NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Between 8% to 16% of EU population is ‘energy poor’

    Source: European Union 2

    Amidst the EU’s push for a fair green transition, and further reinforced by the uncertainties of the energy market, the issue of energy poverty has come to the forefront and become a critical policy priority.  Energy poverty can be measured in different ways, but its measurement is a challenge for policy formulation and action to address it. 

    A JRC study investigated four primary energy poverty indicators to understand the EU-wide distribution and socio-economic profiles of “energy poor”. The findings underlined the usefulness to rely on a battery of various indicators to provide a picture of energy poverty.

    The Social Climate Fund regulation and the revised Energy Efficiency Directive define energy poverty as a household’s lack of access to essential energy services, such as heating, hot water, cooling, lighting and energy to power appliances. According to the Commission’ Recommendation on Energy Poverty, it is a multidimensional phenomenon driven by three underlying causes, namely, high-energy expenditures in proportion to household budget, general low levels of income and low energy performance of buildings. 

    What’s the challenge when measuring energy poverty?

    There are numerous papers discussing advantages and disadvantages of different energy poverty indicators used in Europe, but little is known about their overlap and their inter-relationship.  The JRC study addresses this gap, for the first time, by assessing the coverage, overlap, and socio-economic profiles of four primary energy poverty indicators employed in the EU for cross-country comparisons, using harmonised microdata for all 27 EU countries. 

    This study was developed within the Assessing and Monitoring Employment and Distributional Impacts (AMEDI) projects carried out with the Commission’ s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.

    The study employs two types of indicators: “expenditure-based” indicators and “consensual approach” indicators. The expenditure-based indicators are calculated using monetary values: the 2M indicator is calculated as the proportion of households whose share of energy expenditure in income is more than twice the national median (2M indicator), i.e. energy costs represent a high share of expenditures. While the M/2 indicator (low absolute energy expenditure) is calculated as the proportion of households whose energy expenditure is below the national median energy consumption. 

    The “consensual approach” indicators are instead based on self-reported assessments of housing conditions: the share of people keeping their house adequately warm (AW indicator), and those who have arrears on utility bills (UB).

    The calculations are based on EU statistics and income living conditions (SILC) data from 2015 matched to Household Budget Survey (HBS) data from the same year and uses EUROMOD for refining estimates of household disposable income and improve comparability across countries. For example, they show that 8.5% of Europeans were unable to keep their house warm in 2015 (indicator AW).

    The analysis finds that there is very little overlap between the four energy poverty indicators examined. This explains why at least 40% of the EU population (around 180 million citizens) would be classified as ‘energy poor’ if one would follow a ‘union approach’, in which someone is energy poor by at least one indicator.

    On the other side, an ‘intersection approach’ – where poor is who satisfies the poverty condition simultaneously for the four indicators – would lead to a very low energy poverty rate of 0.3% of the EU population, i.e. about 330 thousand.

    The results

    The aggregate analysis carried out shows that between about 8% (using consensual indicators) and about 16% (using expenditure-based indicators) of the EU population can be classified as energy poor.

    Education and employment have a significant impact on energy poverty, as a higher rate of adults with jobs or higher education levels can slightly decrease the risk of experiencing energy poverty. Remarkably, about 30% of energy-poor households are also income-poor, falling below the poverty threshold. The study also reveals that middle-income households face a relatively high incidence of energy poverty, so it does not only affect to income-poor individuals.

    Energy poverty among EU Member States

    Energy poverty displays also significant disparities across EU countries, as it is influenced by the very heterogeneous national realities, including geography, natural resources, climate, infrastructure, national public policies, etc. Furthermore, cultural aspects can explain differences in self-reporting energy deprivation conditions. 

    For instance, in Greece and Bulgaria, nearly 30% of the population is energy poor by at least two indicators, while in Western and Northern EU countries, this figure drops below 5%. Moreover, the differences in energy poverty rates across EU countries is much larger when using subjective indicators. For example, AW-poverty rates, which measure the inability to adequately heat one’s home, range between almost zero in Sweden and Luxembourg to about 40% in Bulgaria. 

    A similar trend is observed when analysing arrears on utility bills (UB), while income shares of residential energy expenditure that are above twice the national median (2M) appear to be more similar across countries, indicating that energy poverty rates range between approximately 10% (Netherlands, Hungary) to slightly above 20% (Sweden, Malta, and Latvia). 

    This underscores the importance of tailored policy responses that consider national contexts and differences across countries regarding income levels, energy prices or investments in energy capital (i.e. efficient appliances, insulation, etc.). Moreover, this result points at the need to consider carefully what is the most suited indicator for cross-country comparisons. 

    How to tackle energy poverty across the EU? 

    Energy poverty has far-reaching consequences, from exacerbating health issues to limiting social and economic participation. Monitoring energy poverty is crucial for understanding the diversity of the socio-economic profiles of the energy poor and for improving the design of inclusive policies. 

    Relying on a single indicator may overlook significant portions of the population experiencing energy-related deprivations. 

    To address energy poverty, we need a policy mix 

    Income-support policies are essential to tackle energy poverty situations, especially for households under the poverty line. However, considering that also middle-income households experience a relative high incidence of energy poverty, other type of policies may be warranted to support them.

     This is the case of price caps, which reduce the burden of expenditures on energy goods, or structural interventions that step-up energy efficiency by reducing the need of energy consumption. Further, monetary policies such as subsidies to improve energy efficiencies could also reduce the burden of energy expenditures on households. 

    Finally, behavioural levers, such as assisting consumers in setting goals for reducing energy consumption through apps and educational campaigns to empower individuals to make investments choices that improve energy efficiency, may also be effective in reducing the energy poverty phenomenon. 

    Related links

    Who is “energy poor” in the EU?

    Assessing and Monitoring Employment and Distributional Impacts (AMEDI) projects

    Commission recommendation on energy poverty

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Installed: the Sellafield space saver set to save billions

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The first fuel has been placed into a space-saving storage rack at Sellafield set to save billions of pounds.

    Known as the 63-can rack, the container allows the Thorp pond to store 50% more spent nuclear fuel.

    That means Sellafield can safely store all the fuel expected from the UK’s currently operational nuclear power stations.

    Without the rack, a new storage pond would have to be built, potentially costing billions of pounds.

    The rethink was required because Thorp needs to store more fuel than previously thought.

    That’s because the UK no longer reprocesses spent fuel, but instead stores it underwater prior to disposal.

    The 63 can rack

    Roddy Miller, Sellafield Ltd’s nuclear operations director, said:

    From the birth of the nuclear industry in the 1940s, Sellafield has always proudly served the nation.

    These days, our job is to create a clean and safe environment for future generations by safely managing our nuclear legacy.

    This includes receiving and storing the UK’s spent nuclear fuel, helping EDF Energy to continue generating low carbon electricity for homes and businesses.

    Since the change of approach to managing spent fuel, it was clear we would need to innovate to be able to safely store everything we need to in the Thorp pond.

    These racks will increase fuel capacity from 4,000 tonnes to 6,000 tonnes, meaning we can accommodate all current and future arising, negating the need for a new storage facility.

    It’s a great example of collaboration between ourselves, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Group, EDF Energy, and our supply chain. Everyone involved should be proud of their contribution.

    The rack has been 16 years in the making and represents a success story for UK manufacturing.

    Weighing 7 tonnes and standing 5.5 metres high, the stainless steel containers are being built by a consortium of Cumbrian manufacturers and Stoke-based Goodwin International.

    Between them, they will manufacture 160 racks. Another 340 racks will be needed in the future.

    It’s a key contract for Carlisle-based Bendalls Engineering and Workington’s West Cumbria Engineering, who head up the Cumbria Manufacturing Alliance making half the racks.

    Transfers of fuel from the old containers into the new racks started during the summer.

    Operators who previously fed fuel into the reprocessing system are now placing fuel into the new racks.

    Because fuel will be stored for longer than was originally intended, the pond has required other alterations including raising the pH level to avoid corrosion and installing new cooling capacity.

    More information

    Case study -Thorp

    Made in Cumbria: the nuclear storage solution set to ‘rack-up’ the savings – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS wraps up Spain trip

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Financial Secretary Paul Chan today wrapped up his visit to Spain by attending an exchange session organised by the IESE Business School in Madrid.

    Leading a delegation of technology startups, Mr Chan met more than 10 Spanish startup entrepreneurs, representatives of venture capital funds, investors and business matching enterprises.

    As one of the top business schools in Europe and the world, IESE has close collaborations with several universities in Hong Kong, as well as with the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and Cyberport.

    Mr Chan introduced the new advantages and new opportunities in Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the policies and measures of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to promote innovation and technology, along with the flourishing development of the city’s innovation and technology ecosystem.

    Representatives of startups and investors from both economies introduced their businesses and development strategies, with a view to enhancing mutual knowledge and understanding, and opening up more opportunities for collaboration.

    Mr Chan also IESE Business School Dean Prof Franz Heukamp to exchange views on the business environments of Hong Kong and Spain, as well as promote academic exchanges and co-operation between the two places.

    The finance chief welcomed the business school to further leverage Hong Kong’s international academic environment and convenient connections with Mainland China and Asia to deepen exchanges with various academic institutions and businesses in Hong Kong, promoting more co-operation in education, company executive training and other business areas.

    Mr Chan will now proceed to London.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Recovered appeal: land between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road, Cambridge (ref: 3328390 – 25 September 2024)

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Decision letter and Inspector’s Report for a recovered appeal application.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Recovered appeal: land between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road, Cambridge (known as Darwin Green phases 2 and 3) (ref: 3328390 – 25 September 2024)

    PDF, 1.15 MB, 150 pages

    Details

    Decision letter and Inspector’s Report for a recovered appeal outline application for up to 1,000 residential dwellings, secondary school, primary school, community facilities, retail uses, open space and landscaped areas, associated engineering, demolition and infrastructure works.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of International Contact Group Meeting on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Department of Defense Spokesperson Lisa Lawrence provided the following statement:

    Today, senior representatives from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, convened virtually for a meeting of the International Contact Group on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response.

    The participants discussed the importance of mitigating civilian harm caused by military operations as well as responding effectively when civilian harm does occur.  The participants also emphasized that efforts to mitigate and respond to civilian harm reflect mutual values and directly contribute to both mission success and public confidence in the armed forces.

    All the representatives from participating countries, guided by their shared values and commitment to preserving international norms, expressed their commitment to promote civilian harm mitigation best practices within their respective armed forces.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Ames Welcomes Latvian President, Talks Aeronautics Research 

    Source: NASA

    President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs observes simulated visuals of an airport and its air traffic, consisting of commercial aircraft and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, at NASA’s FutureFlight Central on Sept. 18, 2024, during a visit to NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. 
    FutureFlight Central provides high-fidelity simulation of air traffic management scenarios and is dedicated to solving the present and emerging challenges of the nation’s air traffic management system. President Rinkēvičs and representatives of Latvian business visited Ames to learn about the center’s technical capabilities and areas of research in aeronautics.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken Announce Designation of the State of Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken Announce Designation of the State of Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program

    ASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, in consultation with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, designated Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The collaboration and information sharing at the core of the VWP will significantly enhance the security interests of the United States in addition to encouraging legitimate travel and commerce between the two nations. 

    Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken commend Qatar for meeting the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years. This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability. By meeting the VWP requirements, Qatar becomes the first Gulf country to enter the program and we encourage additional partners to meet all program requirements to allow for entry into the program in the interest of advancing bilateral and regional security cooperation. 

    “The Visa Waiver Program is one of our most successful security initiatives. Qatar’s participation in the program increases information sharing regarding one of the world’s busiest travel and transfer hubs, strengthening the security of the United States,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I commend our Qatari partners for meeting the stringent requirements in this agreement entails and look forward to our continued work together on behalf of our respective countries.” 

    “Qatar’s fulfillment of the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program will deepen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between our two countries. Qatar’s entry will make travel between the United States and Qatar safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. 

    The VWP builds comprehensive security partnerships between the United States and designated countries that meet strict requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security, and border managemnt. These requirements include that the country have a rate of nonimmigrant visa refusals below 3% during the previous fiscal year; issues secure travel documents; extends reciprocal entry privileges to all U.S. citizens and nationals without regard to national origin, religion, ethnicity, or gender; and works closely with U.S. law enforcement and counterterrorism authorities. Qatar put forth a significant whole-of-government effort to meet all program requirements, including entering into partnerships with the United States to share information on terrorism and serious crimes. As with all VWP countries, DHS will continually monitor Qatar’s compliance with all program requirements. 

    Starting no later than December 1, 2024, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online application and mobile app will be updated to allow citizens and nationals of Qatar to apply to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without first obtaining a U.S. visa. These authorizations are generally valid for two years. Travelers with valid B-1/B-2 visas may continue to use their visa for travel to the United States, and B-1/B-2 visas will remain an option for Qatari citizens. ESTA applications may be found at esta.cbp.dhs.gov or download the “ESTA Mobile” app through the iOS App Store or the Google Play store. 

