Latest news with #SpecialEnvoy
National Post
17-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Canada's envoy for combatting antisemitism Deborah Lyons leaving post early
Canada's special official for fighting antisemitism announced on Thursday that she is retiring her post, three months before the end of her term. Article content Deborah Lyons served as Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism since October 2023, and was set to serve until this October. In a social media post announcing her departure she did not explain why she is leaving before then. Article content Article content Lyons did say that she is leaving 'with a heavy heart' and with some deep disappointments while also pointing to achievements including work with institutions like universities and polices to improve understanding of anti-Jewish hate. Article content Article content She said her office fought antisemitism 'with a vigour and passion not seen in many other countries,' and yet she leaves with concern over Canadians who feel they must pick a side when it comes to defending humanity. Article content 'Support to one community should never mean, or be interpreted as, minimizing another community. Our value of inclusivity has at its core our ability to hold the concerns of multiple communities, in our hearts and minds,' Lyons wrote. 'It was troubling in the last few years to see our lack of patience, lack of tolerance, and inability to reach out across the gulf to one another.' Article content She says there must be 'seamless co-operation amongst the three levels of government to combat hate' and joint efforts from business, education and faith sectors. Article content Article content On Monday, Lyons took the unconventional step of releasing a report about issues that fall squarely into provincial jurisdiction, urging Ontario school boards to take seriously incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry targeting students, after she commissioned a survey of Jewish parents with children in the province's schools. Article content Article content Lyons was the second person to hold the post of antisemitism envoy, following former attorney general Irwin Cotler who filled the role between 2020 and 2023. She is not Jewish, but served as Canada's ambassador to Israel between 2016 and 2020. Article content Global Affairs Canada has not yet replied to questions about when Lyons' replacement will be appointed. Article content
SBS Australia
10-07-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
PM says antisemitism is 'despicable', Special Envoy's plan is a basis to move forward
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called it a basis for moving forward. Combating not a new problem, he says, but one that remains insidious. "Antisemitism is an evil scourge and there is no place in Australia for antisemitism. The kind of hatred and violence that we've seen on our streets recently is despicable and it won't be tolerated. I want those responsible to face the full force of the law." Jillian Segal was appointed the Special Envoy on Antisemitism almost a year ago to the day. She's now calling for a national effort to address what she says is "one of the world's oldest hatreds". "The plan is grounded in Australian values - it's adaptive and it's adapted to our federal legal framework." Her plan to combat antisemitism warns that incidents have reached "deeply troubling levels" – surging by over 300 per cent. More than 2,000 cases were reported in the period between October 2023 and September 2024. "And that includes threats, vandalism, harassment and physical violence, we've seen cars being torched, synagogues being torched individuals Jews harassed and attacked. And that is completely unacceptable." In this last week alone, the Special Envoy highlighted an attempted arson attack on a Melbourne Synagogue as one such example, as well as the storming of an Israeli-owned restaurant by protesters. The group behind the action has disputed antisemitism was their motive. The Prime Minister says, regardless, there is no justification. "Whatever your issue in the Middle East - it is not advanced by attacking people here in Australia because of who they are, because of their faith, because of their identity." The report also identifies that "younger Australians are more likely than older Australians to hold antisemitic views". The Special Envoy's recommendations targeting areas across civil society from reviewing, and, where appropriate, strengthening anti-hate laws, education in schools, university reform, online regulation, and the role of public broadcasters. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry's Alex Ryvchin has backed the need for a wide-reaching response. "The fact that it is not merely something for the federal government, but it's across all society. The role of the government will be fundamental in this, in terms of both directly engaging the plan - implementing aspects of it, but also sending a clear message through society that this is the way forward and the expectation is that everyone will do their part." But others have expressed concern over the potential impact of the report's recommendations, if adopted. In a statement, the Jewish Council of Australia warned the plan risks undermining Australia's democratic freedoms, inflaming and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas. Executive Officer Dr Max Kaiser told SBS he believes the report is misguided and could lead to a far-reaching crackdown on the ability to criticise Israel. "I mean, this is straight out of the Trump playbook. This is mislocating the problem of antisemitism as being a problem of migrants, cultural institutions, universities, and by implication, the protest movement. And we think that that is not the source of antisemitism. There are serious issues with antisemitism in Australian society, but they can't be dealt with in isolation. They have to be dealt with as part of much broader efforts to tackle racism as a whole in Australian society." The Prime Minister says the recommendations will be carefully considered.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Zawya
XPress rolls out South Africa's first all-EV courier operation
A new courier service, XPress, has launched in Gauteng with a fleet made up entirely of electric vehicles — a first for South Africa. The company promises next-day deliveries for R99, and currently services Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Backed by decades of logistics experience XPress is a new venture by Special Envoy, a logistics provider with more than 40 years of experience transporting freight across the mining and industrial sectors in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. The new offering is designed to handle overnight deliveries for business and individual clients, with a focus on reliability, efficiency and sustainability. Built around electric vehicles from day one The company's delivery fleet currently consists of modified BYD Dolphin electric vehicles. Each unit has been customised for cargo by removing rear and passenger seats to create space similar to a panel van. According to co-owner Alex Staniland, the fleet offers a range of over 400km on a full charge, with the added benefit of lower running costs and a cleaner environmental footprint. Digital-first features and instant parcel collection In addition to real-time tracking through the XPress website, the service includes a 'Bring It' feature for on-the-spot parcel collection. This allows customers to scan a QR code to send packages instantly, without paperwork or traditional waybills. Expansion plans already underway Staniland says early traction has proven the business case, and there are already discussions to expand the service to Durban, Cape Town and Nelspruit. The company is also exploring the addition of smaller EVs, such as the BYD Seagull, for intra-city deliveries. A shift towards sustainable last-mile delivery With the rise of e-commerce and urban deliveries, XPress positions itself as a cleaner alternative to traditional courier fleets. The move also reflects a broader shift within the logistics industry towards electric vehicles — despite South Africa's slower EV adoption rate compared to global markets. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
LBCI
12-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Witkoff to meet Iranian FM on Sunday: Axios
Axios reported on Wednesday, citing a U.S. official, that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Muscat on Sunday to discuss Iran's response to the latest U.S. proposal. Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Asean mulls permanent envoy to Myanmar on 3-year term
Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur today. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : Asean foreign ministers are considering a proposal to appoint a permanent special envoy to handle the protracted Myanmar crisis, in a shift from the current practice of rotating the role annually among member states. Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said they had agreed to begin internal consultations on the proposal, which received broad support at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AFMM) here today. 'To us, every year we have to change the special envoy, then we have to start all over again and there's no end to it. 'So, we have agreed that we want to explore (this proposal) … and nobody said otherwise. 'And it's just a matter of who is going to be the permanent special envoy, well, maybe for a three-year term,' he told a press conference after chairing the meeting. Under existing arrangements, the special envoy is appointed by the Asean chair on a yearly basis. As chair for 2025, Malaysia has named Othman Hashim as the bloc's fifth envoy since the February 2021 military coup that plunged Myanmar into political and humanitarian turmoil. When asked about whether Asean's non-interference policy limited its ability to handle the civil war in Myanmar, Mohamad reiterated that the 'Asean way' does not seek to meddle in the internal affairs of its member states. However, he said the Myanmar crisis has spilled over to neighbouring countries. 'We now have to deal with transnational crime, money laundering via job scams, millions of people being displaced and a growing refugee crisis. 'Malaysia itself is dealing with 200,000 Rohingya refugees. 'We are not trying to meddle in their affairs, but this has become an Asean issue,' he said.
