Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died following a single vehicle crash on Ohaupo Road, Peacocke overnight.
Police were called to the crash just after 10pm.
The Serious Crash Unit attended and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
The road has since reopened.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii –
The U.S. Navy marks an impressive milestone this month – the 249th anniversary of its founding.
As we celebrate our rich naval history, Navy and civilian personnel in Hawaii reflect on their role as members of the island community. Many consider it a privilege to call Hawaii home and seek every opportunity to show how much they treasure this place. Their gratitude takes on greater significance this year as the countdown begins to the Navy’s 250th birthday in 2025.
Service to others and a commitment to the greater good are values the Navy holds in high regard. That’s why beginning this month, the Navy will highlight 250 acts of voluntary community service performed by Sailors and civilian personnel in Hawaii during their free, non-work compensated time. The year-long, statewide initiative is called “Laulima Navy.”
Reflecting the Hawaiian value of laulima, translated as “many hands working together,” the 12-month commemoration underscores the Navy’s responsibility to the community and the ways Navy personnel volunteer alongside partners to help and support their neighbors.
“The success of Laulima Navy is rooted in teamwork, which is an integral part of the Navy mission. About 20 commands and components operating in Hawaii have pledged their support for the initiative and will join in highlighting their own ongoing community partnerships,” said Rear Admiral Steven Barnett, commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Navy Closure Task Force- Red Hill. “The depth and breadth of many of these relationships, particularly on the island of Kauai, reflect the Navy’s sincere and longstanding desire to respect and honor its neighbors and the places and traditions important to them.”
Sponsored by Commander, Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) and managed by Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH) Public Affairs, Laulima Navy kicks off on Oct. 19, 2024 on Oahu with a clean-up of the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail/Bike Path, which stretches 18.6 miles from Halawa Landing to Nanakuli, linking Leeward neighborhoods, historic sites, recreational areas, regional attractions, and nature along the old Oahu Railway & Land Company right-of-way. Navy volunteers will work alongside rotary clubs, community groups, companies, government agencies and the City & County of Honolulu to clean trash and debris from the heritage site, which serves as an important historic, cultural and natural resource for the community.
An important component of Laulima Navy is storytelling. “We will shine the light on the benefitting organization, highlighting its mission, its work and its people,” explained Barnett. “By shifting the focus to our community partners, we can amplify their work and, in the process, inspire others – in and outside of the Navy – to support their programs and initiatives.”
Other voluntary community service and support projects that have been identified thus far include Adopt-A-Highway, Girl Scouts STEM Fest, blood drives, school visits to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Facility, PACFLT Band concerts, Loko i‘a Pā‘aiau workdays, and workdays at Halealoha Haleamau burial vault. Dozens of individuals also regularly volunteer with Native Hawaiian organizations, community groups, non-profit organizations, arts programs and youth sport groups in their free time. Their continuing commitment and support will be recognized as part of Laulima 2025.
“Supporting our neighbors through volunteerism has been a longstanding commitment for the Navy. It takes on greater significance as we celebrate our 249th birthday and begin the countdown to our 250th,” Barnett added. “Our commitment to the community will continue well beyond 2025. It’s an enduring promise that is part of the Navy’s mission.”
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died following a two-vehicle crash in Clendon Park overnight.
Emergency services were called about 2.50am to Roscommon Road after a report of a crash involving a ute and a motorbike.
The motorcyclist has since died.
The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene, and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
SUBIC BAY, Philippines –
As part of the eighth iteration of Exercise Sama Sama 2024, Military Sealift Command (MSC) Far East participated in refueling-at-sea familiarization training aboard the Philippine Navy (PN) frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150), at Subic Bay, Philippines, Oct. 8-9.
“MSC Far East makes sure every U.S. military ship in the Indo-Pacific region is able to get fuel, ammo, and supplies; this can include services to our allies and partners,” said U.S. Navy Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Andrew Werner, MSC Far East, out of Singapore. “Without a Combat Logistics Force (CFL) or refueling ships, our fleet of ships, and those of some allies, such as the Philippines, would not be able to refuel at sea.”
Sama Sama 2024, which was held Oct. 7-18, was hosted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Navy, and featured participation from allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including personnel and assets from Australia, Canada, France and Japan.
MSC Far East provided subject-matter-expert instruction for the refueling-at-sea familiarization training, along with members attached to Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, out of Singapore.
“The purpose of the training was to get the PN familiar with underway replenishment gear on a ship, how to set it up, and how to conduct a safe underway-replenishment,” said Werner. “MSC Far East has Boatswain’s mates that are subject-matter-experts and can train the Philippine Sailors. We do the similar training with other allies and partners.”
Underway replenishments of allied partners present a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships and exercise compatibility of logistics systems.
“The training went over the fundamentals of refueling and replenishing at sea,” said U.S. Navy Chief Boatswain’s Mate Francisco Fuentes, DESRON 7. “We also conducted hands-on training and observed their on-station procedures for refueling-at-sea, and looked at their replenishment-at-sea stations forward of the ship.
“It was important for us to do hands-on training because it helped them understand our safety procedures, maintenance requirements, and types of equipment we use and our station procedures. This helps with our interoperability.”
According to Werner, he hopes that the training was beneficial to the PN, and they can mutually build upon interoperability.
“Every Navy does evolutions a little different and we were able to show them how on our U.S. Navy conducts a safe refueling—just about every week—when underway on deployment,” added Werner. “They were excited and motivated to learn and I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Sama Sama 2024 is a multilateral engagement that includes a sea and shore phase that will incorporate medical, engineering, logistics and symposiums, while diving and explosive ordnance disposal teams, naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft conduct exercises focused on anti-submarine, surface and air warfare, and maritime domain awareness.
MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.
Source: US State of New York
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that 548 firearms were turned in at a community gun buyback event in Rochester hosted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Rochester Police Department. This event was part of Attorney General James’ ongoing effort to combat gun violence and keep New Yorkers safe. To date, Attorney General James has removed more than 8,200 guns from New York state since taking office in 2019.
“Gun buyback events empower local communities to remove unwanted firearms off our streets and out of our communities,” said Attorney General James. “Every one of the guns collected today is another potential life saved and tragedy averted. I thank the Rochester Police Department and my partners in local and state government for working with my office to ensure this event was a success. Together, we will keep protecting New York families from the scourge of gun violence.”
Today’s buyback event in Rochester resulted in 548 guns being turned in, including 32 assault weapons, 306 handguns, and 152 long guns. Following today’s gun buyback event, Attorney General James has helped remove more than 8,200 guns out of New York communities.
“Gun buyback programs like this are important tools to crack down on gun trafficking and keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands,” said U.S. Representative Joe Morelle. “I’m grateful to Attorney General James for her leadership, and I look forward to our continued work together to reduce violence and keep our families safe.”
“Gun buyback programs can reduce the number of weapons in our community, help remove firearms from homes where they might be stored unsafely or are no longer desired, and can help to prevent illegal guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “These programs are part of broader community safety initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence and improving public safety. Thanks to Attorney General Letitia James and the Rochester Police Department for their partnership on this effort.”
“Gun Buyback programs offer one more tool in our comprehensive strategy to confront the challenge of illegal guns and the havoc they’re causing on our streets,” said Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans. “I encourage anyone with an unwanted firearm in their home to participate in this event and help us reduce firearm violence in our neighborhoods. I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James for partnering with the Rochester Police Department and the Church of Love Faith Center for holding this event in our city and helping us create a safe, equitable and prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for everyone.”
“New Yorkers and Attorney General James are making explicit efforts to curb violence in our communities,” said Senator Samra G. Brouk. “With this gun buyback event, firearms will be removed from our neighborhoods, lowering the chances of violent incidents while compensating individuals for doing the right thing. With community action, we can prevent crises and tragedies in our city.”
“Gun buybacks are about taking guns off our streets, curbing gun violence, and keeping our communities safe,” said Senator Jeremy Cooney. “I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James for hosting this event and for her commitment to public safety across New York.”
“Reducing the supply and spread of uncared-for firearms is a key step towards reducing gun violence in our community,” said Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith. “Although we will always take in unwanted firearms, events like these are a great incentive for community members to do the right thing and surrender unwanted or uncared-for firearms. I would like to thank the Attorney General’s Office for helping us to continue the reduction of gun violence in our community.”
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
An investigation is underway after a firearms incident in Wiri overnight has left one person injured.
Police were called about 1am to Felicia Place, after a report of a disorder incident involving two groups of people.
Shots were reportedly fired, and one of the groups left in a vehicle.
One person was discovered with minor injuries and was transported to hospital for assessment.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.
Police would like to hear from anyone in the area who witnessed the incident, or who might have information to help with our enquiries.
If you can help, please update us online now or call 105.
Please use the reference number 241020/5741.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Invercargill Police have ordered 36 vehicles off the road after an operation across Friday and Saturday nights, targeting antisocial road users and illegally modified vehicles.
In executing this operation Police enlisted the support of VTNZ to inspect vehicles over the two nights, making use of legislation under the Land Transport Act which allows for vehicles stopped within five kilometres of a specified testing site to be directed there for an immediate inspection.
In leading this operation Road Policing Officer Senior Constable Paul Moylan noted how Invercargill Police have been focusing on a specific group of road users.
“This Operation has been planned to target vehicles and individuals that have been identified as belonging to a group organising ‘skid meets’ in rural locations around Invercargill.
“These drivers regularly congregate and ‘lap’ the Invercargill CBD area before heading out into rural areas.
“Aside from examples of extremely risky driving behaviour, many of these vehicles are illegally modified to the point where they are a danger to the drivers and every other motorist they share the road with.”
