Older person being vaccinatedOlder people should take a new vaccine to protect them against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) according to new research from the University of Aberdeen and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.
In new research published in Age & Ageing today, a team of scientists led by Professor Roy Soiza, Consultant Geriatrician and Honorary Chair at the University reviewed the evidence on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines against RSV in older and frailer individuals. They found the vaccines to be 86 percent effective in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections in the first year after vaccination.
If uptake of the vaccine reaches 70 percent, evidence suggests that up to 2,800 deaths could be prevented in the UK every year. Additionally, with at least 70 percent uptake, around 36,000 GP consultations, 4,600 hospitalisations and 1,000 ICU admissions could be avoided.
However, the authors warn of a culture of ‘vaccine fatigue’ as well as ‘vaccine hesitancy’ which could impact on the numbers of older people accepting the vaccine.
The review paper comes in response to the UK launch of a new vaccination programme against RSV for 75 to 79-year-olds. Known to cause serious lung infections in very young infants, there is growing evidence that RSV can also cause serious chest infections in the elderly population contributing to an estimated 8000 deaths and 175,000 GP interventions every year in the UK.
Professor Roy Soiza who led the research at the University of Aberdeen explains: “The NHS is badly stretched, so efforts to reduce the healthcare burden from avoidable communicable diseases such as RSV infection are highly desirable. Although some sections of social media are often dominated by anti-vaccine messages, it is important that reliable public health messages cut through the noise.
“Our review found that the vaccines are safe and effective and we are calling on healthcare professionals and carers to encourage those invited to receive the vaccine to take up the opportunity.
“There is evidence of effectiveness in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections of around 86 percent in the first year after vaccination.
“Trials have been conducted in people aged over 60 years of age, including those with underlying medical conditions, but the number of volunteers aged 80 or over was too small to be certain of the extent of benefit. Nevertheless, we saw in the covid pandemic that the effectiveness of vaccines in trials of younger and healthier people was replicated in those who were much frailer and older.
“We therefore urge those with an interest in the care of older people to encourage those eligible and invited to have the new vaccine to take it.”
Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Immunisation and Vaccination at Public Health Scotland, said: “The recent launch of Scotland’s new RSV vaccination programme marks another significant step forward to protect the health of the population.
“RSV can be very serious for those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in those aged 75 years and over being hospitalised for RSV. That’s why we’re asking all those who are eligible for the RSV vaccine to take up the offer to protect themselves against the more serious complications of an RSV infection.”
Antonia Ho, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, who collaborated on the research said: “The availability of the first effective RSV vaccines in the UK is really exciting. Along with existing influenza and covid-19 vaccines, they will allow us to protect vulnerable groups from serious lung infections, and reduce the enormous pressures faced by the NHS in the winter months.
“The vaccination catch-up campaign for 76 to 79 years is due to end on 30 September 2024 and I would urge those who are eligible to attend their vaccination appointment.”
Our review found that the vaccines are safe and effective and we are calling on healthcare professionals and carers to encourage those invited to receive the vaccine to take up the opportunity.” Professor Roy Soiza
To find out how you can help support medical research at the University of Aberdeen please contact giving@abdn.ac.uk. If you would prefer to make a gift of your time, please contact alumni@abdn.ac.uk to find out more about our alumni volunteering opportunities.
MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Republic of France in FrenchThe French Republic has issued the following statement:
Image 1Credits: New Africa – stock.adobe.com
A superior is accused by several of her employees of moral harassment. The CSE is bringing a civil action in the interests of the health, safety and working conditions committee (CHSCT) of the hospital center where the events took place.
The Court of Appeal declared the CSE’s civil action admissible and awarded it damages. For it, the acts of moral harassment in question fell within the CSE’s mission because they impacted the employees’ working conditions. The hierarchical superior appealed to the Court of Cassation. She considered that the CSE was not a direct victim of the offence of moral harassment and therefore should not be compensated.
The Court of Cassation quashes and annuls the appeal decision. It holds that the CSE does not have the mission to represent the different categories of staff, nor the general interests of the profession. It adds that he has not justified any personal harm resulting from moral harassment. Thus, his civil action is not admissible.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
A federal grand jury in Miami late this afternoon returned an indictment charging Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, with attempting to kill former President Donald J. Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15.
“Violence targeting public officials endangers everything our country stands for, and the Department of Justice will use every available tool to hold Ryan Routh accountable for the attempted assassination of former President Trump charged in the indictment,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will not tolerate violence that strikes at the heart of our democracy, and we will find and hold accountable those who perpetrate it. This must stop.”
“This alleged attempted assassination of the former President at his golf course was a direct attack on our democracy. Political violence has no place in this country — not then, not now, not ever,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The charges today reflect the Department’s continued resolve to deploy every available resource to ensure public officials remain safe and to hold accountable those who target public officials to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Routh is charged with attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, which strikes at the very heart of our democratic system,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is continuing our investigation into this alleged plot and will use the full weight and resources of the FBI to uncover and provide as much information as possible about what led to the events in West Palm Beach. In our country, we have to hold accountable people who resort to violence.”
According to allegations in a complaint affidavit and a factual proffer filed with the court, former President Trump was golfing at Trump International on Sept. 15, and a Secret Service agent conducting a perimeter security sweep saw the partially obscured face of a man — later identified as Routh — in the brush along the fence line near the sixth hole. The agent observed the barrel of a rifle aimed directly at him. As the agent began backing away, he saw the rifle barrel move, and the agent fired at Routh.
A witness saw Routh running across the road from the golf course and getting into a black Nissan Xterra. Based on information provided by the witness, Routh was later apprehended heading northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Court documents allege that in the area where Routh had been hiding in the tree line, FBI agents located an SKS semiautomatic rifle with a scope attached and an extended magazine. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated and unreadable. Hanging from the fence was a backpack and a reusable shopping bag that each contained a plate capable of stopping small arms fire.
According to the allegations filed with the court, FBI agents found documents that contained a handwritten list of dates in August, September, and October and venues where the former President had appeared or was expected to be present. Cell records for two of the cell phones found in the Nissan Xterra showed that on multiple days and times from Aug. 18 to Sept. 15, Routh’s cell phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International and the former President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.
According to the factual proffer filed with the court, a civilian witness contacted law enforcement stating that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence several months ago. Included in the box was a handwritten letter from Routh addressed “Dear World,” which stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
Routh was charged with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer (a Secret Service Agent), felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. At a detention hearing on Sept. 23, Routh was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, Routh faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
According to court records, Routh was convicted of felonies in North Carolina in December 2002 and March 2010.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Secret Service.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Canton of Neuchatel Switzerland
18.09.2024
The call for projects launched last May as part of the Neuchâtel Climate Plan to strengthen local resilience in the face of climate challenges was a great success: 21 projects were submitted during the first deadline set. Among these, nine actions were selected to be supported with a total amount of 42,000 francs. Other projects have already been announced for the 2nd deadline scheduled for October 31.
Creating social ties, consolidating support networks and strengthening collaboration are at the heart of the “living together” program, initiated by the canton last spring to mitigate the social consequences of global warming. The call was heard: despite an initial deadline set just a few weeks before the launch, no fewer than 21 projects have been submitted and several other interesting actions have already been announced for the future.
Among a multitude of exciting ideas working for solidarity and cooperation, in connection with climate issues, the project selection committee, made up of people from the canton, municipalities and civil society, has selected nine initial projects that it proposes to support with a total amount of 42,000 francs. In addition, other requests for support are currently undergoing additional analysis. In addition, all the individuals and associations that have mobilized to participate in the program will be encouraged to join the dynamic created and synergies will be sought to explore all possible avenues of collaboration.
The projects already supported to date will, for example, strengthen the circular economy, facilitate the emergence of new projects, raise awareness of environmental issues or promote eco-responsible consumption. A presentation file for this first batch of selected projects is attached in the appendix.
As a reminder, all useful information on the “living together” program can be found on www.ne.ch/vivre-ensembleThe program will run until 2027, with a total budget of 400,000 francs. The next deadline for submitting support applications is October 31, 2024. Other calls for projects will be organized subsequently and the ambition is also to consolidate a movement of solidarity transition in the long term, in a logic of co-construction.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in rubbish bins and suitcases.
Finding the body is a key part of any murder investigation, as it helps to identify, prosecute and charge the killer. Unfortunately, the task can be immensely difficult.
To help tackle the problem of locating hidden graves, we have trialled two innovative techniques for searching underground: ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, or ERT. Our results are now published in the journal Remote Sensing.
Borrowing tools from geology
The tools we used are known as geophysical methods because they measure the physical properties of materials in the soil under the surface.
The use of geophysical techniques for peering under Earth’s surface is not new – engineers, geologists and archaeologists have used the tools we tested for decades.
But geophysical techniques are not typically used for forensic investigations because directly finding a body with these methods is very difficult.
However, both of the tools we tested can help to locate a grave indirectly – by looking at the differences between the disturbed soil of the grave and the undisturbed soil around it. When the techniques encounter disturbed soil and/or the presence of body fluids, the resulting data will show as an anomaly – something different to the areas surrounding it.
To figure out whether the identified anomaly is a grave, researchers can then consider the size, shape and depth of the anomaly to make sure it correlates with a human body.
Tori Berezowski using a ground penetrating radar to survey the ‘hidden’ graves. Author provided
Pigs at the ‘body farm’
At the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), Australia’s only “body farm” – a facility that uses donated bodies for forensic research – we buried five pigs in various configurations to mimic clandestine graves.
This included two single graves (a “shallow” grave of just half a metre, and a “deep” grave of almost two metres) and a mass grave with three pigs at one metre deep. We used pigs as they are a good body analogue in terms of size and mass to humans.
We surveyed the graves with ground-penetrating radar and ERT before and directly after burial, and then one, eight, 14, and 20 months later.
