The new members come from a range of charities, including Save the Children UK and Versus Arthritis

In many ways, being environmentally conscious also makes good business sense. At times, it is just the "right thing" to do.

[Politics] :
President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to depart Thursday for an eight-day, five-night trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit in Peru and the Group of 20(G-20) summit in Brazil. The presidential office said Thursday that President Yoon will hold a trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe ...

[more...]

[Politics] :
President Yoon Suk Yeol has departed for South America to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) and Group of 20(G-20) forums. Ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon and floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, and presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk saw Yoon off when he boarded the ...

[more...]

His expression said it all.  KPCC Director of On-Air Fundraising Rob Risko walked into my studio about 10:45 a.m. to update me on where we stood with our Fall member drive.  I knew we had a $10,000 challenge that had started first thing in the morning, but didn't have any idea how far behind we had fallen in reaching the required 1,000 member threshold.

 Rob gave it to me straight -- we had to attract well over 500 members during "AirTalk" to meet the challenge.  I knew that was nearly impossible during a full two-hour show, let alone one that would be significantly pre-empted by the President's news conference.  Regardless, I knew we had to do our best and hope our listeners would contribute in a record-setting way.  Boy, did they.

We didn't start our show until 11:25 a.m., following the news conference.  Right off the bat the phones started ringing and the KPCC website starting humming.  The volume of member contributions stayed high with only a few exceptions.  There were times we could barely keep track of how many members were coming in.  It was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I've had in all my years hosting "AirTalk."

I've been on a high all afternoon thinking about how commited our listeners are to the mission of KPCC.  You've made me very happy, and very proud of our audience.  Thank you for a wonderful show of support.  I will long remember this day.

By the way, we set a fundraising record for "AirTalk" with today's show.  We're still tallying it all up.  I'll have the totals for you tomorrow morning at 11.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Crypto payment gateway Alchemy Pay has acquired Money Transmitter Licences (MTLs) in Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wyoming.

An image released by Google shows an early version of its driverless vehicle. The company has built several prototypes of the self-driving car.; Credit: /Google

California is one step closer this week to making the 1980s Hollywood fantasy of Knight Rider a 21st century reality because permits for self-driving cars issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles officially went into effect Tuesday. Now a handful of companies can test automated cars on public roads.

Buckle up — it's gonna be a wild ride.

John O'Dell is a Senior Editor at Edmunds.com, and he joins Alex Cohen to talk about what this means for the future of the driverless car industry.

 

This year will be the twelfth annual Executive Summit. The Summit, which takes place on Wednesday, brings the perspective of industry and corporate leaders to occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. Understanding this perspective significantly benefits OSH professionals and improves their effectiveness in directing safety and health programs in their organizations.

This year’s Executive Summit provides attendees the perspective of industry and corporate leaders in regards to the OSH profession. The event offers opportunities for executive-level networking and leadership development as well as updates on economic trends and business strategies. Understanding this perspective significantly benefits OSH professionals and improves their effectiveness in directing safety and health programs in their organizations.

Lululemon and Disney have launched a 34-piece limited-edition collection blending Disney nostalgia with Lululemon's performance and casual styles. The 'Happily Ever Active' campaign celebrates movement with ambassadors like NBA's Jordan Clarkson and Olympian Colleen Quigley. The collection is available online and in stores worldwide, featuring items like Align Tights and the Define Jacket.

If you own an AirPort base station, you can use the Timed Access feature to control the days and times when users access the Internet. This could come in handy in a variety of situations. For example, if you own a cafe and provide free wi-fi access, you can configure the AirPort to block all access to the Internet when your business is closed. And if you have children, you can set time limits for specific devices in your home.

There are two ways to use the timed access feature. You can create a default allow policy to allow all devices to access the Internet at any time, and then specify custom schedules for specific devices. Or you can create a default deny policy to prevent all devices from accessing the Internet according the schedule you specify, and then exempt specific devices by creating custom schedules.

Here's how to control AirPort network access with time limits:

1. Open the AirPort Utility application. (It's in Applications → Utilities.) The window shown below appears.
   
   
2. Click the AirPort Extreme's icon. The status pop-up window appears.
   
   
3. Click Edit. The settings window appears.
   
   
4. Select the Network tab. The window shown below appears.
   
   
5. Select the Enable Access Control checkbox.
   
   
6. Click Timed Access Control. The window shown below appears.
   
   
7. Select the Unlimited (default) option. By default, this allows all of the devices connected to your AirPort to access the Internet all day, every day, but you can change this to block Internet access for all devices (except the ones you specify later) during the times you set.
   
