One of Malawi’s renowned and most followed social media influencer has waxed lyrical of President Chakwera’s government, bluntly saying: “On magesi President Chakwera and his government have delivered. We appreciate.” Kenani made the comment on his most followed Facebook page in response to reports that Zambians are living with over 21 hour blackouts every day. […] The post With Zambia in 21-hr blackout every day, social media influencer Kenani says: “On magesi Chakwera has delivered.” appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
According to a 2022 Eurobarometer survey, while two out of three young Europeans wish to contribute to the green transition through their jobs, 45 % of young Europeans lack green skills. In the United States (US), a new traineeship programme, the American Climate Corps (ACC), has been operational since June 2024. It allows young people to enter paid traineeships that provide them with important skills for green professions. Young people in the US have welcomed the initiative, which offers a chance to move from 'climate angst' to climate action. Here in Europe, an 'ecological civil service' was launched in France in the spring of 2024, in response to strong demand from young people. In April 2024, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) proposed that a pilot project be launched in the European Union (EU), following the example of the ACC programmes, offering young people traineeships to empower them with the skills needed for the green transition. In the EU, several possibilities exist for supporting youth traineeships. Meanwhile, European cities have created networks to support them in achieving their green ambitions. This briefing explores possible synergies between the existing EU youth and green cities programmes, and whether there is scope for a traineeship scheme at European level to help develop green skills for young people. This briefing has been drafted at the request of the European Committee of the Regions, in the framework of the agreement between the European Parliament and the Committee. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP
This study examines key rulings on the supervision and resolution of credit institutions in the EU and their impact on the Banking Union framework. It explores how case law has refined the European Central Bank’s practices, shareholders' and boards' rights, and the interaction between ECB and Single Resolution Board powers during ‘failing or likely to fail’ assessments. While highlighting how litigation has clarified processes, rights, and the criteria for resolution, the study’s findings underscore the need for heightened scrutiny of agencies to prevent political interference and ensure effective oversight. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP
The Banking Union makes ten years. It is a story of success. Courts have been crucial for this success. This study explains why, and what should be done to preserve (and improve) their role. This document was provided by the Economic Governance and EMU Scrutiny Unit at the request of the ECON Committee. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP
In September 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal for a directive on adapting non contractual civil liability rules to artificial intelligence (AILD), with an accompanying impact assessment. The European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) requested the present complementary impact assessment of the proposal, which focuses on specific research questions. The study critique identifies key shortcomings in the European Commission's impact assessment, not least an incomplete exploration of regulatory policy options and an abridged cost-benefit analysis, in particular of the strict liability regime. The complementary impact assessment study proposes that the AILD should extend its scope to include general-purpose and other 'high-impact AI systems', as well as software. It also discusses a mixed liability framework that balances fault-based and strict liability. Notably, the study recommends transitioning from an AI-focused directive to a software liability regulation, to prevent market fragmentation and enhance clarity across the EU. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP
The high cost of burials is forcing Papua New Guinea families to abandon the bodies of loved ones at its public morgue, and many are ending up in mass graves.
The development of artificial intelligence should not be guided by market forces alone, UN experts cautioned on Thursday, calling for the creation of tools for global cooperation. But they held back from suggesting the creation of a muscular worldwide governing body to oversee the rollout and evolution of a technology, the proliferation of which has raised fears around biases, misuse and dependence. The panel of around 40 experts from the fields of technology, law and data protection was established by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in October. Their report, published days before the start of a high-profile «Summit of the Future,» raises the alarm over the lack of global governance of AI as well as the effective exclusion of developing countries from debates about the technology's future. Of the UN's 193 members, just seven are part of the seven major initiatives linked to AI, while 118 are entirely absent -- mostly nations of the global south. «There is, today, a global governance deficit with respect to AI,» which by its nature is cross-border, the experts warn in their report. «AI must serve humanity equitably and safely,» Guterres said this week. «Left unchecked, the dangers posed by artificial intelligence could have serious implications for democracy, peace, and stability.» - 'Too late'? - To the backdrop of his clarion call, the experts called on UN members to put in place mechanisms to grease the wheels of global cooperation on the issue, as well as to prevent unintended proliferation. «The development, deployment and use of such a technology cannot be left to the whims of markets alone,» the report says. It called firstly for the creation of a group of scientific experts on AI modeled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forum of experts, whose reports are the last word on the issue of climate change. The panel would brief the international community on emerging risks, identify research needs as well as how it could be used to alleviate hunger, poverty, and gender inequality, among other goals. That proposal is included in the draft Global Digital Compact, still under discussion, which is due to be adopted Sunday at the «Summit of the Future.» The report endorses setting up a light-touch «coordination» structure within the UN secretariat. But it stops short of a fully-fledged international governance body -- like that sought by Guterres -- based on the model of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA. «If the risks of AI become more serious, and more concentrated, it might become necessary for Member States to consider a more robust international institution with monitoring, reporting, verification, and enforcement powers,» the report said. The authors acknowledge that owing to the warp speed of change in AI, it would be pointless to attempt to draw up a comprehensive list of dangers presented by the ever-evolving technology. But they singled out the perils of disinformation for democracy, increasingly realistic deepfakes -- particularly pornographic ones, as well as the evolution of autonomous weapons and AI use by criminal and terrorist groups. «Given the speed, autonomy and opacity of AI systems, however, waiting for a threat to emerge may mean that any response will come too late,» the report said. «Continued scientific assessments and policy dialogue would ensure that the world is not surprised.» © Agence France-Presse
Court documents filed in the case of a Pakistani man arrested in Quebec for an alleged plot to kill Jews in New York City reveal the RCMP didn't have enough evidence to hold him in Canada.