Operation Hoon certainly highlighted this, with 36 vehicles receiving pink or green stickers through the testing station.
One extreme example of illegal and unsafe modification seen by the team was the use of a pair of jandals as suspension bump stops.
Southern District Road Policing Manager Inspector Craig Brown says the results of the operation have shown Police’s intent in dealing with the ongoing issue of antisocial road use in Invercargill.
“These drivers pose an unnecessary risk to everyone on the road through their behaviour and the state of their vehicles.
“To get this many unsafe cars off the roads over just two evenings is a great success for our teams, and goes a long way in making sure we can keep the roads safer, and help other motorists feel safer too.”
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Government of Canada regional news
October 11, 2024
Customary And Kinship Care Empower Family, Kin and Communities: Fontaine
Amendments to the Child and Family Services Act (CFS) that allow new agreement-based supports to keep more children in their homes and out of the child welfare system are now in effect, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today.
“Indigenous children have been overrepresented in the child welfare system for far too long,” said Fontaine. “Customary and kinship care keeps more children where they belong and where we know kids do best with family. By empowering family members, Indigenous nations, community and kin, we are ensuring the child welfare system works with parents who need additional support.”
Four new agreement types have been added to legislation, which came into effect on Oct. 1, providing CFS agencies with more options to keep parents actively involved in planning for their children while they retain guardianship and access additional support. These include family support, kinship care, customary care and voluntary care agreements. CFS agencies will collaborate with the nations they serve to develop policy for how these agreements are used, the minister said.
“We have always known what’s best for our children,” said Chief Lisa Young, Bloodvein First Nation. “This legislation will give Indigenous leadership greater decision-making powers in how children from our nations are cared for and establish collective responsibility and accountability as we take the lead on what our families need.”
An additional approximately $10 million has been allocated to Indigenous agencies to support the implementation and unique needs of customary and kinship care, keeping more children at home and further supporting the transition to Indigenous jurisdiction, the minister said.
“We believe that children need and have a right to be connected to their family, their community and their culture,” said Linda Ens, acting executive director, Kinship and Foster Family Network of Manitoba (KFFNM). “KFFNM and our foster parents are in full support of this and are pleased to be a part of this announcement. Agreements offer more solutions that are in the best interests of children. These family and community members will be offered the same resources and supports as foster parents allowing them to offer the best care possible to the children they receive into their home.”
The minister also noted the CFS act has been amended to further support the co-ordination of child welfare services and information sharing between provincially mandated services and those services that are delivered to Indigenous Manitobans through First Nation and Métis child welfare laws.
These amendments respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action to reduce the number of Indigenous children and care and affirm the right of Indigenous governments to establish and maintain their own child welfare agencies, noted Fontaine. These agreements also support national standards that create placement priorities for Indigenous children and families.
– 30 –
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Please attribute to Southern District Commander Superintendent Jason Guthrie:
Three people have been seriously injured after a driver fleeing from Police collided with another vehicle in Invercargill overnight.
About 1.40am, Police attempted to stop a vehicle on Venus Street, Georgetown.
The driver failed to stop and fled from Police. Police did not engage in a pursuit due to the manner of driving.
A short time later the vehicle travelled through the intersection of Janet and Ness Streets and collided with another vehicle, the crash also caused damage to a property.
One occupant of the fleeing vehicle has sustained critical injuries, and the other has sustained serious injuries.
An occupant from the other vehicle has also sustained critical injuries, and another sustained minor injuries.
The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene, and the road currently remains closed while staff work at the scene.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area unless you are a resident.
As standard practice the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority under the Memorandum of Understanding between Police and the Authority.
Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, or who might have dashcam or CCTV footage from the crash area the time of the crash.
If you can help, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number P060341410.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
20 October 2024 – “The northern part of the Strip has been under siege for over two weeks, it is absolutely crucial to ensure the protection of the few remaining functional healthcare facilities. People must be able to continue to access medical care and lifesaving treatments. We call on the Israeli forces to immediately stop their attacks on hospitals in North Gaza,” says Anna Halford, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza.
According to the Ministry of Health and health workers on the ground, Israeli forces are currently besieging and targeting the Indonesian, Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals. More than 350 patients are reported to be trapped inside, including pregnant women and people who just underwent surgical operations. These patients require continuous medical treatment and are unable to leave.
“The ever-worsening escalation of violence and non-stop Israeli military operations that we have been witnessing over the past two weeks in northern Gaza have horrifying consequences,” says Halford. Tens of thousands of people remain trapped in Jabalia camp under daily bombing, including six of our staff unreachable due to electricity blackout, while one of our colleagues was killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel. “When hospitals are attacked, their infrastructure destroyed, and the electricity cut off, the lives of patients and medical staff are under threat.”
Hundreds of people in need of vital care must urgently be evacuated as their lives are in danger. Essential items, including food, are only entering in quantities that are largely insufficient for the population in the north of the Strip.
“This is purely and simply a collective punishment imposed on Palestinians in Gaza, who must choose between being forcibly displaced from the North or killed. We fear that this will not stop,” says Halford.
“Israel’s all-out war on Gaza seems to have no end in sight. Israel’s allies bear a heavy responsibility for this dire situation, caused by their unwavering support for the war. They must immediately do everything in their power to obtain a sustained ceasefire. Not tomorrow, not in a week. Now,” says Halford.
MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are asking for the public’s help after a serious crash on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway that has left two people in critical condition.
Emergency services were called to the expressway about 11.35pm on Saturday after a three-car crash.
Two people from one vehicle were critically injured, and the driver of another vehicle sustained serious injuries.
The occupants from one of the vehicles fled the scene and have not yet been located.
It is believed they were picked up by another vehicle beyond the crash scene.
The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene, and our enquiries are ongoing.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or who has information that might assist our enquiries.
We’d especially like to hear from anyone who has dashcam footage from around the time of the incident, which may have captured a white Mazda 6 station wagon or a green Ford Falcon travelling south on the Expressway.
If you can help, please update us online now or call 105.
Please use the reference number P060340360.
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Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Asia Pacific Region 2 – Singapore
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Lindsey, Malcolm Smith Professor of Asian Law and Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society, The University of Melbourne
Former General Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth president today. Twenty-five years ago he was a pariah, and for good reason.
He faced accusations of human rights abuses in Papua and East Timor, and in 1998, special forces troops under his command had abducted democracy activists in Jakarta, 13 of whom have never been seen again. Those who did return had been tortured.
The students had been calling for the resignation of President Soeharto, Prabowo’s father-in-law, who finally stepped down in May 1998 after widespread rioting that many believe Prabowo helped engineer. Then, backed by troops under his command, Prabowo tried to storm the presidential palace, gun in hand, to threaten the new president, BJ Habibie.
Prabowo never went on trial for the disappearances of the activists, though he was banned from travelling to the United States for two decades.
And his cherished military career quickly ended – he was dismissed from the army for “misinterpreting orders”. Disgraced, and seen as embodying the violence and repression of Soeharto’s regime, Prabowo went into voluntary exile in Jordan. It seemed he had no future in the democratic Reformasi (reformation) system that began to emerge from the ruins of the repressive New Order.
But Prabowo was far from finished. His rehabilitation and extraordinary climb to the presidency may now signal the end of Indonesia’s fragile, aspirational liberal democracy and a return to the New Order model.
It is clear enough that Prabowo has no enthusiasm for democracy. He has said, for example, that it “very, very tiring” and “very, very messy and costly”.
Gerindra, the political party he founded and leads, even has, as its number one mission statement, a return to the Constitution “as stipulated on 18 August 1945”. This is the authoritarian original version of the Constitution that Soeharto relied on to rule. It did not guarantee human rights or a separation of powers, and it gave huge power to the president, who was not elected and had no term limit.
This Constitution was amended after Soeharto fell to bring in a liberal, democratic model. So, a return to the original 1945 Constitution would in itself likely end Indonesia’s hard-won, if troubled, democracy.
But Prabowo may not need to go this far to enjoy the sweeping power his former father-in-law exercised. Many of the elements of the New Order are already in place. Much of the work of dismantling Indonesia’s liberal democracy has already been done by the outgoing president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), whose son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is now Prabowo’s vice president.
For example, a key pillar of the New Order was “dual function”, a doctrine that allowed serving military members to take civilian posts, allowing them to dominate the government. This was abolished after Soeharto fell.
But amendments to the civil service law passed last October again allow active members of the army and police to occupy civilian positions. Proposed amendments to the Indonesian National Army (TNI) Law now being debated could expand this. When questioned about the army’s return to civilian life, the armed forces commander welcomed the changes, saying the army would not be exercising a “dual function” but a “multi-function”.
Likewise, under Soeharto, repressive laws tightly restricted press freedom. Now, a controversial new criminal code that comes into force in 2026 will reinstate prohibitions on criticising the government that the Constitutional Court had previously struck out. A proposed new Broadcasting Law would also ban “broadcasting investigative journalism content”.
Under the New Order, civil society activism was also harshly restricted. In the last ten years under Jokowi, there has been a steady escalation of defamation actions and threats against government critics. And a law passed in 2017 allows the government to dissolve non-governmental organisations without any judicial process. Already, three NGOs have been banned.
Many activists now speak openly of their fear of being targeted and intimidated by government trolls or even the intelligence agencies. Others fear Prabowo will use his links to Muslim civil society organisations to pressure or delegitimise other groups he sees as critics.
Prabowo is also following in the footsteps of Soeharto and Jokowi by building a massive coalition in the national legislature, the DPR. More than 80% of members are already on board, with only one party holding out.
Prabowo will also expand his cabinet, allowing him to award places to supporters and co-opt others, including members of civil society. This will further weaken the opposition.