   
8. If you'd like to limit the days and times that a specific device can access the Internet, click the + button under the Wireless Clients field. The window shown below appears.
   
   
9. Enter a name for the device in the Description field.
   
   
10. Enter the device's MAC address in the MAC Address field. You can use the following tutorials to find the device's MAC address.
    
    • How to Find Your Mac's MAC Address
    • How to Find Your iPad's MAC Address
    • How to Find Your iPhone's MAC Address
    
    
11. Use the + button under the Wireless Access Times field to create a schedule for this device's Internet access.
    
    
12. Once you've added all of your devices and customized the schedules, click Save.
    
    
13. Click Update. The AirPort will restart to apply the changes.

Congratulations! You have successfully set time limits for the devices connecting to your AirPort network. The schedule you created is effective immediately.

Meet Your Macinstructor

Matt Cone, the author of Master Your Mac, has been a Mac user for over 20 years. A former ghost writer for some of Apple's most notable instructors, Cone founded Macinstruct in 1999, a site with OS X tutorials that boasts hundreds of thousands of unique visitors per month. You can email him at: matt@macinstruct.com.

Stuart Smith is currently investigating the use of mobile technologies as part of his work for MIMAS, a national data centre based at the University of Manchester. MIMAS hosts large and varied data sets including repositories of learning materials. Stuart is involved in giving usability advice to colleagues delivering learning materials in both the Higher and Further Education sectors and views mobile technologies as highly significant in the future of learning. Stuart has 10 years experience in Web development and has published papers on Accessibility. As well as working in the academic sector he has experience in information management and public relations for a national charity and has worked in the mobile phone sector. Stuart facilitated a workshop session on "Portable Devices for Learning: A Whistlestop Tour".

Dan Smith has been the lead CMS developer for the University of Southampton for four years, initially leading the University's CMS pilot and procurement projects. For the last three years, Dan has lead the implementation of the University's strategic CMS, Interwoven TeamSite. Prior to joining the University of Southampton, Dan was a CMS developer at Ordnance Survey. Dan facilitated a workshop session on "Implementing a Content Management System: Can you Avoid the Pain?".

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), in collaboration with NICTA (National ICT Australia) have announced the opening of a joint data analytics lab in Victoria. The lab will be based at RMIT University’s School of Computer Science & Information (CSIT) in Melbourne. NICTA is Australia’s largest ICT organisation, and its Machine Learning Research Group has been independently rated amongst the top five groups of its kind in the world. In a collaboration valued at over A$1 million, NICTA will combine its expertise with RMIT University’s CSIT, which is widely recognised as a leader in data and information management.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:30pm
Location: North Campus Research Complex Building 32
Organized By: Chemical Engineering

Abstract:
The chemical and petrochemical industries consume nearly 30% of global energy use, nearly half of which is a result of chemical separations. A major opportunity exists in identifying more efficient, productive, and environmentally friendly processes that operate in a continuous fashion. One attractive possibility is membrane-based separations, but significant materials limitations exist in designing membranes that can selectively distinguish between molecules with sub-angstrom differences in size and nearly identical thermodynamic properties. To survey these challenges and describe emerging opportunities, a brief overview of the current state-of-the-art in membrane-based materials and applications will be presented. Next, several design strategies will be presented on how to leverage pore structure and pore functionality to control separation performance. A particular emphasis will be placed on new materials chemistries with a focus on testing materials under complex gas mixtures and for extended periods of time. Microporous materials, including polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), will be highlighted to demonstrate the many opportunities that exist for scientists and engineers to tackle global challenges in chemical separations today.

Speaker Bio:
Zachary P. Smith is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. He has been recognized with several awards, including the DoE Early Career Award, NSF CAREER Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, AIChE 35 Under 35 Award, AIChE Kunesh Award for Separations, and the North American Membrane Society Young Membrane Scientist Award. He was also awarded the Frank E. Perkins Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising at MIT. Prof. Smith serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Membrane Society and is an Associate Editor for Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. He is a co-founder and Chief Scientist for Osmoses Inc., a startup company aiming to commercialize membrane technology.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 11:30am
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: LSA Transfer Student Center

Join the Transfer Student Center staff to learn more about:
1. How to understand your transfer credit and how transfer credit will count for degree requirements.
2. Orientation and registering for your first semester of classes.
3. Connecting with the department that you plan to major in.
4. Your housing options.
5. And, any other questions that you have.

