Latest news with #JointActionPlan
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
ASEAN Committee holds third meeting in Abu Dhabi
7 Aug 2025 20:15 ABU DHABI (WAM)The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee, which consists of the Ambassadors of ASEAN Member States to the UAE, held its third meeting in Abu Dhabi, during which it met with Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State. The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the UAE and the ASEAN Committee, following the UAE's participation as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 2022 and the launch of the Joint Action Plan for the years meeting was chaired by Husin Bagis, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the UAE, with the participation of the ambassadors of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Sayegh welcomed the ASEAN ambassadors and commended the progress made in advancing the partnership between both sides, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to enhancing emphasised the Committee's role as an effective platform to enhance coordination and explore new avenues for joint work as part of the approved action plan. Furthermore, Al Sayegh highlighted the UAE's commitment to building on existing momentum across priority sectors. During the session, constructive dialogue was exchanged on advancing ties, with ambassadors sharing proposals to enhance engagements across several critical sectors, including trade, investment, climate change, and environmental protection.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Violent crime by children in Scotland at record levels says shock new report
A shock new Scottish Government report shows that violence by children - including assaults on teachers - accounted for a third of all violent crimes last year Violent crime by children - including attacks on teachers - is at record levels according to a shock new report. The annual Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS), carried out for the Scottish Government, found attacks by under 16's which took place in the victim's workplace accounted for 23 percent of all violent crimes last year. Up from five per cent in both 2019/20 and 2021/22. The study then revealed that workplace based violent crimes involving children appeared to be 'mainly against workers in education or care roles'. No details were given of the types of attacks on teachers but the report said 87 percent of all violent crime across Scotland involved assaults or attempted assaults with eight percent coming in the serious assault category. Yesterday there were calls for the Scottish Government to take urgent action to stem the rising tide of violence in the classroom with one union saying they would consider industrial action if nothing is done. Mike Corbett National Official of the NASUWT teachers union said: "There is no doubt that these figures capture some of the issues facing teachers in Scotland's schools at the moment and echo the findings of our own surveys, all of which confirm that there has been an increase in violent and abusive behaviour from pupils towards teachers in recent years. "The Scottish Government, recognised the problem and published a Joint Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour in August last year to try and help to address this. Regrettably, when surveyed in January this year about the Action Plan, only four percent of NASUWT members in Scotland had been made aware of it by their local authority or school. "It is vital that the Action Plan is properly embedded in Scotland's schools this academic year. "If not, NASUWT will not hesitate to support members in taking industrial action to protect their health and safety, wherever necessary." Earlier this year the union raised concerns of members at Kirkintilloch High School in East Dunbartonshire over the numbers of attacks on staff who claimed that the pupils responsible faced no consequences for their abusive and violent behaviour. An spokesperson for the EIS teaching union added;"Violence in schools, including assaults on teachers and other school staff, is a serious issue which has become even more acute in recent years. "This has come into particularly sharp focus in the years since the pandemic, with a growing number of young people living in challenging circumstances and this can sometimes lead to inappropriate behaviour in schools, including violence in extreme cases.. "There is a need for greater support for school staff to help manage pupil behaviour. "Where violent incidents do occur, schools must have robust procedures in place to deal with these incidents and must offer support to the staff concerned. " A total of 231,000 violent crimes were suffered by adults in 2023/24 according to the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey y. Of that total the proportion of offenders under the age of 16 was almost a third (31 per cent). More than treble the 2021/22 figure at eight percent. The SCJS report said it was unusual to see such a large change in one year. It added:'The increase in violent crime is being driven by more occurring in a victim's workplace, and those involving perpetrators under the age of 16." Scottish Labour Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: "It is quite clear that the SNP Government have no answers to tackle this serious trend. "Despite the summits they have had on youth crime there has been nothing of substance in the action they plan to take. "It is obvious there needs to be an injection of resources to increase early intervention programmes, using tried and tested ways of setting young people on a better path." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and former youth worker Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:""While acts of violence require a strong response, punishing predominantly law-abiding young people cannot be only broader solution. "We need youth work to pre-empt and prevent those acts, to properly engage young people in society and lay the foundations for them to succeed in life.' The SCJS study was based on 4,970 interviews with adults aged 16 and over in Scotland, conducted between July 2023 and April last year. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said 'The Scottish Government is taking decisive action to tackle youth violence through our comprehensive Violence Prevention Framework, backed by over £6 million in targeted investment since May 2023. "We have also increased funding to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit to £1.2 million this year to deliver increased activity to help steer young people away from violence including knife crime. "I recently chaired a cross-party meeting on youth violence with the First Minister and we are actively developing additional measures to support young people, families and communities. Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland added :"Violence in any environment, including schools, is entirely unacceptable." In the last two years the Daily Record has highlighted the growing problem of teacher attacks and youth violence as part of "Our Future Campaign." In June we reported how a pupil who left a teacher scarred for life in a savage attack walked free from court. Kieran Matthew, 18, dumped Carol Shaw head-first on a concrete floor at St Paul's Academy in Dundee and left her in a pool of blood. He then put his feet up on a desk and said: 'That stupid cow deserved it.' The city's sheriff court heard how Matthew, who has ADHD was being educated outside mainstream classes, lashed out after refusing to get changed alone. Matthew was told that the teacher attack merited 18 months in custody. However, he was instead put under social work supervision for three years and placed on a curfew for 12 months. In another incident in May, 2023 a teacher was left lying on the floor of a corridor at Taylor High School in Motherwell school corridor after he was allegedly attacked by a pupil. A 13-year-old male was later charged in connection with the incident. We also told that same month of how a Primary School teacher attacked in a classroom was left with a lifechanging disability and unable to hold his newborn baby. The man, who asked not to be named, said that staff were frightened to report violent attacks taking place in schools due to a "toxic culture of teacher blaming". Another teacher said they frequently struggle to deliver lessons due to constant disruption in the classroom. He said: "We have fire alarms being set off regularly, pupils running around corridors during class time, some causing disruption by coming into lessons they are not timetabled for or just defiantly not coming to their lesson at all."
The Star
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Cambodian ministries going digital with e-invoice platform
The exterior of the Ministry of Economy and Finance headquarters. - The Phnom Penh Post PHNOM PENH: The Royal Government of Cambodia, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has mandated that the budgetary units of six additional ministries will now employ electronic invoices (e-invoices) for public procurement expense payments. Suppliers issuing invoices to these ministries must also issue e-invoices. This directive is part of the second step of Phase 1 of Cambodia's Electronic Invoice System, as detailed in an official notice signed by finance minister Aun Pornmoniroth on July 14. According to the notice, the policy aligns with phase one of the seventh-mandate government's Pentagonal Strategy, Cambodia's Digital Economic and Social Policy Framework 2021–2035 and the Joint Action Plan of the Public Financial Management Reform Program (Phase 4). The finance ministry completed the development of the Cambodia e-Invoice System, which officially launched on January 22, 2025, with the first phase implemented within the finance ministry and the Ministry of Environment. To promote the adoption of e-invoices, the programme was expanded to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry Science Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Education Youth and Sport, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and Ministry of Civil Service, as of July 14. The Cambodia e-Invoice System is a government-managed IT platform for exchanging invoices electronically between sellers, service providers and service recipients. It authenticates and validates e-invoices officially, eliminating the need for printed copies. The system aims to Improve transparency and accountability in public financial management, support Phase 4 of the government's public financial reform programme, enhance tax compliance, promote sustainable development and prepare Cambodia for Asean digital economic integration. The MEF has issued several key implementation guidelines. The ministries may only accept e-invoices for public procurement-related expense payments. These must be sent electronically, validated and registered through the Cambodia e-Invoice System. They must notify suppliers to register and become members of the e-Invoice System if they have not already done so. The General Department of Digital Economy will operate the system, while the General Department of Budget and General Department of National Treasury will support implementation by verifying and integrating e-invoices into public financial management workflows. Chhin Ken, president of the Cambodia Digital Tech Association, told The Post on Tuesday (July 15) how e-invoicing is gaining global momentum, and noted that Cambodia is catching up. The system improves data tracking, streamlines financial workflows and enables both government and private sector institutions to better manage revenue and expenditure. 'This is a positive and modern reform. It helps business owners reduce paperwork and lets the government instantly access invoice data by entering codes into the system — a secure and efficient process that prevents fraud,' he said. He also encouraged business owners to embrace the change. 'As someone in the tech sector, I strongly encourage businesses to follow this directive. It will improve productivity, enhance operational efficiency and reduce issues faced by ministries, institutions, and companies alike,' he added. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
See - Sada Elbalad
03-06-2025
- General
- See - Sada Elbalad
Arab League Convenes Workshop on Internal Displacement, Impact on Children
Mohamed Mandour The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Social Affairs Sector – Family and Childhood Department), in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is convening a regional workshop on internal displacement and its impact on children in the Arab region via an online platform. The workshop is held within the framework of the Joint Action Plan between the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Social Affairs Sector – Family and Childhood Department) and UNHCR for the period 2024–2025, which seeks to strengthen collaborative efforts to address internal displacement and its multifaceted consequences. The workshop is bringing together representatives from relevant national mechanisms in member states responsible for issues of asylum and displacement, along with experts and specialists in the field of childhood in the Arab region. The agenda includes a range of thematic discussions aimed at deepening understanding of international and regional legal frameworks governing the protection of internally displaced persons, with particular attention to the specific vulnerabilities and needs of displaced children. The programme also explores proposed interventions to improve their humanitarian and legal conditions. In addition, the workshop is featuring interactive sessions designed to build the capacities of member state representatives by fostering dialogue, exchanging best practices, and enhancing skills to effectively respond to the protection and assistance needs of internally displaced populations. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Horrendous, no room for barbarity in democratic societies: Italy Dy PM Tajani on Pahalgam attack
Expressing concern over the 'horrendous' terrorist attack against tourists in Pahalgam, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has conveyed Italy's commitment against terrorism as 'unshakable' and willingness to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. On the rapport between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Tajani, in an interview to The Indian Express, said it is 'undoubtedly based on a good chemistry, and on a similar approach: the pursuit of the national interest without ideological prejudices'. He referenced the hashtag '#melodi' and said he viewed promising complementarities at the root of the close ties between Italy and India. The Italian Deputy PM, who visited India on April 11 and 12, also spoke about the deliverables in cooperation across sectors, including defence. India just witnessed a terrorist attack in J&K's Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed. What is your comment? I was struck by the horrendous terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam, targeting civilians, especially tourists. The Italian government and the whole country immediately expressed their closeness to the families of the victims, the people of India and your institutions. Italy's commitment against terrorism is firm and unshakable. This is also what PM Meloni conveyed to PM Modi in the conversation they had. We are ready to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. The principles of freedom and tolerance that uphold our democratic societies admit no room for barbarity. And this tragedy came just as the world was mourning the loss of Pope Francis. The Pontiff has also been a protagonist of international politics. What is his legacy and the message he leaves to world leaders? The importance of peace and the centrality of the human being. Until his last moment, in his last Easter homily, Pope Francis has continued to believe in and work for peace. He has always highlighted the suffering that war, all wars, inflict especially to the weakest ones, to women, to children. The message he leaves is that leading is serving. That the human being must remain at the centre, as he underscored at the Italian G7, talking about the potential but also the risks of artificial intelligence. As former President of the European Parliament, I also remember the importance he attached to the role Europe can play, especially in times of crisis. You just visited India. Let's talk about the bilateral relations: How are India and Italy proceeding on the roadmap agreed in November last year? My visit to Delhi was meant to give further impetus to many areas of cooperation identified in the Joint Action Plan signed by the two Prime Ministers only five months ago. Starting with political dialogue, of course. We focused also on economy – both trade and investments – space and defence, energy transition, culture, sport, science and technology. We put a special emphasis on innovation. My commitment is to strengthen and broaden our strategic partnership, also in the perspective of the IMEC initiative. The Indo-Mediterranean corridor is actually the contemporary version of the ancient trade route connecting Rome to India at the time of Emperor Augustus. Ours is a centuries-old friendship. What were the key takeaways from the visit? More than 700 delegates, almost 500 companies, over 400 B2B meetings. Italian companies announced new investments for 470 million euros. Governmental agencies – Investindia, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and SIMEST – signed an MOU to spur further investments. SIMEST, the joint stock company helping our enterprises grow abroad, opened an office in Delhi. It can now count on a 500 million euros line of financing dedicated to operations in India. Our export-credit agency SACE increased its 3 billion euros in guarantees for Indian buyers by additional 200 million euros. We will create 'Innovit Bangalore ', a centre to facilitate synergies between innovation ecosystems. We will propose an acceleration programme in India for start-ups. The business forum was such a success that we will repeat it soon. Together with Minister (Piyush) Goyal, we will deepen the economic dialogue in Brescia, near Milan, one of the most important industrial hubs in Italy. The Forum for Growth will involve companies from the two countries. Save the date: June 5th in Brescia. There were also some deliverables in the areas of science, sport and culture. We had a science dialogue between universities, research centres and Indian counterparts, including the best IIT, to explore complementarities in all the main scientific sectors. A Space Attache will be posted to our Embassy in Delhi and our governments will soon hold a bilateral space dialogue. A second Scientific Attache will also join the Italy team in India, operating from the Consulate General in Bengaluru. We have signed two agreements with your Ministry of Science. They will foster joint initiatives and mobility of researchers in key areas such as biomedical robotics, green energy, AI, quantum, and gene therapy, among others. I was pleased to highlight the great potential of further India-Italy dialogue in culture, sport, food and wine. Together with the Minister for External Affairs Dr Jaishankar, we unveiled Caravaggio's 'Magdalene in Ecstasy' at the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in Delhi – the first time ever in India for a giant of universal art like Caravaggio. I also inaugurated the 'Mosaic' exhibition at the Humayun's Tomb Museum: an immersive journey through 2000 years of history and a fascinating display of ancient Roman mosaics. 'Fabrica' is another exhibition, at Crafts Museum, showcasing craftsmanship and innovation in the Italian textile sector. And sport, which is a key part of our culture. We launched the 'Common goal' initiative'. It will take coaches from the Italian football league Serie A clubs to teach football to children from underprivileged backgrounds in several cities in India. We have a collaboration programme (in the opposite direction) also in cricket. We brought starred chefs to highlight the candidature of the Italian cuisine to the UNESCO patrimony. Finally, the main Italian news agency announced the opening of ANSA-India, a portal dedicated to your country, and decided to open a full-fledged office in Delhi. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor was launched during PM Meloni's visit for the G20 summit in 2023. What's the update on IMEC, and the impact of the conflict in the Middle East? IMEC is for us a strategic and visionary project. It will make a crucial contribution to strengthening Indo-Mediterranean connectivity and trade, enhancing exchanges, investments and data flows. But it can also have a positive impact on the peace process in the Middle East. We have just nominated a special envoy for IMEC: Ambassador Talo, former Diplomatic Advisor to Prime Minister Meloni. And I intend to convene a Foreign Ministers' meeting in Trieste engaging the countries along the IMEC corridor. Italy had long been a defence partner, how has the defence relationship progressed in the last few years? Over the last two years, we witnessed an increase in the number of port calls. We have had four ships of our Navy stationed at Indian docks since 2023 and one more is due to arrive soon. In December last year, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Urso visited Mumbai on the occasion of the port call of Nave Vespucci. In February this year, Undersecretary of Defence Perego was in Bengaluru for the AeroIndia defence fair. Direct contacts between defence companies are ongoing. The latest ones have unfolded at the Business Forum in Delhi and in the margins of the Joint Defence Committee in Rome, with the visit of your Secretary Defence. We intend to give continuity to this dynamic dialogue. Our Defence Minister also intends to visit India. The goal is to identify co-development and co-production projects, taking advantage of synergies between our defence industries. How do you see the US administration led by President Donald Trump's imposition of universal tariffs playing out in the world? We are not in favour of hasty reactions and escalation of measures. A trade war does not benefit anyone. This is our position within the EU, which has exclusive competence on tariffs and trade. Prime Minister Meloni's meeting with President Trump was a decisive step towards strengthening Italy's relationship with the US and resuming together a path of cooperation that will consolidate America's relations with all of Europe. The US is our ally and an indispensable partner. Our government is working for a concrete relaunch of relations with Washington. The issue of tariffs must be carefully addressed but without panic. We are convinced that the solution lies in negotiation and not in frontal opposition. market. How does the rapport between PMs Modi and Meloni impact the bilateral ties? The relationship between our leaders and governments is very good. It is undoubtedly based on a good chemistry, and on a similar approach: the pursuit of the national interest without ideological prejudices. Besides #melodi, at the root of the Italy-India close relationship I rather see structural and promising complementarities. We are both democracies, heirs to millenary-old civilisations. We are nations rich in culture and at the heart of a common region, the Indo-Mediterranean, set to become evermore integrated. Italy strongly supports the conclusion of the FTA. Especially nowadays, with high tariffs, the signature of the Agreement would be an important game changer for the cooperation between two important economic blocs like the EU and India, which can exploit all the unexpressed potential of their trade and industrial partnership. India is a strategic market for Italian companies and exports. But to reach the agreement, both sides need to show flexibility. Immigration is an issue in Italy, does that impact mobility of Indians to Italy? No, it does not. We precisely signed a bilateral agreement on mobility and migration with India to encourage the circulation of talent and avoid irregular migration, which benefits neither the countries of origin nor the countries of destination. In Italy, we host an important community of citizens of Indian origin, perfectly integrated in our economy and society. Our goal is to further improve the professional level of Indian integration of Indian talents, if they wish to come live and work in our country. The mobility agreement is the ideal tool to make it happen.