In forensic research, pig cadavers are a suitable proxy for human bodies, as they have a similar size and mass. Author provided
Our findings revealed that geophysical imaging of hidden graves can work, but with varying results. This depended on the size, depth and age of the burial, and the amount of rainfall before the survey.
The grave containing the three pig cadavers was the easiest to observe due to its larger size and volume. This indicates geophysical techniques may be particularly useful in humanitarian investigations that involve searching for mass graves.
A shallow single grave was the next most observable. This is also an encouraging finding because most graves of hidden victims are only around half a metre deep. For both techniques, the two-metre-deep single grave was the most difficult to image.
Although both tools could detect some graves on some occasions, neither located all of the graves during the entire length of our survey. This was likely due to a combination of factors, including the soil type at the site and unprecedented weather conditions during the research period – La Niña flooded the research site multiple times.
To do this, we compared the ground-penetrating radar and the ERT responses of the pig burials to those of human burials (all part of existing research projects at AFTER). We found no obvious differences between the two.
This is a very important result, because it means we can further test these tools in Australia and worldwide without being constrained by highly limited access to human donors.
Similar studies have been done in the United Kingdom, the United States and South America. However, ours is the first systematic, multi-technique, geophysical survey of covert graves in an Australian environment. The only other similar Australian study was in 2004, however, it only used ground-penetrating radar and didn’t check back on the graves at multiple time points.
Our results clearly demonstrate that geophysical methods can be effective for locating unmarked graves under some circumstances, but don’t always work. To try and work out why, we will continue our research using the latest geophysical instruments and monitoring the moisture conditions inside the graves.
Ultimately, we believe using these tools can increase the chances of locating missing and murdered victims. Then, we can finally provide answers to their families and loved ones, and increase the chances of prosecuting their killers.
The team would like to thank Justin Ellis, Gabriel C Rau, Dilan Seckiner, and Isabella Crebert for their contributions to this research. Additionally, we would like to thank AFTER for the space to conduct the research and to Soren Blau and Jon Sterenberg for allowing us to scan your graves.
Victoria Berezowski receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. This work was also funded by a Vice Chancellor Higher Degree by Research PhD Training Scholarship from the University of Newcastle.
Ian Moffat receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Flinders University.
Xanthe Mallett has received funding from the Australian Research Council.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California
WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, one of the highest distinguished awards by the Ukrainian Parliament. This prestigious accolade recognizes Costa’s unwavering support for Ukraine and his commitment to defending democracy.
The Honorary Diploma was presented to Congressman Costa during a visit to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian leaders, and members of the Ukrainian Parliament.
“I am honored to receive this accolade and will continue to work with Ukraine to help it defend itself and preserve its sovereignty. The United States and Ukraine share a commitment to democracy and security. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and standing with the resilient Ukrainian people,” said Costa.
BACKGROUND Congressman Jim Costa’s visit to Ukraine was marked by productive dialogues on critical issues, including security cooperation, economic development, and humanitarian aid. Costa was joined by Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Don Bacon (NE-02).
Costa’s meeting with President Zelenskyy highlighted the deepening partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine and underscored the importance of continued support for Ukraine’s democratic aspirations and territorial integrity. President Zelenskyy spoke in detail about the situation on the front and the priority needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Costa responded by indicating the importance of maintaining solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and our European allies to defend democracy.
Members traveled through Konovaltsia and Kokorudza streets in Lviv, Ukraine, where a Russian missile killed seven people, including three children on September 4, 2024. One of the buildings damaged in the Russian attack was the Lviv Oblast Centre for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation on Konovaltsia Street, a 130-year-old architectural monument.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed to the members that he will present Ukraine’s victory plan to U.S. President Biden, Congress, and both U.S. presidential candidates soon.
On the proposal of the Board of Directors of the Geneva Industrial Services (SIG), the State Council approved the appointment of Ms. Véronique Athané Ryser to the position of General Manager.
Born in 1976, Ms. Athané Ryser is a mechanical engineer, graduated from INSA and EPFL. Since 2020, she has held the position of Executive Director of Distribution Network Management at SIG. She has demonstrated her skills as a high-level manager, managing a department of 550 employees in a wide variety of fields, successfully completing complex projects while actively participating in the smooth running of the company’s general management.
The Council of State notes that the recruitment process was conducted efficiently. It takes this opportunity to thank Mr. Alain Zbinden, Acting Managing Director, and Mr. Robert Cramer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, for their unwavering commitment in recent months and wishes Ms. Athané Ryser every success in carrying out her new duties.
For further media information: Mr Antonio Hodgers, State Councillor, by contacting Mr Jérôme Savary, Deputy Secretary General, DT, T. 022 327 94 18.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
President Lai addresses 2024 Concordia Annual Summit 2024-09-25
On the morning of September 25 (afternoon of September 24 EDT), President Lai Ching-te addressed the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit via video at the invitation of the New York-based non-profit organization Concordia, speaking on Taiwan’s key priorities in the current international security environment and vision for the future. In his remarks, President Lai said that democracy around the world is facing serious threats, citing as examples Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s intensifying military intimidation in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas. The president indicated that through its use of gray-zone tactics such as economic coercion and cognitive warfare, China poses serious threats to global peace and stability. He said that China often uses lawfare and distorts history to expand its power, an example being its distortion of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. The president thanked the United States and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) for taking concrete actions to oppose China’s misinterpretations. President Lai reiterated that democratic Taiwan and authoritarian China are not subordinate to each other, and that we will maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait by promoting our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and other democratic nations will jointly support the democratic umbrella and counter authoritarian aggression as we navigate a new era in global democratic development. President Lai expressed that a stronger Taiwan is better able to promote democracy, peace, and prosperity around the world, and that we welcome more countries to join in support of democratic Taiwan and a stronger democracy worldwide. A transcript of President Lai’s speech follows: I want to begin by thanking Concordia for the opportunity to address the Annual Summit. Since my inauguration in May, I have been sharing Taiwan’s roadmap for development at various international venues. I’m honored to speak on our key priorities in the current international security environment, as well as our vision for the future. Our goal is to make Taiwan stronger, because a stronger Taiwan is better able to promote democracy, peace, and prosperity around the world. Our sincere hope is for Taiwan and other democratic nations to jointly support the democratic umbrella and counter authoritarian aggression as we navigate a new era in global democratic development, echoing the theme of this summit. Democracy around the world is facing serious threats. We have seen the growth of authoritarianism and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has exceeded two years. And we have seen China intensifying its military intimidation in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas. Through its use of gray-zone tactics such as economic coercion and cognitive warfare, China poses serious threats to global peace and stability. China often uses lawfare and distorts history to expand its power. I want to emphasize that democratic Taiwan and authoritarian China are not subordinate to each other. This is a fact with a long-established, global consensus. Regardless of that, China has distorted UNGA Resolution 2758 in support of its “one China principle,” falsely claiming that Taiwan is a part of the People’s Republic of China and that we have no right to participate in the UN system and other international fora. I would like to thank the US and IPAC for taking concrete actions to oppose China’s misinterpretations. We welcome more countries to join in support of democratic Taiwan and a stronger democracy worldwide. China’s threat to Taiwan is a threat to the entire international community. China doesn’t just want to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. It intends to change the rules-based international order and achieve international hegemony. In this situation, our top priority is to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait by promoting our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. We will strengthen our capabilities and show our resolve for self-defense. Second, we will build economic security. We will continue to reduce economic dependence on China. We also aim to sign trade agreements with other democratic countries, participate more in the regional economy, and mutually enhance our economic resilience. Third, we will strengthen our partnerships with democratic countries. Taiwan will continue to cooperate with like-minded partners on “democracy chips.” We will also strengthen cooperation with other countries in national defense so that the democratic community can demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace. The final pillar is stable and principled cross-strait leadership. Taiwan will neither yield nor provoke, and will maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. We will remain committed to safeguarding regional peace and stability. The road ahead may be difficult, but as long as we follow it together, I am confident that we can further strengthen democracy and sustain peace. Together, let’s forge ahead on the path to greater prosperity. Thank you. Concordia organizes its annual summit outside the UN headquarters during each year’s General Debate of the UNGA, inviting world leaders and top private sector representatives to seek solutions to global and regional challenges that are highly valued by the UN community. Among those who addressed this year’s summit were President Santiago Peña Palacios of the Republic of Paraguay, President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic, Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, former Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, former President Iván Duque of the Republic of Colombia, former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović of the Republic of Croatia, US Senators Bill Cassidy and Chris Coons, US House Representative Chrissy Houlahan, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements, Governor of New York State Kathy Hochul, President of Eurasia Group Ian Bremmer, and President of The Rockefeller Foundation Rajiv J. Shah.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, continued his visit to Madrid, Spain, yesterday (September 24, Madrid time).
During a business luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Mr Chan delivered a keynote speech to about 150 leaders from the business, financial and innovation and technology sectors from Spain, and engaged in discussions with participants. He pointed out that Hong Kong has restored its global connections after the pandemic and with the singular advantages under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, is further solidifying its role as a super connector. He said Hong Kong welcomes Spanish enterprises to use Hong Kong as a springboard to tap into the vast markets of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Mainland, and broader Asia.
Mr Chan further noted that Hong Kong offers a full spectrum of fund-raising and financial services. Combined with the mutual access schemes with the capital markets of the Mainland, Hong Kong provides the channel where Spanish companies can conveniently attract funds from both the Mainland and international markets. Additionally, Hong Kong is a leader in green finance in Asia, and its green standards are compatible with those of the European Union, green projects from Europe can fully leverage Hong Kong as a fund-raising platform. At the same time, Hong Kong is making great strides to become an international innovation and technology centre, with a burgeoning innovation and technology ecosystem that can collaborate with Spain’s tech ecosystem across key sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, new energy and new materials.
In conclusion, Mr Chan expressed hope for strengthening co-operation with Spain in finance, innovation and technology, culture, and creative industries to deepen co-operation and achieve mutually rewarding success.