Registration is required. Register using the link to the right. Zoom link will be sent after you register.

LEGENDS OF THE MANDAN LIMITED EDITION PRINT by Ken Riley is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited to 250 pcs

Spring in the Public Garden LIMITED EDITION CANVAS by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 100 pcs

The Dog Show LIMITED EDITION CANVAS by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 150 pcs

Portland Head Lighthouse, LIMITED EDITION CANVAS by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to 50 pcs

SUMMER READING LIMITED EDITION PRINT by Ron Parker is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited to 850 pcs

Coat of Many Colors Limited Edition by Master Peace Collection is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition pcs

Gold Rush Days LIMITED EDITION PRINT by Bob Coronato is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 75 pcs

Mann spoke Wednesday:

• BOE's Mann: I describe myself as an 'activist' rather than a 'gradualist' on rates
• BOE's Mann: Inflation has definitely not been vanquished

Mann was the sole dissent at the previous BoE meeting, voting to keep the Bank rate on hold.

Speaking again at 1300 GMT / 0800 US Eastern time:

• at the Society of Professional Economists Annual Conference

Also on the speaker circuit is Governor Bailey:

• GBP traders heads up - Bank of England Governor Bailey is speaking late Thursday

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, Andrew Baker, stressed importance of different communities to join forces to tackle anti-semitism.

“We have witnessed important and moving symbolic actions such as the encircling of the synagogues in Oslo and Copenhagen by Muslims who want to show their solidarity with their fellow Jewish citizens. We must build on this,” said Baker speaking at the Third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogues that took place in Baku on 18-19 May 2015.

He noted that today many European Jews question their future in Europe. “An EU survey of Jews by the Agency for Fundamental Rights found that nearly 30 percent were considering emigration, while in some countries, notably Hungary, France and Belgium, this number was well over 40 percent,” Baker said.

Recalling the dangers the Jewish communities faced earlier this year as victims of terror attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, Baker applauded the French government for calling on the military to ensure that all Jewish schools and synagogues in France are protected. “But we know this is only a short-term solution and cannot be sustained indefinitely,” he said.

Underlining the important role that Muslim communities could play in this field, Baker called for more Muslim voices in Europe that will speak out and condemn anti-Semitism.

Related Stories

• OSCE trains legal professionals on preventing domestic violence
• OSCE Project Co-ordinator calls for join efforts in supporting voices of moderation, promoting dialogue and restoring trust
• OSCE and Press Council announce contest for reporting on domestic violence

BISHKEK, 19 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) signed a long-term agreement with the aim of increasing co-operation to support the country's security sector.

The signing of this agreement will expand and boost co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It will also contribute to promoting joint efforts in combating internal and external threats with the aim of protecting peace and stability in the country and the region.

“In recent years, due to the increasing threat of terrorism in the world and particularly in Central Asia, close co-operation between the OSCE and the SCNS in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism is becoming an urgent task,” said Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Signing of a long-term cooperation agreement is an important step towards addressing this issue. The OSCE Centre highly values co-operation with the SCNS, and expresses its great appreciation for collaboration and willingness to continue active co-operation in countering terrorist threats."

Deputy Chairperson of the SCNS and Director of Anti-terrorism Centre (ATC) of the SCNS Rustam Mamasadykov highlighted the OSCE Centre’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and its efforts to enhance the capacity of state authorities in effectively preventing and responding to terrorism and extremism.

“Co-operation between SCNS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has resulted in significant counter-terrorism capacity building and the strengthening of the national security agencies and other relevant state agencies in responding to terrorist attacks,” said Mamasadykov.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is also supporting the SCNS and the Kyrgyz government to carry out comprehensive security sector reform and in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of international treaties, UN Security Council resolutions, and OSCE decisions in the areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism.

WARSAW, 9 July 2016 ─ Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan to reconsider the case of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, and again called on the Kyrgyz authorities to heed a decision of the UN Human Rights Committee calling for Askarov’s release.

A Supreme Court hearing is scheduled to review Mr. Askarov’s case on Monday, 11 July.

“I welcome Kyrgyzstan’s openness to reviewing Azimjan Askarov’s case, and my Office stands ready to support the Kyrgyz authorities in their implementation of OSCE commitments related to human rights,” said Director Link. “Kyrgyzstan is obligated under both international law and its own Constitution to quash Askarov’s conviction and immediately release him.”

