Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Two scientists from the UK received Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Awards for 2024 for long and significant contribution in the field of Public Health and Medicine.
The Award Presentation Ceremony was held at Thailand’s Royal Palace. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, as the representative of His Majesty the King, presided over the Presentation Ceremony, in the company of the Privy Council, Bureau of the Royal Household and Cabinet members.
Dr Shepherd receives the Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) in Public Health for his creation of the ‘Cardiff Model of Violence Prevention’ which is an evidence-based, multisectoral approach to violence prevention which has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and integrated into multisectoral approaches to violence prevention from South Africa to Australia. Dr Shepherd’s research and commitment to evidence-based public policy has contributed to the development of ‘What Works Network’. The Network, supported by the UK government, acts as an important interface between research and policymaking, ensuring that policy makers have access to the best evidence.
Professor Hunter who studied at the University of Cambridge in the UK, receives the Prince Mahidol Award in Medicine for his discovery of tyrosine kinase enzymes and the phosphorylation process, a crucial mechanism that transforms normal cells into cancerous cells. This breakthrough discovery led to the development of targeted cancer treatments and pharmaceutical innovation that can effectively inhibit cancer cells.
In 2024 the UK and Thailand established a Strategic Partnership, highlighting a shared commitment to advance global health by championing universal access to health care and strengthening partnerships to prevent, detect and respond to global health threats. This includes joint efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease outbreaks including through the development and application of innovative technology, such as genomics.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has issued a statement on the Safeguarding the Union command paper, one year after its publication.
He said: “The Safeguarding the Union command paper that led to the restoration of power-sharing – one year ago today – was the result of painstaking negotiations, hard work and political courage.
“This UK Government is committed to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market, and we will continue to make progress in delivering Safeguarding the Union and taking forward the basis on which devolution was restored.
“I commend all those who are working to make sure Northern Ireland fulfils its full potential; and for our part the Government is committed to working in partnership to deliver for Northern Ireland within our United Kingdom”.
One of United States President Donald Trump’s more startling claims since taking office for his second term – and there have been many – is his insistence that the US will take control of Greenland.
Both prior to taking office and since, Trump has spoken about a desire for the US to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark. This revives a proposal he floated in 2019, and is now being advanced with serious intent.
Trump’s interest in Greenland is framed around US security. The island is strategically located in the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom) Gap. The gap gained prominence during the Cold War as an area where Soviet nuclear submarines could operate in the Atlantic Ocean proximate to the US and its NATO partners. Denmark’s limited naval capacity meant these Soviet submarine incursions were uncontested.
Washington has always appreciated the strategic significance of Greenland. It was used during the second world war as a US military staging point due to its relative safety from the European theatre of war and its capacity as a stopover for aircraft to refuel.
Later, during the Cold War, the Thule US Airbase was constructed on its northwest coast, later becoming the Pituffik Space Base.
Trump is particularly concerned about Russian and Chinese ships operating offshore near Greenland in the Arctic Ocean, and with ensuring US access to rare earth minerals on the island.
All of these are legitimate US security and strategic interests. It is often forgotten that the US is an Arctic nation by virtue of Alaska, and Greenland is adjacent to North America.
However, Greenland is not terra nullius ripe for American colonisation. It is recognised as Danish territory. Any dispute over a Danish claim to the island was resolved by an international court in 1933, and since that time Denmark has overseen Greenlandic affairs without challenge. Any suggestion Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is contested has no foundation.
While Denmark has been a colonial power, there has been an active process underway to grant the 57,000 Greenlanders increased autonomy from Copenhagen. Home rule has been granted, a legislature has been created, and a road map exists for self-determination that may eventually see the emergence of an independent Greenland.
Seeking to honour the responsibility Copenhagen feels for ushering Greenlanders through this process, Denmark has made clear that Greenland is not for sale.
The most breathtaking aspect of Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions has been the refusal to rule out the US using economic or military means to acquire it.
This ignores the fact that Greenland is part of Denmark (a NATO member) and that indigenous Greenlanders possess a right of self-determination. Moreover, any use of US military force to take Greenland would be in violation of both the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty on which NATO is founded and the 1945 United Nations Charter.
Respect for territorial integrity was one of foundations on which the UN Charter was built. The intention of the UN’s founders during the San Francisco Conference was to ensure military force could not be used to acquire territory through an act of aggression resulting in the annexation of territory.
Other than Denmark, its Scandinavian neighbours and some NATO members, Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions have been met with diplomatic silence. What is taking place behind closed doors and in the foreign ministries of US allies and partners can only be imagined.
For Australia, this raises fundamental issues regarding the US alliance. Would Australia be prepared to stand beside the US if it used its economic and military might to acquire Greenland?
Australia has a bipartisan position of both supporting the American alliance and the “rules-based” international order on which the UN is based. AUKUS is founded on these assumptions. Any US economic or military aggression over Greenland may force Australia into making a choice between America or the rule of law.
Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
One of United States President Donald Trump’s more startling claims since taking office for his second term – and there have been many – is his insistence that the US will take control of Greenland.
Both prior to taking office and since, Trump has spoken about a desire for the US to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark. This revives a proposal he floated in 2019, and is now being advanced with serious intent.
Trump’s interest in Greenland is framed around US security. The island is strategically located in the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom) Gap. The gap gained prominence during the Cold War as an area where Soviet nuclear submarines could operate in the Atlantic Ocean proximate to the US and its NATO partners. Denmark’s limited naval capacity meant these Soviet submarine incursions were uncontested.
Washington has always appreciated the strategic significance of Greenland. It was used during the second world war as a US military staging point due to its relative safety from the European theatre of war and its capacity as a stopover for aircraft to refuel.
Later, during the Cold War, the Thule US Airbase was constructed on its northwest coast, later becoming the Pituffik Space Base.
Trump is particularly concerned about Russian and Chinese ships operating offshore near Greenland in the Arctic Ocean, and with ensuring US access to rare earth minerals on the island.
All of these are legitimate US security and strategic interests. It is often forgotten that the US is an Arctic nation by virtue of Alaska, and Greenland is adjacent to North America.
However, Greenland is not terra nullius ripe for American colonisation. It is recognised as Danish territory. Any dispute over a Danish claim to the island was resolved by an international court in 1933, and since that time Denmark has overseen Greenlandic affairs without challenge. Any suggestion Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is contested has no foundation.
While Denmark has been a colonial power, there has been an active process underway to grant the 57,000 Greenlanders increased autonomy from Copenhagen. Home rule has been granted, a legislature has been created, and a road map exists for self-determination that may eventually see the emergence of an independent Greenland.
Seeking to honour the responsibility Copenhagen feels for ushering Greenlanders through this process, Denmark has made clear that Greenland is not for sale.
The most breathtaking aspect of Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions has been the refusal to rule out the US using economic or military means to acquire it.
This ignores the fact that Greenland is part of Denmark (a NATO member) and that indigenous Greenlanders possess a right of self-determination. Moreover, any use of US military force to take Greenland would be in violation of both the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty on which NATO is founded and the 1945 United Nations Charter.
Respect for territorial integrity was one of foundations on which the UN Charter was built. The intention of the UN’s founders during the San Francisco Conference was to ensure military force could not be used to acquire territory through an act of aggression resulting in the annexation of territory.
Other than Denmark, its Scandinavian neighbours and some NATO members, Trump’s Greenland territorial ambitions have been met with diplomatic silence. What is taking place behind closed doors and in the foreign ministries of US allies and partners can only be imagined.
For Australia, this raises fundamental issues regarding the US alliance. Would Australia be prepared to stand beside the US if it used its economic and military might to acquire Greenland?
Australia has a bipartisan position of both supporting the American alliance and the “rules-based” international order on which the UN is based. AUKUS is founded on these assumptions. Any US economic or military aggression over Greenland may force Australia into making a choice between America or the rule of law.
Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
The creators of the epic fantasy sequel “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” said the new film will showcase the beauty and wonders of Chinese culture and mythology to audiences worldwide.
The cast and crew of “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” pose for a photo at the premiere in Beijing, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Culture]
Pop icon and actor Kris Phillips reprises his role as the main villain, King Zhou, in the second installment of Wuershan’s ambitious trilogy. However, he also took on another crucial role in this film: translation.
“I have seen the film six or seven times already on various occasions because I was working on the English subtitles for its international release,” Phillips said. During the Spring Festival, “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” debuted in Chinese theaters and was simultaneously screened in nearly 20 countries and regions, including North America, Australia and the United Kingdom, starting Jan. 29, the first day of Chinese New Year.
Phillips emphasized the importance of accurate translation: “I particularly cared about the English translation because it was essential for global audiences to understand ‘Creation of the Gods,’ a complex story filled with numerous characters. There were many Chinese terms, such as ‘Kunlun’ and the distinction between immortals and gods, that foreign viewers might not understand. Therefore, I had to find ways within the subtitle lines to include explanatory information.”
A still from “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” shows King Zhou, portrayed by Kris Phillips. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Culture]
As a Chinese American who has immersed himself in both cultures for decades, Phillips was well-suited for the role. Once his English subtitles were completed, translations into other languages, such as French and German, followed based on his work.
In the wake of the first film’s success, overseas audiences actively pushed for a simultaneous release of the sequel. “Now we have done it, fulfilling our promise,” director Wuershan said. “We will let audiences around the world experience the charm of Chinese culture.”
After dedicating more than a decade to creating and crafting the trilogy, Wuershan saw “Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms” earn 2.64 billion yuan ($363 million) at the box office in 2023. The film became a cultural phenomenon, launching and revitalizing the careers of both young and veteran actors like Yu Shi and Kris Phillips.
The second film, “Demon Force,” also based on the Ming dynasty novel “The Investiture of the Gods,” follows Ji Fa, the future founding king of the Zhou dynasty, and strategist Jiang Ziya as they defend their homeland, Xiqi. With the support of Kunlun immortals Yang Jian and Ne Zha, the heroes face off against the formidable demonic army of King Zhou’s Shang dynasty, commanded by the cunning Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong and the fierce female general Deng Chanyu.
A still from “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” depicts an epic battle scene infused with magic. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Culture]
Before the film’s premiere in Beijing on Jan. 29, the cast and crew toured eight cities to promote it, starting in Zhengzhou, Henan province. Wuershan noted that they had visited Zhengzhou many times to explore museums and draw inspiration from local culture during the creative process, as this area was the heart of the Shang dynasty and its capital. The crew also visited other historic sites and museums across China, including locations in Shaanxi province, where the Zhou dynasty originated, to gather ideas for props and costumes.
“Integrating traditional culture into the ‘Creation of the Gods’ trilogy is something I am passionate about,” Wuershan said. “Traditional culture needs to come alive, blend with our lives, and become a source of strength. In areas such as costumes, character designs, weapons, and sets, we invited many inheritors of intangible cultural heritage to collaborate on the designs. We hope to demonstrate that Chinese traditional culture is still powerful and encourage more inheritors of intangible cultural heritage to join us in building this mythological epic.”
Even the two new significant characters are deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Deng Chanyu is a Mulan-style warrior, inspired in part by Lady Fu Hao, the first Chinese female general and royal consort during the Shang dynasty. The crew visited Fu Hao’s tomb and memorial site for research, and actor Nashi dedicated 506 days to training and filming. “History gives me strength, inspiration, and motivation, driving me to bring the brilliance of the character Deng Chanyu to the big screen,” she said.
Still photos from “Creation of the Gods II” showcase Deng Chanyu and Wen Zhong, two major new characters in the film. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Culture]
For the role of Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong, actor Wu Hsing-kuo — also a theater actor and Peking Opera performer — deliberately integrated movements and techniques from traditional opera into the character’s gestures and fighting styles. His approach aimed to ensure that Wen not only maintained a dignified posture but also embodied the essence of Chinese aesthetics.
The furious charge of iron-shod hooves, dazzling displays of magic, and the presence of mythical beasts come together to create striking visual moments, reflecting the crew’s dedication to their craft. Since work began in June 2014, the “Creation of the Gods” trilogy has involved extensive preparation, filming and post-production, now in its eleventh year. The “Demon Force” production team included 14 creative departments and over 11,000 staff members from 21 countries and regions. This vast team managed all aspects of the film, including acting, stunts, filming, props and special effects. Every detail was meticulously crafted, contributing to a vivid and engaging Chinese mythological epic.
The film benefited from the support of an Oscar-winning team. Barrie M. Osborne, known for his work on “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, served as a production consultant. James Schamus, who contributed to the Oscar-winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” consulted on the script. Tim Yip, who won the Oscar for best art direction for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in 2001, took on the role of art and costume design consultant. Douglas Hans Smith, recognized for his work on “Independence Day,” which won the Oscar for best visual effects in 1997, served as the film’s senior visual effects supervisor. This collaboration of artistic vision and rich traditional Chinese culture results in a stunning array of visuals.