This kind of government of elite “unity” makes politics opaque. Political fights take place behind the scenes, resolved by power plays and deals before measures go to a vote. It would make the national legislature not much more than a rubber stamp, as it was under Soeharto.
This assumes Prabowo can manage Indonesia’s powerful political bosses – especially the feuding former presidents Megawati Soekarnoputri and Jokowi. Together, they now control the two biggest parties in the legislature (PDI-P and Golkar, respectively).
The still hugely popular Jokowi backed his former bitter enemy Prabowo in the February elections because he saw this as a way to maintain influence after he left office. But Prabowo will be reluctant to share real power with anyone for long. His relationship with Jokowi is likely to be one the biggest challenges to his rule.
One of the few remaining obstacles to Prabowo acquiring the sort of dictatorial powers Soeharto exercised is the Constitutional Court, which has the power to strike out laws. Prabowo will not want a non-compliant and obstructive (that is, independent) Constitutional Court. Already politicians are openly discussing the need to “assess its performance”.
If the legislature passes laws to weaken the court, the court could just strike them out, as it has done in the past.
But the court was established by the amendments to the original 1945 Constitution. This means that if government cannot pass laws to weaken the court, stack the court or intimidate independent judges, a return to the 1945 Constitution could be used to eliminate it.
Prabowo would need to feel his rule is secure and that he has the rock-solid support of the elites before doing this, but it is certainly possible. Returning to the original Constitution would simply require a two-thirds vote in the MPR, Indonesia’s highest representative assembly.
Soeharto’s system was based on a Faustian bargain that allowed him to rule corruptly and oppressively in return for high economic growth and development that lifted millions out of poverty.
Prabowo is likely to adopt the same approach. He campaigned on an annual GDP growth target of 8%, a rate reached under Soeharto, but never by subsequent governments. Jokowi also placed great emphasis on development (infrastructure in particular), but never got much above 5% growth per year.
Many are optimistic about the economy under the new president. Prabowo’s father was a prominent economist and a finance minister. Prabowo has also asked Jokowi’s highly-regarded finance minister, Sri Mulyani, to stay in her role.
However, Prabowo comes to office with some enormously expensive commitments that would make Sri Mulyani’s job extremely difficult. These include his free school lunches program (upwards of US$30 billion, or A$45 billion), which Sri Mulyani has publicly questioned, and Jokowi’s signature new capital city, Nusantara, currently under construction. (The initial phase alone will cost at least US$35 billion, or A$52 billion).
Moreover, Prabowo’s main priority will be to keep the elites happy and maintain his enormous coalition. His supporters and allies – including his brother, tycoon Hashim Djojohadikusumo who has funded his political career – will all demand access to concessions and lucrative appointments for their cronies to make good the vast amounts spent on the February elections. Rational economic policy-making will therefore be highly constrained.
Foreign investment has always been the key to high growth in Indonesia, but despite the constant rhetoric about Indonesia being open for business, it will undoubtedly remain protectionist in practice under Prabowo. That will likely make the 8% GDP annual growth target impossible.
Prabowo, who was educated overseas and speaks English fluently, feels comfortable on the global stage. He will want a more prominent place in world affairs for his country, reflecting its vast size and new status as a middle-income country.
As Jokowi’s defence minister, he was active internationally, even attempting to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. And, to his obvious delight, countries like the US that had previously denied him entry have congratulated him on his victory.
Prabowo’s main foreign affairs challenge will be the same as his predecessor’s: managing the difficult relationship with China.
Indonesians are deeply suspicious of China, an attitude driven by a potent mixture of deeply rooted racist attitudes, fear of communism and anxiety about China’s hegemonic ambitions. However, Indonesia is a major recipient of Belt and Road investments and the elite rely heavily on Chinese trade and investment.
Like Jokowi, Prabowo will have to manage this difficult balance.
Indonesian civil society leaders are already talking about the new administration as “New Order Volume II” or “neo-New Order”, and it is easy to see why. All the signs point to a continuation under Prabowo of the process begun under Jokowi: a slide towards something that looks much more like Soeharto’s system than the liberal democracy reformers tried to construct 25 years ago.
There is nothing in Prabowo’s past or his campaign promises to suggest otherwise. Perhaps the only question is how quickly it happens and how far he will go.
Tim Lindsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
– ref. Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, finds democracy ‘very tiring’. Are darker days ahead for the country? – https://theconversation.com/indonesias-new-president-prabowo-subianto-finds-democracy-very-tiring-are-darker-days-ahead-for-the-country-241256
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 19 — Having surged to the forefront of the global new energy vehicle (NEV) market with their outstanding performance, Chinese automakers are exploring strategies to gain an advantage over their competitors in the more challenging latter phase of the market race, which is increasingly driven by intelligent development and artificial intelligence.
One of the latest efforts in this push is the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference (WICV), held from Oct. 17 to 19 in Beijing.
The WICV attracted over 250 auto firms and institutions from home and abroad, with more than 200 new technologies and products making their debut.
“Intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) have become a focus of industry innovation, and Chinese automobiles are accelerating into a new stage with intelligence as their core competitiveness,” said Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holding Group, at the event.
Seizing the opportunities presented by intelligent technology and promoting China’s transformation into an automotive powerhouse is a challenge the entire Chinese auto industry must address, he added.
Like many of China’s leading car companies, Geely has made significant strides in intelligent innovation, driving advancements in areas such as automobile safety, human-machine interaction, intelligent driving, onboard chips and low-orbit satellites. The company is also committed to creating an integrated space-ground smart network.
According to Zhu Huarong, chairman of Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd, China’s ICVs saw rapid growth this year, with sales projected to reach 17 million and a penetration rate surpassing 63 percent.
Stefan Mecha, CEO of the Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand, said that China actively fosters innovation opportunities through consistent government plans for ICV and NEV development, a tech-savvy consumer base, and an openness to technology within an advanced tech ecosystem.
A comprehensive industrial system for China’s ICV sector has basically taken shape, covering products and technologies such as basic chips, sensors, computing platforms and chassis control, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong said Thursday during the opening ceremony of WICV.
China leads the world in human-machine interaction and is rapidly advancing toward breakthroughs in technologies like steer-by-wire and active suspension technologies, among others, the minister noted.
According to Jin, the country’s ICV sector currently boasts nearly 400 “little giant” firms, or novel elites of small and medium-sized enterprises that are engaged in manufacturing, specialize in a niche market and hold cutting-edge technologies. Five Chinese lidar companies have ranked among the global top 10 in sales, while nine automotive manufacturers are piloting conditional automated driving models.
Lei Jun, founder and CEO of tech giant Xiaomi, revealed at the WICV that the company is expected to deliver more than 20,000 units of its first self-developed NEV model SU7 this month, and achieve its annual delivery target of 100,000 vehicles in November.
The new model was released by the market newcomer in late March, and technological breakthroughs in key fields have been achieved, such as modeling design, batteries, intelligent driving and intelligent cockpits.
“In the next five years, the structure of the entire automotive industry will be reconstructed on a large scale,” Lei said.
The CEO noted that the entire industry should engage in benign competition and work together to explore the international market. He also urged Chinese automakers to avoid redundant investments and focus on creating a smart automotive ecosystem.
Global players like Volkswagen are also speeding up their intelligent transformation in a bid to expand their presence in the Chinese market.
“We will invest consequently into the localization of our R&D activities to integrate ourselves much more strongly into the rapidly growing ecosystem for electric vehicles in China,” said Ralf Brandstaetter, chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group China.
In addition to building its largest development center outside Germany in the city of Hefei in east China, Volkswagen is also strengthening cooperation with local manufacturers like Xpeng and high-tech companies such as Horizon Robotics, Thundersoft and Gotion.
“This deep integration into the world’s leading development network for ICVs will further expand our local innovative strength, but also provides us with a strategic advantage on the global markets in the mid-term,” Brandstaetter said.
“China is driving the future of the automotive industry, and we are committed to being part of this journey in the era of ICVs,” he added.
To support such rapid industrial development in China, more than 50 cities have designated over 32,000 kilometers of test routes for ICVs and upgraded about 10,000 kilometers of roads with smart technologies, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 19 — On a recent inspection tour in east China’s Anhui Province, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the need for the province to further implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He also stressed that the province should comprehensively implement the new development philosophy. He urged Anhui to leverage multiple national development strategies in its continued drive to establish itself as an important hub of sci-tech innovation, a center for emerging industries, a new frontier for reform and opening up, and a comprehensive green transformation zone for economic and social development. Xi called on Anhui to make further achievements in deepening its integration into the new pattern of development, promoting high-quality development, and building a beautiful Anhui in all respects, so as to write an Anhui chapter of Chinese modernization.
From Oct. 17 to 18, accompanied by Liang Yanshun, secretary of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee, and Anhui Governor Wang Qingxian, Xi conducted fact-finding missions in the cities of Anqing and Hefei, where he visited a number of sites, including a historical and cultural block and a sci-tech park.
On the afternoon of Oct. 17, Xi first arrived in Tongcheng City, Anqing. The city’s Liuchi Alley, so called because Zhang Ying, a senior Qing Dynasty official, and his neighbor, the Wu family, both moved back their walls by a meter to resolve their disputes over property boundaries, stands as a model of harmonious and courteous neighbor relations in China. In the alley, Xi learned about the history of the site and its inheritance, viewed artifacts from the “Tongcheng School,” and learned about local efforts to carry on fine traditional Chinese culture and promote cultural and ethical development. He emphasized the need to strengthen the protection of historical and cultural heritage, adhere to the principle of creative transformation and innovative development, as well as work collaboratively to advance socialist culture, promote revolutionary traditions, and inherit fine traditional Chinese culture, laying a solid cultural foundation for social governance.