On 21 April 2016, the UN Human Rights Committee decided in favour of a complaint filed by Askarov, finding that he had been arbitrarily detained, held in inhumane conditions, tortured and mistreated, and prevented from adequately preparing his trial defence. The Committee called on Kyrgyzstan to immediately release him, overturn his conviction, and provide him with compensation for the violations of his human rights. Article 41.2 of the Kyrgyz Constitution requires authorities to implement the Human Rights Committee decision.

“Mr. Askarov’s ongoing detention is not only unlawful, as the UN Human Rights Committee made clear, but also inhumane, in light of the serious deterioration of his health,” the ODIHR Director said. “We look forward to Mr. Askarov’s release and the restoration of his rights, including his access to urgently needed medical care outside of confinement.”

Askarov was reportedly subjected to ill-treatment during his initial detention by police and during his trial. Despite very serious health concerns, he was denied access to adequate medical treatment by detention officials. Since then, he has been held at Penal Colony No. 47, in Bishkek, where his health has reportedly deteriorated further.

Related Stories

• After violent attempted coup, Turkish authorities must strengthen, not weaken, rule of law and independence of judiciary, says ODIHR Director Link
• OSCE/ODIHR Director concerned about reported rise of hate incidents in the United Kingdom, supports calls for tolerance in a challenging time
• OSCE/ODIHR final report on early parliamentary elections in Serbia recommends comprehensive review of legislation and ensuring the level playing field for contestants

BERLIN, 20 June 2016 - Government experts of the 57 OSCE participating States met in Berlin today  to discuss efforts to continue the important fight against anti-Semitism.

The meeting that took place in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs was opened by Gernot Erler, Special Representative of the German government for the OSCE Chairmanship, and focused on exchanges of strategies, methods and good practice in combating anti-Semitism.

Erler called for a co-ordinated approach at the international level to combat anti-Semitism and encouraged best use of the OSCE and its institutions in the ongoing struggle against intolerance and discrimination. “Against the international networks of intolerance and hatred we have to stand firm with an equally broad and international alliance of governments, international and non-governmental organizations fostering tolerance and non-discrimination. And we have to embed the fight against anti-Semitism in our societies and our political culture”, Erler said.

Akiva Tor, Head of Bureau of World Jewish Affairs and World Religions from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed the need to continue to focus on combating anti-Semitism as the situation of Jews in Europe is a bellwether for the overall situation. “This particular hatred is uniquely dangerous. The growing menace to Jewish communities represents a direct threat to European civilization.”

One focus of the meeting was the working definition of anti-Semitism, which was adopted at the plenary session of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in Bucharest in May this year. Rabbi Andrew Baker, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, introduced the history and context of this working definition and called for its adoption and use also in the OSCE. “At a time when anti-Semitism manifests itself in different ways, the working definition is a valuable tool in helping governments and civil society to understand and combat anti-Semitism.”

The experts also exchanged best practice of combating anti-Semitism at government level, namely by appointing a special envoy, introducing parliamentary reports, adopting an action plan‎ or supporting education programmes.

This meeting is part of a series of events focusing on combating anti-Semitism. The German OSCE Chairmanship has made the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination a priority of its work.

Related Stories

• OSCE States explore role for the Organization regarding migration and refugee flows
• OSCE Chairperson Steinmeier and Secretary General Zannier condemn senseless and horrific violence in Orlando
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier stresses importance of ODIHR’s work during visit to headquarters in Warsaw

VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – Presenting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work concerning the refugee and migrant crisis at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today, Swiss parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi laid out the Assembly’s plan of action going forward, which includes monitoring the situation on the ground and developing policy recommendations for the OSCE and its participating States.

The meeting was convened by the OSCE German Chairmanship to present and discuss the report by Amb. Claude Wild, Chair of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issue of Migration and Refugee Flows. The participants discussed in particular the importance of improving global migration governance and how the OSCE can lend its contribution to promoting regional implementation of a global migration governance architecture.

Lombardi noted that the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, which he chairs, has been active in three main areas, including by organizing field visits, strengthening co-operation with the OSCE and other international actors, and promoting discussions on the migration crisis within the OSCE PA.

“The migration and refugee crisis remains high on the agenda of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as highlighted by the importance accorded to this issue in the Tbilisi Declaration adopted at the OSCE PA Annual Session on 5 July,” Lombardi said. “Indeed, the various aspects of this complex issue are addressed in the resolutions of all three general committees as well as in a number of supplementary resolutions” adopted in Tbilisi, he added.