During the discussion session of the luncheon, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, Mr Albert Wong, and the Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport, Mr Eric Chan, shared insights on Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development and advantages, the ecosystems of the two institutions, and the multi-faceted support offered to start-ups.
In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with the Secretary of State for Trade of Spain, Ms Amparo López Senovilla and briefed her on Hong Kong’s latest economic development. They engaged in in-depth exchanges on further promoting economic and trade co-operation and mutual investments between the two economies. HKTDC Chairman, Dr Peter Lam, and its Executive Director, Ms Margaret Fong, also participated in the meeting.
In the morning, Mr Chan led a delegation of tech start-ups to visit start-up accelerator IMPACT and Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica respectively. IMPACT, co-founded by the renowned digital business school ISDI, is one of Europe’s leading start-up accelerators, helping start-ups in and out of Europe build networks, and providing financial support, mentoring and training. The start-up representatives of the delegation interacted with IMPACT leaders, sharing their entrepreneurial ideas and business developments. The delegation then visited Telefónica to learn about the company’s operations and its development strategies in 5G telecommunications, the Internet of Things, Web3.0 and etc.; as well as its experience in incubating and investing in innovation and technology firms.
Mr Chan will continue his visit in Madrid today (September 25, Madrid time) and will travel to London in the afternoon.
The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Simon Harris T.D., Taoiseach of Ireland. The Secretary-General and the Taoiseach discussed the Summit of the Future, the implementation of the Pact for the Future, and efforts to galvanize support for multilateralism. They also discussed the wars in Ukraine and the situation in the the Middle East, including the war in Gaza.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated Canada’s condemnation of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, including its horrific targeting of civilians and energy infrastructure. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to continue providing military, financial, humanitarian, development, and other assistance to Ukraine as it fights to preserve its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.
The two leaders discussed countering Russian misinformation and disinformation, and President Zelenskyy’s diplomatic efforts toward peace, including through Ukraine’s Peace Formula. They committed to continue building on the success of the recent Summit on Peace in Ukraine, and the Prime Minister underlined ongoing contributions to these efforts. This includes Canada’s co-leadership, with Ukraine, of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, and the meeting of foreign ministers on the human dimension of Russia’s war against Ukraine, to be hosted by Canada in October.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy reaffirmed their intention to remain in close and regular contact.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
09.24.24
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today applauded the efforts of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) and many others for their efforts at the 69th International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Lima, Peru to renew Alaska’s subsistence whaling quota for six more years. The measure passed yesterday by consensus.
“Today, we celebrate the preservation of subsistence whaling, a cultural practice our Alaska whalers have sustainably conducted for thousands of years,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This quota renewal is the result of hard work from the AEWC, represented in Peru by Chairman John Hopson Jr., Vice Chair Crawford Patkotak, and North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak, and many others. Prior to the IWC meeting, John, Crawford, Josiah, other members of the AEWC and I met with senior executive branch officials and more than 20 different embassy representatives in the Capitol. This event was a pivotal opportunity to educate our global partners and our own federal government about our whalers’ priorities. Alaska and America couldn’t ask for better ambassadors than our whaling captains. I want to thank everyone involved who made this success happen, including a dedicated member of my staff, Mary Eileen Manning, who attended the Commission meeting in Peru, the U.S. Commissioner, and the entire U.S. delegation to the IWC. Congratulations to all of our whaling communities throughout the North Slope and the Bering Straits region!”
The 2024 renewal built upon the successful 2018 renewal, when the U.S. delegation secured a streamlined quota renewal commitment.
Background:
As the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing Subcommittee—which has jurisdiction over our nation’s oceans, fisheries, and marine mammals, including whales—Senator Sullivan has relentlessly championed the efforts of Alaska Native whalers to continue the subsistence harvest of whales.
In September 2024, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to embassies of IWC member countries, again reiterating the importance of subsistence whaling.
In the lead up to the 2024 IWC meeting in Peru, Senator Sullivan hosted representatives from the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, the North Slope Borough, and the Biden administration in a strategy meeting to educate global partners and the federal government about Alaska whalers’ priorities.
Following the July 2024 meeting in Washington D.C., Senator Sullivan hosted a reception in the Capitol on the significance of subsistence whaling to the cultures and livelihoods of thousands of Alaska Native people. Speakers at the reception included Sen. Sullivan, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak, AEWC Vice Chairman Crawford Patkotak, AEWC Chairman John Hopson, Jr., AEWC Secretary Herbert Kinneeveauk III, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Director Janet Coit, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mahlet Mesfin.
In September 2018 at the 67th IWC meeting in Brazil, the AEWC secured a renewal of its subsistence whaling quota for seven more years and, for the first time, the automatic renewal of its whaling quota as long as harvests remain sustainable. The measure passed by a vote of 58 to 7.
In the lead up to the 2018 IWC meeting in Brazil, Sen. Sullivan kept in close communication with senior leadership at the U.S. State Department and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and sent his legislative director to the IWC meetings in Brazil to serve on the U.S. delegation.
In August 2018, the Alaska delegation sent a letter to embassies of IWC member countries, reiterating their commitment to subsistence whaling.
In July 2018, Senator Sullivan convened a strategy meeting in the Capitol with AEWC, the State Department, and NOAA to ensure continued coordination and foster direct high-level engagement. Afterward, Sen. Sullivan led a reception, hosted by the Alaska congressional delegation, for ambassadors and diplomatic officials of IWC member embassies.
In April 2018, Senator Sullivan, alongside Senator Murkowski, introduced and passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee the Whaling Convention Amendments Act of 2018—which authorized the Secretary of Commerce to preserve the bowhead whale subsistence harvest and Alaska Native food security under U.S. law if the IWC had failed to act on the bowhead whale quota during their meetings in Brazil.
Subsistence Whaling and IWC Background:
Worldwide whale stocks are managed through the International Whaling Commission, a group of 88 countries that have ratified the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. The Whaling Convention Act of 1949 is the relevant U.S. implementing legislation.
The convention allows for the harvest of certain whale species for nations that certify either a cultural or subsistence need for their aboriginal population. Russia, Denmark (for Greenland), the United States, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are those nations who currently practice Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling (ASW).
The subsistence harvest in Alaska is sustainable and non-commercial. The IWC has consistently certified that the biological status of Alaska’s bowheads is sustainable.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders highlighted the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and the importance of continued collaboration on shared priorities, including economic security, sustainable development, and global stability.
The Prime Minister and the President discussed the need to take action on climate change, carbon pricing, and industrial decarbonization. They emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in driving innovation and accelerating investments for a clean energy transition.
The leaders exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression, and emphasized the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
They also underscored their support for Haiti, highlighting the pivotal steps that have been taken toward restoring peace and stability in the country. Prime Minister Trudeau noted the need for additional support for the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support mission to ensure its success.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen looked forward to continue strengthening the strong partnership between Canada and the EU, including in the context of Canada’s G7 Presidency next year. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated Canada’s condemnation of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, including its horrific targeting of civilians and energy infrastructure. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to continue providing military, financial, humanitarian, development and other support to Ukraine in its fight to preserve its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
The two leaders discussed ways to combat Russian misinformation and disinformation, as well as President Zelenskyy’s diplomatic efforts to promote peace, including through the Ukraine Peace Plan. They committed to building on the successes of the recent Ukraine Peace Summit, and the Prime Minister highlighted ongoing contributions in this regard, including Canada’s co-chairing of the International Coalition for the Repatriation of Ukrainian Children, and Canada’s meeting of foreign ministers on the human dimension of Russia’s war on Ukraine in October.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy reaffirmed their intention to remain in close and regular contact.
Related links
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
“The issues plaguing American producers are directly linked to the harmful policies.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor about the how the Biden administration’s inflationary policies are hurting American farmers. He stressed the importance of passing a Farm Bill that puts American farmers first.
Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.
“Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the dire state of our American farm economy and our farmers. American farmers and producers are the backbone of our nation’s agriculture economy and food security.
Despite their critical role in our lives to feed, clothe, and fuel not only the United States, but the entire world, our farmers are struggling to survive—and that’s an understatement. The current state of the agriculture economy is bleak and on the verge of collapse. We have problems all over the world. We have problems in our country. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more important that we should be addressing than our food supply here in this country.
Costs for farmers are rising. Commodity prices are falling. Our farmers cannot break even—much less, make a profit. According to the USDA, net farm income this year is projected to decline 4.4% from 2023 […]. That is a disaster. This follows a shocking—listen to this—a shocking 19.5% decline in 2022.
Not one business in this country can survive with this kind of decline. And our farmers and our farms are no different. This means producer’s income has plummeted 23% in just two years. 23%. These figures represent over $40 billion in lost revenue for America’s hardworking producers. This is the largest two-year decline ever in our farm income, ever in the history of this country.
Right now, our row croppers, especially, are facing considerable financial hardship. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, row croppers had a $27.7 billion decline in cash receipts since last year. In Alabama, my state, our producers are yielding bumper crops of cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and yet they can’t profit due to [the] rising cost of production. Our catfish producers are in the same boat. Rising input costs and falling fish prices are threatening to put them out of business. A multitude of factors that producers have no control over are impacting their bottom lines.
And I wanna talk about one of them. This miraculous, this ‘world saving’ Inflation Reduction Act that we passed a few years ago, was supposed to ‘save our economy.’ It was supposed to save a lot of workers. You know what it’s done to our farmers? It’s almost put us out of business. The Inflation Reduction Act started a tax credit for imports and exports.
Unfortunately, all the tax credits are going to people, and countries, and farmers from overseas—Brazil and China. [The tax credit] is supposed to go to our farmers, [but] no it’s not gonna do that. For some reason, this Administration [has] given all the tax credits to the farmers from other countries, and our farmers are struggling.
The Biden administration has control, has total control, over our farm economy, but you hadn’t heard a peep out of them, not one peep about our farmers. And this is a disastrous year coming up. And right now, we are harvesting our crops and they’re bumper crops. The issues plaguing American producers are directly linked to the harmful policies, as I just said, from the Biden-Harris administration.
