and invest their money – that is, to create wealth for others.

    Such complacency is dangerous. Apart from being contentious economically, it poses risks to both democracy and political stability. This is particularly the case in South Africa, which is widely recognised as the most unequal country in the world.

    • High rates of inequality erode social cohesion and trust in democracy. In the May general election, the lowest level of voter turnout since 1994 reflected a worrying decline in support for democracy: from 72% in 2011 to just 43% by 2023.

    • Extremes of inequality are unlikely to lead to the formation of governing coalitions committed to pursuing developmental strategies of benefit to all. As a result, populist parties that tout simplistic solutions may find it easier to win support. As suggested by the unheralded performance of Jacob Zuma’s umKhonto we Sizwe Party in the 2024 election, this is a particular danger in South Africa. Here, the poorer black majority possess potential political power in an economy which remains largely controlled and owned by a richer, white minority. The French economist Thomas Piketty in his latest blockbuster, Capital and Ideology, warns that in such situations, the dangers of a lurch towards authoritarianism are much increased.

    Read more: South Africa’s unity government could see a continuation of the ANC’s political dominance – and hurt the DA

    Little prospect of reduction of inequality

    The issue is not whether the unity government is blind to these dangers, but whether the policies it is pursuing are likely to make a dent in the staggering level of inequality.

    If investment and growth do occur, there will be good news down the line – possibly the creation of some 2 million jobs and more financial room for the government to fund social benefits for the poor. But it’s unlikely to have a marked effect on the level of inequality.

    First, the unity government is not promising any great change from policies that have been pursued since 1994, only more efficient implementation. Those policies have somewhat decreased racial disparities, notably by promoting a black middle class, but they have not reduced the overall level of inequality. Indeed, as Piketty shows, this has increased, not decreased, since 1994.

    Second, the unity government’s policies may continue to focus on the reduction of poverty. But this is unlikely to shift the proportions of income between the different classes. As Cronje has hinted, the new government is underpinned by a middle-class coalition, and for this to hang together, the middle class will want to reap its reward.

    Read more: South Africa’s new unity government must draw on the country’s greatest asset: its constitution

    Third, history doesn’t offer much hope. Former settler colonies stand out for their exceptionally high levels of inequality. In South Africa, white people always dominated the top earners before 1994. Now they have been joined by high-earning black people, many of them public officials. The top decile’s share of total earning has increased since the end of apartheid. Today it is close to 70%, compared with around 35% in Europe.

    Fourth, we live in an age which Piketty describes as “hyper-capitalism”, in which money and ultra-rich elites are highly mobile. This makes it hard for national governments to tax the rich more. They can leave, or threaten to withdraw their investments to earn higher returns elsewhere. South Africa has already been leaking its millionaires. The unity government will not want to scare any more of them away. So, it’s unlikely to adopt aggressive tax policies in the cause of narrowing inequality.

    The unity government may well promote high growth and if successful, may ameliorate poverty, but it seems unlikely that it will either attempt or succeed in reducing inequality. It may be good for the elite and middle class, but not necessarily for the health of democracy.

    – South Africa’s unity government won’t dent poverty and inequality if it follows the same old policies – sociologist
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-unity-government-wont-dent-poverty-and-inequality-if-it-follows-the-same-old-policies-sociologist-240697

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Essay writing awards presented

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung presented awards to the winners of the Love for China Chinese essay competition at a ceremony today.

    To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Civil Service Bureau’s Official Languages Division organised a series of activities under the theme “Glorious China”, including the essay competition.

    The competition received an enthusiastic response, receiving nearly 300 entries, including those from officers from various grades in 51 departments as well as retired civil servants.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Yeung said the entries, centred on the idea of Love for China with a wide variety of styles, subject matters and narrative perspectives, expressed feelings for the country and told good stories about China.

    The civil service chief noted that although the topics and perspectives of the entries varied, they all expressed a rich sense of national pride and patriotism, adding that she was particularly heartened to see that many of the entries mentioned the civil servants’ responsibility towards the country.

    The essay competition took place between July and August. A judging panel comprising Mrs Yeung, Nang Yan College of Higher Education Dean of the Faculty of Arts Ricky Tse and Chinese University of Hong Kong Department of Chinese Language & Literature Senior Lecturer Hung Yeuk-chun selected 10 winning entries from the submissions.

    The activities under “Glorious China” also include a recently concluded Putonghua quiz and an ongoing quiz on Chinese history and culture.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Plimsoll Address

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Thank you to the Australian Institute for International Affairs and the University of Tasmania for inviting me to give this address, in honour of this great statesperson. 

    With a career that spanned the first four decades of independent Australian foreign policy, there are few who have made a contribution comparable to James Plimsoll – or Jim Plim as he was affectionately known.

    He first made his mark in the late 1940s supporting Foreign Minister Evatt during his presidency of the United Nations General Assembly – support that included ghost-writing Evatt’s book, The Task of Nations.

    He later became Secretary of the Department of External Affairs – which we now know as DFAT…

    He was appointed Ambassador in Washington, Tokyo, Brussels and Moscow… 

    High Commissioner in London and Delhi…

    And even Governor of this great state of Tasmania…

    Among all these lofty appointments, his biographer Jeremy Hearder reflected that the highlight of Plimsoll’s career was serving as Australia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Nations in New York, in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

    And we can understand why. He found himself at the centre of major international issues – and his diplomatic skill meant, in the words of a British colleague, that Plimsoll “exercised an influence on the UN quite disproportionate to Australia’s standing in the world.”

    This was partly because of what the then Secretary of External Affairs, Arthur Tange, described as Plimsoll’s “remarkable capacity… for talking to people in their own terms, freely encouraging them to explain their viewpoints and problems.”

    It is patent that Jim Plim understood deeply how Australia’s interests as a middle power are at stake in the multilateral system.

    Even with all the flaws with the international system, this remains the case today.

    Australia will always be better off in a world that operates by rules that all countries have a say in shaping.

    A world where Australia and other countries have the freedom to decide our own futures, without interference and intimidation.

    A world where we can find collective solutions to our toughest problems.

    Where no country dominates, and no country is dominated.

    I’ve recently returned from the UN General Assembly’s annual High-Level Week, where Australia progressed our most ambitious multilateral agenda in many years.

    I convened meetings of humanitarian leaders and ministers from influential countries to address a serious problem in the international system.

    That is, the growing risk that norms are being eroded in international humanitarian law – what we often refer to as the rules of war.

    We see this in the massive civilian toll in conflicts around the world, and we see this in the increasing numbers of aid workers being killed and kidnapped.

    In order to protect civilians, we must also protect aid workers who deliver the food, water and medicine civilians need to survive.

    Aid workers are the best of humanity. Their dedication to improving the lives of others should not cost them their own.

    Yet 2023 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, and 2024 is on track to be even worse.

    This has been felt directly by Australians with the IDF’s strike against World Central Kitchen vehicles, which killed Australian Zomi Frankcom and her colleagues.

    This was not a one-off incident. Gaza is the most dangerous place on earth to be an aid worker. More than 300 aid workers have been killed since the start of the conflict.

    Together, the ministerial group I convened agreed to pursue a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

    Work on the Declaration is now underway, with our officials consulting experts and other countries.

    All countries will be invited to join the Declaration, to demonstrate the unity of the international community’s commitment to protect aid workers – and to channel that commitment into action in Gaza, in Sudan, in Ukraine and in all current and future conflicts.

    This is exactly the kind of leadership Australia should be taking in the world.

    We are not a superpower. But we are respected, and at our best we have a reputation for bringing countries together to defend and promote the rules-based order that protects us all.

    From the days helping draft the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to Gareth Evans’ leadership on the Chemical Weapons Convention, to our more leading role in the Arms Trade Treaty.

    There’s no doubt that reputation waned through the negative globalist years of the previous government.

    But in driving this Declaration we are demonstrating that Australians are indeed constructive internationalists in the mould of the honouree of this address.

    This brings me back to the book Plimsoll ghostwrote for Evatt, which spelled out our shared responsibility to each other. I quote:

    “We should try to raise standards everywhere in order to practice the simple humanitarian doctrine which is the basis of all morality, namely that we should help our neighbour and relieve misery and suffering… [We] can hardly imagine … the common lot of so many of mankind – disease, low expectation of life, and unrelieved pain; flood, famine and epidemics… These wrongs cry out for redress, and can and must be righted by co-operative international effort.”