A 29-year-old Quebec woman is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of a five-year-old boy southwest of Montreal.
A 33-day provincial election campaign is expected to officially get started Thursday in New Brunswick.
Argentina remains number one with 1,889 points
Ankara always looks for new opportunities to expand its trade and economic cooperation anyway, Hakan Fidan added
The Bulgarian State National Security Agency said that it had initiated inspections «regarding the involvement of the company registered in Bulgaria» in cooperation with relevant agencies
According to the report, the new Israeli plan also envisages the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, the demilitarization of the enclave and the establishment of a new power mechanism in Gaza, the end of the military operation in the Strip
In this context, the foreign minister noted with appreciation that the position of Russia enjoys «the broadest support from like-minded BRICS countries and other states of the world majority»
The Palestinian boy Yazan Tamimi and his family will not be deported before next Saturday, and the family will therefore be able to request material treatment. This is due to lack of time. This is stated in the response of the National Police Commissioner to mbl.is' inquiry.
[allAfrica] «But conversely, when it comes to healthcare dollars spent per capita on ovarian cancer, middle- to lower-income countries spend significantly more.»
Get the latest news from the 2024 campaign trail in the contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.
SINGAPORE — A man who said he has a fetish for «anime girls mostly in uniform attire» admitted to molesting three primary school girls aged 11 to 14. On Sept 19, Kieron Ng Kay Lin, 20, pleaded guilty to one charge of outraging the modesty of an 11-year-old girl. The charges involving the two other victims, 12 and 14, and a separate charge under the Protection from Harassment Act will be taken into consideration during sentencing. Other than these three victims, there were many other young girls whose legs he had touched, said the prosecution. According to an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) report, Ng confessed that he had repeatedly done this since 2021. When asked how many girls he had touched, he said: «Two digits but below 60.» The girls were mostly below the age of 16, and the majority of them were in school uniform. Ng was arrested for molesting a 12-year-old girl in May 2023 but was released on bail. In July 2023, he committed a similar offence and was arrested again. He was again released on bail but reoffended the next month.
Three children aged 11, 13 and 15 were found in a residential unit in the vicinity of Anchorvale Lane in Sengkang when the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) carried out a raid in the morning of Sept 17 (Tuesday). The CNB said in a media statement on Sept 19 that appropriate arrangements have been made to ensure that the welfare of the children was taken care of. The children have also been placed in the care of their next-of-kin. The operation saw the arrest of five Singaporean men between the ages of 19 and 39 for suspected drug trafficking. A large assortment of drugs: about 6.5kg of cannabis, 957g of 'Ice', 292g of 'Ecstasy', 695 lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) stamps, and 1,434 Emirin-5 tablets were recovered during the raid, which included the homes of the five men and two motor vehicles. The drugs seized are worth an estimated $333,000 and could potentially feed the addiction of 1,480 abusers for a week. If found guilty of trafficking more than 500g of cannabis, the five men may face the mandatory death penalty.
Mogadishu (HOL) – Somali Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre, approved the nomination of two new ambassadors and endorsed a National Procedure Policy for the reporting and monitoring of human rights during a meeting in Mogadishu on Thursday.