This includes the lack of domestic energy production, skyrocketing inflation, which comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, and endless environmental hurdles. Let me say something about conservation and all the things that happen in our environment. There’s nobody, and I mean nobody on the face of the earth, that takes care and is more conscious of environmental problems than our farmers, because they make a living off our land. But we’re putting so many regulations on them. We’re closing our farms down and running them overseas, and we’re gonna have a national security threat because all of our food is gonna come from foreign countries.
Farmers are experiencing rising high costs of labor [and an] increase [in the] price of feeds, fertilizer, and pesticides. And I’m not going to sugarcoat it. America’s agriculture producers are facing a very tough road ahead. And it’s something nobody, the media, this building, […] The House of Representatives—nobody’s even talking about. Folks, if we can’t eat. If we don’t have food to eat, we’re done.
Many farmers fear that their farm loans this year will not be renewed. They have to have farm loans to put a crop in the ground. They fear cash flow is drying up and interest rates continuing to rise create an uncertain future for farming operations. Although Congress only has a few legislative days left to act, we must stop adding fuel to the Biden-Harris administration’s fire. We’ve got to quit adding fuel. We’ve got to help the farmers.
We need to pass a Farm Bill that helps our farmers. Democrats are [in] control of that. […] A farm bill is for five years. […] Five years ago, the Farm Bill was $870 billion for [a] five-year period. It runs in a five-year period. So, this past year, we’re supposed to be working on a Farm Bill. I’m on the Ag Committee. We go by the control of the Democratic Party. Our Democratic Chairwoman has decided we won’t do a Farm Bill this year.
We’re just throwing farmers underneath the bus. They need help. You would think by looking at everything going on, that my colleagues on the Left would rather our food come from other countries, take over our farmland, control it, and do something else with it.
Producers need a strong safety net—we’ve got to have a safety net for our farmers. Considering no farmer’s risks are the same, we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach. Remember, we have a Farm Bill that covers livestock, hogs, row croppers, forest, fish. There’s a lot of things involved.
Farmers across the country have fluctuating levels of risk impacted by land and equipment costs, access to irrigation, and variable input requirements. Southern row croppers rely heavily, heavily upon Title I Commodity Programs in the Farm Bill, particularly the Price Loss [Coverage] program and the Agricultural Risk [Coverage] program. Yet Midwest producers heavily utilize crop insurance.
Where there may be an overlap across regions among these programs, we must fix the entire farm safety net, not just parts of it. Take the reference prices and commodity programs, for example. Reference prices are how much prices are in their commodity sells for. Our farmers […] are today operating on 2012 reference prices, 2012. Fourteen years later, the costs of production are 22-31% higher today than they were at that time a decade ago—making current reference prices completely inadequate for our farmers.
We don’t have time to waste. Our farmers are facing an uphill battle to remain in business. […] The American people going to the grocery store are gonna find out pretty quick what it is to be hungry if we don’t wake up and smell the roses.
Even if a Farm Bill is passed today, producers wouldn’t receive any commodity program support from this Farm Bill until 2026. Game, set, match before 2026 for our farmers in this country.
That’s help our farmers need now to survive, not two years late. Senate Republicans stand ready to act on a solid bipartisan bill the House Agriculture Committee passed earlier this year. Yet, Senate Democrats and the Biden administration refused, they refused, to come to the table to find practical, bipartisan solutions to the many problems our farmers are facing today.
‘Let’s don’t worry about our farmers. Let’s worry about Ukraine. Let’s worry about people overseas. Eight hundred bases we have around the world. Let’s don’t worry about eating. We can without eating.’ That’s what this Administration’s saying.
This forces us to look to supplemental appropriation packages to help our producers, if we’re not gonna do a Farm Bill, to renew their farm loans and plan for next year’s crops. If they don’t get help this year, we’re gonna have huge problems. They won’t be pocketing this money. If we come up with some money to help the farmers get along, they’ll just be planting another crop.
Without immediate action to assist producers, our nation’s agriculture industry may never, ever, make it back from the damage that we’re doing to them today. America has lost—listen to this—America has lost 150,000 farms and 25,000 farmers in our country over the last few years. What? 150,000 farms closed up. Why? They can’t make a profit. You’ve owned a farm for 100 years, you and your family. But you get to the point where you say, ‘you know, I’m not passing something down to our kids that really wanna farm, we’re not gonna put them in harm’s way. We’re gonna sell. We’re gonna get out of the business. And we’re gonna let somebody else worry about it. Let’s let the Federal Government worry about it.’ […]
We can’t afford any more losses to our farms. Our farmers are hurting. They’re hurting real bad. But have you heard anybody talk about it, no.
You’re gonna hear a lot of people complaining about it and there’s gonna be an uproar in the next few years when prices double and triple as what they are today because we’re not gonna have any food. And it’s gonna come from Brazil, it’s gonna come from China, it’s gonna come from Vietnam.
We are doing severe damage to the farmers across this country and nobody cares. I’ll continue to be the voice of our Southern agriculture producers in the Senate and ensure that we have a seat at the table on this Farm Bill upcoming. But as I just said a while ago, [even] if we do a Farm Bill today, we’re gonna lose at least half of our farmers in this country this year, this year if they don’t get some help.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
Syrian air defenses intercepted multiple flying objects over the Mediterranean Sea near the province of Tartous on Tuesday night, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Syrian air defenses managed to shoot down 13 “targets,” as military radars detected warplanes in Syrian airspace, said the observatory.
Missiles from Syrian air defense systems continued to be launched toward “targets” over the sea rather than on land, the Britain-based war monitor added, noting that it is still unclear whether the targets were missiles or drones.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in Tartous, a strategic coastal province that hosts a Russian naval facility.
While there has been no official comment on the incident yet, pro-government Sham FM radio reported that Syrian air defense systems were intercepting an Israeli attack over Tartous.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (at the podium and on the screens) delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
The General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) began on Tuesday amid growing calls for more international cooperation to address challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, while tackling the fallout from ongoing conflicts and global health crises.
The session saw world leaders heading to New York to deliver their statements as they took part in high-level discussions on the existential threat of sea-level rise, accelerating progress in combating the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, and driving forward the United Nation’s long-term goal of achieving global nuclear disarmament with a plenary meeting marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
President of the 79th session of the UNGA, Philemon Yang, told the opening ceremony that “the General Debate remains one of the world’s most inclusive, representative and authoritative platforms for global reflection and collective action. This year, the urgency of our task cannot be overstated.”
He noted that countries are falling behind in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With just five years to go, less than 18 percent have been met. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is “no longer a distant threat” but “here now, ravaging ecosystems and dismantling the livelihoods of entire communities.”
Yang also addressed the various conflicts raging from the Middle East to Ukraine, and from Haiti to South Sudan. “I call for an immediate ceasefire in all these conflict settings,” he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the General Debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly, saying that the current state of the world is unsustainable, but working together can find solutions.
“That requires us to make sure the mechanisms of international problem-solving actually solve problems,” he said. “It is time for a just peace based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.”
The agenda
The 79th session of the UNGA opened on Sept. 10, and the first day of the high-level General Debate falls on Tuesday. The 79th session marks a crucial milestone in the global effort to accelerate progress towards the 17 SDGs, according to a UN press release.
While the overall state of SDGs globally remains of grave concern, the SDG Moment event on Tuesday demonstrates that dramatic progress is still possible between now and 2030. It will do so by highlighting inspiring examples of progress across the world and the role of just and inclusive transitions in accelerating SDG progress.
World leaders gathered to engage in the annual high-level general debate under the theme “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.” Heads of state and government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.
On Wednesday, the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise will convene global leaders, experts and stakeholders to address the urgent and escalating threat of rising sea levels. This meeting will focus on building common understanding, mobilizing political leadership and promoting multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration and international cooperation towards the objective of “addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise.”
Participants will work towards developing comprehensive solutions and actionable commitments to combat sea-level rise, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future including for small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas, according to the United Nations.
On Thursday, the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) presents an opportunity for countries and stakeholders to renew efforts and accelerate progress in combating the growing threat of AMR. This meeting will serve as the foundation for executing policies and ensuring accountability for strengthening health systems against AMR.
“Building on the momentum of previous declarations and commitments, participants will focus on enhancing international cooperation, promoting the responsible use of antimicrobials, and advancing the development of new treatments to safeguard global health,” said the United Nations.
Also on Thursday, a high-level meeting will be held for International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
On Monday, the United Nations just concluded the highly anticipated two-day Summit of the Future, which underscored the urgent need for enhanced international cooperation to address pressing challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, while tackling the impacts of ongoing conflicts and global health crises.
Let me start with thanking all of you for gathering here today. As a native of Hiroshima, the city that was devastated by atomic bombing, I am delighted to launch today the Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) with the representatives of the participating countries. This launch is literally to wrap up my efforts to advance nuclear disarmament diplomacy that I have been working on since my time as Minister for Foreign Affairs and since becoming Prime Minister.
Next year, we will mark 80 years since we witnessed the first nuclear test in human history and the subsequent devastation caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In my hometown of Hiroshima, the “Flame of Peace,” which symbolizes the resolve and hope of the Hibakusha–atomic bombing survivors–for a world without nuclear weapons, continues to burn without being extinguished for a moment until the day when all such weapons have disappeared from the earth.
About 60 years ago, at the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Kennedy stated that humanity lived under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, and appealed for the abolition of those weapons. Later, in 1993, at the same UN General Assembly, President Clinton stated that his country was working with Russia and others to take that sword down, to lock it away in a secure vault where we hope and pray it will remain forever.
And now, the era we call “the post-Cold War” has already passed, and we are facing the most severe and complex international security environment since the end of the World War II, where the international community is becoming increasingly divided and confrontational. This nuclear sword, hanging by the slenderest of threads over the heads of every human being, is swinging wildly again.
We are on the brink of a possible reversal of the downward trend in the number of nuclear weapons since the Cold War. The rapid buildup of nuclear capabilities by some countries in an untransparent manner could ignite an arms race that would draw other countries in.
UN Secretary-General Guterres, pointed out the deadlock of some existing disarmament institutions and the need to revitalize them in his “New Agenda for Peace.” I too am concerned that if this stalemate continues, the world will become even more divided.
The NPT regime, the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, is a common asset of humanity that is too precious to lose. We, the political leaders, must now take the lead to maintain confidence in this regime.
With this in mind, I myself as the Prime Minister of Japan, attended the NPT Review Conference in 2022 and announced the “Hiroshima Action Plan.” Following that, I worked on the G7 Leaders’ Hiroshima Vision for Nuclear Disarmament issued last May that called on all countries to refocus political attention on the FMCT.
The FMCT is a framework for maintaining the trend of a global decline in the number of nuclear weapons by limiting the quantitative increase in nuclear weapons. Thirty years have passed since President Clinton proposed the concept, and experts have continued discussion over technical aspects of the FMCT.
Now is the time for strong political will to begin negotiations that materialize those experts’ discussions. I am convinced that creating momentum for an early start of FMCT negotiations will lead to the maintenance and strengthening of the NPT regime in the run -up to the 2026 NPT Review Conference.
About 80 years ago, the Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced firsthand the horror of nuclear weapons, which robbed people of their “human dignity.” These people are already advanced in years. Along with their wish for a world without nuclear weapons, we need to promote the understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings to the world and to future generations.
Next year, which will mark 80th year since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan will work on conveying the realities of the atomic bombings, focusing on three areas: sending Hibakushas and the youth overseas, promoting visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and strengthening communication with the world. On that basis, we, the political leaders of the world, must recognize that we have the responsibility to one day lock the nuclear sword of Damocles away in a secure vault where we hope and pray it will remain forever.
As a native of Hiroshima, the city that was devasted by atomic bombing, and as a responsible politician of Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, I pledge to continue to support realistic steps toward a world without nuclear weapons. And above all, I would like to advance efforts toward nuclear disarmament so that the day will finally come when the “Flame of Peace” be extinguished after the resolve and hope of the Hibakusha fulfilled.
Japan will promote this FMCT Friends initiative in cooperation with the founding members of the group, who are gathered here. Let’s work harder together.
Thank you for your attention.
[Closing Remarks]
I thank all the high-level representatives of the FMCT Friends founding members for attending the launch meeting today. I am very encouraged to hear directly from you all about your country’s enthusiasm to expand support for the start of FMCT negotiations.
My staff always warns me to keep my remarks short, but when it comes to nuclear disarmament, I can’t help but be greedy to say more.
Looking ahead to next year, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and toward the 2026 NPT Review Conference, we need to demonstrate through our actions that the NPT regime is the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Now that the international security environment is becoming increasingly severe, we must advance nuclear disarmament under this NPT regime.
The FMCT Friends are, let’s say, three C’s in this regard—a “core” of the dialogues between the relevant countries, a “communicator” between countries with different interests, and a “catalyst” to accelerate dialogues—toward the start of the stalled FMCT negotiations.
As a citizen of Hiroshima, the city that was devasted by atomic bombing, I have a strong desire for nuclear abolition. At the same time, as a responsible politician from Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, I am fully aware that Japan has a mission to advance realistic and practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons.
The NPT regime is the only universal framework for a world without nuclear weapons, with broad participation from both nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states. Under this regime, it is now more than ever that we must advance realistic efforts, step by step. Among these, I am convinced that a FMCT is truly indispensable.
To all founding members of the FMCT Friends, let us continue to work together toward our common goal so that we can absolutely commence the FMCT negotiations.
SYDNEY, 25 Sept 2024 – Over six in 10 children with access to the internet interact with “unknown others” daily despite concerns about online grooming, according to new research released by Save the Children and Western Sydney University that highlighted children’s demands for better online protection.
The research team held in-depth consultations with about 600 children and young people aged 8 to 18 from Australia, Finland, the Philippines, Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya, and South Africa, who shared their views and experiences of facing inappropriate requests online for personal information or images.
The report, ‘Protecting Children from Online Grooming’, was written by the Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, and funded by the global child online safety investment vehicle Safe Online as part of the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of online grooming and child sexual and financial exploitation have reached an all-time high [1], with an 82% rise in online grooming crimes against children reported in that period [2]. Online grooming practices have also transformed, with the fastest growing form of online grooming targeting young men for financial extortion [3].
The report revealed children were more inclined to connect with strangers – or “unknown others” – online as they matured and became more social, motivated by a desire for friendship, fun and play, followed by a wish to stay informed about trends and events, and to connect over shared interests.
The findings also showed that while children across all cultures and age groups were more suspicious of people they didn’t know online than people they knew in person, most (66%) of the study participants still interacted with “unknown others” daily online.
Children in high-income settings were twice as likely to use privacy settings to protect themselves from unwanted contacts, compared to children from some low-income settings, but the potential to derive financial benefits was an incentive for children in middle-income countries to connect with strangers online, potentially compromising their safety.
While children have come up with numerous ways to protect themselves, they are calling for widespread, accessible and targeted online safety education for themselves and their caregivers. In the discussions the children also made concrete suggestions about how technology platforms and governments can implement changes that will keep them safer online.
Sonisay*, a girl aged 11-12 from rural Cambodia, said:
“Adults should know that children interact with strangers, monitor them, and read their chats.”
Angel* aged 15-17 from a city in the Philippines said:
“Adults need to know about the children of today who are highly computer-savvy… To be able to support and protect the children, adults need to understand that children are comfortable with using the internet which pushes to interact with strangers.”
Charlie* aged 14 from Australia emphasised the need to start online safety education earlier:
“Having young children educated about the safety of technology and the dangers … adults only start this education for older kids on social media when the problem can be on video games played by young kids.”
Children reported that it was very difficult to ascertain the intentions of strangers online. Children were also particularly worried about being asked for personal information or nude pictures, being drawn into inappropriate sexually-oriented exchanges, or exposure to criminal activities.
The report found that children want and need better online protection, with children primarily using intuition and background checks rather than seeking help from trusted adults to manage their online interactions with people they don’t know.
The data also showed that children distinguish people they know well both online and in person from those they only know online, with 86% approaching the latter with caution. Yet despite this wariness, children were still three times more likely to ignore or decline an inappropriate or unwanted request than they are to report or block it.
Steve Miller, Save the Children’s Global Director of Child Protection, said:
“Children deserve to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment – both online and offline. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the challenges and threats, including the threat of online grooming and exploitation. We need to foster a digital environment that is not only safe but also enriching, allowing children to explore, learn, and grow without fear. Policymakers need to listen to the voices and experiences of children when developing policies that protect them.”
Professor Amanda Third, Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University, said:
“Keeping children safe from online grooming requires a whole-of-community approach. Governments, NGOs, technology platforms, teachers, parents, caregivers, and children themselves all have an important role to play. However, to most effectively address this issue it is crucial that we listen to the views and experiences of children and young people and engage them as active partners in the research and policy design process. Children and young people are finding their own ways to tackle this issue and devise solutions but they are also calling on us to help equip them and their caregivers with the skills and knowledge needed to be able to safely navigate these rapidly evolving digital environments.”
Save the Children has launched a major global effort to support digital inclusion and empower the next generation of resilient digital citizens. Save the Children’s Safe Digital Childhood initiative is includes partnering with schools, communities and tech leaders to break down barriers to digital inclusion by making sure the children with the fewest resources can access devices and connectivity; offering targeted digital literacy and citizenship programs; helping technology industry partners embed child-centric safeguards into their platforms; and empowering children to advocate for their rights in the digital world.
The Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University is an Australian-based, international research centre that unites young people with researchers, practitioners, innovators, and policymakers to explore the role of technology in children’s and young people’s lives and how it can be used to improve individual and community resilience across generations.
Safe Online is the only global investment vehicle dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. Through investing in innovation and bringing key actors together, Safe Online helps shape a digital world that is safe and empowering for all children and young people, everywhere. The Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund, which funded the research, is a groundbreaking collaboration fuelling actionable research and bringing together the tech industry with academia and civil society in a bold alliance to end online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders highlighted the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and the importance of continuing their collaboration on shared priorities, such as economic security, sustainable development and global stability.
The Prime Minister and the President discussed the need for action on climate change, carbon pricing and industrial decarbonization. They emphasized the critical role the private sector can play in driving innovation and accelerating investment to support the clean energy transition.
The leaders exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression and stressed the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
They also reaffirmed their support for Haiti, and highlighted the decisive steps taken to restore peace and stability there. Prime Minister Trudeau stressed the need for additional support to the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission to ensure its success.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen looked forward to continuing to strengthen the strong partnership between Canada and the EU, including through Canada’s G7 Presidency next year. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Related links
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Murray Leads Congressional Democrats in Amicus Brief Urging SCOTUS to Affirm that EMTALA Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care Including Abortion Care, Preempts Idaho’s Draconian Abortion Ban
ICYMI: Senator Murray Challenges Republicans to Join Democrats in Affirming the Right to Lifesaving Emergency Care for Women
ICYMI – FROM PROPUBLICA: Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother’s Death Was Preventable.
***WATCH: SENATOR MURRAY’S FLOOR SPEECH HERE***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), took to the Senate floor in an effort to pass her resolution, which simply expresses the sense of the Senate that every patient has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care, regardless of where they live. Murray’s resolution was blocked by Republican Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who falsely claimed that no doctors are prevented from providing lifesaving care because of Republican abortion bans and tried to misleadingly place the blame for Amber Thurman’s death on the rare side effects she encountered rather than Thurman’s doctors not providing immediate treatment as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban. ProPublica’s reporting made plain that—according to the state’s own medical review board—Amber Thurman’s death was preventable and doctors and researchers continue to make clear that medication abortion is safe.
Lankford also incorrectly claimed no women have been investigated or criminalized following a miscarriage—a new report found that from June 2022 to June 2023 there was a record 200 cases where pregnant women faced criminal charges for conduct associated with pregnancy, pregnancy loss or birth.
“Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening,” said Senator Murray after Republicans blocked her resolution. “Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them. There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans. Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.”
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade over two years ago, nearly two dozen US states led by Republicans have passed, banned, or severely restricted access to abortion. These strict laws have created confusion around the treatment doctors can provide even when a pregnant patient’s life is in danger, as physicians fear that they may lose their medical license, be sued, or even charged with a felony if they perform life-saving emergency care. Despite the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act’s (EMTALA) requirements that Medicare-participating hospitals treat and stabilize pregnant patients in need of emergency medical care, women are being turned away from emergency rooms following the Dobbs decision.
In Moyle v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court had the opportunity to reaffirm that federal law requires pregnant patients to have access to life-saving emergency care in every state, but instead, the Court dismissed the case and sent it back to the lower courts, effectively punting on making a decision on the case itself. While the litigation continues in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the health and lives of women remain at risk as uncertainty around emergency abortion care persists. 121 Congressional Republicans, including 26 Senators, filed an amicus brief arguing that EMTALA does not require hospitals to provide abortion care as emergency stabilizing care in order to save a patient’s life.
Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the floor multiple times. Senator Murray also co-leads the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would restore the right to abortion nationwide. This January, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans. On June 4th of this year, Senator Murray chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Recently, Murray also helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice). Murray has also led her colleagues in raising the alarm about how a second Trump administration intends to wage an all-out assault on reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, before seeking unanimous consent are below:
“I come to the floor to offer a simple resolution, one that reaffirms the basic principle that when you go to the ER, the emergency room, they should be allowed to treat you. When your life is in danger, doctors should be able to do their job. When you need emergency care—including an abortion—no politician should stop you from getting it.
“Now this seems incredibly simple to me. It should not be controversial. Especially if everyone who talks about protecting the life of the mother seriously means it.
“After all—that is what emergency care is for—saving the life of the mother.
“And yet, when the Biden-Harris Administration tried to make clear that these women should get care, many Republicans actually opposed them. I really want to emphasize—we are talking about women whose water breaks dangerously early, or who are experiencing uncontrollable hemorrhaging, sepsis, or pre-eclampsia.
“And still, Republicans actually filed a brief in court saying essentially, ‘No, we DON’T think doctors should be required to provide abortion care when a patient’s life is at stake.’
“Their brief rejected the idea—that basic medical reality—of abortion as stabilizing care. That is really shocking to me. It should be shocking to everyone.
“After a brief like that—I am not going to let any of my Republican colleagues off the hook just for saying they care about the life of the mother…
“Not if they won’t lift a finger to actually protect women, and to actually make clear that emergency care can include abortion.
“We need to send a clear message on that. The Senate needs to speak with one voice and tell the American people, ‘Yes, we want to make sure your doctor can save your life. Your doctor can save your life.’
“And before my Republican colleagues get up to object, let me be clear: You will not get by pretending a resolution like this isn’t necessary—not when we are hearing firsthand from doctors wracked with guilt for decisions that Republican politicians made for them, not when we are hearing firsthand from women who have bled, suffered, and nearly died because their care was delayed, and certainly not when Texas saw maternal deaths skyrocket following its strict abortion ban.
“The data in Texas paints a clear, brutal picture of the reality: these abortion bans are killing women. Republicans are also not going to get by trying to shift blame and argue ‘emergency care is already protected.’ Because, the whole point of this resolution is to say emergency care is protected!
“So if you oppose the Senate actually SAYING that don’t you see how that could be part of the problem? Don’t you see how that could be very dangerous for women?
“And again, and I can’t emphasize this enough—if you don’t see, if you don’t understand—all you have to do is listen.
“Women are speaking out. Doctors are speaking out. They are terrified. They are heartbroken. They are angry. And they are watching right now, to see if we can pass this resolution and do the very bare minimum of saying, with one voice: ‘women have a right to get abortion care when their life is at stake.”
Senator Murray’s full remarks as delivered following Senator Lankford’s objection are below:
“I disagree with the Senator from Oklahoma. Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening.
“Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them.
“There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans.
“Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.
“Every day we are going to continue to hold the people opposed to this accountable for the cruelty of these abortion bans. The fact is that the resolution that I offered simply says that doctors can provide emergency care for the life of the mother. I don’t understand where the disagreement is, M. President. And I hope that we can pass this and give doctors and women the confidence that when you are pregnant and having a severe emergency medical situation you’ll be treated. Thank you. I yield the floor.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China is ramping up efforts to boost high-quality employment growth by developing more new professions, encouraging entrepreneurship and skills education, and tightening supervision of the human resources market to secure a fairer, healthier working environment for people.
Li Zhong, vice-minister of human resources and social security, said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday that high-quality employment is a priority of the nation’s socioeconomic development, and authorities must give more support to industries and companies that are better suited to create job opportunities.
He said authorities need to establish a forecast mechanism for human resources demands based on technological and industrial advancement and regularly publish information about professions or occupations in urgent demand to relieve the current structural imbalance between labor force supply and employers’ needs.
Li said the employment of young people, which requires systematic policy and financial support and the provision of smoother career promotion channels, remains a top priority for the ministry.
Senior officials have also attached importance to skills education and training, another important incubator of job opportunities.
Ministry spokesman Lu Aihong cited the outstanding performance of young Chinese at the recent WorldSkills competition while explaining the positive role of skills in realizing self-worth and boosting employment. The competition was held in Lyon, France, from Sept 10 to 15.
“It’s the seventh time China sent a delegation to compete in the WorldSkills, which is recognized as the Olympics of skills,” he said. “The 68 young people from China won 36 golds, nine silvers and four bronzes, showing the world their superior skills and upbeat spirits.”
Lu said 283 young Chinese have competed at WorldSkills since 2010, and the honors they have won have given them more space for self-growth and more job opportunities.
“Many of these candidates and medal winners have devoted themselves to passing down skills, becoming good examples for the young generation,” he added.
Li, the vice-minister, said the ministry will further optimize job services to ensure that people looking for work get fairer, easier access to more professional job-seeking guidance and services. He added that the ministry will also offer more support to entrepreneurs to help them start businesses.
“Also, we will continue to perfect the labor or working regulations and expand social security coverage to protect people’s working rights,” he said. “Improper or illegal behavior, including job discrimination, salary arrears or unreasonable layoffs, will be cracked down upon to ensure the stability and health of the job market.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
Negotiations over reforms to the Reserve Bank of Australia this week took an unprecedented turn when the Greens demanded the government use its reserve powers to immediately cut interest rates.
Labor had initially hoped to pass the reforms with the support of the Coalition. However, after a year of negotiations, they decided against it. Labor’s attempts to salvage the reforms by negotiating with the Greens now seem doomed to failure.
The Greens’ proposal that the government immediately cut interest rates might sound attractive, especially to the millions of mortgage holders struggling to service loans amid a cost-of-living crisis.
Yet government taking direct control of setting interest rates would run contrary to both long-standing historical trends and international financial norms, including the independence of the central bank.
Where did this independence come from?
The idea of central bank independence has a long history.
The classical political economist David Riccardo warned as early as 1824 that:
government could not be safely entrusted with the power of issuing paper money; that it would most certainly abuse it.
Even the authoritarian French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte claimed in creating the Banque de France that:
I want the bank to be more in the hands of the government but not too much.
However, for most of the 20th century, the commonsense view was that monetary policy was an important tool for government management of the economy. According to the Keynesian worldview of the time, it would be absurd for governments to give up such an important economic lever as control over interest rates.
Even Napoleon Bonaparte thought some degree of separation between the central bank and the government was a good idea. Shutterstock
The prevailing wisdom began to change following the stagflation crisis of the 1970s. Stagflation is the term for high inflation at the same time as high unemployment.
Neoclassical economists such as Milton Friedman argued that only repeated and long-term increases to interest rates could end the stagflation crisis.
However, Friedman suggested governments could not be trusted to maintain high interest rates because they would also cause unemployment. Accordingly, an independent central bank was needed. It would be insulated from partisan political control and could do what was necessary to stabilise the economy.
What about in Australia?
In Australia, central bank independence emerged slowly and informally.
The Reserve Bank of Australia was separated from the Commonwealth Bank and started independent operations in 1960. It set up its headquarters in Sydney to increase its autonomy from politicians in Canberra.
The RBA gained de facto independence from the government following financial deregulation under the Hawke government in the early 1980s. Subsequent declarations from federal treasurers Peter Costello and Wayne Swan affirmed the government’s recognition of RBA independence.
The government still maintains the power to overrule the RBA on interest rates, but this “emergency power” has never been exercised.
Why independence matters
Though central bank independence is generally associated with lower inflation, the historical performance of independent central banks is not without blemish.
For example, unemployment rates in Australia were historically lower prior to RBA independence. This reflects the willingness of the RBA to use higher unemployment as an inflation-busting mechanism.
Independent central banks were also partly responsible for the outbreak of the global financial crisis in 2007. Many commentators have suggested the then US Federal Reserve Governor Alan Greenspan’s decision to hold interest rates at artificial lows was responsible for the US sub-prime housing bubble. That eventually unravelled into a global recession.
However, the Greens’ attempt to use an interest rate cut as a negotiating chip ironically reinforces the importance of central bank independence. Were governments to take direct control of setting interest rates, we might expect monetary policy to be influenced by short-term electoral concerns, rather than the long-term health of the economy.
Creating a precedent that interest rates could be cut to suit the government of the day would also have long-term inflationary effects.
Further, it would likely continue to drive up house prices. This would exacerbate the housing crisis.