    A powerful articulation of the motivation for our humanitarian work.

    And tonight we build on that work. Tonight, I am releasing Australia’s new Humanitarian Policy.

    It is a policy that comprehends the serious problems of our times.

    A climate changing faster than our combined efforts to stop it.

    More people displaced – in fact, more than 117 million people forcibly displaced from their homes.

    More people needing humanitarian assistance – 302 million people this year, up by nearly 30 million in just the last two years.

    More conflict than any time since World War Two. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sudan. Myanmar. And in the Middle East.

    The Albanese Government is committed to humanitarian action which saves lives, alleviates human suffering and builds resilient communities. 

    The Policy outlines the role Australia will play at a time when need is outstripping the world’s capacity to respond and disregard for international humanitarian law is increasing.

    It is a plan of action that is not just about meeting humanitarian needs. It is also about protecting the peace, stability and prosperity that we want for Australia, our region and the world.

    It is a plan that is accountable – to the Australian people, and to the partners and communities we seek to help.

    We will focus on three priorities.

    First, we will build readiness and preparedness, anticipating shocks before they occur and working with our partners to lessen their impact.

    As part of this priority, I announce Australia is providing $5 million to the new Asia-Pacific Regional Humanitarian Fund to pre-position for the next emergency.

    Second, we will respond to crises and disasters, delivering support that meets the needs of crisis-affected populations and protects the most vulnerable, both immediately and over the longer term.

    As part of that effort, I announce $9 million in humanitarian relief to respond to high levels of food insecurity in Yemen. This follows support I announced yesterday for Myanmar, as well as over $80 million in aid to support civilians who have been devastated by the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

    And third, we will reinforce the international humanitarian system, working to take practical and actionable steps to strengthen adherence to international humanitarian law – just as we are doing with the Declaration.

    We act globally, but our focus remains our region. We offer genuine partnerships, based on respect, listening and learning from each other.

    And we are helping build self-reliance, so obviously in Australia’s interests and the region’s interests.

    Now, we know humanitarian assistance can lessen shocks and keep further instability, conflict and displacement at bay.

    But we all want a world where humanitarian assistance is needed far less often.

    This is just one reason why the Albanese Government is acting on climate change.

    We have enshrined our ambitious emissions reduction targets into legislation: 43 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

    We are transforming our economy.

    Within this decade, 82 per cent of Australia’s electricity generation will be renewable, up from around 32 per cent when we came to office.

    We are building new industries to accelerate our economic transition and to export reliable, renewable energy to the world.

    And we are acting internationally, to respond to our partners.

    By the end of 2025, Australia will offer Climate Resilient Debt Clauses in our sovereign loans.

    And the groundbreaking Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty entered into force on 28 August – a treaty which provides for both adaptation and mobility with dignity…

    And the first treaty anywhere in the world which provides legal protection for sovereignty in the face of sea level rise.

    But we can’t address climate change on our own, just as we can’t alone resolve all of the conflicts that are driving humanitarian crises.

    What we are doing is using our forthcoming term on the UN Peacebuilding Commission to reform the international peacebuilding and conflict prevention architecture.

    What we are doing is helping Ukraine end Russia’s illegal and immoral war on its own terms.

    Since coming to office, we have more than doubled the military contribution to Ukraine – and Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraine’s fight.

    And what we are doing is supporting efforts for long-term peace in the Middle East.

    We have just marked the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

    We condemn Hamas’ terrorism unequivocally. We call for the release of hostages immediately.

    On that day, Hamas killed 1,200 people: the largest loss of Jewish life on any single day since the Holocaust.

    October 7 is a day that recalls humanity’s darkest memories. 

    The six million European Jews killed in the Holocaust – following thousands of years of persecution and atrocities perpetrated against the Jewish people.

    This long shadow of antisemitism is the history that finally resolved the international community to create the State of Israel.

    At the same time, the world also promised a Palestinian state.

    77 years later, that Palestinian state still does not exist.

    Earlier this year, Australia voted in the General Assembly in support of Palestinian aspirations for full membership of the UN. 

    The international community now must work together to pave a path to lasting peace.

    Australia wants to engage on new ways to build momentum, including the role of the Security Council in setting a pathway for two-states, with a clear timeline for the international declaration of Palestinian statehood.

    The world knows we cannot keep hoping the parties will fix this themselves; nor can we allow any party to obstruct the prospect of peace.

    Because a two-state solution is the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence – the only hope to see a secure and prosperous future for both peoples.

    To strengthen the forces for peace across the region and undermine extremism.

    Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security, with no role for terrorists.

    Right now, the suffering across the region must end.

    In Israel’s response to the attacks, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed. More than 11,000 children.

    It is now more than ten months since Australia and 152 other countries voted for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    I repeat that call again. 

    Just as I repeat our call for a diplomatic solution, de-escalation and ceasefire in Lebanon. 

    We want to see civilians on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border return to their homes and the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701.

    Australia made our call alongside a number of countries – Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Qatar.

    Shortly thereafter, G7 leaders issued a statement in similar terms.

    Yet somehow Mr Dutton accused the Prime Minister of being at odds with our allies. 

    He said the Prime Minister should be condemned for calling for a ceasefire.

    Now Mr Dutton has realised it is he who is at odds with the international community– but he still can’t bring himself to back a ceasefire.

    I can’t recall a single time over the past year that Mr Dutton has called for the protection of civilians, or for the upholding of international law. 

    He never utters a word of concern for innocent Palestinians and Lebanese civilians.

    From the other side, the Greens political party are being just as absolutist.

    Australians are rightly distressed by the catastrophic conflict, and the distress is felt most acutely in our Jewish, Palestinian and Lebanese communities.

    The lived experiences and understandings of our different Australian communities are distinct.

    There is long, complex and disputed history – deeply felt, close to the heart of many.

    And there is a need to acknowledge the real trauma on all sides, to acknowledge each other’s humanity, and to come together – as peacemakers throughout history have done.

    It is incumbent on any Australian Government to play a responsible role in promoting peace – recognising we are not the crucial player in the Middle East, but we have a respected voice. 

    Leaders must govern for the whole country.

    Our country does not benefit from the conflict being reproduced here. 

    Australians are 26 million people, from more than 300 ancestries. We are home to the oldest continuing civilisation on the planet.

    There is vast power in that.

    The ability to see and understand every part of the world.

    Yet it’s also something we need to nurture. 

    If we allow people to divide our community, if we allow conflicts overseas to be reproduced here; if we shout each other down and insist on respective absolutes; the bedrock of our stability, our security and our prosperity is shaken.

    Nothing is more important for our future than ensuring that Australia remains a pluralist nation, welcoming different races, religions and views, united by respect for each other’s humanity and for each other’s right to live in peace.

    As I said, there is vast power in who we are. Our people are the most elemental aspect of our national power. 

    We must deploy that power at this time in our history…

    This time when we face the most dangerous set of circumstances since World War Two. 

    This time when we need to combine our economic power, our cultural power, our strategic, diplomatic and defence power – all to make Australia stronger and more influential in a more contested and challenging world.

    We are making Australia more economically resilient at home, with a Future Made in Australia setting us on a path to be a renewable energy superpower.

    We are making Australia more economically resilient in the world, with the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 that harnesses the opportunities from living in the most competitive and fastest growing region in the world – and so we never are over-reliant on one market again.

    We are rebuilding our diplomatic relationships.

    We are doing the work that should have been done a decade ago to again make Australia a partner of choice in the Pacific.

    We don’t just go around picking fights and blowing up relationships.

    We are investing in our credibility as a partner to the region.

    It is by our actions that we have been able to restore trust among the Pacific family.

    And we are stabilising our own relations with China, so we navigate differences wisely.

    Our calm and consistent approach to the China relationship has seen progress on the removal of trade impediments for wine, barley, coal, cotton, timber logs, copper ores and concentrates; and now lobster – almost $20 billion worth of Australian exports back into China.

    We are increasing our collaboration with new partners and traditional partners; with Southeast Asia, with Japan, with India, and through our Quad partnership.

    We are investing in defence cooperation and our own military capabilities, including through AUKUS.