    U.S. citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to Qatar, and beginning October 1, 2024, will be eligible to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days instead of the previous 30-day limit if they have a passport that is valid for at least three months from arrival and a confirmed hotel booking on arrival. 

    Under the VWP, citizens and nationals of Qatar will be able to apply for authorization to travel to the United States through the ESTA online or mobile app at a date to be announced shortly after Qatar’s VWP admission. Participating countries are reviewed at least biennially, as required in statute, to ensure they continue to meet all program requirements. 

    Qatar will be the 42nd member of the VWP and the third country added under Secretary Mayorkas’s tenure (Croatia in 2021 and Israel in 2023). More information on the VWP can be found at www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken Announce Designation of the State of Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, in consultation with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, designated Qatar into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The collaboration and information sharing at the core of the VWP will significantly enhance the security interests of the United States in addition to encouraging legitimate travel and commerce between the two nations. 

    Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Blinken commend Qatar for meeting the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years. This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability. By meeting the VWP requirements, Qatar becomes the first Gulf country to enter the program and we encourage additional partners to meet all program requirements to allow for entry into the program in the interest of advancing bilateral and regional security cooperation. 

    “The Visa Waiver Program is one of our most successful security initiatives. Qatar’s participation in the program increases information sharing regarding one of the world’s busiest travel and transfer hubs, strengthening the security of the United States,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I commend our Qatari partners for meeting the stringent requirements in this agreement entails and look forward to our continued work together on behalf of our respective countries.” 

    “Qatar’s fulfillment of the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program will deepen our strategic partnership and enhance the flow of people and commerce between our two countries. Qatar’s entry will make travel between the United States and Qatar safer, more secure, and easier for both Americans and Qataris,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. 

    The VWP builds comprehensive security partnerships between the United States and designated countries that meet strict requirements related to counterterrorism, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, document security, and border managemnt. These requirements include that the country have a rate of nonimmigrant visa refusals below 3% during the previous fiscal year; issues secure travel documents; extends reciprocal entry privileges to all U.S. citizens and nationals without regard to national origin, religion, ethnicity, or gender; and works closely with U.S. law enforcement and counterterrorism authorities. Qatar put forth a significant whole-of-government effort to meet all program requirements, including entering into partnerships with the United States to share information on terrorism and serious crimes. As with all VWP countries, DHS will continually monitor Qatar’s compliance with all program requirements. 

    Starting no later than December 1, 2024, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online application and mobile app will be updated to allow citizens and nationals of Qatar to apply to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without first obtaining a U.S. visa. These authorizations are generally valid for two years. Travelers with valid B-1/B-2 visas may continue to use their visa for travel to the United States, and B-1/B-2 visas will remain an option for Qatari citizens. ESTA applications may be found at esta.cbp.dhs.gov or download the “ESTA Mobile” app through the iOS App Store or the Google Play store. 

    U.S. citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to Qatar, and beginning October 1, 2024, will be eligible to stay in Qatar for up to 90 days instead of the previous 30-day limit if they have a passport that is valid for at least three months from arrival and a confirmed hotel booking on arrival. 

    Under the VWP, citizens and nationals of Qatar will be able to apply for authorization to travel to the United States through the ESTA online or mobile app at a date to be announced shortly after Qatar’s VWP admission. Participating countries are reviewed at least biennially, as required in statute, to ensure they continue to meet all program requirements. 

    Qatar will be the 42nd member of the VWP and the third country added under Secretary Mayorkas’s tenure (Croatia in 2021 and Israel in 2023). More information on the VWP can be found at www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Anenburg, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University

    Phawat/Shutterstock

    Extinct volcanoes are hard to study – we never see them erupt. Using a unique experimental technique, we were able to recreate a certain type of extinct volcano in a lab, learning more about the magma these volcanoes produce.

    We found that some rare magma types are surprisingly efficient at concentrating rare earth elements. This is a group of metals with crucial applications in several high-tech industries, such as magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines.

    Demand for rare earths is soaring as society moves away from fossil fuels and electrifies energy production and transport. Despite the name, rare earths aren’t particularly rare. The biggest challenge is finding rocks in which these metals are concentrated enough to be economically viable to extract.

    Our new research, published in the journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters, shows certain extinct volcanoes are a great place to look.

    Iron-rich magma in extinct volcanoes

    There is an enigmatic type of magma that contains unusually large amounts of iron. It is so rare, no eruptions featuring this type of magma have happened in recorded history.

    Instead, it is only known from extinct volcanoes that were active many millions of years ago.

    The most famous example of such a volcano is El Laco in Chile. Another notable example is Kiruna in Sweden, mined for iron ore for many decades. Last year, its operating company LKAB announced Kiruna as the largest rare earths resource in Europe.

    The discovery at Kiruna made us (and many others) wonder why there would be a rare earth resource at a volcanic iron mine. We already know of many other rock types containing rare earths, and none of them are like Kiruna and other extinct iron-rich volcanoes.

    Was this just a geological serendipity, or is there something inherent to iron-rich magmas that make them rare-earth rich, too? After all, many of those iron-rich extinct volcanoes are known, but no one ever bothered to check whether they have a rare earth resource in them.

    Additionally, iron-rich rocks are often easy to find because of their strong magnetic signal, despite their rarity. Should they be added to the target list of rare earth explorers?

    Recreating volcanism in a bottle

    To test this hypothesis, we used a machine called a piston cylinder. We put synthetic material akin to volcanic rocks and magmas into small capsules or “bottles” made of noble metals such as platinum. We then pressurised them to depths equivalent to 15 kilometres deep in Earth’s crust and heated them up to 1,100°C, melting them into a liquid.

    At these extreme conditions, we found the iron-rich magma exists as bubbles inside a more common magma type known from virtually all modern active volcanoes. The iron-rich magma absorbs rare earths from the surrounding liquid.

    These iron-rich bubbles will have a different density and viscosity, and will separate from their iron-poor environment, similar to how water and oil mixed together will eventually separate into distinct layers.

    Iron-rich magmas absorb the rare earths so efficiently, their rare earth contents are almost 200 times greater than the regular magmas around them.

    This means the discovery at Kiruna wasn’t an accident. It’s something we can expect from most, if not all, iron-rich volcanoes.

    An experimental platinum capsule (4 mm in length) containing round bubbles of iron-rich and iron-poor magma. The capsule also contains abundant iron oxide crystals in light grey and blue, similar to the material making the iron ore in active mines.
    Shengchao Yan

    Why do we need more rare earth deposits?

    Production of rare earth elements is concentrated in just a handful of countries – mostly China, along with the United States, Myanmar and Australia.

    Rare earths are therefore classified as “critical minerals”: they have important uses, but suffer from a supply chain risk due to geopolitical factors.

    As demand for rare earths has surged, this has led to substantial investment in research and exploration for additional deposits. The more deposits are known, the better industry can pick deposits that will yield rare earths at the lowest financial, environmental and societal cost.

    Extinct iron-rich volcanoes are often mined for iron ore. Our results indicate existing mines at such locations can potentially be modified to produce rare earths as well.

    This would be a positive outcome – an existing mining operation can gain additional value. In some cases, mine waste can be reprocessed to extract these critical metals. This would mean new mines for rare earth elements may not even be required, preventing unnecessary disruption of natural environments.

    Michael Anenburg receives funding from the Australian Research Council for an Industry Fellowship co-funded by BHP Olympic Dam.

    – ref. Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source – https://theconversation.com/humanity-needs-more-rare-earth-elements-extinct-volcanoes-could-be-a-rich-new-source-239410

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 09.24.2024 Sens. Cruz, Heinrich Introduce Bipartisan Bill Supporting Nuclear Fuel Recycling

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) today introduced The Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act. The bill requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Academy of Science to create an independent committee of experts to study recycling the country’s spent nuclear fuel. The DOE-commissioned study would evaluate the cost, benefits, and risks of recycling our spent nuclear fuel compared to the status quo of interim storage. Domestic recycling has the potential to reduce the amount of storage we need for spent nuclear fuel, reduce our dependence on nuclear fuel imported from hostile nations like Russia, and provide another supply of rare elements and isotopes used for certain medicines and advanced technologies.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “No individual state should be responsible for bearing the brunt of nuclear waste accumulation. In order to advance American energy, we need to find ways to maximize our cleanest baseload energy source.  I am proud to work with Sen. Heinrich on this bipartisan legislation to study how new technologies can harness the full potential of recycled nuclear energy. Innovation is key to making America energy dominant.”
    Sen. Heinrich said, “We need to find ways to provide clean and reliable energy for all Americans. This bill will help identify safe and secure methods of recycling our spent nuclear fuel, which can increase domestic clean energy resources, lower costs, and deliver good-paying jobs for Americans.”
    Ed McGinnis, CEO, Curio said, “We commend Senators Cruz and Heinrich for their forward-thinking leadership in the Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2024. Their dedication underscores the critical importance of nuclear waste recycling in unlocking America’s energy independence and ensuring a sustainable future. By embracing innovative solutions and bridging the gap between technology and policy, we pave the way towards a more environmentally sustainable and economically robust U.S. nuclear sector. Together, we can harness the full potential of nuclear energy while finding a permanent solution to nuclear waste.”
    Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO, Oklo said, “Oklo greatly appreciates the interest and support Congress has expressed for commercial recycling of used nuclear fuel. This legislation will help outline benefits and potential policy opportunities, while Oklo continues to deploy its own recycling program for the purpose of supplying fuel for our Aurora powerhouses.”
    Doug True, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute said, “The U.S. nuclear industry supports efforts by Congress to advance used nuclear fuel recycling for its potential to enhance the sustainability and economics of existing and advanced reactors, to improve U.S. energy security, and to convert used fuel into waste forms that can be more easily disposed of in a permanent geologic repository.”
    Read the full text of the bill.
    BACKGROUND

    There are over 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from commercial nuclear power plants within the United States and that number continues to grow by 2,000 metric tons each year.
    There are over 70 sites within the U.S. where nuclear waste is currently stored. 20 of those sites lack an operational nuclear reactor and are considered shut down.
    World powers such as France, the UK, and Japan currently recycle their spent nuclear fuel. Meanwhile, the U.S. employs a “one-time-through” fuel life cycle because of a since-rescinded executive order from President Carter that prohibited the recycling of nuclear fuel.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances Commend Ukraine’s Law on Missing Persons in Special Circumstances, Ask Questions on Secret Detentions and the Forced Transfer of Children to the Russian Federation

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

     

    The Committee on Enforced Disappearances today concluded its consideration of the initial report of Ukraine, with Committee Experts commending the State on the adoption of the law on the legal status of persons missing in special circumstances, while asking questions on secret detentions and the forced transfer of children to the Russian Federation.

     

    Several Committee Experts paid tribute to the courage and resilience of the people of Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war on its territory.  Carmen Rosa Villa Quintana, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee could not be indifferent to war in any circumstances.  It was essential to bring about peace in line with the United Nations Charter.

    Olivier de Frouville, Committee Chair and Country Rapporteur, congratulated the State party for adopting the law on the legal status of persons missing in special circumstances, and for its 2022 revision, which contributed positively to the search for missing persons.  Could Ukrainian State agents be held accountable under the law?

    Mr. de Frouville said there were allegations of secret detentions in Kharkiv, particularly during the period of 2014 to 2016, and that basements of buildings in Kyiv were being used as unofficial detention sites.  Did the State party have information on these allegations?  There did not seem to be an effective mechanism to prevent these practices from continuing.

    Addressing the forced transfer of children to the Russian Federation and occupied territories, Mr. de Frouville asked how many of the 19,546 children who had been transferred were considered as victims of enforced disappearance.  Was there a specific procedure for reviewing placements of children who had been illegally adopted?

    Introducing the report, Leonid Tymchenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and head of the delegation, said that the law on the legal status of persons missing under special circumstances stipulated that the Ukrainian State was obliged to take all possible measures to trace a person missing in special circumstances.  The law also established enforced disappearance as an offence in national criminal law.

    Since September 2015, Mr. Tymchenko reported, law enforcement agencies had registered more than 5,000 criminal offences directly related to enforced disappearances, including the deprivation of liberty of more than 14,000 civilians.

    The delegation said investigations had been carried out that had disproven allegations of incommunicado detentions.  The State party investigated all such allegations.

    Regarding the forced transfer of children, Mr. Tymchenko said several heads of the occupation authorities and two deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation were charged by Ukraine with committing criminal offences in this regard, while the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and lvova-Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights.

    The delegation added that the State party was doing everything possible to obtain information on the missing children.  It was negotiating an agreement regarding the return of around 300 children.  Russian officials had not recognised the transfer and illegal adoption of Ukrainian children and had made falsified documents to hide these crimes.

    In concluding remarks, Horacio Ravenna, Committee Vice-Chair and acting Chair for the dialogue, said the Committee and the State party shared a common goal: full implementation of the Convention. Ukraine had shown its commitment to this goal.  He called on the State party to remain in contact with the Committee, which would support its efforts to implement the Convention.  The Committee’s strong hope was that peace would be achieved in Ukraine.

