The Albanese Labor Government continues to partner with the City of Stirling to deliver high-impact local priority projects – with construction of the Robertsbridge Reserve sporting clubrooms at Nollamara now complete.
Officially opened today by Federal Member for Cowan, the Hon Dr Anne Aly, alongside City of Stirling Mayor, Mark Irwin, the new fit-for-purpose facility can now be enjoyed by local sporting clubs and the broader community year-round.
The $900,000 project was supported by $125,000 from Phase 4 of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and $775,000 from the City of Stirling, and brings the clubrooms in line with community expectations.
Supporting 15 jobs during construction, the project upgraded the old change rooms to cater for growing participation, and also included the installation of a Universal Accessible Toilet to enhance safety and accessibility, ceiling improvements, a new office and commercial grade kitchen.
The modern facility will suit the needs of the local community for years to come, with the refurbishment also including the addition of double doors and changes to the carpark, to ensure accessibility standards are met.
Construction began in January 2024 and was completed in June 2024, with the upgrades expected to drive female participation in sport.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Kristy McBain MP:
“It’s fantastic to see work complete on the Robertsbridge Reserve sporting clubrooms, because I know how important having modern, fit-for-purpose facilities is to ensuring the success of local sporting activities.
“Sport is the centre of so many community events, which is why we’ve partnered with the City of Stirling to get this local priority project off the ground – one of many projects supported as part of over $1.4 million in Phase 4 LRCI funding from the Albanese Government.”
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Cowan, the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP:
“Upgrading the Robertsbridge Reserve sports facility is something our local community has long called for, which is why I’m proud that the Albanese Labor government is co-funding this much-needed project.
“With these upgrades now complete, all members of our community have access to enhanced facilities, which will play a key role in boosting female sports participation in Cowan.”
Quotes attributable to City of Stirling Mayor, Cr Mark Irwin:
“The new universal changerooms and public amenities at Robertsbridge Reserve are a vital step towards supporting increased female participation in sport, while also providing modern, inclusive facilities for the whole community.
“The City of Stirling is proud to invest in this district-level reserve.
“With the help of a $125,000 contribution from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program towards the $900,000 project, the upgrades will improve safety, functionality, and the overall experience for everyone who uses the reserve, whether for sport, dog walking, or simply enjoying the outdoors.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) led 41 bicameral Republican colleagues in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in their administration’s unaccompanied migrant children program and stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s cover-up of the crisis.
The lawmakers are urging Biden and Harris to “make changes to [their] policies and procedures” in order to “end this public safety crisis.” They are specifically calling on the Biden-Harris administration to enhance information-sharing with law enforcement and Congress, fully cooperate with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) child exploitation investigation and thoroughly respond to all congressional oversight requests.
“[The Biden-Harris HHS] must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people,” the lawmakers concluded.
More than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the Biden-Harris administration, while cartel trafficking activity surged an estimated 2,500 percent. Amid this crisis, the lawmakers note the Biden-Harris administration limited background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children, cut back on familial DNA testing at the border and decreased information sharing with law enforcement.
Joining Risch, Crapo, and Grassley on the letter are U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and 15 members of the House of Representatives.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced a $4.85 million package of initiatives aimed at understanding the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), promoting better education and supporting women to stay alcohol free during pregnancy.
“People with FASD can experience lifelong physical, behavioural, learning, and mental health problems. Those impacts are shared by families, caregivers, and communities,” says Dr Reti.
“In April, I announced five initiatives that will benefit hundreds of New Zealand families affected by FASD. I am pleased to report we are already seeing progress.
“Following the publication of New Zealand’s first tailored FASD diagnostic guidelines, 30 healthcare professionals will be trained to better recognise and diagnose FASD end of the year.
“The community support pilot is well underway and the FASD prevention campaign will launch in October. Health agencies are collaborating with the FASD community on the refreshed FASD Strategic Action Plan, which is on track to be published in 2025.
“However, with an estimated three to five Kiwi kids born with FASD every day, we simply cannot wait for a long-term plan to take meaningful action. We have listened to the best community and expert advice and have already made a start.”
The three initiatives announced today are:
Undertaking an FASD prevalence study, to understand the true nature of the challenge FASD presents in New Zealand, rather than relying on extrapolated overseas data.
Providing structured education for clinical and community settings to grow FASD awareness and capacity in communities and across health, disability and social services.
Supporting initiatives that promote alcohol-free pregnancies and reduce the stigma of FASD.
“FASD has significant economic and social costs to New Zealand. It’s a condition which significantly challenges lifelong learning and development and makes things very difficult for families,” says Dr Reti.
“We want people to thrive, leading lives they aspire to and contributing to society and the economy.
“There’s strong evidence that prevention, early detection and intervention are the most effective ways to improve the health and wellbeing for people with FASD.
“Evidence-based outcomes is a key principle of this Government’s investments – every initiative must provide clear, demonstrable value to communities. I expect to see real progress through these programmes, significantly shifting the dial on FASD.
“We want New Zealand to be a country where people are supported to have alcohol-free pregnancies, where the prevalence of FASD is well understood, where health and disability services have the training they need to diagnose FASD, and people living with FASD and their families are well supported.”
Released by: Attorney General, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
The NSW Government has passed new laws to better protect victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, including tougher penalties for breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) in certain circumstances.
The new offences target conduct that may indicate a high risk of harm to the protected person, including:
An intentional breach offence directed at serious or harmful breaches of ADVOs due to the offender’s intention to cause harm or fear to the protected person. This offence will carry a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.
A persistent breach offence directed at repeated breaches of ADVOs over a short period of time, reflecting a clear disregard for the conditions of the ADVO. This offence will carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
These new aggravated offences will complement the existing offence for any breach of an ADVO, which has a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.
A new civil protection order scheme targets serious domestic and family violence offenders.
The Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Order (SDAPO) provides law enforcement with a tool to monitor and supervise very high-risk offenders, with the aim to keep relatives and former, current or potential future intimate partners safe from violence.
The scheme allows the court to impose any conditions it considers appropriate to prevent the perpetrator engaging in domestic abuse.
Orders may include a requirement to report to a police station at an appointed time or to notify police when commencing an intimate partner relationship, and a restriction on the use of social media and dating apps.
Breaching an SDAPO carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
Other legislative reforms passed include:
Changes to the definition of stalking to expressly include the monitoring and tracking of a person’s activities, communications or movements through the use of technology, such as using GPS trackers or monitoring the victim’s online accounts.
Allowing police to issue a provisional AVO electronically where the parties consent, instead of requiring police officers to take individuals to a police station to print out a physical copy of the order.
An amendment to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1995 to allow a sole parent with an appropriate court order to change their child’s name.
These new domestic violence laws further enhance protections for victim-survivors after the criminalisation of coercive control and stronger bail laws came into effect in July.
They also complement measures announced in the 2024-25 NSW Budget, including an investment of $245.6 million to improve support for domestic and family violence victim-survivors and expand programs that reduce the rate of violence against women and children.
$45 million of this package has been set aside to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.
Attorney General Michael Daley said:
“The NSW Government is committed to a whole-of-government approach to preventing and eliminating domestic violence in our state.
“These new laws will strengthen the justice system to better protect victim-survivors and support their safety.
“We will continue to consult legal and sector stakeholders as we seek to improve laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.”
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:
“Too many lives have been lost to domestic and family violence, and these new laws are a vital step to improve the safety and security of victim-survivors.
“The new laws complement other services we are delivering across the state, including homelessness and crisis support, early intervention and primary prevention programs, and activities to build and strengthen the sector.
“We want to ensure that any person fleeing domestic and family violence has a safe pathway to healing and recovery.”
The closure of the T3 Bankstown line between Sydenham and Bankstown will begin from Monday 30 September to convert the line to Metro.
During this disruptive time, travel will be free for all passengers on the dedicated pink buses connecting Sydenham and Bankstown, known as Southwest Link:
SW1 (all stops) – Sydenham, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown.
Fare-free travel will begin on Monday and continue for the entire conversion period until the projected completion in late 2025. This date is an estimate only, as the program of works is highly complex and could take longer.
Work to bring the new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown train line into operation in time for the closure was delayed due to now-lifted protected industrial action.
Transport planners are working through the logistics to get the T6 online as soon as possible, and will share further details when available.
Once open, the T6 will give passengers more travel options by connecting Bankstown to Lidcombe Station via Yagoona, Birrong, Regents Park and Berala.
In the interim, while preparatory trackwork is underway, additional fare-free buses will replace trains between Lidcombe and Bankstown. These will be known as the 8T3 All Stops and 8AT3 Express (direct between Bankstown and Lidcombe).
The rest of the T3 line will still be open between Liverpool and the City via Regents Park and Lidcombe.
When the conversion is complete, passengers will have access to a 21st century high-tech metro line with a train every 4 minutes during the peak, along with fully accessible stations and services. Currently there are stations on the T3 that only receive four trains an hour in the peak.
This final section of the metro line will eventually be known as the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line, completing the transformative 30km alignment between Bankstown and Tallawong.
Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:
“Make no mistake – this will be a tough time, and I want to thank the tens of thousands of impacted commuters in Canterbury Bankstown and the Inner West for their understanding.
“We recognise there is a lot of complicated information to digest, so I’d encourage people to head to transportnsw.info, or chat to the Transport staff in pink shirts at their local station.
“It’s only fair that we don’t charge you a fare for this disruptive duration, so remember you don’t have to tap your Opal card or device when you get on.
“I want to continue to be very upfront with people – transforming this 130-year-old line for modern metro trains is a complex and difficult task, meaning it could take longer than 12 months.
“It will be worth the wait, as the 6.3 million passengers who’ve used City Metro since it opened can attest. I’m pleased we’re able to move ahead with giving these communities the same benefits.”
Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said:
“The final T3 conversion will be difficult but worth it.
“While we continue to transform the transport network, there are big changes coming from Monday so we ask commuters to please plan your trip and check your transport apps for updates.
“Transport for NSW has handed out over 22,000 information cards since 18 September, and we have teams on the ground across the T3 corridor to ensure everyone has the information they need to plan their trips, including dates to remember for the upcoming changes.
“We have worked hard to minimise the impacts on passengers, but we do need the community to work with us, and our street teams are on hand to help.
“I’m pleased all bus driver positions have been filled to support the dozens of Southwest Link buses that will run from early in the morning to late at night seven days a week. The timetable aims for a service every 2-4 minutes in the peak.”
Construction of Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station is on track for completion, with local paramedics soon to be handed the keys to the new purpose-built ambulance station.
Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station will be co-located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus.
The state-of-the-art ambulance station will feature internal parking bays including an internal wash bay, administration and office areas, staff rest facilities, gym, logistics and storage areas and on-site parking.
With construction almost complete, landscaping and other finishing touches will be underway in the coming months. Finalising the IT infrastructure and cabling systems will be a priority during this time to ensure seamless connectivity and functionality for the new ambulance to operate effectively.
The new ambulance station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program.
The RAIR program is delivering 54 new or upgraded ambulance stations and is the single largest infrastructure investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s almost 130-year history.
The NSW Government is recruiting 2,500 additional staff including paramedics, nurses, doctors and support staff to optimise ambulance response times and meet current and future demand.
Additional stations are also planned to bolster the network of stations across the Illawarra at Warilla and Unanderra as part of the NSW Government’s $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.
Expressions of Interest for suitable sites to build a new ambulance station at Unanderra are open until 3pm Thursday 10 October 2024.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
“Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station will provide paramedics with a high-quality base with the latest facilities and equipment to meet the current and future emergency care needs of the local community.
“The new ambulance station on Innovation Way will significantly enhance access to mobile emergency health care for the growing community across the Illawarra.
“The Minns Labor Government is committed to investing in rural and regional health infrastructure to support better health outcomes for local communities.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Wollongong Paul Scully:
“I’m pleased Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station is nearly complete and look forward to the day when paramedics can move in to this state-of-the-art facility and add to the local ambulance network.
“As Wollongong grows, it is important that we invest in health infrastructure to meet the needs of the community.”
Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads
Work on the once-in-a-generation New Dubbo Bridge continues to progress with one third of the concrete deck, which will eventually support traffic crossing, now in place.
The Australian and NSW governments are investing $263.2 million to deliver this region-shaping piece of infrastructure on the Newell Highway in Dubbo.
The Australian Government has committed $210.6 million towards the project, with the NSW Government committing the remaining $52.6 million.
The decking along the 660-metre bridge structure is being built in sections, with each section involving the pouring of about 105 cubic metres of concrete to provide a deck slab of up to 25 centimetres in depth.
The deck pours will be carried out progressively while the rest of the bridge takes shape, with the final deck pour expected in mid-2025.
Once the concrete deck is completed, the final step in building the bridge surface will be to add an eight-centimetre thick layer of asphalt.
Pile driving was recently completed along the entire length of the new structure which crosses the Macquarie River and a section of the floodplain east of the river.
Construction is also underway for the network of roads that will link the bridge to the Dubbo road network, including road widening work at the intersections of Whylandra and Thompson streets and River and Bourke streets.
The New Dubbo Bridge project is due to be completed in late 2026, weather permitting.
Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“It is exciting to see the new bridge rapidly taking shape and I’m proud to see the Australian and NSW governments’ investments delivering for regional communities.
“New infrastructure like this is critical for the growth of regional communities and it will set Dubbo and western NSW up for the future.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:
“This bridge will provide vital flood resilience and unlock more housing in Dubbo – providing essential infrastructure for an estimated 5,500 homes.
“The Minns Labor Government is proud to be partnering with the Albanese Labor Government to deliver this project, supporting nearly 1,500 direct and indirect jobs in western NSW.
“On my recent visit to see the bridge I saw how transformative this bridge will be to Dubbo and I thank the workers who have given so much to this project and I thank the people of Dubbo for their patience.”
Quotes attributable to Senator for NSW Deborah O’Neill:
“Once completed, the New Dubbo Bridge will transform the way western NSW residents, tourists and freight operators travel through Dubbo.
“The Bridge will reduce travel times in the city centre and improve access across the Macquarie River, particularly during flood events.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Dubbo Stephen Lawrence MLC:
“The Minns and Albanese governments are delivering transformative regional road infrastructure for Dubbo. It’s been wonderful to see the progress of the new Dubbo Bridge construction.
“I’m pleased to see more than half of all people working on this project are from my local area, including many local apprentices and aspiring tradies through innovative employment programs. Many Dubbo businesses are benefiting from the economic activity being generated.”
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (25 September 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has maintained its forecast of 4.8% economic growth in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) this year, according to the latest ADB report.
The growth outlook remains balanced amid a prolonged correction in the property market and weak investor and consumer confidence, according to Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2024, released today. Economic activity in the PRC is expected to moderate to 4.5% growth next year, consistent with ADB’s projection in April.
“ADB’s research indicates that investment will support domestic demand while the property market correction continues,” said ADB Country Director for the PRC Safdar Parvez. “Global demand and the domestic cost advantage in manufacturing should also bolster exports.”
Inflation for 2024 is now forecast at 0.5%, lower than April’s 1.1% projection as the overall downtrend in food price persists. Strong global demand and increased credit availability for certain industries—including semiconductors; artificial intelligence; and low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and renewables—will drive growth this year and next.
Infrastructure investment should regain momentum with the expected acceleration of the local government special bond issuance in the second half of this year. However, the ongoing property sector correction is expected to slow growth. The contraction in real estate investment will likely continue into next year.
Risks to the outlook include the deterioration in the property market, global fragmentation due to geopolitical issues, and the escalation of trade tensions. On the upside, acceleration and effective implementation of policy measures, including policies announced in the Third Plenum, could raise consumer and investor confidence faster than expected, resulting in higher growth and inflation than forecast.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
Released by: Minister for Jobs, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Minister for Tourism
The Minns Labor Government is boosting NSW’s visitor economy workforce, delivering subsidised training programs for a sector that is expected to need up to 150,000 more workers over the next decade.
TAFE NSW is partnering with Destination NSW to develop and deliver training programs jointly funded by the Federal Government’s NSW Choose Tourism Program.
The subsidised courses are designed to address industry workforce shortages by encouraging Australians to pursue a career in the visitor economy, helping operators to attract, retain and upskill staff.
A key recommendation of the Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 Review, to be released in coming weeks, is to encourage school leavers and other jobseekers into the tourism workforce, with the aim of growing the sector in NSW to 450,000 workers.
The Review finds that currently school leavers are spurning visitor economy careers, with leakage of workers into mining, agriculture and trades due to “perceived better career paths, industry confidence and better pay”.
Having reached a record $52.9 billion of annual visitor expenditure in the year to June, the NSW visitor economy is Australia’s biggest.
The growth in the NSW visitor economy over the coming decade will coincide with the opening of the Western Sydney Airport in 2026 and a new emphasis on visitor experiences that show off the best of our food and wine, coastal and aquatic environments, nature-based, cultural, heritage, arts, First Nations, adventure and wellness experiences.
The new training programs include:
An ‘Introduction to the Visitor Economy’ microskill: a short self-directed online course, designed to provide foundational knowledge and explore careers in the visitor economy industry. The microskill will be offered free to the public for the first six weeks of release, with fully subsidised access available for NSW high school students.
Five one-hour video masterclasses: fully subsidised pre-recorded masterclasses will be available on the TAFE NSW website, featuring industry experts such as Scenic World, Cupitt’s Estate, Merlin Entertainments, Sydney Opera House, and W Hotels.
Modernised Certificate III in Tourism: set for delivery in 2025, this updated qualification will include new visitor economy skills. Updates will also incorporate contemporary case studies and assessments based on industry feedback to ensure the qualification meets the current needs of the sector.
The ‘Introduction to Visitor Economy’ microskill is launching today and masterclasses will be available from late October 2024. To find out more, visit tafensw.edu.au/visitoreconomy
Minister for Jobs and Tourism, John Graham said:
“Through the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 review, we discovered that we need more school leavers to pursue careers in the visitor economy.
“A career in the visitor economy offers not just an incredible professional pathway but also the opportunity for some of the best life experiences available anywhere in the world.
“These new training programs will be invaluable to attracting more people to the visitor economy workforce and will alleviate pressure from the countless small businesses who are feeling the pinch as they look for skilled workers to fill jobs.”
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:
“TAFE NSW is working closely with industry to deliver relevant, modern training to build a pipeline of workers needed to support a thriving visitor economy.
“High schools across NSW, as well as the public, will have access to fee-free places in the Introduction to Visitor Economy microskill, opening doors for people to discover opportunities in this dynamic sector.
“These exciting new training opportunities will be available online, so people across the state can access the skills and expertise needed to excel in the visitor economy, helping regional businesses attract and retain talent.”
Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said:
“A strong, sustainable, skilled workforce is critically important to Australia’s tourism industry.
“It is a great industry to work in with a diverse range of exciting career opportunities.
“That is why the Albanese Government is supporting New South Wales, and all states and territories, to build their tourism workforce through our Choose Tourism grants program.
“My first job was in tourism, and I know firsthand what an amazing opportunity this industry provides, I commend NSW on these initiatives.”
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (25 September 2024) — Moderating inflation, monetary easing, and sustained public spending particularly on major infrastructure projects, will support Philippine economic growth this year and the next, according to a report released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today.
In its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2024 report, ADB maintained its growth forecast for the Philippine economy at 6.0% for 2024 and 6.2% in 2025. The expansion in gross domestic product (GDP) will be driven by broad-based domestic demand, supported by lower inflation and interest rates, the report said.
ADB lowered its inflation forecast to 3.6% in 2024 from its April estimate of 3.8%, reflecting the sustained deceleration in food prices partly due to lower tariffs on rice imports. Inflation is expected to ease further to 3.2% in 2025 compared to the previous estimate of 3.4%.
“Most of the ingredients for the Philippines’ sustained economic growth are in place—rising government revenues are boosting public expenditures on infrastructure and social services, increasing employment is driving consumption, and reforms to open the economy to more investments are underway. With inflation slowing, the country is in a strong position to lead growth in Southeast Asia,” said ADB Philippines Country Director Pavit Ramachandran.
However, risks remain from potential severe weather events which could drive inflation higher. External factors such as a sharper slowdown in major advanced economies and the People’s Republic of China, financial volatility due to US monetary policy decisions, geopolitical tensions, and rising global commodity prices also pose threats to growth, the report said.
The Philippine government expects public infrastructure spending to range between 5.0%–6.0% of GDP annually from 2024 to 2028, after hitting 5.8% of GDP in 2023. The government’s “Build Better More” infrastructure program includes 66 ongoing projects and another 31 approved for implementation as of August 2024.
The infrastructure program aims to enhance physical connectivity through railways, bridges, and airports, or strengthen water management through irrigation, water supply, and flood control. Climate change mitigation and adaptation, digital connectivity, energy, and agriculture projects, are also prioritized under this program.
ADB is financing key infrastructure projects, such as the Malolos Clark Railway Project and the South Commuter Railway Project which will link Metro Manila to northern and southern provinces in the Luzon region. It is also supporting the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project, and the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project which aims to enhance flood and climate change resilience in three major river basins in the country.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Rubio, Colleagues to Biden-Harris Officials: Individuals Tied to Cuban Regime Are Not Welcome
Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases
Under U.S. law, any individual who has been, or is affiliated with a Communist Party is deemed inadmissible for entry into our nation. However, under the Biden-Harris Administration’s mass immigration program, it’s been reported that individuals tied to the…
read more
Rubio Applauds House Passage of USCIRF
Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, is a bipartisan commission that monitors and reports on international religious freedom. The commission’s authorization is currently…
read more
Rubio, Scott Support Florida Request for Pre-landfall Emergency Declaration
Sep 23, 2024 | Press Releases
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, soon to be Hurricane Helene, is expected to make landfall in Florida as a major hurricane later this week. The storm will bring strong winds, heavy rain, severe storm surge, flooding, and hazardous seas to Florida’s impacted areas….
read more
ICYMI: Rubio, Clement Present Plan to Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses
Sep 23, 2024 | Press Releases
Congress Can Protect Jews on College Campuses U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Paul Clement September 23, 2024 Wall Street Journal The ancient poison of antisemitism has infected American higher education…. Campus antisemitism isn’t restricted to…widely publicized…
read more
ICYMI: Rubio Joins Face the Nation
Sep 22, 2024 | Press Releases
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Face the Nation to discuss foreign election interference, threats to President Donald Trump’s life, the impact of illegal mass migration on communities across America, and more. See below for highlights and watch the full…
read more
Rubio, Colleagues to Garland: Tren De Aragua Continues to Terrorize Our Nation
Sep 20, 2024 | Press Releases
Tren de Aragua, a criminal Venezuelan transnational organization known for committing major international crimes such as human trafficking, drug-trafficking, arms trafficking, and money laundering, continues to terrorize communities across our nation. Following calls…
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
Photo courtesy of the National Religious Broadcasters association.
On September 19, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) spoke to the National Religious Broadcasters association on the importance of faith-based messaging.
“The most important thing the government can do is protect the institutions that are the fiber of the nation: the family, the community, and the faith…. Your mission is to bring Christians news and information in a manner that’s consistent with their values and hopefully inspires them to live up to those values…. Our job is to ensure that your right in this country to do that remains unencumbered..” – Senator Rubio
See a lightly edited transcript below.
You’re going to hear a lot from people about politics and issues today, and I’m more than happy to talk about that. Who am I to warn you against being hyper-political? It’s what I do for a living. And when I was a state legislator, we used to beg people to be interested in politics. But now, it’s the only thing people want to talk about. There’s no space in our life into which politics hasn’t intruded.
The laws we pass are important. People have legitimate concerns about where the country is headed. There are laws that are making it harder for people of faith to participate in the public square. But I try to remind people around me and in my life, many of whom have become consumed by politics, of a couple things. The first thing I try to remind them of is that we cannot make politics and government our god.
Sometimes I hear people of the Christian faith say, “My God, things are so terrible!” But of all the faiths on this planet, the one that knows how the movie ends is ours. And it ends in tribulation. It ends in difficulties. That’s what was promised. Of course, in every generation, Christians are like: “I know it’s all going to happen, and I can’t wait for Jesus to come back, but not now! Not while I’m here! I just want to skip to the end!” But we have to hold true to what is ultimate.
Governments rise and fall. Nations come and go. But for 2,000 years, the one constant in the lives of people of the Christian faith has been our belief that we’re going to live in a new heaven and a new earth, and that it’s going to be as it was originally intended to be before man’s fall. That doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to the issues of our time. It doesn’t ask us to be hermits. It doesn’t ask us to isolate ourselves. It certainly calls for us to actively live out our faith. But I also don’t think we can let that lead us into anxiety.
In that, I’m reminded of the early Church. The reason why early Christianity spread is not because they conquered with an army. It isn’t because they had more money or more power. In fact, they had none. It’s because the Romans kept doing horrible things to these people, and yet they would go to their deaths singing songs, full of joy, and being kind to their oppressors. Eventually, a bunch of pagans said, “I want the joy those people have.”
They said: “We’ve tried everything. We’ve worshiped all these gods. We’ve forgotten all the gods we worshiped. We’ve sacrificed. We’ve done this, we’ve done that. I want the happiness that these Christians have. What is this secret that they have that the rest of us can’t seem to achieve, despite everything we’ve tried?” It was the power of that example, more than anything else, that allowed the Spirit to work in the world.
The second thing I try to remind people of is that America is not a government. Oftentimes, when people discuss the state of America, they’re actually discussing the state of our politics or the sake of our government. And what we forget is that America is not a government. America is a nation. And what is a nation? At its most basic level, a nation is made up of this: families living in communities.
The most important house in this country is not the White House. It is your house. It’s the first school. It’s the first government. And it’s where we acquire values. Do you realize that everything that tastes good and feels good is bad for you? Why don’t leafy greens taste like ice cream? Why is the stuff that’s good for you, you have to put stuff on it to make it palatable? I think the same is true when it comes to human nature.
Despite all the advancements and our fancy technology, human nature is the same today as it was 5,000 years ago, which is why when we read the Old Testament, those stories seem like they could’ve been written yesterday. We may dress differently, we may use different devices, we may advance scientifically, we may travel to the stars, but human nature is unchanged. That is why history repeats itself. And human nature needs to be controlled. Left to our own nature, left to do whatever we want, we would not live in a good world.
Where do you learn what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong, both collectively and individually? Something has to inform you that murder is evil, because murder is legal in the animal kingdom. It happens there all the time. But humanity has decided that murder is wrong, enslaving someone is wrong, physically abusing someone is wrong, denying the right to speak freely is wrong, denying the right to worship freely is wrong. Where do these ideas come from? They don’t come from human advancements, because human nature hasn’t changed. They come from a system of values.
In this, particularly because I am a Christian, I believe our faith system is an extraordinary asset to the country. You don’t have to convert. You have the right to believe anything you want. But from a practical point of view, why would we ever want to constrain or oppress a system of belief that says: “Treat others the way you want to be treated. Love your enemy. Forgive them. Take care of the widow and the hungry.”
The concept of the widow today is lost on people. If you were a widow 2,000 years ago, you were in big trouble. There was no welfare system. There were no food stamps. There were none of these programs out there. You were on your own, by yourself, with no one to help you, unless you had children to take care of you.
To me, Christianity is a system that teaches you not just to help the widow, but to have compassion for the less fortunate, to serve those in need selflessly, not selfishly. Why do we not want that to infuse our culture and society? Even if, ultimately, you don’t believe in the inspirations for those things, why would you not want something like that to be protected and vibrant under our laws? I think any country would be stronger with that.
And it explains a lot of our history. To this day, Americans feed more people, clothe more people, house more people all over the world than almost all the other countries of the world combined. If there’s a landslide somewhere today, if there’s a flood, an earthquake, or a volcanic eruption, I guarantee you that some faith-based organization in America will be one of the first to respond. And then you add to that foreign aid. (Although that has become controversial lately, and we have to address our own needs as well.)
Why is that? Because there are other wealthy countries that have no tradition of giving whatsoever. To me, the answer is our faith system. When you have instilled in the values of your country to help the less fortunate, it doesn’t mean to help the less fortunate only in your county, your city, your state, or your country. It means we see someone suffering somewhere, and we feel compelled to do something about it. And I’m not talking about just rich people. I’m talking about people that give $50 a month.
Where does that come from? That comes from a system of values grounded in a faith system. It is a national imperative for our country. Not to mention the importance of family and the importance of parenting. Children are not a burden. We should never be a nation that feels that a human life is a burden instead of a blessing. When people talk about things that way, we have to think about what a reflection it is on our society and culture.
What I’m saying is, we can pass a lot of laws, and we can elect great people, but many of the problems we are confronting as a nation go well beyond the government. Government can tell you what’s legal. It cannot tell you what’s right or wrong. Government can punish and reward. It cannot teach people to do good instead of bad, or to care for one another, or to live in community. That’s why I believe the most important thing that the government can do is to rebuild our families so they can live in dignity.
There are things the government can do to help. I think it’s hard to have strong families and strong communities without dignified work. There are great things that the free enterprise system has created, more things than all the other economic systems man has tried. But we have to prioritize dignified work. Man was meant to work. Work is actually a form of worship. In fact, it’s one of the first commandments that mankind received. No matter what the job is, whether you’re a senator or anything else, your work is a way of worshiping your Creator.
But the most important thing the government can do is protect the institutions that are the fiber of the nation: the family, the community, and the faith, which instill values that make us stronger as a result. In many ways, that is the mission that you’re called to. Your mission is to bring Christians news and information in a manner that’s consistent with their values and hopefully inspires them to live up to those values. From a government perspective, our job is to ensure that your right in this country to do that remains unencumbered.
Our own founding documents say our rights come not from the government, but from our Creator. Our country was founded on the belief that our rights are not what I decide they are because the people of Florida elected me, but what God has given us. My job is to protect those rights, not to decide what they are, or to decide which ones apply and which ones do not.
The role of religious broadcasting has a very important mission. It has a spiritual component to it, but it actually has a very strong civil component to it. I think it calls people to live out their faith. At a time when so much of the news and information that people are consuming is actually speaking to the worst of humanity, bringing out the worst in them, the ability to bring out the best in them is really a critical national treasure, one that we have to protect.
I don’t know how to operationalize this in terms of the laws. Oftentimes, good outcomes depend on the law we don’t pass, or something we keep from happening, which would impinge on your ability to fulfill what I think is a critical mission for our country. That mission is to ensure that we have strong families, strong communities, and children raised with the values that allow them to be productive, but also to be good citizens, and to always work for the common good.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met with Commander of the Colombian Navy Vice Adm. Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregón for a formal bilateral engagement during the Inter-American Naval Conference, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 23.
The two leaders discussed ways to continue to strengthen their long-standing naval partnership and expand collaboration to promote regional security and stability to support the rules-based international order.
Franchetti said she was very grateful for the Colombian Navy’s role as a regional leader, demonstrated through their participation in exercises such as UNITAS LXV and partnership during Southern Seas 2024. The Heads of Navy said they look forward to future opportunities to exercise together.
During their meeting they also talked about the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative and how it strengthens their interoperability and their shared commitment to countering illicit maritime operations.
Editor’s note: Chinese President Xi Jinping has consistently championed the rule of law throughout his political career. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xi put forward a series of new ideas, new thinking and new strategies to advance law-based governance in all respects. In this infographic, China.org.cn highlights key aspects of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law.
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution lifts the veil on what happens when octopuses and fish hunt together. As it turns out, this cross-species relationship is more complex than anyone expected.
Animals of the same species often cooperate – work together to reach some kind of goal. But it’s relatively rare to find cooperation between individuals from different species.
A classic example you’ll be familiar with is the close relationship between dogs and humans, whether in the context of herding sheep or hunting. In these situations, the dog and the human work together to achieve a goal.
That’s mammals. But underwater species also sometimes cooperate. A nice example is the joint hunting behaviour of moray eels and grouper. The grouper approaches the moray and signals that it wishes to hunt. The eel responds in kind, and off they go.
During these hunting forays, the grouper uses signals to indicate where prey may be hidden in the coral matrix. It’s a synergy made in heaven: the eel can scare the prey fish from hiding places among the coral, while the grouper patrols over the top. There is literally no place for prey to hide.
For the eels and grouper, the chances of catching their dinner are greatly improved when hunting together compared to hunting on their own.
Who’s in charge here?
While researchers have described these behaviours before, one question remains unanswered. Who, exactly, is in charge of these cross-species interactions?
Who decides what they are going to do, where and when? Are the different players “democratic”, in that they come to some form of compromise, or does one species take the lead and the other simply follows (that is, they are “despotic”)?
In an international collaboration, biologist Eduardo Sampaio and colleagues have investigated cross-species interactions between the usually solitary day octopus (Octopus cyanea) and several fish species, such as goatfish and groupers.
A day octopus hunting with a blacktip grouper and a gold-saddle goatfish. Eduardo Sampaio and Simon Gingins
The fish and the octopus share a common goal – to increase their hunting efficiency. The traditional view of octopus-fish hunting groups assumed that the octopus is the producer, and the fish simply follow along and opportunistically pick up the scraps.
With its long, flexible arms, the octopus explores all the nooks and crannies of the hunting ground, flushing out prey the fish can then take advantage of. In this scenario, the octopus would be solely in charge of decisions and the fish just follow (that is, it’s an exploitative, despotic relationship).
However, when researchers took a closer look, it appeared perhaps this relationship is not as simplistic as previously believed. But without fine-scale analysis providing hard evidence, it is difficult to work out the precise details of how this cooperation works.
A day octopus hunting with a blue goatfish, while a blacktip grouper waits. Eduardo Sampaio and Simon Gingins
What did the new study find?
Using sophisticated behavioural analyses of 3D videos captured from 120 hours of diving, Sampaio and team found that each partner in the interaction plays a specific role. There was, in fact, no true leader – they are democratic.
The fish were responsible for exploring the environment and deciding where to move, while the octopus would decide if and when to move. Interestingly, controlled experiments showed the octopuses were guided by social information provided by the fishes.
When partnered with blue goatfish, the octopus foraging tactics where more focused and efficient. When partnered with blacktip groupers, they were less so. So, the nature of the hunting relationship varied depending on who’s involved.
The researchers concluded that, overall, success rates for capturing prey were higher for the octopus when foraging with fishy partners.
The details revealed by this study suggest this relationship is far more sophisticated than other cross-species hunting associations examined to date.
Despite the huge evolutionary gap between these animals (the equivalent of about 550 million years), both fish and octopus show clear signs of social competence and advanced cognition.
Culum Brown 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.
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — Senior enlisted leaders from across the Department of Defense and partner agencies gathered for the Defense Senior Enlisted Leader Council (DSELC) at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sept. 23-24, 2024.
The bi-annual two-day event, led by the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, brought together key stakeholders to align strategies on quality of life, military compensation, and family support networks. The conference also focused on enhancing cooperation between DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs, with a goal to improve care for service members, families, and veterans.
Key participants included Mr. John Hall, Director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA); Patricia M. Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy; Honorable Tanya Bradsher, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Jeffrey P. Angers, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna; and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath B. Jones.
The conference centered on discussions related to the SEAC’s Strategy Alignment, focusing on Quality of Life (QoL), the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC), and the Family Support Network (FSN). Leaders examined the challenges and opportunities within these domains, ensuring that the enlisted force is well-equipped and supported.
Mr. John Hall of DECA emphasized the agency’s commitment to service members and their families, outlining improvements in savings calculations, product stocking, Click2Go, off-installation delivery, and internal system modernization. His focus was on ensuring commissary services deliver increased benefits to those they serve.
Ms. Barron highlighted significant advancements in the Military OneSource program, which has expanded since the pandemic. She also spoke about initiatives in spouse education, career programs, and the Military Family Readiness Council—all geared toward taking better care of military families.
The Honorable Tanya Bradsher addressed improvements in VA programs, expanded healthcare coverage, and the ongoing effort to create better synergy between DoD and VA systems to provide a seamless experience for veterans.
Mr. Angers spoke on behalf of OSD P&R, discussing enhancements to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and planned adjustments to better support service members and their families. Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna provided an update on force design and management within the Space Force, emphasizing the importance of combat readiness and resource allocation. The Senior Enlisted Leaders shared lessons on force management and discussed how the Space Force can leverage its “fresh start” to avoid legacy issues faced by other services.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath B. Jones spoke about the unique challenges and advantages the Coast Guard faces under the Department of Homeland Security, rather than the Department of Defense, particularly those surrounding budgets. He explained his reasoning for calling Coast Guardsmen “Sentinels,” drawing inspiration from Alexander Hamilton’s writings in Federalist Paper No. 12, where Hamilton envisioned how “a few armed vessels, judiciously stationed at the entrances of our ports, might at a small expense be made useful sentinels of the laws.” This early vision laid the foundation for what would become the U.S. Coast Guard, with the mission of protecting America’s shores and enforcing national laws. Jones connected this historical role to the modern-day mission of Coast Guardsmen, emphasizing their enduring role in safeguarding the nation’s coasts as vigilant protectors.
Additionally, spouses attending the conference participated in a separate briefing on the DoD School Liaison Program, which aims to empower military spouses to advocate for the educational needs of military children.
“We’re here to help improve anything and everything possible for the military family,” said Retired U.S. Marine Corps First Sergeant Stacie Black, the SEAC’s spouse. “As spouses, we have a wide set of experience as veterans, private industry professionals, and especially as customers of the military family support network. We’ve come together to share our culture and talents to support all the families like ours across the Armed Forces.”
In his closing remarks, SEAC Sgt. Maj. Troy Black stressed the importance of bringing together Senior Enlisted Leaders to address the issues impacting the enlisted force, families, and veterans. He emphasized that the engagements over the two days would help prepare the force for its ultimate mission: warfighting and war winning. The day concluded with a shared commitment to improving the quality of life and operational readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced two bipartisan, bicameral bills that would allow family caregivers to better save for retirement. These bills—the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act—would help address the financial challenges faced by individuals who leave the workforce to care for loved ones, often sacrificing their own long-term financial security. Companion bills were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswomen Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07).
“Family caregivers provide critical support to their loved ones, yet many are forced to step away from work, significantly inhibiting their ability to save for retirement,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bills would give these individuals a better opportunity to build a secure financial future and help ensure they are not penalized for the vital care they provide.”
“Family members often make tremendous sacrifices to leave the workforce and care for their aging relatives, and as a result, they miss out on key years of saving for their own golden years,” said Senator Warner. “We need to make it easier for those folks to continue their essential care work while also securing their own financial futures. I’m proud to introduce bills that would give these family caregivers the flexibility to continue contributing to retirement accounts so it’s easier for more people to care for aging relatives without obstructing their own ability to retire with dignity.”
“Caregiving is one of the most important jobs, but our current policies penalize selfless Americans who look after their loved ones,” said Representative Salazar. “I’m proud to co-lead the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act, which will reward caregivers with new opportunities to secure a dignified retirement.”
“Caregivers do some of the most important but underappreciated work in our country,” said Representative Pettersen. “Caregivers do everything from cooking meals, administering medications, paying bills, and driving their loved ones to frequent medical appointments. Caregivers often take a significant financial hit when they take time out of the workforce to prioritize their loved ones and many struggle with their own financial security and ability to save in the long term. These two pieces of legislation make it easier for caregivers to save for retirement, ensuring they can take care of their own financial health while caring for their family.”
“Caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s or other dementia too often takes a devastating toll on caregivers, with many experiencing substantial emotional, financial and physical difficulties,” said Robert Egge, Alzheimer’s Association Chief Public Policy Officer and AIM president. “These two bipartisan bills will support our nation’s dementia caregivers by improving access to retirement resources that can help offset some of the financial challenges faced by families impacted by this disease. Thank you to Sens. Collins and Warner for introducing these bills and for your dedication to the Alzheimer’s community.”
“Edward Jones is grateful for Senator Collins’ leadership in introducing the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and Catching-up Family Caregivers Act,” said Dr. Lamell McMorris,Principal and Head of Policy, Regulatory & Government Relations for Edward Jones. “We know through our experience, that caregivers make significant sacrifices in providing care to loved ones, which can impact their personal financial security and retirement readiness. We believe that this bipartisan legislation will provide savings opportunities to improve the financial futures of millions of Americans and their families.”
“Business leaders and HR professionals are responsible for designing and implementing benefit plans that meet the needs of their team members. However, too often, caregiver support is not considered. People are living longer, and workers are caring for both children and elderly parents simultaneously. If we intend to lead with empathy, providing employees with the opportunity to care for ill, injured, or aging loved ones must be a priority,” said Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Affairs, SHRM. “That is why we are honored to support the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act. SHRM is pleased to see the bipartisan progress in Congress being made to help employees reconstitute their retirement nest egg after a period of intensive caregiving.”
“Family caregivers often pause their careers and retirement savings to provide essential care for loved ones, a service vital to both families and the economy. However, this time away from paid work can result in reduced income and benefits, potentially leading to future financial difficulties, particularly in retirement,” said Jason Resendez, CEO & President of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “If enacted, the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act would represent progress towards acknowledging and addressing the economic sacrifices too many family caregivers make.”
Women often take time away from careers to care for their families, resulting in a significant loss to their retirement savings. According to the Center for American Progress, an average 26-year-old female making $60,000 a year who leaves the workforce for five years to care for her children will lose close to one million dollars over her lifetime due to lost retirement assets and wage growth. A recent study from the Edward Jones Grassroots Taskforce found that 64 percent of women say their caregiving duties have negatively impacted their ability to save towards their long-term financial goals. Those taking care of an aging parent often face similar repercussions to being a family caregiver. In 2020, AARP found that three in ten caregivers have stopped contributing to their savings. Therefore, these proposals would allow those who dedicate at least 500 hours to family caregiving and are unemployed or severely underemployed the ability to contribute to their retirement now and later.
The Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act would allow family caregivers to contribute up to $7,000 annually to a Roth IRA, even if their income falls below that threshold. Current law caps contributions at the lower of $7,000 or yearly income, limiting caregivers’ ability to save for retirement when their earnings are reduced due to caregiving responsibilities. By eliminating this income cap for family caregivers, the bill would help to ensure that they can continue to save for retirement despite their reduced wages.
The Catching Up Family Caregivers Act would allow family caregivers to make catch-up contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans, an option typically reserved for those over age 50. For every year they are out of the workforce, caregivers could be eligible for an additional year of catch-up contributions, up to a maximum of five years. This provision would help caregivers who miss critical savings years get back on track with their retirement planning.
Both pieces of legislation are supported by the Alzheimer’s Association, the Edward Jones Grassroots Task Force, the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the Insured Retirement Institute, and the National Alliance for Caregiving.
The complete text of the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act can be read here.
The complete text of the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act can be read here.
Sydney Airport is expecting 2.5 million passengers during the three-week September school holiday peak, seven per cent more than the same period in 2023
Forecast includes 1.5 million Domestic and 1 million International passengers
Upgrades to security screening progressing at main screening points
Sydney Airport is preparing for a bumper September school holidays with 2.5 million passengers forecast to travel through the terminals from Monday 23 September 2024 to Sunday 13 October 2024.
The forecast anticipates almost 200,000 more passengers than the equivalent period during the 2023 September school holidays, with a total of 1 million passengers expected to pass through the T1 International terminal during the holidays, an 11 per cent increase on 2023, and a total of 1.5 million domestic passengers forecast to pass through the T2 and T3 Domestic terminals, a five per cent increase on 2023.
The busiest day for domestic travel is set to be Friday 27 September, with more than 80,000 passengers expected, while Saturday 28 September is forecast to be the busiest day for travel at International with 52,000 passengers set to travel through the airport.
Following a strong performance in Q2, when 100 per cent of passengers passed through security in less than 10 minutes, Sydney Airport is committed to providing another smooth and secure experience for all passengers during what is traditionally a busy period.
Passengers are encouraged to plan ahead and leave themselves plenty of time for their journey to the airport, with domestic passengers advised to arrive one hour prior to departure if they only have hand-luggage, and two hours prior if they’re checking-in bags.
Passengers travelling via the International terminal should arrive three hours prior to departure unless their airlines say otherwise.
During the holiday period there will be increased staff on hand to assist passengers, and taxis and other vehicles may be directed to drop passengers off on the arrivals level at the T2 and T3 Domestic terminals during peak times. Passengers are also encouraged to check Sydney Airport’s website for live security wait times and flight status updates.
Passengers planning to park at the terminals are advised to book parking to guarantee a spot and get the best deal, as well as familiarising themselves with the new roads leading into the airport via the recently opened Sydney Gateway, which more than half a million motorists have successfully used since its opening on 1 September.
Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport CEO, said: “The September school holidays will be a busy time at the airport and our operational teams are fully prepared to make sure everyone has a smooth and enjoyable experience.
“We’re encouraging passengers to plan ahead and leave plenty of time to get to the airport and for those heading in from the western suburbs to jump on our website and familiarise themselves with the new Sydney Gateway motorway.
“We’re excited to welcome families and passengers during this time of year and are committed to making their journeys as seamless as possible.”
Advancing Security Measures
Sydney Airport is making strides in its implementation of the Government’s mandated airport security upgrades. This includes the installation of next-generation screening systems and improvements to terminal layouts to improve passenger flow and efficiency.
With the implementation of ongoing security upgrades, passengers should be aware of the following protocols at each terminal:
T1 – Some security lanes will require liquids and aerosols to be removed from hand luggage. Passengers are advised to follow the instructions of security staff.
T2 – laptops and aerosols will be required to be removed from hand luggage.
T3 – laptops and aerosols are not required to be removed from hand luggage.
Notes to editor
Travel Tips for Passengers
To assist passengers during this period, Sydney Airport recommends the following:
Arrive Early: Plan to arrive at the airport at least one hour before domestic flights with hand luggage, two hours if checking bags and three hours for international flights.
Prepare for Screening: Ensure all carry-on items are easily accessible and follow the instructions of security staff to facilitate a smooth screening process.
Check for Updates: Stay updated on flight information and security procedures by visiting the Sydney Airport website.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders highlighted the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and the importance of continued collaboration on shared priorities, including economic security, sustainable development, and global stability.
The Prime Minister and the President discussed the need to take action on climate change, carbon pricing, and industrial decarbonization. They emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in driving innovation and accelerating investments for a clean energy transition.
The leaders exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression, and emphasized the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
They also underscored their support for Haiti, highlighting the pivotal steps that have been taken toward restoring peace and stability in the country. Prime Minister Trudeau noted the need for additional support for the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support mission to ensure its success.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen looked forward to continue strengthening the strong partnership between Canada and the EU, including in the context of Canada’s G7 Presidency next year. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary concluded more than a month of training in South Korea Aug. 6 to Sept. 7, including participation in Exercise Ssang Yong 24, which featured the first amphibious assault using Amphibious Combat Vehicles during their inaugural deployment.
The Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU arrived in South Korea aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during the first week of August. Partnered with the ROK Marine Corps 7th Brigade, the combined force of Marines conducted two weeks of live-fire training ranges and unit-level training at ROKMC bases near Pohang.
Battalion Landing Team 1/5, the ground combat element of the 15th MEU, employed ACVs at ROKMC training areas surrounding Pohang, South Korea, exercising the vehicles’ off-road mobility and automated crew-served weapons. Alpha Company, BLT 1/5’s designated mechanized company, and its ACV Platoon also provided ROK Marines opportunities to tour and familiarize themselves with the U.S. Marine Corps’ newest ship-to-shore connector Aug. 20 and 22.
Units from across the 15th MEU also conducted partnered non-live fire events, including: tactical planning, mountain warfare training, fast rope inserts from an MV-22B Osprey, unmanned aerial and waterborne systems familiarization, small boat operations and reconnaissance, operations in urban terrain, communications integration, chemical attack response, and other training. This training strengthened and improved the interoperability between ROK and U.S forces in defense of the Korean Peninsula.
The culminating event in South Korea for 15th MEU and its ACVs was the amphibious assault Sept. 2 as part of Ssang Yong. Alpha Company Marines and Sailors, under the cover of the combined force’s air and surface fire support, landed at Hwajin-ri Beach near Pohang alongside nearly 40 Korean amphibious assault vehicles. Using their ACVs’ stabilized weapon systems, the company identified and reduced simulated enemy positions as they approached the shoreline, then dismounted to secure the beach prior to continuing the attack inland.
This marked the first time Marine Corps ACVs with embarked infantry demonstrated their beach assault capabilities with a host nation’s forces during a major exercise.
“Seventy-four years after our landing at Inchon, I can’t think of a better place and partner with whom to showcase the Marine Corps’ latest, most lethal amphibious assault capability,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of BLT 1/5. “Any amphibious assault is a complex operation, and that’s especially true with a combined force featuring new equipment. Today, we benefitted from decades of steadfast commitment between our countries, years of development and testing by our service, many months of hard work by this first-of-its-kind mechanized company, and several weeks of excellent training and integration with our allies. It’s gratifying and inspiring to be here to see the impressive result of all these efforts.”
The Marine Corps expects this first deployment of ACVs to continue to provide insights for platform embarkation and maintenance requirements, logistics, and integration with our allies and partners. These insights are vital for the service to ensure we continue to provide our Marines with the most operationally ready and capable platforms.
“As the U.S. Marine Corps’ new generation of amphibious assault vehicle, it was special and meaningful to have ACVs deployed to the Korea Theater of Operations for the first time. Especially, during the decisive action, the most complex and sophisticated phase of the amphibious operation, the ACVs not only revealed its strength and capabilities but also the firm commitment to ROK-U.S. Alliance,” said ROKMC Lt. Col. Chol-Uk Kang, lead SY24 exercise planner, 1st ROK Marine Division. “Going forward, I sincerely hope that the ROK and the U.S. can further develop on combined amphibious operational method and concept with its new capability.”
After the completion of Ssang Yong, the 15th MEU’s forces reembarked Boxer and Harpers Ferry at ROK Naval Base Busan, South Korea, to resume their deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of operations.
The ACV Platoon, Alpha Company, and other elements of the 15th MEU began their deployment in late March 2024, departing San Diego aboard Harpers Ferry.
Since then, ACVs were first employed overseas May 4 during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Oyster Bay in the Philippines. During the exercise, the ACV Platoon launched from Harpers Ferry, made movement in the water toward an objective, and attacked targets from offshore using the vehicles’ stabilized heavy machine guns before reembarking.
The ACV Platoon’s first time ashore in a foreign country was June 24 after a ship-to-shore movement from Harpers Ferry to White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan. During that event, the mechanized company rehearsed troop egress procedures and shared best practices with leaders from III Marine Expeditionary Force, which received its first ACVs in July.
Elements of the 15th MEU are under the command and control of Commander, Task Force 76, which the U.S. 7th Fleet employs to cooperate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
As the U.S. 7th Fleet’s primary Navy advisor on amphibious matters in the 7th Fleet area of operations, CTF 76 is responsible for conducting expeditionary warfare operations to support a full range of theater contingencies, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations to full combat operations.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
“The issues plaguing American producers are directly linked to the harmful policies.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor about the how the Biden administration’s inflationary policies are hurting American farmers. He stressed the importance of passing a Farm Bill that puts American farmers first.
Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.
“Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the dire state of our American farm economy and our farmers. American farmers and producers are the backbone of our nation’s agriculture economy and food security.
Despite their critical role in our lives to feed, clothe, and fuel not only the United States, but the entire world, our farmers are struggling to survive—and that’s an understatement. The current state of the agriculture economy is bleak and on the verge of collapse. We have problems all over the world. We have problems in our country. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more important that we should be addressing than our food supply here in this country.
Costs for farmers are rising. Commodity prices are falling. Our farmers cannot break even—much less, make a profit. According to the USDA, net farm income this year is projected to decline 4.4% from 2023 […]. That is a disaster. This follows a shocking—listen to this—a shocking 19.5% decline in 2022.
Not one business in this country can survive with this kind of decline. And our farmers and our farms are no different. This means producer’s income has plummeted 23% in just two years. 23%. These figures represent over $40 billion in lost revenue for America’s hardworking producers. This is the largest two-year decline ever in our farm income, ever in the history of this country.
Right now, our row croppers, especially, are facing considerable financial hardship. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, row croppers had a $27.7 billion decline in cash receipts since last year. In Alabama, my state, our producers are yielding bumper crops of cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and yet they can’t profit due to [the] rising cost of production. Our catfish producers are in the same boat. Rising input costs and falling fish prices are threatening to put them out of business. A multitude of factors that producers have no control over are impacting their bottom lines.
And I wanna talk about one of them. This miraculous, this ‘world saving’ Inflation Reduction Act that we passed a few years ago, was supposed to ‘save our economy.’ It was supposed to save a lot of workers. You know what it’s done to our farmers? It’s almost put us out of business. The Inflation Reduction Act started a tax credit for imports and exports.
Unfortunately, all the tax credits are going to people, and countries, and farmers from overseas—Brazil and China. [The tax credit] is supposed to go to our farmers, [but] no it’s not gonna do that. For some reason, this Administration [has] given all the tax credits to the farmers from other countries, and our farmers are struggling.
The Biden administration has control, has total control, over our farm economy, but you hadn’t heard a peep out of them, not one peep about our farmers. And this is a disastrous year coming up. And right now, we are harvesting our crops and they’re bumper crops. The issues plaguing American producers are directly linked to the harmful policies, as I just said, from the Biden-Harris administration.
This includes the lack of domestic energy production, skyrocketing inflation, which comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, and endless environmental hurdles. Let me say something about conservation and all the things that happen in our environment. There’s nobody, and I mean nobody on the face of the earth, that takes care and is more conscious of environmental problems than our farmers, because they make a living off our land. But we’re putting so many regulations on them. We’re closing our farms down and running them overseas, and we’re gonna have a national security threat because all of our food is gonna come from foreign countries.
Farmers are experiencing rising high costs of labor [and an] increase [in the] price of feeds, fertilizer, and pesticides. And I’m not going to sugarcoat it. America’s agriculture producers are facing a very tough road ahead. And it’s something nobody, the media, this building, […] The House of Representatives—nobody’s even talking about. Folks, if we can’t eat. If we don’t have food to eat, we’re done.
Many farmers fear that their farm loans this year will not be renewed. They have to have farm loans to put a crop in the ground. They fear cash flow is drying up and interest rates continuing to rise create an uncertain future for farming operations. Although Congress only has a few legislative days left to act, we must stop adding fuel to the Biden-Harris administration’s fire. We’ve got to quit adding fuel. We’ve got to help the farmers.
We need to pass a Farm Bill that helps our farmers. Democrats are [in] control of that. […] A farm bill is for five years. […] Five years ago, the Farm Bill was $870 billion for [a] five-year period. It runs in a five-year period. So, this past year, we’re supposed to be working on a Farm Bill. I’m on the Ag Committee. We go by the control of the Democratic Party. Our Democratic Chairwoman has decided we won’t do a Farm Bill this year.
We’re just throwing farmers underneath the bus. They need help. You would think by looking at everything going on, that my colleagues on the Left would rather our food come from other countries, take over our farmland, control it, and do something else with it.
Producers need a strong safety net—we’ve got to have a safety net for our farmers. Considering no farmer’s risks are the same, we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach. Remember, we have a Farm Bill that covers livestock, hogs, row croppers, forest, fish. There’s a lot of things involved.
Farmers across the country have fluctuating levels of risk impacted by land and equipment costs, access to irrigation, and variable input requirements. Southern row croppers rely heavily, heavily upon Title I Commodity Programs in the Farm Bill, particularly the Price Loss [Coverage] program and the Agricultural Risk [Coverage] program. Yet Midwest producers heavily utilize crop insurance.
Where there may be an overlap across regions among these programs, we must fix the entire farm safety net, not just parts of it. Take the reference prices and commodity programs, for example. Reference prices are how much prices are in their commodity sells for. Our farmers […] are today operating on 2012 reference prices, 2012. Fourteen years later, the costs of production are 22-31% higher today than they were at that time a decade ago—making current reference prices completely inadequate for our farmers.
We don’t have time to waste. Our farmers are facing an uphill battle to remain in business. […] The American people going to the grocery store are gonna find out pretty quick what it is to be hungry if we don’t wake up and smell the roses.
Even if a Farm Bill is passed today, producers wouldn’t receive any commodity program support from this Farm Bill until 2026. Game, set, match before 2026 for our farmers in this country.
That’s help our farmers need now to survive, not two years late. Senate Republicans stand ready to act on a solid bipartisan bill the House Agriculture Committee passed earlier this year. Yet, Senate Democrats and the Biden administration refused, they refused, to come to the table to find practical, bipartisan solutions to the many problems our farmers are facing today.
‘Let’s don’t worry about our farmers. Let’s worry about Ukraine. Let’s worry about people overseas. Eight hundred bases we have around the world. Let’s don’t worry about eating. We can without eating.’ That’s what this Administration’s saying.
This forces us to look to supplemental appropriation packages to help our producers, if we’re not gonna do a Farm Bill, to renew their farm loans and plan for next year’s crops. If they don’t get help this year, we’re gonna have huge problems. They won’t be pocketing this money. If we come up with some money to help the farmers get along, they’ll just be planting another crop.
Without immediate action to assist producers, our nation’s agriculture industry may never, ever, make it back from the damage that we’re doing to them today. America has lost—listen to this—America has lost 150,000 farms and 25,000 farmers in our country over the last few years. What? 150,000 farms closed up. Why? They can’t make a profit. You’ve owned a farm for 100 years, you and your family. But you get to the point where you say, ‘you know, I’m not passing something down to our kids that really wanna farm, we’re not gonna put them in harm’s way. We’re gonna sell. We’re gonna get out of the business. And we’re gonna let somebody else worry about it. Let’s let the Federal Government worry about it.’ […]
We can’t afford any more losses to our farms. Our farmers are hurting. They’re hurting real bad. But have you heard anybody talk about it, no.
You’re gonna hear a lot of people complaining about it and there’s gonna be an uproar in the next few years when prices double and triple as what they are today because we’re not gonna have any food. And it’s gonna come from Brazil, it’s gonna come from China, it’s gonna come from Vietnam.
We are doing severe damage to the farmers across this country and nobody cares. I’ll continue to be the voice of our Southern agriculture producers in the Senate and ensure that we have a seat at the table on this Farm Bill upcoming. But as I just said a while ago, [even] if we do a Farm Bill today, we’re gonna lose at least half of our farmers in this country this year, this year if they don’t get some help.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate O’Reilly, Director International (Programs & Engagement) | Lecturer School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University
The first recommendation is to establish a comprehensive evidence base to better understand the experiences of under-served groups, including LGBTQIA+ people and women with disability.
Gaps in knowledge of menopause can be significant barriers to diagnosis and treatment. More than 85% of people with distressing menopause symptoms do not receive appropriate care. These barriers can be compounded for people, women and those presumed female at birth who have a disability and/or are LGBTQIA+.
Here’s what we know so far about how people from diverse groups experience menopause and the health-care gaps they face.
Remind me, what is menopause?
Generally menopause is experienced across three phases.
Perimenopause (meaning around menopause) starts when hormones, particularly oestrogen, fluctuate.
Menopauseoccurs when a person has their final menstrual period. These stop because the person’s ovaries no longer release eggs. This definition reflects the different ways menopause can occur (natural menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency, surgery or cancer treatment).
Post-menopause is the stage after menopause marking the end of the reproductive stage.
We experience it differently
Everyone’s experience of menopause is different. People living with disability can experience unique symptoms and challenges.
Autistic people, for example, may describe the experience of menopause as turbulent or catastrophic. Symptoms for this group include intensified sensory stimuli and increased difficulty with:
executive functioning (planning, concentrating and multitasking)
recognising or regulating emotions and internal body cues
[O]ur society doesn’t talk about, address, understand women our age (menopausal onset) in general very well. And so when you have the added dimension of autism […] there’s no resource […] to tell me how to handle that. And there’s no room in society for it either […] we don’t talk about menopause, let alone autistic menopause.
For some trans and gender diverse people, menopause can be positive and affirming. For others, the distress can be profound. As one research participant explained:
Personally I was fine (gender-identity-wise) with experiencing periods and pregnancy/childbirth, but I have found menopause much more conceptually difficult. I think in large part because the social narrative is so much about ‘menopausal women’ and also often denigratory or shame-laden.
Barriers to menopause diagnosis and care
LGBTQIA+ people and people with a disability can face assumptions about their gender, sexuality or anatomy which interfere with the care they require.
When people have had prior negative experiences of health care, and have experienced stigmatisation and pathologising of their disability, intersex variations, diverse gender or their sexuality, they may delay accessing care for menopause. Such a delay can result in poorer physical and mental health outcomes.
People with disability can experience earlier menopause with more profound symptoms. And as Women with Disabilities Australia highlighted, when there are pre-existing health concerns, impairments, or other support needs, as is the case with disability, menopause symptom management can be particularly complex.
Women living with a disability in Australia are far less likely to access health care due to stigma and lack of specialist care. They are not always screened for or routinely asked about their reproductive or menopausal health experiences.
Lack of clinician education and provider bias can result in a tendency to either ignore menopausal symptoms or attribute them to mental health concerns. This can lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment or a complete denial of care for cisgender women and people who live with disability, and LGBTQIA+ folk.
The absence of inclusive, accurate language in health promotion information that does not recognise the diversity of experiences of menopause for people who identify as LGBTQIA+ or live with disability can make them more vulnerable to misinformation and contribute to increased health-care disparities.
What can we do about it?
Policy responses to reducing health-care disparities must be led by those with lived experience, and focus on:
Inclusive and accurate language
Language around menopause should reflect the diverse populations who experience it. Terms such as women and those presumed female at birth can be used to acknowledge trans and gender diverse folk, however all identities should be listed where possible.
Education
Undergraduate and postgraduate university and clinical education on menopause and perimenopause is lacking and should include the lived experience of menopause among diverse groups. This may reduce provider bias and prevent assumptions that could result in missed care and poor health outcomes.
At the individual level, content on menopause should be included in sexual health education programs in schools. This education should reflect the diverse experiences of menopause and use age-appropriate language.
Affirming and specific care
Welcoming clinical environments for LGBTQIA+ people who may have had prior negative experiences can ease past concerns. Peer-led credentialed online support networks can provide alternative and complementary safe spaces to seek care.
For people living with disability specific information for support workers and family carers can help facilitate ongoing affirming care.
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.
Photo taken on Sept. 24, 2024 shows a house damaged in a rocket attack from Lebanon, in Rosh Pinna, northern Israel. [Photo/JINI via Xinhua]
Israel’s army said on Tuesday night that Hezbollah had fired around 300 rockets and other projectiles into Israel amid the second day of Israel’s heaviest attacks on Lebanon since 2006.
An explosive drone fell in Atlit, a coastal town south of Haifa, northern Israel, marking the first time Hezbollah’s rocket fire has reached this region, said the Israel Defense Forces, adding that two additional drones were launched toward the area but were intercepted. The drones caused no casualties, according to Israel’s rescue services.
Most of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s aerial defense systems, the army said.
Hezbollah confirmed the attack in a statement, saying its fighters launched “an aerial operation with a squadron of assault drones against the headquarters of Israel’s special naval task unit Shayetet 13 in the Atlit base, targeting the positions of its officers and soldiers and striking the targets precisely.”
In other cases, rockets or parts of interceptor missiles that fell to the ground sparked fires in the Mount Meron area of Upper Galilee. In Rosh Pina, a town in Upper Galilee, a residential home was hit and extensively damaged.
Hospitals in the affected areas reported treating about 23 people, but later statements from Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency health service indicated that those treated were suffering from panic, not physical injuries.
At nightfall, Israel launched a new wave of attacks in Lebanon. The Air Force “conducted a number of extensive strikes on dozens of terrorist targets belonging to Hezbollah in the Beqaa region and several other areas in southern Lebanon,” the military said.
During the day, Israeli warplanes continued the massive strikes, which, according to the military, dismantled “dozens” of infrastructures where weapons were stored and numerous launchers aimed at Israeli territory were located.
Also on Tuesday night, unnamed Lebanese military sources told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes carried out ten raids on towns in the Tyre area deep in southern Lebanon and raided Hezbollah sites in the Jezzine area, also in the south of Lebanon.
Amid the sharp escalation, the Israeli military conducted Tuesday an exercise simulating fighting inside Lebanon, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remarked that “the series of blows on Hezbollah’s command chain, operatives, and weapons were tough.” According to Gallant, Israel has destroyed “tens of thousands” of rockets, missiles, and launchers since Monday.
Answering questions in a press briefing on Monday night, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari neither confirmed nor denied whether Israel plans a ground operation in Lebanon.
Israel began its most extensive bombardment of Lebanon since 2006 on Monday, resulting in more than 550 deaths, including civilians, and over 1,800 injuries across the country. The flare-up has raised concerns about the potential for a full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with fears that other nations could also become involved.
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis applauded a $290 millioncommitment from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fund the Fourth Parallel Runway project at the Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) Airport.
“This investment will not only enhance Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s capacity to meet future air traffic demand but also will provide a better experience for both pilots and passengers,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to have worked with airport officials and local leaders to secure this critical funding to expand the airport, allowing them to meet growing passenger needs.”
The 10,000-foot-long by 150-foot-wide runway, is positioned west of Runway 18C/36C. The construction also includes north and south end-around taxiways, which will allow aircraft arriving on the existing western runway to bypass the new runway and the center runway. This enhancement will notably reduce aircraft operating time, fuel consumption, and emissions, while also decreasing long wait times for passengers. CLT has the highest share of connecting passengers at any airport in the U.S.
SYDNEY, 25 Sept 2024 – Over six in 10 children with access to the internet interact with “unknown others” daily despite concerns about online grooming, according to new research released by Save the Children and Western Sydney University that highlighted children’s demands for better online protection.
The research team held in-depth consultations with about 600 children and young people aged 8 to 18 from Australia, Finland, the Philippines, Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya, and South Africa, who shared their views and experiences of facing inappropriate requests online for personal information or images.
The report, ‘Protecting Children from Online Grooming’, was written by the Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, and funded by the global child online safety investment vehicle Safe Online as part of the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of online grooming and child sexual and financial exploitation have reached an all-time high [1], with an 82% rise in online grooming crimes against children reported in that period [2]. Online grooming practices have also transformed, with the fastest growing form of online grooming targeting young men for financial extortion [3].
The report revealed children were more inclined to connect with strangers – or “unknown others” – online as they matured and became more social, motivated by a desire for friendship, fun and play, followed by a wish to stay informed about trends and events, and to connect over shared interests.
The findings also showed that while children across all cultures and age groups were more suspicious of people they didn’t know online than people they knew in person, most (66%) of the study participants still interacted with “unknown others” daily online.
Children in high-income settings were twice as likely to use privacy settings to protect themselves from unwanted contacts, compared to children from some low-income settings, but the potential to derive financial benefits was an incentive for children in middle-income countries to connect with strangers online, potentially compromising their safety.
While children have come up with numerous ways to protect themselves, they are calling for widespread, accessible and targeted online safety education for themselves and their caregivers. In the discussions the children also made concrete suggestions about how technology platforms and governments can implement changes that will keep them safer online.
Sonisay*, a girl aged 11-12 from rural Cambodia, said:
“Adults should know that children interact with strangers, monitor them, and read their chats.”
Angel* aged 15-17 from a city in the Philippines said:
“Adults need to know about the children of today who are highly computer-savvy… To be able to support and protect the children, adults need to understand that children are comfortable with using the internet which pushes to interact with strangers.”
Charlie* aged 14 from Australia emphasised the need to start online safety education earlier:
“Having young children educated about the safety of technology and the dangers … adults only start this education for older kids on social media when the problem can be on video games played by young kids.”
Children reported that it was very difficult to ascertain the intentions of strangers online. Children were also particularly worried about being asked for personal information or nude pictures, being drawn into inappropriate sexually-oriented exchanges, or exposure to criminal activities.
The report found that children want and need better online protection, with children primarily using intuition and background checks rather than seeking help from trusted adults to manage their online interactions with people they don’t know.
The data also showed that children distinguish people they know well both online and in person from those they only know online, with 86% approaching the latter with caution. Yet despite this wariness, children were still three times more likely to ignore or decline an inappropriate or unwanted request than they are to report or block it.
Steve Miller, Save the Children’s Global Director of Child Protection, said:
“Children deserve to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment – both online and offline. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the challenges and threats, including the threat of online grooming and exploitation. We need to foster a digital environment that is not only safe but also enriching, allowing children to explore, learn, and grow without fear. Policymakers need to listen to the voices and experiences of children when developing policies that protect them.”
Professor Amanda Third, Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University, said:
“Keeping children safe from online grooming requires a whole-of-community approach. Governments, NGOs, technology platforms, teachers, parents, caregivers, and children themselves all have an important role to play. However, to most effectively address this issue it is crucial that we listen to the views and experiences of children and young people and engage them as active partners in the research and policy design process. Children and young people are finding their own ways to tackle this issue and devise solutions but they are also calling on us to help equip them and their caregivers with the skills and knowledge needed to be able to safely navigate these rapidly evolving digital environments.”
Save the Children has launched a major global effort to support digital inclusion and empower the next generation of resilient digital citizens. Save the Children’s Safe Digital Childhood initiative is includes partnering with schools, communities and tech leaders to break down barriers to digital inclusion by making sure the children with the fewest resources can access devices and connectivity; offering targeted digital literacy and citizenship programs; helping technology industry partners embed child-centric safeguards into their platforms; and empowering children to advocate for their rights in the digital world.
The Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University is an Australian-based, international research centre that unites young people with researchers, practitioners, innovators, and policymakers to explore the role of technology in children’s and young people’s lives and how it can be used to improve individual and community resilience across generations.
Safe Online is the only global investment vehicle dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. Through investing in innovation and bringing key actors together, Safe Online helps shape a digital world that is safe and empowering for all children and young people, everywhere. The Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund, which funded the research, is a groundbreaking collaboration fuelling actionable research and bringing together the tech industry with academia and civil society in a bold alliance to end online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders highlighted the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and the importance of continuing their collaboration on shared priorities, such as economic security, sustainable development and global stability.
The Prime Minister and the President discussed the need for action on climate change, carbon pricing and industrial decarbonization. They emphasized the critical role the private sector can play in driving innovation and accelerating investment to support the clean energy transition.
The leaders exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression and stressed the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
They also reaffirmed their support for Haiti, and highlighted the decisive steps taken to restore peace and stability there. Prime Minister Trudeau stressed the need for additional support to the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission to ensure its success.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen looked forward to continuing to strengthen the strong partnership between Canada and the EU, including through Canada’s G7 Presidency next year. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Related links
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Good afternoon. I am Liz Sherwood-Randall, President Biden’s Homeland Security Advisor.
In closing, on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, I want to thank each of you for joining us here today. In particular, I want to express our gratitude to each of the Heads of State and Government and your cabinet members who accepted President Biden’s invitation to participate and make an enduring commitment to this vital endeavor.
This is the first ever gathering on this scale of leaders from every continent across the planet who are dedicated to the fight against fentanyl and synthetic drugs. And that reflects how seriously we take the threat that it is creating in our respective homelands.
As you may know, I have devoted much of my life to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I view fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The lessons from that enduring challenge are directly relevant to the fight against illicit fentanyl and synthetic drugs today.
This is a global problem that requires a global solution. None of us can meet it effectively alone. We need to weave a strong and resilient web of committed countries, and we need to work in close collaboration with partners in international organizations and the private sector. That is the only way we can meet the moment. And the moment is now. We are in a fight to save lives.
So I especially want to thank each of the Coalition Members whose leaders have agreed to mobilize new initiatives to:
Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other illicit goods
Detect emerging drug trends; and
Prevent and treat those affected by this crisis, through increased public health interventions and distribution of life-saving medications.
Because of the new initiatives, we will be doing even more than we have already done to map and disrupt transit routes, establish early warning systems to detect new drug trends before they reach crisis levels, and prevent deaths by expanding treatment, training more health care workers, and distributing life-saving medications.
I urge each of you to participate in these accelerated efforts. And I also encourage each of you to sign on to the Member Pledge that we shared with you. This pledge to take additional steps in each of our countries reinforces our collective commitment to turn words into concrete actions. Together we can make a real difference in our communities by disrupting drug traffickers and protecting our people from harm.
On behalf of President Biden, thank you again for joining us here in New York today, and I look forward to our ongoing work together.
Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary concluded more than a month of training in South Korea Aug. 6 to Sept. 7, including participation in Exercise Ssang Yong 24, which featured the first amphibious assault using Amphibious Combat Vehicles during their inaugural deployment.
The Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU arrived in South Korea aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during the first week of August. Partnered with the ROK Marine Corps 7th Brigade, the combined force of Marines conducted two weeks of live-fire training ranges and unit-level training at ROKMC bases near Pohang.