    And we are working together with our partners to uphold the rules and reform the institutions that we helped establish.

    All of these efforts are to shape the strategic calculus of the region, so no potential aggressor thinks the pursuit of conflict is worth the risk.

    This is how we advance the region we want. A region in balance. 

    Where countries, large and small, have the freedom to decide our own futures.

    These are just some of the ways in which the Albanese Government is driving Australia’s most ambitious international engagement in many years. 

    Being a partner to our region, and a leader in our values. 

    Always working toward a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world for all.

    Where sovereignty is respected and civilians are protected. 

    And I would say, furthering the legacy of creative diplomacy and determined statecraft practised by the great Jim Plim himself.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EasyGov.swiss: new trans-agency services for company relocations and business closures

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

    On 9 October, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) again expanded EasyGov.swiss, the online portal for companies. Two additional cross-authority services are now available to companies: with the company relocation service, companies can report a change of address to all relevant authorities in one go. EasyGov’s business closure service assists companies with all the necessary process steps, from registering liquidation to deletion.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Michael McGrath – Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Michael McGrath (born in 1976), is an Irish politician, a member of the Fianna Fáil party, which belongs to the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament. He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from University College Cork (1997). Most recently, he was minister for finance (2022-2024) and before that, minister for public expenditure and reform (2020-2022). McGrath has been a member of the lower house of the Irish Parliament (the Oireachtas) for the Cork South-Central constituency since 2007. Between 2011 and 2020 he was lead opposition spokesperson on finance on behalf of Fianna Fáil. Before joining the Irish Parliament, McGrath was an elected local government representative on Cork County Council (2004-2007) and Passage West Town Council (1999-2007). McGrath’s professional experience includes being head of management information and systems at University College Cork (2003-2005), financial controller at RedFM (2001-2003), and a chartered accountant at KPMG (1997-2001), as well as a board member of Léargas (2000-2007). This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Apostolos Tzitzikostas – Transport and Tourism – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Apostolos Tzitzikostas has been First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) since 2022. Having joined the CoR in 2015, he served as its President from 2020 to 2022. Governor of the Central Macedonia Region since 2014, Tzitzikostas has been president of the Association of Greek Regions since November 2019. From 2010 to 2014, Tzitzikostas served as the deputy regional governor for the Central Macedonia Region and head of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area. From 2007 to 2009, Tzitzikostas was a member of the Greek Parliament with the Nea Demokratia Party (EPP). Born in 1978, Tzitzikostas graduated in government and international relations at Georgetown University, Washington DC, in 2000. He then earned a master’s degree in European Public Policy and Economics from University College London. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Ekaterina Zaharieva – Start-ups, Research and Innovation – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Ekaterina Zaharieva is currently a member of the Bulgarian National Assembly, representing the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (EPP). Having served in several Bulgarian governments, Zaharieva held the dual position of deputy prime minister for judicial reform and minister of foreign affairs from 2017 to 2021. Earlier, she served as minister of justice from 2015 to 2017, as deputy prime minister for economic policy and minister of regional developments and public works in 2013 and 2014, and as deputy minister of regional development and public works from 2009 to 2011. Between 2011 and 2015, she acted as head of cabinet and secretary general to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria. After earning a master’s degree in law from Paisii Hilendarski University in Plovdiv, Zaharieva had followed a career as a lawyer, and then as a civil servant from 2017 to 2021. Zaharieva was born in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, in 1975. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Glenn Micallef – Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    From 2020 to June 2024, Glenn Micallef served as the head of the Secretariat of the Maltese Prime Minister, Robert Abela, as well as his adviser on EU affairs, and as Malta’s sherpa at the European Council. Additionally, from 2021 to 2024 he held the position of president of St John’s Co Cathedral Foundation in Malta. Prior to these roles, Micallef worked as a research analyst for the Maltese Ministry for EU Affairs, focusing on the Council of the EU’s competitiveness configuration. He then headed the unit for external relations and preparations for the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council. Following this, Micallef served as the director-general of Malta’s EU Coordination Department at the Foreign Affairs Ministry from 2017 until 2020. Born in 1989, Micallef graduated from the University of Malta with a degree in commerce and economics. He also holds a master’s degree in European politics, law and economics from the same university. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Jessika Roswall – Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Jessika Roswall is a politician from the Moderate Party in Sweden, affiliated to the European People’s Party (EPP). Prior to her nomination for the post of Commissioner, Roswall was Sweden’s minister for European affairs, from October 2022 to September 2024. Between 2010 and 2022, she served as a member of the Swedish Parliament, holding the position of second vice-president of its EU affairs committee from 2019 to 2022. Roswall was also a member of the ‘transparency councils’ of the Swedish Consumer Agency (2015-2018), the County Administrative Board of Uppsala (2016-2022), and the Authority for Work Environment Expertise (2018-2019). Born in 1972 in the county of Uppsala, Jessika Roswall holds a law degree from Uppsala University. After graduating in 2002, she worked as a lawyer for the law firm Wigert & Placht, from 2002 to 2010.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Andrius Kubilius – Defence and Space – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Andrius Kubilius has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, where he sits in the European People’s Party (EPP) group. He has served among other things as a member of the AFET and ITRE committees and of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI). He has also served as chair of the delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and thus also as a member of the Conference of Delegation Chairs, as well as a member of the delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee. Prior to his time in the European Parliament, he served two terms as Lithuania’s prime minister (from 1999 to 2000 and from 2008 to 2012). From 2003 to 2015, Kubilius chaired the Homeland Union (Lithuanian Christian Democrats) party. From 1992 to 2019, he served as a member of the Republic of Lithuania’s national parliament, the Seimas. When not in government, he had various periods when he held the position of leader of the opposition or first deputy speaker, and also had a spell as chair of the Committee on European Affairs. Andrius Kubilius was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1956. He received a degree in physics from Vilnius State University and completed postgraduate studies there too. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Maria Luís Albuquerque – Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Since 2022, Maria Luís Albuquerque has been independent non-executive director and a member of the Audit, Risk, and Nomination committees at Morgan Stanley and a member of the Operating Team at Horizon Equity Partners. She has been a member of the ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon’s Executive Education Advisory Board since 2019. Prior to her current roles, she was an independent non-executive director (chair of the Sustainability Committee) at the asset management firm Arrow Global Group (2016-2021), and a member of the High-level forum on the capital markets union, an expert group within the European Commission (2019-2020). In her political career, she has served as an elected member of the Municipal Assembly of Almada (2017-2021), a member of the Portuguese Parliament (2015-2019), minister of state and finance (2013-2015), and deputy minister for the treasury (2011-2013). Before that, she was director of the Department of Financial Management at the Portuguese Rail Infrastructure Company, and head of the Issuing and Markets Department at the Portuguese Debt and Treasury Management Agency. Born in 1967, Maria-Luís Albuquerque holds a master’s degree in financial and monetary economics from the Lisbon School of Financial and Monetary Economics (ISEG), and a degree in economics from the University of Lusíada. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Costas Kadis – Fisheries and Oceans – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Costas (Costantinos) Kadis is a scientist with a solid academic profile who has held ministerial portfolios in health, education and agriculture in various Cypriot governments. Kadis is professor of biodiversity conservation at Frederick University, where he also heads the Nature Conservation Unit and has been appointed as deputy president of the University Council. Between 2014 and 2023, Kadis served in two successive Cypriot governments without belonging to a political party. He was minister for education and culture (2014-2018), and minister for agriculture, rural development and environment (2018-2023). In the latter position, he was also responsible for fisheries and marine research. Born in Nicosia in 1967, Kadis graduated and obtained a PhD in biology from the University of Athens. After several research-related positions in Greece and Cyprus, he joined Frederick University in Cyprus in 2005, where he was appointed associate professor, founded the Nature Conservation Unit, and was Dean of the School of Education. He held these positions until 2014, apart from the period from July 2007 to February 2008 when he served as minister of health (as a member of the centre-right Democratic Party (DIKO). Kadis also chaired the Greek Cypriot Environment Committee from 2008 to 2014 as part of the government’s (unsuccessful) efforts to reunify Cyprus. This work did lead to important environmental cooperation agreements with the Turkish Cypriot community. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Magnus Brunner – Internal Affairs and Migration – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Magnus Brunner has been Austria’s federal minister for finance since December 2021. Prior to this role, he served as a state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology from 2020 to 2021. From 2018 to 2020, Brunner was vice-president of the Federal Council of Austria, after having served as a member of this institution from 2009 to 2020. Additionally, he served on the Municipal Council of the Höchst Municipality from 2000 to 2004. From 2009 to 2020 Brunner was a member of the Federal Council of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), affiliated to the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament. Brunner’s earlier professional experience includes serving as the political director of the Austrian Economic Association (2002-2005), as well as holding the position of head of corporate development, communication and strategic development at the Austrian energy company Illwerke VKw Group (2006). He was also on the Board of the Austrian energy company OeMAG (2007-2020). Born in 1972, Brunner is a graduate of King’s College London (LLM), the University of Innsbruck and the University of Vienna (where he obtained a PhD in law). This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Dan Jørgensen – Energy and Housing – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Dan Jørgensen has most recently served as Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Minister for Global Climate Policy. His role has been to oversee Denmark’s international development initiatives and global climate policies, including co-facilitating COP28 climate negotiations and co-chairing a number of working groups and alliances. Jørgensen is a member of the Social Democratic Party in Denmark, which is affiliated to the S&D group in the European Parliament. He has been a member of the Danish parliament since 2015 and previously served as Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, as well as Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, where he co-facilitated COP26 and COP27 negotiations and served as chair of the International Energy Agency’s Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions. Jørgensen was a Member of the European Parliament (2004-2013), where he served as vice-chair of the Committee on Environment, president of the Animal Welfare Intergroup and head of the Danish delegation of Social Democrats (2009-2013). Born in 1975, Jørgensen holds a master’s degree in political science from Aarhus University. His professional career also includes academic positions as adjunct professor and external lecturer. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Christophe Hansen – Agriculture and Food – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Christophe Hansen was re-elected as a Member of the European Parliament in June 2024 where he sits in the EPP group and is currently a member of the Committees for International Trade, Employment and Social Affairs, and Transport and Tourism. In the previous parliamentary term, Hansen sat on the Committee on International Trade and the Subcommittee on Tax Matters. He also served as Quaestor for a year, before stepping down after being elected to the Luxembourg Parliament in October 2023. In 2014, Hansen joined the Luxembourg Permanent Representation to the EU, chaired the Council of the EU’s Working Party on the Environment during the Luxembourg Presidency (July-December 2015), and served as an economic and commercial attaché at the Luxembourg Embassy in Brussels. From March 2017 to August 2018, Hansen represented Luxembourg in the European Economic and Social Committee. From 2007 to 2014, he had worked in the European Parliament as a political adviser to the centre-right MEP Astrid Lulling on agriculture, the environment, and economic and monetary affairs. Christophe Hansen was born in 1982 in Wiltz, Luxembourg. He earned a master’s degree in geosciences, environmental sciences and risk management from Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg in 2007.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Dubravka Šuica – Mediterranean – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Dubravka Šuica has served as a Member of the European Commission and Vice-President for Demography and Democracy since 2019. She was also the co-chair of the Conference on the Future of Europe. From 2013 to 2019, Šuica was a Member of the European Parliament, where she focused on issues relating to the environment, public health and food safety, and foreign affairs. In 2019, she was a vice-chair of the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament. As a member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Šuica served three terms in the Croatian Parliament, from 2000 until 2011, also holding the position of vice-chair of the EU Integration Committee. From 2001 to 2009, Šuica served two terms as the first female mayor of Dubrovnik, her hometown. In 2006, she was honoured with the World Mayor Award. From 2004 to 2009, Šuica was a board member of the Union of the Association of Towns and Municipalities of Croatia. She later served as a councillor on the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Assembly. She also served as the president of the Croatian Delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe for a decade. Since 2012, she has chaired the HDZ Committee on Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, and has been the vice-president of EPP Women. Born in 1957, Šuica graduated in English and German language and literature. She started her career in education, first as a teacher and later as director of Dubrovnik High School.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Turkey: British Embassy Bilateral Programme Fund

