Latest news with #IPEA
Saudi Gazette
12-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
3.6 million infringing intellectual property materials seized and 34,000 websites blocked in 2024
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) revealed the seizure of 3.6 million infringing materials, in addition to the blocking and removal of approximately 34,000 infringing websites in 2024. This was achieved through 20,000 inspection tours carried out in 51 cities across the Kingdom to protect rights, promote compliance, and safeguard creative rights. In its 2024 annual report, the authority said that the removal of violating websites took place within just 50 minutes, demonstrating its technical readiness and professionalism in combating violations. During the same period, the SAIP received 52,400 trademark applications, recording a 16 percent growth over the previous year, in addition to 8,000 patent applications, 2,500 copyright applications, a growth of over 63 percent, and 2,100 design applications. The acceleration of processing procedures contributed to the completion of some applications in just one day, making the Kingdom one of the fastest IP offices in the world. In the field of training and awareness, more than 25,000 trainees benefited from the Intellectual Property Academy's programs. The rate of intellectual property awareness increased to 65.8 percent, an increase of 16.9 percent over the previous year. The authority also provided advisory and guidance services to 6,000 beneficiaries through its IP clinics. On the international level, Saudi Arabia has strengthened its position as an international intellectual property center. The SAIP began its work as an International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT/ISA/IPEA) and adopted the Riyadh Design Law Treaty (DLT) during the Diplomatic Conference on the DLT, held in Riyadh from November 11 to 22, 2024. An international trust fund was established in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Around 2000 participants from 75 countries have benefited from the authority's programs. The SAIP has achieved a 94 percent score on the Procedures Documentation Index, achieved a 79 percent beneficiary satisfaction rate, and employee engagement reached 83 percent, in a work environment that strives for leadership and continuous development.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
This photo shows a Labor MP happily hanging out with locals at the local tennis club... Here's where he REALLY was when he posted this image
A jet-setting Labor MP flew abroad on five occasions in just seven months on trips that cost the taxpayer thousands of dollars - but curiously posted photos on social media taken in his constituency while overseas. Julian Hill, the MP for Bruce in Melbourne 's south east, took five trips to nine countries between October 2023 and April last year, according to his Register of Interests and Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA) records. Mr Hill billed taxpayers $33,000 to visit Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen in September 2023. But he is yet to publicly disclose on his IPEA records how much he charged taxpayers to attend Inter-Parliamentary Union events in Angola in October 2023 and Switzerland in March 2024. While the costs for trips to Taiwan and Singapore were covered by their respective governments, it is Mr Hill's social media use while away that is most eyebrow raising. On 25th October 2023, while he was in Angola with Milton Dick MP, Senator Deborah O'Neill, Warren Entsch MP, and Senator Linda Reynolds, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Nossal High School in his electorate. Then, on 2nd November 2023, while he was in Singapore, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at Doveton Tennis Club. On 25th March 2024, while he was in Switzerland, Mr Hill posted a photo of himself at a Holi celebration. And then, on April 9, while he was in Taiwan, Mr Hill posted a picture with staff at Mission Australia in Dandenong. A government spokesperson did not comment on Mr Hill's social media posts. 'All costings of Mr Hill's trip as a delegate of the Inter Parliamentary Union have been recorded appropriately in Parliamentarian expense reports, as has other members of the cross-parliamentary delegation,' the spokesperson said. Mr Hill took all these trips as a backbencher, before his appointment as Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs in July 2024. In June last year, he criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for charging taxpayers $23,000 to fly from Canberra to Tamworth via private jet to attend a bush summit. 'Lucky Tamworth, they got $23,000 worth of Peter Dutton's anger and negativity,' he said. For the trip to Taipei, which was paid for by the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hill declared various small gifts he had received. 'Teacup, glass, tea, coffee, sweets, key ring, pen and legislative yuan badge,' his statement of registrable interests notes. Meanwhile, his entire week-long trip to Singapore to participate in the S R Nathan Fellowship was covered by the republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is understood that Mr Hill attends sometimes upwards of 15 events in the community each week. The Labor frontbencher was the target of a homophobic campaign two weeks ago when a couple of offensive banners were hung from an overpass bridge in Dandenong. One said: 'LGBTQ+ means more to Julian Hill than you the people', while the other falsely stated: 'Julian Hill MP – more worried about his husband than his constituents'. Mr Hill is gay and in a relationship but he is not married. The banners triggered a police investigation and criticism from all sides of politics. Mr Hill told the Guardian that the culprits resort to 'these sorts of smears as they've got nothing positive to say'. 'I always have and always will stand up for everyone in the Bruce electorate, no matter their faith, ethnicity or who they are,' Mr Hill added.
Chicago Tribune
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Indian Prairie School District 204 board approves calendar for 2026-27 school year
Indian Prairie School District 204 has finalized its school calendar for the 2026-27 school year, after receiving board approval on Monday. School will begin on Aug. 17, 2026, for students and tentatively end on May 28, 2027, with emergency days set for June 1 through June 7, according to the calendar attached to Monday's school board agenda. The semester will end on Jan. 8, 2027. The only significant change, Assistant Superintendent of Middle Schools Brad Hillman said at Monday's meeting, is for parent-teacher conferences during the fall semester. Because of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election – a day in which Indian Prairie students do not have school – the district suggested holding conferences on both Oct. 22 in the evening and during the day and evening on Nov. 2. This gives students a consecutive Monday and Tuesday off school, and avoids a day off in the middle of the week, Hillman said on Monday. The district and the Indian Prairie Education Association, the district's teachers union, came to an agreement on the modification, and it was then approved by the board on Monday. As for the calendar as a whole, Hillman said on Monday that the district develops two calendar options with the IPEA. Those are then provided to the school board for feedback, as well as presented to the Indian Prairie Parent Council group. For the 2026-27 school year, the parent council requested the district change the last day of school to be before Memorial Day weekend. The original proposal had been for students to come back to class for one day the following week, Hillman said Monday. After that change was made, the two calendars were presented to district staff. With 65% of votes, one option was the clear favorite, which was then sent to the school board for approval on Monday.