A poster for “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force.” [Photo courtesy of Beijing Culture]
“After the first movie laid the foundation and introduced the characters, the second installment broadens the narrative to feature epic battles between gods and demons. It is truly a brilliant and amazing film!” Phillips told China.org.cn.
SAN DIEGO – Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos, the founder and chief executive officer of San Diego-based Ethos Asset Management, Inc., which offered financing to domestic and international businesses, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft today in federal court.
Santos, a Portuguese national, has been in custody since his arrest on November 13, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey, after arriving in the United States from abroad.
According to his plea agreement, Santos admitted he and co-conspirators held Ethos out to the public as a “full-service project financing” company that offered loans to prospective borrowers in exchange for an upfront fee as collateral for Ethos to use. However, on many occasions when a borrower gave Ethos the upfront fee as collateral, Ethos’ funding never materialized.
To induce prospective borrowers to send Ethos an upfront fee as collateral and enter into loan agreements, Santos and his co-conspirators lied about Ethos’ history of funding projects, the source of Ethos’ money, the amount of capital available to disburse loans, and how Ethos used the collateral upfront fees. For instance, Santos admitted that he used money from the upfront collateral fees to release collateral deposited by other borrowers and to disburse loans to other borrowers.
Santos also admitted that he and others altered otherwise legitimate financial account statements to inflate the amount of money Ethos appeared to have at its disposal to finance projects for the purpose of luring prospective borrowers to provide collateral and financial institutions to lend money. For example, in August 2021, Santos successfully induced a borrower to wire money as a collateral upfront fee by sending a bank statement that falsely represented Ethos having $100,304,447.46 when, in fact, it did not.
In February and May 2023, Santos again induced borrowers to provide collateral upfront fees by emailing a copy of Ethos’ annual financial statements reflecting falsely that Ethos had over $2.2 billion in total assets and that an accounting firm had audited the statements. Indeed, Santos admitted that he knowingly forged the signature of an employee at a bookkeeping firm on Ethos’s 2022 annual financial statement to falsely indicate that the firm had audited the statement. In each noted example, Ethos fraudulently obtained upfront fees and failed to disburse loan payments as promised.
Santos further admitted Ethos’ project financing scheme was international in nature, with a presence in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, and elsewhere. Santos admitted his scheme resulted in $17,125,000 in losses to certain U.S. based victims. The plea agreement also explains that the parties will request a restitution hearing allowing the United States to offer evidence that Santos owes significantly more money to various other victims.
According to the plea agreement, Santos also forged the signature of an employee at an accounting firm to make it appear that the firm had audited Ethos’ annual financial reports.
“Untold numbers of people fall victim to fraud schemes every year,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Whether it’s a simple email scam or an elaborate investment scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will relentlessly pursue accountability for the defendants and restitution for the victims.”
“Today’s guilty plea underscores Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) unwavering commitment to combating financial crimes,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “This successful outcome is the result of an extensive, long-term investigation where our dedicated agents and partners assigned to the Costa Pacifico Financial Task Force worked tirelessly and diligently to gather all the evidence and bring this individual to justice. Their unwavering commitment and thorough efforts have been instrumental in protecting our community and upholding the law.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 18, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Christopher Beeler, Carl F. Brooker IV, and Amy B. Wang.
If you believe you are a victim of Carlos Santos and his company Ethos Asset Management, Inc., contact Homeland Security Investigations at ethos-victim@hsi.dhs.gov.
DEFENDANT
Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos Age: 30 Portugal
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1028A
Maximum penalty: Mandatory two years in prison consecutive to the term for the underlying felony
On the fifth anniversary of the UK’s exit from the European Union, Green MP Ellie Chowns said:
“These five years have seen the economic, social and political costs of leaving the European Union become ever clearer.
“Far from ‘taking back control’, we have all lost out.
“Young people have been deprived of the chance to easily study and work in the European Union, while small businesses have found it increasingly difficult to export, and the UK is increasingly isolated on the international stage.
“No wonder, the proportion of the public believing Brexit to have been the right decision is at its lowest since 2020. (1)
“The Green Party is very clear that people and planet would benefit from much closer relationships between our country and the European Union.
“We will continue to press the Labour government to be braver and bolder in overcoming the negative impacts of Brexit.
“Full membership of the EU remains the best option for the UK, and we are in favour of pursuing a policy to re-join as soon as the political will is present.
“Of course, that means building the widespread public support we need before a decision to rejoin is made.
“There are win-win first steps that the government should be taking today. For instance, working with the EU on a youth mobility scheme that opens up the European Union to our youngsters.
“We should be working with the EU to tackle the twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss in the face of US President Donald Trump’s disastrous decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement.
“We should also rejoin the Customs Union to begin to overcome the obstacles that small businesses have faced in trading with our closest partners since Brexit.
“While joining the Single Market would provide benefits in terms of free movement of people, goods, services and capital, membership of the Single Market without membership of the EU would not be an ideal long-term solution because the UK would not be a full partner in decision making processes.
“We’ve learned from the divisiveness of Brexit that binary choices push people apart rather than bring people together.
“So, we are proposing the use of citizens’ assemblies to support the wider public to make well-informed decisions about complicated political issues such as our future membership of the EU.”
Mark Ormiston, a sixth generation managing director of Ormiston Wire that manufactures a high quality products used in suspending lights, art installations, yacht rigging and surgical procedures, said Brexit is making it ever harder to get its components into final products manufactured abroad.
Mark Ormiston “We supply components not a final product so if the end product moves offshore, we have to try and supply that export market. With Brexit small exporters are being devastated and we must work very hard to persuade companies to use our quality and expertise.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on final draft guidance from NICE on the use of exagamglogene autotemcel (exa-cel) for severe sickle cell disease.
Dr Diana Hernandez, director of immune and advanced therapies at UK stem cell charity Anthony Nolan, said:
“Today’s decision from NICE to grant access, on the NHS, to the UK’s first ever CRISPR-based therapy for some patients with sickle cell disease, represents a leap forward in the treatment of this debilitating and life-threatening condition. Sickle cell disease is caused by abnormally shaped red blood cells that can block blood vessels, causing fatigue, chronic pain and increased risk of infection. By modifying the DNA of the patient’s own stem cells so they produce healthy red blood cells, the treatment provides a ‘functional cure’ for people who otherwise have limited options.
“This treatment offers hope to thousands of patients in the UK, the majority of whom are from African and African-Caribbean backgrounds and have experienced years of feeling ignored, and is a glimpse into the exciting possibilities of gene therapies to treat diseases that have previously been considered incurable.”
Dr Alena Pance, Senior Lecturer in Genetics, University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel) is based on the innovative gene-editing tool CRISPR, which won its inventors the Nobel Prize in 2020
“This approach is a great medical advancement because gene-editing may represent a possible cure rather than a treatment of this inherited genetic disease and stem cell technology makes it possible to use patient-specific cells which avoid immunological issues.
“The background is that sickle cell disease is caused by mutation of one of the proteins that form haemoglobin. This is the main component of red blood cells that transports oxygen around the body. In adulthood, it consists of 4 globin proteins, 2 alpha and 2 beta, that form a tetramer with an iron core which binds the oxygen. During development however, the haemoglobin in the foetus is made with gamma globin instead of beta globin. This is because Gamma globin has higher affinity for oxygen, which is less abundant in the womb. At birth, there is a switch that silences Gamma globin which is no longer made and induces Beta globin to be made instead.
“When Beta globin is mutated long inflexible chains of haemoglobin form, called sickle haemoglobin that leads to a change in the morphology of the red blood cells which also become stiff and get stuck in small capillaries. This causes pain and loss of red blood cells or anaemia, which increases in situations of high need or use of oxygen, such as exercise or high altitude.
“What this therapy does is to switch off the factor that silences Gamma globin so that it can be produced in the red blood cells and substitute the faulty Beta globin. Because it is a blood disease, the gene-editing can be performed in the stem cells from the bone marrow from which all the cells in the blood originate. This means that the stem cells are extracted from the patient, modified and expanded in the lab and then put back into the patient where they will be able to reconstitute the blood. As a consequence, there is no immunological difference between the modified cells and the patient necessitating immunosuppressing medication for life and once the modified stem cells establish themselves in the bone marrow of the patient, they can repopulate the bone marrow and produce Gamma globin red blood cells technically for ever. An additional advantage this strategy has is that because it does not aim to correct the mutation (fix the faulty beta globin) it can be generally applied not just to sickle cell disease but also to beta-thalassemia. This is because there is a wide range of mutations in the beta globin gene and so fixing it would become patient-specific which would be even more costly and difficult.”
“There are some set backs to this approach and it is certain that the technology will continue improving, but at this moment in time, it is the greatest advance seen so far in the application of these technologies to health.”
Prof Ewan Birney, Deputy Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Director of EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), said:
“This is an exciting development for practical CRISPR based gene therapy. After impressive clinical trials worldwide, the technology provides a way for certain sickle cell disease individuals to have a far better life. This CRISPR based therapy uses an interesting molecular mechanism, where the gene therapy acts on a different, related gene (fetal haemoglobin), boosting this gene’s expression in adulthood which mitigates the effect of the sickle cell changed adult haemoglobin. The mechanism was discovered by genetic studies in particular from cohorts in Sub-Saharan Africa and people with recent African ancestries.
“Looking ahead, this technology has the potential to treat many other rare diseases with precise genetic diagnoses.”
Prof Felicity Gavins, Professor of Pharmacology,Brunel University of London, said:
“The approval of Exa-cel for NHS use in England is a very exciting moment, not only because this marks the first approval of a CRISPR-based gene therapy for SCD in the NHS, but also because it offers a potentially curative treatment for eligible patients. By addressing the genetic cause of SCD, Exa-cel reduces or eliminates vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), decreases hospitalisations, and improves quality of life.
“Of the 15,000 people in England with SCD, approximately 1,750 may be eligible for Exa-cel treatment. The therapy works by editing the patient’s BCL11A gene to reactivate fetal haemoglobin production, preventing red blood cells from sickling and blocking blood flow which cause VOCs and disease complications.
“However, while Exa-cel is a breakthrough, it is not a cure for all SCD patients, and uncertainties remain about its long-term effectiveness, safety and accessibility. It is critical to continue funding research to develop treatment that benefit the broader SCD population and address remaining challenges in care.”
Professor Laurence D. Hurst,Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, The Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, said:
“The recommendation of exa-cel (alias Casgevy, alias Exagamglogene autotemcel) by NICE is a potential step change for sufferers (and their carers) of a common genetic disorder, sickle cell disease (SCD) that particularly affects UK individuals with a Caribbean and Black African ancestry. It will come as a very welcome reversal of a prior draft recommendation (March 2024) by many within the at-risk communities.
“Part of NICE’s recommendation was based on the observation that the disorder is especially prevent in ethnic minority backgrounds and seeks to redress inequality in health access. This is a good news day for sufferers of severe SCD and for these communities.”
Why is there a need for a “cure” for sickle cell disease?
“Current treatments may be considered the equivalent of plastering over a wound repeatedly, rather than getting to the cause of the wound and curing it.
“SCD patients need regular blood transfusions and with that treatment to absorb excess iron. Some qualify for a drug therapy, Hydroxycarbamide, also used as in cancer chemotherapy, that reduces VOC rates. This increases rate of production of foetal globin and reduces red cell stickiness. There are very few treatments to stop symptoms and what is available often has intolerable side effects. A further issue is that while treatments may reduce VOC frequency they tend to increase pain associated with each VOC. They do not address the underlying cause.”
“Stem cell transfusion – the best current “cure” – is potentially different as you are replacing the cells that make red blood cells in the patient with those from a donor who doesn’t have SCD. However, only 15% of patients have a potential donor and this treatment can lead to immune rejection (graft versus host disease).
“Exa-cel is potentially a life-long cure – the patients can make their own non SCD inducing blood, thus immune rejection should not be an issue.”
How does this CRISPR therapy work?
“For many single gene genetic disorders gene therapy is now being actively researched and, in some cases, making it to clinic. To date the successful ones, have taken the strategy of adding in a copy of the properly functioning version of the gene (as in recent gene therapies for haemophilia A and B). Exa-cel is different as it involves “editing” your own DNA, not adding genes.
“It relies on the fact that as foetuses our haemoglobin was different. Indeed, foetal haemoglobin is a little better than the adult version at carrying oxygen. Adult haemoglobin consists of two beta globins and two alpha globins. In foetuses we use gamma globin instead of beta globin. Shortly after birth a protein BCL11A helps in the switch from foetal to adult haemoglobin, from gamma to beta. Exa-cel edits the gene for BCL11A preventing it from being made, and in so doing forces the cells to upregulate gamma globin so making more foetal haemoglobin.