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The call for bids under The British Embassy Bilateral Programme is now open

    The British Embassy in Ankara invites eligible organisations to submit project proposals for funding under the Bilateral Programme Fund. A total of £100,000 is available for projects in two thematic areas, with £50,000 allocated to each:

    Women and Girls Thematic Area

    • Improved Access to Education and Skills Training
    • Economic Empowerment

    Social Foundations Thematic Area

    • Improved Media Capacity and Training of Journalists
    • Greater Public Awareness of Climate and Gender Issues
    • Strengthened Civic Space

    Eligibility and Guidelines

    We are seeking proposals from NGOs, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and other relevant partners that align with the objectives of the Fund’s strategic priorities. Projects should demonstrate clear impact, measurable outcomes, and strong value for money.

    Given the limited time for implementation, applicants must adhere to the following deadlines:

    • Proposal Submission Deadline: 31 October 2024
    • Spending Requirement: At least 80% of the allocated funds must be spent by 31 December 2024

    Projects with innovative approaches, strategic partnerships, or pilot initiatives with the potential for scale-up are particularly encouraged to apply.

    How to Apply

    Please submit your proposals, using the required format (below), to bef.projects@fcdo.gov.uk by 31 October 2024. Late applications will not be considered.

    Contact Information

    For inquiries or further details, please contact us at bef.projects@fcdo.gov.uk

    British Embassy Bilateral Programme Fund

    Annexes:

    Annex_1_-_British_Embassy_Bilateral_Programme_-_Bidding_Guidance

    ODT, 12.9 KB

    This file is in an OpenDocument format

    Annex 2 – Project Proposal Form above £10k

    ODT, 61.1 KB

    This file is in an OpenDocument format

    Annex 3 – Activity Based Budget Template

    ODS, 10 KB

    This file is in an OpenDocument format

    Annex 4 – Due Diligence Questionnaire

    ODT, 76.2 KB

    This file is in an OpenDocument format

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft has developed a tabletop “monopoly” for training oil workers

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Specialists from the Rosneft Research Institute in Ufa have developed a board game to train workers in the oil and gas industry. Participants in the “oil monopoly” go through all stages of field development, from prospecting and exploration to design and commissioning.

    The integrated modeling game is intended for specialists of any level and field, including students.

    The teams’ playing field is divided into three blocks: geology and development, development, and economics. By throwing a die and moving their token around the field, the participant answers questions on the oil and gas business, as well as gets acquainted with Rosneft’s corporate software and makes decisions on the development of their assets. Random events can occur in the game – from changes in tax legislation to the introduction of innovative technologies.

    The winner is the participant or team that develops the deposit with the greatest economic efficiency. Game techniques help improve skills in building an asset development strategy in conditions of market competition and limited resources.

    More than 50 copies of the “oil monopoly” have been transferred to Rosneft perimeter enterprises and third-party oil and gas companies. For training personnel in the oil and gas industry, the game is planned to be transferred to 8 universities in the country, including the Company’s corporate departments at the Ufa State Petroleum Technological University and the Ufa University of Science and Technology.

    At present, specialists from the Ufa Institute are developing a course for teaching specialists and students the rules of the game and are working on the prospect of digitalizing the game for the subsequent creation of an electronic version.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 15, 2024

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.rosneft.ru/press/nevs/item/220913/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Half term activities at The D-Day Story include crafts, Airfix and more

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    This October half term (28 October – 1 November) The D-Day Story is hosting a range of activities for visitors to enjoy.

    On Tuesday 29 and Thursday 31 October, be inspired by the 83-metre Overlord Embroidery. During the Colour, Collage and Create family craft activity you’ll create your own unique artwork to take home. Suitable for ages three plus, it’s free with a museum ticket or annual pass.

    On Wednesday 30 October, the museum will once again welcome the Royal School of Needlework for a family stitch drop-in workshop, where you can learn embroidery stitches with an expert tutor. The D-Day Story is proud of its long-standing partnership with the prestigious Royal School of Needlework, whose members stitched the Overlord Embroidery from 1968 to 1974. Sessions run from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, and are free with a museum ticket or annual pass.