As local residents and tourists gathered, Xi engaged warmly with them, stressing the need to resolve disputes between members of the public through mediation. He noted that Liuchi Alley exemplifies the ancestral wisdom of dispute resolution and should serve as an educational site for carrying forward traditional Chinese culture, and full play should be given to China’s traditional virtue of courtesy and modesty, so as to create a harmonious social environment where people can live and work in peace and happiness.
Later, Xi visited Hefei Binhu Science City, where he viewed major technological innovations in the province and was briefed about what has been done there to innovate systems and mechanisms for scientific and technological development and application of scientific and technological advances, and engaged in discussions with researchers and corporate executives. Xi took a close look at high-tech products in the fields of intelligent connected vehicles, new-generation information technology, new energy, artificial intelligence, and health and life science. He stopped in front of each product, carefully observing them and expressing appreciation from time to time. He said science and technology should spearhead the advancement of Chinese modernization, and sci-tech innovation is an essential path to Chinese modernization. High-tech is not something that can be begged for or borrowed, Xi said, calling for accelerated efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology. Noting that scientists and researchers are the backbone of advancing Chinese modernization, Xi called on them to seize every opportunity in life, unleash their innovative potential, contribute their wisdom and talent to building the country’s strength in science and technology and score remarkable achievements.
On the morning of Oct. 18, Xi listened to work reports from the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee and the provincial government. He commended what the province has achieved in various areas of its work and put forward clear requirements for the work in the future.
Xi emphasized the need to accelerate technological innovation and industrial transformation and upgrading. He called for efforts to build national laboratories and a comprehensive national science center in Hefei with high standards, to effectively leverage high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms. He required greater efforts in innovations regarding key generic technologies, cutting-edge frontier technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies. He also emphasized the importance of expanding international sci-tech exchanges and cooperation, and continuously boosting original innovation capabilities. Xi urged Anhui to establish supportive systems and mechanisms for innovation in all fields, promote the integrated reform of systems involving the development of education, science, technology, and talent in a coordinated manner, optimize financial policies and mechanisms that support sci-tech innovation, and promote the deep integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain. He called for efforts to safeguard the foundation of the real economy, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, strengthen and expand strategic emerging industries, plan ahead and nurture future industries, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and build advanced manufacturing clusters with international competitiveness. He called for coordinated efforts to promote carbon reduction, pollution control, afforestation, and economic growth, systematically advance ecological conservation and restoration, and ecological environmental governance, and improve capabilities for disaster prevention, reduction, and relief.
Xi stressed the importance of advancing extended reform and high-level opening up. He called for bold steps to pursue innovative and differentiated reforms to create a new high ground for reform and opening up in inland areas. It is imperative to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector, fully stimulating the vitality of various business entities. It is essential to deepen the market-oriented reform of factors, creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. Xi noted the need to comprehensively expand opening up within the country and to the outside world, forming a comprehensive opening-up paradigm that establishes links between land and sea and between domestic and international markets, and promotes mutual assistance between eastern and western regions. With further integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta as the spearhead for driving coordinated regional development within the province, Xi called on the province to play a bigger role in the strategy for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the rise of the central region. Anhui should also take an active part in high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, take solid steps to step up reforms to integrate domestic and foreign trade, intensify efforts to attract foreign investment and stabilize its flows, and speed up fostering new growth drivers in foreign trade.
Xi called for efforts to develop a new paradigm for integrated urban-rural development. It is imperative for Anhui to build modern grain industrial, production and management systems, take solid steps to develop high-standard cropland, develop the Yangtze-Huaihe Valley into a granary, and firmly shoulder the responsibility of ensuring adequate supply of grain. It is essential for the province to deliver good results in the trial extension of rural land contracts by another 30 years upon the expiration of the second-round contracts, and improve the supportive policies for strengthening agriculture, benefiting farmers and bringing prosperity to them, so as to motivate farmers to grow crops. Xi called for intensified efforts to grow local special and green agricultural products, upgrade the industries that benefit people in rural areas, improve the overall benefits of the agricultural sector, and strengthen new rural collective economies. It is imperative to further improve the living environment in rural areas to build beautiful villages. Xi called for strengthened efforts to promote urbanization with a focus on county seats and expand the county economy. He noted the need to boost employment for key target groups, and improve policies for regular assistance to low-income rural residents, thus preventing them from lapsing or relapsing into poverty in large numbers. He underscored the importance of extending the coverage of such services as education, medical care, pension, social security and public culture to rural areas. According to Xi, it is imperative to further guide community-level governance through Party building, and improve efficacy in this regard by applying and developing the “Fengqiao model” in the new era.
Xi emphasized the necessity to further promote the integrated development of culture and tourism, develop integrated tourism, and build the cultural tourism sector into a pillar industry. He urged efforts to explore and utilize the educational function and tourism value of revolutionary cultural resources. He called for the conservation, inheritance and utilization of traditional villages and traditional architecture, as well as the promotion of creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional culture. Xi also urged the promotion of extensive public participation activities for cultural and ethical progress, as well as the transformation of outmoded habits and customs, under the guidance of core socialist values. It is imperative to deepen the reform of the cultural system, optimize cultural industries and market, and create more high-quality cultural products, Xi said.
Xi pointed out that it is necessary to unwaveringly uphold the Party’s leadership and strengthen Party building. He called for efforts to regularize Party discipline study and education, and guide Party members and officials to truly turn discipline rules into political, ideological, and action consciousness. He urged efforts to implement “three distinctions (namely the distinctions between errors caused by lack of experience in pilot reforms and deliberate violations of discipline and law; between errors made in conducting experiments that are not explicitly restricted by higher-level authorities and arbitrary violations of discipline and law in the face of higher-level authorities’ explicit prohibition; and between unwitting errors made in pursuing development and violations of discipline and law for personal gains),” to fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of Party members and officials in their work and endeavors. He called for efforts to solve problems concerning officials’ malfeasance, inaction, lack of courage to perform their duties, and incompetence. It is imperative to optimize the systems and mechanisms for preventing pointless formalities and bureaucratism to ease the burdens on the grassroots. He called for continued endeavors to improve conduct, tighten discipline, and fight against corruption, so as to consolidate and develop a good political ecology.
Xi stressed the necessity to do a good job in the economic work of the fourth quarter, to conscientiously implement the policies and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and strive to achieve the economic and social development objectives for the whole year.
He Lifeng and leading officials of relevant central Party and state departments accompanied Xi during the inspection tour.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Visiting Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Saturday.
At the invitation of the Indonesian government, Han, as the special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, will attend the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Sunday and visit Indonesia from Saturday to Monday.
Han pointed out that the past 10 years have witnessed high-level development of China-Indonesia relations, and the two heads of state have jointly led the upgrading of China-Indonesia relations into a new era of building a community with a shared future.
Han said China is willing to work with Indonesia to carry forward the fine tradition of bilateral friendship and cooperation, deepen all-round strategic coordination, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, ensure smooth operation of major cooperation projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, continuing to write a new chapter of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit.
It is hoped and believed that President Joko will, as always, support the development of bilateral relations and contribute to carrying forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, Han said.
Joko said that in recent years, the comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China has been developing with sound momentum and bilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful results.
Noting the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is a landmark cooperation project between the two countries and a symbol of their friendship, Joko said Indonesia is willing to make joint efforts with China to continue to ensure efficient operation of the railway.
Indonesia attaches great importance to developing relations with China, he said, noting that under the leadership of the new Indonesian government, bilateral relations will continue to be lifted to new levels.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
People visit the 2024 Los Angeles Lantern Art Expo in Arcadia, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Qiu Chen/Xinhua)
The 2024 Los Angeles Lantern Art Expo was launched Wednesday evening, showcasing Chinese traditional culture with more than 60 sets of lantern displays, cultural performances and Chinese cuisine.
A total of 66 sets of lanterns are on display at the expo, featuring themes including the Great Tang Dynasty, 12 Chinese zodiac animals, prehistoric dinosaurs, and holidays such as Halloween and Christmas.
“Today, as we light up the lanterns here, we once again highlight the tremendous potential and continued efforts of China and the United States to foster cultural and tourism exchanges,” said Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Guo Shaochun at the opening ceremony of the event.
Lantern art is a good expression of Chinese traditional culture, carrying both deep cultural significance and aesthetic beauty, Guo said.
“Every lantern represents the exquisite craftsmanship of Chinese artisans and reflects the shared aspirations of Chinese people around the world for a bright and prosperous future,” he noted.
“The expo is essential to bring us together to celebrate the contributions of immigrants to this country while highlighting our wonderful Chinese culture,” said U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu while addressing the opening ceremony.
The expo, held in the Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles, runs from Oct. 18 to Nov. 17.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The opening ceremony of the 13th Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival was held in Dengfeng of Zhengzhou, Henan province, on Saturday.
With 2,560 kung fu practitioners from 56 countries and regions participating in the competition, the festival provides an opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich heritage and culture of Shaolin kung fu.
Sven Husmann, 50, expressed his enthusiasm for attending the opening ceremony, emphasizing the event’s role as cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning.
“We aim to get the spirit of this festival and carry it back to Germany upon our return to Europe,” he remarked,
The festival showcased a diverse range of activities, including traditional Shaolin Wushu competitions, an international fight competition, and US-China youth training camp.
People also witnessed Khmer Boxing, a traditional Cambodian martial art, at the Shaolin Temple.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
An actor performs the poetry drama “Ein Heldenleben — Cai Lun”, a Chinese drama about the legendary inventor of paper-making, in London, Britain on Oct. 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
A Chinese drama about the legendary inventor of paper-making, who lived nearly 2,000 years ago, premiered in London on Thursday night, captivating the audience with a sensory spectacle that blends Western classical music with elements of Chinese culture.
At LSO St Luke’s, two actors dressed in Peking Opera attire delivered their recitative lines in the traditional style, accompanied by an orchestra performing Richard Strauss’s symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben.
“I think it’s incredibly unique and imaginative, and I’m amazed at how the drama of the story seems to fit so amazingly well with the music,” Alison Kiln told Xinhua after watching the show, adding that she had never experienced a live performance as “amazing” as this before.
Based on Strauss’s iconic composition, the symphony poetry drama “Ein Heldenleben — Cai Lun” offers a glimpse into the life and emotional struggles of Cai Lun, the inventor of the paper-making process during China’s Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.).
Running for just one night, the show was co-presented by the Chen Xinyi Art Centre from Shanghai and the Fidelio Orchestra.
Speaking to Xinhua before the show, Raffaello Morales, conductor and founder of the London-based orchestra, said that while it is not the first instance of combining different art forms, the integration of symphony and Peking Opera represents a new exploration. When he first learned about this potential collaboration in 2023, he found it to be a “very interesting proposition.”
“At the end of the day, I think the tension that you have on stage always brings something creative and something worthwhile,” he said.
Chen Xinyi, the director of the production, told Xinhua that she believed the show would be “aesthetically satisfying” and hoped it would help people from overseas learn about the great individuals of China, their personalities, and their inspiring spirits.
The 86-year-old director and playwright has been involved in over 150 productions throughout her career. For the past two decades, she has explored the fusion of drama and symphony, resulting in nine productions of symphonic poetry drama.
Created in 2020, the production has toured several cities in China, including Shanghai and Hangzhou.
Actors perform the poetry drama “Ein Heldenleben — Cai Lun”, a Chinese drama about the legendary inventor of paper-making, in London, Britain on Oct. 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
Source: China State Council Information Office
Beijing plans to significantly expand its high-level autonomous driving demonstration area to approximately 3,000 square kilometers between the fourth and sixth ring roads, more than double the size of the city’s six urban districts, an official said on Friday.
Since the launch of China’s first high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone in September 2020, the city has successfully developed intelligent infrastructure across 600 square kilometers, said Wang Lei, director of the Beijing High-level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone Work Office, during the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference.
The expansion is part of the Chinese capital’s efforts to position itself at the forefront of autonomous driving technology development.
The demonstration zone has issued road test permits to 33 companies, covering nearly 900 vehicles with a combined autonomous driving test mileage of over 32 million kilometers, accounting for more than a quarter of the total national autonomous test mileage.
Major companies such as Baidu, Pony.ai and JD.com are among those participating in the project, piloting various autonomous applications, including passenger vehicles, unmanned deliveries and autonomous patrol services.
The demonstration zone will continue to expand in both scale and the diversity of application scenarios, Wang said.
Beijing is also working on new legislation to regulate the burgeoning autonomous driving sector.
Driven by advanced technology, supportive regulations and strong investor enthusiasm, the autonomous driving industry is rapidly moving toward large-scale commercial use, with China revving up efforts to foster tech-intensive new growth engines.
By the end of August, Chinese public security authorities had issued 16,000 test licenses for autonomous vehicles, with some 32,000 kilometers of roads nationwide opened for autonomous vehicle testing, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company projects that China will become the world’s largest market for self-driving vehicles, with revenue from such vehicles and mobility services exceeding 500 billion U.S. dollars by 2030.
Source: China State Council Information Office
A Chinese company, together with local officials, on Friday announced the commencement of the Neno-Ligowe road construction in Ligowe Village of Neno, one of Malawi’s isolated districts.
Neno, a border district with Mozambique in southern Malawi, is known for its mountainous terrain and poor roads, which become impassable during the rainy season.
According to Neno District Council Official Brightone Mphinga, the Neno-Ligowe road, a 20 km stretch, is vital for the people of Neno as it will not only facilitate the transportation of people and goods, especially farm produce, but also improve access to health and education services in the area.
Mphinga told Xinhua that the arrival of China Railway 20th Bureau Group Corporation Limited (CR20) to announce the start of the project is an assurance that the long-awaited road will soon be realized.
He said that the poor condition of the road has long deprived the people of Neno of essential services, including healthcare and education.
“This is a crucial project for us, and we are very grateful. We want to assure the CR20 company that the District Commissioner’s office, along with all government offices and local communities, will work together to provide all necessary support until the project is completed,” Mphinga said.
Chief Mlauli, the area’s highest traditional authority, echoed Mphinga’s sentiments, pledging continued community support to ensure smooth progress. He said that the road’s completion will significantly boost the local economy, making it easier and more affordable for farmers to transport crops such as Irish potatoes, cowpeas, tangerines and oranges to market.
CR20 Project Manager Deng Jing reassured the people of Neno that the company will deliver a high-quality, durable road within the 18-month contract period. He also called for support from local authorities and the community to ensure the project’s success.
CR20 has already mobilized more than 10 dump trucks and excavators at the site, with nearly 100 Chinese and Malawian workers ready to begin construction.
The Neno-Ligowe Road project involves upgrading the existing dirt road, which is often impassable, to a 9.5-meter-wide asphalt-paved route. The road is critical for transportation and socio-economic development in the region, connecting Mwanza, a major border post, to Ntcheu, a commercial hub for farm produce in central Malawi.
Since 2018, CR20 has implemented several projects in Malawi, contributing to local capacity building through employment for over 5,000 Malawians, as well as training and mentorship programs.
Source: New Zealand Government
The anniversary of the Equal Pay Act is a reminder that we still have work to do to achieve equality for women across this country, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says.
“Today marks the anniversary of the Equal Pay Act that was introduced in 1972. Over the past few decades, pay equity in New Zealand has improved, but women are still paid on average 8.2 per cent less than men.
“While we have made significant progress, there is still work to do and we must continue to keep the pressure on this issue. My ambitions for the future are that there would be no pay gap in the public and private sector, and that is what we should all work towards.
“Recent data shows that, at 6.1 per cent, the public service gender pay gap is the lowest it has ever been, and has halved since 2018. Across New Zealand the pay gap is trending downwards but while this is a wonderful achievement, we cannot be complacent.
“It requires continuous efforts across the public and private sector to ensure that we can continue to see results. This can be achieved by supporting women into leadership, lifting incomes, and providing businesses with the tools to calculate, understand and address their gender pay gaps.
“In June our Government announced that we are developing a pay gap calculation tool in partnership with business so that there is a consistent method for businesses to calculate their pay gaps and take steps to address them.
“Groups like the Global Women and Champions for Change are proving the benefits of promoting women in leadership and addressing pay gaps, including better financial performance and decision making. This work continues to be supported by the Ministry for Women.
“I am excited to say that we will have an announcement on the pay gap calculation tool in the coming weeks.
“We know that gender pay gaps are complex, nuanced – and stubborn – which is why bringing sunlight to the issue is essential to creating meaningful and sustainable change. As calculating pay gaps will not fix the issue in silo, our Government is also focused on growing the economy and providing women more choice and freedom in their careers through schemes like FamilyBoost and raising parental leave by 6 per cent.
“Women deserve to be paid fairly and to be supported to succeed, and we are doing everything we can to ensure this happens,” Ms Grigg says.
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
UAW Local 652Lansing, Michigan
5:31 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hey, everybody. Hey. (Applause.) Hey, everyone. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone.
Oh, it’s good to be in the house of labor. Good afternoon. (Applause.) Good afternoon.
Ben, I want to thank you for your leadership. I just said to him, I mean, what a leader he is. You know, I just — first of all, it’s so good to be in the house of labor, and it’s so good to be with people who understand the dignity of work and fight for it every day. And it’s not an easy fight, but it’s a good fight.
And I thank you for all that you do, Ben, and everybody who is here. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
So, it’s wonderful to be back in Michigan and to be with so many incredible leaders, including, of course, Representative Slotkin. Where is she? She’s — there you are. (Applause.) Who we must elect to the United States Senate. (Applause.) And we will. I’m counting on that.
State Senator Hertel, let’s send him to the United States House of Representatives. (Applause.) There you are.
And a special thanks to the brothers and sisters of United Auto Workers. Thank you for all that you are, all that you do, and the warm welcome. (Applause.)
And, of course, for generations in Lansing and across our country, union members have helped lead the fight for fair pay, better benefits, and safe working conditions, and every person in our nation has benefited from your work.
You know, everywhere I go, I tell people, you may not be a union member, but you better thank unions — (applause) — for the five-day work week, for sick leave, for paid family leave and vacation time, because we are all clear: Collective bargaining benefits our entire nation — our entire nation. (Applause.)
Because here’s the deal. When union wages go up, everybody’s wages go up. When union workplaces are safer, everyone’s workplace is safer. So, thank a union. (Applause.) Thank a union.
And the bottom line is when unions are strong, America is strong. Unions have always fought to make our nation more equal, more fair, and more free. And in this election, everything we have fought for, for years in this movement — in this movement, for unions and for labor, is on the line.
And I’m about to talk about it in real terms because we always have real talk with each other, and your members can afford nothing less, which has been why I appreciate your leadership.
This election is about two very different visions for our nation: one that’s trying to take us backward — him — and ours that is about moving forward and about the future. (Applause.) We fight — we fight for a future where we protect the freedom to organize, where we understand the importance of collective bargaining.
You know, I sometimes say to young people — and, by the way, have you noticed how, when you look at the polling, younger workers coming into the workforce, they get it and they understand the power and the nobility of unions.
And I always say to people, look, here’s the thing about collective bargaining. Everybody should want that, when there’s a negotiation, the outcome would be fair. Right? Who’s going to argue with that? Everybody should want that — that there will be a fair outcome in a negotiation.
All right. So, if we start from there — we’re all reasonable people — then let’s think about it. If you’re talking about the worker, the one worker trying to negotiate against the corporation, is that outcome going to be fair?
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No. The disparity in power is too great. So, collective bargaining, it’s a simple, simple and important point. You let the workers organize so that the collective, together, who have the same concerns, the same issues, can be banded together to have equal power in a negotiation, because the whole point is the outcome of the negotiation should be fair. That’s what collective bargaining is about. That’s what unions are about. (Applause.)
It’s about basic fairness, and it’s about the dignity of work, understanding all workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. That’s what we’re talking about when we talk about this movement and the strength of the movement and the importance of keeping it going.
We talk about, then, our knowledge about the importance of building a future where we tap into the ambition of the American people, where we build what I call an “opportunity economy” — right? — so every American has an opportunity to own a home, to buy a car, to build wealth, to start a business.
And I will always — it is my pledge to you — put the middle class and working people first. I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from. (Applause.) I will never forget where I come from. I know where I come from.
Hard work is good work. Hard work is good work and must receive the value to which it is due, which means understanding the value of the worker. (Applause.)
And we know we cannot have a strong middle class without American manufacturing. Over the last three and a half years, we brought manufacturing back to America, creating 730,000 manufacturing jobs — (applause) — with your help — with your help. We announced the opening of more than 20 new auto plants in the United States, and we did it by investing in American industry and American workers. (Applause.)
And I will make sure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century. (Applause.)
So, under my plan, it’s about investing in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, the great American auto industry. And we will ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not just invented but built right here in America by American union workers. (Applause.) Because it is they and you who have proven how to get the job done. (Applause.)
And as part of that vision, we will invest in manufacturing communities like Lansing. We will retool existing factories, hire locally, and work with unions to create good-paying jobs, including, by the way, jobs that do not require a college degree.
And I’mma tell you why. And I’mma tell you why, because I’m really clear that a college degree is not the only measure of the skills and experience of the qualified worker, and we need to understand — (applause) — we need to understand that.
In fact, it is my pledge that, as president, I’m going to do a critical assessment of federal jobs to look at those that don’t require a college degree so we can start talking about good jobs based on the skill and experience of the worker and not random measures of who can do what. And I plan on, then, challenging the private sector to do the same. (Applause.)
And we will importantly protect the pensions of union workers and retirees. (Applause.) Again, it’s about the dignity of work, which includes the dignity of retirement. After a lifetime of working hard, let’s talk about the dignity of retirement, the dignity of aging.
And that’s why, as attorney general, I sued the big banks to return hundreds of millions of dollars to workers and their families after their pensions were mismanaged. This is not new to me. I’ve done that work.
As a United States senator, I pushed for legislation to rescue workers’ pensions without cutting the benefits that workers had earned.
And, as vice president, I worked alongside then-Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, and we, for a year, worked on what we needed to do with the federal workforce, which was in our direct power, to increase the ability for collective bargaining and to ensure that they have all the resources they need to grow in terms of organizing.
As vice president, I also helped to do the long overdue work to protect the pensions of more than 1 million union members. And yesterday, I announced the protection of the full earned pension benefits of more than 22,500 union workers and retirees in Michigan under the Detroit Carpenters’ Pension Fund. (Applause.)
Because, again, just to put a fine point on it, when it comes to your pension or Social Security or Medicare, these are retirement benefits you have earned. This is not about a giveaway. You’ve earned it. And it must be protected, and it must be respected — after decades of hard work, that you receive it. And honoring these benefits must be an ironclad commitment. (Applause.)
Now — now let’s talk about, you know, the guy on the other side. Let’s talk about Donald Trump for a minute. Shall we? So —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And because he has a very different view. Now, in all seriousness, he has a very different view of workers, of hard work, of the dignity of work. You guys — we know it. We know it.
He tries to, you know, do his rhetorical thing at — at rallies like he understands what it means to earn a living. No, you understand what I’m saying. He pretends that he understands workers and the hard work and the battle workers face every day to get their due wages and benefits.
Well, we’re not falling for the okey-doke, because we know — we know what he has said, and we know what he has done. (Applause.) He who called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. He called it a Ponzi scheme. He recommended we raise the retirement age to 70. Can you imagine, if you are required to work to 70? He who intends to cut Social Security and Medicare?
You know, we know how many people — their only source of income is their social security check. Talk about — right? — is the value about dignity in retirement, dignity in aging. And remember, he was the only one — he said he was going to be the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs. You know how he talks. (Deepens voice.) “I’m the only one,” right? (Laughter.) You know how he talks. (Laughter and applause.)
And then, because we’re too busy watching what he’s doing to hear what he’s saying, we know America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president — okay? — including tens of thousands of jobs right here in Michigan. And those losses, we know and we’ll note, started before the pandemic — okay? — making Donald Trump one of the biggest —
AUDIENCE: Losers!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — losers of manufacturing jobs in American history.
And his track record for the auto industry was a disaster. He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would — I’m going to quote — “not lose one plant” under his presidency. Then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit. Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs.
And if he wins again, we can expect there would be more of the same, because we know what he has done. And we know that we’re going to focus on the work, not the words, when it comes to Donald Trump, and we know where he took us the last time.
And check this out. Donald Trump’s current running mate — because you know the job was open, right? (Laughter.) You know, like, when people go for an interview — especially the young people, they’ll go for an interview, and they’ll sit down and they’re in the interview, and they’ll say, “Why is the job open?” (Laughter.) Well, we know why that job was open. (Laughter.)
So, Donald Trump’s running mate recently suggested that if they win, they would threaten the Grand River Assembly plant right here in Lansing —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — the same plant that, with your help, our administration protected earlier this year, saving 650 union jobs. (Applause.) Right?
And I do believe some of the union workers from Grand River are here with us today. So, you know what I’m ta- — (applause) — so, you know I’m talking about. You know what I’m talking about. And Trump’s running mate called your jobs “table scraps,” right?
So, let me just say — needless to say — I will always have your back — (applause) — and will keep fighting to make sure that you keep your jobs right here in Lansing and keep these most noble and important jobs for America’s strength. That’s the work you all do.
You know, Donald Trump, he also promised that he was going to stop offshoring. Remember that? Then he cut taxes for corporations that shipped 200,000 jobs overseas during his presidency — cut the taxes for those corporations — okay? — and awarded nearly half a trillion dollars in federal contracts to companies that were offshoring jobs. Okay? Follow the money.
He gave your tax dollars to companies that were sending your jobs overseas. And we got to get the word out to all of the brothers and sisters in labor to remind them of what this dude does — right? — what he actually does. (Applause.)
Because, make no mistake, Donald Trump is no friend to labor.
AUDIENCE: No!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He is no friend to labor, and we’ve got to listen to what he says. Know that — you know that famous saying: Listen when people tell you who they are.
In fact, can we roll the clip? (Laughter.) Let’s see. There we —
(A video clip is played.)
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Right? Right. Right.
So, of course, that last bit, he was talking about Shawn Fain, who — who represents nearly a million active and retired autoworkers. Okay? So, that’s about a million autoworkers, active and retired.
Donald Trump — listen to his words: He’s saying that autoworkers are essentially engaged in child’s play, that children could do it. Listen to what he says.
I’m telling you, he — you know, he’s got his club, and I’m going to tell you, union workers are not part of his club. Let’s be clear about that. No matter what he does at his rallies, let’s be clear about that, right?
He thinks that the value of your work is essentially meaningless. That’s what he’s saying, to compare it to child’s work?
When we here know the work you do is complex. You do it with great care. You work hard. You are highly skilled. You are highly trained. And the best autoworkers in the world is who you are — the best in the world — (applause) — the best in the world.
And the fact is, Donald Trump’s comments are the talk of someone who has had everything handed to him.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: That’s exactly right.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: I know it’s right. (Laughter.) It is — I know. It is.
This man, you know, who never had to work a job that came with calloused hands or an hourly wage — right? — someone who got handed $400 million on a silver platter and did what with it? Filed bankruptcy six times. (Applause.) Come on. Come on.
He will never understand the life of a United Auto Worker — he will never understand that — people who work hard for everything they have, who take great pride in a job well done, who understand what it represents to their family and the future of their family. Again, I go back to the dignity of hard work.
So, let us be clear. Donald Trump’s insults to American workers is not exclusive to that video. Okay? So, that was just a moment. Kind of think of it as the commercial break in my speech. (Laughter.)
But his comments are not only that, because Donald Trump has been a union buster his entire career. He has called union leaders, quote, “Dues Sucking” people. Okay? He said that he supports so-called right-to-work laws, quote, “100 percent.” Okay? He bragged and joked with a billionaire buddy about mass firing striking workers and lowered labor standards and made it easier for companies that break the laws to get federal contracts.
Donald Trump encouraged automakers of Michigan so they could pay their workers less — encouraged them to move so they could pay their workers less. Okay? And when the UAW went on strike to demand the higher wages you deserve, Donald Trump went to a nonunion shop and attacked the UAW. He said striking and collective bargaining don’t make, and I’m going to quote, “a damn bit of difference.”
So, here’s the bottom line, Donald Trump’s track record is a disaster for working people. And he is, I believe, an existential threat to America’s labor movement. And everything he intends to do, if he is reelected, is also spelled out in that Project 2025.
So, to read it and to know it is to know he intends to launch a full-on attack on unions and the freedom to organize. Okay? He will ban public-sector unions, roll back workplace safety protections. Read it when you have some time. Google it, everybody who’s watching. Look, mak- — he will make it easier for companies to deny overtime pay for workers and appoint a union buster to run the Department of Labor. Be sure of that. Be sure of that.
So, to all the friends here, I say what you already know. It’s time to turn the page. (Applause.) Let’s just turn the page. (Applause.) Turn the page. (Laughs.) Because America is ready to chart a new way forward, and we are not —
AUDIENCE: Going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — going back. We are not going back. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, we are not going back. We’re not going back. We’re not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We’re not going back because, as UAW always does, we are going to push forward. We are going to push forward.
And it all comes down to this. Look, you all have taken time out of your busy lives to be here this afternoon, and we are all here together because we know the stakes in this election are so high.
We are all here together because we love our country. (Applause.) We love our country. And I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism, the expression of the love of our country, to fight for our ideals. And that’s what this is about.
This is not, at the end of the day, a fight against something; this is a fight for something. (Applause.) This is a fight for something, including the fight to realize the promise of America. After all, that’s what unions have always done. It’s about understanding the promise of America, which has to include the promise that we should make to the workers of America.
So, we have 18 days to get this done. It’s not a lot of time. Okay? And we know this is going to be a tight race until the very end. We are the underdog. But make no mistake, we will win. (Applause.) We will win. We will win. We will win, I’m telling you.
It’s going to be hard work, but we like hard work. Hard work is good work. (Applause.)
And ultimately, we will win because we know what we stand for. (Applause.) And when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. (Applause.) Right?We stand for opportunity. We stand for dignity. And we stand for the future. (Applause.)
And so, I’ll close by saying, and when we fight —
AUDIENCE: We win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win.
God bless you. God bless America. (Applause.)
END 5:57 P.M. EDT
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that the other Common Squirrel Monkey at the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) that was put under isolated surveillance was found dead today.
The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) will conduct a necropsy on the animal to ascertain if the cause of death was the same as the earlier cases.
A total of 11 animals at the HKZBG have passed away since October 13.
At present, one De Brazza’s Monkey that has been isolated since October 13 remains under isolated surveillance and is being given medication.
The LCSD will keep the HKZBG’s Mammals Section closed to monitor the health conditions of the animals, and continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. At present, the health conditions of the staff concerned are normal.
The LCSD added that it has all along been communicating with the Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection and the AFCD to ensure that appropriate protective measures are taken.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Hayley Baker, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western University
Jessica Campbell has made history as the first full-time female coach in the National Hockey League, marking a significant milestone in professional hockey.
Campbell was hired by the Seattle Kraken in July, and during the team’s home opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 8, the crowd erupted into cheers when she was introduced as part of the team’s coaching staff.
While the Kraken went on to lose to the Blues 3-2, the game was a pivotal turning point for gender equality and coaching in the NHL. Campbell’s appointment as a full-time assistant coach shows there’s a path forward for women who aim to coach at the men’s professional level.
Campbell’s story serves as a reminder of the challenges women coaches face. However, it also demonstrates how achieving a coaching role in a professional league, though difficult, is not impossible.
Campbell brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role with the Kraken, from her playing experiences in the NCAA, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and on Canada’s women’s national team.
Her coaching career began as an assistant with the U18 Canadian women’s national team, and from there she coached in Sweden with the Malmö Redhawks. She then served as an assistant coach for the men’s national team in Germany and the Nürnberg Ice Tigers. Campbell later became the first female coach in the American Hockey League when she was hired by the Coachella Valley Firebirds as an assistant coach.
Even with her breadth of experience, Campbell never envisioned herself as an NHL coach. Instead, she was focused on supporting players through her business, JC Power Skating School.
“I didn’t imagine this path for me. I didn’t see it,” Campbell said in a 2023 interview. “Quite frankly there was no visibility and there weren’t other females doing this work, and so I didn’t know it was possible.”
It was not until more and more NHL players sought out her skating and skill development program that she began to consider coaching in the NHL as a potential career path.
The NHL has been slow on the uptake when it comes to full-time women coaches. The other three major leagues — the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association — have had women in coaching roles for years.
At the start of the 2024 season, there were 15 full-time women coaches in the NFL. In 2023, the MLB had 43 women coaching. Within the NBA, there are currently five female assistant coaches.
Yet, these numbers still reflect an alarming gender disparity. Like Campbell, many women may struggle to envision themselves in coaching positions. This moment encourages us to consider both the importance of women in coaching, and why there continues to be an under-representation of women coaching men’s sports.
Research on women in coaching has continuously highlighted barriers in high performance sport. Women coaches often face stereotypes, discrimination and gendered organizational cultures that hinder their advancement in the field.
To combat these barriers, the NHL has implemented various supports to ensure Campbell will not remain in a league of her own.
The NHL Coaches Association launched a Female Coaches Development Program in 2021 to support the development of women coaching hockey. By providing leadership strategies, skill development, networking and career opportunities, the program aims to normalize women coaching men and expand the pool of available candidates.
While Campbell is the first full-time assistant coach in the NHL, others have had opportunities to guest coach at NHL camps or to be on the bench for pre-season games.
For instance, Kim Weiss, the first woman to coach NCAA Division III men’s hockey, served as a guest coach for the Colorado Avalanche.
Similarly, Kori Cheverie, the first woman to coach a Canadian university men’s hockey team, was a guest coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins and became the first female coach on the bench during an NHL pre-season game.
Along with Campbell, the visibility that each of these women provides can spark meaningful change in the NHL. While Campbell’s coaching debut with the Kraken is breaking down barriers, sustained effort and dedication is required to create a more inclusive sport culture.
Continued emphasis on initiatives like the NHL’s Female Coaches Development program are necessary for both current and aspiring women coaches so girls and women can envision themselves in leadership roles in the future.
As a scholar who has studied the under-representation of women coaches, my hope is that Campbell will not remain an anomaly in the NHL, and eventually we see more women in both assistant and head coaching roles.
Campbell’s new position with the Kraken could spur this change, with her and others enriching the NHL through the abilities, contributions and diverse perspectives that women bring to coaching.
Hayley Baker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Jessica Campbell’s NHL coaching gig marks a pivotal turning point for professional hockey – https://theconversation.com/jessica-campbells-nhl-coaching-gig-marks-a-pivotal-turning-point-for-professional-hockey-241191
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aaron Ettinger, Associate Professor, International Relations, Carleton University
There’s a saying in sports journalism: “The answer to all your questions is money.” But in the case of Saudi Arabia’s massive sports investment programs during the reign of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, money is not the whole story.
In a simple sense, there is a clear profit motive. With US$925 billion in assets in 2023, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund exists to convert oil revenues into even greater national income.
Last year, the country’s Public Investment Fund reported $36.8 billion in profits. Since 2016, it has spent $51 billion on sports properties.
The point is not to turn bin Salman into the world’s greatest sports impresario. Rather, it’s that he’s seeking to improve the economic and geopolitical situation of Saudi Arabia through sports investments while ensuring the long-term survival of the Saudi regime.
Investing in sports is a common way for developing countries to announce their arrival on the global stage. Instead of one-and-done mega events, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a more dispersed and diverse approach.
The Public Investment Fund’s highest profile investments are well known, especially the 2021 purchase of Newcastle United of the English Premier League and the LIV golf tour that challenged the PGA’s decades-long dominance of the sport.
Beyond golf and soccer, Saudi Arabia has also spent dizzying sums on lower profile investments in esports, wrestling and motorsports. In other games, like chess and snooker, the profit motive is less clear.
The logical conclusion is that Saudi Arabia treats its sports investments as a loss leader — an unprofitable activity meant to stimulate more profitable activity somewhere else. In the words of Public Investment Fund’s 2022 annual report, international investment pools “allow Saudi Arabia to extend its global reach and influence.”
But what does that really mean?
The conventional term for Saudi Arabia’s strategy is sportswashing, the practice of reputation-laundering in the hopes that a cleaner national image will translate into soft power on the world stage.
Read more:
Sportswashing is just about everywhere – but it may be backfiring on the countries that do it
But that explanation doesn’t go far enough. For bin Salman, the suite of sports investments and properties is only a small part of a larger strategy to prepare Saudi Arabia for a 21st century when global oil demand is expected to fall by mid-century and geopolitics will become more complicated.
This is no secret: Saudi Arabia’s official grand strategy — Vision 2030 — envisions the complete modernization of the country’s economy and foreign policy. Saudi Arabia’s sports diplomacy is therefore part of a broader geopolitical strategy to prepare Saudi Arabia for an era of multipolarity, when power is distributed among several states.
Sports diplomacy also normalizes western financial and political engagement with the Saudi regime. Internationally, bin Salman wants to cultivate economic and security relationships with entities whose interests align with those of the Saudi royal family and the Saudi state, thereby ensuring the long-term health of both.
Regular interactions between Saudi Arabia and the West create an understanding that Riyadh is a “normal” place to do business — and if it’s good business, there is no reason to risk the relationship with too much rancour over its authoritarianism and abysmal human rights record. Sports investing, in short, is a Saudi hedge against western abandonment.
To western eyes, the most troubling implication of Saudi sports investment is the normalization of authoritarian capitalism — economic freedom without political freedom — as a feature of the emerging international order.
Along with China, Russia, Singapore and others, Saudi Arabia represents an alternative to western democratic capitalism as a pathway to development.
This would be surprising to a previous generation of scholars and policymakers who once thought that free markets and free societies were a self-reinforcing phenomenon.
But given the staying power of authoritarian capitalism, doing business with dictators and strongmen has become inevitable and even desirable in some cases. In the sports world, few have resisted the charms of a huge payday.
Closely related to authoritarian capitalism is democratic backsliding. Around the world, the quality of democracy and freedom is eroding, and the slow-drip normalization of economic intercourse with authoritarian capitalists is part of that erosion.
Read more:
Could the world’s autocrats successfully plot to defeat the West?
So can anything be done? Western states have options, but they’re limited.
After all, Saudi Arabia’s investments are legal and eagerly sought after by both private and public sectors.
Western officials can put up resistance to the awarding of mega events to authoritarian states. But mewling about problematic hosts means little unless liberal democracies are prepared to pay the hosting costs themselves, which they are increasingly unwilling to do.
Meanwhile, authoritarians are eager to host mega events and attract the prestige that comes with them. Currently, for example, Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Countries could try regulatory intervention to delimit the extent of Saudi influence. National security is often used as a pretext for blocking foreign investments in strategically important sectors, like ports and 5G wireless networks.
But golf and video games do not rise to the level of national security concern, so American regulators are unlikely to step in. Political intervention from the United States Congress or the White House is even less likely. Saudi Arabia is a key part of the American strategy on the Middle East to confront Iran, and quibbling too intensely about human rights or sports investment is not worth the strategic costs.
The genius of Saudi Arabia’s enterprise is that it’s power projection by consent. Investors and fans want what bin Salman is selling, governments have limited recourse and critics are left to grasp at standard, out-dated arguments.
For Saudi Arabia, however, its sports charm offensive is about more than money. It’s about an investment in the future prosperity and security of the kingdom and the longevity of the Saudi dynasty. So far, the plan is working.
Aaron Ettinger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. More than money: The geopolitics behind Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy – https://theconversation.com/more-than-money-the-geopolitics-behind-saudi-arabias-sports-strategy-240512
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Camille Grange, Associate Professor, Department of Information Technologies, HEC Montréal
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT or Dall-E are changing how creative work is done, particularly in industries that rely on innovation.
However, AI use in the innovation process requires careful considerations. Our research shows that the key to success is understanding and leveraging the distinct but complementary roles that both humans and AI play.
Innovation is vital for any business that wants to succeed today. In fact, 83 per cent of companies see innovation as a top priority, yet only three per cent are ready to turn this priority into action. This shows how much companies need to improve their approach to innovation.
Innovation is about solving complex problems that result in real improvement. It’s not just about coming up with good ideas — it also involves knowledge work, which is the process of using information to create something valuable.
Generative AI can help businesses get ready to innovate by making knowledge work easier, but its full potential in this area is still not fully understood.
Our team, which includes academic researchers with expertise in emerging digital technologies and a practitioner experienced in leading human-centred innovation projects, conducted a detailed study of how generative AI was used in design sprints at three organizations. (The study is available as a pre-print and has been submitted to a journal for peer review).
A design sprint is a fast, structured process for solving important problems that helps teams test if a product, service or strategy will work. Sprints are useful because they reduce the risks and costs of traditional product development
During a design sprint, a small team of five to seven employees from different areas works together intensely for a few days to solve a problem. Their work is co-ordinated by a facilitator, who organizes activities, guides the team, keeps track of progress, makes sure the goals are clear and that time is used efficiently.
The first stage of a design sprint focuses on understanding and defining the problem, while the second stage is about creating and testing a solution. Both stages require teams to use two key types of thinking:
Divergent thinking, which means coming up with many different ideas and possibilities.
Convergent thinking, which means narrowing those ideas down to identify priorities or solutions.
Our study examined how the facilitator used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E 3 or Uizard to help the team engage effectively in both divergence and convergence.
In divergent thinking activities, we found two main benefits of using generative AI. First, it encouraged teams to explore more possibilities by providing baseline ideas as a starting point. Second, it helped to rephrase and synthesize unclear ideas from team members, ultimately leading to better communication within the teams.
One participant told us:
“Sometimes we had a lot of ideas, and the AI summarized them into a concise text. This allowed us to wrap our head around it. It gave us a base, there were many fragmented ideas that everyone had contributed, and now we had a text we all agreed on. This way, we started from the same base which served as a springboard to move forward.”
The real value of generative AI was thus not in contributing brilliant new ideas itself, but in the valuable synergies that emerged from the process. Team members used their contextual knowledge and stayed in charge of the process while the AI helped to better convey their ideas, expand exploration and address possible blind spots.
We noticed different dynamics in convergence activities where teams had to make decisions after demanding sessions of idea generation. By that point, team members were usually mentally exhausted. Generative AI was especially helpful for doing the heavy lifting during this part.
The AI helped manage the information-intensive tasks necessary for team alignment like reformulating, summarizing, organizing, comparing and ranking options. This reduced the mental strain on team members, allowing them to focus on important tasks like evaluating ideas. In this process, the team was responsible for:
One participant said:
“Sometimes, the AI would focus onto details that were insignificant to us…Sometimes we needed less general synthesis and more personalized input.”
Overall, this form of human-AI collaboration in convergent activities helped the team make better informed and more confident decisions about which problem to focus on and which solution to pursue. This made them feel in control of the sprint’s final outcomes.
One participant said:
“For pivotal phases like making decisions or voting on something important like a success factor, if we relied solely on AI to determine what is important, there would be rejection. We are better positioned to know. We are the employees who will execute the final solution.”
Consistent with research on cognitive automation and intelligent automation, we found that generative AI was of great help in handling cognitively demanding tasks like reformulating poorly articulated ideas, summarizing information and recognizing patterns in team members’ contributions.
A key challenge with using Generative AI in innovation is ensuring it complements, rather than replaces, human involvement. While AI can act as a useful companion, there’s a risk it could reduce team engagement or ownership of the project if overused.
The design sprint facilitator told us:
“Feasibility needs to be balanced with desirability. You could technically automate most of the process but that would kill the need for pleasure, interaction, and humans’ doubts won’t be addressed; plus humans need to own the problem — all these are essential elements in a human-centred innovation process.”
Consequently, regularly assessing AI’s impact within this process is crucial in order to maintain a healthy balance. Automation should enhance creativity and decision-making without undermining the human insights that are central to innovation.
As AI continues to develop, its role in innovation will grow. Companies that integrate AI into their workflows will be better equipped to handle the fast-paced demands of modern innovation. But it’s important to understand both the strengths and limits of AI and humans to ensure this collaboration is effective.
This article was co-authored by Cédric Martineau, CEO and innovation management consultant at Carverinno Consulting.
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.
– ref. Generative AI can boost innovation – but only when humans are in control – https://theconversation.com/generative-ai-can-boost-innovation-but-only-when-humans-are-in-control-240637
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Small Business Week, which runs from October 20 to 26, 2024:
“There are more than a million small and medium-sized businesses across Canada. Mom-and-pop shops. Start-ups. Brick-and-mortar stores that have served their communities generation after generation.
“Small businesses create jobs, grow our economy, and make Canada stronger. We’re making sure they have the supports they need to succeed.
“We enhanced the Canada Small Business Financing Program to help them scale-up. We’re delivering over $2.5 billion to an estimated 600,000 Canadian businesses through the new Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses. As of yesterday, some credit card fees have been reduced by up to 27 per cent – saving small businesses $1 billion over the next five years. With initiatives like the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, the Black Entrepreneurship Program, the Indigenous Growth Fund, and the 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, we’re growing an inclusive and innovative small business economy. In short, we’re reducing fees for small businesses, putting more money in their pockets, and making sure more entrepreneurs can start their business sooner. And there’s a lot more work to be done.
“From local cafés to independent bookstores, small businesses represent the limitless potential of Canada. They might be called small businesses, but they’re anything but small. To the owners, entrepreneurs, and workers behind them: Thank you.
“This week, we’re celebrating you and your hard work.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)
On Saturday, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24) presented $750,000 for a drainage improvement project to mitigate flooding, especially during natural disasters. Congresswoman Wilson successfully acquired this funding through the Congressional Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023.
“Miami Gardens is more than just a place I represent—it’s my home. This is where my neighbors and friends live, and it’s my mission to ensure we serve and uplift our community. We know the threat that climate change poses to our communities. The last two hurricanes cement that reality. This money will help build a more resilient community, protect our and ensure we keep our streets free from flooding,” Congresswoman Frederica Wilson said.
“This investment of $750,000 from the office of Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson into our Miami Garden’s community is important and will assist the City’s efforts to address areas of our community that may experience some localized flooding after periods of heavy rainfall. The City remains committed to improving our drainage systems and mitigate flooding in areas of the city that need it most,” Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris said.
“I want to thank our federal partners for this investment in Miami Gardens. Funding that tackles drainage and future flooding allows us to build a resilient community that meets the infrastructure needs of our residents and businesses.” Miami-Dade Board of County Commission Chairman, who represents Miami Gardens, Oliver Gilbert said.
Miami Gardens Councilwoman Katrina Baskin said, “It’s so exciting to have our representatives in Congress fully support the City of Miami Gardens’ vision for increased development and fortified infrastructure to carry us into the next century. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson is one who truly understands and values community.”
“Congresswoman Wilson’s commitment to Miami Gardens is nothing short of extraordinary. The $750,000 allocation for the drainage improvement project isn’t just investments in infrastructure—they are investments in the future of our community. With the drainage improvements, we’re directly addressing an issue that has weighed on our residents for far too long—ensuring that every family and business in our city can weather the storm without fear of loss,” Miami Gardens Councilwoman Linda Julien said. It’s about creating lasting change that uplifts our people, and I’m beyond grateful to work alongside leaders like Congresswoman Wilson who genuinely care about the needs of our community. This funding represents more than just dollars and cents—it represents hope, progress, and the belief that the best days for Miami Gardens are still ahead of us. Together, we will take Miami Gardens to the next level of prosperity.”
Congresswoman Wilson presented this check around Miami Gardens community members at Karaoke in the Gardens.
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