Battalion Landing Team 1/5, the ground combat element of the 15th MEU, employed ACVs at ROKMC training areas surrounding Pohang, South Korea, exercising the vehicles’ off-road mobility and automated crew-served weapons. Alpha Company, BLT 1/5’s designated mechanized company, and its ACV Platoon also provided ROK Marines opportunities to tour and familiarize themselves with the U.S. Marine Corps’ newest ship-to-shore connector Aug. 20 and 22.
Units from across the 15th MEU also conducted partnered non-live fire events, including: tactical planning, mountain warfare training, fast rope inserts from an MV-22B Osprey, unmanned aerial and waterborne systems familiarization, small boat operations and reconnaissance, operations in urban terrain, communications integration, chemical attack response, and other training. This training strengthened and improved the interoperability between ROK and U.S forces in defense of the Korean Peninsula.
The culminating event in South Korea for 15th MEU and its ACVs was the amphibious assault Sept. 2 as part of Ssang Yong. Alpha Company Marines and Sailors, under the cover of the combined force’s air and surface fire support, landed at Hwajin-ri Beach near Pohang alongside nearly 40 Korean amphibious assault vehicles. Using their ACVs’ stabilized weapon systems, the company identified and reduced simulated enemy positions as they approached the shoreline, then dismounted to secure the beach prior to continuing the attack inland.
This marked the first time Marine Corps ACVs with embarked infantry demonstrated their beach assault capabilities with a host nation’s forces during a major exercise.
“Seventy-four years after our landing at Inchon, I can’t think of a better place and partner with whom to showcase the Marine Corps’ latest, most lethal amphibious assault capability,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of BLT 1/5. “Any amphibious assault is a complex operation, and that’s especially true with a combined force featuring new equipment. Today, we benefitted from decades of steadfast commitment between our countries, years of development and testing by our service, many months of hard work by this first-of-its-kind mechanized company, and several weeks of excellent training and integration with our allies. It’s gratifying and inspiring to be here to see the impressive result of all these efforts.”
The Marine Corps expects this first deployment of ACVs to continue to provide insights for platform embarkation and maintenance requirements, logistics, and integration with our allies and partners. These insights are vital for the service to ensure we continue to provide our Marines with the most operationally ready and capable platforms.
“As the U.S. Marine Corps’ new generation of amphibious assault vehicle, it was special and meaningful to have ACVs deployed to the Korea Theater of Operations for the first time. Especially, during the decisive action, the most complex and sophisticated phase of the amphibious operation, the ACVs not only revealed its strength and capabilities but also the firm commitment to ROK-U.S. Alliance,” said ROKMC Lt. Col. Chol-Uk Kang, lead SY24 exercise planner, 1st ROK Marine Division. “Going forward, I sincerely hope that the ROK and the U.S. can further develop on combined amphibious operational method and concept with its new capability.”
After the completion of Ssang Yong, the 15th MEU’s forces reembarked Boxer and Harpers Ferry at ROK Naval Base Busan, South Korea, to resume their deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of operations.
The ACV Platoon, Alpha Company, and other elements of the 15th MEU began their deployment in late March 2024, departing San Diego aboard Harpers Ferry.
Since then, ACVs were first employed overseas May 4 during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Oyster Bay in the Philippines. During the exercise, the ACV Platoon launched from Harpers Ferry, made movement in the water toward an objective, and attacked targets from offshore using the vehicles’ stabilized heavy machine guns before reembarking.
The ACV Platoon’s first time ashore in a foreign country was June 24 after a ship-to-shore movement from Harpers Ferry to White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan. During that event, the mechanized company rehearsed troop egress procedures and shared best practices with leaders from III Marine Expeditionary Force, which received its first ACVs in July.
Elements of the 15th MEU are under the command and control of Commander, Task Force 76, which the U.S. 7th Fleet employs to cooperate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
As the U.S. 7th Fleet’s primary Navy advisor on amphibious matters in the 7th Fleet area of operations, CTF 76 is responsible for conducting expeditionary warfare operations to support a full range of theater contingencies, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations to full combat operations.
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and 12 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) nearly $3 billion budget shortfall and the $12 billion projected shortfall in Fiscal Year 2025 for VA medical care.
Last week during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Blackburn questioned the VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs and Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal on the VA’s gross mismanagement of federal funds.
“The VA’s budget shortfall that put millions of veterans’ benefits at risk is only the agency’s latest failure to responsibly manage federal funds under the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership, and it proves the VA needs to be subject to greater accountability and oversight,” said Senator Blackburn. “This legislation would require the VA to provide regular, in-person budget reports to Congress to ensure they are properly managing taxpayer dollars.”
PROTECTING REGULAR ORDER FOR VETERANS ACT:
This legislation would institute a three-year requirement for the VA to submit quarterly in-person budget reports to Congress to give federal legislators the opportunity to ask questions and strengthen oversight and accountability of the VA.
Earlier this year, a watchdog report found that the VA improperly awarded $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives at its central office.
If there are VA budget shortfalls outside of regular order, this legislation would restrict bonuses for Senior Executive Service (SES) employees in the VA’s central office as well as employees at the Office of Management and Budget.
CO-SPONSORS:
This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Murray Leads Congressional Democrats in Amicus Brief Urging SCOTUS to Affirm that EMTALA Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care Including Abortion Care, Preempts Idaho’s Draconian Abortion Ban
ICYMI: Senator Murray Challenges Republicans to Join Democrats in Affirming the Right to Lifesaving Emergency Care for Women
ICYMI – FROM PROPUBLICA: Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother’s Death Was Preventable.
***WATCH: SENATOR MURRAY’S FLOOR SPEECH HERE***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), took to the Senate floor in an effort to pass her resolution, which simply expresses the sense of the Senate that every patient has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care, regardless of where they live. Murray’s resolution was blocked by Republican Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who falsely claimed that no doctors are prevented from providing lifesaving care because of Republican abortion bans and tried to misleadingly place the blame for Amber Thurman’s death on the rare side effects she encountered rather than Thurman’s doctors not providing immediate treatment as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban. ProPublica’s reporting made plain that—according to the state’s own medical review board—Amber Thurman’s death was preventable and doctors and researchers continue to make clear that medication abortion is safe.
Lankford also incorrectly claimed no women have been investigated or criminalized following a miscarriage—a new report found that from June 2022 to June 2023 there was a record 200 cases where pregnant women faced criminal charges for conduct associated with pregnancy, pregnancy loss or birth.
“Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening,” said Senator Murray after Republicans blocked her resolution. “Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them. There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans. Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.”
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade over two years ago, nearly two dozen US states led by Republicans have passed, banned, or severely restricted access to abortion. These strict laws have created confusion around the treatment doctors can provide even when a pregnant patient’s life is in danger, as physicians fear that they may lose their medical license, be sued, or even charged with a felony if they perform life-saving emergency care. Despite the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act’s (EMTALA) requirements that Medicare-participating hospitals treat and stabilize pregnant patients in need of emergency medical care, women are being turned away from emergency rooms following the Dobbs decision.
In Moyle v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court had the opportunity to reaffirm that federal law requires pregnant patients to have access to life-saving emergency care in every state, but instead, the Court dismissed the case and sent it back to the lower courts, effectively punting on making a decision on the case itself. While the litigation continues in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the health and lives of women remain at risk as uncertainty around emergency abortion care persists. 121 Congressional Republicans, including 26 Senators, filed an amicus brief arguing that EMTALA does not require hospitals to provide abortion care as emergency stabilizing care in order to save a patient’s life.
Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the floor multiple times. Senator Murray also co-leads the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would restore the right to abortion nationwide. This January, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans. On June 4th of this year, Senator Murray chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Recently, Murray also helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice). Murray has also led her colleagues in raising the alarm about how a second Trump administration intends to wage an all-out assault on reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, before seeking unanimous consent are below:
“I come to the floor to offer a simple resolution, one that reaffirms the basic principle that when you go to the ER, the emergency room, they should be allowed to treat you. When your life is in danger, doctors should be able to do their job. When you need emergency care—including an abortion—no politician should stop you from getting it.
“Now this seems incredibly simple to me. It should not be controversial. Especially if everyone who talks about protecting the life of the mother seriously means it.
“After all—that is what emergency care is for—saving the life of the mother.
“And yet, when the Biden-Harris Administration tried to make clear that these women should get care, many Republicans actually opposed them. I really want to emphasize—we are talking about women whose water breaks dangerously early, or who are experiencing uncontrollable hemorrhaging, sepsis, or pre-eclampsia.
“And still, Republicans actually filed a brief in court saying essentially, ‘No, we DON’T think doctors should be required to provide abortion care when a patient’s life is at stake.’
“Their brief rejected the idea—that basic medical reality—of abortion as stabilizing care. That is really shocking to me. It should be shocking to everyone.
“After a brief like that—I am not going to let any of my Republican colleagues off the hook just for saying they care about the life of the mother…
“Not if they won’t lift a finger to actually protect women, and to actually make clear that emergency care can include abortion.
“We need to send a clear message on that. The Senate needs to speak with one voice and tell the American people, ‘Yes, we want to make sure your doctor can save your life. Your doctor can save your life.’
“And before my Republican colleagues get up to object, let me be clear: You will not get by pretending a resolution like this isn’t necessary—not when we are hearing firsthand from doctors wracked with guilt for decisions that Republican politicians made for them, not when we are hearing firsthand from women who have bled, suffered, and nearly died because their care was delayed, and certainly not when Texas saw maternal deaths skyrocket following its strict abortion ban.
“The data in Texas paints a clear, brutal picture of the reality: these abortion bans are killing women. Republicans are also not going to get by trying to shift blame and argue ‘emergency care is already protected.’ Because, the whole point of this resolution is to say emergency care is protected!
“So if you oppose the Senate actually SAYING that don’t you see how that could be part of the problem? Don’t you see how that could be very dangerous for women?
“And again, and I can’t emphasize this enough—if you don’t see, if you don’t understand—all you have to do is listen.
“Women are speaking out. Doctors are speaking out. They are terrified. They are heartbroken. They are angry. And they are watching right now, to see if we can pass this resolution and do the very bare minimum of saying, with one voice: ‘women have a right to get abortion care when their life is at stake.”
Senator Murray’s full remarks as delivered following Senator Lankford’s objection are below:
“I disagree with the Senator from Oklahoma. Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening.
“Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them.
“There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans.
“Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.
“Every day we are going to continue to hold the people opposed to this accountable for the cruelty of these abortion bans. The fact is that the resolution that I offered simply says that doctors can provide emergency care for the life of the mother. I don’t understand where the disagreement is, M. President. And I hope that we can pass this and give doctors and women the confidence that when you are pregnant and having a severe emergency medical situation you’ll be treated. Thank you. I yield the floor.”