    Mr. Tymchenko, in his concluding remarks, said cooperation with the Committee would help the State party in its efforts to uphold its international obligations. He called on the Committee to keep in mind the current circumstances in Ukraine.  Every day, aerial attacks were being carried out across the State.  The State party was aware that it needed to uphold human rights, even those of its enemies.

      

    The delegation of Ukraine consisted of the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances and representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor General; Security Service; Ministry of Internal Affairs; National Police; and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

     

    The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Ukraine at the end of its twenty-seventh session, which concludes on 4 October.  Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work of the Committee’s twenty-seventh session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

     

    The Committee will next meet in public this afternoon, Tuesday 24 September, at 3 p.m. to consider the initial report of Morocco (CED/C/MAR/1).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the initial report of Ukraine (CED/C/UKR/1).

    Presentation of Report

    LEONID TYMCHENKO, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and head of the delegation, said this dialogue was an important event that marked a new chapter in the protection of human rights and freedoms.  In the midst of an unprovoked war with the Russian Federation, Ukraine remained committed to human rights principles and this dialogue was an important part of the collective struggle for justice.  In 2015, Ukraine became a State party to the Convention, and thus undertook to eradicate and prevent enforced disappearances.  Currently, enforced disappearances committed on Ukraine’s sovereign territory were related to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.  Despite these challenging times, Ukraine continued to comply with its international obligations.

    Ukraine took measures to ensure the uniform application of the Convention within its internationally recognised borders, including in the territories controlled by the aggressor State and its occupation forces, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.  It ensured that all reports of unlawful acts as defined in article two of the Convention deliberately committed by representatives of the occupation administration of the Russian Federation were promptly, thoroughly and impartially recorded and properly investigated, with all perpetrators identified and brought to justice, and, if found guilty by a court, punished in accordance with the gravity of their actions.

    The law on the legal status of persons gone missing under special circumstances stipulated that the Ukrainian State was obliged to take all possible measures to trace a person missing in special circumstances.  The law also established enforced disappearance as an offence in national criminal law.  On 21 August 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the ratification of the Rome Statute.  In order to implement the Rome Statute, it adopted in the first reading a draft law that would add articles to the Criminal Code on crimes against humanity, which would include enforced disappearance within the meaning of article five of the Convention.

    Since September 2015, law enforcement agencies had registered more than 5,000 criminal offences directly related to enforced disappearances, including the deprivation of liberty of more than 14,000 civilians.  Special attention should be paid to the results of the investigation conducted by the State into the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine from 2022 to 2024, their deportation to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus and the forced granting of Russian citizenship, and their placement in Russian families and adoption.

    Several heads of the occupation authorities and two deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation were charged with committing criminal offences by Ukraine in this regard, while the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and lvova-Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, for the illegal transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children.

    The Prosecutor’s Offices had served 275 persons with notices of suspicion in 137 criminal proceedings, and 119 indictments against 241 persons were sent to bring the perpetrators to justice.  The State party had also established a unified register of persons gone missing under special circumstances, which had been in operation since May 2023.  As of today, it contained information on 48,324 such individuals who were currently being sought to determine their fate.  Around 4,700 people had been confirmed to be in captivity; the actual number could be much higher.  The aggressor State was not fulfilling its international obligations under the Geneva Conventions, denying the Red Cross access to visit places of detention and holding civilian hostages.  This made it impossible to exert influence on the Russian Federation, which was not a State party to the Convention.

    Measures had been taken to release both captured Ukrainian defenders and illegally detained civilians.  In the period before the full-scale invasion, 3,497 people were released; since the invasion, 3,669 people had been released.  More than 90 per cent of persons returned from captivity reported that they were subjected to various forms of violence and torture by representatives of the aggressor State, and in the period before the full-scale invasion, all detainees without exception were subjected to psychological and physical violence.

    The Constitution of Ukraine stipulated that everyone had the right to liberty and personal inviolability.  No one could be arrested or held in detention, except by a reasoned court decision and only in accordance with the conditions and procedures established by law.  Ukraine had established a national preventive mechanism to ensure the effective prevention and elimination of enforced disappearances.  In 109 territorial units of the national police, the “Custody Records” information subsystem was implemented, designed to guarantee the safe stay of detained persons under police control.

    The State ensured the police’s ability to effectively fight crime without violating human rights through the introduction of electronic recording of all actions against persons under police control, as well as a mandatory interview of the detained person and the police officer who carried out the detention.  The State also ensured that there was sufficient infrastructure in the police unit; round-the-clock video surveillance; a human rights inspector; and remote oversight by authorised officials of the central police authority.  In 2018, Ukraine established the State Bureau of Investigation, a State law enforcement agency responsible for preventing and investigating criminal offences committed, in particular, by law enforcement officers.

    During this time of crisis for Ukraine, the country had a special responsibility to take strict measures to prevent and eliminate enforced disappearances in accordance with the requirements of the Convention.  The end of the aggressive war of the Russian Federation would prevent enforced disappearances in Ukraine.  Ukraine’s strategic goal was a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in the State for the security of the whole world, which it hoped to achieve through the Ukrainian peace formula initiative put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee acknowledged that Ukraine had a situation of armed conflict in its territory which affected the implementation of the Convention.  This was particularly true in the context of the large-scale invasion conducted since February 2022.  Mr. de Frouville paid tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people.  Despite the difficult situation, Ukraine continued to exert efforts to comply with its international obligations.  It was acting to search for victims of enforced disappearance on its territory and uphold the rights of families.  He expressed hope that the dialogue would help the State party to better apply the Convention.

    The report was drafted by the national Ukrainian police in collaboration with other State agencies.  Were victims’ associations or other civil society organizations involved in drafting the report?  Had the State party made any response to communications sent to it under the urgent actions procedure?  Were there any examples of courts directly invoking the Convention?  The Ukrainian Human Rights Commission had contact with the Russian Human Rights Commission.  Had the sharing of information between these bodies led to the identification of missing persons?  What efforts had been made to increase the financing and human resources of the Human Rights Commission and to implement its recommendations?

    Mr. de Frouville congratulated the State party for adopting the law on the legal status of persons missing in special circumstances, and for its 2022 revision, which contributed positively to the search for missing persons.  The law covered some cases of enforced disappearance, but not cases that did not have a link to the armed conflict or other special circumstances.  The law also potentially excluded enforced disappearance committed by the Ukrainian State.  Could Ukrainian State agents be held accountable under the law?

    The Committee welcomed the unified register of missing persons.  The register was limited to cases of special circumstances leading to disappearances. The clear category of enforced disappearance was not included in the register; would this be done in future? When would DNA data be included in the register, and was the DNA data of relatives of disappeared persons being collected?  The State party had several different databases related to human rights violations; were these connected to the register of missing persons?   The Prosecution Service had identified over 1,000 victims of enforced disappearance.  Could this data be included in the missing persons register?

    What risks had the State party identified related to martial law declared as part of Ukraine’s state of emergency?  Had the State party taken steps to prevent violations in the context of the state of emergency?

    CARMEN ROSA VILLA QUINTANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, paid tribute to the courage of the people of Ukraine.  The Committee could not be indifferent to war in any circumstances.  It was essential to bring about peace in line with the United Nations Charter.

    The State party had reported that it had not identified any facts implying that Ukrainian authorities were involved in any cases of enforced disappearance.  However, the Ukrainian Security Service was investigating several cases of violations of the laws and customs of war.  Were there any cases that could fall into the category of enforced disappearance?  Third party information indicated that there were individuals or groups involved in cases of enforced disappearance.  In one case, two police officers had been found to have committed crimes of enforced disappearance and torture in 2021.  There was information about the enforced disappearance of 30 journalists. What investigations had been carried out into these cases?  Had perpetrators been held accountable?  How was the State party implementing the Istanbul Protocol?

    There were cases of Russian officials being prosecuted without being informed of the charges against them. Would the State party make informing accused persons of the charges against them a legal requirement?  Did judges have the ability to define crimes as enforced disappearances?  How did the State party address violations of the Convention in the territories occupied by the Russian Federation?

    What institutions were involved in investigating the disappearance of two members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church? How was the State party investigating cases of enforced disappearance in the context of human trafficking, migration or forced displacement due to armed conflict and working to prevent this phenomenon?  Did the State party intend to define the forced transfer of children to the Russian Federation as acts of enforced disappearance?  Could information be provided on the outcomes of investigations into these cases?

    Ms. Villa Quintana welcomed planned amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.  Did the State party plan to increase the penalty for the crime of enforced disappearance, which was currently not commensurate with the seriousness of the crime?  When would the amendments to the two Codes be adopted?  Was enforced disappearance being considered as a stand-alone crime in these amendments, and were aggravating circumstances being considered?

    Legal provisions on hierarchical responsibility were not in line with international standards. What progress had been made to adopt draft legislation on hierarchical responsibility?  What was the statute of limitations for enforced disappearance? When did it start?  The provisions on the statute of limitations in the Convention had not been incorporated in national law.  Could foreigners responsible for enforced disappearance who were not residing in Ukraine be tried in Ukraine?  Were accused persons given access to a lawyer, and appointed a lawyer if they could not afford them?  What measures were in place to notify accused persons from Russia to guarantee their active participation in trials?  What was the procedure for the appointment and removal of judges and prosecutors, particularly those charged with corruption?

    Which authorities were responsible for searching for missing and disappeared persons?  How did the State party ensure that they cooperated and carried out their mandates effectively?  The Code on Criminal Procedures established that persons charged with a crime could be suspended from their positions.  How rigorously was suspension applied; could the State party provide examples?

    A Committee Expert paid tribute to the courage and resilience of Ukraine.  Were the 5,000 cases of enforced disappearance registered by Ukraine cases of disappearance carried out by State agents against non-State actors?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party had established a database of persons who went missing in special circumstances to address disappearances related to the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the national police collected biological material and DNA of persons who went missing in all contexts and registered it in relevant databases.  Authorities could also collect the DNA of the relatives of missing persons.  Data in State databases on enforced disappearances was unified.  In future, Ukraine planned to add DNA data collected by the International Commission on Missing Persons to its databases to help identify missing persons.  The Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances and relatives of victims, including those who lived abroad, had access to the information in registries of missing persons.

    Judges could apply the Convention directly and there were examples of cases in which judges had done so.  The State party did not have access to occupied territories and could not conduct investigations there.  However, it had identified two mass graves in liberated regions, in which around 125 bodies were buried, and around 400 bodies buried in other graves in these regions.  It predicted that there were many more such graves in the occupied territories.

    Victims of human rights violations committed by Ukrainian authorities had the right to seek redress.  All persons had the right to a lawyer.  Persons who could not hire a lawyer were provided one by the State.  In cases where authorities were not able to arrest suspects residing in the Russian Federation, trials could be held in absentia.  After the State party had ratified the Rome Statute, it would be required to investigate hierarchical responsibility.  Prosecutors who were suspended for corruption or other violations were no longer able to work on cases; they were replaced immediately.

    There was a clear division between trafficking in persons and enforced disappearance in the Criminal Code.  The State party had registered cases of the trafficking of persons to the occupied territories.  Seven minors had been identified as victims in these cases and four perpetrators had been identified.  All cases of disappearance of children by Russian authorities qualified as war crimes.  Investigations into such crimes were being carried out in cooperation with non-governmental organizations to determine the fate of these children.

    When authorities received allegations that State agents had committed a crime, the State Bureau of Investigation investigated these allegations independently.

    The law on the legal status of persons missing in special circumstances did not define the precise characteristics of the victims of enforced disappearance.  The State party welcomed the Committee’s advice concerning the revision of the law in this regard.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    CARMEN ROSA VILLA QUINTANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked for information on regions where large numbers of enforced disappearances were reported, and how the State party obtained information on these cases.  Was there a specialised unit within the Security Service for investigating enforced disappearance?  Were there investigations being carried out into disappearances of activists?  What protection mechanisms were in place for persons involved in investigations of enforced disappearances and family members of victims?  Had specialised protection been provided to such persons?

    What conditions were applied regarding extradition agreements?  Had there been applications for extraditions of persons allegedly involved in enforced disappearance?  How did the State party uphold international standards in the investigation of missing persons and exhumations?  Were there any cases of intimidation or reprisals against witnesses of enforced disappearance?  How were prosecutors nominated?

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair and Country Rapporteur, asked about the mandate of the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances.  How was Ukrainian law that addressed hierarchic responsibility adapted to the provisions of the Rome Statute?  What follow-up was carried out regarding urgent actions, particularly when protection measures were requested?  Was cooperation between the Ukrainian Human Rights Commission and the Russian Human Rights Commission effective?  Did the Ukrainian Commission promote the provisions of the Convention?  How did the State party prevent prolonged detention and arbitrary arrests in the context of the state of emergency?