    An Airfix extravaganza takes place on Friday 1 November, from 11am to 3pm. Make your own genuine Airfix model to take home in this exclusive event that’s fun for kids aged eight and above. Pass on the model making passion to the next generation, or simply try out a new hobby with help from friendly volunteers. Museum admission cost plus £2 per model. No need to book but arrive early to guarantee your spot.

    Portsmouth City Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said:

    “There is so much going on for all the family this half term at The D-Day Story, the UK’s only dedicated museum about the events of D-Day, which are free or very low cost with a museum ticket.”

    Families can also experience the family audio guide together to learn more about the fascinating D-Day objects in the museum and the stories behind those impacted by the events of June 1944. It has been specifically designed with a younger audience in mind but can be experienced by all the family.

    For the full list of events and more information about The D-Day Story, visit http://www.theddaystory.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster Magistrates’ Court hosts anti-knife crime event for local London schools

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Around 30 schoolchildren aged between 14 and 16 years took over courtroom 10 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 14 October 2024, as part of an initiative to highlight the dangers and consequences of carrying and using a knife.

    As well as playing leading roles in a mock trial, the teenagers heard from lawyers, first aiders and campaigners about the impact of knife crime, and what actions they could take to help make our streets safer.

    The event brought together pupils from Chadwell Heath Academy and Winchmore School – two schools in areas of London most affected by knife crime – for an interactive day of learning.

    Heidi Alexander MP, Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services at the Ministry of Justice, joined the students and expressed her support, saying:

    Reducing knife crime is a priority for this government, and today’s event demonstrates the power of collaboration between the justice system, schools, and community organisations to address this issue. It is vital that young people understand the dangers of carrying knives and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities.

    I am incredibly impressed by the dedication of everyone involved in organising this initiative, and I hope it inspires these young people to make positive choices for their futures.

    HMCTS legal adviser, Ian Rawlins, who has been involved for many years in community volunteering to tackle knife crime, was the organiser behind the day. With an impressive line-up of speakers and practical sessions, the day offered students insight into the criminal justice process, support services, the role of law enforcement, and the broader impact of knife crime on lives and communities.

    Toks Adesuyan, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

    It’s really important that we contribute to events like this that target and engage young people, not only to inspire future legal and Civil Service careers, but also to educate on the real and devastating consequences of carrying knives.

    Some of the messages we deliver are hard-hitting, but if that means we’ve helped to divert young people away from knife crime, then we must continue to provide platforms for education in order to reduce the prevalence of violence amongst children and young adults.

    Speakers inspire and educate

    The event featured a range of expert speakers, who engaged the students with powerful talks and practical tips about community support, first aid, and self-empowerment when it comes to reducing violence among young people.

    Speakers included:

    • Tan Ikram CBE DL, the Deputy Senior District Judge, who addressed students on the importance of understanding and respecting the law
    • Toks Adesuyan, Senior District Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, who spoke about their role in the criminal justice process
    • Saj Hussain, Detective Superintendent at the Metropolitan Police, who explained the role of the police in attempting to reduce knife crime and the steps they take when suspecting someone of knife-related offences
    • Fadi Daoud, Crime Partner at Lawrence and Co. Solicitors, who spoke about the role of a defence solicitor in representing a person accused of a criminal offence
    • The High Sheriff of Greater London, Millicent Grant KC, who explained her personal and professional experiences of the criminal justice system
    • Anti-knife crime charity Steel Warriors, which provided real-world perspectives on how knife crime can harm lives and communities
    • Street Doctors, who aim to put young people at the centre of emergency first-aid provision
    • Representatives from the Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity that aims to tackle knife crime through education and campaigning

    Students also had the opportunity to speak to professional footballer Kayne Ramsey of Charlton Athletic Football Club about following personal goals and avoiding violent crime.

    Mock trial sees teenagers take over courtroom 10

    A highlight of the day was a mock trial, organised by the National Justice Museum, in which students took on the roles of legal professionals, judges and others involved in a criminal court hearing. Through this hands-on experience, they gained a better understanding of the justice system and the consequences of breaking the law. This session aimed to raise aspirations for legal careers while offering students a new perspective on how courts work to ensure justice is served.

    For more information about the day, stay tuned to the Inside HMCTS Podcast channel on GOV.UK, where an episode about Ian’s work and the event at Westminster Magistrates’ Court will be published soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study on the rate of increase of global warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature Communications and Earth & Environment looks at the recent increase of global warming. 

    Dr Kevin Collins, Senior Lecturer Environment and Systems, Open University, said:

    “With many people and places experiencing year on year record temperatures around the globe in the last decade, it is very human to assume global warming is accelerating or ‘surging’.  However, through an authoritative statistical analysis of temperature increases since 1970, this research concludes that there is no detectable surge. Yet.

    “Instead, the results suggest global warming is occurring at a steady state. However, as the authors acknowledge, this may be because the size of any acceleration is either statistically too small, or there is simply not enough data to detect a surge in the last decade.  In other words, it is still too early to tell if the last decade (the warmest on record) represents a ‘leap’ in the warming trend.  By 2035 or 2040 we may look back and be able to see from 2015 onwards there has been a fundamental shift in the warming trend.

    “There is a very real danger that the new research is misinterpreted to show that there is no global warming or that a steady state increase in temperature means we have lots of time to act.

    “The bald statistics of a global warming world are already being lived by many populations and communities whose livelihoods are being severely impacted by heatwaves, droughts, floods, sea-level rise and other environmental changes.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading and National Centre for Earth Observations, said:

    “The new research highlights the difficulty in detecting an increase in the rate of surface warming, which is influenced by natural variations such as swings between warm El Niño and cool La Niña events. However, satellite observations and ocean measurements already detect a steady increase in Earth’s heating rate that is less susceptible to year to year fluctuations at the sea surface.

    “In fact, when all lines of evidence are scrutinized it is apparent that climate change is accelerating rather continuing steadily. Halting global warming by stabilizing Earth’s climate and limiting further damage from worsening extreme weather and rising sea levels is only possible through rapid and massive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.”

     

    ‘Is the Recent Surge in Global Warming Detectable?’ by Claudie Beaulieu et al. was published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment at 22:00 UK time on Monday 14th October.

    Declared interests:

    Dr Kevin Collins: No conflicts to declare.

    Prof Richard Allan: No conflicts to declare.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: A New Photocatalyst can Efficiently Degrade Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 15 OCT 2024 3:22PM by PIB Delhi

    Scientists have developed an efficient photocatalyst that can degrade in sulfamethoxazole, a broad-spectrum antibiotic to less hazardous chemicals and reduce health and environmental concerns associated with antibiotic contamination. 

    Antibiotic contamination has several adverse effects, including antibiotic resistance, ecological impact, human health concerns, etc. Hence, there is a need to find ways to mitigate this environmental issue.

    A team of scientists from Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology have synthesized copper zinc tin sulfide Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper zinc tin sulfide -tungsten disulfide CZTS-WS2 composite. The team led by Prof. Devasish Chowdhury utilised hydrothermal reaction of zinc chloride, copper chloride, tin chloride and tungsten disulfide forming a composite that is efficient photocatalyst in degrading sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic.

    Broad-spectrum antibiotics like sulfamethoxazole (SMX) have long been used to treat human illnesses like urinary and respiratory tract infections. However, more than 54 % of SMX was released into the environment along with the faeces and urine of the patients.

    “CZTS and its nanocomposites are a multifunctional quaternary semiconductor nanomaterial made up of earth-abundant, inexpensive, and non-toxic components possessing remarkable photostability making it extremely valuable in light-harvesting and photocatalyst applications,” said Prof. Chowdhury.

    The team consisting of Nur Jalal Mondal, Rahul Sonkar, Mridusmita Barman and Dr. Mritunjoy Prasad Ghosh, established that the CZTS-WS2 composite exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the breakdown of sulfamethoxazole.

    The developed catalyst could be recovered and used repeatedly without losing its effectiveness, which is very important from an economic point of view.

    Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) a popular analytical chemistry technique that can separate and identify the degraded product was used to analyze the intermediates and degraded products of the antibiotics’ degradation reaction. The study published in Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology A, determined that the majority of intermediates were less hazardous than sulfamethoxazole. In addition, the CZTS-WS2 composite demonstrated more than 80% radical scavenging efficiency and antibacterial capabilities.

    Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2024.115907

    *****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting in Karolinska Development AB (publ)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The shareholders of Karolinska Development AB (publ), reg. no. 556707-5048, (“Karolinska Development” or the “Company”) are invited to the Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”), on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 11:00 (CET), at Cirio Law Firm, Biblioteksgatan 9, in Stockholm. Registration for the EGM will commence at 10:30 (CET).

    The Board of Directors has resolved that shareholders shall have the right to exercise their voting rights in advance through postal voting pursuant to item 13 in the articles of association. Therefore, shareholders may choose to exercise their voting rights at the EGM by attending in person, by postal voting or through a proxy.

    Participation in person

    A shareholder who would like to participate at the EGM in person must:

    both be entered in the register of the shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Tuesday, November 5, 2024,

    and give notice of his or her intention to participate to the Company no later than Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the address Karolinska Development, “EGM”, Nanna Svartz väg 6A, 171 65, Solna, Sweden, or by email to eva.montgomerie@karolinskadevelopment.com. When giving notice to participate, please provide name, personal identity number or company registration number, telephone number and number of represented shares.

    Participation by postal voting

    Shareholders who wish to participate in the EGM by postal voting must:

    both be registered in the register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Tuesday, November 5, 2024,

    and notify their intention to participate by submitting their postal vote in accordance with the instructions below, so that the postal vote is received by Karolinska Development no later than Thursday, November 7, 2024.

    Shareholders may exercise their voting rights at the EGM by voting in advance through postal voting pursuant to item 13 in the articles of association, referring to Chapter 7, Section 4 a of the Swedish Companies Act.

    For advance voting, a special form must be used. Forms in Swedish and English are available for download on the Company’s website, http://www.karolinskadevelopment.com.The advance voting form is valid as notification of participation at the EGM.

    The completed advance voting form must be received by the Company no later than Thursday, November 7, 2024. The completed form shall be sent to Karolinska Development by e-mail to eva.montgomerie@karolinskadevelopment.com or by regular mail to Karolinska Development, “EGM”, Nanna Svartz väg 6A, 171 65, Solna, Sweden. The shareholder may not provide special instructions or conditions in the advance voting form. If so, the vote (i.e. the advance vote in its entirety) is invalid. Further instructions and conditions are provided in the form for advance voting.

    Those who wish to withdraw a submitted postal vote and instead exercise their voting rights by participating in the EGM in person or through a proxy must give notice thereof to the EGM’s secretariat prior to the opening of the EGM.

    Participation by proxy

    If the shareholders are represented by proxy, a written proxy must be issued and submitted to the Company at the above address well in advance of the EGM. The proxy is valid during the period set forth in the proxy, however, at most five years from the issuance. If a proxy is issued by a legal entity, a copy of the legal entity’s registration certificate or similar document evidencing signatory powers must be enclosed. Proxy forms in Swedish and English are available for download on the Company’s website, http://www.karolinskadevelopment.com.

    Nominee registered shares

    For shareholders who have their shares nominee-registered through a bank or other nominee, the following applies in order to be entitled to participate in the meeting. In addition to giving notice of participation, such shareholder must re-register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is registered in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as of the record date Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Such re-registration may be temporary (so-called voting rights registration). Shareholders who wish to register their shares in their own names must, in accordance with the respective nominee’s routines, request that the nominee make such registration. Voting rights registration that have been requested by the shareholder at such time that the registration has been completed by the nominee no later than Thursday, November 7, 2024, will be taken into account in the preparation of the share register.

    Proposal for agenda

    1. Opening of the meeting and election of chairperson of the meeting
    2. Preparation and approval of the voting list
    3. Approval of the agenda
    4. Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes
    5. Determination of whether the meeting was duly convened
    6. Resolution on election of a new member of the Board of Directors
    7. Determination of fee to the new member of the Board of Directors
    8. Closing of the meeting

    Item 1: Election of chairperson of the meeting

    The Board of Directors proposes that the EGM resolves that Annika Andersson (lawyer at Cirio Law Firm) is appointed to chair the EGM.

    Item 6: Resolution on election of a new member of the Board of Directors

    The Company’s largest shareholder, invoX Pharma Ltd. (“invoX”), proposes that the EGM resolves to elect Will Zeng as a new director of the Board of Directors. Director Theresa Tse will resign from her position at the EGM. The current directors Hans Wigzell, Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand, Benjamin Toogood and Philip Duong remain as directors of the Board of Directors and Hans Wigzell remains as chairperson.

    Will Zeng is born in 1993. He holds a bachelor’s degree of Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Will Zeng has previously work at Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus. Will Zeng´s other current assignments include Finance Director of CTTQ Pharma Group and Special Assistant to the chairperson of the board of Sino Biopharmaceutical. Will Zeng holds no shares in the Company. Will Zeng is independent in relation to the Company and its executive management but not in relation the Company´s major shareholders.

    The composition of the Board of Directors meets the independence requirement of the Swedish Corporate Governance Code.

    Item 7: Determination of fee to the new member of the Board of Directors

    At the Annual General Meeting on 16 May 2024, it was resolved that the Board of Directors, except for the chairperson, would be paid a fixed amount of SEK 200,000 to be paid out in proportion to board meetings attended. invoX proposes that board fee to the newly elected director Will Zeng should be paid the equivalent for the time until the end of the 2025 Annual General Meeting.

    Miscellaneous

    Advance voting form, proxy form and proposal for resolution in accordance with above, are available at the Company on Nanna Svartz väg 2, 171 65, Solna, Sweden and at the Company’s website, http://www.karolinskadevelopment.com, no later than three weeks before the EGM, and will be sent to shareholders who so request and provide their postal address.

    The Board of Directors and the CEO shall, if requested by any shareholder and if the Board of Directors is of the opinion that it can be done without causing material harm to the Company, provide disclosures about conditions that may impact assessment of an item of business on the agenda.

    As per the date of this notice, there are 270,077,594 shares, representing a total of 293,074,943 votes outstanding in the Company, distributed among 2,555,261 shares of series A (with 25,552,610 votes) and 267,522,333 shares of series B (with 267,522,333 votes). As per the date of this notice, the Company holds 244,285 treasury shares of series B.

    Processing of personal data

    For information on how your personal data is processed in connection to the general meeting see the privacy policy available on Euroclear Sweden AB’s website: https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf

    Solna in October 2024
    Karolinska Development AB (publ)
    The Board of Directors

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom signs legislation to prevent gas price spikes and save Californians money

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 14, 2024

    What you need to know: New measure will help prevent price spikes that cost Californians upwards of $2 billion last year, giving the state more tools to require that petroleum refiners backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance.

    SACRAMENTO – Today, surrounded by legislators and community leaders in the rotunda of the California State Capitol, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation to help prevent gas price spikes and save consumers money at the pump.

    The legislation — ABX2-1 authored by Assemblymembers Gregg Hart and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Senator Nancy Skinner — allows the state to require oil refiners to maintain a minimum inventory of fuel to avoid supply shortages that create higher gasoline prices for consumers and higher profits for the industry. It also authorizes the California Energy Commission to require refiners to plan for resupply during refiner maintenance outages. A signing message can be found here.

    “Price spikes have cost Californians billions of dollars over the years, and we’re not waiting around for the industry to do the right thing — we’re taking action to prevent these price spikes and save consumers money at the pump. Now, the state has the tools to make sure they backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance so there aren’t shortages that drive up prices. I’m grateful to our partners in the Senate and Assembly for acting quickly to push this forward and help deliver relief for Californians.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    “With this new law, big oil companies are now responsible for stabilizing prices at the pump. It’s a critical accomplishment, but our work is not done. I will continue to fight to lower the cost of living, because housing, groceries and everyday necessities must be more affordable for all Californians.” — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas)

    “Today, we’re coming together to provide needed relief at the pump and help keep hard-earned dollars in the pockets of Californians. I’m grateful to Governor Newsom, Speaker Rivas, and members of the Senate and Assembly for taking swift action on this critical issue. That said, our work isn’t stopping. We’re going to continue to grind away to help lower the cost of living for folks in every corner of the Golden State. It’s a necessity.” — Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast)

    Why it’s needed

    Price spikes at the pump are profit spikes for oil companies, and they’re overwhelmingly caused by refiners not backfilling supplies when they go down for maintenance. If this proposal had been in effect last year, Californians could have saved hundreds of millions — if not billions — of dollars at the pump according to analysis from the  Division of Petroleum Market Oversight (DPMO):

    Experts have come out in support of this measure, including Stanford economists who praised the proposal for being “an economically sound policy that addresses an important problem in a well-targeted way” and the “additional supply would free up refinery capacity to serve Nevada and Arizona, also reducing prices in these markets.”

