Question for written answer E-001928/2024 to the Commission Rule 144 Estrella Galán (The Left)
Spain’s Ministry of Industry has allocated upwards of EUR 35 million in European funds to a series of projects in the Autonomous Community of Aragon which, besides failing to comply with the obligatory deadlines for implementation (50 % by December 2024), may be in violation of criteria 1, 2, 3 and 6: mitigating and adapting to climate change; sustainably using and protecting water and marine resources; and protecting and restoring biodiversity and ecosystems.
At issue are (i) the construction projects for new ski lifts in Astun-Candanchú and Benasque-Cerler (which would entail tree felling and severe ramifications on biodiversity and ecosystems); (ii) the construction of a golf course in Panticosa (which would require a large quantity of water and have a devastating impacton water resources, making the recovery of biodiversity difficult); and (iii) the construction of car parks in Sallent de Gállego and Formigal (which would promote the use of private vehicles).
1.Does the Commission intend to investigate the infringement of the basic NextGenerationEU criteria and objectives which may result from the use of EU funds to finance these projects?
2.Given that currently only 1 % of the projects has been completed and, as the Autonomous Community of Aragon itself confesses, 50 % of those projects will not have been completed by the end of December, can the Commission clarify whether it has relaxed the implementation dates for these projects?
– having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2024)0325 – C10‑0088/2024),
– having regard to Article 107(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund(1),
– having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027(2), and in particular Article 9 thereof,
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources(3), and in particular point 10 thereof,
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund(4),
– having regard to its resolution of 27 February 2024 on the draft Council regulation amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027(5),
– having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on the effectiveness of Member States’ use of EU Solidarity Fund money in cases of natural disasters(6),
– having regard to its resolution of 18 May 2021 on the review of the European Union Solidarity Fund(7),
– having regard to the EEA Report No 1/2024 – European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA),
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A10-0002/2024),
A. whereas between 1 and 17 May 2023, the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy experienced extremely intense rainfall which led to flooding resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Italian authorities at EUR 8,5 billion;
B. whereas between 3 and 6 August 2023, Slovenia was impacted by heavy rainfall which led to floods across the country and was its worst natural disaster to date, resulting in total direct damages of EUR 7,3 billion according to the Commission;
C. whereas between 3 and 6 August 2023, Austria was impacted by heavy rainfall which led to floods in southern Austrian regions resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Austrian authorities at EUR 208 million;
D. whereas between 4 and 11 September 2023, Greece was impacted by the Mediterranean storm “Daniel” which caused heavy rainfall and led to floods in multiple locations in central Greece, particularly in the Thessaly region, resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Greek authorities at EUR 2,3 billion;
E. whereas between 25 October and 10 November 2023, the Tuscany region of Italy experienced intense rainfall which led to flash floods resulting in total direct damages estimated by the Italian authorities at EUR 2,7 billion;
F. whereas between 2 and 9 November 2023, the former Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of the Hauts-de-France region of France was impacted by heavy rainfall which caused floods resulting in total direct damages estimated by the French authorities at EUR 1,9 billion;
1. Expresses its deepest solidarity with all the victims, their families and all the individuals affected by the destructive floods in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France as well as with the national, regional and local authorities involved in the relief efforts;
2. Welcomes the decision as a tangible and visible form of the Union’s solidarity with its citizens and the regions in the affected areas in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France;
3. Reiterates the importance of communicating to the public the tangible benefits brought about by the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF), also to further increase citizens’ awareness of Union tools and programmes;
4. Highlights the increasing number of severe and destructive natural disasters in Europe and calls on Member States and the Commission to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation measures to avoid human and economic losses; considers that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be expanded in view of the upcoming Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations; urges the Commission to increase the budget of the European Solidarity Reserve and to make sure that the overall amount of funding and the allocation modalities ensure the optimal effectiveness of the EUSF;
5. Stresses that, due to climate change, islands and coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to natural calamities; acknowledges that phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and droughts – which also affect lakes and rivers – represent an increasing threat to many European regions, particularly those in the Mediterranean; questions whether the EUSF is adequately aligned with the emergency needs related to climate adaptation in these particularly fragile territories; therefore, believes that islands and coastal regions should receive adequate funding within the framework of the EUSF to address their specific vulnerabilities;
6. Stresses that the EUSF is only a curative instrument and that the Union should also continue to address climate change adaptation and mitigation by supporting European and national policies to prevent natural disasters; underlines that the EEA Report No 1/2024 ‘European Climate Risk Assessment’ warned that the bloc is unprepared for the effects of climate change and stresses the need for action to avoid that the climate risks identified reach critical levels; calls on the Member States and the Commission to deliver their contribution to achieve the objectives agreed at the Paris Climate Summit; recalls the need for effective synergies with other Union policies and programmes and underlines that Member States should make best use of funding opportunities, in particular of the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund +, the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the rural development programmes; stresses also the need for preventive measures, not only to mitigate future damage but also to prevent the exacerbation of risk conditions following catastrophic events, such as wildfires, landslides or the drying up of lakes and rivers; underlines the importance of adequate flexibility between the different programmes; underscores that assistance provided under the EUSF should not be to the detriment of Union funding received by Member States under other Union programmes or policies; recalls that Member States can grant state aid, in accordance with applicable Union rules, notably for agricultural businesses that have suffered damages due to natural disasters;
7. Recalls the importance of rapid and solid damage assessment that takes due account of the economic repercussions and calls for increased operational efforts to be made in order to reduce the average time for the release of advanced payments, while ensuring the Union budget is protected; calls on the Commission to further streamline the procedure and shorten the time required for the processing of the applications for the mobilisation of the EUSF, to accelerate response times and ensure that funds reach the affected regions promptly as natural disasters inflict significant damage that disrupts daily life and local economies; stresses the need for reasonable flexibility when recipient countries face justifiable delays and challenges in applying for and utilizing allocated funding; calls on Member States to take into consideration that vulnerable populations are particularly affected by natural disasters due to socio-economic factors further hampering their ability to recover;
8. Stresses the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner;
9. Approves the decision annexed to this resolution;
10. Instructs its President to sign the decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution, including its annex, to the Council and the Commission.
Question for written answer E-001791/2024/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Joachim Streit (Renew)
The latest monitoring report by the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium reveals that, in the first six months of 2024 alone, there were 756 media freedom violation alerts involving 1 212 media-related persons or entities. Of the alerts in the report, 474 relate to EU Member States, while 282 were recorded in candidate countries. The number of violations in Germany was 72. In Europe, intimidation and online threats targeting members of the press are increasing, and anti-media laws, spoofing, censorship, legal harassment, editorial interference and physical attacks are also on the rise. In many cases, such violations occur at the hands of the government or public officials. This trend is particularly concerning because of its potential to affect national and regional elections in EU Member States and undermine the EU’s democratic principles.
1.Is the Commission – and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in particular – aware of the dangerous situation faced by journalists? What does the Commission make of this situation in the light of the European Media Freedom Act?
2.What new measures does the Commission intend to take to protect editorial independence, journalistic sources and journalists’ physical safety?
3.Does the Commission plan to cut EU funding to Member States and candidate countries where press freedom is particularly under threat, such as Hungary?
Question for written answer E-001932/2024 to the Commission Rule 144 Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR)
In response to the catastrophic flooding in Central Europe, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that countries hit by the disaster would receive EUR 10 billion from the EU Cohesion Fund.
Regulation 2021/1058 specifies that the Cohesion Fund is intended to level the playing field in the common market for the less prosperous Member States. In the 2021-2027 programming period, its beneficiaries are countries whose gross national income per capita is below 90% of the EU average.
Austria, which in principle is not a beneficiary under the current programming framework, is one of the Central European countries impacted by the flooding that will receive financial aid from the Cohesion Fund.
In view of the above, could the Commission answer the following questions:
1.Has allocating cohesion funding to Austria reduced the amounts which the less wealthy countries are entitled to receive from the Cohesion Fund?
2.What will be the mechanism and the scale of the reallocation of funding under the Cohesion Fund in the 2021-2027 programming period?
3.Is the Commission aware that allocating cohesion funding to Austria will mean that changes will need to be made to investments being carried out and planned by eligible Member States?