Stressing the need for better communication strategies between governments and the public, Lombardi said that while media plays a fundamental role in shaping public opinion on migration, “political forces bear an equally important responsibility.

“Governments, diplomats and parliamentarians must join forces to tackle the root causes of migration,” he said.

Lombardi further highlighted a recent field visit to camps in Calais and Dunkirk, the Parliamentary Assembly’s contribution to the 27 June meeting of the Informal Working Group, which was addressed by five OSCE parliamentarians, and noted that the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration met officially for the first timeduring the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi on 3 July.

In June, the OSCE PA’s then-human rights and humanitarian committee chair, Portuguese parliamentarian Isabel Santos, joined a delegation of the OSCE’s Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, for a visit to Lampedusa, Italy, to an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and to a refugee reception centre in Catania.

Migration will also occupy a prominent position in the discussions of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting to be held in Skopje from 29 September to 2 October, Lombardi pointed out.

Other than Lombardi’s presentation, today’s special meeting of the Permanent Council included a comprehensive report by Amb. Wild, who noted that addressing the migration crisis requires a multidimensional response based on protection, combating crime, border management, successful integration, and solidarity and partnerships. The OSCE has a number of comparative advantages when addressing migration and refugee flows and is thus uniquely positioned to address this crisis, he emphasized.

Lombardi welcomed the priorities of the OSCE’s Informal Working Group and stressed that members of the PA’s Ad Hoc Committee have agreed to keep in mind the principles identified by this body in carrying out its work.

The Permanent Council and the Ministerial Council are the primary decision-making bodies of the OSCE.

To learn more about the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s work in the field of migration, please click here. A video interview conducted with Ad Hoc Committee Chair Filippo Lombardi is available on the OSCE PA’sYouTube channel.

Related Stories

• Press registration open for OSCE Parliamentary Assembly annual session in Tbilisi
• At start of Central Asia visit, Special Representative Muttonen calls for unity in struggle against violent extremism
• OSCE PA’s Santos welcomes release of Azerbaijan’s Leyla Yunus

TBILISI, 5 July 2016 – At the close of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi today, members of the Assembly elected Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen as President. Muttonen has previously served as OSCE PA Vice-President and Special Representative for Central and Eastern Asia, and is Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation to the PA.

Upon being elected, Muttonen said that she would pursue direct talks with governments and other OSCE institutions on advancing avenues for closer co-operation.

“Parliamentarians can play a very important role in securing peace and stability,” she said. “It will be my duty to make sure they have the possibility to do so.”

OSCE PA Vice-Presidents were also elected today: Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania), Azay Guliyev (Azerbaijan), and Isabel Santos (Portugal) were elected to three-year terms, and Victor Dobre (Romania) was elected to a one-year term.

On Monday, the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Political Affairs and Security elected its leadership. Members of the committee re-elected Roger Wicker (United States) and Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) Chair and Rapporteur, respectively, and Guglielmo Picchi (Italy) was elected Vice-Chair.

In the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment on Sunday, members elected Nilza Sena (Portugal) Chair and Artur Gerasymov (Ukraine) Vice-Chair. Italian parliamentarian Marietta Tidei was re-elected Rapporteur.

Members of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on Monday elected Ignacio Sanchez Amor (Spain) Chair and Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyanni (Cyprus) Rapporteur. Vice-Chair Ivana Dobesova (Czech Republic) was re-elected by acclamation.

In his final address as Assembly President, Finnish parliamentarian and former Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE Ilkka Kanerva noted that he has led the PA during challenging times.

“In these times, it is important to recall the validity of all ten Helsinki Final Act principles. As President, I have worked to reaffirm these principles, even as they have been put to the test lately. I believe that reviving the spirit of Helsinki requires ensuring that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly remains an Assembly that is inclusive, open and transparent,” he said.

He also highlighted his special paper distributed at the Tbilisi Annual Session entitled “Our common vision for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.”

Kanerva was elected President of the Assembly at the Baku Annual Session in July 2014, and will now serve as President Emeritus of the Assembly.

For the full text of the OSCE PA’s Declaration and resolutions adopted today in Tbilisi, as well as speeches, photos, videos and more, please visit http://www.oscepa.org/meetings/annual-sessions/2016-tbilisi-annual-session. Additional photos are available on the Georgian Parliament’s Flickr pages at https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoparliament  and https://www.flickr.com/photos/oscepatbilisi/.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

Related Stories

• OSCE parliamentarians in Tbilisi adopt wide-ranging Declaration on human rights, security and the environment
• OSCE parliamentarians consider resolutions on security, economic and environmental concerns and human rights
• OSCE PA human rights committee Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor follows up on developments in Turkey

COPENHAGEN, 25 July 2016 – In response to the measures taken by the Turkish authorities following the attempted coup, Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chairperson of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, issued the following statement today:

“I remain concerned by the developments which have been taking place in Turkey since the attempted coup, as expressed in an earlier statement. As I joined the rest of the international community in offering strong support to the restoration of constitutional order, I also warned against reprisals and hasty purges and underscored the need to safeguard democratic institutions.

“Unfortunately, the sudden dismissal of thousands of judges, prosecutors, academics, and journalists across the country has challenged human rights standards, due process, the right to a fair trial, and freedom of expression. As underlined by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Turkey’s response to these unconstitutional events should seek to reinforce, not undermine, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and media freedom.

“I once again call on the Turkish authorities to follow a responsible approach to ensure that the constitutional order is reinforced through the respect of human rights and the independence of democratic institutions in line with OSCE commitments.”

Related Stories

• Christine Muttonen of Austria elected OSCE PA President, Vice-Presidents and Committee Officers also elected
• Assembly’s work on migration presented to OSCE ambassadors by Ad Hoc Committee Chair Lombardi at special Permanent Council
• OSCE PA human rights committee Chair Ignacio Sanchez Amor issues statement on developments in Turkey

Argentina’s negotiating team were ordered home. The country’s president Javier Milei has previously said that the climate crisis is a “socialist lie”. “We have instructions from the ministry of foreign affairs to no longer participate,” the country’s top environmental official said,

France’s ecology minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, announced she was cancelling her trip to Baku to take part in the Cop29 talks. 

On Wednesday, representatives from Milei’s government were ordered to leave the Azerbaijani capital. Speaking to the Guardian, Argentina’s undersecretary for the environment, Ana Lamas – the country’s most senior representative on the climate and nature after Milei dissolved the environment ministry – confirmed the decision, which was first reported by Climatica.

“It’s true. We have instructions from the ministry of foreign affairs to no longer participate. That’s all I can tell you,” she said. Lamas said the decision applied only to Cop29, when asked if Argentina was planning to leave the Paris agreement.

There is widespread concern about the future of the climate accord after the election in the US of Donald Trump, who has pledged to exit the agreement for the second time.

https://www.city-journal.org/article/green-grifters By Heather Mac Donald The latest global climate conference opened Monday in Azerbaijan. The timing is excellent. Any doubt regarding the wisdom of the next Trump administration’s likely pullout from such meetings should be dispelled by the conference photos alone. Here are tens of thousands of well fed, well-dressed members of the global elite—activists, […]

  Broadcast November 13, 2024    “This conference is a funeral wake for one simple reason… Donald Trump’s election.” @ClimateDepot joins @dagenmcdowell and @SeanDuffyWI live from the COP29 Summit. pic.twitter.com/7sytxmbBWc — The Bottom Line (@BottomLineFBN) November 13, 2024

Get interactive piano lessons with a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium on sale for $119.99 (reg. $299) for four more days.

Slack – When you leave channel before submit your text, the # icon will change to pencil icon.

El convenio busca proceder con más rapidez en la valoración de los siniestros y e el cobro de las indemnizaciones por parte de los asegurados Leer

Respetar a los animales, a los seres vivos, es una forma de avanzar en humanidad.

La candidata española ya ha pedido comparecer la próxima semana, por lo que hasta entonces no habrá acuerdo en el nombramiento de vicepresidentes de la Comisión, según explican los 'populares' Leer

"Sin un megadepartamento para la reconstrucción, el Consell no será creíble", asumen fuentes de la Generalitat, aunque también hay ceses sobre la mesa Leer

Ni todos los negros tomamos café, ni "las prostitutas cubanas son las más cultas del mundo", ni todos los hombres son cubanos amantes perfectos...

Los votos del PP y de Vox tumban las enmiendas a la totalidad presentadas por el PSOE, Por Andalucía y Adelante Leer

The New York Times cada vez depende más de sus lectores y menos de sus anunciantes: sus abonados digitales suman ya más de 1,2 millones. Una estrategia irrepetible pero que bien se tomar como referencia.

[Nile Post] President Museveni has extended financial support to 112 roadside market vendors in Mityana District.

COP 29, Day 3: Small islands reaffirm commitments, and Climate Action Commissioner EU's leadership