“It does this by editing a part of the switch that turns the BCL11A gene on in developing blood cells. This causes BCL11A to not be made which in turn allows gamma globin to be produced, as BCL11A switches gamma globin off. As such – it is a CRISPR mediated gene edit – it is unlike the standard mode of gene therapy which involves addition of the correct gene. The treatment involve removing relevant cells from the patient, editing in the lab and replacing them into the patient.
“Given its mode of action it is a potential therapy for any genetic disease involving badly functioning beta-globin, notably sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
“Importantly it is also likely that making gamma globin is safe – it is our own protein. In addition, most of us fail to fully inactivate the foetal/gamma version and so well all have a bit of gamma globin. Indeed, with conditions like SCD, the higher the level of gamma globin the lesser the symptoms.”
The therapy is life transforming
“The evidence for the efficacy and safety of Casgevy for SCD is good, although sample numbers are low. Base line the patients had 2.6 VOCs per year. Of 43 patients 29 were followed long enough. 28 of 29 had no VOCs for at least a year. None were hospitalised.
“There is a further issue, however, that it can be difficult to collect cells in patients with SCD and some of those not followed up were because the treatment couldn’t be given.
What is the new decision?
“This new decision is not a statement about safety and efficacy. The therapy has been approved for use in the UK (late 2023), EU (spring 2024) and USA (late 2023) on safety and efficacy grounds. What is new is that NICE now recommends funding this with “managed access*” via the NHS as it is deemed adequately cost effective (or rather it was happy with the high level of uncertainty on cost effectiveness given the circumstances). This is a reversal of its prior draft recommendation in March 2024.
“It is restricted to those for whom a stem cell transplant donor cannot be found and with severe SCD ie recurrent VOCs meaning 2 or more in the prior 2 years.
“The defence for the opening of access was based on the health inequalities faced by people with SCD, the technology being innovative and the fact that prior decision had failed to capture the quality of life of the carers.
“Earlier this year NICE approved the same therapy for beta thalassemia -also owing to beta glogin issues- for a restricted number of patients.”
What does the treatment cost?
“The treatment is a one-off procedure. The headline cost per treatment £1,651,000 but the actual cost to the NHS is a commercial secret.”
What are the uncertainties?
“There are two main uncertainties:
“First, being a new treatment how long it will last is unknown. Why the treatment might revert is unclear but only time will tell.
“The second is whether there are downstream side effects. CRISPR as an application for example involves send a molecule to cut DNA at a designated site in our DNA. Sometimes, however, the cuts also happen at sites we didn’t want to have cut. These are so-called “off-target” effects. The early data from the research team behind found no evidence for such off-target effects but they remain a possibility. More classical forms of gene therapy – involving adding genes to our DNA – have been associated with induction of cancer and so the field is naturally cautious.”
What is SCD?
“Sickle cell disease is a genetic disease associated with a different form of a gene and its derived protein that make up part of the molecular that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body, heamoglobin, in our red blood cells. The affected gene/protein is “beta globin”.
“Sufferers have pain 4 days out of every seven and unpredictable episodes of severe pain, termed vaso-occlusive crises [VOCs] that can require hospitalization. Over 2 years about 2/3 of sufferers need emergency care 2 to 3 times and about a quarter spend 1-2 weeks in hospital. Higher rates of both define severe SCD. It causes ongoing anaemia (lack of red blood cells) and widespread organ damage. Even with access to medical support, life expectancy is typically around 50 years.”
Why is SCD so prevalent in ethnic minorities?
“Globally locations with endemic malaria have higher rates of the disorder. This is because individuals with a mix of beta globin genes (we all have two versions, one inherited from mother one from father) are less likely to die young from malaria. This selection favouring individuals with a mix of beta-globins maintains the two versions of the beta globin gene at relatively high frequencies. However, it also means that the rate at which individuals will inherit two of the SCD causing version of the gene is also high – if mum and dad were both carriers a quarter of their kids will get SCD. Having two SCD versions is needed for the full blown SCD. In sub-Saharan Africa up to 1-3% of the population suffer SCD making it a remarkably prevalent genetic disease.”
Professor David Rees, Professor of Paediatric Sickle Cell Disease, King’s College London, said:
“It is encouraging that Exa-cel has been approved for use to treat patients with sickle cell disease in England, particularly as it is based on discoveries made at King’s College London by Dr Stephan Menzel and Professor Swee Lay Thein. The treatment uses CRISPR gene editing technology to increase the level of fetal haemoglobin in people with sickle cell disease, which has a major effect in reducing the severity of the condition. The treatment is not curative in the traditional sense of the word, in that the patients still have some features of sickle cell disease, but early studies suggest that successfully treated patients have very few symptoms of the condition, at least in the medium term.
“Exa-cel has been approved for patients getting episodes of acute pain over the age of 12 years, and potentially more than 5000 people with sickle cell disease may be eligible for this in the UK. However, it is difficult to know how many people will actually benefit, because of the very high cost and potential toxicity of the treatment. Exa-cel treatment still requires very strong chemotherapy, similar to having a bone marrow transplant, which causes problems with reduced fertility and sometimes more serious complications, and it seems likely that it will most benefit patients with severe and progressive problems caused by sickle cell disease.
“Despite these concerns, the availability of Exa-cel is a major advance and offers a really important new treatment option for some patients with sickle cell disease. Excitingly, advances in gene editing are happening very rapidly at the moment and it seems likely that cheaper, safer and more effective forms of gene editing will emerge for sickle cell disease over the coming years, offering the prospect of a curative treatment which is universally applicable, even in low income countries where the majority of patients live.”
NICE’s final draft guidance on Exagamglogene autotemcel for treating severe sickle cell disease in people 12 years and over was published at 00:01 UK time on Friday 31 January 2025.
Declared interests
Professor David Rees: “I don’t think I have any significant conflicts of interest.”
Prof Ewan Birney: No conflict of interest.
Dr Alena Pance: No conflicts.
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
The Government has launched a consultation on a new approach to Land Use empowering decision makers with the toolkit to protect the most productive agricultural land and boost food security.
New sophisticated data on how land is used will underpin the Government’s Plan for Change, supporting economic growth through building 1.5 million homes and delivering critical infrastructure, securing clean power, protecting farmland and restoring the natural world.
The consultation will seek views from farmers, landowners, businesses and nature groups across the length and breadth of the country.
The Government is today (Friday 31 January) launching a consultation on a new strategic approach to managing land use in England to give decision makers the data they need to protect our most productive agricultural land, boosting Britain’s food security in a time of global uncertainty and a changing climate.
This will support the Government’s missions under the Plan for Change, including delivering new housebuilding, energy infrastructure and new towns.
Using the most sophisticated land use data ever published, the Land Use Framework will provide the principles, advanced data and tools to support decision-making by local government, landowners, businesses, farmers, and nature groups to make the most of our land. This will help deliver the different objectives we have for England’s finite land, including growing food, building 1.5 million homes this parliament, and restoring nature.
As part of a national conversation, there will be workshops across the country, bringing farmers and landowners to the table, to put the insights of the people who manage our landscapes at the centre of our work to develop a final Land Use Framework.
Protecting UK food security and pursuing our mission for economic growth go hand-in-hand – with the highest quality agricultural land already protected for food production whilst kickstarting the economy by building new housing and rolling out renewable energy to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
Local planning will benefit from data outlined in the Land Use Framework, combined with the energy and housing spatial plans and a new food strategy. This will ensure we build 1.5 million new homes over five years, a generation of new towns, and the energy infrastructure needed to achieve Clean Power by 2030, while protecting food security and our natural world.
Speaking at the launch at the Royal Geographical Society, the Secretary of State for the Environment Steve Reed will set out how we will protect farmland and unlock growth.
He is expected to say:
Today is the start of a national conversation to transform how we use land in this country. It’s time for policy to leave the chambers of Westminster and reflect the actual lived experiences of farmers, landowners and planners on the ground.
Using the most sophisticated land use data ever published, we will transform how we use our land to deliver on our Plan for Change. That means enabling the protection of prime agricultural land, restore our natural world and drive economic growth.
This framework will not tell people what to do.
It is about working together to pool our knowledge and resources, to give local and national government, landowners, businesses, farmers and nature groups the data and tools they need to take informed actions that are best for them, best for the land, and best for the country.
Speaking about farmland, he will go on to say:
This Government has a cast-iron commitment to maintain long-term food production.
The primary purpose of farming will always be to produce food that feeds the nation.
This framework will give decision makers the toolkit they need to protect our highest quality agricultural land.
This vision for land is one in which we guarantee our long-term food security and future-proof our farm businesses, support new housebuilding and energy infrastructure, and reduce conflicts that hold up development by creating land with multiple benefits – supporting economic growth on the limited land we have available.
The Framework will help farm businesses to maximise the potential of multiple uses of land, supporting long-term food production capacity and unlocking opportunities for businesses to drive private finance into the sector. It will support the need to incentivise multi-functional land use that includes food production.
We will also consult on how data can be used in some planning decisions to improve the resilience of our food system to flooding risk.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said:
Today marks an important step forward in our journey to build the 1.5 million new homes that we desperately need.
This new approach will make better use of our land and grasp the opportunities to deliver new homes and infrastructure in the areas most in need, achieving win-win results for both development and the environment.
Our Plan for Change is going even further to dismantle the barriers holding back growth, so we can raise living standards, get more families onto the property ladder, and deliver a better future for our children and grandchildren.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
The biggest threat to nature and food security is the climate crisis, which threatens our best farmland, food production and the livelihoods of farmers.
As we deliver our mission for the UK to become a clean energy superpower as part of the Plan for Change, we will ensure a proper balance between food security, nature preservation and clean energy.
We can roll out renewables in a way that is both positive for our energy security and our environment.
Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission said:
With so many of the government’s missions reliant on good land use decisions, Steve Reed’s announcement today could not be more timely. Setting out clear principles, and working across government departments, we’re pleased to see that the land use consultation focuses on mechanisms for delivery. Our work in Devon and Peterborough and Cambridgeshire proves that farmers and land managers, communities, local authorities, green groups and businesses are keen to work together to help shape a Land Use framework.
The next stages of development will involve extensive sector engagement in a collaborative process as we design a final Land Use Framework – informed by the views of landowners, businesses, farmers, and nature groups. This evidence will also feed into the wider reform that we are delivering in the sector through the Farming Roadmap and Food Strategy.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks with the final Land Use Framework published later in the year. This will deliver a key manifesto commitment as part of our Plan for Change.
The Land Use Framework offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance national resilience, drive sustainable economic growth, and position the UK as a global leader in land management. By uniting all stakeholders with a clear, consistent approach, it ensures taxpayer money is spent efficiently — optimising Defra resources, empowering land managers to deliver impactful outcomes, and securing long-term prosperity in the face of growing climate uncertainty.
Lydia Collas, head of natural environment at Green Alliance, said:
With weather extremes having a major impact on harvests, it’s an important step to clearly set out how we’ll secure our food supply, tackle climate change, and restore nature in a Land Use Framework. Reforms to farming policy are at a critical stage, and we need a framework to support evidence-based decisions about how the farming budget is spent. This should help direct farm payments to those that have the biggest part to play in restoring nature, while ensuring we continue to produce high-quality food and don’t export more of the environmental costs of what we eat.
Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley said:
There has never been a more crucial time to invest in domestic woodland creation.
The Land Use Framework will provide principles that promote this and outline the many benefits of woodland creation, including for climate change mitigation, nature recovery, timber production, water quality and quantity, as well as the multiple social benefits.
This will play a key role in meeting statutory tree cover and biodiversity targets as well as helping to address the urgent need for improved timber security.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:
Too often the health of the natural environment, farming and ambitions for the built environment are presented as competing interests, with protecting Nature portrayed as a barrier to development and food security. The fact is though that we can and must do all these things, and by taking a more strategic view of how we use land, we can deliver against government’s stretching legal targets to halt and reverse nature decline, while also enabling the new homes and infrastructure the country needs, including renewable power and reservoirs, while at the same time protecting food security and building resilience to climate change impacts.
The Land Use Framework is a vital step forward, offering opportunities to move beyond tired old binary choices, between housing and greenspace or Nature and food, and onto the more integrated thinking that we must embrace in meeting multiple pressing challenges all at once. This is a key policy that will unlock prospects for the restoration of Nature at larger scale, while at the same time meeting the country’s needs for housing, energy, water and food.
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:
The Land Use Framework is hugely welcome as an important tool for making smarter decisions about how we use our land. It starts a vital national conversation about the scale of change needed over time to meet and reconcile environmental goals for water, climate and nature with food production, housing and development.