The Seychelles National Assembly on Wednesday approved an amendment to the Penal Code that addresses hate-motivated offences by introducing the element of hate as an aggravating factor to any underlying offences. Eighteen members of the National Assembly voted for and eight voted against the amendment to the Penal Code presented by Vice President, Ahmed Afif. «Hate is a very strong feeling that we have for a person, a group of persons, or even a concept, which normally makes one want to harm another person,» said Afif, who added that hate «can be manifested in various ways either individually, in groups or even institutionally through laws that discriminate against certain groups of people». He added, «We are bringing in the element of hate speech as we have observed an increase of people being targeted due to the protected characteristics.» The Vice President said, «The amendment will protect vulnerable groups in society from acts of discrimination, violence and intimidation.» The gazetted Amendment Bill states that «the inclusion of hate as an aggravating factor aims to enhance the severity of penalties when committed due to bias or prejudice, based on the protected characteristics such as race, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, political affiliation and HIV/AIDS status.» Afif said, «We want to introduce hate crime to prevent people being harmed in any way, especially if it causes physical damage due to the accused hating the victim for their specific characteristics.» He explained that the authorities want to send a clear message to society that «we cannot target an individual for things that they were born with, life events that have affected them or that they have chosen to live their lives differently from what we consider as the norm.» The courts will now be able to punish an accused further if it is proven that the offence committed against a victim was done due to their protected characteristics. However, the prosecution will have to provide sufficient evidence to prove that there was hate in the offence. An example provided to the National Assembly was that if a fight breaks out between two people and during the incident, one of the individuals uses what is deemed as hate speech, despite the fight breaking out for another reason the assault will be deemed a hate crime. The inclusion of hate speech as an offence within the Penal Code (Cap. 158) provides for the intention to incite hatred towards a person or group of persons based on their protected characteristics, through various forms of communication or behaviour, if the expression is perceived to be threatening, abusive or insulting. Similar laws already exist in the Penal Code namely, Seditious Offences under sections 54 and 55 as well as Incitement to cause violence under Section 89 (a). Afif said, «Any communication or propaganda made in writing, in speeches or other forms in public or electronic media, published and distributed materials or even through behaviour is considered as an incitement.» The accused intentions and the impact of the actions as well as the society's norms will be taken into consideration. There will be exceptions to the offence, such as an individual will not be charged through performances of artistic expressions made in good faith, and not aimed at inciting any harm. Other exceptions include an academic investigation, reports, commentaries, public notice announcements and the use of such materials in criminal investigations. Under the proposed amendment, if found guilty of hate crimes as a first offence, the offender will be fined up to SCR50,000 ($3,600), a prison term of not more than two years or both. Should they recommit the crime, they will be fined not more than SCR125,000 ($8,600), a prison term of not more than three years, or both. Afif reassured the public that the new amendments would not violate their rights. Association for Rights, Information and Democracy (ARID) - categorically against the law ARID issued a statement on September 18 that it opposed the change to the Penal Code «as it is a direct infringement on freedom of expression.» «Any move to restrict such right goes against the core principles of democracy,» said ARID. ARID is against any form of speech that directly attacks the character of an individual, we believe that citizens must NOT use the right to free speech to cause provocation, to use insulting and demeaning remarks or promote discrimination, hostility and violence against another. Politicians must NOT use their power to institute regulations or amendments to protect themselves, a political figure must be prepared to be ostracised or disliked, they cannot expect the same privacy like an ordinary citizen. [...] We do not have a history of conflicts between communities do not have issues of ethnicity, religion, other social disputes, so why do we need law against hate speech?,« said ARID. The non-governmental organisation questioned what guarantee that the government, current or future, will not use such amendments to the law to curtail freedom of speech and asserted that citizens must be able to question the decisions of politicians, they should have a 'thick skin' to accept criticism no matter how 'blunt' or explicit it may be, as »free speech allows for people to exposure the incompetence and malfeasance of government officials or question the decisions of those in power," provided it is not inciting anyone to commit violent or unlawful acts.
[allAfrica] The choice is clear, and the time to act is now: Trust, empower, and follow the lead of the communities we serve.
Women have become the driving force of development in India, Dharitri Patnaik told RT at the Eurasian Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg Read Full Article at RT.com
Opposition political parties and the National Registration Bureau (NRB) were—on Wednesday in Mponela, Dowa—involved in tug-of-war over the voter registration process and it was clear that the opposition is not confident and comfortable with how NRB is registering people that expected to vote in next years’ polls. At the heart of the matter is the […] The post Opposition parties on the neck of NRB on voter registration: Demands NRB involves NEC in its process appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
The recent Financial Stability Report published by the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has revealed that the local unit, kwacha, fell by an average 2.3 percent against other major foreign currencies in the first six months of 2024. According to the report, during the period under review, the Kwacha depreciated by 3.12 percent against the […] The post Kwacha itipha! More economic pains as Kwacha falls by 2.3% against foreign currencies appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
All roads, this Saturday, lead to Civo Stadium in Lilongwe where celebrated musician Gwamba is holding his Best of Gwamba Concert with two South African artists Focalistic and Kamo Mphela confirmed to jet into the country on September 21. The concert has been organised by rapper Gwamba as part of celebrating his 15th anniversary. Apart […] The post Kuli fumbi! Best of Gwamba Concert on this Saturday as two international artist confirm coming appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has issued a passionate call for Malawian producers to uphold quality in their products, emphasizing that this is essential for achieving premium market prices. Dr. Usi made this appeal in Kasungu on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, during his tour of the BOMFA Farmers Cooperative. BOMFA, a beneficiary of NEEF loans, […] The post Usi visits NEEF loan beneficiary: Impressed with its success, calls on Malawi producers to uphold quality appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
Malawi Government has unveiled ambitious plans of harvesting 700 metric tonnes of fish annually by 2063. Director of Fisheries in the Ministry of Natural Resources Dr Hastings Zidana said this in Lilongwe during the Refresh Malawi dissemination meeting. Dr Zidana called for a joint effort in order to achieve the plans by 2063. […] The post More fish, more money, good health: Govt unveils plans to harvest 700 Mt of fish annually appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.