Latest news with #CACs
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
India's historical linkages with Central Asian Countries being fostered through cooperation in defence, several other areas
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for the fourth meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue on June 6. India's historical and cultural linkages with the Central Asian Countries are being fostered with cooperation in a range of areas, including defence. India shares historical and cultural linkages with the Central Asian Countries (CACs) going back to several millennia. Buddhism spread from India via Tibet to Central Asia, establishing strong spiritual ties. Indian monks founded monasteries and translated texts across Central Asia. Key Buddhist sites like Termiz, Fayaz Tepe, Kara Tepe, and Adzhina Tepe reflect this influence. India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the CACs in 1992 following their emergence as independent countries after the collapse of the erstwhile USSR. India has concluded strategic partnerships with all the CACs, except Turkmenistan. There have been several high-level visits between India and Central Asia countries bilaterally. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to all CACs in July 2015, India's ties with these countries have been put on a much higher trajectory and many new areas of cooperation have emerged. PM Modi also visited many Central Asian capitals/cities to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summits in Tashkent (2016), Nur-Sultan (2017), Bishkek (2019), and Samarkand (2022). Similarly, there have been regular visits to India by Central Asian leaders. India-Central Asia Summit, at leaders level, is the highest level of engagement between India and Central Asia. The inaugural Summit was held virtually in January 2022. It marked a pivotal step in strengthening India's ties with the region. It was chaired by PM Modi and attended by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Summit adopted the 'Delhi Declaration,' institutionalizing biennial summits and regular ministerial dialogues. The India-Central Asia Dialogue, launched in January 2019 in Samarkand, is a meeting of Foreign Ministers. It serves as a key platform for strengthening ties between India and Central Asia. The second meeting took place virtually in October 2020 and focussed on regional security, counter-terrorism, and infrastructure development. The third meeting was held in New Delhi in December 2021 and emphasised connectivity to further deepen the ties between India and Central Asia. The fourth edition of the Dialogue is taking place in New Delhi on June 5-6. The India-Central Asia NSA's meetings, inaugurated in December 2022 in New Delhi and followed by a second meeting in October 2023 in Astana, serves as a vital platform for regional cooperation on security, counter-terrorism, cybersquatting, and connectivity. It also proposed capacity building programme for Central Asian officials on various aspects such as Drug Law Enforcement, preventing Terror Financing etc. Defence cooperation is an important pillar of India's strategic partnership with the CACs. India has annual military exercises 'KazInd' with Kazakhstan, 'Khanjar' with Kyrgyz Republic and 'Dustlik' with Uzbekistan. Training of defence personnel of CACs in Indian premier defence training institutes and deployment of Indian Military training teams in some countries is another important aspect of India's defence cooperation. India has been assisting the CACs through developmental projects, capacity building and human resource development since their independence. India has extended about 6500 ITEC slots and 1500 ICCR scholarships to the professionals and students from the CACs. India has set up IT Centers in all the CACs. India's major grant projects include Mountain Bio-medical Research Center in the Kyrgyz Republic, setting up of Modern Engineering Workshop, Computer Labs in 37 schools and renovation of Varzob-1 Hydro Power Plant in Tajikistan, Entrepreneurship Development Center in Uzbekistan and an Industrial Training Center in Turkmenistan. Framework MoUs for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) with India's grant assistance have been signed with all the CACs. India Central Asia trade reached a high of USD 3 billion in 2019-20. India's total trade with Central Asian region in FY 2024-25 was around USD 1.2 billion. Lack of overland connectivity between India and Central Asia and lack of awareness among businesses on the both sides about opportunities available are among impediments. To improve connectivity between India and the region, India has invited the Central Asian countries to be part of the International North South Transport Corridor and the Chabahar port development. India and the CACs enjoy close cultural relations. Several Buddhist sites throughout Central Asia testify to the spread of Buddhism from India to Central Asia and beyond. Yoga, Indian dance and music and Bollywood remain extremely popular in the CACs. The Indian community in Central Asia comprises approximately 45,000 individuals, primarily medical students, distributed across the region as follows: Kazakhstan (10,500), Kyrgyzstan (12,860), Tajikistan (1,600), Turkmenistan (100), and Uzbekistan (15,000). This diaspora includes students, entrepreneurs, professionals in sectors such as oil, IT, banking, hospitality, and representatives of Indian or multinational corporations. Apart from this, more than 2 lakh Indians visited the Central Asian countries (mainly Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) in 2024. As of May 2025, Indian citizens can visit Central Asia with visa-free entry to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for up to 14 days and 7 days respectively and e-visas are available for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Four Central Asian Countries (except Turkmenistan) are fellow members of SCO, Asia Cooperation Dialogue and CICA. All the CACs support India's permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council. CACs generally support India's candidates in the elections to UN bodies. At the fourth meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi on June 6, the Ministers will discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with particular focus on trade, connectivity, technology, and development cooperation. They will also share perspectives on challenges to regional security and other regional and global issues of mutual interest. The Foreign Ministers will also participate in the India-Central Asia Business Council meeting being held on June 5 by MEA in collaboration with FICCI. (ANI)