In contrast, the initial reforms proposed by Labor look to strike a balance. They recognise the competing political interests involved in the development of monetary policy while avoiding partisan interference in the day-to-day running of the RBA.
Though the Coalition has raised concerns about Labor using the reforms to stack the RBA board, both the governor and board are already appointed by the government of the day, acting on the advice of the RBA.
Finding a workable compromise that improves the bank while preserving political independence should be possible.
If the alternative is the complete abrogation of central bank independence, the Coalition would do well to return to the negotiating table.
Henry Maher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University – Currently, the project implements 7 educational programs. Students from any direction and university can enroll and complete the training. At the NSU Digital Department, each student can find a training program that interests them. The student has the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and competencies in digital jurisprudence, programming, biology, and now in the field of creating unique content. This year, two areas for non-IT specialists appeared: “SMM Tools for Promotion”. The program is aimed at training specialists in the field of SMM technologies. After completing the course, students will be able to independently develop a brand promotion strategy in social networks, analyze the target audience, communicate at different levels, and create relevant content. The peculiarity of the program is that it has a large practical focus; at the end of the course, students will prepare their own SMM specialist portfolio.
The second new direction – “Motion Design” – also has a practical focus. At the end of the training, students will master the skills of creating 2D and 3D graphics for creating dynamic scenes and video effects (keying, tracking, shaping, etc.). Upon completion of the training, students with higher education will receive a diploma of professional retraining (250 hours) in June-July, the rest – certificates and a diploma upon completion of a bachelor’s/specialist’s degree. Let us remind you that in 2022/2023, more than 500 people were trained at the digital department of NSU. And in 2024, their number more than doubled – up to 1200 people.
You can enroll and take training in the new academic year at website.
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.
A man visits the booth of China Railway during the 2024 International Trade Fair for Transport Technology (InnoTrans 2024) in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
The 2024 International Trade Fair for Transport Technology, known as InnoTrans, kicked off on Tuesday with a focus on the future of mobility. This year’s event highlights smart transport solutions and low-carbon rail innovations powered by electricity and hydrogen.
The four-day exhibition has drawn over 2,900 exhibitors from 59 countries and regions. They will showcase the latest products and innovations across 200,000 square meters of exhibition space and 3,500 meters of tracks, covering five segments: railway technology, railway infrastructure, public transport, interiors and tunnel construction.
InnoTrans 2024 will showcase 226 world premieres, featuring groundbreaking advancements in electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles that are pushing the boundaries of energy efficiency and sustainability, Messe Berlin, the event’s organizer, told Xinhua.
Innovations in autonomous rail technology, AI-driven solutions, and smart infrastructure systems using IoT and big data will also be in the spotlight, it added.
Around 200 Chinese companies are participating in the biennial event. The CRRC Corporation Limited, one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers, unveiled two of its latest high-tech products: a hydrogen train capable of running up to 200 km per hour and a next-generation autonomous rail rapid transit vehicle, both featuring green and smart innovations.
Meanwhile, the China State Railway Group is showcasing its high-speed trains capable of reaching speeds of 350 km per hour, along with equipment used for China-Europe freight trains.
Chinese automaker BYD made its debut at InnoTrans, showcasing a range of electric buses and highlighting its self-developed blade battery and rapid charging systems.
A man tries his hands on simulated driving of a Fuxing high-speed train at the booth of China Railway during the 2024 International Trade Fair for Transport Technology (InnoTrans 2024) in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
People view outdoor exhibits at the 2024 International Trade Fair for Transport Technology (InnoTrans 2024) in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The exhibition is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the first classes at Novosibirsk State University. The grand opening of the university took place on September 26, 1959, and on September 28, the first lecture to students was given by Academician Sergei Lvovich Sobolev. That year, 330 students were admitted to the first year: 220 people for the daytime department and 110 people for the evening department. At the same time, students were admitted to the second year.
— The staff of the NSU History Museum selected photographs from their collections and the archive of the NSU press service, trying to highlight the brightest aspects of each decade of our university. We presented the history of the university, emphasizing the contribution to the development of NSU of all the university leaders over 65 years, — the Keeper said about the idea of the exhibition Museum of the History of NSU, Candidate of Historical Sciences Victoria Vybornova.
Despite the fact that the period of the first rector Ilya Nestorovich Vekua was short – from 1959 to 1964, he set the trajectory of the university’s development, laid down the basic principles. It was the time of “first discoveries” – the first teachers, students, lectures, the first building of NSU.
The next period, which is presented at the exhibition, is the “time of Spartak” – Spartak Timofeevich Belyaev, from 1965 to 1978. The period of his rectorship is called “golden” – at this time many creative youth initiatives were supported – student scientific conferences, carnivals, the traditional Interweek, ending with the celebration of Mayovka in front of the main building of NSU, began their journey.
Next is the stand of Valentin Afanasyevich Koptyug, who for some time even combined his work at the university with the post of chairman of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences, after him – Anatoly Panteleevich Derevyanko, rector-archaeologist. Then the post of rector was taken over by Vladimir Yeliferyevich Nakoryakov, he gave a new impetus to the established directions of development of NSU, setting the task of combining fundamental training with the acquisition of applied research skills in teaching. From 1986 to 1993, the rector was Yuri Leonidovich Ershov, who previously headed Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU and at that time was a symbol of young Siberian science. According to the NSU Museum Curator Victoria Vybornova, the 1980s were a significant period in the development of the university – it was a time of stability and progressive development, a time when the university reached maturity.
The 1990s and 2000s were difficult times for the university, as the collapse of the USSR dealt a strong blow to science, and since NSU is closely associated with the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the question of how the university should move forward arose. The period of some “stagnation” can be seen in the photographs – the furniture was not updated, a number of creative events came to naught. Nevertheless, the university successfully coped with all the difficulties, developing new mechanisms for cooperation with science and business. NSU was really able to unite all the advanced areas, but at the same time preserve its identity. During these years, Vladimir Nikolaevich Vragov and Nikolai Sergeevich Dikansky were rectors.
In July 2007, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sobyanin replaced Dikansky as rector. In one of his interviews, he said, “The times of scientific euphoria of the 60s – the era of physicists and lyricists – may not be in full, but they must return. The country has no other way…”
The final stand “Time of Achievements” symbolizes the time of the current rector Mikhail Petrovich Fedoruk – a period of major construction of both the educational buildings of NSU and the NSU SUNC, as well as dormitories, as well as the time of development of new educational programs and scientific and technological areas, innovation centers.
The exhibition will be held at NSU until the end of October. During this period, anyone will be able to get to know the archival photographs and interesting facts from the history of the university.
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.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/an-exhibition-dedicated-to-the-65th-anniversary-of-the-university-opened at NSU/
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.
During the UN General Assembly, countries and donors rally critical investments to save women and girls’ lives and drive sustainable development.
As part of the global effort to secure sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all, governments and philanthropies have committed approximately US$350 million in new investments to expand access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services.
Together, the landmark commitments announced today on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — ranging from countries committing domestic resources for reproductive health supplies to donor governments pledging funds to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership and new commitments from private sector and foundation partners — will help transform the lives of women and girls in 54 countries.
“Investing in reproductive health supplies is a ‘best buy’ for development, empowering women, improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, and uplifting economies,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency. “The significant new resources that governments and philanthropies are committing to are a lifeline for millions of women, who can now enjoy reproductive freedom and the power of choice. Together, we must close the funding gap for reproductive health commodities so that every woman, everywhere, can exercise her fundamental rights.”
The contributions to UNFPA alone have the potential to reach more than 28 million people with reproductive health care, prevent more than 8 million unintended pregnancies, avert more than 2 million unsafe abortions, and save the lives of up to 9,000 women and girls.
Domestic financing commitments include:
The Kyrgyz Republic announced US$119,000 to domestic resources for family planning commodities.
The Republic of Madagascar announced a US$15 million government contribution to procure quality-assured contraceptives and maternal health medicines through UNFPA.
Nepal announced a US$600,000 government contribution to purchase quality-assured contraceptives.
Financing commitments from international donors include:
The Government of Canada announced US$84 million commitment to SRHR projects.
The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) announced a US$100 million commitment to co-fund the WISH/Step-Up (Women’s Integrated Sexual Health) platform, strengthening donor coordination on funding access to SRH choices for communities in the Sahel and Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands committed to a multi-annual partnership.
Norway announced a US$12.3 million commitment to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership over 2 years.
The Government of Spain announced a US$18 million commitment to UNFPA.
Other commitments include:
The European Union and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a partnership to design new innovative financing mechanisms to expand contraceptive and SRH access for women in low- and middle-income countries.
As a catalytic in-kind investment, HELP Logistics (Kühne Foundation) committed to bringing their expertise to UNFPA’s supply chain strengthening activities to help ensure SRH services reach those who need them most.
A Smart Investment for Health, Prosperity, and Sustainable Development
“When we invest in healthy women, we invest in a healthy world,” said Dr. Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation. “Family planning is a proven, high-impact intervention that not only saves lives but also fuels economic growth, makes societies more resilient, and advances gender equality. Investing in family planning can help unlock a brighter, more sustainable future for us all.”
Increasing sexual and reproductive health financing pays off. Globally, every US$1 invested in family planning yields more than US$8 in benefits for families and societies. Addressing the women’s health gap – in which they currently spend 25 per cent more of their lives in poor health compared to men – will boost the global economy by US$1 trillion by 2040. That amounts to an increase in per capita GDP of nearly 2 per cent every year.
A World Made Possible by Family Planning
Furthering the impact of today’s domestic financing announcements, the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar, and Nepal have ongoing commitments under FP2030 to expand access to family planning. FP2030 – a global partnership dedicated to putting family planning at the centre of global health, development, and gender equality – premiered a new video at the UN General Assembly featuring Nigerian football star Asisat Oshoala and former US Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star and American business owner Renee Montgomery speaking to all that has been made possible by continued investments in family planning and SRH.
“So much of our world has been made possible by family planning. By enabling more women to shape their lives and futures, family planning has helped women to finish their education, join the workforce, ascend to leadership positions, and achieve their dreams,” said Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030. “The commitments made to family planning and sexual and reproductive health today will create limitless possibilities for women, for families, and for our collective future.”
Investing in Family Planning and Sexual and Reproductive Health is Investing in the Future
Today’s commitments represent a critical step towards ensuring universal access to SRH services. While the work is far from over, these commitments get us closer to closing the current and expanding financing gap.
“There is no escaping the reality: even with the important pledges today, we still need to do more to ensure all women and girls have access to life-saving family planning when they want it,” said Sir Chris Hohn, Founder and Chair of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. “The shameful gap in funding for commodities and services must be met by strong domestic leadership – and sustained donor funding in service to country priorities. CIFF’s US$100 million investment in the WISH platform, on top of our US$100 million investment last year to end the commodity financing gap, is a demonstration of our commitment to prioritizing country-led solutions to ensure more women and girls can choose their futures.”
By unlocking sustainable financing and recharging political will for SRH, we can secure a healthier, more equitable world for future generations.
A closely watched measure of Australian inflation dived in the month of August, plunging from 3.5% in July to just 2.7%.
The dip below 3% puts the monthly measure of annual inflation back within the Reserve Bank’s target band of 2-3% for the first time since August 2021.
The longer-running quarterly measure of annual inflation is also likely to be back within the 2-3% band when the September-quarter figure is released next month.
The dramatically lower inflation rate puts Australia in the same league as the United States, whose inflation rate is 2.5%, and the United Kingdom, whose inflation rate is 2.2%.
The US and the UK have inflation targets of 2%, meaning their inflation rates are still somewhat above target. Australia’s monthly measure of inflation is on target, close to the middle of the band.
Electricity prices down 17.9%
Inflation has been trending down since late 2022, as shown on the graphs, but the sharp drops in the past two months are largely due to electricity rebates offered by the federal and state governments.
The rebates will be applied automatically to electricity bills in this and each of the next three quarters. A staged rollout means they hit bills in only Queensland and Western Australia in July and hit other states in August.
The Bureau of Statistics says these rebates took 6.4% off the average national power price in July and a further 14.6% off in August.
Household electricity prices were down 17.9% over the year to August. The Bureau of Statistics describes this as the largest annual fall on record.
Also helping bring down inflation were lower petrol prices and cheaper public transport, aided by Brisbane’s pre-election six-month trial of 50 cent fares.
The jump in the monthly measure to 4% in May, which had excited some commentators, now looks like a misleading blip.
A takeaway is to be cautious in interpreting the less-comprehensive monthly indicator, as is the Reserve Bank, which puts it in small print at the top of its website under the quarterly index, which it headlines in big print.
For what it’s worth, I am expecting the quarterly index to show annual inflation of 2.8% in the year to September, down from 3.8% for the June quarter.
Governor Bullock isn’t impressed
Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock says that at the moment she is paying more attention to the “underlying” rate of inflation, which looks through temporary measures such as subsidies.
But the Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of underlying inflation, the so-called trimmed mean, also fell in August, to 3.4%, down from 3.8% in July.
Reserve Bank set its target of 2-3% inflation in the early 1990s without a lot of science. It was about where inflation was, close to the targets adopted by other countries, and was a range rather than a specific number in order to give the authorities some flexibility.
But it happens to be a sensible target, as last year’s independent review of the Reserve Bank confirmed.
The bank wants to target an inflation rate low enough to not be noticed much and to not much distort decisions.
Evidence from Google searches suggests that when inflation is around the 2-3% range, people don’t much notice it, but when it climbs up to 4% or 5%, they notice it a lot and search for the word a lot.
Although zero is (literally) a round number, zero inflation would be too low a target. It would mean deflation (prices falling) as often as not to balance out the prices that were climbing. Deflation is associated with recessions and poor economic performance.
An inflation rate of 2-3% also allows some real wages to fall (because they can increase by less than the inflation rate), which can be useful in encouraging workers out of declining industries into ones that are expanding.
In particularly bad times, the Reserve Bank might want to push interest rates down below the inflation rate. This is hard to do if the inflation rate is zero.
In theory, there is a case for increasing Australia’s inflation target to about where inflation is at the moment, but if that happened, Australia’s inflation target and future inflation targets would have less credibility.
And in any event, we are moving quickly back towards the target, and on Wednesday’s measure have already hit it.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The second one will take place in the capital Moscow Forum of Volunteers in the Sphere of Health Protection. It will be held on October 14 and 15 at the address: Pokrovsky Boulevard, Building 11, Building 6 in the cultural center of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE). Volunteers will help with its implementation.
The forum will bring together the expert community, volunteers and citizens interested in the topic of assistance in the field of healthcare. Participants will be able to attend master classes, tours of medical institutions, as well as volunteer networking and a first aid simulation theatre.
“Today, more than 14.2 thousand people are developing volunteerism in the field of health protection with us. This direction is open and can be interesting not only to people with medical education, it is multifaceted and very important. This year, the forum will become a meeting place for all those who share the values of medical volunteering and will be dedicated to issues of strategic development of the community and will unite more than 600 people,” said Alexander Levit, director of the Mosvolonter resource center.
The First Moscow Forum of Volunteers in the Sphere of Health Protection passed in 2023. More than 600 people took part in it.
On the first day, the forum will feature representatives of Moscow non-profit organizations (NPOs), medical organizations, universities, and experienced volunteers in the field of health care. Business and educational programs will be aimed at acquiring cross-professional skills for productive teamwork and community development in 2025.
Leaders of educational organizations and socially oriented NPOs, together with the team of the youth council of the Moscow City Department of Health (DZM), will take part in a team session “Sonatuning” on managing and forming effective teams with the opportunity to exchange experiences and build social connections.
In addition, forum participants will attend master classes on creating media content, public speaking, professional medical communication skills, and the implementation of lean technologies in project work.
The exhibition area will feature various organizations that develop medical volunteering. Special attention will be paid to formats of volunteer assistance to patients, as well as issues of first aid in emergency situations.
The program also included a strategic session of youth councils of the capital’s Department of Health, a partnership meeting for new and experienced NGOs and commercial organizations, as well as with volunteer centers of the city’s medical universities, and a round table with representatives of medical colleges on the development of volunteer work in the field of health care.
On the second day of the forum, events will be held where everyone will be able to learn about areas of volunteer work in the field of health protection.
From 12:00 to 13:00 there will be a tour of the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care. It will be conducted by Marina Kramskaya, winner of the “Best Guide of Russia” and “Best Guide of Moscow” competitions. Participants will learn the history of one of the most popular hospitals in the country. The acquaintance will begin with a story about the hospice of Count Sheremetev, or the Sheremetev Hospital.
From 15:00 to 16:00 and from 16:00 to 17:00, participants will be given tours of the Russian Red Cross Museum. Visitors will learn about its history, priority areas of activity, and the modern development of the movement. In addition, a visit to the organization’s training center is planned.
Muscovites also have the opportunity to attend the excursion “Saving Lives Every Day” from 15:00 to 16:00, which will be held at the A.S. Puchkov Emergency and Urgent Medical Care Station. Doctors will show the heart of the station – a single city dispatch center, where calls are received from all over the city. Tour participants will learn about the distribution of calls to substations, and will see the work of the medical evacuation department.
During the excursion “The Journey of Donor Blood” at the Blood Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, participants will be treated to a visual story about the journey blood takes from blood transfusion stations to the recipient.
On the excursion “Anatomy of Modernism” at the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, participants will study the architectural complex of its buildings, history, facts about Soviet modernism and how monumental art can inspire. Together with university staff, guests will visit the classrooms where students study.
Master classes, board games and a project to help patients in children’s hospitals
You can immerse yourself in practical cases close to real emergency situations in the city in the first aid simulation theater. Using special equipment to simulate real incidents, instructors will show how to act in order to provide first aid promptly and correctly. Guests themselves will become theater actors and take part in saving lives on the site of the medical simulation center of the Botkin Hospital.
From 10:00 to 15:00, the HSE Cultural Center will host the program “Be an Example for Everyone.” People of different ages and professions will be able to try their hand at volunteer work in the field of healthcare. You can join master classes on making blankets for premature babies, tactile bags, cards and pillows for patients, “Morse Code” bracelets, and on making clay heart keychains.
In addition, everyone will have the opportunity to communicate in an informal setting during board games and join the project to help patients of children’s hospitals “For the Little and the Brave”. To do this, you need to bring new, tagged toys, books and board games to children who are undergoing treatment in the capital’s hospitals.
You can join the team of volunteers in the field of health protection on the website of the resource center “Mosvolonter”.
Organizing volunteer activities and involving young people in city events correspond to the objectives of the national project “Education” and the federal project “Social Activity”. More information about this and other national projects implemented in the capital, you can find out here.
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.mos.ru/nevs/item/144426073/
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Specialists from the Moscow City Services Complex checked more than 16.5 thousand welded joints on gas pipelines. Almost 12 thousand of them were examined using X-ray flaw detection, and the remaining 4.8 thousand were examined using ultrasound.
The ultrasonic flaw detection method is based on recording the vibrations of ultrasonic waves. They are reflected from the surfaces of gas pipelines, including weld defects, and a special device shows deviations in real time. For X-ray flaw detection, appropriate installations are used: the rays pass through the metal, and the quality of the connections is recorded on film or digital media.
During the inspection, specialists of JSC Mosgaz use advanced technologies, including self-propelled crawler systems with X-ray machines and highly sensitive film. The inspection results are available immediately on site thanks to a mobile laboratory built on the basis of KamAZ – the company’s own development.
The use of modern technologies allows us to identify even the most minor defects that are invisible to the human eye, thereby ensuring the reliability and safety of gas pipelines throughout their entire service life.
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.mos.ru/nevs/item/144408073/
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.