    A Committee Expert asked whether the 5,000 enforced disappearances reported by the delegation included cases carried out against Ukrainian forces.  These should not be considered enforced disappearances.  Did the State party investigate Ukrainian citizens who were accomplices in acts of enforced disappearance?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party worked together with the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances and the Ukrainian Human Rights Commission to provide truth for the families and loved ones of victims.

    The State party had qualified 438 war crimes involving enforced disappearance.  At least 14,000 Ukrainian civilians were being detained by the Russian Federation.  The Government had given the Human Rights Commission the power to work on liberating Ukrainian prisoners of war; this had led to cooperation with the Russian Human Rights Commission.  The Prosecution Service had a war crimes department, which conducted investigations into war crimes. 

    Ukraine had ratified bilateral agreements with five countries that addressed extraditions.  The State did not extradite persons unless it received guarantees that the safety and fair trial rights of the person involved would be respected.  Judicial registries were open to the public.

    The 5,000 cases of enforced disappearance recorded by Ukraine mainly concerned detained citizens held by Russian authorities.  The State party did not have statistics on journalists and the occupations of detained persons; Russian authorities often classified civilian prisoners as combatants. Prosecutors were faced with a large workload and their work was hindered by ongoing attacks.  Some investigators had been killed while carrying out investigations.

    The Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances was empowered to cooperate with relevant national and international institutions, including the Ombudsman and law enforcement personnel, in investigations.  The Commissioner provided family members and relatives with information on the outcomes of investigations, and determined whether disappearances were committed by military personnel.

    Complaints of enforced disappearance against Ukrainian State agents could be taken to civilian courts, whereas complaints of enforced disappearances carried out by Russian authorities needed to be submitted to the dedicated Commission.  The Government provided protection measures for victims of enforced disappearance such as name changes; however, it did not have a sufficient budget to provide measures such as safehouses.

    In 2023, responsibility for searching for missing persons in special circumstances was transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.  Special circumstances included armed conflicts and natural or man-made emergencies. In October 2023, a hotline was established within the Commission for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances, which relatives of missing and detained persons could use to file reports. The Commissioner had met with more than 5,000 family members and held meetings with several non-governmental organizations.

    The armed forces participated in searches for missing persons.  They removed bodies and documented deceased persons.  Around 55,000 people had been given “missing” status.  This number included both military personnel and civilians. Around 5,000 cases had been discontinued due to the discovery of the body.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair and Country Rapporteur, asked whether the State party planned to incorporate the risk of enforced disappearance into its legislation on extraditions?  There was an agreement with Sweden regarding the confidential exchange of information towards locating missing persons.  Could more information be provided about this positive practice?

    There were allegations of secret detentions in Kharkiv, particularly during the period of 2014 to 2016, and that basements of buildings in Kyiv were being used as unofficial detention sites. There were also credible allegations that around 240 prisoners of war were being held in unofficial detention sites after a drone attack on a detention centre.  Did the State party have information on these allegations? Rulings had been made on incommunicado detention conducted by the police, but there did not seem to be an effective mechanism to prevent these practices from continuing.

    The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture had reported that not all persons deprived of liberty were given the right to contact family members and lawyers.  This right needed to be respected.  How was the right to habeas corpus implemented?  Had there been complaints of delays in the registration of deprivation of liberty, or gaps in registration?  What follow-up was made?  There were reports of difficulties in registering the transfer of detainees. This could lead to enforced disappearance.  How was the State addressing this?  What training on enforced disappearance and international human rights law was provided for State agents, judges, prosecutors, civilians and family members?

    It was positive that Ukraine was addressing legal difficulties created by disappearances.  How was the State party working to resolve overlaps between the laws that addressed enforced disappearance?  There was criticism that legislation related to enforced disappearance was complicated and that the compensation it provided was not sufficient. Did the State party plan to expand protection to all civilian victims of enforced disappearance, rather than only civilian prisoners?

    The State party needed to adopt specific legislation to address crimes listed in article 25 of the Convention. How many of the 19,546 children who had been transferred to the Russian Federation were considered as “disappeared”? How were the best interests of the child and the rights of children to express their opinions respected regarding the return of children to their families?  Was there a specific procedure related to the revision and review of a placement of a child who had been illegally adopted?

    CARMEN ROSA VILLA QUINTANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked whether persons who were not relatives of victims but were under their guardianship could be categorised as victims.  How were the rights established in the Criminal Procedural Code and the Criminal Code regarding truth, reparation and compensation provided to victims?  Could the crime of enforced disappearance be subject to a reconciliation measure? 

    Damages for crimes of enforced disappearance could be obtained through a civil case in some cases, but the State was responsible for reparation in other cases.  In what cases were perpetrators responsible for providing reparations?  What amount was paid by the State?  Did the State party plan to make amendments to legislation in this regard?  Was access to compensation subject to a conviction, and was there a deadline by which compensation needed to be provided? How many victims of enforced disappearance had received reparation?  What was the standard of proof for the granting of reparation?

    What measures were in place related to medical, social and educational support for persons deprived of liberty?  Did the State party adopt a differentiated approach for different categories of victims?

    The Human Rights Commission and the Office of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances, as well as the Ukrainian police and other State and international bodies were involved in searches for disappeared persons.  How did the State party coordinate these efforts and what resources were available in this regard?  What outcomes had these activities achieved; how many disappeared persons had been identified overall?  Were investigations being carried out by sea and water?  Had sentences for enforced disappearance been handed down that were commensurate with the severity of the crime?

    Were the two separate registries on missing persons interconnected and how did they contribute to the identification of deceased persons?  How were places of burial registered?  In how many cases had deceased persons been identified?  There were allegations that State authorities had refused to provide information to relatives of victims regarding the whereabouts of disappeared persons.  How would the State party prevent this?

    In which registry were persons who had been transferred to the Russian Federation registered?  How did the State party conduct searches for such persons?  How many burial sites was the State party aware of that had not been exhumed?  How many exhumed bodies had been returned to relatives?  Had the State party mapped mass burial and common grave sites and taken measures to protect them?

    The inclusion of missing persons in State registers could take around 48 hours.  Did search activities begin before registration had finished?  Did the State party follow the Committee’s guidelines on search practices?  Were tools such as photographs and fingerprints used to identify missing persons?  What organization was responsible for keeping human remains? Did relatives of victims have access to the State registry on human genomic information?  Biological material was taken on a compulsory basis from State agents in cases of martial law.  Was this information included in the registry on human genomic information?  Who could access this information?  In which registries were unidentified bodies registered?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Ministry of Reintegration was responsible for collecting information about persons relocated within the country.  It maintained a registry of reintegrated persons.  To identify persons, the State party used facial recognition systems, tattoos, personal documents and fingerprints.  When these methods were unsuccessful, DNA tests were conducted.  The biological material of military personnel was collected by each military division, which held this material while the person was under their charge.  When military personnel went missing, this data was registered in the missing persons registry.  There was a DNA database that would soon be integrated with the registry of missing persons.

    As of today, Ukraine had registered over 55,000 missing persons, including around 48,000 persons who had gone missing under special circumstances.  The State had located around 2,500 unidentified bodies. Around 4,000 bodies had been identified through cooperation between State bodies and a procedure for identification had been developed. 

    Relatives of persons who went missing in special circumstances had the right to a comprehensive investigation of those persons’ whereabouts.  Their property was subject to protection and marriages were valid until investigations were closed or the missing person was declared dead. Searches were not stopped until the person or their remains were located.

    The family members of persons who went missing in military service were provided with payments by the State in line with the missing person’s salary.  Families had the right to social protection. Guardianship for dependents of persons who went missing was established in accordance with domestic law.  Persons whose family members had died or gone missing were not subject to conscriptions.

    Investigation had been carried out that had disproven allegations of incommunicado detentions. The State party investigated all allegations of incommunicado detentions.

    Training was provided to prosecutors and investigators, including by international experts.  Seven training sessions were held for over 400 prosecutors and investigators on torture and enforced disappearance.  Staff of the national police’s missing persons unit received special training on international humanitarian law.

    There was no statute of limitations currently on the crime of enforced disappearance.  Judges decided on the sum of money granted for compensation to victims by the State in civilian court cases.  The Government was working to make the compensation process easier for civilians.  Debate was ongoing about the amount and source of compensation funds.  Under the Criminal Procedure Code, non-relatives who were close to victims could be recognised as victims.

    A draft law was being prepared that would provide compensation for victims of illegal activities conducted by Russian authorities.  The Register of Damage for Ukraine, which recorded claims and evidence on damage, loss or injury caused by the Russian Federation’s acts in or against Ukraine, had been established in the Netherlands, supported by the Council of Europe.

    The Prosecutor General’s Office coordinated investigations involving a range of State bodies.  It convened roundtables on investigations that included United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations.  It was open to revising its processes.  All identified bodies from mass graves were returned to families and buried in accordance with the family’s religion.

    Ukraine had no bilateral agreement with Sweden.  Its relationship with Sweden was governed by the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. 

    The Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances was appointed and dismissed by the Cabinet of Ministers and the term of their office was not specified by law.

    Questions by Committee Experts

     

    CARMEN ROSA VILLA QUINTANA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked whether the Register of Damage for Ukraine was a physical register.  Was there a single register of victims that allowed the State to assess the scale of compensation?  Was the State party providing measures promoting non-recurrence? Almost all court cases held in absentia had led to guilty verdicts.  Were the persons subject to trials properly notified?  There were allegations that conscientious objectors had been held in police stations, sometimes in incommunicado detention.  Had investigations identified State agents who had carried out incommunicado detentions?

    A Committee Expert asked about the criteria that judges used to decide whether to provide compensation in criminal proceedings or whether to refer the case to civil proceedings.  Was there a State fund that provided compensation when perpetrators were unable to provide compensation?

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair and Country Rapporteur, asked about measures to improve the monitoring of deprivation of liberty.  Were there cases of the transfer of Ukrainian children that had been classified as cases of enforced disappearance?  Was there legislation that allowed for the review of adoption procedures that had arisen out of enforced disappearance?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said a specific compensation mechanism was being created for persons who were victims of serious crimes to support these persons to integrate back into society. Many returned Ukrainian soldiers had suffered torture.  If Ukrainian State agents were found to be guilty of enforced disappearance, the State provided compensation to victims.  Judges assessed the nature of the crimes to determine compensation amounts.

    The State party was doing everything possible to obtain information on the missing children. It was negotiating an agreement regarding the return of around 300 children.  Russian officials had not recognised the transfer and illegal adoption of Ukrainian children and had made falsified documents to hide these crimes. There were specific rules regarding investigations of crimes involving children.  Special child-friendly rooms were used for interviews with child victims to prevent traumatisation.

    Closing Remarks

    HORACIO RAVENNA, Committee Vice-Chair and Acting Chairperson for the review of Ukraine, said the Committee and the State party shared a common goal: full implementation of the Convention.  Ukraine had shown its commitment to this goal.  He called on the State party to remain in contact with the Committee, which would support its efforts to implement the Convention.  The Committee praised the efforts exerted by civil society partners and the Ukrainian Human Rights Commission to prevent enforced disappearance.  Its strong hope was that peace would be achieved in Ukraine.  Humanity had been deeply shaken by the horrors that were unfolding in the war.  The Committee was aware that the aid that it could provide the State party in this situation was limited.  It wished for a swift end to the dreadful war.

    LEONID TYMCHENKO, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and head of the delegation, said the dialogue had been fruitful.  The presence of the high-level Ukrainian delegation demonstrated the importance that Ukraine attached to the issue of enforced disappearance.  Cooperation with the Committee would help the State party in its efforts to uphold its international obligations.  Mr. Tymchenko called on the Committee to keep in mind the current circumstances in Ukraine. Every day, bombs could be heard, and aerial attacks were being carried out across the State.  The State party was aware that it needed to uphold human rights, even those of its enemies.  Both State agents and citizens had had very difficult experiences over the past few years.  The war had made the citizens of Ukraine aware of the price of freedom, independence, and the territory of their country.

    ___________

    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.

     

    CED24.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Leaders’ Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug  Threats

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Biden hosted a Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which the President directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch in June 2023, in order to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis.  In just over a year, the Global Coalition has grown to include 159 countries and 15 international organizations working together to disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs; detect emerging drug threats; and prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. With the Summit as a motivating force, 11 core Coalition countries announced new initiatives that will advance the work of the Coalition, including efforts to disrupt the supply chain of fentanyl and enhance public health interventions.  These international commitments complement intensive work being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over-the-counter. As a result of these efforts, we are starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30% year over year.  Now, the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of 10% in the 12 months ending April 2024.  These aren’t just numbers – these are lives. Background on the Global Coalition The 159 countries and 15 international organizations that are now part of the Coalition are working together on three key lines of effort:
    Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
    Detect emerging drug threats; and
    Prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. 
    For the past year, three working groups and seven sub-working groups have met monthly to create detailed plans of action.  These working groups have made tangible progress, including implementing new efforts to increase seizures of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals at ports of entry, sharing best practices with respect to the identification of emerging drug threats, and taking actions to schedule an increasing number of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, thus subjecting these drugs and chemicals to increased controls. 
    New Initiatives Being Announced
    At today’s Summit, 11 core countries announced new initiatives that will move the work of each of the Coalition’s core lines of effort even further:
    Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will lead new efforts to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.  These efforts include the development of regional coalitions to disrupt the transit routes for illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, and associated equipment, protect against the diversion of chemicals for illicit use, and improve the detection and disruption of production sites.
    Italy and Ghana will lead new initiatives to detect emerging drug trends, to include Italy helping other Coalition countries to develop early warning systems to identify emerging drug patterns.
    Canada and the United Arab Emirates will work to prevent and treat the overdose epidemic, including by expanding public health interventions and making life-saving medications widely available.
    Core Coalition countries also signed a Coalition Pledge agreeing to take additional actions to regulate all relevant drugs and precursor chemicals, take needed steps to fill gaps in their own domestic authorities, expand public-private partnerships to more effectively combat the supply chain for illicit fentanyl, develop mechanisms to monitor real-time data on trends in illicit drug use, and expand access to treatment.  At the Summit, President Biden called on all other Coalition countries to likewise sign this pledge.
    Domestic Actions to Fight Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids
    Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic drugs a core priority.  As part of their Unity Agenda for the Nation, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a priority to invest in public health and to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs.  And those efforts have paid off:
    Border officials have stopped more illicit fentanyl at ports of entry in the past two fiscal years than in the previous five fiscal years combined.  In the past 11 months, over 974 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry.
    The Biden-Harris Administration deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border, adding dozens of new inspection systems, with dozens more coming online in the next few years.
    The Biden-Harris Administration has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, widely available over the counter, and has invested over $82 billion in treatment – 40 percent more than the previous Administration.
    In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade, and the Administration has since sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority, thereby cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.
    The Biden-Harris Administration has prosecuted dozens of high-level Mexican cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers, including Chapitos leader Nestor Isidro “El Nini” Perez Salas, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación’s top chemical brokers—placing dangerous drug traffickers behind bars.  Just last week, the son of a fugitive Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación boss, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera, was convicted for his violent acts, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter in Mexico, in support of his father’s drug trafficking organization.
     In July, President Biden issued a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) calling on all relevant Federal departments and agencies to do even more to stop the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in our country.  The NSM directs increased intelligence collection, more intensive coordination and cooperation across departments and agencies, and additional actions to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.  And the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to pass the Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” counter-fentanyl legislative proposal to increase penalties on those who bring deadly drugs into our communities and to close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit. As stated above, these measures are having an effect. Provisional CDC data show a 10% drop in overdose deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history. Other International Engagements Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States has engaged around the world – both as part of the Coalition and in numerous bilateral and multilateral engagements – to spur global action in the fight against synthetic opioids. In early 2023, President Biden, together with the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, directed the establishment a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, and the Biden-Harris Administration engages regularly with both countries to tackle the supply chain for fentanyl. In November 2023, President Biden negotiated the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), spurring the creation of a U.S. – PRC Counternarcotics Working Group that has led to increased cooperation on law enforcement actions and ongoing efforts to shut down companies that fuel illicit fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking and cause deaths in the United States.   The United States and India have worked together to increase counternarcotics cooperation, including by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding and Framework for ongoing work to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs just this past week.  The Biden-Harris Administration has worked extensively with law enforcement partners across the globe to hold drug traffickers to account.  These partnerships pay dividends – including by generating support for extraditions that have enabled the United States to put dozens of cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers behind bars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: Leaders’ Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug  Threats

    Source: The White House

    Today, President Biden hosted a Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which the President directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch in June 2023, in order to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis.  In just over a year, the Global Coalition has grown to include 159 countries and 15 international organizations working together to disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs; detect emerging drug threats; and prevent and treat through effective public health interventions.
     
    With the Summit as a motivating force, 11 core Coalition countries announced new initiatives that will advance the work of the Coalition, including efforts to disrupt the supply chain of fentanyl and enhance public health interventions.  These international commitments complement intensive work being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over-the-counter.
     
    As a result of these efforts, we are starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30% year over year.  Now, the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of 10% in the 12 months ending April 2024. 
     
    These aren’t just numbers – these are lives.
     
    Background on the Global Coalition
     
    The 159 countries and 15 international organizations that are now part of the Coalition are working together on three key lines of effort:

    1. Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
    2. Detect emerging drug threats; and
    3. Prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. 

    For the past year, three working groups and seven sub-working groups have met monthly to create detailed plans of action.  These working groups have made tangible progress, including implementing new efforts to increase seizures of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals at ports of entry, sharing best practices with respect to the identification of emerging drug threats, and taking actions to schedule an increasing number of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, thus subjecting these drugs and chemicals to increased controls. 

    New Initiatives Being Announced

    At today’s Summit, 11 core countries announced new initiatives that will move the work of each of the Coalition’s core lines of effort even further:

    1. Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will lead new efforts to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.  These efforts include the development of regional coalitions to disrupt the transit routes for illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, and associated equipment, protect against the diversion of chemicals for illicit use, and improve the detection and disruption of production sites.
    2. Italy and Ghana will lead new initiatives to detect emerging drug trends, to include Italy helping other Coalition countries to develop early warning systems to identify emerging drug patterns.
    3. Canada and the United Arab Emirates will work to prevent and treat the overdose epidemic, including by expanding public health interventions and making life-saving medications widely available.

    Core Coalition countries also signed a Coalition Pledge agreeing to take additional actions to regulate all relevant drugs and precursor chemicals, take needed steps to fill gaps in their own domestic authorities, expand public-private partnerships to more effectively combat the supply chain for illicit fentanyl, develop mechanisms to monitor real-time data on trends in illicit drug use, and expand access to treatment.  At the Summit, President Biden called on all other Coalition countries to likewise sign this pledge.

    Domestic Actions to Fight Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

    Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic drugs a core priority.  As part of their Unity Agenda for the Nation, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a priority to invest in public health and to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs.  And those efforts have paid off:

    1. Border officials have stopped more illicit fentanyl at ports of entry in the past two fiscal years than in the previous five fiscal years combined.  In the past 11 months, over 974 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry.
    2. The Biden-Harris Administration deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border, adding dozens of new inspection systems, with dozens more coming online in the next few years.
    3. The Biden-Harris Administration has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, widely available over the counter, and has invested over $82 billion in treatment – 40 percent more than the previous Administration.
    4. In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade, and the Administration has since sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority, thereby cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.
    5. The Biden-Harris Administration has prosecuted dozens of high-level Mexican cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers, including Chapitos leader Nestor Isidro “El Nini” Perez Salas, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación’s top chemical brokers—placing dangerous drug traffickers behind bars.  Just last week, the son of a fugitive Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación boss, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera, was convicted for his violent acts, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter in Mexico, in support of his father’s drug trafficking organization.

     
    In July, President Biden issued a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) calling on all relevant Federal departments and agencies to do even more to stop the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in our country.  The NSM directs increased intelligence collection, more intensive coordination and cooperation across departments and agencies, and additional actions to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.  And the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to pass the Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” counter-fentanyl legislative proposal to increase penalties on those who bring deadly drugs into our communities and to close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit.
     
    As stated above, these measures are having an effect.
     
    Provisional CDC data show a 10% drop in overdose deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.
     
    Other International Engagements
     
    Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States has engaged around the world – both as part of the Coalition and in numerous bilateral and multilateral engagements – to spur global action in the fight against synthetic opioids.
     
    In early 2023, President Biden, together with the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, directed the establishment a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, and the Biden-Harris Administration engages regularly with both countries to tackle the supply chain for fentanyl.
     
    In November 2023, President Biden negotiated the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), spurring the creation of a U.S. – PRC Counternarcotics Working Group that has led to increased cooperation on law enforcement actions and ongoing efforts to shut down companies that fuel illicit fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking and cause deaths in the United States.  
     
    The United States and India have worked together to increase counternarcotics cooperation, including by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding and Framework for ongoing work to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs just this past week. 
     
    The Biden-Harris Administration has worked extensively with law enforcement partners across the globe to hold drug traffickers to account.  These partnerships pay dividends – including by generating support for extraditions that have enabled the United States to put dozens of cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers behind bars.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: “Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is in his interest alone – to expand his mafia state into a mafia empire”: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Statement by Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the UN Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine.

    Location:
    United Nations, New York
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    President Zelenskyy, the UK commends you not only for standing up for your people but for standing up for democracy.

    Seeing you in Kyiv a few weeks ago with Secretary Blinken I saw ordinary people from all walks of life. The soldiers and the civilians. The firefighters and the first responders.

    The mothers and the fathers working together in defence of freedom. Your bravery and courage is an inspiration to us all.

    But Mr. President, I also want to speak directly to the Kremlin and its representative here today. And Vladimir Putin. 

    Russia sits on this Council. But its actions tear up the UN Charter.

    Russia sits on this Council. But over the weekend we saw it put forward amendments designed to wreck the UN’s future.

    Russia claims to stand for the Global South. But it runs roughshod over international law.

    Vladimir Putin, when you fire missiles into Ukraine hospitals. We know who you are. 

    When you send mercenaries into African countries. We know who you are.

    When you murder opponents in European cities. We know who you are.

    Your invasion is in your own interests. Yours alone. To expand your mafia state into a mafia empire. An empire built on corruption.

    Robbing from the Russian people as well as Ukraine. An empire built on crushing dissent. Courageous opponents like Navalny. 

    An empire built on lies. Spreading disinformation at home and abroad to sow disorder.

    Mr President, I speak not only as a Briton, as a Londoner, and as a Foreign Secretary.

    But I say to the Russian representative, on his phone as I speak, that I stand here also as a black man whose ancestors were taken in chains from Africa, at the barrel of a gun to be enslaved, whose ancestors rose up and fought in a great rebellion of the enslaved. 

    Imperialism. I know it when I see it. And I will call it out for what it is.

    In this week, when I’m here talking to other partners around the world about our shared futures, and the future of the UN, Russia is trying to return us to a world of the past.

    A world of imperialism. A world of redrawing borders by force. A world without the UN Charter. 

    We cannot allow this to happen. Ukraine’s fight matters to all of us. The UK will remain Ukraine’s staunchest supporter.

    Because Mr. President these are the stakes. 

    If we let an imperialist redraw borders by force those will not be the last borders to be redrawn.

    If we let an imperialist deny a nation its path Ukraine will not be the last state to be subjected. Maduro will take encouragement and go for Guyana next.

    So let me be clear. We want peace in Ukraine. We want it for the Ukrainian people.

    As President Zelenskyy has said, it must be a peace that respects the fundamental principles that underpin the United Nations.

    The principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, as enshrined in this UN Charter. The Charter of the United Nations.  Putin’s Russia wants to unravel it. We want to uphold it. And we will.

    As President Zelenskyy said, the UN Charter will prevail.

    Slava Ukraini!

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Türkiye’s support to the United Nations and multilateralism.

    The Secretary-General and the President discussed the way forward on the Cyprus issue as well as developments in the Middle East and Ukraine.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Britain’s return to responsible global leadership will help drive growth at home, Prime Minister to tell United Nations

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Britain will return to responsible global leadership under my watch, the Prime Minister will tell the UN General Assembly in New York this week.

    • Prime Minister will travel to New York today to participate in United General Assembly meetings with important international partners. 

    • He will contribute to sessions on major global challenges such as the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East and climate change. 

    • PM will pledge to return the UK to responsible global leadership to tackle the issues that rebound on British people at home.

    Britain will return to responsible global leadership under my watch, the Prime Minister will tell the UN General Assembly in New York this week.  

    He will use several interventions across his two-day visit to argue that our participation and reputation abroad is directly linked to our security, stability and prosperity at home. 

    In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, he will say that it is only by being a reliable and trusted international partner, working together to solve global problems such as war, poverty and climate change – that we can build a safer and more prosperous UK. 

    The Prime Minister will say: 

    We are returning the UK to responsible global leadership. This is the moment to reassert fundamental principles and our willingness to defend them. To recommit to the UN, to internationalism, to the rule of law. 

    Because I know that this matters to the British people. War, poverty and climate change all rebound on us at home. They make us less secure, they harm our economy, and they create migration flows on an unprecedented scale.  

    The British people are safer and more prosperous when we work internationally to solve these problems, instead of merely trying to manage their effects. So, the responsible global leadership that we will pursue is undeniably in our self-interest.

    He will use his speech to set out how the UK will step up to play its part, guided by the rule of law, in tackling these challenges in a world that is increasingly dominated by conflicts – including those in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan.

    It follows a major drive by the Prime Minister in his first few months in office to reset the UK’s relationship with its key allies and prove that Britain is back as a major player on the world stage – a key part of his ambition to drive growth and improve the lives of hardworking British people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norfolk Drug Dealer Sentenced for His Role in Tidewater Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison for distribution of cocaine.