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
REAL ID requirements take effect at Susquehanna DLA Center
(WHTM) — Visitors to the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Distribution Center in Susquehanna will now see the new enforcement of the REAL ID Act. Individuals 18 years old or older will now be required to have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID card, or an alternative acceptable form of ID (a passport, Common Access Card, military ID, or other approved forms) for accessing military and federal installations, as well as boarding domestic commercial flights. Can you fly without a REAL ID after the May deadline? Starting today, May 7, REAL IDs will be required for the following: Domestic Air Travel: Boarding commercial flights within the United States. Federal Facility Access: Entering secure federal facilities, including all DLA and other military installations. Nuclear Facility Access: Accessing certain nuclear facilities. 'Starting May 7, our police officers will be implementing the REAL ID requirement at the Truck Gate for all commercial drivers and contractors,' said Police Chief Douglas Schraeder, DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna. 'Our team has received several briefings on the Real ID requirements and are prepared to enforce this Department of Homeland Security requirement that has been in the works for years.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania The following forms of identification will be accepted for access to DLA and other Defense Department installations: DOD Common Access Cards (CACs) DOD Uniformed Services ID Cards (including military retiree and dependent IDs) Local DOD Access Cards and Passes (e.g., DBIDS cards, visitor passes) Real ID-compliant driver's licenses, enhanced driver's licenses, or non-driver's identification cards U.S. or foreign passports or passport cards Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) Veteran's Health Identification Cards (VHIC) Federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards and Non-federal PIV-interoperable cards First-time visitors and personnel with expired passes must register their REAL ID (or other acceptable form of ID) online or at the Visitor Center before arriving at the DLA. Pre-approval requests can be submitted to expedite this process. 'Since we've been observing the REAL ID requirements since initiation, we don't expect major changes to operations,' said Steven Schorkhuber, chief, Security Management Branch, DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna. To visit the pre-enrollment website, click here. To see how to get a REAL ID, click here. Visitors who do not present a REAL ID-compliant credential or an acceptable alternative will be denied unescorted access to DLA/DOD installations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon advocates warn of cuts to vital services for domestic, sexual abuse survivors
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Local advocacy organizations are sounding the alarm over concerns of potential funding cuts to services which help survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in Oregon. In the current state legislative session, there are three bills currently put before lawmakers, the Oregon Department of Justice's POP (Policy Option Package) #327, House Bill 3196 and House Bill 3070, all of which pertain to funding for victim services. The DOJ's POP #327 bill would provide $22 million to stabilize funding for services such as emergency shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, as well as legal and emotionaladvocacy for survivors. Cuts have eliminated more than a dozen US government health-tracking programs HB 3196 would provide a one-time investment for the federal VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funding, which allows victims to apply to be reimbursed by the state for expenses they've received. If passed, HB 3070 would give funding to the Oregon DOJ to distribute to the Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force, responsible for working with law enforcement, hospitals and other community-based victim services organizations. Clackamas Women's Services (CWS), argues these bills could 'make or break' services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as the funding received from them could 'maintain services at current levels' when need for them is increasing annually. Ribbon cut on new $313M Clackamas County Courthouse According to CWS, service providers in Oregon saw an average increase of 30-50% in services to meet an increase in need during 2024. CWS added their organization saw an increase of 43% in advocacy services, 31% increase in crisis line calls, as well as a 25% increase in the number of survivors they served. 'These funds provide critical safety net services and support programs that maintain safety in our communities,' said Melissa Erlbaum, executive director of CWS. 'We cannot afford a decrease in funding at this critical time of need.' Other advocacy groups like CARES Northwest argue the services provided by Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) would also be affected by these bills. CACs give medical exams, treat child abuse, provide family support services, as well as trauma therapy. Jenny Gilmore-Robinson, Executive Director of CARES Northwest, said a lacking of state funding for CACs would cause staffing shortages, increased wait times and fewer people receiving care. 'Consider what it's like to tell a terrified parent that their child will need to wait weeks for a child abuse evaluation appointment, or months to start counseling to begin to heal,' she said. 'This is the nightmare scenario that drives us every single day to try to do more with less. And it is impossible.' Oregon's current legislative session began on Jan. 21 and is scheduled to run through July 29. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Yahoo
Funding in peril for Louisiana's children's advocacy centers, which offer healing and hope
Canva graphic Louisiana is consistently named among the most dangerous states in America, and advocacy centers across the state face the aftermath of the violence, offering a space to weather the storm and heal. Countless victims from all walks of life rely on lifesaving resources from domestic violence shelters and victim advocacy centers. Devastating federal funding cuts now threaten to strip away their last hope, making Louisiana an even more dangerous place for child victims of crime. As executive director of the Louisiana Alliance of Children's Advocacy Centers (LACAC), I work to empower the staff at each of the 14 CACs across the state. In 2023, they assisted 7,573 child crime victims and their families. It's absolutely vital to ensure our centers continue to provide compassion and support to every single victim and their families, and cater to their specific needs. For decades, we have looked to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to assist our goal of reaching victims in the wake of violent crime, sexual assault and domestic abuse. Across Louisiana, the dedicated teams at our CACs stand ready to provide comprehensive care, offering hope and healing. Last year, VOCA grants saw a funding reduction of $600 million, putting nearly 1,000 CACs nationwide at risk of collapse. Now, these centers face reduced critical services, fewer staff members or – in the worst cases – an end to their services entirely. For Louisiana, the cuts echo just as deeply. Our CACs are staffed by 484 dedicated professionals – social workers, law enforcement, medical experts, counselors and legal staff – who work together to help children heal and prevent further harm. In 2023, the staff at Louisiana's CACs conducted 5,591 forensic interviews, connected 3,953 children to counseling and therapy, and provided 9,687 people with advocacy services. Each received the specialized care needed to address the emotional, psychological and legal effects of the crime. Beyond the restorative care we provide, we are just as committed to active prevention efforts. In 2023, our CACs guided 14,427 children and 43,788 adults through education programs that teach them how to recognize and report abuse. These programs stop abuse before it starts, building safer communities for everyone. Now, with dwindling support from VOCA and the federal government, these services are threatened. U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Missouri, introduced the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024 (CVFS) early last year, followed closely by a companion bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and Lisa Murkowski. R-Alaska. They offer a much needed solution. Before the CVFS Act ran out of time during the 118th Congress, it garnered overwhelming bipartisan support – more than 200 co-sponsors in the House and six sponsors in the Senate signed on. Now, Wagner has once again championed this cause with the re-introduction of the bill to redirect funds from the False Claims Act into the Crime Victims Fund, temporarily stabilizing the fund and preserving services for victims. It would serve as a critical lifeline, ensuring our programs continue to support the children who rely on them while we work on a permanent solution. To discontinue these programs would be to abandon these vulnerable children in their darkest hour.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
2024 child abuse statistics report released by the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — A report on child abuse statistics for the Mountain State through 2024 was released by the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network. According to a press release, the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network (WVCAN) released the Statewide Data Report for child abuse statistics in West Virginia for the 2024 fiscal year, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. A Wyoming County school has been selected as a State Winner in a national STEM competition The press release stated that the information was from the 21 Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) in the Mountain State that offer service to 47 of the 55 counties in West Virginia. CACs are child-friendly areas where child protection, criminal justice, and child treatment professionals work together to investigate abuse, hold offenders accountable, and help children heal. 4,909 children were served by CACs in West Virginia during the 2024 fiscal year. This was an eight percent increase in new kids who were served over the previous five years. According to the press release, report details include: 4,702 forensic interviews were conducted 16 percent of the children served were there because of allegations of drug endangerment, four times higher than the national average 48 percent of the children served were there because of allegations of sexual abuse 44 percent of the children served by CACs were between seven and 12 years old 95 percent of alleged offenders were someone the child knew 30 percent of children are reported to have one or more disabilities 846 cases had charges filed 336 individuals were convicted for crimes against children 330,147 children (93 percent of the state's population) live in a county officially served by a CAC 22,217 children (seven percent of the state's population) live in a county without official CAC coverage In the past year, the number of children referred to West Virginia CACs due to suspected drug endangerment was four times the national average. aid Shiloh Woodard, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network. We must do all that we can to ensure the stability and continuity of our 21 Child Advocacy Centers in the Mountain State so that critical services to child survivors of abuse and children and youth who have been exposed to the opioid epidemic can continue to be provided. Shiloh Woodard | Interim Chief Executive Officer of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network International drone and robotics competition to be held at WVU Tech Caregivers that visited CACs were requested to take a survey, and 97 percent of the caregivers stated that if they knew about people in similar situation's they would inform the person about the child advocacy centers. 66 percent of children who had forensic interviews at a CAC reported abuse in the 2024 fiscal year, and 34 percent of children who were interviewed did not report abuse during the interviews. Even though some children may not disclose any information, multidisciplinary teams at CACs could have good cause to investigate any reports that resulted in the child being at a CAC. According to the press release, data on reported vs. disclosed abuse, criminal justice response, victim demographics, alleged offender demographics, services performed, and CAC income budget breakdown were included in the report released by the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