For example, by utilising low-grade agricultural land for natural flood management, we can reduce flood risk, enhance biodiversity, and create more sustainable landscapes. This kind of approach will help us meet the challenges of a changing climate while delivering real benefits for communities and the environment.
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:
Land in England is precious. We know that the way we use our little island must change to meet the challenges of the nature and climate crisis. For too long, competing land uses have been left to solve the jigsaw puzzle of England, without a picture on the front of the box to guide them. Ministers have an opportunity to ensure that the right players have all the pieces they need to make more space for nature, alongside sustainable food production and green infrastructure.
The Land Use Framework can help ensure all new development is wilder by design, expanding space for our wildlife to recover, and building nature into the heart of development. The test will be whether the final framework can actually influence the thousands of daily decisions that matter for nature, from big strategic development plans and Local Plans, right down to individual choices from chicken sheds to targeted incentives for nature-friendly farming.
Becky Pullinger, head of land use planning at The Wildlife Trusts, says:
There’s never been a proper plan for managing the competing demands on land and the way that land is given over for development, for biofuels or for food production is haphazard at best.
The only way we’ll tackle climate change, nature loss, health problems and housing shortages is by thinking ahead about what land is used for and how it is used – because we can’t afford to solve one crisis at the expense of another.
Done well, a Land Use Framework could provide a significant reset opportunity to meet all these challenges and deliver wins for nature recovery, the economy, a nature-friendly food supply and green energy.
Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said:
The joined-up approach being taken to create this framework is exactly what’s needed to determine how we make best use of the limited land available in England. Delivering a future that safeguards nature, tackles climate change, ensures food security and resilient farm businesses, and enables sustainable development is the only sensible path. It’s possible to do all of this.
The last year has seen record levels of flooding impacting farmers and land managers across the country, largely due to extreme weather. To tackle this, we must ensure this framework is aligned with the necessary incentives to support the adoption of more nature-friendly and climate resilient practices. This is only the start of what must be a national conversation, but the ambition to reconcile competing pressures and allow strategic decision making on how land is used will benefit everyone.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
A package of support to help the alcohol sector to grow will tomorrow (1 February) take effect.
Draught relief increase worth £85m comes into force tomorrow – cutting 1p duty off draft pints
Increase to small producer relief to help small breweries innovate will support economic growth
Follows announcement of future consultation to improve access to guest beers to support sector growth mission
Draught relief has increased to knock 1p off duty on draught products whilst small producer relief – a measure to encourage craft brewers to innovate – is becoming more generous.
Together these tax cuts are worth £85 million and are tailored to support the alcohol sector to innovate and grow.
The increase to draught relief, first announced at Autumn Budget, will affect around three in five of all alcoholic drinks sold in pubs, and represents the first duty cut on a pint of beer in 10 years.
This is part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change that will rebuild Britain for the future by boosting economic growth.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray said:
Our pubs and brewers are an essential part the fabric of the UK and our brilliant high streets. Through draught relief, small producer relief, and expanding market access for smaller brewers, we will help boost sector growth and deliver our Plan for Change to put more money in working people’s pockets.
Richard Naisby, Chair of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) said:
The Government’s increased investment in Draught Relief means that draught beer sold in our community pubs has a lower rate of alcohol duty than beer sold in supermarkets and should encourage more people to support their local. At the same time by going further on Small Producer Relief, the Government can help small breweries to compete and grow their businesses.
While these support schemes have kick started innovation and enabled small breweries to set up, many breweries struggle to get access to the vital pubs market so they can expand. The Government’s review will examine ways to address these access issues and ensure that landlords can access the beers their customers want and small breweries can grow.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray visited the Queen Edith pub in Cambridge to welcome the incoming tax relief alongside Andy Slee, Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) and Richard Naisby, Chair of SIBA and Founder and Managing Director of the Milton Brewery.
The Minister discussed during his visit in depth various growth measures to help the sector, including an increase in the generosity of small producer relief. This cuts duty for the UK’s smallest, most innovative breweries and cider makers by up to more than 90%, further supporting growth.
James Murray also discussed how the government will consult in the future to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and supporting local economic growth, including through provisions to enable more ‘guest beers’.
Fees charged by the Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme will be reduced in the future and mandatory duty stamps for spirits will come to an end from 1 May 2025. This will help distilleries, including Scotch whisky makers, badge their products, increasing their chances to sell their products through pubs and supermarkets.
As announced at the Autumn Budget, alcohol duty has today also been increased in line with inflation. This helps sure up public finances and helps to fund the investment needed to grow the economy and fund public services.
More information:
Draught relief means alcohol duty on draught products below 8.5% ABV will be cut by 1.7% in cash terms (5.1% compared to the baseline RPI uprating). This is the equivalent of a 1p duty reduction on an average 4.58% pint.
Small producer relief (SPR) is available for products
At the Autumn Budget, the government agreed to achieve parity in SPR discount for draught and non-draught products by increasing the generosity of the relief for non-draught products.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments
The Charity Commission has launched two separate statutory inquiries into SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited.
The two charities were set up to improve the financial efficiency and effectiveness of charities by offering grants, financial services and advice.
The charities have a trustee in common and both have persistently and repeatedly failed to meet their accounting requirements.
SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited were previously placed in the Charity Commission’s double defaulter class inquiry in March 2021. That inquiry investigates charities that have defaulted twice or more over the past 5 years on submitting required accounting information.
The Charity Commission has escalated its engagement with the charities to two separate statutory inquiries due to both charities failing to file accounts on time for financial years ending 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023.
The inquiries will examine the administration, governance, and management of the individual charities including:
the trustees’ compliance with their statutory accounting and reporting responsibilities
whether the charities have appropriate and robust financial controls in place
whether the charities are being managed in accordance with their governing document
whether the charities are operating in accordance with their stated objects and for the public benefit
Additionally, the inquiry into SharedImpact will examine whether the charity has a sufficient number of trustees.
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiries if additional regulatory issues emerge.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.
On 22 March 2021, the Commission placed SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited into the ‘Double Defaulter’ inquiry for charities that are in default of their statutory obligations to meet reporting requirements by failing to file their annual documents (annual returns, reports and accounts) for two or more years in the last five years.
On 13 December 2024, the Charity Commission opened two statutory inquiries into SharedImpact and SharedImpact Foundation (UK) Limited under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011.
A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
01.30.25
Washington, DC – Today U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced the names of the young Alaskans she is nominating to the U.S. Military Service Academies for the class of 2029.
“These young Alaskans have shown exemplary leadership and dedication to their communities, and it is an honor to nominate them to our nation’s military service academies,” said Senator Murkowski. “I extend my congratulations and best wishes to each of them.”
U.S. Military Service Academy nominees are selected based on their academic record, extracurricular activities, and leadership capabilities. Senator Murkowski’s nominees will now compete against other candidates nationwide for a spot in the entering class. Though a congressional nomination to a service academy is an accomplishment within itself, it does not guarantee admission; service academies will make final decisions. The United States Coast Guard Academy does not require congressional nominations.
Two men were arrested today on charges of participating in a neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise that groomed and then coerced minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and images of self-harm. The group allegedly victimized at least 16 minors around the world, including two in Southern California.
Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii, were arrested this morning pursuant to a grand jury indictment that charges them with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. They are expected to make their initial appearances in court later today in New Jersey and Hawaii.
The indictment also charges two other defendants who are already in custody: Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28, of Antibes, France, and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas. The indictment returned by a grand jury on Jan. 17 and unsealed today, also charges Rane and Walker with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to the indictment, from at least 2019 to 2022, Rane, Walker, Merritt, and Borge were members of CVLT (pronounced “cult”), an online group that espoused neo-Nazism, nihilism, and pedophilia as its core principles. Members of the international enterprise engaged in online child sexual exploitation offenses and trafficked CSAM. Rane, Walker, and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators in the CVLT enterprise, hosting and running CVLT online servers and controlling membership for the group.
CVLT members worked collectively to entice and coerce children to self-produce CSAM on a platform run by CVLT members where they groomed children for the eventual production of CSAM through various means of degradation, including exposing the victims to extremist and violent content. CVLT specifically targeted vulnerable victims, including ones suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse.
Victims were encouraged to engage in increasingly dehumanizing acts, including cutting and eating their own hair, drinking their urine, punching themselves, calling themselves racial slurs, and using razor blades to carve CVLT members’ names into their skin. CVLT members’ coercion escalated to pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream.
When victims hesitated, resisted, or threatened to tell parents or authorities, CVLT members would threaten to distribute already-obtained compromising photos and videos of the victims to their family and friends. For victims who stopped participating in the CSAM, CVLT would sometimes carry through on their threats.
Rane previously was charged with several child exploitation and related offenses in France and has been in French custody since 2022. Merritt is currently in Virginia state custody, serving a 50-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes committed in 2020 and 2021.
If convicted, the defendants would face a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Los Angeles Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia), Iowa State University Police, Police Nationale (France), the National Crime Agency (United Kingdom), the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, and EUROPOL are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catharine A. Richmond for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two men were arrested today on charges of participating in a neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise that groomed and then coerced minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and images of self-harm. The group allegedly victimized at least 16 minors around the world, including two in Southern California.
Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii, were arrested this morning pursuant to a grand jury indictment that charges them with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. They are expected to make their initial appearances in court later today in New Jersey and Hawaii.
The indictment also charges two other defendants who are already in custody: Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28, of Antibes, France, and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas. The indictment returned by a grand jury on Jan. 17 and unsealed today, also charges Rane and Walker with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to the indictment, from at least 2019 to 2022, Rane, Walker, Merritt, and Borge were members of CVLT (pronounced “cult”), an online group that espoused neo-Nazism, nihilism, and pedophilia as its core principles. Members of the international enterprise engaged in online child sexual exploitation offenses and trafficked CSAM. Rane, Walker, and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators in the CVLT enterprise, hosting and running CVLT online servers and controlling membership for the group.
CVLT members worked collectively to entice and coerce children to self-produce CSAM on a platform run by CVLT members where they groomed children for the eventual production of CSAM through various means of degradation, including exposing the victims to extremist and violent content. CVLT specifically targeted vulnerable victims, including ones suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse.
Victims were encouraged to engage in increasingly dehumanizing acts, including cutting and eating their own hair, drinking their urine, punching themselves, calling themselves racial slurs, and using razor blades to carve CVLT members’ names into their skin. CVLT members’ coercion escalated to pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream.
When victims hesitated, resisted, or threatened to tell parents or authorities, CVLT members would threaten to distribute already-obtained compromising photos and videos of the victims to their family and friends. For victims who stopped participating in the CSAM, CVLT would sometimes carry through on their threats.
Rane previously was charged with several child exploitation and related offenses in France and has been in French custody since 2022. Merritt is currently in Virginia state custody, serving a 50-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes committed in 2020 and 2021.
If convicted, the defendants would face a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Los Angeles Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia), Iowa State University Police, Police Nationale (France), the National Crime Agency (United Kingdom), the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, and EUROPOL are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catharine A. Richmond for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Speakers Highlight Pact for Future’s Prioritization of Conflict Prevention, Mediation and Peacebuilding
Amid escalating conflicts, widening geopolitical divisions and deepening climate crisis, the Peacebuilding Commission is “more critical than ever”, said the UN Chief, stressing that the Pact for the Future charts a course to reforming international cooperation by prioritizing prevention, mediation and peacebuilding.
“Now we have the chance to consolidate and expand [the Commission’s] work,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, recognizing its vital advisory role to the Security Council — including in the context of UN mission transitions. He also commended its convening role within the UN and beyond, engaging civil society, the private sector, international and regional organizations and financial institutions.
This year’s Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture offers an opportunity to strengthen the Commission’s role, he said, pointing to his recent report on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, which suggests mobilizing political and financial support for nationally owned peacebuilding and prevention strategies.
On the issue of financing, he said the General Assembly’s approval of assessed contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund marks “an important step”. However, it is still a far cry from the “quantum leap” of $500 million per year that is needed. Emphasizing that “voluntary contributions remain paramount”, he encouraged countries to provide additional support to the Fund. Additionally, given the urgent and expanding needs for peacebuilding support, the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture shall further examine how to ensure the Fund’s predictability, adequacy and sustainability by exploring innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and blended funding models.
“We must never waver in our commitment to pursue, achieve and sustain peace,” he stated, noting that the UN’s peacebuilding architecture — in collaboration with UN country teams — is essential to help “translate aspirations into reality”.
Following the Secretary-General’s opening remarks, the Commission adopted the body’s report on its eighteenth session, whose final version will be transmitted to the General Assembly and the Security Council for their respective annual consideration.
Election of Officers for Nineteenth Session
The Commission also elected officers for its nineteenth session by acclamation, including Germany as Chair and Japan, Poland, Brazil and Morocco as Vice-Chairs. Further, it re-elected the following countries to chair the Commission’s country-specific configurations: Morocco, for the Central African Republic; Brazil, for Guinea-Bissau; and Sweden, for Liberia.
Outgoing Commission Chair Highlights 2024 Efforts to Address Peacebuilding Challenges
As outgoing Chair of the Commission’s eighteenth session, the representative of Brazil noted the Commission’s “robust” mandate as a platform for countries seeking assistance for their peacebuilding and conflict-prevention priorities. “Through the [Commission], political, technical and financial support can be mobilized, and real impact on the ground can be achieved,” he said. In that context, he highlighted that the body’s work in 2024 focused on exploring “concrete peacebuilding challenges” and showcasing “what has worked, lessons learned, frustrations and challenges different countries face”.
He added that, during 2024, the Commission also engaged in preparation for the 2025 peacebuilding architecture review. Expressing hope that Member States see such review “as an opportunity that should not be missed”, he urged better synergy between the Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund. “We should also explore ways to provide adequate institutional support to the [Commission] at all levels,” he said, expressing hope that the Trusteeship Council room may one day be renamed the Peacebuilding Council room.
Pointing out that the Security Council’s permanent members are also permanent Commission members, he expressed hope that those States will participate more in Commission meetings in the future. “With great power comes great responsibility,” he observed.
Incoming Commission Chair Cites Strong Focus in 2025 on National Ownership, Closer Relationship with Peacebuilding Fund and Improving Impact
The representative of Germany, Chair of the Commission’s nineteenth session, noted her intention to continue supporting a strong emphasis on national ownership, the body’s convening power and its “unique bridging role” across the pillars of the United Nations. Also pointing to opportunities to improve the Commission’s coherence and efficacy, she said that she will ensure follow-up with countries after a Commission meeting, work on a closer relationship between the Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund, and make the Fund’s work more visible — “especially with a view to the first-time-ever use of assessed contributions”.
She also detailed her hope to strengthen evidence-based discussion and peer-to-peer learning and consider the question of peacebuilding impact — “to ensure that the work we do here in New York has an impact on people’s lives on the ground”. Work will also be done to build on previous efforts to foster the Commission’s relationship with regional organizations, strengthen coherence within the UN and enhance cooperation with international financial institutions. She added that a close, meaningful exchange with other UN bodies is “key”.
Assistant Secretary-General Says Commission Uniquely Positioned to Offer Platform for Member States
The Assistant Secretary-General of the Peacebuilding Commission said that, in the current context of the proliferation of conflict and violence worldwide, the Commission is “uniquely positioned” to offer a platform for Member States that wish to come to it. She added that 2025 presents new opportunities to strengthen the Commission’s role, including by accompanying countries’ peacebuilding journey.
Incoming Vice Commission Chairs and Chairs of Country-Specific Configurations Share Perspectives
Incoming Vice Chairs for the nineteenth session echoed that sentiment, with the representative of Poland saying 2025 “presents itself as a truly unique and exceptional year”. The Pact for the Future, adopted in 2024, must be made to work “in the best possible way”, he said, particularly in the context of strengthening peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
Morocco’s speaker stressed that the Commission should expand its geographic and thematic scope while upholding the principle of national ownership. Underscoring the need to optimize the Commission’s collaboration with the Council and other UN organs, he called for a comprehensive approach towards sustaining peace by leveraging and utilizing each body’s unique characteristics in a mutually complementary manner.
The representative of Morocco said he will work to promote reconciliation, post-conflict reconstruction, development and inclusive peace processes. As Chair of the Commission’s country-specific configuration for the Central African Republic, he will continue to work to mobilize the necessary resources for organizing upcoming local elections in that country — a “crucial stage for strengthening local governance and legitimacy of the authorities”.
Brazil’s delegate stated: “Our region faces its own peacebuilding and conflict prevention challenges [while] developing solutions.” Noting his country’s readiness to share lessons learned, he said “this exchange is most useful in our common task as peacebuilders”.
The representative of Sweden, Chair of the Commission’s country-specific configuration for Liberia, said that Liberia has made “remarkable gains over the years”. Peaceful elections held in 2023 and the orderly transfer of power in 2024 “were true milestones”, he stressed, noting that the configuration’s focus for 2025 will be consolidating long-term peacebuilding gains in the country. Liberia, he added, “has important experiences and lessons learned” to share with the Commission, including sustaining peace, inclusive development and reconciliation.
Commission Members Stress Need to Invest in Addressing Root Causes of Conflict and Violence
In the ensuing discussion, Commission members underscored the need to invest in addressing the root causes of conflict and violence, adding that the Pact for the Future has gained recognition for conflict prevention as a universally shared responsibility.
“2025 will be a crucial year for peacebuilding,” said the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer. The Council has demonstrated overwhelming support for this agenda by holding two open debates on conflict prevention. “We have collectively recognized that elaborating national prevention strategies, anchored in national ownership, should be an aspiration for all countries,” he stressed. The peacebuilding architecture review is “an opportunity to consolidate these gains” and to further strengthen the Commission as “an institution that can act as a bridge at the UN”, he continued. As the Commission’s biggest donors, the bloc and its member States have matched this political commitment with funding support.
Spotlighting the Commission’s “significant achievements”, Australia’s delegate said it expanded its regional engagement, provided input into the review and facilitated the revised terms of reference for peacebuilding funding. Underlining the need to strengthen the Commission’s engagement with his region, he said it should encourage Member States to present their peacebuilding priorities.
“Although, at times, we may have had divergent views on how peacebuilding should be conducted, we continue to agree on the foundational principles of peacebuilding,” said his counterpart from South Africa. Namely, that it should be nationally owned and led, context-specific and adaptable, and that more can be done to support peacebuilding in post-conflict contexts.
“It is high time to match the ambitions with the capacities,” said Egypt’s delegate, underscoring the need to expand resources and guarantee the Commission’s more structured cooperation with the Council.
Colombia’s representative, noting that the Commission regularly invites her delegation to share his country’s “experience of peace”, said that doing so helps States “better elucidate a horizon of peace in other places”. The legitimacy of the UN and the future of multilateralism “depend on our capacity to tackle complex crises, contribute to peace and security and ensure a better life for our peoples”, she asserted.
The speaker for Bangladesh, noting that the Commission has “always” based its work on national ownership, said that the body should continue supporting local needs and national priorities “by bringing all stakeholders into the discussion”. Further, the Commission should strengthen its advisory role to facilitate the smooth transition of peacekeeping operations, leading to long-lasting peace.
For his part, the Russian Federation’s representative said that the upcoming peacebuilding-architecture review “should not reinvent the wheel but, rather, use existing mechanisms”. He also stressed that the Commission must not focus solely on conflict prevention, losing sight of countries affected by conflict and post-conflict countries. “It is them that need the political and financial support so that crises don’t return,” he said. Also emphasizing the need to avoid duplication of work, he observed: “The strong suit of the UN system is the principle of division of labour between its main organs.”
Tel-Aviv, Israel, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EllomayCapital Ltd. (NYSE American; TASE: ELLO) (“Ellomay” or the “Company”), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe, Israel and the USA, today announced that at the extraordinary general meeting of the Company’s shareholders, held on January 30, 2025 (the “EGM”), the Company’s shareholders approved the terms of service and compensation of Mr. Ben Sheizaf, the Company’s Chairman of the Board.
For more information, please see the Company’s Notice and Proxy Statement relating to the EGM, submitted on Form 6-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 2024.
AboutEllomayCapital Ltd.
Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are registered with the NYSE American and with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ELLO”. Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe, USA and Israel.
To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Texas, USA, including:
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Approximately 353.9 MW of operating solar power plants in Spain (including a 300 MW solar plant in owned by Talasol, which is 51% owned by the Company) and approximately 38 MW of operating solar power plants in Italy;
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9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel’s largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel’s total current electricity consumption;
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Groen Gas Goor B.V., Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V. and Groen Gas Gelderland B.V., project companies operating anaerobic digestion plants in the Netherlands, with a green gas production capacity of approximately 3 million, 3.8 million and 9.5 million Nm3 per year, respectively;
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83.333% of Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., which is involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel;
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Solar projects in Italy with an aggregate capacity of 195 MW that have reached “ready to build” status; and
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Solar projects in the Dallas Metropolitan area, Texas, USA with an aggregate capacity of 49 MW that are under construction.
Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements, including changes in electricity prices and demand, regulatory changes increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of the Company’s facilities (such as waste and natural gas) and in the price of oil, the impact of the war and hostilities in Israel and Gaza, the impact of the continued military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by the Company and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The American Diabetes Association recognizes UConn Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program for offering high-quality education for patient self-care and support services.
Luriza Glynn, nurse practitioner and UConn Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program cooridnator (right), speaks with a patient about her insulin pump. (2019 file photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
The recertification under ADA’s Education Recognition Program is in recognition of the educational services at UConn Health meeting the ADA’s national standards for diabetes self-management education programs.
“This recognition is a testimony of the dedication to clinical excellence and in patient-centered delivery of care,” says Dr. Francisco Celi, endocrinologist and chair of the UConn School of Medicine’s Department of Medicine. “Our diabetes educators provide an invaluable contribution to the care of our patients, enabling to develop a truly personalized holistic care plan which include lifestyle modifications, dietary education, and effective use of the medications. Very often our diabetes educators uncover unrecognized barriers which prevent the optimal management of diabetes. By addressing these challenges we can be more effective in treating patients living with diabetes.”
Dr. Parvathy Madhavan, one of UConn Health’s endocrinologists who specializes in diabetes, meets with a patient. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo)
ADA-recognized programs provide evidence-based and outcome-driven intervention and ensure a staff of knowledgeable health professionals will teach participants self-care skills that will promote better management of their diabetes treatment regimen, covering the following topics:
Diabetes disease process
Nutritional management
Physical activity
Medications
Monitoring
Preventing, detecting, and treating acute complications
Preventing, detecting, and treating chronic complications through risk reduction
Goal setting and problem solving
Psychological adjustment
Preconception care, management during pregnancy, and gestational management
Dr. Pooja Luthra specializes in diabetes and metabolism, endocrine neoplasia, endocrinology, and osteoporosis at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)
“Empowering lives, one step at a time,” says Dr. Pooja Luthra, endocrinologist and physician lead of UConn Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program. “We are proud to be recognized by the American Diabetes Association for our commitment to excellence in diabetes education. Together, we make a difference.”
UConn Health’s program has earned this distinction continuously since its first ADA recognition in 2000.
“For 25 years, UConn Health’s ADA-recognized diabetes education program has been a cornerstone of support, guidance, and empowerment for individuals managing diabetes,” says Luriza Glynn, nurse practitioner and program coordinator. “This milestone reflects UConn Health’s unwavering commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based education that improves lives. As we celebrate this achievement, we honor the dedication of our educators, the resilience of our patients, and the continued innovation that drives us forward. Here’s to 25 years of impact and many more to come!”
Many of those who care for people with diabetes at UConn Health during Diabetes Awareness Month November 2023 (Photo provided by Luriza Glynn)
Barbara Eichorst, the ADA’s vice president of health programs, says, “Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) is an essential part of managing diabetes and is as effective as diabetes medication. Therefore, all people with diabetes benefit from it. We applaud UConn Health’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program for its commitment to providing value-based interventions such as DSMES, maximizing corresponding outcomes, and patient experience.”
“This is a major accomplishment and the standards required by the American Diabetes Association are high,” says Anne Horbatuck, chief operating officer of the UConn Medical Group and vice president for ambulatory operations. “This honor demonstrates the quality, dedication, and hard work by the leaders, Dr. Pooja Luthra and Luriza Glynn, APRN, diabetes education coordinator, and the whole team. This program has had huge success improving patient outcomes and providing education to our patients to better manage their diabetes and improve their overall health.”
Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release 30 January 2025 at 22:30 EET
Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 30.01.2025
Espoo, Finland – On 30 January 2025 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows:
Trading venue (MIC Code)
Number of shares
Weighted average price / share, EUR*
XHEL
872,093
4.53
CEUX
–
–
BATE
–
–
AQEU
–
–
TQEX
–
–
Total
872,093
4.53
* Rounded to two decimals
On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million.
Total cost of transactions executed on 30 January 2025 was EUR 3,950,494. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 235,158,898 treasury shares.
Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement.
On behalf of Nokia Corporation
BofA Securities Europe SA
About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.
As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.
With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.
Inquiries:
Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications
The dynamic new digital platform Buzzly, created to engage youth in civics and developed by Auckland Council just four months ago, has won at the World Summit Awards 2024 for Digital Innovation with Social Impact.
Buzzly was recognised as one of the best digital impact solutions in the Government & Citizen Engagement category. Chosen from more than 400 solutions worldwide, Buzzly wowed judges by demonstrating how innovation can tackle societal challenges and contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The platform was developed to bridge a gap in civic engagement and policy-making involving young people, particularly Māori and Pasifika. It targets the voice of youth and establishes an inclusive space for rangatahi to share ideas using creative challenges, rewarding participation and ensuring youth insights are heard and valued by decision-makers.
World Summit Awards’ national expert for New Zealand, Frances Valintine is thrilled for Buzzly.
“This recognition is a testament to your vision and determination, and we are so pleased you are representing Aotearoa New Zealand on the global stage,” says Ms Valintine.
“Your hard work and dedication to empowering youth voices is truly inspiring, and we’re confident that you will make a significant impact for youth involvement in important matters.”
Auckland Council’s Governance and Engagement General Manager, Lou-Ann Ballantyne says, “Gaining youth engagement is no easy feat and this achievement so far demonstrates how the Buzzly platform is really able to move and shake things up in this space.”
And General Manager Group Strategy, Transformation and Partnerships, Anna Bray is proud of the team.
“Thanks to funding from council’s The Southern Initiative, Buzzly has come a long way since upgrading from ‘Up South’, a platform initially designed to engage Māori and Pasifika rangatahi of South Auckland. I look forward to seeing what else it can do,” says Ms Bray.
The Buzzly team is now getting ready to take on a major mission – improving youth participation in Auckland’s Elections 2025.
With Auckland’s elections planning well underway, it is hoped Buzzly will be the “cavalry” to ramp up youth participation in this year’s elections. In 2022, of the 1.1 million Aucklanders registered to vote, only 26 per cent of those aged 18-25 voted.
The platform’s first ever elections challenge asks participants to consider, “What’s the council done for me?”, and encourages potential entrants to do their homework by asking, “What do you love about Auckland, and how’s the council involved?” as well as “How could the council make Auckland a city that slays?”
Platform users can respond to the challenge by producing content with a call to action for their peers in whatever medium they choose, and the best outputs are awarded prizes.
The purpose of the challenge is to show rangatahi, who are among Tāmaki Makaurau’s harder-to-reach audiences, how the decisions made by local government impact their daily lives – giving them reason to engage.
The What does Auckland Council do for you? challenge is live 3 February – 9 March 2025 with $200 prizes up for grabs – get all the buzz here.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joycelyn Wilson, Assistant Professor of Ethnographic and Cultural Studies , Georgia Institute of Technology
Producers Fast Eddie and Joe Smooth mix at DJ International Studios in Chicago in 1990. Innovation was at the forefront of house and hip-hop.Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
There was a time when artists representing two of America’s biggest homegrown musical genres wouldn’t get a look in at the Grammys.
Hip-hop and house both have their origins in the 1970s and early 1980s – in fact, they recently celebrated a 50th and 40th birthday, respectively. But it was only in 1989 that an award category for “best rap performance” started recognizing hip-hop’s contribution to U.S. music, and house had to wait another decade, with the introduction of “best dance/electronic recording” in 1998.
At this year’s awards, taking place on Feb. 2, hip-hop and house artists will be among the most talked about. House duo Justice and Kendrick Lamar, a hip-hop superstar who incorporates elements of house himself, are among those looking to pick up an award. Meanwhile, a nomination for a collaboration between DJ Kaytranada and rapper Childish Gambino shows how artists from both genres continue to feed off each other.
And while both genres are now celebrated for their separate contributions to the music landscape, as a scholar of African American culture and music, I am interested in their commonality: Both are distinctly Black American artforms that originated on the streets and dance floors of U.S. cities, developing a devoted underground following before being accepted by – and transforming – the mainstream.
The pulse of the 1970s
The roots of hip-hop and house music both lie in the seismic shifts of the late 1970s, a period of sociopolitical unrest and electronic experimentation that redefined the possibilities of sound.
For hip-hop, this was expressed through the turntable manipulation pioneered by DJ Kool Herc in 1973, when he extended and looped breakbeats to energize crowds. House music’s innovators turned to the drum machine to create the genre’s foundational four-on-the-floor dance rhythm.
That rhythm, foreshadowed by Eddy Grant’s 1977 production of “Time Warp” by The Coachouse Rhythm Section, would go on to shape house music’s distinct pulse. The track showed how electronic instruments such as the synthesizer and drum machine could recast traditional rhythmic patterns into something entirely new.
This dance vibe – in which a base drum provides a steady four-four beat – became the heartbeat of house music, creating an enduring structure for DJs to layer basslines, percussion and melodies. In a similar way, Kool Herc’s breakbeat manipulation provided the scaffolding for MCs and dancers in hip-hop’s formative years.
Marginalized communities in urban centers like Chicago and New York were at the forefront of these innovations. Despite experiencing grinding poverty and discrimination, it was Black and Latino youth – armed with turntables, drum machines and samplers – who made these groundbreaking advances in music.
For hip-hop, this meant manipulating breakbeats from songs like Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express” and “Numbers” to energize b-boys and b-girls; for house, it meant extending disco’s rhythmic pulse into an ecstatic, inclusive dance floor. Both genres exemplified – and continue to exemplify – the ingenuity of predominantly Black and Hispanic communities who turned limited resources into cultural revolutions.
From this shared origin of technological experimentation, cultural resilience and creative ingenuity, hip-hop and house music grew into distinct yet globally influential movements.
The message and the MIDI
By the early 1980s, both genres had found their feet.
Hip-hop emerged as a powerful voice for storytelling, resistance and identity. Building on the foundations laid down by DJ Kool Herc, artists like Afrika Bambaataa emphasized hip-hop’s cultural and communal aspects. Meanwhile, Grandmaster Flash elevated the genre’s technical artistry with innovations like cutting and scratching.
By 1984, hip-hop had evolved from its grassroots beginnings in the Bronx into a cultural movement on the cusp of mainstream recognition. Run-DMC’s self-titled debut album released that year introduced a harder, stripped-down sound that departed from disco-influenced beats. Their music, paired with the trio’s Adidas tracksuits and gold chains, established an aesthetic that resonated far beyond New York City. Music videos on MTV gave hip-hop a new medium for storytelling, while films like “Beat Street” and “Breakin’” showcased the features and tenets of hip-hop culture: DJing, rapping, graffiti, breaking and knowledge of self – cementing its cultural presence, and presenting it to a world outside the U.S.
But at its core, hip-hop remained a voice for the voiceless that sought to address systemic inequities through storytelling. Tracks like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” vividly depicted the reality of living in poor, urban communities, while Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” and Tupac Shakur’s “Keep Ya Head Up” became anthems for social justice.
Together these artists positioned hip-hop as a platform for resistance and empowerment.
Becoming a cultural force
Unlike hip-hop’s lyrical storytelling, house music focused on the physicality of rhythm and the collective experience of the dance floor. And as hip-hop moved away from disco, house leaned into it.
Italy’s “father of disco,” Giorgio Moroder, showed the way with his pioneering use of synthesizers in Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” Over in New York, Larry Levan’s DJ sets at Paradise Garage demonstrated how electronic instruments could create immersive, emotionally charged experiences as a club that centered crowd participation through dance and not lyrics.
By 1984, Chicago DJs Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy were repurposing disco tracks with drum machines like the Roland TR-808 and 909 to create hypnotic beats. Knuckles, known as the “Godfather of House,” transformed his sets at the Warehouse club into euphoric experiences, giving the genre its name in the process.
As with hip-hop, by the the mid-1980s house music had become a cultural force, spreading from Chicago to Detroit, to New York and, eventually, to the U.K.’s rave scene. Its emphasis on repetition, rhythm and electronic instrumentation solidified its global appeal, uniting people across identities and geographies.
Mainstays in modern music
Despite their differences, moments of crossover highlight their shared DNA.
From the late 1980s, tracks like Fast Eddie’s “Yo Yo Get Funky” and the Jungle Brothers’ “I’ll House You” merged house beats with hip-hop’s lyrical flow. Artists like Kaytranada and Doechii continue to blend the two genres today, staying true to the genres’ legacies while pushing their boundaries.
And technology continues to drive both genres. Platforms like SoundCloud have democratized music production, allowing emerging artists to build on the decades of innovations that preceded them. Collaborations, such as Disclosure and Charli XCX’s “She’s Gone, Dance On,” highlight their adaptability and enduring appeal.
Whether through hip-hop’s lyrical narratives or house’s rhythmic euphoria, these genres continue to inspire, challenge and transcend.
As the 2025 Grammy Awards celebrate today’s leading house and hip-hop artists and their contemporary achievements, it is clear that the legacies of these two genres are mainstays in the kaleidoscope of American popular music and culture, having come a long way from back-to-school park jams and underground dance parties.
Joycelyn Wilson is affiliated with the Recording Academy.
Statements made by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson (Paris – January 30, 2025)
France expresses its deep sadness following the collision between a passenger plane and a U.S. Army helicopter just outside of Washington, DC, on the night of January 29. The crash left several dozen dead.
France offers its heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones, and expresses its solidarity with the American people and authorities.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the opening of the ambassadorial-level formal meeting on the annual report and election of officers of the Peacebuilding Commission, in New York today:
It is a pleasure to be here with you today. I wish to start by congratulating the Member States that have recently been elected to the Peacebuilding Commission. I also congratulate Brazil for leading the Peacebuilding Commission during its eighteenth session and welcome Germany’s candidacy for the chair of the nineteenth session.
Our world is in trouble. We see spreading conflicts and widening geopolitical divisions. We face a deepening climate crisis and widening inequalities. We are confronting the proliferation of weapons and the spread of disinformation. All of this and more makes the work of the Peacebuilding Commission more critical than ever.
I want to salute the Commission for its vital advisory role to the Security Council, including in the context of UN mission transitions. I also recognize your important convening role within the UN and beyond — engaging civil society, the private sector, international and regional organizations, and financial institutions.
Now we have the chance to consolidate and expand that work. The Pact for the Future charts a course to reforming international cooperation — including by prioritizing prevention, mediation and peacebuilding. It seeks to break siloes by advancing coordination with regional organizations, developing innovative approaches and fostering the full participation of women, youth and marginalized groups in peace processes. And fundamentally, the Pact calls for strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission.
This year’s Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture offers an opportunity to further advance these efforts and strengthen the role of the Peacebuilding Commission — namely its relationship with the Security Council.
My recent report on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace lays out concrete suggestions around inflection points where the Commission can help catalyse national efforts. This includes working to fully empower the Commission to mobilize political and financial support for nationally owned peacebuilding and prevention strategies.
As the review unfolds, I encourage the Commission to draw on its rich experience to guide deliberations at the General Assembly and Security Council — with actionable recommendations towards strengthening the peacebuilding architecture and transforming people’s lives.
This brings me to a vital issue: financing. The General Assembly’s approval of assessed contributions to the Peacebuilding Fund marks an important step. But, it is still a far cry from the “quantum leap” of $500 million per year that is needed. As many Member States have highlighted, voluntary contributions remain paramount — and I encourage countries to provide additional support to the Fund.
Given the urgent and expanding needs for peacebuilding support, I trust that the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture will further examine how to ensure the predictability, adequacy and sustainability of the Fund — including by exploring innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and blended funding models.
We must never waver in our commitment to pursue, achieve and sustain peace.
The Peacebuilding architecture — consisting of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund — working together with UN country teams, are essential tools to help translate aspirations into reality.
I look forward to continuing to work with you all to strengthen our peacebuilding architecture and help build a world of peace and prosperity for all largely thanks to your precious intervention.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Camellia Bryan, Assistant Professor, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Division, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia
In the corporate world, DEI programs aimed at addressing systemic barriers that have historically disadvantaged marginalized groups are facing growing resistance, with backlash becoming increasingly visible in workplaces and in public discourse.
High-profile companies like Amazon, Meta, McDonalds and Target have been cancelling their DEI programs since last year. Although others, like Costco and Apple, have said they’re retaining theirs.
The backlash against DEI isn’t just about individuals rejecting change; it reveals deeper tensions in how people see themselves and their place in society.
Backlash often emerges from employees who belong to dominant social identity groups that hold disproportionate access to power and resources. Examples include white people in North America, men in patriarchal societies or heterosexual individuals in hetero-normative cultures.
For these employees, DEI initiatives can sometimes feel threatening. Why? Because such efforts highlight inequalities and challenge assumptions about fairness, merit and the status quo. When someone identifies strongly with their group — whether as a white person, a man or a member of another dominant identity — they may see DEI initiatives as attacks on their assumptions. This discomfort is known as social identity threat.
For instance, when a company introduces a gender equity policy aimed at addressing women’s under-representation in leadership, some men might perceive this as unfair. Their response — whether it’s skepticism, defensiveness or outright resistance — reflects a defensive reaction to that threat.
Beyond defensiveness: A path to learning
Traditional approaches to managing DEI backlash often focus on mitigating threat: providing reassurance, avoiding confrontation or encouraging self-affirmation (“DEI isn’t about you; it’s about everyone”). Yet these approaches miss an important point: social identity threat doesn’t have to result in defensiveness or backlash. It can also inspire reflection, learning and growth.
Our research draws on transformational learning theory, which explains how adults change their understanding of the world in response to disorienting experiences.
According to this theory, when people encounter information that challenges their assumptions, they can engage in a process of deep reflection. By questioning their beliefs and seeking out new perspectives, individuals can develop more accurate, inclusive interpretations of themselves and others.
Consider the story of Caolan Robertson, a former alt-right filmmaker in the United Kingdom.
For years, Robertson worked with extremist figures to produce anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim content that garnered millions of views online. Then, in 2019, Robertson saw media coverage of mosque shootings, where 51 people were killed by a white supremacist. The tragedy rattled him.
In Robertson’s own words, the event forced him to confront his assumptions about white identity and how it can be involved in violence and extremism. What began as an overwhelming sense of disorientation turned into a period of deep reflection. Robertson eventually rejected his old beliefs, began speaking out against extremism, and co-founded an organization to help others de-radicalize.
Similar learning occurs on smaller scales in workplaces every day. For example, a male manager who initially feels threatened by gender equity policies might, over time, come to recognize the barriers women face at work and become an advocate for change. Or a white employee who feels uncomfortable during discussions about racism might come to see how privilege has shaped their experiences.
Creating conditions for growth
So how can organizations turn social identity threat into an opportunity for learning rather than backlash? We propose three strategies:
1. Foster a “learning-oriented” DEI climate
Organizations must shift how they frame DEI initiatives. Instead of treating these efforts as compliance-driven checkboxes, companies should position DEI as a chance for employees to learn, grow and contribute to a more inclusive workplace. A strong diversity climate — where differences are valued, and conversations about identity are encouraged — creates a safe space for reflection. Our research shows that when employees feel that diversity is part of their organization’s mission, they’re more likely to approach identity threats as a learning opportunity.
2. Encourage dialogue across perspectives
One of the most effective ways to challenge harmful assumptions is through dialogue across perspectives — open conversations where employees with different lived experiences share their perspectives and provide feedback. This kind of dialogue requires psychological safety: employees need to feel secure enough to express their views, even when those views are incomplete or flawed. Importantly, these conversations don’t always have to occur between dominant and marginalized group members. Dialogue with other dominant-group colleagues who have already reflected on their identities can also provide valuable insights.
3. Support incremental progress
Transformational learning doesn’t happen overnight. Employees may initially engage in surface-level reflection, revising specific assumptions without challenging deeper systems of inequality. Over time, they may progress to deep-level reflection, critically analyzing the foundational beliefs that shape their identity. Organizations can support this incremental progress by recognizing small steps and encouraging continued learning.
Discomfort: A powerful motivator for change
The backlash to DEI efforts is often framed as evidence that the initiative is failing, but it can also be understood as a natural part of the learning process.
Social identity threat is uncomfortable, but it can serve as a powerful motivator for change when organizations provide the right tools and support.
Companies that ignore backlash risk deepening resistance and undermining their DEI goals. However, organizations that embrace discomfort as an opportunity for growth can transform their workplaces into spaces where employees are not only more inclusive but also more reflective, empathetic and engaged.
Backlash isn’t the end of the story — it’s the beginning of a conversation.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon held its sixteenth informal meeting with States. Committee Experts discussed the Committee’s draft general comment on realising children’s rights through access to justice and effective remedies, its communication and simplified reporting procedures, and its work on artificial intelligence and on children in armed conflict, among other topics.
Ann Marie Skelton, Committee Chair, opening the meeting, said since the last meeting with States, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was marked in 2024 by many commemorations across the world, highlighting the global dedication to children’s rights. The Committee had not considered it to be a good moment to celebrate children’s rights, which were under much pressure from around the world, including due to gang violence and conflict. However, the Convention demonstrated a common commitment to upholding and advancing the rights of children. States that were in situations of armed conflict still came to the Committee for the dialogues, including during the last year, where difficult but constructive conversations had been held.
Also providing opening statements were Committee Experts Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi, Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Sopio Kiladze and Mikiko Otani.
Finland, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Ukraine, Luxembourg and Pakistan participated in the discussion.
Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be foundhere, while webcasts of the public meetings can be foundhere. The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-eighth session and other documents related to the session can be foundhere.
The Committee will next meet in public on Friday, 31 January, at 5 p.m. to adopt its concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Slovakia, Eritrea, Honduras, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Peru, the Gambia and Ecuador, which were reviewed during the session, and publicly close the ninety-eighth session.
Opening Statements by Committee Experts
ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said since the last meeting with States, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was marked in 2024 by many commemorations across the world, highlighting the global dedication to children’s rights. The Committee had not considered it to be a good moment to celebrate children’s rights, which were under much pressure from around the world, including due to gang violence and conflict. However, the Convention demonstrated a common commitment to upholding and advancing the rights of children. States that were in situations of armed conflict still came to the Committee for the dialogues, including during the last year, where difficult but constructive conversations had been held.
Since the last meeting with States, the status of ratification of and accession to the Convention had not changed; the Convention had been ratified or acceded to by all States except the United States. There had only been one new ratification of one of the Committee’s Optional Protocols during the last year, with Kazakhstan ratifying the Optional Protocol on the communications procedure. Since the last meeting, the Committee had not received any new initial reports under the two substantive Optional Protocols; 36 initial reports were still overdue under the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and 46 were overdue under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
The Committee had reviewed 23 States party reports since the last meeting with States. The cancellation of the pre-sessional working group due to the liquidity crisis had slowed down the backlog of reports, which would be 62 at the end of the session.
In August 2024, the Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to further strengthen the cooperation between the two Committees. In June 2024, a joint statement was issued with that Committee on the situation of children in armed conflict, with a particular focus on education. The Committee also took concrete steps to strengthen its cooperation with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children in Armed Conflict and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, by signing cooperation agreements with their two offices.
Ms. Skelton said the Committee was frustrated at the late announcement and cancellation of the pre-session due to the liquidity crisis. It meant that some States that had been scheduled were unable to attend. Treaty body strengthening had reached a key moment with the adoption of the treaty body resolution in December 2024. The Committee would continue to discuss the possibility of adopting a predictable calendar during 2025. The discontinuance of meetings in hybrid or online format had a negative impact on the participation of civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, and United Nations agencies in the Committee’s work, preventing the Committee from engaging with children around the world. The support of States to ensure the continuation of the meetings would be appreciated.
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert, speaking on inquiries relating to the Optional Protocol on communications, said the Committee would continue with a normal follow-up as described in the Optional Protocol. There had been two investigations, one with a country visit and one which was duly completed, with the report currently being adopted. The Committee had completed two requests to undertake investigations but would not initiate investigations on the requests received.
BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert, said currently 52 States had ratified the Optional Protocol on individual communications, but the rate and level of ratification remained low, and this should be improved. The Committee encouraged States to ratify the Optional Protocol and to provide legal avenues for children to address violations of child rights. Around 259 cases had been registered and 163 decisions had been adopted. When views were adopted, in the majority of cases, the Committee found a violation of children’s rights, but there were numerous cases where a positive solution had been found for the child. The Committee’s jurisprudence showed how the Convention had contributed to children’s rights, with the climate change case being a notable example.
The Optional Protocol on individual communications had supported more than 100 children to access education, and prevented children from returning to countries where they would suffer serious human rights violations. Challenges were continuing to affect the Optional Protocol, most notably the lack of resources affecting the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Committee would welcome support from States in this regard, particularly by supporting positions of junior professional officers to support the work of the petition section. The Office’s lack of capacity had had an increase on the backlog, which was becoming increasingly worrying.
The Committee was currently working on a general observation, focusing on the rights of the child to have access to the justice system and effective legal recourse. Broad consultations had been conducted in 2024, and more than 300 contributions had been received from across the globe. More than 100 consultations had been held, including many with children, which had led to the implementation of a report. A first draft had been compiled and subjected to discussions within the Committee, and the Committee had launched a new round of consultations on the text, which would then be adopted in a plenary system.
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert, said the explosion of artificial intelligence had created a wide range of opportunities for children, but it also created significant challenges to children’s rights, including safety. Last year the Committee had decided to focus its work on children and artificial intelligence to allow the Committee to support State parties on positive dynamics in artificial intelligence, in line with child rights. For this reason, since last year, the topic of artificial intelligence was addressed during the dialogues with each State party, in different contexts. The Committee had established excellent cooperation with key partners in the artificial intelligence space and had held a closed event in September 2024 for sharing information on child online protection. As a follow-up, a Working Group on artificial intelligence and child rights was recently created. The Committee was also working on a joint statement on artificial intelligence and child rights, which would be the first of its kind. State parties’ contribution to this statement was crucial.
MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert, said the Committee’s biennial report to the General Assembly included a thematic section on children’s rights and armed conflict, which reflected that the reporting period had been marked by a serious violation of children’s rights in conflict settings. Close to half a billion children lived in conflict zones around the world, which was double the number from 1990. During the reporting period, the Committee reviewed reports by several States parties in conflict or post-conflict and made several detailed recommendations concerning children in armed conflict in its concluding observations.
Last year, the Committee participated in the Geneva policy workshop on children in armed conflict. The Committee also decided to take a more holistic response to children in armed conflict during dialogues with States parties, which allowed the Committee to address broader issues of children in armed conflict. As of now, 37 States parties to the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict had overdue initial reports. The Committee had decided to use the simplified reporting procedure to encourage the submission of overdue reports by States parties.
Ms. Skelton said five Committee members would soon be leaving the Committee, including Mikiko Otani, Luis Ernesto Pedernera Reyna, Velina Todorova, Zara Ratou and herself.
Statements and Questions by States Parties
In the ensuing discussion, speakers representing States parties said they appreciated the opportunity to engage with the Committee and reiterated their support to the Convention and the treaty bodies. It was regretful that there were no more ratifications on the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure. The Committee’s support to implementing the Convention was highly appreciated, and the efforts of the Committee in contributing to the enhancement of children’s rights was commended. One speaker particularly commended the Committee’s commitment to protecting children in the online environment.
The situation of children in armed conflict was extremely worrying, and the Committee’s efforts to strengthen the protection of these children were welcomed. Speakers wished every success to those Committee members who were ending their mandate. Some speakers noted that hybrid meetings were an important tool for the participation of civil society, children and those from least developed countries.
Questions asked in the discussion included: whether the Committee was currently applying the position adopted on mid-term follow up and if so, how did it work in practice? Was the Committee engaging with civil society on this procedure? Had the Committee sought ideas to pool resources from other regional bodies affected by the liquidity crisis? How could the Committee be involved in monitoring violations committed against Ukrainian children? Would it be possible to hold a general discussion on the further ratification by States of the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict? The Committee’s insights on how to strengthen the rights of children in Gaza were welcomed.
Responses by Committee Experts
ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said in the agreement signed with the African Committee of Experts, the Committees could consider doing joint follow-up visits in Africa. Both groups were interested in each other’s jurisprudences under each communication procedures and would like the opportunity to learn from each other in this regard. The Committee remained open to any suggestions from Ukraine and said days of engagement could be a possibility. The Committee had been following discussions about the proposal for an open-ended working group dealing with education and did intend to engage in this process.
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert, said the Committee hoped to see progress in the implementation of recommendations made on individual communications. The Committee would issue an A, B or C status on cases, depending on whether recommendations had been met. The issue of the presentation of mid-year reports had not yet arisen.
MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert, said the Committee had realised that more cooperation and synergy had needed to be created among the Geneva mechanisms. The issue of children and armed conflict was being raised more frequently in the Universal Periodic Review, which gave Member States the opportunity to strengthen the Committee’s recommendation.
BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert, said the Committee’s decisions on individual communications took place at two levels. The requests often involved a demand to overhaul and change processes to ensure greater access to justice. The Committee wanted children to have recourse at a national level, which could help them satisfy their requests and needs. In a particular context, the Committee had continued to work with the Council of Europe, providing support to Ukrainian child refugees. The Committee needed to ensure close contact with the Ukrainian authorities, which was how the Committee could ensure the rights of the child could be upheld during the regretful conflict.
ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said the Committee was hopeful that the current ceasefire would lead to a lasting peace so that children’s shattered lives could begin again.
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CRC.25.09E
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
HOUSTON – A total of 39 domains and their associated servers have been seized in a coordinated effort involving an international disruption of a Pakistan-based network of online marketplaces selling hacking and fraud-enabling tools a group known as Saim Raza (aka HeartSender) operated, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei along with Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI.
The seizures occurred Jan. 29 and were conducted in coordination with the Dutch National Police.
According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, Saim Raza has used these cybercrime websites since at least 2020 to sell phishing toolkits and other fraud-enabling tools to transnational organized crime groups who used them to target numerous victims in the United States, resulting in over $3 million in victim losses.
“Almost everyone has a friend or loved one that has been affected by these types of computer hacks,” said Ganjei. “These scams not only target businesses but individuals as well and cause significant hardship to the victims. Even though these people reside abroad, the use of these websites made it easy for them to spread their malicious hacking tools for a fee. However, today we have significantly disrupted their ability to harm others.”
The Saim Raza-run websites operated as marketplaces that advertised and facilitated the sale of tools such as phishing kits, scam pages and email extractors often used to build and maintain fraud operations. Not only did Saim Raza make these tools widely available on the open internet, it also trained end users on how to use the tools against victims by linking to instructional YouTube videos on how to execute schemes using these malicious programs, making them accessible to criminal actors that lacked this technical criminal expertise. The group also advertised its tools as “fully undetectable” by antispam software.
The transnational organized crime groups and other cybercrime actors who purchased these tools primarily used them to facilitate business email compromise schemes wherein the cybercrime actors tricked victim companies into making payments to a third party. Those payments would instead be redirected to a financial account the perpetrators controlled, resulting in significant losses to victims. These tools were also used to acquire victim user credentials and utilize those credentials to further these fraudulent schemes. The seizure of these domains is intended to disrupt the ongoing activity of these groups and stop the proliferation of these tools within the cybercriminal community.
The FBI Houston Field Office is conducting the investigation. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance law enforcement partners in the Netherlands have provided.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez and Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
Headline: Thales will provide the French Navy with sovereign anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys
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Thales has signed a contract with the French defence procurement agency (DGA) to supply the French Navy with several hundred SonoFlash sonobuoys.
Manufactured in France in collaboration with French SMEs, the SonoFlash sonobuoy strengthens France’s strategic and capability ambitions in the field of anti-submarine warfare.
Deployed from a maritime patrol aircraft (such as the ATL2) or a helicopter (for example an NH90), the SonoFlash sonobuoy enables the detection of submarines. It is fully interoperable with the Flash dipping sonar and the CAPTAS family of towed array sonars.
Thales will enhance the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the French Navy by providing several hundred SonoFlash sonobuoys. These expendable sonar buoy are the only such models to offer both active and passive modes: they are equipped with a powerful low-frequency emitter and a receiver with high directivity.
Combined with the FLASH dipping sonar, the SonoFlash sonobuoys will enable an airborne platform to search for the presence of submarines over a greater range, and offer greater responsiveness to the evasive manoeuvres of these platforms.
The high-performance communication systems of the SonoFlash enable all surface ships and aircraft, as well as acoustic support centres equipped with a sonobuoy processing system, to receive the data collected by the buoy.
“Through its SonoFlash sonobuoy and the CAPTAS and FLASH sonars, Thales is proud to contribute to the development of the French anti-submarine warfare sector. The excellence of Thales’s offerings solutions in this field is recognised worldwide and is being put to the service of the French Navy in a context of renewed tensions at sea.” said Sébastien Guérémy, Vice President of Underwater Systems activities, Thales.
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialising in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space and Cyber & Digital. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.
The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.
Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.
Headline: Spain’s secure communications satellite SpainSat NG I successfully launched
Starting in the second half of this year, SpainSat NG I will provide services to Spain’s Armed Forces, international organizations such as the European Commission or NATO, and governments of allied countries.
Thales Alenia Space, together with Airbus Defence and Space, has led the construction of this satellite and its twin, SpainSat NG II, which is also scheduled for launch in 2025.
The company has been responsible, among other activities, for the integration of the Communication Module for both satellites along with Airbus in a clean room built for this purpose at its facilities in Tres Cantos, Madrid. To date, this has been the largest satellite system ever integrated in Spain.
Madrid, January 30, 2025 – The secure communications satellite SpainSat NG I has been successfully launched early this morning by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral (Florida). An unprecedented milestone for the Spanish space sector.
The SPAINSAT NG program, owned and operated by Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A., comprises two satellites, SpainSat NG I and II. Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), together with Airbus Defence & Space, has led the execution and construction of both satellites, SpainSat NG I and its twin, SpainSat NG II, which will be launched this fall. The two satellites will be positioned in different geostationary positions to operate in X-band, military Ka-band, and UHF, providing coverage to two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, from the United States of America to Singapore. It will provide services for the next 15 years.
Thales Alenia Space in Spain has been responsible for the UHF and military Ka-band payloads and the integration of the Communication Module for the two satellites along with Airbus. The Communication Module is the main body of the satellite, which embarks the communication payloads that give purpose to the mission.
Specifically for this mission, the company built an assembly and integration clean room at its site in Tres Cantos, Madrid, inaugurated in 2021, where the Communication Modules of the two satellites have been integrated. These advanced cutting-edge facilities represent a qualitative leap in Spain’s space industry capabilities for the assembly and integration of large space systems, something within the reach of a few space powers worldwide.
Being the largest satellite system ever integrated in Spain, the SpainSat NG I Communication Module weights more than 2 tons and measures 6 meters high, and is fully equipped with cutting-edge technology in the field of space communications, comprising hundreds of sophisticated electronic units.
The company has also designed and manufactured in Spain, France, Italy, and Belgium over 200 of electronic and radiofrequency units that are an integral part of the communications payloads and the satellite’s telecommand and telemetry system. Among them are the UHF processor, the heart of the UHF-band payload; the Transparent Digital Processor (DTP) that interconnects the X-band and military Ka-band payloads; and the Hilink unit, responsible for providing a high-speed service link that will facilitate a quick reconfiguration of the payloads.
The SPAINSAT NG program
SpainSat NG I is one of the most advanced secure communications satellites in Europe and ranks among the most innovative in the world. It is expected to begin to provide services early in the second half of 2025 to the Spanish Armed Forces, international organizations such as the European Commission in the GOVSATCOM program, NATO, and other allied governments.
Its mission is to ensure effective command and control of Armed Forces operations over a large portion of the Earth’s surface, guarantee communication capability in theatres of operations lacking communication infrastructure, ensure secure governmental communications in any operational environment (air, maritime, land), and provide strategic space capabilities to third nations.
The SpainSat NG satellites, which will replace the current Hisdesat communications satellites, Spainsat and XTAR-EUR, will be capable of providing secure satellite communications with maximum protection against interference or other threats, including a high-altitude nuclear event, with maximum flexibility thanks to its real-time software-defined payload.
About Thales Alenia Space
Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8 countries, with 16 sites in Europe.
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on certain aspects of air services
–having regard to the draft Council decision (10844/2024),
–having regard to the draft Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on certain aspects of air services (12911/2015),
–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 100(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10-0111/2024),
–having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A10-0005/2025),
1.Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;
2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
The EU-People’s Republic of Bangladesh Agreement
Negotiations on an EU Horizontal Aviation Agreement were initiated in March 2007 and a draft agreement was initialled in December 2013, with the aim ofrestoring legal certainty to the bilateral air services agreements between the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and 8 EU Member States. The Council adopted its Decision on signature of the agreement in December 2015. However, following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and the expiry of the transition period on 31 December 2020, it was necessary to remove the references to the United Kingdom from the text of the Agreement before its formal signature. Bangladesh agreed to the removal of those references. On 18 September 2023, the Council took note of the intention to present for signing a text which differed from the text approved by the Council insofar as the references to the UK were concerned.
On Friday 7 June 2024, the European Union and Bangladesh signed the “Agreement between the European Union and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on certain aspects of air services”. Subject to the availability of traffic rights in the respective bilateral air services agreements, this EU agreement will allow any EU airline to fly between Bangladesh and the seven concerned EU Member States whose bilateral air services agreements with Bangladesh do not already allow this (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, France and Slovakia).
Pending the entry into force of the horizontal agreement, the bilateral air services agreements which it covers only authorise airlines owned and controlled by the signatory Member State or Bangladesh or their nationals to operate flights between that Member States and Bangladesh.
Procedure
On Friday 6 September 2024, the ambassadors of the Member States to the EU (Coreper) approved the conclusion of the horizontal aviation agreement between the European Union and Bangladesh.
In accordance with Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of Parliament’s rules of procedure, the committee responsible (TRAN) shall submit a recommendation for the approval or rejection of the proposed act. Parliament shall then take a decision by means of a single vote, and no amendments to the Agreement may be tabled. Amendments in committee shall be admissible only if their aim is to reverse the recommendation proposed by the rapporteur.
Rapporteur’s position
By granting all EU air carriers non-discriminatory access to routes between the EU and Bangladesh, this agreement promotes competition on air routes between the EU and an important EU partner from Asia and will, consequently, improve connectivity.
Standard EU clauses on aviation safety, aviation fuel taxation and compatibility with competition rules are included in the agreement, to ensure compatibility of the bilateral air services agreements with EU policies and standards.
Based on all the above mentioned, the rapporteur recommends that the Committee on Transport and Tourism give its approval for the conclusion of this agreement.
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONSFROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:
Entity and/or person
Simon Brain, DG Move
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
Title
Conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on certain aspects of air services
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Daniel Attard, Tom Berendsen, Rachel Blom, Nikolina Brnjac, Nina Carberry, Benoit Cassart, Carlo Ciccioli, Anna Maria Cisint, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Valérie Devaux, Siegbert Frank Droese, Gheorghe Falcă, Jens Gieseke, Borja Giménez Larraz, Sérgio Gonçalves, Roman Haider, Sérgio Humberto, Dariusz Joński, François Kalfon, Martine Kemp, Sophia Kircher, Elena Kountoura, Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus, Julien Leonardelli, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Alexandra Mehnert, Ştefan Muşoiu, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Philippe Olivier, Matteo Ricci, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Stanislav Stoyanov, Kai Tegethoff, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Kosma Złotowski
Substitutes present for the final vote
Alberico Gambino, Jutta Paulus, Dario Tamburrano, Kris Van Dijck, Ana Vasconcelos
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote
Question for written answer E-000313/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Fabrice Leggeri (PfE), Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE)
In a video published on 2 July 2023[1], Donald Tusk, then leader of the centrist Civic Platform (which sits with the European People’s Party), criticised the government of the day for having let thousands of migrants ‘from Islamic countries’ enter Poland. He also opposed its alleged visa facilitation project for nationals of 21 countries, including several countries in Africa and the Middle East[2]. In other words, he was in favour of a policy of banning Muslims in Poland.
Furthermore, he expressed his opposition to the EU relocation programme, included in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which he described as a ‘threat to Poland’s security’.
He then concluded that it was necessary to ‘avert the threat on the horizon’.
Today, as Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk continues to oppose the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. However, he welcomes the Commission’s interpretation that allows a Member State to derogate from the EU’s right to asylum when confronted with a migration emergency orchestrated by a neighbouring third country. This interpretation is set out in black and white in a specific Communication published by the Commission in December.
Has the Commission taken a position, or does it intend to, on Donald Tusk’s stated desire to prevent migrants from Muslim countries coming to Poland?
On the occasion of Martyrs’ Day, the National Archives of India (NAI), in collaboration with the National Gandhi Museum, the National Film Archives of India- NFDC and Prasar Bharati Archives, successfully hosted a special exhibition titled “Journey of the Mahatma: Through His Own Documents.”
The exhibition was inaugurated by Shri Arun Singhal, Director General, National Archives of India, in the absence of Ms. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, Grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi and Chairperson, National Gandhi Museum, who was unable to attend due to a sudden health issue.
Dr. A. Annamalai, Director, National Gandhi Museum, delivered the welcome address, followed by the presidential address by Shri Arun Singhal. Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, India International Centre, New Delhi, and Dr. Michael A. Pal, Director, Austrian Cultural Forum, New Delhi, graced the occasion as Guests of Honour, appreciating the joint efforts of the National Archives of India and the National Gandhi Museum, in collaboration with the National Film Archives of India- NFDC and Prasar Bharati Archives. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Naoroibam Raju Singh, Deputy Director (i/c), National Archives of India.
On this occasion, a flipbook titled “Special Exhibition: Journey of the Mahatma – Through His Own Documents, Audio and Video” was also released.
The exhibition offered a unique glimpse into Mahatma Gandhi’s life and legacy through rare photographs, documents, and recordings. It featured 30 panels on his education, time in South Africa, key Indian freedom movements. It also highlighted his work for social justice, communal harmony, and peace during Partition.
The exhibition is open to the public until 28th February 2025, attracting citizens, students, historians, and Gandhi enthusiasts, providing valuable insights into Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, justice, and peace.