    According to court documents, Deton Dodson, 46, was a street level drug dealer in a larger drug trafficking organization centered in the Tidewater area of Virginia. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Virginia Beach Police Department, and Norfolk Police Department initiated an investigation of the organization in 2020. Multiple sources, including some in California, were supplying the organization with kilogram-level quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin.

    On Nov. 5, 2021, Dodson met co-defendant Edward Fonville for a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Afterward, law enforcement approached Dodson, who was in possession of a handgun. Dodson admitted that he traded cocaine to Fonville for the firearm. After his arrest, Dodson informed Fonville that law enforcement was investigating him. Fonville remains a fugitive.

    Thirteen other defendants have been convicted and sentenced in this case.

    Milton Artis, 41, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Jan. 23, 2023, Artis was sentenced to one year in prison.

    Levell Batts Sr., 60, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Jan. 12, 2023, Batts was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison.

    Emerson Brodie, 32, pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On May 30, 2023, Brodie was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.

    Charlie Chapman, 46, pleaded guilty on June 29, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Oct. 30, 2023, Chapman was sentenced to seven years in prison.

    James Ford, 40, pleaded guilty on April 12, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Aug. 15, 2023, Ford was sentenced to three years and one month in prison.

    Donald Gray, 48, pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. On Oct. 4, 2023, Gray was sentenced to twelve years in prison.

    James Hill, 41, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Feb. 13, 2023, Hill was sentenced to five years in prison.

    Michael Robinson, 41, pleaded guilty on Oct. 6, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Feb. 7, 2023, Robinson was sentenced to seven years and 11 months in prison.

    Michael Seay, 40, pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Jan. 23, 2023, Seay was sentenced to seven years in prison.

    Rondell Spain, 33, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On May 30, 2023, Spain was sentenced to five years in prison.

    Mervin Walton, 39, pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Jan. 30, 2023, Walton was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison.

    Lavon Williams, 33, pleaded guilty on Oct. 6, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On Feb. 8, 2023, Williams was sentenced to seven years in prison.

    Terrell Williams, 37, pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. On June 27, 2023, Williams was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

    Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Division; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Washington, D.C.; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Hurt prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-18.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British nationals should leave Lebanon, as UK bolsters contingency teams in region

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    British nationals should leave Lebanon immediately, Ministers have warned, as the Government bolsters its presence in the region.

    • Brits warned to act now, and leave Lebanon as soon as possible .
    • Military teams move to Cyprus as contingency planning is rolled out to support British nationals in Lebanon and the region
    • Ministers continue to call for a ceasefire immediately to end the cycle of violence, as more than 500 people killed in Lebanon in the past 24 hours

    British nationals should leave Lebanon immediately, Ministers have warned, as the Government bolsters its presence in the region.

    Around 700 UK troops will move to Cyprus in the coming hours, as the Government continues to prepare its contingency plans following significant escalation between Israel and Lebanon in recent days.

    The military teams will be supported by Border Force and FCDO officials.

    The Government continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon, as the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly, with devastating consequences.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

    Events in the past hours and days have demonstrated how volatile this situation is, which is why our message is clear, British nationals should leave now.

    We continue to urge all sides to step back from conflict to prevent further tragic loss of life. Our government is ensuring all preparations are in place to support British Nationals should the situation deteriorate. I want to thank the British personnel who are deploying in the region for their commitment and professionalism.

    The UK already has a significant diplomatic and military footprint in the region, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, which have remained in the eastern Mediterranean to support British nationals and allies over the summer.

    The Royal Air Force also have aircraft and transport helicopters on standby to provide support if necessary.

    The call comes after the Defence Secretary held a meeting with Ministers, intelligence chiefs and diplomats on Tuesday afternoon to test government planning.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: Britain’s return to responsible global leadership will help drive growth at home, Prime Minister to tell United Nations

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    Britain will return to responsible global leadership under my watch, the Prime Minister will tell the UN General Assembly in New York this week.

    • Prime Minister will travel to New York today to participate in United General Assembly meetings with important international partners. 

    • He will contribute to sessions on major global challenges such as the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East and climate change. 

    • PM will pledge to return the UK to responsible global leadership to tackle the issues that rebound on British people at home.

    Britain will return to responsible global leadership under my watch, the Prime Minister will tell the UN General Assembly in New York this week.  

    He will use several interventions across his two-day visit to argue that our participation and reputation abroad is directly linked to our security, stability and prosperity at home. 

    In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, he will say that it is only by being a reliable and trusted international partner, working together to solve global problems such as war, poverty and climate change – that we can build a safer and more prosperous UK. 

    The Prime Minister will say: 

    We are returning the UK to responsible global leadership. This is the moment to reassert fundamental principles and our willingness to defend them. To recommit to the UN, to internationalism, to the rule of law. 

    Because I know that this matters to the British people. War, poverty and climate change all rebound on us at home. They make us less secure, they harm our economy, and they create migration flows on an unprecedented scale.  

    The British people are safer and more prosperous when we work internationally to solve these problems, instead of merely trying to manage their effects. So, the responsible global leadership that we will pursue is undeniably in our self-interest.

    He will use his speech to set out how the UK will step up to play its part, guided by the rule of law, in tackling these challenges in a world that is increasingly dominated by conflicts – including those in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan.

    It follows a major drive by the Prime Minister in his first few months in office to reset the UK’s relationship with its key allies and prove that Britain is back as a major player on the world stage – a key part of his ambition to drive growth and improve the lives of hardworking British people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Calls for Allowing Ukrainian Use of NATO-Supplied Weapons in Russia

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the House Ranking Member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today called for allowing NATO-supplied weapons to be used by Ukraine within Russia during a commission hearing on “Russia’s Shadow War on NATO.”

    In his opening remarks, Congressman Cohen said that, now more than ever, Vladimir Putin “wants to weaken and destabilize the West,” including through the use of disinformation campaigns aimed at interfering in our elections to help Donald Trump.

    Congressman Cohen also noted that Ukraine is asking to use offensive weapons inside Russia, adding: “and I support their request.”

    He continued: “I think they need to go forward with offensive weapons and strike into Russia and bring the war home to the Russian people. This is ludicrous – to allow Russia to attack and kill Ukrainians, destroy cultural objects, destroy cities with reckless disregard for life. Hit schools, hit hospitals and senior facilities – and Ukraine is not supposed to go into Russia? That’s crazy. I mean both your arms are tied behind your back and tied behind it, unfortunately, by my government, our government, which is supporting Ukraine — and we’ve done a lot — but we’ve been slow in doing it…This war would have been much closer to ending – on Ukraine’s terms, but ending – if we’d have given them those weapons earlier.”

    See his entire opening statement here.

    See his questions to the witnesses here.

    Witnesses at today’s hearing were:

    • Mr. Erkki Tori, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Estonia;
    • Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt, Senior Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania; and
    • Mr. Michael Weiss, Investigative Journalist and Author

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: UNICEF – Leading global businesses and organisations join UNICEF to demand increased investment and action on child and youth mental health

    Source: UNICEF Aotearoa NZ

    An open letter, signed by more than 40 entities and published at the UN General Assembly, calls for a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the mental health funding gap.
    Today, (overnight NZ time) at an innovative financing for mental health event at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), UNICEF and the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health launched an open letter, signed by more than 40 businesses and organisations, calling for greater investment and action on child and youth mental health globally.
    Supported by UNICEF Coalition members, including Jo Malone London, lululemon, Pinterest, Spotify, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd and Z Zurich Foundation, and joined by global businesses and organizations, such as Capgemini, Dove, Kleenex, LEGO Foundation, Les Mills, Movember, Pandora, Tim Bergling Foundation, and United for Global Mental Health, the letter urges a coordinated multi-sectoral response to address the global mental health funding gap of at least US$200 billion.
    Increased funding is critical to supporting child and youth mental health, especially in the face of continued challenges that existed long before the pandemic, including climate change, global humanitarian crises, online risks and historic underinvestment in its promotion, prevention and care.
    One in seven adolescents worldwide are living with a mental health condition – with most cases going undetected and untreated. This is exacerbated by limited resources. On average less than 2 per cent of global government health expenditures is spent on mental health for the general population, while only a very small proportion of these funds goes towards children’s mental health services.
    “The private sector has a unique capacity to foster mental health and wellbeing, through their substantial influence within their workforces, through their services and customers, and globally. By leveraging their resources, expertise and influence, UNICEF and partners can contribute to comprehensive, accessible, and effective solutions that address the diverse needs of children, young people, caregivers and communities at large to promote mental health and wellbeing on a global scale,” said UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships Carla Haddad Mardini.
    UNICEF’s Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health and its members are calling for wider recognition, investment and responsibility from the business community, and private and public sectors to drive forward progress.
    Jo Dancey, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Jo Malone London said: “Too many children and young people are living with mental health conditions, but don’t have access to support or treatment. As a global brand and a UNICEF Coalition member, we care deeply about this issue and the need for change. By signing this letter alongside over 40 businesses and organizations, we are highlighting the need for global leaders to act early to support the mental health of children, young people and caregivers globally.”
    Katarina Berg, General Manager Sweden + CHRO, Sustainability, Global Workplace Services at Spotify, said: “We are proud of our ongoing partnership with UNICEF and we remain committed to making a meaningful impact on improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes for our listeners, artists, and creators.”
    Wanji Walcott, Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer at Pinterest, said “At Pinterest, we’re creating an inspirational and positive online experience for young people everywhere. Supporting youth mental health and wellbeing is foundational to our mission and this work requires everyone coming together. We’re proud to partner with UNICEF and other coalition members to leverage our collective resources and help tackle the mental health funding gap.”
    Gary Shaughnessy, Chair of the Z Zurich Foundation, said: “We are dedicated to relentlessly contributing to mental wellbeing programmes which can best support youth to thrive in all aspects of their life. It’s encouraging to witness the positive response from various sectors to our call for increased investment in mental health globally. Although there is still much work to be done, these efforts will significantly help to address the mental health needs of all young people, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
    Other supporting signatories of the letter include Orange and the Solterre Foundation, as well as key global mental health actors, such as the MHPSS Collaborative, the Healthy Brains Global Initiative, Prospira Global and Vertentes, among others.
    This is a critical year for addressing child and youth mental health as a global issue, with actions taken now paving the way to the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health in September 2025, which will culminate in the publication of an outcome document with commitments across member states.
    The Open Letter to global leaders gathering for UNGA 79 and the Summit for the Future says:
    ‘As you gather for the United Nations General Assembly High Level Week and the Summit of the Future, we, over 40 businesses, organizations and supporters from over 20 countries, together with the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health led by UNICEF – are calling for increased investment in and action on child and youth mental health globally. Historic underinvestment in mental health promotion, prevention and care and ongoing stigma and discrimination, accompanied by the impact of COVID-19 and persisting global challenges, are affecting child and youth mental health in every country. While demand for support is increasing, global investment is not even meeting the current levels of need.
    Mental health determines emotional, intellectual, physical and social well-being. It shapes how we think, feel and act and confers our ability to handle stress, build and manage relationships, and make choices that affect not only our own lives, but also those of the
    people around us. Mental health is important at every stage of life, especially for children and young people. When child and youth mental health is prioritized the impact on young lives both now and for the future is significant, including improved quality of life, increased likelihood of completing education, long-term economic returns, and lower rates of premature mortality [1]. However, the consequences of failing to address child and youth mental health conditions extend into adulthood. Fifty per cent of mental health conditions develop before the age of 14 and have the potential of impairing both physical and mental health and limiting children’s opportunities to lead fulfilling lives.[2] Additionally, suicide is the 4th leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds globally.[3]
    The global annual mental health finance gap is estimated to be at least $200 billion.[4] Most countries around the world allocate relatively small budgets to support health systems, and within those budgets an even smaller proportion, just 2 per cent on average [5], is directed towards mental health support – including much-needed child and youth mental health services. This critical funding gap must be addressed so we can collectively meet the urgent mental health needs of future generations.
    It is estimated that, due to mental health conditions, we lose nearly US$390 billion worth of human capital that could go towards national economies each year.[6] We must promote a multi-sectoral response to achieve change. Both the private and the public sectors have a key role to play through investment and influence, to break this cycle and shape our collective future.
    The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health calls for increased investment in mental health across all countries and in all sectors and settings, including in humanitarian crises, that meets the mental health needs of all young people, especially those most in need. We urge governments to increase their domestic spending on mental health within relevant budgets including health, education and social services, as well as scale funding for mental health and psychosocial support within international development assistance. This should include targeted financing for children and youth.
    Acting early to support children, youth and caregivers is the best investment we can make to promote good mental health, prevent poor mental health, and respond to the complex mental health issues children face today. We urge you to prioritize child and youth mental health now.
    We are calling for global leaders across the public and private sectors to invest in:
    – Ensuring every child, youth and caregiver globally can access support for their mental health: This means increasing access to quality and holistic mental health support provided across sectors, by investing in promotion, prevention and care for children, youth and caregivers, with a focus on community-based care that is effective, sustainable, age sensitive and culturally appropriate.
    – Filling the evidence gaps on child and youth mental health: This means improving data and increasing research to better understand who is affected in each context and what works for specific at-risk groups, and to further expand our ability to respond across age groups, with a focus on promotion and prevention. This investment should aim to future-proof our response, ensuring resilience during pressing global challenges such as in humanitarian emergencies and climate and ecological crises.
    – Developing internal strategies and practices: This includes fostering employees’ mental health and well-being by encompassing mental health support within the workplace and developing and adapting products or services offered by the company and in the wider community. This includes initiatives tailored for youth and caregivers employed in the organizations.
    Though our inner worlds are often unseen, our actions should not be. Child and youth mental health is ‘On Our Minds’.’
    Full list of signatories:
    UNICEF Coalition Member signatories:
    Jo Malone London, lululemon, Pinterest, Spotify, Z Zurich Foundation, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd
    Supported by:
    Cape Mental Health, Capgemini, ChildFund International, Darbar Sahitya Sansada, Dove, Family first nurseries, Global Mental Health Lab, Columbia University, Health Brains Global Initiative, Health Poverty Action, Instituto Vita Alere de Prevencao e Posvencao do Suicidio, Kleenex, League for Mental Health in Slovakia, LEGO Foundation, Les Mills International Ltd, Little Lions Child Coaching NPC, Mental Wealth Initiative, The University of Sydney, MLAC institute for Psychosocial Services, Movember, Northern Cape Mental Health Society, Orange, Pandora, Partnership for Children, Professionals for Humanity (PROFOH), Prospira Global, Sehat Jiwa Bahagia, Soleterre Foundation, SoulBeeGood, Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS), The MHPSS Collaborative, Tim Bergling Foundation, Trusts Motion, United for Global Mental Health, Vertentes, War Child Alliance, Youth Association for Development Pakistan, YouthConnektAfrica.
    About the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health
    The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health was established by UNICEF, with the support of the Z Zurich Foundation, to address the increasing global burden of mental health in young people by calling for investment and action on mental health. Current Coalition members include Jo Malone London, Pinterest, Sony, Spotify, Zurich Insurance Group and Z Zurich Foundation.
    Since its launch, the Coalition members have collectively invested over US$30 million in child and youth mental health, catalyzing significant impact in numerous countries. Its direct investment has globally empowered children and young people with tools, training, and awareness initiatives. This means that young people worldwide are equipped with the necessary resources to navigate their mental health and wellbeing, enabling them to face life’s challenges with resilience and confidence.
    About UNICEF UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
    UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister advances progress and prosperity at the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Progressive leadership is driven by a shared belief that we cannot falter – on rights, on equality, and on an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    That’s the message the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, delivered as he concluded his participation in the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA) and the Summit of the Future, in New York City, United States of America. During UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to advancing progress, prosperity, and fairness for every generation.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined global leaders at the Summit of the Future, which concluded with the adoption of the Pact for the Future – an ambitious pact that will see countries work together to tackle shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister delivered a statement affirming Canada’s support for the Summit of the Future, its call for nations to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its commitment to investing in our workers, our communities, and our future.