    Supporters of the bill include mayors, local leaders, consumer organizations, environmental advocates, labor, business leaders and consumer groups. Last month, the Governor and supporters met and discussed how gasoline price spikes affect millions of Californians’ everyday lives, and shared why this plan will help California families.

    How we got here

    The Governor convened a special session to focus on saving Californians money at the pump. The proposal authorizes the California Energy Commission (CEC) to require petroleum refiners to maintain a minimum inventory of refined fuel throughout the distribution chain to avoid supply shortages that create higher prices at the pump for consumers. It also authorizes the CEC to require refiners to plan for resupply during scheduled refiner maintenance. The text of the proclamation calling for a special session is available here.

    Following gasoline price spikes in 2022, Governor Newsom called for a special session and worked in partnership with the Legislature to sign into law a package of reforms holding Big Oil accountable. 

    California’s new watchdog found that higher gasoline prices were caused by a suspicious market transaction, refinery maintenance without properly preparing for it, and more. 

    In January of this year, the watchdog sent Governor Newsom and the legislature a letter outlining specific proposals to reform California’s gasoline spot market, which included a minimum inventory requirement to prevent price spikes due to lack of stable supply.

    The state’s gasoline price watchdog also found that, in 2023, gasoline prices spiked largely due to refineries going offline without adequately planning to backfill supplies, which caused refining margins to spike as spot and retail prices jumped — indicating that refinery margins made up the largest proportion of the price spikes between July and September 2023.

    Convening experts, community leaders, and consumer advocates

    The Governor today also announced his appointments to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee:

    Martha Dina Arguello, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Arguello has been Executive Director at Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles since 2007. She was Director of Health and Environmental Programs at Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles from 1999 to 2007. Arguello is Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Standing Together Against Neighborhood Drilling and Californians for a Health and Green Economy. She is a member of the California Air Resources Board AB 32 Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee of Californians for Pesticide Reform. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Arguello is a Democrat. 

    Michael Jorgenson, of Mill Valley, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Jorgenson has served as Supervisory Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2018. He was Deputy County Counsel IV at the Marin County Counsel’s Office from 2017 to 2018. Jorgenson served in several roles at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2003 to 2017, including Deputy Attorney General in the Public Rights Division, Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division and Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division. He was an Associate at Berman Tabacco from 2001 to 2003 and at Kelly Gill Sherburne & Herrera from 1999 to 2001. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History from University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jorgenson is a Democrat. 

    Neale Mahoney, of Stanford, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Mahoney has been a Professor of Economics at Stanford University since 2020. He was a Special Policy Advisor for Economic Policy at The White House from 2022 to 2023. Mahoney was a Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago from 2013 to 2020. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Brown University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Mahoney is a Democrat. 

    Deborah “Debbie” Meeks, of Walnut Creek, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Meeks has been Manager of United States West Coast Policy and Business Coordinator at Shell USA since 2021. She was a Manager of Alliances and Portfolios at Shell US Retail from 2017 to 2021. Meeks was Americas and Mexico Regional Manager, Principal Account Executive, and Senior Account Manager at Shell Catalysts and Technologies from 1995 to 2017. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from California State University, Long Beach. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Meeks is a Democrat. 

    Norman Rogers, of Santa Ana, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Rogers has been Second Vice-President at United Steelworkers Local 675 since 2021, and a Plant Operator in Oil Movements at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since 2018. He was a Plant Operator for Oil Movements at Tesoro Refinery from 2013 to 2018. Rogers was a member of the Fire Brigade at the Carson Refinery from 2001 to 2021. He was Plant Operator for Oil Movements at BP from 2001 to 2013, and at Arco Refinery from 1999 to 2001. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rogers is registered without party preference.

    Astrid Zuniga, of Modesto, has been appointed to the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee. Zuniga has been President at United Domestic Workers/AFSCME 3930 since 2024 and was Vice President from 2016 to 2024. She has been Executive Secretary/Treasurer at the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Central Labor Council since 2013, and an In-Home Support Services Caregiver since 1998. Zuniga is a member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board and the Women’s Advisory Committee for AFSCME International. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Zuniga is a Democrat. 

    Recent news

    Oct 12, 2024

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.14.24

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 14, 2024

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Joe Shea, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Salton Sea Policy at the California Natural Resources Agency. Shea has served in several positions at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2019, including Deputy Cabinet Secretary since 2022, Assistant Cabinet Deputy, and Special Assistant to the Governor. He was a Special Consultant for the California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom Transition from 2018 to 2019. From 2017 to 2018, Shea held multiple positions with Newsom for California Governor 2018, including Southern California Field Director and Northern California Organizer. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $168,000. Shea is a Democrat.

    Allegra Curiel, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle.) Curiel has been a Senior Policy Advocate at the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance since 2023. She was a Policy Manager at Newlight Technologies Inc. from 2021 to 2023. Curiel held multiple positions at CalRecycle from 2017 to 2021, including Legislative Analyst from 2018 to 2021, Disaster Recovery Operations Analyst in 2018 and Executive Fellow with the Capital Fellows Program from 2017 to 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political, Legal, and Economic Analysis from Mills College at Northeastern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,036. Curiel is a Democrat.  

    Marybel Batjer, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board. Batjer has been a Partner at California Strategies since 2021. She was President of the California Public Utilities Commission from 2019 to 2021. Batjer was Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency from 2013 to 2019. She was Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Inc. from 2005 to 2013. Batjer was Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2003 to 2004. She was Chief of Staff in the Office of Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn from 2000 to 2003. Batjer was Executive-in-Residence of Hotel Management and Casino Operations at the Mirage from 1998 to 2000. She was Undersecretary at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency from 1997 to 1998. Batjer was Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing from 1992 to 1997. She was a Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of the Navy from 1989 to 1993. Batjer was a National Security Affairs Special Assistant to President Ronald Regan from 1987 to 1989. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration and Legal Processes from Mills College at Northeastern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Batjer is a Democrat. 

    John Laird, of Santa Cruz, has been appointed to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Laird has served as a California State Senator representing Senate District 17 since 2020. He served as Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency from 2011 to 2019. Laird was a member of the California Integrated Waste Management Board from 2009 to 2010. He served as a California State Assemblymember representing Assembly District 27 from 2002 to 2008. Laird was Executive Director at the Santa Cruz AIDS Project from 1991 to 1993. He was a Budget Analyst for the County of Santa Cruz from 1974 to 2002. Laird was a Legislative Aide in the Office of Congressman Jerome Waldie from 1972 to 1974. He is a member of the California Democratic Party. Laird earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Laird is a Democrat. 

    Recent news

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Alex Salmond: Scotland’s first nationalist leader and a tireless campaigner for independence

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Murray Leith, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre for Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship and Identity, University of the West of Scotland

    Alex Salmond, possibly one of the most famous Scottish politicians of recent decades, and certainly the best-known face of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has died at the age of 69.

    The former first minister of Scotland, a long-standing member of the Westminster parliament and a member of the Scottish parliament, he led the SNP from a small, fringe party within Westminster to become the ruling party of the Scottish government. He was the first Scottish nationalist first minister of Scotland, a post he would hold from 2007 to 2014.

    Salmond was born, raised and educated in Scotland. It was while he was a student at St Andrews University that he joined the university branch of the Federation of Student Nationalists in December 1973. As one of only two fully paid-up members of the SNP at the university, he became the branch president.

    After graduation, and a couple of years as a civil servant, Salmond moved to the Royal Bank of Scotland and became an economics expert, with a focus on oil. Yet, throughout this career he remained an active and committed member of the SNP.

    Leftwing in his views, he was part of the 79 Group, a small faction of the SNP that was very critical of the then leadership, and which advocated a more leftwing stance for the party as a whole. He, along with others, was briefly expelled from the SNP in 1982, but was allowed back in a month later.

    By 1985, Salmon was a senior figure in the SNP. His political career truly began in 1987, when he defeated the incumbent Conservative in Banff and Buchan in 1987 to become the consituency’s Westminster MP. He would win re-election four times, and then be elected to Holyrood, all from the north-east of Scotland, for the next three decades.

    SNP leadership and independence referendum

    Salmond first became leader of the SNP in 1990, and he showed his significant skills as a political strategist on the UK-wide stage. From here, he would become a very visible and recognisable face for the SNP, and for Scotland.

    It would be the advent of devolution in 1997, and the creation of the Scottish parliament in 1999 that would change the face of Scottish politics and allow Salmond to reach new heights. But there were many bumps along the way. Just a year into the life of the brand new parliament, Salmond suddenly stood down as SNP leader. There were rumours of fallouts with other leading figures.

    Salmond would, however, return as leader in 2004, replacing John Swinney (currently the first minister) after a poor showing for the SNP in Scottish parliament elections. As he was an MP and not an MSP at the time, the party at Holyrood was led by Nicola Sturgeon, at the time a longtime ally.

    Not only did he return as an MSP, but the SNP became the largest party in the Scottish parliament by one seat in 2007. It formed a minority government with Salmond as first minister and Sturgeon as his deputy.

    Another milestone was reached in 2011, when Salmond would lead the SNP in winning a majority within the Scottish parliament, a task everyone thought impossible given the voting system was, arguably, specifically designed to avoid such outcomes. This win led Salmond to begin negotiations with the UK government of David Cameron to hold a referendum on Scottish independence.

    In perhaps one of Salmond’s most effective moments, he came away with an agreement that allowed him many of his specific objectives – a single question on the ballot and a long lead in, of two years, before the referendum itself. Only ten years after he had returned as leader, he led the SNP to a referendum outcome where 45% of voters said yes to independence, a much larger figure than many thought possible.

    However, this was still a loss, and Salmond resigned as party leader the next day. He then returned to Westminster in 2015 but lost his seat in 2017.

    Further problems arose for Salmond in 2018, when allegations of sexual assault were made, and he resigned from the SNP after being a member for 45 years. Despite being cleared at a trial in 2020 of 14 charges, his relationship with the SNP, and his personal relationships with Sturgeon and other leading SNP figures, were badly damaged.

    He directly blamed Sturgeon and her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, for the way in which he was treated. He took the Scottish government to court over the handling of the accusations and won a substantial payout of half a million pounds.

    Establishing a new party

    Whether it was because of his treatment by the SNP, his disquiet at what he saw as the wrong priorities, or the inability for him to find a role after leaving as first minister, Salmond decided to establish a new political party, Alba, in 2021, only three years after leaving the SNP.

    After being on the national, and international, stage for several decades, Salmond remained committed to the political fight for Scottish independence. There were several defections from the SNP – two MPs, one MSP, and a few local councillors – but the party has never won an elected seat at any level.

    Salmond also presented a television show on Russian state broadcaster RT, a decision unpopular with many in the SNP. He also wrote as a tipster on horse racing for newspapers for many years.

    There can be little doubt that Salmond’s professional and personal lives were characterised by ups and downs. Yet the fact remains that he led the SNP to many victories, and saw them challenge the status quo and the British state in a manner unthinkable when he first became an SNP MP.

    Those present during the last few days of the 2014 referendum will remember the distinct feeling that maybe, just maybe, the SNP could pull off a win, and an independent Scotland – a dream he shared with millions of others – could be a possibility.

    Salmond reshaped the SNP, he reshaped the political landscape of Scotland, and his legacy cannot be overstated.

    Murray Leith has previously received funding from the European Union, the Scottish Government, and the UK Government. He is a member of the Electoral Reform Society.

    – ref. Alex Salmond: Scotland’s first nationalist leader and a tireless campaigner for independence – https://theconversation.com/alex-salmond-scotlands-first-nationalist-leader-and-a-tireless-campaigner-for-independence-241222

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Extra funding committed to support Holocaust Memorial Day

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Government has announced additional funding to support Holocaust Memorial Day 2025.

    • The Government has announced additional funding to support Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
    • 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, with many Holocaust survivors expected to attend the national ceremony
    • Funding reflects the Government’s aim that the national commemorations should be seen by an audience of millions

    The Government has announced additional funding for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to support the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

    Holocaust Memorial Day, marked each year on January 27th, is a day of reflection, remembrance, and education.

    2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, which will be a particularly poignant occasion, highlighting the significance of remembering the atrocities of the past while fostering a future of understanding and unity.

    Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 also marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, sending a strong reminder that hatred and intolerance have continued long after the Holocaust.

    Faith Minister Lord Khan said:

    We are absolutely committed to ensuring the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten. The 80th anniversary is a time for deep reflection, and to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered by the Nazis.

    This funding will enable the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to stage an event and ensure it is broadcast to millions – matching the significance of the moment. It will enable communities across the country to take part in this moment for reflection – and to hear directly from survivors who can bear witness to the appalling crimes committed by the Nazis.

    The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s Chief Executive, Olivia Marks-Woldman, said:

    We are delighted that the Government’s commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day Trust means that we can reach even further in this significant year. The Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 commemorations will be engaging millions of people across the UK, in local communities, on social and traditional media, and at the UK Ceremony.

    Please join us in January to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia – to learn from the past, for a better future.

    The additional funds will help facilitate broadcasting the event, broadening access to people across the country for commemoration and reflection.

    Last month, in his speech to the Holocaust Education Trust, the Prime Minister set out a new “national ambition” to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to hear recorded Holocaust survivor testimony.

    Ahead of its curriculum review, the Government has also committed to ensure that the Holocaust remains on the curriculum and that state schools which are not currently required to follow the national curriculum also teach the Holocaust.

    Notes to editors:

    • The additional funding of £80,000 is in addition to an annual grant of £900,000 given to HMDT – totalling £980,000 this year – which is provided for the annual ceremony and for support for thousands of local activities up and down the country to remember the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, Zimbabwean universities launch research center on civilization exchanges

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Zhang Donggang (L), chairman of the University Council of Renmin University of China, and University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo unveil a commemorative plaque during the inauguration ceremony of the China-Africa Joint Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning between Civilizations in Harare, Zimbabwe, Oct. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The China-Africa Joint Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning between Civilizations was launched Friday in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, bringing together Chinese and African academics to share knowledge, ideas, and perspectives.

    The research center, cofounded by Renmin University of China and the University of Zimbabwe, was launched during the inaugural China-Africa Civilization Forum held at the Zimbabwean university.

    The research center is expected to facilitate intellectual exchange, produce cutting-edge research and impactful publications, and foster cultural diplomacy between China and Africa.

    Speaking at the launch event, University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo said cooperation with China has catalyzed human capital development in higher education through investment in educational infrastructure, scholarships and exchange programs, technology transfer, research collaboration, and capacity building.

    “With the launch of this research center today, we now can leverage our partnership with Renmin University of China to develop joint research projects and exchange programs that focus on innovation and industrialization,” said Mapfumo.

    He said in line with Zimbabwe’s heritage-based education, the university aims to be a cradle of innovation, fostering entrepreneurship and start-up ventures.

    “China’s engagement in skills development, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs align seamlessly with the practical, solution-oriented approach to industrialization. The Chinese experts and institutions have facilitated the training of African experts in various areas of economic development,” said Mapfumo.

    In addition, he said the research center will catalyze an entrepreneurial spirit, nurturing student-led initiatives and supporting innovative solutions to societal challenges.

    In his address during the event, Zhang Donggang, chairman of the University Council of Renmin University of China, said culture is an important spiritual link in connecting Chinese and African people.

    “The dream of pursuing modernization together has become a common aspiration of the Chinese and African people,” he said.

    Zhang said the establishment of the research center is an important measure and effective strategy to promote exchanges in education, and scientific and research cooperation between China and Africa.

    On his part, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said educational and cultural exchanges have always been an integral part of the broad China-Zimbabwe relations.

    “Both China and Zimbabwe are ancient civilizations with a time-honored history. Both of us attach great importance to education which we believe can serve as catalysts for our modernization drive. We also believe that we can draw lessons, inspiration, wisdom, and strength from our own cultures and traditions in dealing with the challenges that we face today,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –