Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau...

 

Removing barriers to build more homes, faster in Vaughan, Ontario

October 5, 2023
Vaughan, Ontario

Right now, in communities across the country, building the housing we need, especially affordable housing, is too hard. That’s why the federal government is working with municipalities to break down barriers and build more homes, faster so Canadians – from young families, to seniors, to newcomers – can find a place to call home, at a price they can afford.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the federal government has reached an agreement with the City of Vaughan, Ontario, to fast track over 1,700 new housing units and incentivize thousands of additional homes over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of more than 40,000 homes over the next decade and help meet the demand in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities.

IMF update

Dear MARIA, welcome to a special edition of the Weekend Read

Ahead of the Marrakech meetings, we spotlight the threat to global growth from deepening economic divergence, the importance of inflation expectations in managing slowing global growth, risks to commodity markets from fragmentation, policy challenges of balancing climate action with fiscal and political considerations, private finance and the climate transition in emerging economies, and we look forward to next week’s highlights.

Learn more about who attends the IMF's annual meetings, what happens, what events take place, and how to follow them in this factsheet.

FULL SCHEDULE




(Credit: IMF Photo)
Diverging Fortunes And Fragmentation Threaten Global Growth

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THW FEDERAl RESERVE SYSTEM, update

 

Federal Reserve Board finalizes a rule establishing capital requirements for insurers supervised by the Board https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20231006a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve Board announces minutes of the October 31-November 1 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee will be released at 2:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 21 https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20231006a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with One American Financial Corporation https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/enforcement20231005a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve Board launches Instagram and Threads accounts with the aim of increasing the accessibility and availability of Board news and educational content https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20231002a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System   Visit us on the web at Federal Reserve Board.

NATO update

NATO AWACS deploys to Lithuania


NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft have deployed to Lithuania to monitor the skies over eastern Europe.

The first of two E-3A AWACS planes arrived at Šiauliai Air Base on 28 September 2023, with another soon to follow. Often referred to as NATO’s ‘eyes in the sky’, the aircraft are among the few assets owned and operated by NATO itself. Based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, the planes can fly for up to eight and a half hours while monitoring more than 120,000 square kilometres of territory.

 

Νέα από το «Ξεκίνημα» Σύντροφοι και συντρόφισσες, φίλες και φίλοι σας στέλνουμε μερικά από τα άρθρα που έχουν δημοσιευτεί τις προηγούμενες μέρες στο site μας. 1 Νοέμβρη: NO PASARAN στην πανευρωπαϊκή συγκέντρωση των Ναζί! Διαβάστε περισσότερα Από τον Daniel στον Elias, τα έργα που δεν έγιναν και τα χριστουγεννιάτικα λαμπάκια Διαβάστε περισσότερα Η «Πόλη Ανάποδα» στη «Φάρμα των Ζώων» (Βίντεο) Διαβάστε περισσότερα Υπενθυμίζουμε ότι μπορείτε να  παρακολουθείτε τις νέες μας αναρτήσεις σε τακτική βάση κάνοντας like στην σελίδα μας στο facebook (facebook.com/xekinima) ή ακολουθώντας μας στο twitter (twitter.com/xekinima). Μπορείτε επίσης να γίνετε συνδρομητής/τρια στο «Ξεκίνημα» το οποίο να παραλαμβάνετε στο σπίτι σας κάθε δεύτερη βδομάδα, με 25 ευρώ για ένα χρόνο (πληρώνοντας το ποσό τμηματικά αν σας διευκολύνει). Μπορείτε να «μοιραστείτε» με τους φίλους σας όποιο από τα άρθρα του site μας σας ενδιαφέρει χρησιμοποιώντας τους συνδέσμους που θα βρείτε στο τέλος κάθε άρθρου.

The Doughboy Foundation,update

Toll the Bells of Peace in 2023

Dear maria,

Whether you are a former participant or just a friend, we invite you to join us for this growing Veterans Day kickoff tradition: the annual Bells of Peace Ceremony.

Initiated in 2018 to commemorate the WWI Armistice's 100th anniversary, this ceremony at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month honors all Americans who have served their nation and the cherished peace we enjoy because of their dedication and sacrifice.


LOCAL
Bells of Peace Ceremonies

Over the past 5 years, tens of thousands have kicked off Veterans Day with local Bells of Peace ceremonies.
Hold your own Bells of Peace ceremony to start Veterans Day.

Whether you are a Veteran's Family, or Veterans' Organization, a Church, a DAR chapter, a School, a City, County, Community, Museum, Historical Society, Chamber, Cemetery, Civic Organization or other, please register that you will be tolling the Bells of Peace and include your organization name, an image, or logo so that we can include it in the Participation Spotlight wall where we will feature participants, logo, and social media posts tagged with #BellsOfPeace.
REGISTER




Registered groups, families and organizations holding their own event can upload a picture or logo which will be presented on the Digital Participation Spotlight Wall.

We will feature participants' logos, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube social media posts tagged with #BellsOfPeace.


PARTICIPATION SPOTLIGHT



To support you in 2023, we have transformed the Bells of Peace mobile app into a WebApp available directly on your computer, tablet or smartphone through our website.

Hold up a smartphone or plug a computer into your PA system. Both work.


The WebApp offers a range of ceremony support features, including:Countdown timer for synchronized bell tolling at 11am local
Bell tolling options, including single peals and 21 bells
NEW Upcount timer to facilitate holding a "Moment of Silence"
NEW Ability to sound Taps for concluding your ceremony.
BELLS OF PEACE WEB APP

Join the National Ceremony at the WWI Memorial in DC: This Year We Honor "The Hello Girls"


In 2023, the national Bells of Peace ceremony is recognizing the valuable contributions of
"The Hello Girls."

These 217 bilingual women served as U.S. Army Signal Corps switchboard operators in WWI. Although their services were invaluable, it took until 1977 for them to receive the veteran status and benefits they were promised.

For Bells of Peace 2023, we Toll the Bells for them as we feature speakers, remembrances and special commemorations for these special veterans.

The "Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act" is now before Congress.

Join us in Person at the WWI Memorial

We welcome all DC-region locals to join us at the National WWI Memorial in person on November 11, 2023, starting at 10:30am Eastern. The Memorial is located on Pennsylvania Avenue between 14th and 15th Street NW, opposite the White House Visitor Center.

Join Us Online

If you are not in the DC region, please join us online as we live stream the ceremony on the Doughboy Foundation’s YouTube channel starting at 10:45am Eastern on 11/11.

We will be sending details to everyone who has registered their participation and/or interest.
Register Your Participation
The Doughboy Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit funded by philanthropic contributions. Our mission is to keep the story of WWI in the minds of all Americans, so that the 4.7 million who served in the Armed Forces, and how WWI changed America, will never be forgotten.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,latest

 

06/10/2023 | Article The Heads of State or Government lay the strategic foundations for the future of the EU and address its enlargement in the Granada declaration The informal meeting of Heads of State or Government held in Granada under the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU was a reflection on the measures necessary given the prospect of a possible enlargement of the EU. It also laid the foundations for the Strategic Agenda for the next legislative period.

05/10/2023 | Article Leaders of 50 European countries join forces in support of Ukraine at the European Political Community Summit in Granada The Heads of State or Government for around 50 European countries sent a message of unity against Russia and support for Ukraine in Granada, in the presence of Ukraine’s President, Volodymir Zelenski, who took part in the third European Political Community (EPC) Summit.

06/10/2023 | Press release The Granada declaration The heads of state or government of the European Union adopt the Granada declaration at the informal meeting held on October 6, within the framework of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Press material Saturday 7 October 2023

● Council of the EU   07/10/2023 17:24 | Press release | Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the attacks against Israel   The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the multiple and indiscriminate attacks across Israel by Hamas and deeply deplores the loss of lives. The EU calls for an immediate cessation of these senseless attacks and violence, which will only further increase tensions on the ground and seriously undermine Palestinian people’s aspirations for peace. The EU stands in solidarity with Israel which has the right to defend itself in line with international law, in the face of such violent and indiscriminate attacks. The EU recalls the importance of working towards a lasting and sustainable peace through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process. Press material Friday 6 October 2023   ● General Secretariat   06/10/2023 17:56 | Press release | Forward look: 9 - 22 October 2023   Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy), 9 October 2023 EU ministers for employment and social affairs will meet in Luxembourg to discuss the 2023 European Semester and the impact of new technologies on labour. They will aim to reach a political agreement on a recommendation on developing a supportive framework for the social economy. They will also seek to approve conclusions on mental health and precarious work, on equal access to adequate housing for Roma, and on social protection for the self-employed.

The Obama Foundation,update

 

About Our Programs The Center Discover Donate

Hi there, Today marks the final day of Banned Books Week, an annual event that champions the freedom to read diverse titles and prevent censorship.  Book bans in schools have been on the rise, with dozens of school districts in over 20 states across the country banning hundreds of books from use in classrooms and school libraries.  Teachers are often on the frontlines of working to keep a range of reading materials available to students and exposing their classrooms to diverse worldviews. We talked with two teachers, both of whom helped elect President Obama, about how the rise in objections to certain types of books threatens our students’ education and our democracy as a whole.  Read on to hear about their experiences and get some ideas of how you can get involved, then share your own book recommendations here.  Keith Ferguson Keith Ferguson is a high school Social Studies teacher in Colorado. Before returning to his hometown and becoming an educator, he worked on both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns and served in the Department of Education.  As a Social Studies teacher, he views the issue of banned books as a threat to our democracy and our ability to understand the vast world around us. Some of the books that have been critical in helping Keith and his students understand lives other than their own are currently being challenged in districts across the country.  When he was a teenager, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou had a profound impact on him. Even though his life experience was completely different from Angelou’s, he found many points of similarity to relate to. As a teacher, Keith’s seen the way that books can open up his students’ world, too.  Two of the books many of his students have responded to the most are Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. These books, which he’s noticed students discuss long after they’re read in class, are also being challenged in pockets of the country.   In addition to reading and championing titles like these that expose students to lives unlike their own, Keith suggests communities where books are threatened should come up with other ways to disseminate these texts.  Benjamin Just Benjamin Just worked on President Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012 and now teaches English and History to sixth graders in western Massachusetts.  After seeing the influx of book bans in districts nationwide, Benjamin views those who try to censor books as people who don’t want to be challenged or have difficult conversations, who think that if we ignore difficult subjects, they’ll disappear.  But, as he puts it, “the world is a tremendously large and vibrant place” and if you don’t read about experiences other than your own, you’ve not even scratched the surface of what the world around you has to offer.  One of the books he recommends to young people and adults alike in order to broaden their horizons is The Giver by Lois Lowry, as it goes to the heart of looking at different ways to structure the world.  Benjamin also recommends reading about religions and mythology from around the world because reading other peoples’ stories is a powerful way to understand how those different from us think about and view the world.  Get Involved Now, we want to hear from you! Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or just a concerned citizen, we can all do our part to protect the flow of information in our democracy.  We’d love to know if you recommend a book that is commonly banned, if there’s one on your reading list, or if there’s another way you’re recognizing Banned Books Week this year.  Click here to share, we’re looking forward to reading your responses.  Thanks for taking the time to recognize banned books with us.  –The Obama Foundation DONATE NOW

ⓒ 2023 Obama Foundation