Sebastião Bugalho, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Ana Miguel Pedro, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Luděk Niedermayer, Paulo Cunha, Mirosława Nykiel, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Danuše Nerudová, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Tomáš Zdechovský, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Željana Zovko, Miriam Lexmann, Inese Vaidere, Péter Magyar on behalf of the PPE Group Alex Agius Saliba, Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Evin Incir, Nicola Zingaretti on behalf of the S&D Group Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Assita Kanko, Alexandr Vondra, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Michał Dworczyk, Ivaylo Valchev, Alberico Gambino, Carlo Fidanza, Emmanouil Fragkos, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group Abir Al‑Sahlani, Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Raquel García Hermida‑Van Der Walle, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Jan‑Christoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group Hannah Neumann on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Per Clausen, Lukas Sieper, Rima Hassan
Document selected :
RC-B10-0089/2024
Texts tabled :
RC-B10-0089/2024
Texts adopted :
European Parliament resolution on Iraq, notably the situation of women’s rights and the recent proposal to amend the Personal Status Law
–having regard to its previous resolutions on Iraq,
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas Iraq’s Parliament is drafting highly restrictive amendments to Law 188/1959 (the Personal Status Law), affecting women’s rights; whereas as a result, family matters, including marriage, divorce and child custody, would effectively fall under the remit of religious rather than civil courts, entailing disturbing discrepancies along religious lines, according to UN experts; whereas for some, the minimum legal marriageable age would be 9 for girls and 15 for boys, and there are fears of increased violence against women in the future; whereas 22 % of unregistered marriages involve girls under 14; whereas the Supreme Court endorsed the constitutionality of the most problematic amendments before a third reading, which was postponed on 2 October 2024; whereas the women’s rights situation in Iraq already drew fierce criticism;
B.whereas Iraq’s UN mission UNITAD, which had been investigating sexual crimes committed by Daesh against women, particularly Yazidis, had to close on 17 September 2024 following last year’s decision, supported by Russia and China, to discontinue its UN Security Council mandate; whereas Iraq’s UN mission UNAMI will also have to close in 2025;
C.whereas the 2016 Sakharov Prize for freedom of expression was awarded to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, two Iraqi Yazidi women, for their struggle against conflict-related sexual violence;
D.whereas Article 14 of Iraq’s constitution states that ‘Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination based on gender’;
E.whereas 73 % of respondents surveyed by the Iraq Polling Team expressed ‘strong opposition’ to the changes to Law 188/1959;
1.Urges Iraq’s Parliament to fully and immediately reject the proposed amendments to Law 188/1959 (the Personal Status Law); underlines, with utmost concern, that the amendments would violate Iraq’s international obligations regarding women’s fundamental rights, and result in a significant rollback, an increasingly negative international reputation and the withholding of some foreign assistance from bilateral and multilateral organisations;
2.Calls on the VP/HR and the Member States to condemn the proposed amendments; calls on the EU delegation to Iraq to make development grants conditional on judicial training on sexual and gender-based violence and the establishment of women’s shelters; urges Iraq to adopt a national action plan to eliminate child marriage, criminalise marital rape, fight domestic violence and strengthen women’s and girls’ rights, in line with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; calls for a reinforced partnership with the Human Rights Committee of Iraq’s Parliament, in line with Iraq’s international obligations;
3.Calls on the Member States to increase their support to women’s and children’s rights defenders in Iraq;
4.Is highly concerned by the lack of legal protection in the penal code for women and child victims of domestic violence and calls for improvements;
5.Instructs its President to have this resolution translated into Arabic and to forward this resolution to Iraq’s Parliament and Government, the VP/HR and the Member States.
Sebastião Bugalho, Miriam Lexmann, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Luděk Niedermayer, Ana Miguel Pedro, Mirosława Nykiel, Paulo Cunha, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Loránt Vincze, Danuše Nerudová, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Željana Zovko, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Raphaël Glucksmann, Pina Picierno on behalf of the S&D Group Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Jaak Madison, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Michał Dworczyk, Assita Kanko, Alberico Gambino, Carlo Fidanza, Charlie Weimers, Beatrice Timgren, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Roberts Zīle, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Ana Vasconcelos, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group Erik Marquardt, Markéta Gregorová on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Per Clausen, Rima Hassan, Hanna Gedin, Jonas Sjöstedt
Document selected :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts tabled :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts adopted :
European Parliament resolution on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
–having regard to Articles 4 and 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC),
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; whereas he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; whereas he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize;
B.whereas Gulshan Abbas is serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC;
C.whereas this reflects the PRC authorities’ systemic repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR); whereas Uyghurs are arbitrarily detained in internment camps and forced to renounce their ethnic identity and religious beliefs;
D.whereas the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be at the centre of EU-PRC relations;
1.Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;
2.Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;
3.Calls for the EU and the Member States to adopt additional sanctions against high-ranking officials and entities involved in human rights violations in the PRC;
4.Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;
5.Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;
6.Regrets the PRC’s lack of commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue and the absence of results;
7.Calls on Member States and the international community to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC and Hong Kong, respect the non-refoulement principle and implement the OHCHR report;
8.Urges Member States to address the transnational repression of Chinese dissidents and Uyghurs on their territory and prosecute individuals responsible;
9.Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations;
10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the PRC authorities, the VP/HR, the Commission, the Member States and the United Nations.
On Monday, 14 October 2024, the FEMM Committee will debate the draft recommendation to the Council on the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
The main focus of CSW 69 being the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the FEMM committee will consider its recommendation to the Council.
Sebastião Bugalho, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Michael Gahler, Luděk Niedermayer, Ana Miguel Pedro, Mirosława Nykiel, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Danuše Nerudová, Tomáš Zdechovský, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Jörgen Warborn, Željana Zovko, Miriam Lexmann, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Nikos Papandreou on behalf of the S&D Group Rihards Kols, Ondřej Krutílek, Ivaylo Valchev, Assita Kanko, Emmanouil Fragkos, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Veronika Vrecionová on behalf of the ECR Group Lucia Yar, Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Nathalie Loiseau, Jan‑Christoph Oetjen, Hilde Vautmans on behalf of the Renew Group Vladimir Prebilič on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Isabel Serra Sánchez on behalf of The Left Group
European Parliament resolution on the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye
–having regard to its previous reports and resolutions on Türkiye,
–having regard to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, which ranks Türkiye 158th out of 180 countries,
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas, on 6 May 2023, Bülent Mumay, a Turkish journalist and coordinator of the Istanbul bureau of Deutsche Welle’s Turkish editorial office, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for social media posts about a pro-government company’s seizure of Istanbul Municipality’s subway funds during the AKP administration; whereas his appeal was rejected, and his tweets removed;
B.whereas, on 20 August 2024, Istanbul’s 26th Regional Court, acting as an appeals court, upheld the sentence and ordered the Information and Communication Technologies Authority to block access to news reports about the upheld prison sentence;
C.whereas the verdict, coupled with repeated censorship, demonstrates the escalating pressure on press freedom in Türkiye, with Bülent Mumay’s case not being an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of judicial harassment and censorship targeting Türkiye’s independent media;
D.whereas Türkiye, as a member of the Council of Europe and EU candidate country, is required to apply the highest democratic standards and practices, including respect for human rights, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms (such as press freedom and freedom of expression), the universal right to a fair trial and strict respect for the principle of presumption of innocence and the right to due process;
1.Condemns the sentence against Bülent Mumay, which follows a broader pattern of silencing critical journalism; calls on the Turkish authorities to drop the charges against Bülent Mumay, and all arbitrarily detained media workers and journalists;
2.Is deeply concerned about the ongoing deterioration of democratic standards in Türkiye, relentless crackdown on any critical voices and targeting of independent journalists, activists and opposition members amid frequent reports of legal intimidation, censorship and financial coercion as ways to suppress criticism and investigative journalism;
3.Deplores the fact that, the Turkish Government, through a number of laws, including the 2020 social media law, the 2021 anti-money laundering law, and the 2022 disinformation law, has built a complex web of legislation serving as a tool to systematically control and silence journalists; is highly concerned about the new ‘foreign agent regulation’ to be introduced by the end of 2024;
4.Continues to condemn the lack of independence of the prosecution and judiciary and the political instrumentalisation of the judicial system in Türkiye and calls on the Turkish authorities to restore judicial independence, respect press freedom and ensure compliance with international human rights obligations;
5.Calls on the EEAS to adequately support the EU Delegation to Türkiye in intensifying trial observation of detained journalists and media workers and raising their cases with the Turkish authorities at all levels, while maintaining close relations with civil society;
6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the EEAS, and the President, Government and Parliament of Türkiye and have it translated into Turkish.
Sebastião Bugalho, Miriam Lexmann, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Luděk Niedermayer, Ana Miguel Pedro, Mirosława Nykiel, Paulo Cunha, Marta Wcisło, Vangelis Meimarakis, Loránt Vincze, Danuše Nerudová, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Željana Zovko, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Raphaël Glucksmann, Pina Picierno on behalf of the S&D Group Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Jaak Madison, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Michał Dworczyk, Assita Kanko, Alberico Gambino, Carlo Fidanza, Charlie Weimers, Beatrice Timgren, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Roberts Zīle, Waldemar Tomaszewski on behalf of the ECR Group Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Moritz Körner, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Ana Vasconcelos, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group Erik Marquardt, Markéta Gregorová on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Per Clausen, Rima Hassan, Hanna Gedin, Jonas Sjöstedt, Lukas Sieper
Document selected :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts tabled :
RC-B10-0101/2024
Texts adopted :
European Parliament resolution on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas
–having regard to Articles 4 and 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC),
–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in 2014 Ilham Tohti was convicted of politically motivated charges of ‘separatism’ and sentenced to life imprisonment; whereas he worked to foster dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese; whereas he was awarded the 2019 Sakharov Prize;
B.whereas Gulshan Abbas is serving a 20-year sentence on fallacious terrorism-related charges relating to activities of her sister, a defender of the human rights of persecuted Uyghurs in the PRC;
C.whereas this reflects the PRC authorities’ systemic repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR); whereas Uyghurs are arbitrarily detained in internment camps and forced to renounce their ethnic identity and religious beliefs;
D.whereas the defence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law should be at the centre of EU-PRC relations;
1.Strongly condemns the PRC’s violations of the human rights of Uyghurs and people in Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China;
2.Urges the PRC to immediately and unconditionally release Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, as well as those arbitrarily detained in China and those mentioned by the EU during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, guarantee their access to medical care and lawyers, provide information on their whereabouts and ensure family visiting rights; calls for the EU and the Member States to apply pressure in this respect at every high-level contact;
3.Calls for the EU and the Member States to adopt additional sanctions against high-ranking officials and entities involved in human rights violations in the PRC;
4.Demands that the PRC authorities halt their repression and targeting of Uyghurs with abusive policies, including intense surveillance, forced labour, sterilisation, birth prevention measures and the destruction of Uyghur identity, which amount to crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide; calls for the closure of all internment camps;
5.Strongly condemns the PRC for not implementing the recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); calls on the PRC to allow the OHCHR independent access to XUAR and invites the OHCHR to issue a comprehensive situational update and an action plan for holding the PRC accountable;
6.Regrets the PRC’s lack of commitment to the Human Rights Dialogue and the absence of results;
7.Calls on Member States and the international community to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC and Hong Kong, respect the non-refoulement principle and implement the OHCHR report;
8.Urges Member States to address the transnational repression of Chinese dissidents and Uyghurs on their territory and prosecute individuals responsible;
9.Welcomes the EU’s forced labour regulation and insists on its full implementation; calls on businesses operating in the PRC, particularly in XUAR, to comply with their HR due diligence obligations;
10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the PRC authorities, the VP/HR, the Commission, the Member States and the United Nations.
Source: Switzerland – Federal Administration in English
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Bern, 09.10.2024 – Switzerland was elected today to the UN Human Rights Council by the UN General Assembly in New York with 175 votes. It will serve as a member of the UN’s most important intergovernmental human rights body for three years starting in early 2025.
Promoting and protecting human rights globally is a core objective of Swiss foreign policy. Respect for human rights is enshrined in the Swiss Federal Constitution and reflected in various international agreements to which Switzerland is a party. Switzerland is also the host state for the Human Rights Council and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In 2006, it played a key role in the establishment of the Human Rights Council. Today, Switzerland was elected to the Human Rights Council for the fourth time and will serve from January 2025 until the end of 2027. Alongside Switzerland, 46 other states will serve on the UN’s most significant intergovernmental body in the field of human rights during this period.
During its term on the Human Rights Council, Switzerland will work to strengthen the institution, promote human rights across the UN system, and implement them at national level. Its key priorities are the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, enforcing the prohibition of torture, promoting freedom of expression, and protecting minorities and women’s rights. In addition, Switzerland will work to strengthen democratic institutions globally by promoting electoral standards and emphasising the role of human rights in peaceful protests. In this context, Switzerland will also address the impact of new technologies, such as cyber, digital, and neurotechnologies, on human rights.
As a bridge-builder, Switzerland will foster dialogue and cooperation among all states and contribute to solutions founded on international norms and standards. Ensuring the inclusion of civil society in the work of the Human Rights Council is a key concern for Switzerland.
The UN and human rights The UN Human Rights Council is one of the UN’s main bodies dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights. Its mandate includes addressing human rights violations worldwide, setting international standards, and promoting human rights, for example, through providing technical support to states. The Human Rights Council comprises 47 member states and is based in Geneva.
Address for enquiries
FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) was joined by Republican members of Congress to urge the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to open new negotiations with the Republic of Argentina to create a robust financial package in order to support Argentina on their economic path to recovery. Joining Congresswoman Salazar on the letter were Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ), Carlos Giménez (R-FL), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Mike Waltz (R-FL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), and Keith Self (R-TX).
In their letter to Dr. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, the Representatives commended President Milei’s efforts to restore reliability as an economic borrower and end Argentina’s historical financial mismanagement under previous socialist administrations. The Members highlighted Milei’s background as an economist, his already-enacted measures to curtail inflation, and his Déficit Cero budget austerity plan as positive steps taken to accomplish those outcomes.
“The United States is the largest shareholder of the International Monetary Fund and therefore takes a keen interest in its activities. In Argentina, President Milei has vowed to restore his country’s reputation as a country that pays its debts and belongs in the club of countries that are reliable borrowers,” wrote the legislators. “According to reports, the economic adjustment plans he has implemented through the executive branch and the legislature are already curtailing inflation, hopefully setting Argentina on a path that ensures it will not miss any international financial obligations. As such, we ask that you consider these positive measures as you assist Argentina in charting the course ahead.”
Below is the text of the letter. The full letter can be found HERE.
Dear Managing Director Georgieva,
As members of Congress of the United States who oversee foreign affairs issues, we write to you concerning the Republic of Argentina’s stated commitment to putting its fiscal house in order and righting the ship of state. The United States is the largest shareholder of the International Monetary Fund and therefore takes a keen interest in its activities. In Argentina, President Milei has vowed to restore his country’s reputation as a country that pays its debts and belongs in the club of countries that are reliable borrowers. According to reports, the economic adjustment plans he has implemented through the executive branch and the legislature are already curtailing inflation, hopefully setting Argentina on a path that ensures it will not miss any international financial obligations. As such, we ask that you consider these positive measures as you assist Argentina in charting the course ahead.
We are encouraged that President Milei appears to be working toward meeting Argentina’s international obligations.
As an economist, President Milei knows what the necessary measures are to tame inflation and ensure Argentina meets its commitments to the International Monetary Fund and other international creditors. In fact, should his Déficit Cero budget austerity plan be implemented in its entirety, the result would go beyond what the IMF has requested, cutting spending across the board and responsibly tackling Argentina’s economic challenges.
We believe that the IMF was generous with past profligate socialist governments.
Since the Presidency of socialist Néstor Kirchner, the IMF has treated Argentina with incredible generosity, despite refusals of consecutive socialist governments to cut spending. The few times these governments did pay, it was because they printed more of the Argentine peso (ARS), a strategy which many economists believe caused a painful inflation crisis which wrecked Argentina’s economy. Nonetheless, these profligate governments received deals for $21.6 billion in 2001, $15.6 billion in 2003 and most recently $44 billion in 2022. Despite the IMF’s generosity, the Kirchner government was in default from 2007-2015. We are encouraged by President Milei’s stated commitment to leaving this shameful and damaging legacy where it belongs – in the past.
President Milei’s government appears to be reinstituting fiscal responsibility after decades of mismanagement, but needs support.
The current $800 million disbursement provided earlier this year is helpful. To repair the years of corruption and mismanagement, we believe that Argentina will need robust multilateral bank support, such as through a comprehensive IMF program, that would support Argentina’s difficult path toward economic health. Within all applicable rules and regulations, we respectfully request that you assess whether such support would both complement and reward the tough decisions that President Milei has made toward promoting Argentina’s long-term solvency and prosperity.
We appreciate President Milei’s efforts to pay down Argentina’s debt and bring prosperity to his country. We think that these efforts could be bolstered by time and help from multilateral financial institutions such as the IMF.
Women seeking publicly funded fertility treatment in New Zealand must have a body mass index (BMI) under 32, according to clinical priority assessment criteria for access to assisted reproductive technology.
But as our in-depth interviews and a growing body of evidence show, this approach is outdated and unethical.
One of our study participants described the system as “completely rigged if you’re a fat person”. Nina, a 37-year-old dance teacher, was denied public funding support to help her conceive because her BMI was above 32 – even though the cause of infertility was her husband’s sperm count.
Nina is not alone. Paratta, who moved to Aotearoa from Sri Lanka in 2009, was also denied because of her BMI. She raced to lose the required weight in spite of a medical condition, but was then denied again because she had reached 40, the age limit for access to public funding.
Both women’s experiences highlight New Zealand’s obsolete and discriminating BMI limit. The United Kingdom does not include BMI as a criterion for public funding, and international cutoffs are generally between 35 and 45.
We argue New Zealand’s BMI threshold must be scrapped to reflect impactful research and respond ethically to New Zealand’s diverse population.
Our study participants have raised concerns about the BMI limit. International and local studies concur with them. Research shows Polynesians are much leaner than Europeans at significantly higher BMIs, meaning Māori and Pacific women are disadvantaged before they even step into the clinic.
Quick weight loss unlikely to help
In New Zealand, people seeking public support are told that “making lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or losing weight” could help them become eligible. They are given a stand-down period wherein they must lose the requisite weight before referrals.
As in Paratta’s case, this can lead to a race to lose weight before the inflexible age limit of 40 is reached. Evidence-based research advises that fertility care should balance the risk of age-related fertility decline with weight-loss advice.
Nina rejected the advice to lose weight. She was concerned that quick weight loss would require unhealthy practices that could affect her success rate during the embryo transfer.
Lifestyle changes made within a short time before conception don’t improve outcomes. Getty Images
At the Australia and New Zealand Fertility Association’s annual conference last month, US obstetrician Kurt Barnhart confirmed that lifestyle interventions made weeks or months before conception are unlikely to improve outcomes. They may even cause harm.
He discussed the FIT—PLESE randomised control study, which compared two groups of infertile women. One underwent a targeted weight-loss program and another exercised but did not lose weight. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the groups’ fertility and live-birth rates. These findings suggest the stand-down period should be revised.
Barnhart also highlighted that weight loss through lifestyle changes can be practically impossible given obesity is often linked to endocrine issues that have nothing to do with choice. He observed signals that the medical community is changing its views on obesity as a “lifestyle” choice – a welcome shift.
BMI, lifestyle and ethics
Social science research has long challenged a colonial and biomedical habit of imposing standards on women whose bodies do not conform to Western ideas of a healthy or ideal body.
Historically, the emphasis on weight as a criterion for reproductive health echoes harmful eugenicist beliefs. As US science historian Arleen Tuchman writes, the discovery of insulin prompted some groups to recommended banning marriages for people with diabetes to prevent the “unfit” from reproducing. New Zealand’s BMI criteria similarly suggest only those who fit specific physical standards deserve access to fertility care.
The high economic burden of obesity has led biomedical experts to recommended obese people should be considered for particular support, given the prohibitive cost of assisted reproductive technologies.
Nina exercises more than eight hours a week and Paratta leads an active lifestyle. For both women, behavioural advice – and the stigma and assumptions it underscores – is offensive.
Weight-loss advice can be particularly culturally offensive for Māori and Pacific peoples, who may be stigmatised in clinic settings for being too “fat” but considered “skinny” in their communities if they lose the required weight.
New Zealand’s assessment criteria for publicly funded fertility treatment have not been updated in 27 years. While infertility and health risks associated with obesity during pregnancy and at birth should not be ignored, research shows these risks can be managed effectively and with empathy through a transdisciplinary approach.
The Australian state of Victoria now offers two free cycles of fertility treatment to any Medicare-holding woman, regardless of BMI, up to the age of 42. The program deliberately reaches out to specific groups whose ethnicity, sexuality and environment limit their access. It has been highly successful and should inspire New Zealand to approach fertility funding with fresh perspectives.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
One concerning trend is the misuse of voice cloning. In seconds, scammers can clone a voice and trick people into thinking a friend or a family member urgently needs money.
News outlets, including CNN, warn these types of scams have the potential to impact millions of people.
As technology makes it easier for criminals to invade our personal spaces, staying cautious about its use is more important than ever.
What is voice cloning?
The rise of AI has created possibilities for image, text, voice generation and machine learning.
While AI offers many benefits, it also provides fraudsters new methods to exploit individuals for money.
You may have heard of “deepfakes,” where AI is used to create fake images, videos and even audio, often involving celebrities or politicians.
Voice cloning, a type of deepfake technology, creates a digital replica of a person’s voice by capturing their speech patterns, accent and breathing from brief audio samples.
Once the speech pattern is captured, an AI voice generator can convert text input into highly realistic speech resembling the targeted person’s voice.
While a simple phrase like “hello, is anyone there?” can lead to a voice cloning scam, a longer conversation helps scammers capture more vocal details. It is therefore best to keep calls brief until you are sure of the caller’s identity.
Voice cloning has valuable applications in entertainment and health care – enabling remote voice work for artists (even posthumously) and assisting people with speech disabilities.
However, it raises serious privacy and security concerns, underscoring the need for safeguards.
How it’s being exploited by criminals
Cybercriminals exploit voice cloning technology to impersonate celebrities, authorities or ordinary people for fraud.
They create urgency, gain the victim’s trust and request money via gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
The process begins by collecting audio samples from sources like YouTube and TikTok.
Next, the technology analyses the audio to generate new recordings.
Once the voice is cloned, it can be used in deceptive communications, often accompanied by spoofing Caller ID to appear trustworthy.
Many voice cloning scam cases have made headlines.
For example, criminals cloned the voice of a company director in the United Arab Emirates to orchestrate a $A51 million heist.
A businessman in Mumbai fell victim to a voice cloning scam involving a fake call from the Indian Embassy in Dubai.
In Australia recently, scammers employed a voice clone of Queensland Premier Steven Miles to attempt to trick people to invest in Bitcoin.
Teenagers and children are also targeted. In a kidnapping scam in the United States, a teenager’s voice was cloned and her parents manipulated into complying with demands.
It only takes a few seconds of audio for AI to clone someone’s voice.
How widespread is it?
Recent research shows 28% of adults in the United Kingdom faced voice cloning scams last year, with 46% unaware of the existence of this type of scam.
It highlights a significant knowledge gap, leaving millions at risk of fraud.
In 2022, almost 240,000 Australians reported being victims of voice cloning scams, leading to a financial loss of $A568 million.
How people and organisations can safeguard against it
Public-private collaboration can provide clear information and consent options for voice cloning.
Second, people and organisations should look to use biometric security with liveness detection, which is new technology that can recognise and verify a live voice as opposed to a fake. And organisations using voice recognition should consider adopting multi-factor authentication.
Third, enhancing investigative capability against voice cloning is another crucial measure for law enforcement.
There are also calls for possible intervention strategies that law enforcement could use to combat this problem.
Such efforts should connect with the overall National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, which focuses on proactive, reactive and restorative strategies.
That national plan stipulates a duty of care for service providers, reflected in the Australian government’s new legislation to safeguard the public and small businesses.
The legislation aims for new obligations to prevent, detect, report and disrupt scams.
This will apply to regulated organisations such as telcos, banks and digital platform providers. The goal is to protect customers by preventing, detecting, reporting, and disrupting cyber scams involving deception.
Reducing the risk
As cybercrime costs the Australian economy an estimated A$42 billion, public awareness and strong safeguards are essential.
Countries like Australia are recognising the growing risk. The effectiveness of measures against voice cloning and other frauds depends on their adaptability, cost, feasibility and regulatory compliance.
All stakeholders — government, citizens, and law enforcement — must stay vigilant and raise public awareness to reduce the risk of victimisation.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Queensland has joined Tasmania as the second Australian state or territory to offer a A$500 rebate for buyers of new e‑bikes. The pre-election announcement includes a smaller $200 rebate for e‑scooters.
The Queensland e‑mobility rebate scheme is first come, first served, until its $2 million budget ($1 million was added last week) is used up. The Tasmanian scheme has closed for this reason.
These schemes follow a trend of government incentives to buy e‑bikes in North America and Europe. The Australian schemes differ from most schemes overseas by including e‑scooters too.
It’s a welcome move to promote sustainable transport. These personal transport devices have smaller environmental footprints to produce and operate than electric cars. Owning e‑bikes or e‑scooters can enable people to drive less – reducing congestion and emissions – and avoid high fuel costs.
However, my research and other studies suggest ownership doesn’t guarantee much greater use. Additional measures will be needed to boost use of these sustainable transport modes.
Why own e-bikes or e-scooters when you can share?
The rebate is likely to boost retailers’ sales. More than 860 rebate applications were received within three days of the scheme starting on September 23.
And existing owners now have an incentive to upgrade or replace models. They might then sell their pre-loved e‑bikes or e‑scooters on the second-hand market. This means others could get them more cheaply.
Queensland was the first Australian state to legalise the use of e‑scooters in 2018, when Brisbane introduced shared e‑scooter operations. Regional cities such as Townsville and Cairns launched similar schemes. Dockless e‑bikes later replaced Brisbane’s initial CityCycle bike-sharing scheme.
I recently conducted research to understand why South-East Queensland residents want to own e‑scooters. The study methods were comparable to an earlier e‑bike user survey.
Both sets of owners cite replacing car use as their top reason for ownership. However, their motivations differ.
E‑scooter owners are mainly driven by the lower price and the fun factor of riding. E‑bike owners focus more on fitness and the health benefits of getting some exercise when riding. Australian regulations require e‑bikes to be pedal-assisted.
But does this mean people will ride more?
Since 2022, the Queensland government has offered a rebate of up to $6,000 for buying full-sized electric vehicles (that scheme closed last month). It now appears to have responded to calls to do the same for e‑bikes and e‑scooters.
Buyers certainly won’t mind freebies and rebates, but rebate-induced ownership might not increase overall use by much.
An Australia-wide survey in 2023 found 57% of respondents had access to at least one working bicycle at home and this proportion has been increasing. However, only 15% reported riding in the previous week. Only 36.7% had ridden in the past year.
The same 2023 survey revealed only about 2.1% own e‑bikes. The rebate will likely increase this rate in Queensland.
Some preliminary evidence suggests e‑bike users ride more often and further than those riding non-electric bikes. It also helps older people get into cycling. And it has the potential to replace car use even in rural areas.
Despite e‑bikes offering advantages over traditional bikes, riders of both face obstacles to greater use, such as road safety and poor cycling infrastructure.
What kinds of incentives do other countries offer?
Australian policymakers should consider offering incentives to ensure the new purchases are well used, not sitting idle most of the time.
The United Kingdom has a long-standing cycle-to-work scheme that offers commuters a tax exemption for buying bicycles or e‑bikes.
In the Netherlands, incentive schemes have used smartphone technology to track their mileage. For example, in the B-Riders scheme, riders earn €0.08–0.15 (A$0.13–0.21) per kilometre. There was a 68% increase in e‑bike use by former car commuters after one month and 73% increase after six months of participation.
Schemes in North America tend to be aimed at lower-income households. They are more likely to be involuntarily carless, so e‑bikes can improve their access to jobs, goods and services.
There are alternatives to rebates. North Vancouver, for example, is trialling e‑cargo bike lending to replace car shopping trips, as these bulky bikes are not practical for every household to own.
In France, residents can claim a bike or e‑bike subsidy of up to €2,000 (A$3,210). Second-hand devices sold by approved repairers are covered too, which is likely to help reduce e‑waste. Australian schemes so far only cover new purchases.
What more can be done?
For e‑bike and e‑scooter owners, the main barrier to riding more is the lack of safe and well-connected infrastructure. Numerous studies have connected rates of riding to the quality and quantity of infrastructure. Extensive, high-quality and safe cycling networks can deliver lasting shifts towards sustainable transport.
In Brisbane, despite not being anywhere close to the European level of cycling infrastructure, new “green bridges” and bikeways will be expanded to more areas of the city (and other Queensland venues). It’s part of preparations to host “climate-positive” Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. This year’s games host, Paris, successfully upgraded infrastructure and boosted cycling rates.
Another benefit of more riders on the streets is that it creates “safety in numbers”. Greater numbers would also help attract more funding for infrastructure that makes cycling and scooting safer and more attractive.
Both e‑bikes and e‑scooters are already worthwhile investments. Using them often would free yourself from car dependence – and that’s good for the planet and your wallet.
Abraham Leung received funding from the Transport Academic Partnership (Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and the Motor Accident Insurance Commission) and the Transport Innovation and Research Hub (Brisbane City Council, BCC). The data from the Privately Owned Electric Mobility User Survey (POEMUS) used in this article is funded and commissioned by BCC.
His current Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship is funded and/or partnered with TMR, BCC, Townsville City Council, and micromobility operators Neuron and Beam. He is also an active member of PedBikeTrans.
Could this indicate a broader decline in health advancements in English-speaking countries? Our new study compared life expectancy between English-speaking countries and against other high-income countries.
We found Australians born between 1930 and 1969 continue to do exceptionally well for life expectancy. But the picture for those under 50 is not so rosy – life expectancy is stagnating for that younger group.
Why measure life expectancy?
Life expectancy is a valuable and widely used measure to examine health trends and patterns over time and compare different places or population groups.
It estimates the average number of years a person would be expected to live. This is calculated using the mortality – or death rates – across different age groups within a specific period. When death rates fall, life expectancy rises, and vice versa.
Not only does life expectancy tell us about mortality in a population, it is indirectly a measure of overall population health. Most leading causes of death in high-income countries are chronic diseases. These typically affect the health of a person for multiple years before their death.
Stagnations or reversals in life expectancy can be warning signs of both longstanding and emerging health problems.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen has also pointed to mortality as a key indicator of economic success and failure. This makes it a powerful tool for researchers and policymakers.
Thanks to a long and largely standardised tradition of collecting mortality statistics across high-income countries, researchers are able to carry out in-depth, comparative studies. This can help uncover how specific causes of death have contributed to the changes in life expectancy.
What we did
In our study, we analysed mortality trends and patterns in a broader group of English-speaking countries and compared them with other high-income countries. English-speaking countries have shown similarities in recent mortality trends and their causes, such as patterns of drug overdose and obesity prevalence.
Our analysis focuses on six high-income English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and US. We compared them with the average in 14 other high-income, low-mortality countries from Western Europe (such as France and Norway), plus Japan. This was the “comparison group”.
For each English-speaking country and the comparison group, we estimated:
life expectancy at birth
partial life expectancy between ages 0 and 50 years
remaining life expectancy at age 50
average length of life.
Looking at average length of life helps to compare the mortality of the birth cohorts (people born in the same calendar year) as they age. This measure is the closest way to estimate how long people in different populations actually live, and can be used to assess the differences in survival between populations.
First we looked at how age and causes of death were contributing to a gap between English-speaking countries and the comparison group. Then we compared the average length of life of different birth cohorts.
What we found
In the pre-COVID period, both men and women in Australia had a higher life expectancy at birth, compared to the non-English speaking comparison group (the average between those 14 countries). This was also true for men in Ireland, New Zealand and Canada. In the UK and US, however, life expectancy at birth was lower for both men and women, compared to the non-English speaking group.
But the most striking finding was the difference in mortality for those under 50 in English-speaking versus non-English speaking countries.
Relatively high death rates for those under 50 dragged the overall life expectancy at birth down for each English-speaking country, including Australia. Suicides and drug or alcohol-related deaths were the main reason for these trends.
But over age 50, Australia performs exceptionally well in life expectancy for both men and women. Australians born in the 1930s-60s are likely to live longer than those in the non-English speaking comparison group and all other English-speaking countries. But Australians born in the 1970s onwards had lower life expectancy than the comparison group.
This means overall, life expectancy at birth in Australia is higher than the average for the non-English group. But when you break it down by age, the results show a clear distinction in life expectancy according to when you were born.
For example, in 2017-19 , male life expectancy between ages 0 and 50 years was 0.3 years lower in Australia compared to the average for the non-English group, while remaining life expectancy at age 50 was 1.45 years higher.
What this means
Our study shows a worrying trend for people born from the 1970s onwards. This is true in all English-speaking countries, even before accounting for the negative impacts of the COVID pandemic in places like the UK and US.
In Australia, the results point to significant generational differences in life expectancy compared to other high-income countries. If the relatively high mortality rates of Australians born from the 1970s onwards continue into the future, then the gains in Australian life expectancy will likely slow. Our status as having one of the highest life expectancies of any country will diminish.
Our research aimed to examine trends and potential causes of stagnating life expectancy, rather than make policy recommendations.
But the results suggest real improvement could come through measures that reduce inequality and structural disadvantages that lead to poor health outcomes, such as improving access to education and security of employment and housing, supporting mental health and drug-related safety, and addressing diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Sergey Timonin receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP210100401).
Tim Adair receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
MIAMI, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trawick International, a leading global insurance provider, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a Silver Magellan Award by Travel Weekly in the category of Travel Insurance – Overall Product for Travel Services.
The award-winning product is Safe Travels AnyReason, Trawick International’s latest trip cancellation offering. This plan includes Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage at no additional cost—an industry first—providing travelers with unmatched flexibility and cancellation coverage.
Daryl Trawick, President and CEO of Trawick International, said, “We are thrilled to receive the Silver Magellan Award from Travel Weekly. At Trawick International, we continuously innovate to meet the evolving needs of our customers while advancing the travel insurance industry. Safe Travels AnyReason is a testament to our commitment to both. We are honored to be recognized alongside such an esteemed group of winners. Congratulations to all.”
The Magellan Awards celebrate excellence in design, marketing, and services across various industry segments, including hospitality, travel destinations, cruise lines, online travel services, airlines, travel agents, tour operators, and ground transportation.
This marks the company’s first time entering the Magellan Awards. To learn more about the winning product, Safe Travels AnyReason, visit trawickinternational.com.
About Travel Weekly: Travel Weekly is the most influential provider of news, research, opinion and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace. It reaches a broad industry audience in print, online and with face- to-face events throughout the year. Travel Weekly is a part of Northstar Travel Group, the leading B-to-B media company providing information and marketing solutions for the global travel industry. Northstar Travel Group is based in Rutherford, NJ, and more information is available at northstartravelgroup.com
About Trawick International For more than 25 years, Trawick International has been a leading provider of international insurance, administration, and other assistance services. The company offers a full suite of innovative products and services designed to support today’s globally mobile population. For more, visit trawickholdings.com.
Throughout our lives, we need to be able to manage our thoughts and behaviour. We need to do this to reach various goals and to get along with others – even if other distractions and impulses get in the way.
A child’s ability to self-regulate has a huge impact on shorter-term outcomes such as making and keeping friends, engaging in school and making academic progress.
Self-regulation allows children to keep going with a task or situation when things are tough, and to keep their emotions and behaviour focused on reaching the goal.
For example, when playing a game with friends, a child who can self-regulate can wait their turn, stay within the rules, and keep playing even when they are losing. A child with low levels of self-regulation may become easily upset and show frustration, and in some cases be dysregulated. This can include meltdowns.
But there can also be impacts later in life. Low levels of self-regulation at preschool age have been associated with a range of problems in adulthood, such as gambling, substance abuse, poor health, poor sleep and weight issues.
The capacity to self-regulate emerges from around three years of age, when the brain undergoes rapid physical growth. The period of peak growth is typically between three to five.
Self-regulation is important for children’s short and long-term development. Artem Podrez/ Pexels, CC BY
Jumping in to ‘help’
Naturally, parents want to protect their children from difficulty. But sometimes this desire to protect and “help” kids can hamper their development.
Children experience challenges all the time – this may be opening a water bottle, trying to find a certain toy in their bedroom, or tying their shoelaces. As parents, we can often rush to fix the problem straight away.
But it is important for children’s brain development to experience and cope with challenges. When parents let children face a tricky task, they can learn to think flexibly, create solutions and persist toward the goal. It also teaches them they can handle things themselves.
Persistence when playing a game can translate to persistence when tying their shoelaces, and in time, fewer meltdowns.
What should parents do instead?
This is not to say you should ignore your child if they are very distressed and stuck up a tree, or have fallen and seriously hurt themselves.
But there are many other occasions when you can wait, or help in less obvious ways.
For example, if a child is struggling to find the right puzzle piece, parents should wait for the child to either ask for help or show visible signs of frustration.
If possible, start just by using guiding words to help, rather than taking a hands-on approach. You could try encouragement, questions, hints and suggestions to lead your child to a solution. For example, “have you tried all the pieces yet?”
Or if they are playing with Lego, parents may remind the child of their last success or ask them “what does the diagram show?”, they might give a hint such as “I sometimes need to go back some steps to find where I went wrong”, or maybe more directly, “how about we look through the steps together?”.
This type of guidance means the child is still the one solving the problem.
Parents start by just using verbal prompts or tips to their child. eggegg/Shutterstock
Step up your approach
If the child is still stuck, parents can use their hands to offer more guidance.
When completing a section of a puzzle, a parent may move some pieces closer to the child to draw their attention to them.
If needed, a more direct approach would be to identify the piece the child is looking for, and hand it to the child so that they can put it in and remain active in completing the task.
The child may not have the piece the right way round, so the parent should revert to using verbal guidance for encouragement or suggest turning the piece to see if it fits.
Kids are still in charge
The key thing to remember is the child should be guiding your approach to helping them.
Don’t intervene without them asking you, and don’t offer full support straight away.
You can use encouragement, hints and suggestions, and then hands-on help. Keep offering your child the chance to work elements out for themselves. And know their way of solving the problem might be different from yours.
Natalie Day’s research was funded by a Faculty Postgraduate Research Scholarship and International Postgraduate Tuition Award from the University of Wollongong, with a contribution from the NSW Institute of Educational Research—Distinguished Student Award.
Flood mitigation measures are being put in place to reduce the likelihood, frequency, and severity of flooding to residents and businesses located on the south branch of the Raisin River in Cornwall, after an investment of $783,360 from the federal government.
Cornwall, Ontario October 9, 2024 — Flood mitigation measures are being put in place to reduce the likelihood, frequency, and severity of flooding to residents and businesses located on the south branch of the Raisin River in Cornwall, after an investment of $783,360 from the federal government.
A new culvert will significantly decrease the likelihood of flooding from the south branch of the river. This will reduce sewer overflows and the risk of wastewater moving into storm water systems. Once upgraded, the culvert will have an increased life span and reduced maintenance requirements.
This project aligns with the 2022 City of Cornwall Climate Change Action Plan.
Making adaptation investments now not only keeps Canadians safe but also has major economy-wide benefits later. Every dollar that is invested in adapting and preparing for climate-related disasters can return as much as $13 to $15 in benefits.
Quotes
“As we deal with the growing impacts of climate change, we need to work with communities to keep them safe from potential natural disasters. A new culvert for the south branch of the Raisin River will do just that for the residents and business of Cornwall.”
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
“We appreciate the support of the federal government in the replacement of our culvert located on McConnell Avenue. This project not only enhances the safety and resilience of our community but also underscores a shared commitment to proactive disaster preparedness and sustainable development.”
Justin Towndale, Mayor of Cornwall
Quick facts
The federal government is investing $783,360 in this project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF).
The DMAF program supports projects that include new construction of public infrastructure or the modification or reinforcement of existing public infrastructure that helps communities withstand natural disasters and climate-related risks.
Eligible recipients include municipalities, local governments, provinces and territories, public sector bodies, Indigenous organizations, not-for-profit, and for-profit organizations in partnership with other eligible applicants outside the private sector. Projects must have a minimum of $1 million in total eligible costs to be considered eligible.
Since 2018, the federal government has committed over $3 billion to the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. Part of this commitment is $489.1 million in funding from the Adaptation Action Plan, which was released in November 2022 alongside Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy. Overall, the National Adaptation Strategy commits $1.6 billion in new federal funding to help address both immediate and future climate risks to Canadian communities.
Associated links
Contacts
For more information (media only), please contact:
Sofia Ouslis Communications Advisor Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca
Source: United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
Bipartisan infrastructure law led by Sinema and shaped by Kelly provides $300,000 to lower energy costs and improve operations at the City of Glendale’s water treatment facility.
WASHINGTON – $300,000 will be invested in the City of Glendale to perform a detailed energy analysis and replace two chillers at the city’s water treatment facility from bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs led by Senator Kyrsten Sinema and shaped by Senator Mark Kelly.
The City of Glendale will receive $300,000 through the Industrial Training and Assessment Centers (ITAC) Implementation Grant Program – a program supported by Sinema and Kelly’s bipartisan infrastructure to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers make improvements at their facilities to save energy, reduce carbon pollution, lower costs, and strengthen our domestic manufacturing sector.
“We’re proud to deliver these funds to lower energy costs and increase efficiency at Glendale’s water treatment facility,” said Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law.
“These kinds of investments are exactly what we need to modernize our energy infrastructure and secure Arizona’s water future,” said Kelly. “These federal resources will help local facilities optimize their energy usage and bring down costs for Arizonans.”
Sinema led bipartisan Senate negotiations with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio that included Senator Kelly and senators from both parties.
For more than four decades, the ITAC program has supported small and medium-sized manufacturers who are looking to make investments in energy efficiency and modern manufacturing processes. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $80 million to support the ongoing goals of the ITAC program.
The bipartisan infrastructure law was supported by groups including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, The National Association of Manufacturers, The AFL-CIO, The National Retail Federation, The Bipartisan Policy Center, North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Outdoor Industry Association, The American Hotel and Lodging Association, The National Education Association, as well as hundreds of mayors across all 50 states.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Funding will support efforts to mitigate the overdose crisis in Massachusetts, which has one of the highest overdose mortality rates in the country
Boston (October 7, 2024) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), today announced the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will receive nearly $60 million in federal grants for state and tribal opioid response and prevention from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that over 48 million people experienced substance use disorder in the past year, but only a quarter of those in need of substance use disorder treatment services actually received them.
“The opioid crisis is indiscriminate in the impact it has on communities across Massachusetts, but the most effective solutions are driven by the communities on the frontline, living through the devastation that addiction and overdose can cause. The funding that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will receive will fuel strategies for prevention, expanding access to treatment, and providing holistic care that puts people’s health and dignity first. In short, this funding can help save lives,” said Senator Markey.
“The opioid crisis is something we feel deeply across this country, especially in Massachusetts,” said Senator Warren. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership, we can provide vital resources to hard-hit communities in Massachusetts, and I’ll keep fighting for more resources that allow us to address this crisis like the public health crisis it is.”
“The opioid epidemic has devastated families and entire communities in Massachusetts and across America,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “Under the steadfast leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, we are expanding access to treatment options for Americans struggling with substance use disorder and ensuring they receive the care they deserve. This award builds upon that progress, and I am proud to have partnered with local and state champions to bring these critical dollars back home.”
“Every community here in Massachusetts and across our nation has been impacted by the immense grief and hardship caused by the opioid crisis.The disease of addiction is a battle that no family should have to bear alone,” said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. “Critical investments like these that support prevention and treatment programs are instrumental in expanding access to treatment, supporting recovery, and preventing tragic overdose deaths.”
The funds will be used to address the overdose crisis in Massachusetts and in tribal communities through prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. This includes opioid reversal drugs such as naloxone, as well as medications for opioid use disorder.
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging a Michigan man with defrauding investors in Minerco Inc. (stock ticker MINE) — leading to millions of dollars in investor losses — as well as obstructing a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proceeding by destroying evidence.
According to the indictment, Bobby Shumake Japhia (Shumake), 56, also known as Robert Samuel Shumake Jr., Robert Japhia, and Shaman Bobby Shu, of Michigan, allegedly ran Minerco’s day-to-day operations and organized a scheme to defraud investors in the publicly traded securities of Minerco by, among other things, making or causing to be made materially false and misleading statements to the public, including in press releases, in an effort to artificially inflate the share price of, and demand for, Minerco stock. Beginning in or around January 2020, Minerco purported publicly to be in the business of developing, marketing, and distributing psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms or psychedelic mushrooms.
As alleged in the indictment, Shumake concealed his role with Minerco, even though he controlled all aspects of Minerco, by recruiting another individual, Julius Jenge, to serve as the nominal chief executive officer of Minerco because Shumake had a criminal history and negative news articles about Shumake were available on the internet. To further conceal the scheme, Shumake allegedly made materially false and misleading statements to investigators from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority who were investigating Minerco.
Shumake allegedly used an alias to promote Minerco on an investor message board and provided the false and misleading impression that he was not affiliated with Minerco and was an independent investor. Shumake also allegedly recruited others to promote Minerco on internet message boards to further create the false and misleading impression that the public had a favorable view of Minerco.
Shumake allegedly sold nearly one billion shares of Minerco that he covertly acquired and then caused himself or entities under his control to receive at least $2.5 million from the sale of the shares. Shumake’s scheme to defraud allegedly caused the share price of, and demand for, Minerco’s securities to artificially increase, ultimately resulting in Minerco investors’ losing millions of dollars.
After learning of an SEC investigation into Minerco, Shumake allegedly obstructed the SEC proceedings by deleting the contents of at least one Minerco email account, which Shumake used to conduct Minerco business.
Shumake is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of obstruction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
The chief executive officer of Minerco, Julius Jenge, was arrested earlier this year on charges of securities fraud related to a scheme to defraud investors in Minerco.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; SEC Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The SEC Office of Inspector General and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. is calling for the immediate termination of a University of Kansas professor after a disturbing video circulated of the professor saying men who don’t vote for Kamala Harris should be ‘lined up and shot’ to a class at a KU lecture.
“The University of Kansas must fire this professor immediately. Anyone who says that people who don’t vote for Kamala Harris should be ‘lined up and shot’ are completely deranged and shouldn’t be around students nor in academia. This promotion of political violence should be met with quick action by KU,” Senator Marshall said.
You may click HERE or on the tweet above to see the video.
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging a Michigan man with defrauding investors in Minerco Inc. (stock ticker MINE) — leading to millions of dollars in investor losses — as well as obstructing a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proceeding by destroying evidence.
According to the indictment, Bobby Shumake Japhia (Shumake), 56, also known as Robert Samuel Shumake Jr., Robert Japhia, and Shaman Bobby Shu, of Michigan, allegedly ran Minerco’s day-to-day operations and organized a scheme to defraud investors in the publicly traded securities of Minerco by, among other things, making or causing to be made materially false and misleading statements to the public, including in press releases, in an effort to artificially inflate the share price of, and demand for, Minerco stock. Beginning in or around January 2020, Minerco purported publicly to be in the business of developing, marketing, and distributing psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms or psychedelic mushrooms.
As alleged in the indictment, Shumake concealed his role with Minerco, even though he controlled all aspects of Minerco, by recruiting another individual, Julius Jenge, to serve as the nominal chief executive officer of Minerco because Shumake had a criminal history and negative news articles about Shumake were available on the internet. To further conceal the scheme, Shumake allegedly made materially false and misleading statements to investigators from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority who were investigating Minerco.
Shumake allegedly used an alias to promote Minerco on an investor message board and provided the false and misleading impression that he was not affiliated with Minerco and was an independent investor. Shumake also allegedly recruited others to promote Minerco on internet message boards to further create the false and misleading impression that the public had a favorable view of Minerco.
Shumake allegedly sold nearly one billion shares of Minerco that he covertly acquired and then caused himself or entities under his control to receive at least $2.5 million from the sale of the shares. Shumake’s scheme to defraud allegedly caused the share price of, and demand for, Minerco’s securities to artificially increase, ultimately resulting in Minerco investors’ losing millions of dollars.
After learning of an SEC investigation into Minerco, Shumake allegedly obstructed the SEC proceedings by deleting the contents of at least one Minerco email account, which Shumake used to conduct Minerco business.
Shumake is charged with one count of securities fraud and one count of obstruction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
The chief executive officer of Minerco, Julius Jenge, was arrested earlier this year on charges of securities fraud related to a scheme to defraud investors in Minerco.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; SEC Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement.
The SEC Office of Inspector General and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. You are also encouraged to visit the webpage for this case at www.justice.gov/criminal/case/united-states-v-bobby-shumake-japhia.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A federal court yesterday enjoined a California company from manufacturing and distributing adulterated food products following a listeria outbreak linked to multiple hospitalizations and two deaths.
In a civil complaint filed on Sept. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the United States alleged that Rizo Lopez Foods Inc., along with its president, chief executive officer and co-owner, Edwin Rizo, and its chief financial officer, secretary and co-owner Tomas Rizo, violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) at the company’s facility in Modesto, California, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated food products. Rizo Lopez Foods produced cotija cheese and other cheeses, yogurt, sour cream and other foods sold under the brand names Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas and 365 Whole Foods Market.
The complaint further alleged that, in January, Hawaiian state health officials detected Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono), the bacterial pathogen that can cause listeriosis, in cheese made by the defendants. The government further alleged that during a subsequent inspection of the defendant’s facility, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found L. mono in two locations as well as various insanitary conditions. The complaint alleged that a genetic analysis matched the L. mono strain collected in Hawaii to the strain from defendants’ facility, as well as to L. mono samples from patients sickened as early as 2014 during a years-long listeriosis outbreak. An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control identified 26 cases of listeriosis in 11 states linked to the same L. mono strain. The CDC reported that 23 individuals were hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, including two patients who died. In February, Rizo Lopez recalled all cheese and dairy products produced at their facility.
“Food manufacturers have an important responsibility to ensure the safety of their products,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and FDA will continue to work closely on enforcement actions against food manufacturers who fail to meet their obligations and put the health of their customers at risk.”
“Food producers in the Eastern District of California feed the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Our office is committed to assuring compliance with the FDCA throughout the District.”
The defendants agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The injunction entered by the court permanently enjoins the defendants from violating the FDCA. As part of the settlement, the defendants represented that they have discontinued all operations related to preparing and processing food. Under the permanent injunction, the defendants must notify FDA in advance of resuming such operations, comply with specific remedial measures set forth in the injunction and allow FDA to inspect their facility, including the buildings, sanitation-related systems, equipment, utensils, all articles of food and relevant records.
Trial Attorney David G. Crockett Jr. and Senior Trial Attorney James Nelson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division prosecuted this case, with assistance from Assistant Chief Counsel for Enforcement Lauren Fash of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.)– South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announces that he has co-led a coalition of 20 state attorneys general and groups that represent hundreds of not-for-profit aging services providers across the country in filing a lawsuit to overturn a new nursing home staffing mandate that’s impossible to implement. The staffing mandate is being implemented by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).
Filed in the United States District Court’s Northern District of Iowa, the complaint intends to overturn the mandate itself and vacate certain of the more onerous requirements in the rule.
“This new staffing rule is impossible to implement based on the nursing shortage and will force the closure of nursing homes and raise costs at those that remain, devastating families financially and leaving people without the care they need,” Attorney General Wilson said.
In April, CMS released the Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Standards final rule to the Federal Register. The rule requires all federally funded nursing homes to produce a revised facility assessment and changes the minimum number of hours per resident day (HPRD). All providers must provide 3.48 hours of direct nursing care per patient, per day and staff a registered nurse 24 hours a day. These specific breakdowns also require 0.55 RN and 2.45 certified nurse aide (CNA) coverage per patient, per day.
These newly prescribed HPRDs mean nursing homes across the U.S. will need an additional 27,000 full-time registered nurses (RNs) and 78,000 full-time nurse aides costing over $7 billion—an impossible requirement to meet amid a worldwide nursing shortage and dismal Medicaid reimbursement rates that do not fully cover the actual cost of care. Sadly, the HPRD limits the utilization of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who provide most of the direct patient care in nursing homes, potentially displacing thousands of these workers across the U.S.
LeadingAge South Carolina’s CEO, Kassie South, commented, “We are thankful for Attorney General, Alan Wilson, for fighting for the elders, healthcare system, and taxpayers in South Carolina and nationwide that will be gravely impacted by this unfunded and unlawful mandate.”
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) –South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Jerry Wayne Williams, 67, of Columbia, S.C., on seven charges connected to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Mount Pleasant Police Department made the arrest. Investigators with the U.S. Marshals Service, also a member of the state’s ICAC task force, assisted with the investigation.
Investigators state Williams solicited a person he believed to be a minor for sex and sent sexually explicit images to a person he believed to be a minor.
Williams was arrested on October 4, 2024. He is charged with three counts of criminal solicitation of a minor (§16-15-342), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count; and four counts of attempted dissemination of obscene material to a person under age eighteen (§16-15-345), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.
This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that a coalition of 50 attorneys general has reached a settlement with Marriott International, Inc. as the result of an investigation into a large multi-year data breach of one of its guest reservation databases. The Federal Trade Commission, which has been coordinating closely with the states throughout this investigation, has reached a parallel settlement with Marriott. Under the settlement with the attorneys general, Marriott has agreed to strengthen its data security practices using a dynamic risk-based approach, provide certain consumer protections, and make a $52 million payment to states. South Carolina will receive $767,458.00 from the settlement.
“This case should serve as an important reminder for businesses to take preventive measures to protect the private information of their customers,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Data privacy is one of the most important issues facing consumers right now, and our office will continue to do its part in ensuring the protection of our citizens in this way.”
Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 and took control of the Starwood computer network in 2016. However, from July 2014 until September 2018, intruders in the system went undetected. This led to the breach of 131.5 million guest records pertaining to customers in the United States. The impacted records included contact information, gender, dates of birth, legacy Starwood Preferred Guest information, reservation information, and hotel stay preferences, as well as a limited number of unencrypted passport numbers and unexpired payment card information.
Shortly after the breach of the Starwood database was announced, a coalition of 50 attorneys general launched a multi-state investigation into the breach. Today’s settlement resolves allegations by the attorneys general that Marriott violated state consumer protection laws, personal information protection laws, and, where applicable, breach notification laws by failing to implement reasonable data security and remediate data security deficiencies, particularly when attempting to use and integrate Starwood into its systems.
Under the terms of the settlement, Marriott has agreed to strengthen and continually improve its cybersecurity practices. Some of the specific measures include:
Implementation of a comprehensive Information Security Program. This includes new overarching security program mandates, such as incorporating zero-trust principles, regular security reporting to the highest levels within the company, including the Chief Executive Officer, and enhanced employee training on data handling and security.
Data minimization and disposal requirements, which will lead to less consumer data being collected and retained.
Specific security requirements with respect to consumer data, including component hardening, conducting an asset inventory, encryption, segmentation to limit an intruder’s ability to move across a system, patch management to ensure that critical security patches are applied in a timely manner, intrusion detection, user access controls, and logging and monitoring to keep track of movement of files and users within the network.
Increased vendor and franchisee oversight, with a special emphasis on risk assessments for “Critical IT Vendors,” and clearly outlined contracts with cloud providers.
In the future, if Marriott acquires another entity, it must timely further assess the acquired entity’s information security program and develop plans to address identified gaps or deficiencies in security as part of the integration into Marriott’s network.
An independent third-party assessment of Marriott’s information security program every two years for a period of 20 years for additional security oversight.
These settlement terms are grounded in a well-developed risk-based approach in which Marriott not only needs to conduct an annual enterprise level risk assessment, but it must also perform risk analyses throughout the year for changes to security controls. Those ongoing risk assessments must address the criteria of “harm to others” – which would include potential harm to consumers.
As part of the settlement, Marriott will give consumers specific protections, including a data deletion option, even if consumers do not currently have that right under state law. Marriott must offer multi-factor authentication to consumers for their loyalty rewards accounts, such as Marriott Bonvoy, as well as reviews of those accounts if there is suspicious activity.
Connecticut, Maryland, and Oregon as well as the District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas co-led the multistate investigation, assisted by the Executive Committee of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, and joined by Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2024, there will be about 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women.
But there is hope.
Advancements in early detection methods and support continue to increase the chances of survival. When caught in its earliest, localized stages, the 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer is 99%.
Annual mammograms for those over the age of 40 and other imaging as determined by your provider is the key to early detection.
Terry Deely was diligent about her health and faithfully did all her preventative tests. So, in May of 2021 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was shocked.
“I was so surprised, my world crashed,” says Deely. “My sister and husband were with me, and I could see the doctor’s mouth moving but I could not hear what she was saying.”
All she could think was “how and why is this happening to me, I did all the right things.”
About half of breast cancers occur in women with no specific risk factors other than age and sex. However, a woman’s risk of breast cancer increases if she has a first-degree relative with breast cancer. About 5–10% of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Deely’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 40 years old and had passed away from the disease at 47. Both of Deely’s sisters also had breast cancer.
She had a painful lump in her breast that led to an MRI that showed a fibroadenoma. A fibroadenoma is a non-cancerous, solid breast tumor that’s usually painless and feels like a marble under the skin. They are the most common type of benign breast tumor and are made up of glandular and connective tissue.
Advocating for herself, she told her doctor that she wanted it removed. Upon removal a 1.7 cm tumor was found hiding behind the fibroadenoma that had travelled to her lymph nodes. A biopsy concluded that two of the four nodes were cancerous.
Yueming Chang, MD, is a physician in the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health. (Photo by LIndsay Vigue)
Deely had a lumpectomy, and her breast surgeon referred her to oncologist, Dr. Yueming Chang to devise a treatment plan.
“The first time I met her, I left her office, and I said to my husband Pat, I know I am in good hands,” says Deely. “She is amazing and throughout the whole journey she was there.”
Deely had 16 rounds of chemotherapy and 21 rounds of radiation finishing chemotherapy in 2022. She had horrible side effects including mouth sores and brittle nails as well as the loss of her hair which was the hardest for her.
“If my hair doesn’t look good, I don’t feel good,” says Deely. “I hated wigs, but I lost all my hair, so I got a great wig and called it Amazing Grace.”
Each day as Deely went to work, which she did throughout her treatment, she would say “Grace lets go be amazing.” No one knew it was a wig until her hair started growing back.
When she heard Dr. Chang had left the practice she went to, she was disappointed and didn’t want to see anyone else. So, when she learned from a colleague that Chang was now practicing at UConn Health, she picked up the phone to see if she could see her and was thrilled when they booked an appointment for her.
“Honestly I love that woman, she is so good to me, so caring and concerned and always so positive,” says Deely.
Deely doesn’t mind the 45-minute drive from Watertown to Farmington to see Chang at UConn Health, “I’d follow her to the ends of the earth, I didn’t want to see anyone else.”
During her residency training, Chang’s mother who came to visit and help her taking care for her 2-month-old baby, started having some health issues and a colonoscopy detected colon cancer. For Chang, it was a harsh moment, she felt like she was in the medical field and didn’t know what to do. She leaned on her attending physicians and mentors for support, and her mother has since made it through and is now well.
Going through that experience made her want to help others knowing that patients and their family members need someone who understands when they get such a difficult diagnosis, and this led her to oncology as her subspecialty.
Chang joined the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health a year ago and has been helping patients with breast and lung cancer navigate their treatment.
“Early detection is very important, know your risk and going for screenings, you have a higher chance to cure the disease,” says Chang. “With advances in early detection and treatment options the survival rate is better compared to decades ago.”
In addition to a healthy diet, Chang encourages patients to exercise as physical activity helps reduce fatigue and exercise itself reduces the risk of recurring cancer.
“The prognosis and treatment are different for each patient, and here at UConn Health we individualize the patient’s treatment plan. Our multidisciplinary team considers genetics, tumor molecular changes, overall medical conditions, patient’s preference, psychosocial status to provide personalized care, ” says Chang.
Deely who is the clerical coordinator in the recovery room at a hospital sees this as her opportunity to be an inspiration to others and help them get through. She saw how hard her mother fought for her family, and she had to do it for hers. She is cancer free now and is regularly monitored.
“It’s a journey, everyone has the strength to overcome it. We are here to provide cancer patients the right support and care they need to navigate this challenging time, offering compassion and understanding every step of the way,” says Chang.
It takes a team to beat a breast cancer diagnosis and the team approach is the cornerstone of our breast cancer services at UConn Health. Every patient’s case and treatment program is designed specifically for the patient and is carefully assessed and frequently reviewed by a diverse team of specialists. In addition our breast cancer program offers support care services. To schedule your mammogram contact 860-679-2784.
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) (the “Company”), the parent corporation of LPL Financial LLC, announced today it will report third quarter financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, October 30. The Company will host a conference call to discuss its results at 5 p.m. ET the same day.
LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) was founded on the principle that the firm should work for advisors and institutions, and not the other way around. Today, LPL is a leader in the markets we serve, serving more than 23,000 financial advisors, including advisors at approximately 1,000 institutions and at approximately 580 registered investment advisor (“RIA”) firms nationwide. We are steadfast in our commitment to the advisor-mediated model and the belief that Americans deserve access to personalized guidance from a financial professional. At LPL, independence means that advisors and institution leaders have the freedom they deserve to choose the business model, services and technology resources that allow them to run a thriving business. They have the flexibility to do business their way. And they have the freedom to manage their client relationships because they know their clients best. Simply put, we take care of our advisors and institutions, so they can take care of their clients.
Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial and its affiliated companies provide financial services only from the United States.
Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.
We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Encore Capital Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECPG), an international specialty finance company, announced today that it will release its financial results for the third quarter 2024 on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, after the market closes. The Company will also host a conference call and slide presentation the same day at 2:00 p.m. Pacific / 5:00 p.m. Eastern time with Ashish Masih, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Clark, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Bruce Thomas, Vice President, Global Investor Relations, presenting and discussing the reported results.
Members of the public are invited to access the live webcast via the Internet by logging in on the Investor Relations page of Encore’s website at http://www.encorecapital.com. To access the live conference call by telephone, please pre-register using this link. Registrants will receive confirmation with dial-in details.
For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website shortly after the call concludes.
About Encore Capital Group, Inc.
Encore Capital Group is an international specialty finance company that provides debt recovery solutions and other related services for consumers across a broad range of financial assets. Through its subsidiaries around the globe, Encore purchases portfolios of consumer receivables from major banks, credit unions, and utility providers.
Encore partners with individuals as they repay their debt obligations, helping them on the road to financial recovery and ultimately improving their economic well-being. Encore is the first and only company of its kind to operate with a Consumer Bill of Rights that provides industry-leading commitments to consumers. Headquartered in San Diego, Encore is a publicly traded NASDAQ Global Select company (ticker symbol: ECPG) and a component stock of the Russell 2000, the S&P Small Cap 600 and the Wilshire 4500. More information about the company can be found at http://www.encorecapital.com.