    Building on the progress made at the Summit of the Future, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent advocates at UNGA to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He emphasized Canada’s commitment to unlocking increased financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly through his role as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group. He also underscored the central role of gender equality as a pathway to achieving sustainable development, and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives, and their own futures. Canada announced over $112 million to help protect the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide. We will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will fulfill its $100 million commitment to address issues in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people across the globe, including in Canada, climate change is not an abstraction. It is real, it is costly, and it does not stop at our borders. To successfully tackle climate change, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of global, collective climate action. He highlighted industrial decarbonization as one such approach to fight climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members to Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, which calls on countries to put a price on carbon to cover 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million to be delivered through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program so we can more effectively respond to wildfires and advance international leadership on sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, alongside the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security, and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted ongoing work to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support of the Multinational Security Support mission in the country. He emphasized the criticality of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. He announced over $16 million to support the transitional government’s election preparedness, increase humanitarian aid, reduce gang violence, and expand access to justice for women and youth detainees while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will make a meaningful difference in helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a better, more prosperous future for its people.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in new wide-ranging investments to strengthen global peace and security, including on land mine clearance, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He emphasized the role of UN agencies in accomplishing this important work, announcing a $9 million investment to support the UN’s efforts to strengthen development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance in countries across the globe.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable titled In Defense of Democracy: Fighting Against Extremism, where he engaged with world leaders on challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation, and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, like the UN.

    Throughout his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with international counterparts to discuss pressing geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impacts, as well as the evolving situation in the Middle East. He emphasized the importance of protecting democratic institutions from emerging threats, including misinformation and election interference, and safeguarding peace and security around the world.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, among others. 

    In the face of global economic and social insecurity, Canada chooses to invest in our country. Whether it’s national $10-a-day child care, an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care program, or an industrial strategy that creates good-paying jobs while fighting climate change – these are choices that will make a positive difference in the lives of Canadians and help solve global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada chooses to invest in our people, in our future, and in progress. That was my message at UNGA and at the Summit of the Future. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, solve the world’s most pressing challenges, and deliver fairness for every generation.”

    — The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

    Quick Facts

    • While in New York City, Prime Minister Trudeau had bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Mayor of Kitchener, Berry Vrbanovic, the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, and Malala Yousafzai.
    • The Prime Minister also had interactions with other leaders, including the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Simon Harris, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
    • As a founding member of the UN since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the treaty that is the cornerstone of the rules-based international order.
    • Canada is the sixth-largest donor to the UN, including voluntary and assessed contributions totalling over US$2 billion in 2022.
    • In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious goals for sustainable development, as outlined in Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda centres on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encompassing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Taken together, the SDGs aim to improve the lives of all people, while protecting the planet.
    • Released in 2021, Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy builds upon 30 actions and five core principles to create and foster an enabling environment for ongoing dialogue and participation to encourage Canadians to take action to realize the SDGs.
    • In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was named Co-Chair of the UN SDG Advocates group by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. SDG Advocates work to raise global awareness of the SDGs and of the need for accelerated action by using their respective platforms.
    • Prime Minister Trudeau is also Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group alongside the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness. The group advocates for equipping developing countries with the financial resources to invest in the 17 SDGs and secure a more just and equitable future for all people.
    • At the Summit for the Future, global leaders enhanced co-operation on critical challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They reaffirmed existing commitments – including to the SDGs and the UN Charter – and moved toward a modernized UN system that can effectively tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.
    • At the Summit, leaders adopted the Pact for the Future  and its annexes – the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The Pact is a global framework to bolster global co-operation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, global inequality, and the need for stronger multilateral co-operation, for the benefit of all and for future generations.
    • In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to expand the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting emerging ones. The Challenge, which has a collective goal of covering 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and co-ordination to make pricing systems more effective and compatible while supporting other countries in adopting carbon pricing and cutting emissions on the path to net-zero by 2050.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to WHO data on adolescent social media use and gaming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Data published by the World Health Organisation looks at adolescent social media use and gaming.

    Prof Ben Carter, Professor of Medical Statistics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, said:

    “The authors provide a useful snapshot of the evidence and whilst again the study includes cross sectional data- it is large and has collected very pertinent data throughout Europe. 

    “However, they offer an unvalidated tool for problematic social media use. Whilst better than merely ‘screentime’, it isn’t entirely based on the DSM-V criteria for defining a behavioural addiction. Again, this is a useful starting point for measuring potential harm.

    “Their findings suggest approximately 1 in 10 are at risk of problematic use and are consistent with other studies (Carter et al, 2024) which state problematic smartphone usage slightly higher, but when focusing on social media alone offer utility in understanding the problem. 

    “Including Social media and gaming together is not a convincing argument as they are not the only forms of harm adolescents are at risk from- but the findings showing the difference between genders are well established. However, this is a very new and emerging field. 

    “The authors draw distinctions to the long periods of time spent gaming and the risk of harm is at odds with the incredibly helpful quote from the boy highlighting that the time spent isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The boy clearly shows insight highlighting the need to understand the underlying use (e.g. when and what) rather than just the time. This is consistent with the literature 

    “I welcome these finding and thank the authors for the valid contribution to the evidence base.”

    ‘A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming in Europe, central Asia and Canada’ by the World Health Organisation was published at 00:01 UK time on Wednesday 25th September.

    Declared interests

    Prof Ben Carter: No declarations.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Prime Minister advocates progress and prosperity at UN General Assembly and Future Summit

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French

    Progressive leadership is driven by the belief that we cannot turn back the clock on rights, equality, and an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    This was the message delivered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the conclusion of his participation in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Future Summit in New York, United States of America. At the UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to progress, prosperity and equity for all generations.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders at the Future Summit, which concluded with the adoption of the Compact for the Future, an ambitious agreement that will inspire countries to work together to address shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister issued a statement indicating Canada’s support for the Future Summit, calling on countries to deliver on the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentand intended to invest in its workers, in its communities and in its future.

    Building on the progress made at the Future Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent human rights advocates at the UNGA to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He signalled Canada’s commitment to finding new sources of financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly as co-chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group. He highlighted the fundamental role of gender equality as a means to achieve sustainable development and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives and their futures. To this end, Canada announced more than $112 million in support to protect access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services for women and girls around the world. Canada will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will deliver on its $100 million commitment to address issues related to paid and unpaid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people around the world, including in Canada, climate change is not an illusion: it is real, it is costly and it knows no borders. To effectively combat this threat, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of collective action on a global scale. He highlighted decarbonizing the industrial sector as one solution to combat climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members of theGlobal Carbon Pricing Challenge launched by Canada, which calls on countries to set a price on carbon to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, so we can better fight wildfires and advance international expertise in sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, together with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-level Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted the work being done to address the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support for the Multinational Security Support Mission in the country. He emphasized the critical importance of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. In this regard, he announced more than $16 million to support the transitional government’s electoral preparations, increase humanitarian assistance, reduce gang-related violence, and increase access to justice for women and youth detainees, while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will go a long way to helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a brighter, more prosperous future for its people.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in major new investments to strengthen global peace and security, including mine clearance, and to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He highlighted the role of the United Nations in this important work, and announced an investment of $9 million to support United Nations initiatives to increase the effectiveness of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding assistance in countries around the world.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable entitled “Defending Democracy: Combating Extremism,” where he spoke with world leaders about the challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations.

    During his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with his international counterparts to discuss priority geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its global implications, as well as developments in the Middle East. He also stressed the need to protect democratic institutions from emerging threats, including disinformation and election interference, and to preserve peace and security around the world.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, among others.

    In the face of economic and social insecurity around the world, the Government of Canada is choosing to invest in our country. From a $10-a-day national child care program to an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care plan, and an industrial sector strategy that creates well-paying jobs – not to mention fighting climate change – these choices will have a positive impact on the lives of Canadians and help address global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada is choosing to invest in its people, its future and progress. This is the message I wanted to bring to the UNGA and the Future Summit. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, address the world’s most pressing challenges and give every generation a fair chance.”

    Highlights

    During his trip to New York, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Garry Conille of Haiti, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic of Kitchener, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, Senior Advisor to Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus, President William Ruto of Kenya, and Malala Yousafzai. The Prime Minister also held discussions with other leaders, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, International Monetary Fund President and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez. As a founding member of the United Nations since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, including playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the cornerstone treaty of the rules-based international order. Canada is the sixth largest donor to the United Nations, with voluntary contributions and assessed contributions totaling more than US$2 billion in 2022. In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, as outlined in theTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda focuses on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that address the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Together, the SDGs aim to improve people’s lives, but also protect the planet. Released in 2021, theCanada’s National Strategy for the 2030 Agenda: Moving Forward Togetheris based on 30 actions and 5 core principles to create and foster an environment for ongoing dialogue and engagement to encourage Canadians to take action to implement the SDGs. In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was appointed Co-Chair of the SDG Advocates Group by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. Through their respective platforms, the members of the SDG Advocates Group aim to raise global awareness of the SDGs and the need to accelerate action to achieve them. Prime Minister Trudeau also serves as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group, alongside Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica. The Group advocates for developing countries to have the financial resources they need to invest in the 17 SDGs to ensure a just and equitable future for all people. At the Future Summit, world leaders strengthened cooperation on major challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They renewed existing commitments, including to the SDGs and the Charter of the United Nations, and undertook to modernize the United Nations system to effectively address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Also at the Summit, leaders adopted the Deal for the Future and its annexes, the Global Digital Deal and the Declaration on Future Generations. The Deal for the Future is a comprehensive framework to promote global cooperation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, inequality, and the need for strong multilateral cooperation, for the benefit of all and future generations. In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to scale up the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting new ones. The Challenge, which collectively aims to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and coordination to improve the effectiveness and compatibility of pricing regimes, while helping other countries adopt carbon pricing and reduce emissions towards the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

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    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New undergraduate course for optometrists

    Source: Scottish Government

    UK-leading course to support delivery of wider range of services.

    A new Master’s undergraduate degree has been launched to increase the skills, knowledge and experience that optometry students will have when they graduate.

    The course at Glasgow Caledonian University, which has just accepted its first cohort of students, is the first in the UK to offer an integrated optometry with independent prescribing qualification.

    Among other things, graduates will be able to prescribe medications for eye conditions previously referred to the GP or hospital ophthalmologists. This will support more patients to be managed in the community closer to home without further referral, helping to get patients treated quicker and ease pressures on NHS waiting lists.

    Higher Education Minister Graeme Dey and Public Health Minister Jenni Minto met the new cohort of students and representatives from the university at its Vision Centre facilities.

    Mr Dey said:

    “It’s exciting to see Scotland is ahead of the game when it comes to upskilling our optometry workforce and this new course will ensure they will have the right skills, knowledge and experience to meet future challenges.

    “Graduates of this groundbreaking course will play an important role in establishing a wider range of community-based ophthalmic care. Patients will be able to be treated closer to home, helping to reduce the pressures on GPs and hospital waiting lists.

    “I’m delighted that we’re able to support Glasgow Caledonian University’s new course. The Scottish Government continues to invest over £1 billion in university teaching and research.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands of deaths could be avoided with new vaccine Older people should take a new vaccine to protect them against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) according to new research from the University of Aberdeen and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Older person being vaccinatedOlder people should take a new vaccine to protect them against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) according to new research from the University of Aberdeen and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.

    In new research published in Age & Ageing today, a team of scientists led by Professor Roy Soiza, Consultant Geriatrician and Honorary Chair at the University reviewed the evidence on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines against RSV in older and frailer individuals. They found the vaccines to be 86 percent effective in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections in the first year after vaccination. 

    If uptake of the vaccine reaches 70 percent, evidence suggests that up to 2,800 deaths could be prevented in the UK every year.  Additionally, with at least 70 percent uptake, around 36,000 GP consultations, 4,600 hospitalisations and 1,000 ICU admissions could be avoided.   

    However, the authors warn of a culture of ‘vaccine fatigue’ as well as ‘vaccine hesitancy’ which could impact on the numbers of older people accepting the vaccine.  

    The review paper comes in response to the UK launch of a new vaccination programme against RSV for 75 to 79-year-olds. Known to cause serious lung infections in very young infants, there is growing evidence that RSV can also cause serious chest infections in the elderly population contributing to an estimated 8000 deaths and 175,000 GP interventions every year in the UK.  

    Professor Roy Soiza who led the research at the University of Aberdeen explains: “The NHS is badly stretched, so efforts to reduce the healthcare burden from avoidable communicable diseases such as RSV infection are highly desirable. Although some sections of social media are often dominated by anti-vaccine messages, it is important that reliable public health messages cut through the noise. 

    “Our review found that the vaccines are safe and effective and we are calling on healthcare professionals and carers to encourage those invited to receive the vaccine to take up the opportunity.   

    “There is evidence of effectiveness in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections of around 86 percent in the first year after vaccination.  

    “Trials have been conducted in people aged over 60 years of age, including those with underlying medical conditions, but the number of volunteers aged 80 or over was too small to be certain of the extent of benefit. Nevertheless, we saw in the covid pandemic that the effectiveness of vaccines in trials of younger and healthier people was replicated in those who were much frailer and older.   

    “We therefore urge those with an interest in the care of older people to encourage those eligible and invited to have the new vaccine to take it.” 

    Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Immunisation and Vaccination at Public Health Scotland, said: “The recent launch of Scotland’s new RSV vaccination programme marks another significant step forward to protect the health of the population.    

    “RSV can be very serious for those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in those aged 75 years and over being hospitalised for RSV. That’s why we’re asking all those who are eligible for the RSV vaccine to take up the offer to protect themselves against the more serious complications of an RSV infection.” 

    Antonia Ho, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, who collaborated on the research said: “The availability of the first effective RSV vaccines in the UK is really exciting. Along with existing influenza and covid-19 vaccines, they will allow us to protect vulnerable groups from serious lung infections, and reduce the enormous pressures faced by the NHS in the winter months. 

    “The vaccination catch-up campaign for 76 to 79 years is due to end on 30 September 2024 and I would urge those who are eligible to attend their vaccination appointment.”

    Our review found that the vaccines are safe and effective and we are calling on healthcare professionals and carers to encourage those invited to receive the vaccine to take up the opportunity.” Professor Roy Soiza

    To find out how you can help support medical research at the University of Aberdeen please contact giving@abdn.ac.uk. If you would prefer to make a gift of your time, please contact alumni@abdn.ac.uk to find out more about our alumni volunteering opportunities.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The CSE must prove personal injury in order to constitute itself as a civil party

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Republic of France in FrenchThe French Republic has issued the following statement:

    Image 1Credits: New Africa – stock.adobe.com

    A superior is accused by several of her employees of moral harassment. The CSE is bringing a civil action in the interests of the health, safety and working conditions committee (CHSCT) of the hospital center where the events took place.

    The Court of Appeal declared the CSE’s civil action admissible and awarded it damages. For it, the acts of moral harassment in question fell within the CSE’s mission because they impacted the employees’ working conditions. The hierarchical superior appealed to the Court of Cassation. She considered that the CSE was not a direct victim of the offence of moral harassment and therefore should not be compensated.

    The Court of Cassation quashes and annuls the appeal decision. It holds that the CSE does not have the mission to represent the different categories of staff, nor the general interests of the profession. It adds that he has not justified any personal harm resulting from moral harassment. Thus, his civil action is not admissible.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: “Living together” program: nine initial actions supported to address climate change

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Canton of Neuchatel Switzerland

    18.09.2024

    ​The call for projects launched last May as part of the Neuchâtel Climate Plan to strengthen local resilience in the face of climate challenges was a great success: 21 projects were submitted during the first deadline set. Among these, nine actions were selected to be supported with a total amount of 42,000 francs. Other projects have already been announced for the 2nd deadline scheduled for October 31.

    Creating social ties, consolidating support networks and strengthening collaboration are at the heart of the “living together” program, initiated by the canton last spring to mitigate the social consequences of global warming. The call was heard: despite an initial deadline set just a few weeks before the launch, no fewer than 21 projects have been submitted and several other interesting actions have already been announced for the future.

    Among a multitude of exciting ideas working for solidarity and cooperation, in connection with climate issues, the project selection committee, made up of people from the canton, municipalities and civil society, has selected nine initial projects that it proposes to support with a total amount of 42,000 francs. In addition, other requests for support are currently undergoing additional analysis. In addition, all the individuals and associations that have mobilized to participate in the program will be encouraged to join the dynamic created and synergies will be sought to explore all possible avenues of collaboration.

    The projects already supported to date will, for example, strengthen the circular economy, facilitate the emergence of new projects, raise awareness of environmental issues or promote eco-responsible consumption. A presentation file for this first batch of selected projects is attached in the appendix.

    As a reminder, all useful information on the “living together” program can be found on www.ne.ch/vivre-ensembleThe program will run until 2027, with a total budget of 400,000 francs. The next deadline for submitting support applications is October 31, 2024. Other calls for projects will be organized subsequently and the ambition is also to consolidate a movement of solidarity transition in the long term, in a logic of co-construction.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Berezowski, Lecturer, Forensic Science, Deakin University

    Kyle Towns/Shutterstock

    To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in rubbish bins and suitcases.

    Finding the body is a key part of any murder investigation, as it helps to identify, prosecute and charge the killer. Unfortunately, the task can be immensely difficult.

    To help tackle the problem of locating hidden graves, we have trialled two innovative techniques for searching underground: ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, or ERT. Our results are now published in the journal Remote Sensing.

    Borrowing tools from geology

    The tools we used are known as geophysical methods because they measure the physical properties of materials in the soil under the surface.

    The use of geophysical techniques for peering under Earth’s surface is not new – engineers, geologists and archaeologists have used the tools we tested for decades.

    But geophysical techniques are not typically used for forensic investigations because directly finding a body with these methods is very difficult.

    However, both of the tools we tested can help to locate a grave indirectly – by looking at the differences between the disturbed soil of the grave and the undisturbed soil around it. When the techniques encounter disturbed soil and/or the presence of body fluids, the resulting data will show as an anomaly – something different to the areas surrounding it.

    To figure out whether the identified anomaly is a grave, researchers can then consider the size, shape and depth of the anomaly to make sure it correlates with a human body.

    Tori Berezowski using a ground penetrating radar to survey the ‘hidden’ graves.
    Author provided

    Pigs at the ‘body farm’

    At the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), Australia’s only “body farm” – a facility that uses donated bodies for forensic research – we buried five pigs in various configurations to mimic clandestine graves.

    This included two single graves (a “shallow” grave of just half a metre, and a “deep” grave of almost two metres) and a mass grave with three pigs at one metre deep. We used pigs as they are a good body analogue in terms of size and mass to humans.

    We surveyed the graves with ground-penetrating radar and ERT before and directly after burial, and then one, eight, 14, and 20 months later.

    In forensic research, pig cadavers are a suitable proxy for human bodies, as they have a similar size and mass.
    Author provided

    Our findings revealed that geophysical imaging of hidden graves can work, but with varying results. This depended on the size, depth and age of the burial, and the amount of rainfall before the survey.

    The grave containing the three pig cadavers was the easiest to observe due to its larger size and volume. This indicates geophysical techniques may be particularly useful in humanitarian investigations that involve searching for mass graves.

    A shallow single grave was the next most observable. This is also an encouraging finding because most graves of hidden victims are only around half a metre deep. For both techniques, the two-metre-deep single grave was the most difficult to image.

    Although both tools could detect some graves on some occasions, neither located all of the graves during the entire length of our survey. This was likely due to a combination of factors, including the soil type at the site and unprecedented weather conditions during the research period – La Niña flooded the research site multiple times.

    We did, however, confirm that pig cadaver graves are good proxies to human donor graves when investigating geophysical techniques for finding them.

    To do this, we compared the ground-penetrating radar and the ERT responses of the pig burials to those of human burials (all part of existing research projects at AFTER). We found no obvious differences between the two.

    This is a very important result, because it means we can further test these tools in Australia and worldwide without being constrained by highly limited access to human donors.



    Read more:
    Secrets wrapped in fabric: how our study of 100 decomposing piglet bodies will help solve criminal cases

    More work needed

    Similar studies have been done in the United Kingdom, the United States and South America. However, ours is the first systematic, multi-technique, geophysical survey of covert graves in an Australian environment. The only other similar Australian study was in 2004, however, it only used ground-penetrating radar and didn’t check back on the graves at multiple time points.

    Our results clearly demonstrate that geophysical methods can be effective for locating unmarked graves under some circumstances, but don’t always work. To try and work out why, we will continue our research using the latest geophysical instruments and monitoring the moisture conditions inside the graves.

    Ultimately, we believe using these tools can increase the chances of locating missing and murdered victims. Then, we can finally provide answers to their families and loved ones, and increase the chances of prosecuting their killers.

    The team would like to thank Justin Ellis, Gabriel C Rau, Dilan Seckiner, and Isabella Crebert for their contributions to this research. Additionally, we would like to thank AFTER for the space to conduct the research and to Soren Blau and Jon Sterenberg for allowing us to scan your graves.

    Victoria Berezowski receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. This work was also funded by a Vice Chancellor Higher Degree by Research PhD Training Scholarship from the University of Newcastle.

    Ian Moffat receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Flinders University.

    Xanthe Mallett has received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try – https://theconversation.com/can-we-find-hidden-graves-of-murder-victims-with-soil-imaging-new-australian-study-gives-it-a-try-224274

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Weekly press release from the Council of State of September 18, 2024

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Geneva in French

    Véronique Athané Ryser, new general director of SIG. © Magali Girardin/ SIG

    On the proposal of the Board of Directors of the Geneva Industrial Services (SIG), the State Council approved the appointment of Ms. Véronique Athané Ryser to the position of General Manager.

    Born in 1976, Ms. Athané Ryser is a mechanical engineer, graduated from INSA and EPFL. Since 2020, she has held the position of Executive Director of Distribution Network Management at SIG. She has demonstrated her skills as a high-level manager, managing a department of 550 employees in a wide variety of fields, successfully completing complex projects while actively participating in the smooth running of the company’s general management.

    The Council of State notes that the recruitment process was conducted efficiently. It takes this opportunity to thank Mr. Alain Zbinden, Acting Managing Director, and Mr. Robert Cramer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, for their unwavering commitment in recent months and wishes Ms. Athané Ryser every success in carrying out her new duties.

    For further media information: Mr Antonio Hodgers, State Councillor, by contacting Mr Jérôme Savary, Deputy Secretary General, DT, T. 022 327 94 18.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI