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Arbitrators and counsel can use artificial intelligence to improve service quality and lessen work burden, but they also must deal with the ethical and professional implications. In this episode, Rebeca Mosquera, a Reed Smith associate and president of ArbitralWomen, interviews Benjamin Malek, a partner at T.H.E. Chambers and former chair of the Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center AI Task Force. They reveal insights and experiences on the current and future applications of AI in arbitration, the potential risks of bias and transparency, and the best practices and guidelines for the responsible integration of AI into dispute resolution. The duo discusses how AI is reshaping arbitration and what it means for arbitrators, counsel and parties. ----more---- Transcript: Intro: Hello, and welcome to Tech Law Talks, a podcast brought to you by Reed Smith's Emerging Technologies Group. In each episode of this podcast, we will discuss cutting-edge issues on technology, data, and the law. We will provide practical observations on a wide variety of technology and data topics to give you quick and actionable tips to address the issues you are dealing with every day.  Rebeca: Welcome to Tech Law Talks and our series on AI. My name is Rebeca Mosquera. I am an attorney with Reed Smith in New York focusing on international arbitration. Today we focus on AI in arbitration. How artificial intelligence is reshaping dispute resolution and the legal profession. Joining me is Benjamin Malek, a partner at THE Chambers and chair of the Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center AI Task Force. Ben has extensive experience in commercial and investor state arbitration and is at the forefront of AI governance in arbitration. He has worked at leading institutions and law firms, advising on the responsible integration of AI into dispute resolution. He's also founder and CEO of LexArb, an AI-driven case management software. Ben, welcome to Tech Law Talks.  Benjamin: Thank you, Rebeca, for having me.  Rebeca: Well, let's dive in into our questions today. So artificial intelligence is often misunderstood, or put it in other words, there is a lot of misconceptions surrounding AI. How would you define AI in arbitration? And why is it important to look beyond just generative AI?  Benjamin: Yes, thank you so much for having me. AI in arbitration has existed for many years now, But it hasn't been until the rise of generative AI that big question marks have started to arise. And that is mainly because generative AI creates or generates AI output, whereas up until now, it was a relatively mild output. I'll give you one example. Looking for an email in your inbox, that requires a certain amount of AI. Your spellcheck in Word has AI, and it has been used for many years without raising any eyebrows. It hasn't been until ChatGPT has really given an AI tool to the masses that question started arising. What can it do? Will attorneys still be held accountable? Will AI start drafting for them? What will happen? And it's that fear that started generating all this talk about AI. Now, to your question on looking beyond generative AI, I think that is a very important point. In my function as the chair of the SAMC AI Task Force, while we were drafting the guidelines on the use of AI, one of the proposals was to call it use of generative AI in arbitration. And I'm very happy that we stood firm and said no, because there's many forms of AI that will arise over the years. Now we're talking about predictive AI, but there are many AI forms such as predictive AI, NLP, automations, and more. And we use it not only in generating text per se, but we're using it in legal research, in case prediction to a certain extent. Whoever has used LexisNexis, they're using a new tool now where AI is leveraged to predict certain outcomes, document automation, procedural management, and more. So understanding AI as a whole is crucial for responsible adoption.  Rebeca: That's interesting. So you're saying, obviously, that AI and arbitration is more than just chat GPT, right? I think that the reason why people think that and relies on maybe, as we'll see in some of the questions I have for you, that people may rely on chat GPT because it sounds normal. It sounds like another person texting you, providing you with a lot of information. And sometimes we just, you know, people, I can understand or I can see why people might believe that that's the correct outcome. And you've given examples of how AI is already being used and that people might not realize it. So all of that is very interesting. Now, tell me, as chair of the SVAMC AI Task Force, you've led significant initiatives in AI governance, right? What motivated the creation of the SVAMC AI guidelines? And what are their key objectives? And before you dive into that, though, I want to take a moment to congratulate you and the rest of the task force on being nominated once again for the GAR Awards, which will be unveiled during Paris Arbitration Week in April of this year. That's an incredible achievement. And I really hope you'll take pride in the impact of your work and the well-deserved recognition it continues to receive. So good luck to you and the rest of the team.  Benjamin: Thank you, Rebeca. Thank you so much. It really means a lot, and it also reinforces the importance of our work, seeing that we're nominated not only once last year for the GAR Award, but second year in a row. I will be blunt, I haven't kept track of many nominations, but I think it may be one of the first years where one initiative gets nominated twice, one year after the other. So that in itself for us is worth priding ourselves with. And it may potentially even be more than an award itself. It really, it's a testament to the work we have provided. So what led to the creation of the SVAMC AI guidelines? It's a very straightforward and to a certain extent, a little boring answer as of now, because we've heard it so many times. But the crux was Mata versus Avianca. I'm not going to dive into the case. I think most of us have heard it. Who hasn't? There's many sources to find out about it. The idea being that in a court case, an attorney used Chad GPT, used the outcome without verifying it, and it caused a lot of backlash, not only from opposing party, but also being chastised by the judge. Now when I saw that case, and I saw the outcome, and I saw that there were several tangential cases throughout the U.S. And worldwide, I realized that it was only a question of time until something like this could potentially happen in arbitration. So I got on a call with my dear friend Gary Benton at the SVAMC, and I told him that I really think that this is the moment for the Silicon Valley Arbitration Mediation Center, an institution that is heavily invested in tech to shine. So I took it upon myself to say, give me 12 months and I'll come up with guidelines. So up until now at the SVAMC, there are a lot of think tank-like groups discussing many interesting subjects. But the SVAMC scope, especially AI related, was to have something that produces something tangible. So the guidelines to me were intuitive. It was, I will be honest, I don't think I was the only one. I might have just been the first mover, but there we were. We created the idea. It was vetted by the board. And we came up first with the task force, then with the guidelines. And there's a lot more to come. And I'll leave it there.  Rebeca: Well, that's very interesting. And I just wanted to mention or just kind of draw from, you mentioned the Mata case. And you explained a bit about what happened in that case. And I think that was, what, 2023? Is that right? 2022, 2023, right? And so, but just recently we had another one, right? In the federal courts of Wyoming. And I think about two days ago, the order came out from the judge and the attorneys involved were fined about $15,000 because of hallucinations on the case law that they cited to the court. So, you know I see that happening anyway. And this is a major law firm that we're talking about here in the U.S. So it's interesting how we still don't learn, I guess. That would be my take on that.  Benjamin: I mean, I will say this. Learning is a relative term because learning, you need to also fail. You need to make mistakes to learn. I guess the crux and the difference is that up until now, at any law firm or anyone working in law would never entrust a first-year associate, a summer associate, a paralegal to draft arguments or to draft certain parts of a pleading by themselves without supervision. However, now, given that AI sounds sophisticated, because it has unlimited access to words and dictionaries, people assume that it is right. And that is where the problem starts. So I am obviously, personally, I am no one to judge a case, no one to say what to do. And in my capacity of the chair of the SVAMC AI task force, we also take a backseat saying these are soft law guidelines. However, submitting documents with information that has not been verified has, in my opinion, very little to do with AI. It has something to do with ethical duty and candor. And that is something that, in my opinion, if a court wants to fine attorneys, they're more welcome to do so. But that is something that should definitely be referred to the Bar Association to take measures. But again, these are my two cents as a citizen.  Rebeca: No, very good. Very good. So, you know, drawing from that point as well, and because of the cautionary tales we hear about surrounding these cases and many others that we've heard, many see AI as a double-edged sword, right? On the one hand, offering efficiency gains while raising concerns about bias and procedural fairness. What do you see as the biggest risk and benefits of AI in arbitration?  Benjamin: So it's an interesting question. To a certain extent, we tried to address many of the risks in the AI guidelines. Whoever hasn't looked at the guidelines yet, I highly suggest you take a look at them they're available on svamc.org I'm sure that they're widely available on other databases Jus Mundi has it as well. I invite everyone to take a look at it. There are several challenges. We don't believe that those challenges would justify not using it. To name a few, we have bias. We have lack of transparency. We also have the issue of over-reliance, which is the one we were talking about just a minute ago, where it seems so sophisticated that we as human beings, having worked in the field, cannot conceive how such an eloquent answer is anything but true. So there's a black box problem and so many others, but quite frankly, there are so many benefits that come with it. AI is an unlimited knowledge tool that we can use. As of now, AI is what we know it is. It has hallucinations. It does have some bias. There is this black box problem. Where does it come from? Why? What's the source? But quite frankly, if we are able to triage the issues and to really look at what are the advantages and what is it we want to get out of it, and I'll give you a brief example. Let's say you're drafting an RFA. If you know the case, you know the parties, and you know every aspect of the case, AI can draft everything head to toe. You will always be able to tell what is from the case and what's not from the case. If we over-rely on AI and we allow it to draft without verifying all the facts, without making sure we know the transcript inside and out, without knowing the facts of the case, then we will always run into certain issues. Another issue we run into a lot with predictive AI is relying on data that exists. So compared to generative AI, predictive AI is taking data that already exists and predicting another outcome. So there's a lesser likelihood of hallucinations. The issue with that is, of course, bias. Just a brief example, you're the president of Arbitral Women, so you will definitely understand. It has only been in the last 30 years that women had more of a presence in arbitration, specifically sitting as an arbitrator. So if we rely on data that goes beyond those 30, 40, 50 years, there's going to be a lot of male decisions having been taken. Potentially even laws that applied back then that were not very gender neutral. So we need, we as people, need to triage and understand where is the good information, where is information that may have bias and counterbalance it. As of now, we will need to counterbalance it manually. However, as I always say, we've only seen a grain of salt of what AI can do. So as time progresses, the challenges, as you mentioned, will become lesser and lesser and lesser. And the knowledge that AI has will become wider and wider. As of now, especially in arbitration, we are really taking advantage of the fact that there is still scarcity of knowledge. But it is really just a question of time until AI picks up. So we need to get a better understanding of what is it we can do to leverage AI to make ourselves indispensable.  Rebeca: No, that's very interesting, Ben. And as you mentioned, yes, as president of ArbitralWomen, the word bias is something I pay close attention. You know, we're talking about bias. You mentioned bias. And we all have conscious or unconscious biases, right? And so you mentioned that about laws that were passed in the past where potentially there was not a lot of input from women or other members of our society. Do you think AI can be trained then to be truly neutral or will bias always be a challenge?  Benjamin: I wish I had the right answer. I think, I actually truly believe that bias is a very relative term. And in certain societies, bias has a very firm and black and white standing, whereas in other societies, it does not. Especially in international arbitration, where we not only deal with cross-border disputes, but different cultures, different laws, laws of the seats, laws of the contract. I think it's very hard to point out one set of bias that we will combat or that we will set as principle for everything. I think ultimately what ensures that there is always human oversight in the use of AI, especially in arbitration, are exactly these type of issues. So we can, of course, try to combat bias and gender bias and others. But I don't think it is as easy as we say, because even nowadays, in normal proceedings, we are still dealing with bias on a human level. So I think we cannot ask from machines to be less biased than we as humans are.  Rebeca: Let me pivot here a bit. And, you know, earlier, we mentioned the GAR Awards. And now I'd like to shift our focus to the recent GAR Life on Technology that took place here in New York last week on February 20th. And to give our audience, you know, some context. GAR stands for Global Arbitration Review, a widely read journal that not only ranks international arbitration practices at law firms worldwide, but also, among other things, organizes live conferences on cutting-edge topics in arbitration across the globe. So I know you were a speaker at GAR Live, and there was an important discussion about distinguishing generative AI, predictive AI, and other AI applications. How do these different AI technologies impact arbitration, and how do the SVAMC guidelines address them?  Benjamin: I was truly honored to speak at the GAR Live event in New York, and I think the fact that I was invited to speak on AI as a testament on how important AI is and how widely interested the community is in the use of AI, which is very different to 2023 when we were drafting the guidelines on the use of AI. I think it is important to understand that ultimately, everything in arbitration, specifically in arbitration, needs human oversight. But in using AI in arbitration, I think we need to differentiate on how the use of AI is different in arbitration versus other parts of the law, and specifically how it is different in arbitration compared to how we would use it on a day-to-day basis. In arbitration specifically, arbitrators are still responsible for a personal or arbitrators are given a personal mandate that is very different to how law works in general. Where you have a lot of judges that let their assistants draft parts of the decision, parts of the order. Arbitration is a little different, and that for a reason. Specifically in international arbitration, because there are certain sensitivities when it comes to local law, when it comes to an international standard and local standards. Arbitrators are held to a higher standard. Using AI as an arbitrator, for example, which could technically be put at the same level as using a tribunal secretary, has its limits. So I think that AI can be used in many aspects, from drafting for attorneys, for counsel, when it comes to helping prepare graphs, when it comes to preparing documents, accumulating documents, etc., etc. But it does have its limits when it comes to arbitrators using it. As we have tried to reiterate in the guidelines, arbitrators need to be very conscious of where their personal mandate starts and ends. In other words, our recommendation, again, we are soft law guidelines, our recommendation to arbitrators are to not use AI when it comes to any decision-making process. What does that mean? We don't know. And neither does the law. And every jurisdiction has their own definition of what that means. It is up for the arbitrator to define what a decision-making process is and to decide of whether the use of AI in that process is adequate.  Rebeca: Thank you so much, Ben. I want to now kind of pivot, since we've been talking a little bit more about the guidelines, I want to ask you a few questions about them. So they were created with a global perspective, right? And so what initiatives is the AI task force pursuing to ensure the guidelines remain relevant worldwide? You've been talking about different legal systems and local laws and how practitioners or certain regulations within certain jurisdictions might treat certain things differently. So what is the AI task force doing to remain relevant, to maybe create some sort of uniformity? So what can you tell me about that?  Benjamin: So we at the SVAMC task force, we continue to gather feedback, of course, And we're looking for global adaptation. We will continue to work closely with practitioners, with institutions, with lawmakers, with government, to ensure that when it comes to arbitration, AI is given a space, it's used adequately, and if possible, of course, and preferential to us, the SVAMC AI guidelines are used. That's why they were drafted, to be used. When we presented the guidelines to different committees and to different law sections and bar associations, it struck us that jurisdictions such as the U.S., and more specifically in New York, where both you and I are based, the community was not very open to receiving these guidelines as guidelines. And the suggestion was actually made to creating a white paper, And as much as it seemed to be a shutdown at an early stage, when we were thinking about it, and I was very blessed to have seven additional members in the Guidelines Drafting Committee, seven very bright individual members that I learned a lot from during this process. It was clear to us that jurisdictions such as New York have a very high ethical standard, and where guidelines such as our guidelines would potentially be seen as doubling ethical rules. So although we advocate for them not being ethical guidelines whatsoever, because we don't believe they are, we strongly suggest that local and international ethical standards are being upheld. So with that in mind, we realize that there is more to a global aspect that needs to be addressed rather than an aspect of law associations in the US or in the UK or now in Europe. Up-and-coming jurisdictions that up until now did not have a lot of exposure to artificial intelligence and maybe even technology as a whole are rising. And they may need more guidance than jurisdictions where technology may be an instinct away. So what the AI task force has created. And is continuing to recruit for, are regional committees for the AI Task Force, tracking AI usage in different legal systems and different jurisdictions. Our goal is to track AI-related legislation and its potential impact on arbitration. These regional committees will also provide jurisdiction-specific insights to refine the guidelines. And hopefully, or this is what we anticipate, these regional committees will help bridge the gap between AI's global development and local legal framework. There will be a dialogue. We will continue, obviously, to be present at conferences, to have open dialogue, and to recruit, of course, for these committees. But the next step is definitely to focus on these regional committees and to see how we, as the AI task force of the Silicon Valley Arbitration Mediation Center, can impact the use of AI in arbitration worldwide.  Rebeca: Well, that's very interesting. So you're utilizing committees in different jurisdictions to keep you appraised of what's happening in each jurisdiction. And then with that, continue, you know, somehow evolving the guidelines and gathering information to see how this field, you know, it's changing rapidly.  Benjamin: Absolutely. Initially, we were thinking of just having a small local committee to analyze different jurisdictions and what laws and what court cases, etc. But we soon came to realize that it's much more than tracking judicial decisions. We need people on the ground that are part of a jurisdiction, part of that local law, to tell us how AI impacts their day-to-day, how it may differ from yesterday to tomorrow, and what potential legislation will be enacted to either allow or disallow the use of certain AI.  Rebeca: That's very interesting. I think it's something that will keep the guidelines up to date and relevant for a long time. So kudos to you, the SVAMC and the task force. Now, I know that the guidelines are a very short paper, you know, and then in the back you have the commentary on them. So I want to, I'm not going to dissect all of the guidelines, but I want to come and talk about one of them in particular that I think created a lot of discussion around the guidelines itself. So for full disclosure, right, I was part of the reviewing committee of the AI guidelines. And I remember that one of the most debated aspects of the SVAMC AI guidelines is guideline three on disclosure, right? So should arbitrators and counsel disclose their AI use in proceedings? So I think that that has generated a lot of debates. And that's the reason why we have the resulting guideline number three, the way it is drafted. So can you give us a little bit more of insight what happened there?  Benjamin: Absolutely. I'd love to. Guideline three was very controversial from the get-go. We initially had two options. We had a two-pronged test that parties would either satisfy or not, and then disclosure was necessary. And then we had another option that the community could vote on where it was up to the parties to decide whether their AI-aided submission could impact the outcome of the case. And depending on that, they would disclose or not disclose whether AI was used. Quite frankly, that was a debate we had in 2023, and a lot changed from November 2023 until April, when we finally published the first version of the AI guidelines. A lot of courts have implemented an obligatory disclosure. I think people have also gotten more comfortable with using AI on a day-to-day. And we ultimately came to the conclusion to opt for a flexible disclosure approach, which can now be found in the guidelines. The reason for that was relatively simple, or relatively simple to us who debated that. Having a disclosure obligation of the use of AI will very easily become inefficient for two reasons. A blanket disclosure for the use of AI serves nobody. It really boils down to one question, which is, if the judge, or in our case in arbitration, if the arbitrator or tribunal knows that AI was used for a certain document, now what? How does that knowledge transform into action? And how does that knowledge lead to a different outcome? And in our analysis, it turned out that a blanket disclosure of AI usage, or in general, an over-disclosure of the use of AI in arbitration, may actually lead to adverse consequences for the parties who make the disclosure. Why? Because not knowing how AI can impact these submissions causes arbitrators not to know what to do with that disclosure. So ultimately, it's really up to the parties to decide, how was AI used? How can it impact the case? What is it I want to disclose? How do I disclose? It's also important for the arbitrators to understand, what do I do with the disclosure before saying, everything needs to be disclosed. During the GAR event in New York, the issue was raised whether documents which were prepared with the use of AI should be disclosed or whether there should be a blanket disclosure. And quite frankly, the debate went back and forth, but ultimately it comes down to cross-examination. It comes down to the expert or the party submitting the document, being able to back up where the information comes from rather than knowing that AI was used. And if you put that in aspect, we received a very interesting question of why we should continue using AI, knowing that approximately 30% of its output are hallucinations and it needs revamping. This was compared to a summer associate or a first-year associate, and the question was very simple. If I have a first-year associate or a summer associate whose output has a 30% error rate, why would I continue using that associate? And quite frankly, there is merit to the question, and it really has a very simple answer. And the answer is time and money. Using AI makes it much faster to receive using AI makes it faster to receive output than using a first year associate or summer associate and it's way cheaper. For that, it's worth having a 30% error margin. I don't know where they got the 30% from, but we just went along with it.  Rebeca: I was about to ask you where they get the 30%. And well, I think that for first-year associates or summer associates that are listening, I think that the main thing will be for them to then become very savvy in the use of AI so they can become relevant to the practice. I think everyone, you know, there's always that question about whether AI will replace all of us, the entire world, and we'll go into machine apocalypses. I don't see it that way. In my view, I see that if we, you know, if we train ourselves, if we're not afraid of using the tool, we'll very much be in a position to pivot and understand how to use it. And when you have, what is the saying, garbage in, garbage out. So if you have a bad input, you will have a bad output. You need to know the case. You need to know your documents to understand whether the machine is hallucinating or giving you, you know, an information that is not real. I like to play and ask certain questions to chat GPT, you know, here and there. And sometimes I, you know, I ask obviously things that I know the answer to. And then I'm like, chat GPT, this is not accurate. Can you check on this? And he's like, oh, thank you for correcting me. I mean, and it's just a way of, you got to try and understand it so you know where to make improvements. But that doesn't mean that the tool, because it's a tool, will come and replace, you know, your better judgment as a professional, as an attorney.  Benjamin: Absolutely. One of the things we say is it is a tool. It does nothing out of its own volition. So what you're saying is 100% right. This is what the SVAMC AI guidelines stand for. Practitioners need to accustom themselves on proper use of AI. AI can be used from paid versions to unpaid versions. We just need to understand what is an open source AI, what is a close circuit AI. Again, for whoever's listening, feel free to look up the guidelines. There's a lot of information there. There's tons of articles written at this point. And just be very mindful of if there is an open AI system, such as an unpaid chat GPT version. It does not mean you cannot use it. First, check with your firm to make sure you're allowed to use it. I don't want to get into any trouble.  Rebeca: Well, we don't want to put confidential information on an open AI platform.  Benjamin: Exactly. Once the firm or your colleagues allow you to use ChatGPT, even if it's an open version, just be very smart about what it is you're putting in. No confidential information, no potential conflict check, no potential cases. Just be smart about what it is you put in. Another aspect we were actually debating about is this hallucination. Just an example, let's say you say this is an ISDS case, so we're talking a little more public, and you ask Chad GPT, hey, show me all the cases against Costa Rica. And it hallucinates, too. It might actually be that somebody input information for a potential case against Costa Rica or a theoretical case against Costa Rica, Chad GPT being on the open end, takes that as one potential case. So just be very smart. Be diligent, but also don't be afraid of using it.  Rebeca: That's a great note to end on. AI is here to stay. And as legal professionals, it's up to us to ensure it serves the interests of justice, fairness, and efficiency. And for those interested in learning more about the SVAMC AI guidelines, you can find them online at svamc.org and search for guidelines. I tried it myself and you will go directly to the guidelines. And if you like to stay updated on developments in AI and arbitration, be sure to follow Tech Law Talks and join us for future episodes where we'll continue exploring the intersection of law and technology. Ben, thank you again for joining me today. It's been a great pleasure. And thank you to our listeners for tuning in.  Benjamin: Thank you so much, Rebeca, for having me and Tech Law Talks for the opportunity to be here.  Outro: Tech Law Talks is a Reed Smith production. Our producers are Ali McCardell and Shannon Ryan. For more information about Reed Smith's Emerging Technologies Practice, please email techlawtalks@reedsmith.com. You can find our podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, reedsmith.com, and our social media accounts.  Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to suggest or establish standards of care applicable to particular lawyers in any given situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Any views, opinions, or comments made by any external guest speaker are not to be attributed to Reed Smith LLP or its individual lawyers.  All rights reserved. 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It is becoming common for the fossil fuel industry to sue governments that attempt to decarbonise over “lost future profits.” They do so via an obscure part of international law called international-state dispute settlements (ISDS) that can allow them to extract billions in public money. Alasdair speaks to Eunjung Lee, a senior policy advisor at think tank E3G. The two discuss how ISDS began, how the international treaties came to being predatory, and what measures countries should take to prevent the exploitation of the claims.  Eunjung Lee is a senior policy advisor at think tank E3G and is the lead investigator of international investment governance. She previously served as a South Korean diplomat and has worked in the Korean embassy in London. Further reading:  Investment treaties are undermining the global energy transition  - E3G The climate crisis requires a new approach to international investment treaties - E3G The Energy Charter Treaty remains the most dangerous investment treaty to the energy transition - E3G Clean investments shun Investor-State Dispute Settlements - E3G  Investor-state disputes threaten the global green energy transition | Science “Shocking and sad”: how corporations use investment agreements to block decarbonisation in the Global South - Land and Climate Review  How Exxon is using international law to sue the Dutch government   Click here to read our investigation into the UK biomass supply chain, or watch a clip from the BBC Newsnight documentary.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Abbott says we'll pass school choice without the big handout, offered last time, to the ISD bureaucracies. The governor points out that when offered billions last time around the ISDs wouldn't play ball so too bad. But the real reason we should not hand more big money to the administrative machines of government school districts is the continued failure of those schools to deliver good results: Texas Students' Test Scores Shrink as Spending Grows.Meanwhile, Democrats keep talking about “billionaires” instead of parents and students. Also, they maintain their position that students in really bad schools should continue to be captive to such with no real alternative.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas sales tax receipts come in much stronger than last month.Texas Secretary of State Office of Elections decertifies E-Pollbook system from ES&S.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

This week, the hosts dive into the chaotic world of political absurdities, touching on everything from Trump's bizarre claims about Chinese soldiers in Panama to the questionable credibility of various political figures. They explore the implications of ISDS clauses in trade agreements, highlighting Clive Palmer's alarming attempts to cash in on them, which could cost Australia billions. The conversation also veers into the realm of media bias, particularly how coverage of disasters in California often eclipses tragedies occurring elsewhere, especially when wealthy individuals are affected. With irreverent humor, they dissect the strange dynamics of modern politics, including the oddities surrounding Donald Trump's family and the chilling parallels drawn with authoritarian regimes. Expect a mix of satire and critical analysis as they navigate the latest headlines and their impact on global affairs.Topics:To financially support the Podcast you can make:a per-episode donation via Patreon or one-off donation via credit card; orone-off or regular donations via Paypal orif you are into Cryptocurrency you can send Satoshis. We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.You can sign up for our newsletter, which links to articles that Trevor has highlighted as potentially interesting and that may be discussed on the podcast. You will get 3 emails per week. After the fiasco mentioned in episode 454 I can't use Mailchimp anymore so for the moment, send me an email and I'll add you to a temporary list until something more automated is arranged.We have a website. www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.auYou can email us. The address is trevor@ironfistvelvetglove.com.auYou can send us a voicemail message at SpeakpipeTranscripts started in episode 324. You can use this link to search our transcripts. Type "iron fist velvet glove" into the search directory, click on our podcast and then do a word search. It even has a player which will play the relevant section. It is incredibly quick.

In this episode of the Just Schools Podcast, Jon Eckert interviews Dustin Benac, co-founder of Baylor's Program for the Future Church. They discuss the connection between schools, churches, and communities in fostering flourishing environments. Benac shares insights on leadership that moves at the speed of trust, the power of belonging, and the importance of taking strategic risks. The conversation also highlights how collaboration and shared language can drive meaningful connections and create spaces where individuals and institutions thrive together. The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work. Be encouraged. Books Mentioned: Adaptive Church by Dustin D. Benac Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides by Geoffrey L. Cohen Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Connect with us: Baylor MA in School Leadership EdD in K-12 Educational Leadership Jon Eckert LinkedIn Twitter: @eckertjon Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl   Transcript: Jon: Welcome back to the Just Schools podcast. Today we are here with Dustin Benac. Excited to have him here. He's a little different kind of guest than we usually have, so we're going to start with Dustin telling us a little bit what he does here at Baylor, and then we'll get into how it connects to what we do as educators. Dustin, welcome in. Dustin Benac: Thanks Jon. Thrilled to be here. Love what you guys do in the School of Ed. Jon: Can you tell us a little bit about what you do here at Baylor? We overlap some because we're interested in leadership, we're interested in education and institutions, but can you talk a little bit about what you do here? Dustin Benac: Absolutely. I am the director and co-founder of the Program for the Future Church. We are a research, resource and relationship hub that's devoted to engaging the complex and emerging challenges between current and emerging Christian leaders. We do that through curriculum. We do that through convenings or gatherings, and we do that through contextual research. And one of the things that we're seeing is that even as the church and our communities are changing in incredible and dramatic ways, there is a remarkable future and we're committed to supporting that and pursuing that together. Jon: Love that. My question for you, obviously we care deeply about the church. That's one of the primary institutions that really supports what goes on in our country and around the world. And we have the global flourishing study that's a partnership of Harvard and Baylor, looking at what flourishing looks like, and certainly churches and faith are a big part of that, but another big part of it is schools. Where do you see K-12 schools fitting into the work that you're doing? Dustin Benac: I think they are an essential aspect of the flourishing of our communities and the flourishing of churches. Because one of the things we see is that the faith formation of people who inhabit churches, particularly inhabit churches over their life course emerges in those first 10 to 12 years. That certainly happens in families, but that also happens in spaces well beyond families. Sunday school classrooms, camps, schools, after school programs, baseball fields, athletic fields, gyms, art rooms, all of those are spaces where people are being formed. And a flourishing church, particularly a flourishing future church requires flourishing generations. And then secondly, it requires connections across different communities of faith. We think about our work happening at the level of the system or the ecology where we think communities need thriving congregations. They also need thriving schools, they need thriving nonprofit sectors, they need thriving entrepreneurs and the health of those realities, those sectors will only contribute to the thriving of the local church. Jon: A lot of that focus on community because we don't do any of these things in isolation. And so as educators, we have this great role of walking alongside people as they become more of who they're created to be as we become more of who we're created to be in the work that we do as we are formed. My question for you especially is your vantage point largely focused on the church, but also then looking at the ecology, as you use your term, which I love that term as well. What does a healthy school look like in your opinion, either currently or in the future, or maybe those are the same thing, but what's it look like to you? Dustin Benac: I think there are several markers of a healthy school. One, I think healthy schools require healthy leadership, and that's one of the reasons I appreciate the work you and your colleagues do is you all are equipping, resourcing and engaging healthy leaders and supporting healthy leaders across the country. That's the first thing. I think the second thing is a connection to and commitment to place. One of the things I love about education is it's one of the increasingly few institutions that still have a geographic designation. We have ISDs that are connected to particular places. And schools are places that bring people from their surrounding community to a shared gathering. Third, I think healthy schools require a healthy balance of diversity and similarity. You have to have something that you have in common, which I think is the education of our children. And you also have to have environments where people gather around and from the various differences and particularities that they bring to these spaces. Third, you've got to have matters of trust, justice, equity. Schools are only as strong as the virtues that carry them, and our leaders are only as strong as the virtues that they possess, so you've got to have schools that are marked by integrity. And fifth and finally, I think a healthy school requires a hopeful vision for the future. We can't have a hopeful vision for our children if the leaders and the communities don't have a hopeful vision for the future. Jon: The country right now is somewhat polarized as we're in an election year and you hear a lot of things about separation of church and state. And a lot of times that comes into play in schools where what's allowed, what isn't allowed? In Oklahoma right now, there's mandated Bible teaching going on in public schools with a hope that that will lead to better virtue development. And that's getting a lot of push back and possibly not really being implemented because that's not been traditionally what's gone on in public schools in Oklahoma at least over the last several decades. I'm curious to have you talk a little bit about the way you think churches and schools can work together effectively, because we also have the model of churches coming in and reading with kids and providing tutoring with kids and afterschool programs and this kind of ecology that we're all in this together and that both schools and churches serve the community. Do you have any sense of what that might look like? Not in the church state, separation wars that are out there, but in we're all part of a community, leadership as service. How do we lead in a way that serves each member of the community well? Dustin Benac: Yep. I love that question. I think that's part of one of the things that gets me really hopeful about the future schools and the future of churches because I think there's opportunities for real partnership here. Just a quick anecdote, I found my way into this work after doing several years of research in the Pacific Northwest. And the Pacific Northwest is a context where there's a marginal position for religious organizations. They're on the edges of society, but there's also a real history of religious entrepreneurship, that people of faith are doing new things. Entrepreneurship is the water they swim in. And one of the things I saw there is that people of faith and churches in the Pacific Northwest, they found a way to exist on the margins of society in ways that are not anxious. They're not trying to reclaim power, they're just trying to be faithfully present. And I think that's the first step to find this meaningful partnership, is churches and people of faith can pursue meaningful partnerships with schools, public or private, not trying to control the content or control the outcome or set the table, but simply show up and be a good partner and be present. Second, that takes a lot of time. Jon: You're right. Dustin Benac: You can't just parachute in a community and expect change to happen. You've got to keep showing up. Go to the football games, go to the band concerts, show up, show up over and over and over again. And when you do that, you begin to, one, see the needs of the community and they might be different than what you think. And then secondly, you begin to earn trust. The third thing I say is be prepared to be surprised by the encounter. When I've shown up in spaces, when I've tried to be relationally, faithfully present, I go in expecting knowingly or unknowingly something from that connection. And I'm always surprised. And as a person of faith, I like to think that surprise is part of the gift of God. Jon: That's beautifully put. I would say I think it overlaps with our view of leadership in general, but I would go all the way back to teaching middle school students. You can't just hit middle school kids over the head with truth if you don't do it with love because they're not listening until they know that you love them and you show them that you love them by spending time with them when you're not contractually obligated to spend that time with them. And so it is that showing up. And I think that's true with adults that we lead and we work with the educators we serve all over the world. It does coming alongside listening first, being surprised by what we might learn, not coming in with solutions for people. We don't know the context. We come in with processes. We come in with ideas for improvement. We come in with networks of people that we connect. That's Eric Ellison's main job at the Center of School Leadership. He does that even on Baylor's campus for us. And so how do we do that better? Because ultimately in the time we're in now, I don't think anybody can be that superhero solo leader. We write a lot about collective leadership at the center and what that looks like to do the work that moves towards shared goals. You do a lot of work on collaborative leadership. What kind of leadership do you see working at Baylor in churches in the ecologies? What kind of leadership do you see working? What are some attributes of that that you're encouraged by as we move forward? Dustin Benac: There's several different attributes. One is it's leadership that moves at the speed of trust. Collective collaborative leadership is leadership that it can't be engineered, it can't be manufactured. It takes time and it moves at the speed of trust. The second thing is this type of leadership is leadership that's carried by shared language. And I think that's one of the values of a place like Baylor or a place like the Center for School Leadership is I think one of the things you all offer are some shared language. And that allows people to partner around shared work by using the shared language because we can't assume that we mean the same thing when we talk about community or education or formation or faith. You have to have shared language because that's the point of contact where the shared work begins. The third thing that I think is required is an ability to recognize and celebrate a diversity of leadership expressions. Leadership, particularly collaborative leadership, is carried by teams. In order to have a strong team, you need to have people who lead in different ways. In my book, Adaptive Church, I talk about this across six different modes of leading, leading as the caretaker, leading as the catalyst, leading as the connector convener, leading as the surveyor, leading as the champion, leading as the guide. An effective collaboration requires people and teams who have the diversity, the dexterity, and the variety of gifts to lead in different ways in order to respond the needs of their community. Jon: You talk about diversity, dexterity, and variety, and a lot of people will hear that, and say it sounds messy. Dustin Benac: It is. Jon: And my argument is leadership's always going to be messy. It's whether it's going to be messy on the front end or the back end. I'd much rather it be hashed out with diverse thinkers that bring this variety to what we do so that we better represent the communities we serve. If you're thinking in ecologies, you certainly can't, as a single person know what's going to work best for everyone in that ecosystem. That is just not going to be possible. But it takes time, which you already mentioned about relationships, but it also takes time to process things. But then at the back end, you have something that actually might work as opposed to you implementing something which churches do this all the time, "Oh, we got to grow attendance, we got to grow the budget. We got to do..." And so it just becomes this hamster wheel we jump on and then we're spinning off crazy. And in churches, you are burning human beings who get run over by that hamster wheel. Dustin Benac: That's exactly right. And I think it's important to make a difference between the messiness of shared and collaborative leadership and sloppiness because- Jon: Yes. That's a good point. Dustin Benac: ... we don't have an excuse for being sloppy. The responsibility of leadership requires that we do it as well as we can. And part of not being sloppy is having shared language, knowing your lane, and also having good and effective strategy. It's going to be messy, it's going to be improvisational. It's not going to turn out like you thought or hoped it would, but you can be purposeful, you can be intentional, you can be strategic, you can be patient. And when those ingredients are there, the outcome is oftentimes far better than we could ever hope or imagine. Jon: The sloppy piece is such a great point. I think in schools, we have oversold the idea of failing forward. We've taken this Silicon Valley idea that fail fast, fail forward. No one wants to fail. And so you don't take haphazard risks, that's sloppy. You take strategic risks and Chip and Dan Heath write that the promise of risk taking is not, I don't have the exact quote, but the promise of risk taking is not success. It's learning. All right. If success were always promised for taking risks, it wouldn't be a risk. And so ultimately, how do we take the right risks? How do we take them with the right people? How do we take them in the way that we're actually going to learn from them and then revise and improve? I've certainly taken many risks in my career where I'm like, "I'm never doing that again." That was just a flat mistake. But most of the time, whatever it is, I figure out ways that we can improve and do better the next time. And then that's where leadership is fun because you're constantly iterating and you know don't have to have it right the first time ever because we probably aren't. But it's like all we got to do is get better. And so I've quit talking about solutions because solutions sound too neat, sound too prepackaged. It's not about solutions. It's about improving, so if you are leading a dumpster fire, just put the fire out. You don't have to build the Taj Mahal yet. Get the dumpster fire out first. Dustin Benac: I love it. Jon: As we think about that, what's your greatest fear as you look ahead to churches and schools? What's the greatest fear you have right now? I know there are many fears out there. What would you say is the thing that keeps you up at night about churches and schools? Dustin Benac: You actually teed this up so well, Jon, because I think my greatest fear is that we wouldn't take the risk. I think we are in a moment of significant and dramatic change. The world is changing, the church is changing, how we gather is changing, what education looks like and feels like is changing. And that can be a moment of real anxiety and uncertainty. It can also be a real moment of opportunity. And my hope is that in this moment of incredible change, we will do the thoughtful, the strategic, maybe even the prayerful work of considering what are the risks that are ours to take and take them with other people. We don't have to take these risks alone, but I do think we are in a unique moment of time where there's things that we can do together that are going to build the structures, the schools, the churches that our children inhabit for a generation. And if we don't do that, I think we've missed an opportunity. Jon: That's well said. Before we jumped on, you mentioned a couple of books that you were reading, which I think tie into this fear and also to the hope that we can have. Would you mind sharing a couple of books? I always like for our listeners to get a couple of recommendations that might be useful that may or may not be part of a typical educator's reading list. But do you have a couple for us? Dustin Benac: Yeah. One of the very best books I read in the last year is a book by a Stanford psychologist, Geoffrey Cohen's Belonging, a brilliant book about the structure of connection and how to understand the need for belonging and also the strategies that can help us build cultures of belonging. Brilliant work, data-driven, translatable across cultures and across contexts, so, that's the first one. The second one is a book by Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning that is about his experience surviving a concentration camp and also his theory of purpose that emerged out of his work there as a clinical psychologist. And one of the things Frankl says is that those who survived, survived because they found purpose, even purpose in suffering. And it's precisely this purpose that gave them meaning and ultimately gave them a future hope that they could imagine. Even if the circumstances were such, that it was very unlikely that they would live to see that future hope, the purpose carried them forward and gave them a reason to live. Jon: Well, I like the way those two books fit together in that if we're going to belong, we have to have a purpose. Dustin Benac: Yes. Jon: And that's part of what we do. And when we have a purpose, we are willing to struggle well with each other. And ultimately that's where joy is found. It's not the freedom from the struggle, it's the fuel to struggle well. And our joy comes from something deeper than our circumstances because that's where happiness lies and certainly Viktor Frankl is not talking about happiness. He's talking about where purpose can lead to joy because there's a life of meaning. And we don't have wellbeing if we don't have a purpose. And so I think the belonging piece doesn't happen unless we can do that with others because we serve a relational God and we reflect that in the ways that we interact with each other. We don't thrive by ourselves. That just doesn't happen. Love those two books. You shared your greatest fear, not taking risks, so what's your greatest hope as you look ahead for schools and churches? Dustin Benac: That new connections will form? I think the future of schools, the future of the church is carried by the work we do together. And one of the things that gives me great hope is that in a time of isolation, in a time of polarization, in a time where so many people do not feel like they belong, new connections are being formed every day. And that gives me great hope. That gives me great hope for the work that we do in the program where people come through our events, come through our courses, come through our programs, and they come out saying, "I'm more connected with other people." That's my hope about Baylor, is we have incredible students who come through our classes, and they certainly leave with a degree, but they also leave with a lot of connections. And that's my hope for churches, is that churches are finding a way to be faithfully present right where they are that is simply holding out the space for connection. Connection with others, connections with themselves, and connection with God. Jon: And that's why it's such a blessing to be part of Christian Research One University where we can convene these things, create those connections across communities, study them, and try to amplify the good work that schools and churches are doing, because there's a lot of great work going on out there. We just don't always hear about it. And so how do we accelerate that? Well, let's bring people together. Let's do it together in a way that creates connection and joy and then amplify it. Dustin Benac: That's right. Jon: And so that's the blessing. Well, thank you for all you do at Baylor through this, the program for the Future Church. Thanks for being with us and always love allies like you at Baylor, so thanks for taking the time. Dustin Benac: Thanks, Jon. Thrilled to be here.

Rapacious European corporations were top users of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) tribunals. For decades, they extracted billions from taxpayers worldwide, attacking local laws and suing governments before ISDS tribunals of three corporate attorneys.   So, it was big news when the European Union recently exited one of the world's largest ISDS agreements -- the Energy Charter Treaty.   In the latest episode of the Rethinking Trade podcast, Lori Wallach is joined by two people who know the inside story: Cecilia Olivet, advisor to the Left Group in the European Parliament, and Fabian Flues, of the German-based organization Powershift. Here's a hint: When European domestic climate policies got ISDS attacked, the Dutch, German and other ISDS-booster governments had to shell out billions. And climate activists turned up the, um, heat. Nothing like being on the receiving end of ISDS – and domestic grassroots campaigns - to change opinions…

240911(1) [뉴스브리핑 아침 배송] 론스타에 또 패소, 법무부 ISDS 소송에만 652억 / 노잼 탈출 위해 노력하는 지자체들 / “추석 때 생선전 먹지 마세요”...의사 출신 국회의원 당부 - 김완

Welcome to another episode of Kitchen Table Finance! Today, we have a very special guest, Scott de Varona, Division Director at MiABLE 529(a) Disability Savings Program & Student Loan Repayment Division. We discuss the groundbreaking MiABLE 529 disability savings program. If you're curious about how this program can help individuals with disabilities achieve a better life experience, you're in for a treat. https://youtu.be/jM0Q1zol3n4?si=hMHWvJzFJ23s-IAS Key Points Covered What is ABLE? ABLE stands for Achieving a Better Life Experience Modeled after the 529 education savings program but focused on disability savings According to their website, "ABLE is about Connecting People with Disabilities, their families, and those who support them to information about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act and ABLE accounts. Our mission is to educate, promote, and support the positive impact ABLE can make on the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities and their families." Check out Michigan plan information here. https://youtu.be/K2KnCTw_mRw Scott's Journey: Background in Medicaid and how it led him to ABLE Initial challenges and steps in setting up the ABLE program The Importance of Awareness Common Misconceptions: Lack of awareness in the disability community Challenges in marketing to this unique population Building Trust: Partnering with service organizations and advocacy groups Joint presentations with ISDs and other credible sources Stephen Beck Jr. and the Origin of ABLE Accounts Personal Story Stephen Beck Jr.'s advocacy for his daughter with Down syndrome Creation of the ABLE account to allow savings without losing benefits Functionality and Benefits of ABLE Accounts Ease of Setup: Simple online setup via https://www.ablenrc.org/ Key Advantages: Savings not counting against the $2,000 asset limit for benefit eligibility Various allowable expenses, from housing to transportation Contribution Limits: Up to $18,000 per year (subject to IRS changes) Wide Range of Uses: Education, housing, transportation, medical expenses, and more Why ABLE Accounts Matter Empowerment: Providing financial independence to individuals with disabilities and encouraging smart financial decisions without penalty Conclusion This episode sheds light on how ABLE is revolutionizing financial planning for individuals with disabilities. Scott de Varona's insights make it clear that ABLE accounts are a game-changer, offering a better life experience through financial empowerment. Ready to learn more? Visit MiABLE to explore how you or a loved one can benefit from an ABLE account. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast for more expert insights and inspiring stories! Connect with Us Follow Kitchen Table Finance on YouTube Email us your questions and feedback at info@srbadvisors.com Guest Information Scott de Varona, Executive Director at ABLE Mission: Encourage and assist the saving of private funds to help persons with disabilities cover costs that support their health, independence, and quality of life. Website LinkedIn Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with your network.  

     Climate justice is a hot issue, especially as we experience global climate disasters on an exponential level. There is no dispute that the fossil fuel industry has caused this climate devastation, yet the criminal polluters evade any sort of meaningful legal punishment. Instead, the criminal polluters are paid off due to a series of moronic 'trade deals', beginning with the grand-daddy of trade deal treason--namely NAFTA. The polluters are being paid off with our taxpayers dollars thanks to a mechanism benignly known as ISDS or Investor-State-Dispute arbitration system. Make no mistake, this legal robbery was rubber stamped by both republicans AND democrats. This system makes a mockery of justice itself, and the survival of the planet is at stake. This is our big story.  We will end the show with a few musical parodies for your enjoyment. Come join me.  Jeanine

State takeovers, high staff turnover, and even last-minute changes to familiar bus routes – it seems like this year our local Independent School Districts are facing more challenges than usual. Since it's back-to-school week here in Houston, we wanted to talk with a local education reporters to find out what parents, students, and teachers can expect from recent changes. Asher Lehrer-Small, Houston Landing's education reporter, and Elizabeth Sander, Houston Chronicle's suburban education reporter, join host Raheel Ramzanali to talk budget cuts, textbook censorship, staff shortages, and more in this back-to-school educational roundup. Stories we talked about today:  Read all of Asher's work here Read all of Elizabeth's work here Learn more about the sponsors of this August 12th episode here: Inprint Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckle up as EJ and Ann takes you through an array of stories about Fort Worth's future and the political landscape of the metroplex.SHORT STORY #1: Who Attends Great Replacement Theory Event?SHORT STORY #2: Tarrant County GOP Attacking FW DEI Efforts- FW hire DEI Consultant- Bo French's shenanigansSHORT STORY #3: Most Texas adults support school vouchers, new survey findsBIG STORY: Who is leading Fort Worth's future?- Tarrant Appraisal District approves sweeping changes to appraisal process - Tarrant school districts fear consequences of new appraisal tax plan- ‘The implications are not good.' Tarrant Appraisal changes could lead to higher school taxes- David Cooke to retire as city manager, paving way for new era of Fort Worth leadership- Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke to step down in 2025 after decade of serviceWINS AND LOSSES:Ann:

Momentum is growing against clauses in investment treaties that permit companies to sue a state if it decides to keep fossil fuels in the ground. In this episode, we revisit the secretive world of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), which some experts are worried could jeopardise global efforts to save the climate and cost countries billions of dollars in the process. Kyla Tienhaara, Canada research chair in economy and environment at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada, comes back on The Conversation Weekly to update us on the latest resistance to these clauses. Part of this episode was first aired in October 2022. You can listen to the original episode here. It was produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:How treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate – and cost countries billionsEnergy charter treaty makes climate action nearly illegal in 52 countries – so how can we leave it?How Clive Palmer is suing Australia for $300 billion with the help of an obscure legal clause (and Christian Porter)The Energy Charter Treaty lets fossil fuel firms sue governments – but its future is now in question Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the Millionaire Real Estate Podcast! Today, we sat down with special guests Alan Stewart Jr. and Brittney Kosev to talk about How to be a real estate agent to investors Alan Stewart Jr. started in Real Estate in Late 2015. In 2016, he founded a brokerage out of a basement Called Yellowbrick where he was the only agent. Since then, he has grown the brokerage from himself and a partner to nearly 100 agents and does over 300 million in annual sales volume. The brokerage currently sits at number 15 in the State of CT in both units sold and Volume sold. He was Realtor of the Year in 2017. He has coached hundreds of agents and responsible for dozens for becoming nationally top-producing Realtors. In 2021, he founded ASK insurance which currently has over 70 Carriers and a book of business of over 2 million dollars. He is a Real Estate investor that has flipped over 100 properties and owns a few million dollars in rental properties. Alan will say his biggest accomplishment is being a dedicated and present single father of his son, Alan Stewart III. Alan believes in living a large life through faith, self-improvement and disciplined consistency so he can give MORE, that is why he helps raise 10's of thousands of dollars for charity every single year for the last half decade for a variety of causes. Brittney Kosev is the dynamic broker and owner of BK Real Estate, a company she founded in 2023 to support the growth and success of other agents. Over the last several years, Brittney has achieved and surpassed personal goals in both her production and skill set, viewing each transaction as a valuable opportunity for growth. Prior to embarking on her real estate journey, Brittney was a dedicated school librarian in various ISDs across Texas. She cherished the joy of teaching and helping students develop a love for reading. As a single mother to two amazing kids, she decided to expand her horizons by starting a part-time real estate career. Balancing her roles as a teacher by day and a real estate agent by evening, Brittney found herself selling a diverse range of properties, including commercial buildings, residential properties, tenant representation, and multifamily units. After two years of managing both careers, she took the bold step to leave education and fully commit to real estate, a decision that paid off significantly. With more time at her disposal, Brittney was able to reach more clients and achieve greater personal goals. Her interest in investing led her to follow the BiggerPockets podcast, inspiring her to grow her own portfolio. Today, she owns 11 doors, a mix of short- and long-term rentals, and is a part-owner in a mortgage company. Brittney's passion for building her portfolio has ignited a new goal: to help as many clients and agents as possible grow their own assets. In addition to her professional achievements, Brittney is an active member of her Keller community, particularly involved in the PTA. Her dedication to her community and her family is as strong as her commitment to her career. Whether clients are looking to buy a personal home, invest in multifamily properties, house hack, wholesale, flip, use creative financing, or grow their rental portfolio, Brittney and her team at BK Real Estate are ready to help. - This episode is sponsored by CanZell Realty. CanZell is one of the fastest-growing virtual/hybrid companies with a focus on providing local leadership, revenue share opportunities, and top technology for agents. Learn how you can keep more of your commission and sell more real estate at joincanzell.com - Join CanZell HERE: https://joincanzell.com/

Entra y descubrelos. De momento aprovecho para copiar el magnifico trabajo de JIB sobre este tema publicado en la web “la web de las sombras” domingo, 21 de diciembre de 2014 titulado “Mercenarios en Paterna”. Mercenarios en Paterna. Foto1 El 25 de agosto de 1989, el periodista Samuel Rosemblum publicó un artículo en el diario israelí "Hadashot" 1, en el que informaba de la existencia de una finca privada, situada en una zona arbolada próxima a Valencia, que serviría de campo de entrenamiento a mercenarios contratados por narcotraficantes colombianos. Se produjeron desmentidos oficiales. Los servicios de seguridad y el Ministerio del interior negaron saber nada del tema, sugiriendo que quizás se tratara de la Valencia venezolana, pero la revista Interviú, en su número del 8 de septiembre de 1989, afirmaba que había localizado una finca en el municipio de Paterna que se había abandonado cuatro meses atrás, pero en la que todavía se observaban vestigios de una "pista americana", megáfonos para recibir instrucciones, tiendas de campaña, roderas de vehículos todoterreno, cajas vacías de municiones e impactos de bala de gran calibre. Según Interviú, era una finca del Conde de Trénor, donde los mercenarios se preparaban bajo el pretexto de formación de personal con destino a empresas de seguridad españolas e israelíes. 2 1 El diario Hadashot, fundado por Amos Schoken el 4 de marzo de 1984, tuvo que cerrar poco después. 2 En 1989 la policía comenzó a investigar a empresas de seguridad con personal procedente del ejército o de los servicios secretos israelíes. Entre las empresas con personal israelí de la época se encontraban Mydas, de Mauricio Hatchwell y H Seguridad e ICTS, de Jacques Hachuel, que por entonces se ocupaba de la selección y entrenamiento del personal de seguridad del presidente de Banesto, Mario Conde. Hachuel estuvo implicado en el affaire Banesto junto a Marc Rich, el dueño del fuel oil del Prestige, amigo de Enrique Múgica y Javier Corcuera, y asociado con Luis Gómez-Acebo, casado con Pilar de Borbón, la hermana mayor del Rey Juan Carlos I. Sionista relacionado con el Mossad, buscado por el FBI y acusado por la fiscalía de Nueva York de una lista interminable de delitos financieros, Rich fue indultado por el presidente Bill Clinton a petición del ex presidente de Israel Simón Peres; el primer ministro Ehud Barak; los alcaldes de Zurich y Jerusalén, el vicepresidente de la CEOE, Fernando Fernández Tapias; el premio Nobel de Literatura, Camilo José Cela y el propio Rey Juan Carlos de Borbón y Borbón. Foto 2 Foto 3 Primero hacían un cursillo en Israel de especialización en armas cortas y pesadas, uso de explosivos, técnicas de rescate, golpes de mano, control de zonas reservadas, etc. y desde allí se trasladaban a distintos países en donde pudieran ser necesarios sus servicios. Los destinados a la América hispana que no hablaran español se trasladaban a Paterna para terminar su entrenamiento con dos meses más de prácticas y, finalmente, se incorporaban a las milicias privadas de los capos colombianos dedicados al tráfico de cocaína. Al noroeste de Valencia, siguiendo la carretera de Liria y atravesando la urbanización El Plantío y la zona de La Cañada, se encuentran las fincas de Vélez, Martinot y Mandor, cuyo propietario por aquellas fechas, según Interviú, era el conde de Trenor, Juan Antonio Gómez Trénor y Trénor. Foto 4 Foto 5 (Vista aérea de la zona. En el ángulo inferior izquierdo, el lago de la Vallesa del Mandor.) La finca Vélez, de más de quinientas hectáreas arboladas, con riachuelos, zonas escarpadas y una pequeña laguna en su zona central, se hallaba rodeada por una doble cerca de alambre de espino, y las entradas tenían puertas de hierro forjado. Vecinos del entorno hablaban de que los cazadores furtivos habían visto entrar y salir todo terrenos con las luces apagadas, así como comandos vestidos con trajes de camuflaje. Eran extranjeros, pero en otras ocasiones se habían topado con otros que hablaban en castellano, probablemente españoles y argentinos. Cuando sorprendían a los furtivos, los echaban a punta de pistola. A unos quinientos metros de distancia del complejo se encontraba una especie de fortaleza, situada en un enclave de unos diez mil metros cuadrados rodeado de un doble muro de cuatro metros de altura coronado con alambre de espino y provisto de varias atalayas. Foto 6 Foto 7 Foto 8 El citado conde de Trénor anunció la presentación de una demanda civil o una querella criminal contra los periodistas responsables de la información. Trénor negó poseer ninguna de las fincas citadas en el reportaje: Vélez, Mandor y Martinot. Miguel Tormo, propietario del El Conventet, una finca limítrofe a las citadas en la que estaría enclavada la supuesta fortaleza, también anunció que se querellaría. Según él, los muros, torretas y alambradas se habían instalado para impedir los robos que se venían produciendo continuamente. ….. En Israel existe una censura militar que prohíbe publicar informaciones relacionadas con los servicios secretos y el Ejército sin previa autorización. Teniendo noticia de que el periódico israelí "Hadashot" conocía las actividades del campo de Paterna, se paralizaron las actividades militares en la finca Vélez, se desmanteló la pista de entrenamiento, se retiraron los megáfonos -alguno de los cuales, por estar estropeados, se arrojaron a la laguna- y todo el personal, instructores y mercenarios, abandonaron las instalaciones. El 25 de agosto de 1989, como queda dicho, el diario mencionado hizo pública la información que tenía sobre el campo de entrenamiento español, confirmada por la emisión de un vídeo de la NBC en el que se observaba a militares israelíes instruyendo a los sicarios en hebreo. La televisión israelí consiguió finalmente identificar al individuo que aparecía en el vídeo. Se trataba del coronel Yair Klein, presidente de la empresa Hod Hahanith. Foto 9 Klein, de 46 años, ex comando y ex oficial de paracaidismo, se encontraba en la reserva, dirigiendo un regimiento especializado en instrucción militar, lucha antiterrorista y formación de escoltas. Otros empleados de Hod Hahanith eran los coroneles Moisés Spector, Abraham Tzadaka y Yaacov Biran. La noticia provocó consternación en Israel. El Ministerio de Defensa salió al paso de la información declarando que, aunque Klein y su empresa tenían permiso oficial para operar en Colombia, estaba caducado hace meses. Y que se trataba de una actividad criminal de la que no tenían conocimiento, que era asunto de la policía. Al fin y al cabo, Klein era ya un civil. Según un experto de una empresa de seguridad valenciana que asistió a un campamento israelí situado en las afueras de Tel Aviv, "... Los israelíes no juegan a la guerra: enseñan a matar. La última bala siempre se reserva para el que está en el suelo. Conozco bien sus métodos. Y no me extrañaría que entrenaran a sicarios de los narcos, porque los israelíes adiestran a todo el que pague. Lo demás les da igual." "Si están o no pagados por los narcos, lo ignoro. Lo único que puedo asegurar es que estaban tirando a bocajarro, con chalecos antibalas y placas antitrauma y desde luego utilizaban calibres altos, un 38 al menos, porque el impacto los echaba para atrás." "Todos nuestros entrenadores eran oficiales del Ejército, algunos en activo y otros retirados. Pero, desde luego, todos tenían experiencia en misiones concretas, tanto en Latinoamérica o Beirut como en Sudáfrica. El ejército es el que está detrás del negocio de los entrenamientos en Israel; se anuncian en las revistas y todo es tan natural como en España la oferta turística." Foto 10 Los asesinos a sueldo se acababan incorporando a los ejércitos privados de los narcotraficantes colombianos, que por aquella época asesinaron al candidato de la oposición a la Presidencia del Gobierno, el senador Luis Carlos Galán. Klein fue detenido finalmente en agosto de 2007 en el aeropuerto Domodédovo de Moscú, por agentes del Departamento antiterrorista del Ministerio del Interior ruso y agentes de la Interpol, cuando se disponía a viajar a Israel. En marzo de 2008, el Tribunal de Moscú autorizó su extradición a Colombia, en donde estaba condenado en ausencia a la pena de diez años y ocho meses de prisión, por instrucción, entrenamiento en tácticas, técnicas y procedimientos militares terroristas a mercenarios al servicio de Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha, Pablo Escobar y los hermanos Fidel y Carlos Castaño. De este último se decía que utilizaba sierras mecánicas para realizar masacres de campesinos. 3 El artículo de Hadeshot, Paterna, la finca Vélez, los campos de entrenamiento, los instructores israelíes, los mercenarios del narcotráfico, las masacres de campesinos colombianos desmembrados con motosierras por los hombres de Carlos Castaño... Y llegamos a Macastre. Con una coincidencia cronológica y geográfica, en la que una de las víctimas es mutilada con una sierra mecánica y uno de sus pies aparece en el interior de un contenedor de basuras en la calle Alcàsser, de Valencia. No es de extrañar que con todas estas coincidencias se empiecen a formular hipótesis sobre la causa del triple crimen de Macastre, que muchos consideran un claro antecedente del triple crimen de Alcàsser. http://lawebdelassombras.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/los-crimenes-de-macastre.html 3 "... Carlos Castaño Gil had plenty of enemies. You expect that of a death squad commander in Colombia who killed hundreds of peasants, leftist polticians and suspected Marxist sympathizers. But in the end it was his own older brother Vicente, "El Professor," who supposedly hired the assassins who killed Carlos. He was shot two years ago in an ambush, at the age of 39. But it wasn't until Sept. 1 that Castaño's skeleton was dug out of a shallow grave in the jungle and identified by DNA testing. You wouldn't exactly call it a dignified burial for Castaño, once the most feared man in Colombia. It was a faster death than Castaño probably deserved; many of his victims were killed by chainsaw..." (Time, Friday Sept. 08 2006. Tim McGirk). En el libro autobiográfico "Mi confesión", Castaño negó el uso de sierras mecánicas. "... Insisto hoy y siempre que si se presenta un único caso en donde en las AUC se haya utilizado una motosierra para cercenar y mutilar a una persona, ese día me someto a la justicia. Nunca ha sucedido, pero continúa la campaña de desprestigio..." Foto 11 FUENTES: Paterna: Localizado en Valencia un campo de entrenamiento de mercenarios: http://elpais.com/diario/1989/09/09/espana/621295216_850215.html Vecinos de Paterna niegan haber dado cobertura a mercenarios de la droga: http://elpais.com/diario/1989/09/11/espana/621468006_850215.html Oficiales israelíes entrenaban a sicarios del narcotráfico: http://elpais.com/diario/1989/08/25/internacional/619999216_850215.html Interior abre una investigación sobre el campo de entrenamiento para mercenarios: http://elpais.com/diario/1989/08/28/espana/620258408_850215.html Yair Klein: Olga Behar. El caso Klein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq9ouyDb9Os https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfg3iemb6tc Yair Klein. La noche de RCN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Wbau0v_y4 Who Is Israel's Yair Klein and What Was He Doing in Colombia and Sierra Leone?: http://www.democracynow.org/2000/6/1/who_is_israels_yair_klein_and http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/colombia/doc/klein1.html Israhelli war criminal lt colonel Yair Klein says colombian officials invited him to train paramilitary deathsquads…. Still no extradition ,no justice for victims: http://www.shoah.org.uk/2012/11/14/israhelli-war-criminal-lt-colonel-yair-klein-says-colombian-officials-invited-him-to-train-paramilitary-deathsquads-still-no-extradition-no-justice-for-victims/ Israeli advisors fight in Colombia?: http://ww4report.com/node/4312 Explosivo testimonio de mercenario israelí que entrenó paramilitares colombianos: http://elmolinoonline.com/2012/11/13/explosivo-testimonio-de-mercenario-israeli-que-entreno-paramilitares-colombianos/los-%C3%BAnicos-en-espa%C3%B1ol/ Yair Klein: Russia’s “other” Viktor Bout: http://exiledonline.com/yair-klein-russias-other-viktor-bout/ Rights court halts mercenary's extradition: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/03/israelandthepalestinians.russia Yair Klein y otros 14 mercenarios que deberían responder en Colombia: http://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/yair-klein-otros-14-mercenarios-deberian-responder-colombia/242214-3 Yair Klein cuenta su historia: http://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/yair-klein-cuenta-su-historia/255142-3 Yair Klein. El instructor de la muerte: https://elturbion.com/?p=1690 El mercenario israelí que tiene las claves del paramilitarismo en Colombia: http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2012/11/121114_colombia_yair_klein_perfil_claves_paramilitarismo_aw El Tiempo: http://www.eltiempo.com/noticias/yair-klein Yair Klein threatens to blow whistle on Colombian government: https://deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/showthread.php?5103-Yair-Klein-Colombia-FARC-the-US-and-drugs Is Klein Coming Clean?: http://mikesbogotablog.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/is-klein-coming-clean.html Moscú autoriza la extradición a Colombia del mercenario israelí Yair Klein: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2008/03/12/actualidad/1205276406_850215.html Paramilitares: The Colombian Paramilitaries and Israel: http://de.indymedia.org/2003/08/59728.shtml Colombia's Blowback: http://www.tni.org/archives/act/4421 Carlos Castaño: http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1532948,00.html Aranguren Molina, Mauricio. Mi confesión. Carlos Castaño revela sus secretos. Hadashot: Haaretz: You go your way and I'll go mine: http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/you-go-your-way-and-i-ll-go-mine-1.302134 Palestine-Israel Journal: http://www.pij.org/details.php?id=381 Freewheeling Israeli Daily Shuts Down, Citing Poor Sales: http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1993/Freewheeling-Israeli-Daily-Shuts-Down-Citing-Poor-Sales/id-e8af5f05baac61c40f433f9a70d7b66f No more news from Hadashot. (newspaper business closed): http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-14676174.html Hadashot: http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/php/journal.php?joid=484 The dissenters: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/28/the-dissenters Israeli Paper Hadashot Shuts Down: http://www.jta.org/1993/11/30/archive/israeli-paper-hadashot-shuts-down Empresas de seguridad: http://elpais.com/diario/1989/11/02/espana/625964408_850215.html http://destapandolasmentiras.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/una-compania-israeli-de-alta-seguridad.html Marc Rich: http://lahaine.org/internacional/marc_man.htm Jacques Hachuel: http://elpais.com/diario/1987/08/09/economia/555458402_850215.html ………………………………………………………………………………………. Invitados: Nunkálo Zabras @NZabras ALL WAYS WHAT XING …. Mr Cambio Climático @M4D3R0 Soy machista. Hago a los moros volverse locos y gritar "allahu akbar" en iglesias. Si subo la temperatura 3'33 grados, mataré de paros cardíacos a to quisqui. …. ZOILO. @ZoiloMCMLIX P. S. C. MALINFLUENCER. …. Dra Yane #JusticiaParaUTP @ayec98_2 Médico y Buscadora de la verdad. Con Dios siempre! No permito q me dividan c/izq -derecha, raza, religión ni nada de la Creación. https://youtu.be/TXEEZUYd4c0 …. UTP Ramón Valero @tecn_preocupado Un técnico Preocupado un FP2 IVOOX UTP http://cutt.ly/dzhhGrf BLOG http://cutt.ly/dzhh2LX Ayúdame desde mi Crowfunding aquí https://cutt.ly/W0DsPVq ………………………………………………………………………………………. Enlaces citados en el podcast: censura en Twitter https://twitter.com/tecn_preocupado/status/762350969132838913 Siguen censurando mi cuenta https://twitter.com/tecn_preocupado/status/943541246299181063 Desindexado de Google y bloqueado en Twitter https://twitter.com/tecn_preocupado/status/946081197335162882 LO SINIESTRO que hemos descubierto (videos - medios sociales) https://x.com/criptodaisy/status/1795345673132413301 ¿ESTAMOS EN CIBERGUERRA EN LOS FOROS? https://tecnicopreocupado.com/2014/03/23/estamos-en-ciberguerra-en-los-foros/ Los indecentes de @larazon_es le han plagiado el maravilloso artículo de @tecn_preocupado analizando el caso Daniel Sancho. https://x.com/Placeb0Mad/status/1689618355198545921 𝐓𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐢́𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐬, 𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐲 𝐞𝐥 "𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨” https://x.com/larazon_es/status/1689603603911065600 UTP215 El culto covidiano https://www.ivoox.com/utp215-el-culto-covidiano-audios-mp3_rf_107418948_1.html SE DEBATE EL REGLAMENTO SANITARIO INTERNACIONAL #OMS https://x.com/NZabras/status/1795538101915562085 PCR kit de caldo de paella (censurado) https://twitter.com/ayec98/status/1292108796978958336 PRUEBAS PCR: EL KIT DE CALDO PARA PAELLAS QUE NOS ENFERMÓ A TODOS https://tecnicopreocupado.com/2020/08/10/pruebas-pcr-el-kit-de-caldo-para-paellas-que-nos-enfermo-a-todos/ The Big Reset https://x.com/tecn_preocupado/status/1646613904460505090 Hasta el pobre pangolin nos lo mostró la revista The Economist en sus previsiones… https://x.com/tecn_preocupado/status/1240612782208401409 IA Ameca: "Ten cuidado con lo que deseas” https://x.com/terra_cremada/status/1795355399635509680 LO QUE NO DEBERIAS SABER SOBRE EL PNR https://tecnicopreocupado.com/2019/03/14/lo-que-no-deberias-saber-sobre-el-pnr/ AGENDA 2020, CORPORACIONES Y DISIDENCIA CONTROLADA https://tecnicopreocupado.com/2017/10/15/agenda-2020-corporaciones-y-disidencia-controlada/ El Triunfo de Las Corporaciones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0l3Rz3gFW0 The Corporation - La Corporacion (español - spanish) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkr-paaAYJ8&t=1s Las trincheras ‘ocultas’ de Valencia https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/valencia/20160829/404205053010/trincheras-guerra-civil-valencia-vallesa-paterna.html Localizado en Valencia un campo de entrenamiento de mercenarios https://elpais.com/diario/1989/09/09/espana/621295216_850215.html Vecinos de Paterna niegan haber dado cobertura a mercenarios de la droga https://elpais.com/diario/1989/09/11/espana/621468006_850215.html Oficiales israelíes entrenaban a sicarios del narcotráfico https://elpais.com/diario/1989/08/25/internacional/619999216_850215.html Interior abre una investigación sobre el campo de entrenamiento para mercenarios https://elpais.com/diario/1989/08/28/espana/620258408_850215.html Mercenarios en Paterna https://lawebdelassombras.blogspot.com/2014/12/mercenarios-en-paterna.html Coordenadas en google maps: 39.544414,-0.496654 "La compañía International Consultants on Targeted Security (ICTS), dirigida por militares israelíes, opera en España desde hace dos años sin permiso del Gobierno y al margen de las normas previstas para controlar la penetración extranjera en el campo de la seguridad (...) Según la normativa en vigor, las personas que dirijan o gestionen empresas de seguridad, así como sus jefes técnicos, han de ser de nacionalidad española. La Policía debe conocer también la composición de los órganos de administración y cuadros directivos, "así como cualquier variación en los mismos". Una compañía israelí de alta seguridad opera ilegalmente en España con cobertura de Hachuel http://elpais.com/diario/1989/10/10/espana/623977202_850215.html "International Security and Defense Systems (ISDS), una empresa de seguridad israelí (...) estableció, además, estrechas relaciones con el grupo Telefónica, siendo presidente Luis Solana, el actual director de Radiotelevisión Española. Fruto de aquellos lazos fue también el envío a Israel de los tres guardaespaldas de Luis Solana. Esos tres hombres siguieron, durante varias semanas, un curso de adiestramiento organizado por la empresa ISDS en unas instalaciones en Israel". Una empresa israelí vinculada a la 'contra' presta servicios a Agricultura de la Generalitat http://elpais.com/diario/1989/11/10/espana/626655603_850215.html "La empresa israelí de seguridad ISDS Ltd., vinculada a la guerra sucia en Centroamérica y al entrenamiento de la contra, ha operado de forma ilegal en España desde septiembre de 1986 hasta julio de 1989, fecha en que el Ministerio del Interior autorizó las actividades de ISDS Ibérica (...) Hasta el 28 de julio de 1989, Interior no autorizó a ISDS Ibérica para operar en seguridad. Por ello, todas las actividades de Bilan, que nunca estuvo autorizada en ese campo y las de ISDS Ibérica anteriores a esa fecha son plenamente ilegales. Desde julio, según han señalado fuentes de Interior a este diario, subsiste el problema de hasta qué punto una empresa española de seguridad puede servir de intermediaria a otra israelí que no está domiciliada en España". La empresa israelí de seguridad ISDS ha operado ilegalmente en España durante tres años http://elpais.com/diario/1989/11/11/espana/626742001_850215.html Menos mal que en 1991 las actuaciones en el ámbito de la seguridad de los israelís de ISDS ya estaba legalizadas (las actuaciones que fueran legales se sobreentiende)... "El Rey de España (...) confió estos trabajos a la compañía privada International Security and Defense Systems (ISDS) Ibérica, de origen israelí, en detrimento del Cesid que, por ley, tiene la obligación de proteger las comunicaciones de la Casa del Rey. Oded M. Lahat, capitán en la reserva del Ejército israelí, de 37 años, se desplazó el 26 de junio de 1991 hasta la Zarzuela para elaborar el plan de seguridad. En este plan intervinieron cinco técnicos en telecomunicaciones de la propia Zarzuela, que hicieron varias pruebas con los secráfonos (telefónos que codifican y descodifican la voz en tiempo real e impiden las grabaciones). Los trabajos fueron supervisados por Sabino Fernández Campo, que en aquellas fechas era el jefe de la Casa del Rey*. http://archivo.elperiodico.com/ed/19950616/pag_007.html * REAL DECRETO 1/1993, de 8 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese de don Sabino Fernández Campo, Conde de Latores, como Jefe de la Casa de S.M. el Rey. REAL DECRETO 2/1993, de 8 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese de don Joel Casino Gimeno como Secretario general de la Casa de S.M. el Rey http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1993/01/09/pdfs/A00474-00474.pdf ………………………………………………………………………………………. Música utilizada en este podcast: Tema inicial Heros Batir Lázarus - Enredados https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzd361ppRP0 a-ha - Take On Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914 LARGO - POSTCOVID https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFLFfHJ0h0Q Bian - Gratitud | Versos sencillos Cap 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBBtubs-nv4 ………………………………………………………………………………………. Epílogo Yaco - El Coco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5dWi_dbmbo

Ralph welcomes Professor Theodore Postol, Professor Emeritus of Science, Technology and National Security Policy at MIT. We discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel/ Palestine and breakdown what the weaponry being used in both conflicts tells us about the intentions and capabilities of all parties involved. Plus, Ralph answers listener questions!Theodore Postol is Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy Emeritus in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT. His expertise is in nuclear weapon systems, including submarine warfare, applications of nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and ballistic missiles more generally. He previously worked as an analyst at the Office of Technology Assessment and as a science and policy adviser to the chief of naval operations. In 2016, he received the Garwin Prize from the Federation of American Scientists for his work in assessing and critiquing the government's claims about missile defenses.We have a very complicated situation. In some ways, there's no right or wrong. There are different groups of people with deep ethnic commitments, and a central government in Kiev that has acted in a way that's completely intolerant of a significant fraction of its own citizens who happen to be of Russian descent. And right from the beginning, there was hostility from the West.Theodore PostolThere's a long history of the central Ukrainian command not supporting their troops at the battlefront. This is a real problem with the troops. The morale of the troops has been tremendously affected in an adverse way by the sense that their military leadership is not concerned about their life. It's one thing to ask a soldier to go risk their lives or lay down their life for their country and be providing everything you can to protect them and make it possible for them to fight. It's another thing when you're sending them to a certain death just because it looks good.Theodore PostolThe people in leadership roles are clueless, to a point that it's astonishing. The last situation that I know of historically where the leadership was so clueless was Tsar Nicholas II in 1917.Theodore PostolIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 4/23/241. According to AP, the United States has vetoed Palestine's latest bid for full membership in the United Nations. The vote in the 15-member U.N. Security Council was 12 in favor, including close U.S. allies like France, Japan, and South Korea, with the U.K. and Switzerland opting to abstain. Only the United States voted against the resolution. If U.S. had not blocked the resolution, the question would have gone to the full U.N. General Assembly, where no country holds veto power. While the U.S. claims this vote “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood,” these words obviously ring empty. Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council “The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will and it will not defeat our determination…The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real.” 140 countries recognize Palestine. Palestine currently sits as a non-member observer state at the U.N.2. Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, a prominent Palestinian-American academic, was arrested at her home in Jerusalem last week, Democracy Now! reports. According to this report, Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian “was suspended by Hebrew University last month after saying in an interview Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.” Sarah Ihmoud, a co-founder of the Palestinian Feminist Collective who teaches at College of the Holy Cross is quoted saying “We see this as yet another example of Israel attacking Palestinians wherever they are, whoever they are. It underscores that no Palestinian is safe under Israel's racist apartheid rule.” Now, Ryan Grim of the Intercept reports that Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian is communicating trough family that she is being tortured in Israeli custody. Maddeningly, it appears unlikely that President Biden will hold Israel to account for the possible torture of an American citizen.3. Left-wing Israeli journalist Nimrod Flaschenberg reports Israeli refusenik Tal Mitnick and Sofia Orr “were both sentenced this week by the Israeli army to prison terms of 45 days+15 days probation. This will bring Sofia to a total of 85 days and Tal to 150. The Israeli army is relentless. But these brave kids are not about to give up.” This is Mr. Mitnick's 4th term in military prison and Ms. Orr's third, accoring to Pressenza. The international press agency further reports “probation is unprecedented and aims at deterring the refusers by enabling the military court to extend their next sentence beyond the 45-day limit…[and] In addition to Mitnick and Orr, conscientious objector Ben Arad is serving his first term of 20 days in prison.”4. Much has been made of the recent pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University. Prem Thakker of the Intercept reports, organizers of these protests say over 50 Barnard students and over 30 Columbia students have been suspended, with Barnard students losing access to dining and housing services. Reports on the ground show the universities dumping students belongings in the street. At the protests themselves, organizers emphasize that Jewish and Muslim students shared prayer space, and stress “Columbia wants you to believe we are enemies to protect their genocidal investments, but there is no deeper solidarity."5. Following SUNY Binghampton's adoption of a BDS resolution, New York State Legislators sent a letter to SUNY Chancellor John B. King calling for the expulsion of the student leaders behind that campaign. Moreover, this letter calls for “the ouster of any faculty and committee members who played a role in promoting or supporting this resolution.” This letter was signed by both Republican and Democratic state legislators in Albany. As prominent DSA member Aaron Narraph aptly put it, this campaign against the student activists constitutes “our very own mccarthyism.”6. In more campus news, The Lens, a New Orleans based outlet, is out with a blistering report on LSU's pay-for-play arrangement with fossil fuel companies. They write “For $5 million dollars, Louisiana's flagship university will let an oil company help choose which faculty research projects move forward. Or, for $100,000, a corporation can participate in a research study, with ‘robust' reviewing powers and access to resulting intellectual property.” This report links to documents that outline LSU's fundraising pitch to oil and chemical companies, and “Records [which] show that after Shell donated $25 million in 2022 to LSU…the university gave the fossil-fuel corporation license to influence research and coursework for the university's new concentration in carbon capture, use, and storage.” It is telling that, like pro-Palestine speech, the so-called campus free speech defenders are not standing up to corporate capture of research institutions.7. Against the backdrop of escalating diplomatic tensions in Latin-America over Ecuador's raid on the Mexican embassy, Progressive International reports “Ecuador [has voted] NO in the referendum on investor-state arbitration…rejecting President Noboa's underhanded efforts to override the Constitution to protect foreign investors over labor rights, Indigenous communities, and environmental regulations.” The Investor-State Dispute System – which places international corporations on the same legal footing as sovereign governments and hands over adjudication to the World Trade Organization – has come under heavy fire by left-wing skeptics of so-called ‘free trade' in recent years, contributing to the ultimate demise of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal engineered in the late Obama era. The ISDS has had a particularly troubling history in Latin-America, with tobacco companies suing Uruguay over anti-smoking legislation to name just one example. At the same time however, Ecuador overwhelmingly passed an anti-gang referendum in a victory for Noboa, per Reuters. Expect to see more about Ecuador in the coming weeks.8. Techcruch reports “Tesla is recalling all 3,878 Cybertrucks that it has shipped to date, due to a problem where the accelerator pedal can get stuck, putting drivers at risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.” This article goes on to say “The recall caps a tumultuous week for Tesla. The company laid off more than 10% of its workforce on Monday, and lost two of its highest-ranking executives.” The Guardian now reports that Tesla plans to cut prices on the Cybertrucks, which cost over $100,000 each. We beseech our listeners to be wary of these vehicles and to do thorough research on Tesla's auto safety record.9. In more transportation news, transportation blog Second Ave. Sagas reports “The feds are threatening to sue [New York City] if city vehicles [such as NYPD patrol SUVs] do not stop parking on sidewalks and crosswalks in ways that ‘impede the access of people with disabilities to pedestrian pathways.'” According to the Justice Department's letter, “The City of New York (and, more specifically, the NYPD) has failed to ensure that the pedestrian grid is ‘readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities,'... NYPD vehicles and the personal vehicles of NYPD employees frequently obstruct sidewalks and crosswalks in the vicinity of NYPD precincts…a recent study identified parking behaviors at 91% of the NYPD's precincts that resulted in obstructions to sidewalks and crosswalks with the potential to render those pathways inaccessible.” We commend the Justice Department for taking action to ensure the ADA is enforced, even against the NYPD which routinely behaves as though it is above the law.10. Finally, the United Autoworkers have prevailed in their union election at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant, winning by an overwhelming 2,628 to 985 margin, per the Guardian. This marks the first time workers have unionized a foreign-owned auto plant in the South and serves as a repudiation of the anti-union campaign backed by Republican Governors such as Tennessee's own Bill Lee. UAW President Shawn Fain responded to this campaign, saying “They're liars…These politicians are showing that they're just puppets for corporate America, and they don't give a damn about working-class people. They don't care about the workers being left behind even though the workers are the ones who elect them.” Seizing on the momentum of victory,  said “The workers at VW are the first domino to fall. They have shown it is possible…I expect more of the same to come. Workers are fed up.” UAW now plans to target a Mercedes plant in Alabama; according to the union, “A supermajority of Mercedes-Benz workers have filed a petition with the…NLRB…for a vote to join the UAW.” As the Guardian notes, “Mercedes has been considerably more outspoken against the union than VW was, with a top Mercedes official telling workers: ‘I don't believe the UAW can help us to be better.'” Yet Fain is confident, saying “At the end of the day, I believe that workers at Mercedes definitely want a union…and I believe a big majority there will vote in favor.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Dr. Timm Schwartz of the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation joins Greg and Dan to talk about the annual Mission of Mercy event on June 28th and 29th at the Peoria Civic Center.  Dr. Schwartz discusses the ISDS' needs prior to this year's event, how the community can help, and the impact that dental care has on those who need it. This two-day event provides free dental care to patients who do not have the means or access to care. Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis and there are no criteria or limitations on what may be treated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Two big court decisions today. The U.S. Supreme Court issues a “unanimous” decision that states cannot remove Trump, or any other federal candidate, under the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment – it was really a 5 to 4 opinion.The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay against Judge Ezra's order of last week that prevents Texas from enforcing SB4 that allows state arrests for illegally crossing the border. However, the court has put a 7-day pause on the issue to give the Supreme Court time to react.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.More news of school districts and electioneering: Huffman ISD is the Latest School District Caught Potentially Violating Electioneering Laws Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Huffman ISD and Aledo ISD for Illegal Electioneering Texas' Sales Tax Revenue Totaled $3.7 Billion in February.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

This episode is recorded in Russian. In this Russian-language edition of our ISDS podcast series, Sultan Seidalin and Aitmaganbet Ospanbekov provide a comprehensive overview of the most significant developments in investment treaty arbitration during the latter part of 2023. This episode is a Russian-language translation of our previous episode “Investment treaty arbitration: 2023 in review” hosted by Suzie Savage and Patrick Beale.  ----more---- Transcript: Intro: Hello and welcome to Arbitral Insights, a podcast series brought to you by our International Arbitration practice lawyers here at Reed Smith. I'm Peter Rosher, global head of Reed Smith's International Arbitration practice. I hope you enjoy the industry commentary, insights and anecdotes we share with you in the course of this series, wherever in the world you are. If you have any questions about any of the topics discussed, please do contact our speakers. And with that, let's get started.  Aitmaganbet: Здравствуйте и добро пожаловать на наш первый выпуск серии подкастов на русском языке. Я напомню, что это по-русски урегулирование споров между инвестором и государством или сокращенно, как его называют «УСИГ». Меня зовут Айтмаганбет Оспанбеков, и я являюсь юристом в группе по международному арбитражу в офисе Рид Смит в городе Астана. Я рад, что ко мне присоединился мой коллега Султан Сейдалин, старший юрист по международному арбитражу, также работающий в астанинском офисе Рид Смит. Здравствуйте, Султан.  Sultan: Здравствуй, Айтмаганбет. Очень приятно вести с тобой этот подкаст. Всегда интересно, конечно, проверить и подвести итоги того, что произошло за последние шесть месяцев, и что нас ждет в перспективе.  Aitmaganbet: Да, определенно интересно, и нам есть о чем поговорить начнем с Договора к энергетической хартии. Ранее государства-члены ЕС выразили намерение выйти из ДЭХ. Европейская комиссия в своем прошлогоднем решении настаивала на скоординированном выходе ЕС, Евроатома и всех государств-членов из Договора к энергетической хартии. Намерение выйти из ДЭХ связано с обеспокоенностью общества о том, что ДЭХ представляет защиту инвестициям, осуществленным в сектора горючих полезных ископаемых. В результате чего ДЭХ находится в кризисе, а его будущее не определено. Что-то изменилось с тех пор Султан?  Sultan: Да, Вы правы, Айтмаганбет одиннадцать стран уже уведомили о своем выходе или намерении сделать это. И седьмого июля Комиссия Европейского союза предложила скоординированный выход TC, его государств-членов и Евроатома из Договора к энергетической хартии. Более того, в сентябре Правительство Великобритании объявило, что пересмотрит членство Великобритании в договоре и рассмотрит возможность выхода из него, если соглашение по изменённым условиям не будет достигнуто к ноябрю две тысячи двадцать третьего года. Если государства Европейского союза осуществят скоординированный выход, это вдвое сократит число подписавших сторон и, следовательно, географический охват мер защиты, предусмотренный ДЭХ. Тем не менее, на заседании Конференции Энергетической хартии в ноябре прошлого года секретариат ДЭХ указал, что они желают возобновить свою политику консолидации и расширения привлечений, так называемое CONEXO, путем рассмотрения потенциального сотрудничества с ОПЕК. Это может указать намерение расширить членство в ДЭХ за счет государств ОПЭК.  Aitmaganbet: это все представляет большой интерес, учитывая всю неопределенность относительного будущего ДЭХ. Существует ли альтернатива для инвесторов, которые считают, что маршрут защиты инвестиций через ДЭХ для них закрыт?  Sultan: Да, конечно, инвесторам следует определить, имеется ли соответствующее двустороннее инвестиционное соглашение предполагающее защиту аналогичную ДЭХ. Если нет, они могут рассмотреть возможность реструктуризации своих инвестиций через оставшиеся государства, подписавшие Договор к энергетической хартии. Они также могут попытаться усилить договорную защиту посредством соглашения с правительством принимающей страны. и в качестве альтернативы, если государство инвестора и принимающее государство являются участниками Европейской конвенции о правах человека, существует еще возможность для них сослаться на положения о защите собственности, содержащиеся в статье 1 Протокола 1 к этой Конвенции. К примеру, группа акционеров ЮКОСа успешно подала иск против России до ее выхода из Конвенции по ЕСПЧ и получила компенсацию в размере почти два миллиарда долларов США. Ну и, наконец, может быть рассмотрен вариант страхования от определенных рисков.  Aitmaganbet: Спасибо, Султан. Приятно осознавать, что у инвесторов есть и другие варианты. Теперь предлагаю обсудить кратко другой вопрос это процедуру исполнения арбитражного решения. Недавно в английских судах рассматривалось крупное дело по этому вопросу. Не так ли, Султан? Sultan: Совершенно верно. В деле Инфраструктурные услуги Люксембурга против Испании Английский коммерческий суд отклонил попытке Испании воспрепятствовать исполнению решения ДЭХ, вынесенного в пользу инвесторов, учрежденных в Европейском союзе. Aitmaganbet: Дело в том, что в этом отношении английский суд не последовал решениям Суда Европейского союза по делам Achmea и Комстрой, который определил, что внутриевропейское арбитражное разбирательство в рамках ДЭХ противоречило законодательству ЕС.  Sultan: Все правильно. Позиция Европейского союза заключается в том, что он является окончательным арбитром по всем вопросам, касающимся интерпретации и применения правового порядка Европейского союза. Однако судья по делу Инфраструктурные услуги Люксембурга против Испании установил, что договоры Европейского союза не имеют приоритета над положением о разрешении споров в статье 26 ДЭХ. Соответственно, арбитражное решение против Испании имело возможность быть зарегистрированным и исполненным в Великобритании. Что касается внутренних дел Великобритании, произошло еще одно весьма интересное событие. Так, Комиссия по законодательству провела пересмотр закона об арбитраже Великобритании 1996 года.  Aitmaganbet: Да, это так, и Комиссия по законодательству опубликовала свои рекомендации в сентябре прошлого года. Предложения и поправки были разработаны после консультаций с арбитражными юристами и всеми заинтересованными лицами. Кстати, включая Рид Смит, чьи рекомендации были процитированы в отчете Комиссии по законодательству по этому вопросу. Законопроект об арбитраже был затем включен в речь короля в ноябре прошлого года. Это означает, что его будут рассматривать на следующей законодательной сессии.  Sultan: интересно, а какие основные рекомендации заинтересуют практикующих юристов, занимающихся инвестиционными спорами, с твоей точки зрения? Aitmaganbet: несмотря на то, что существует несколько примечательных рекомендаций, в том числе в отношении упрощенной процедуры урегулирования иска и обязанности арбитов раскрывать информацию о любых потенциальных конфликтах интересов или любую соответствующую информацию, которая может повлиять на их беспристрастность, я думаю, что больше всего юристов-практиков по инвестиционным спорам заинтересует предполагаемые изменения оспаривания вопроса материальной юрисдикции трибунала.  Sultan: А можешь подсказать о том, какую реформу предложила Комиссия по законодательству?  Aitmaganbet: Да, конечно, цель состоит в том, чтобы упростить процесс оспаривания материальной юрисдикции арбитражного суда. Основной целью предлагаемой реформы является обеспечение, чтобы если трибунал уже вынес решение о своей юрисдикции, а возражающая сторона участвовала в этом процессе, то любое последующее оспаривание решения, согласно статье 67. то есть из-за отсутствия материальной юрисдикции должно осуществляться только путем пересмотра, а не полного повторного слушания, как это происходит в настоящее время. Цель состоит в том, чтобы снизить риск несправедливого и расточительного повторного слушания, который потенциально может возникнуть в результате полного повторного слушания. Возможность предоставить новые аргументы или доказательства, или пересмотреть старые доказательства будет ограничена только исключительными ситуациями.  Sultan: Да, в этом есть смысл. А как было воспринято это предложение? Aitmaganbet: Спасибо за хороший вопрос Существует опасения, что оспаривание по статье 67, не являющееся полноценным повторным слушанием, может оказаться недостаточным для возникновения эстопеля в отношении вопроса при исполнении арбитражного решения за рубежом. Тогда возражающая сторона может начать еще одно оспаривание юрисдикции в иностранном суде, исполняющем решения. Возникшие в результате этого задержки и возросшие расходы, скорее всего, будут намного больше, чем экономия, полученная за счет отказа от повторного рассмотрения дела в Англии. Неопределенность и процессуальная несправедливость также будут гораздо выше, что сделает реформу статьи 67 пирровой победой. Однако комиссия по законодательству не была убеждена в значимости этого риска, отчасти потому, что ожидает, что иностранные суды все равно могут найти основания для возражения по делу даже в отсутствие полного повторного слушания. Ну что ж, время покажет, насколько обоснованы эти опасения.  Sultan: Давай вернемся к индо-тихоокеанскому региону. В июле прошлого года Великобритания подписала всеобъемлющее и прогрессивное соглашение о транстихоокеанском партнерстве (CPTPP), и у нее есть двенадцать месяцев на ратификацию соглашения, вступления в силу которого ожидается во второй половине 2024 года. В торговый блок входит Австралия, Новая Зеландия, Япония, Сингапур, Малайзия, Бруней, Вьетнам, Канада, Мексика, Чили и Перу.  Aitmaganbet: У меня возник вопрос, включает ли CPTPP положение об урегулировании споров между государствами и инвесторами.  Sultan: CPTPP является первым соглашением о свободной торговле после Брексита, подписанным в Великобритании, которое включает положение об урегулировании инвестиционных споров. Тем не менее, у Великобритании уже есть действующие двусторонние инвестиционные соглашения с Сингапуром, Малайзией, Перу, Чили, Вьетнамом и Мексикой, которые также содержат арбитражные оговорки между инвестором и государством. Однако Великобритания вела переговоры о дополнительных соглашениях с Австралией и Новой Зеландией, с которыми у нее нет существующих двусторонних инвестиционных соглашений для того, чтобы исключить применение УСИГ (ISDS) в рамках CPTPP. Aitmaganbet: А как рассматриваются иски УСИГ (ISDS) в рамках CPTPP? Sultan: Стандартная процедура иски рассматриваются трибуналом в составе трех арбитров по одному арбитру назначается каждой сторон, и председатель назначается совместно сторонами, если иное не согласованно сторонами.  Aitmaganbet: Есть ли какие-то особенности механизма урегулирования споров между государством и инвестором в данном случае, о которых слушателям будет полезно узнать?  Sultan: Да, я думаю, что интересно знать следующие основные моменты. В соглашении предусмотрен обязательный шестимесячный период для переговоров, так называемый «cooling-off» период.  Инвесторы могут подавать иски CPTPP без предварительного обращения к национальной судебной системе, хотя есть оговорка о подсудности, которая не позволяет инвесторам обращаться в арбитраж против Чили, Мексики, Перу и Вьетнама, по искам, которые уже были поданы в национальные суды или административные трибуналы этих государств.  Также уведомления об арбитраже направленные на любой сторон, подписавших договор должны сопровождаться письменным отказом от права на возбуждение или продолжение рассмотрения тех же исков в любом суде, административном трибунале или другом органе по разрешению споров. И одна особенность, на которую следует обратить это срок исковой давности Он ограничен сроком в 3.5 года.  Aitmaganbet: А как насчет материальной защиты, предлагаемой данным договором?    Sultan: Ну, здесь для некоторых секторов, к примеру, здравоохранения присмотрено исключение из стандарта национального режима. Соглашение представляет государствам право отказать в применении Главы договора об инвестициях, касающихся государственных мер по контролю за табаком и табачной продукцией и недискриминационных регуляторных актов, направленных на достижение общественного благосостояния. Это не рассматриваются как косвенная экспроприация. Aitmaganbet: Султан, а какие правила применяются к арбитражу в рамках CPTPP? Sultan: здесь могут рассматриваться и применяться регламенты МЦУС или ЮНСИТРАЛ, а также любые другие арбитражные регламенты, которые будут согласованы между сторонами.  Aitmaganbet: Большое спасибо, Султан. А теперь давайте перейдем от Индотихоокеанского региона к Америке и поговорим больше о раскрытии информации в США. Верховный суд США недавно пришел к выводу о том, что помощь в раскрытой информации в США в соответствии со статьей 1782 Кодекса США не распространяется на иностранный частный коммерческий арбитраж или специальный арбитраж между инвестором и государством. Верховный суд постановил, что на статью 1782 можно слаться только в том случае, если иностранный трибунал является правительством или межправительственным судебным органом  Sultan: Да, и это оставило вопрос о том, можно ли использовать статью 1782 для поддержки арбитражных разбирательств в рамках МЦУИС. Aitmaganbet: Совершенно верно. Однако следует уточнить, что Верховный суд не дал конкретного теста или критерия, которому должны следовать нижестоящие суды в таких случаях. Sultan: Да, я бы хотел отметить в данном случае решение по делу Webuild S.P.A, рассмотренное в Южном округе Нью-Йорка, в рамках которого был отклонен запрос истца о предоставлении доказательств для использования перед трибуналом МЦУИС. Судья данного суда пришел к заключению, что содействие по сбору доказательств в рамках статьи 1782 недоступно истцам в арбитраже МЦУИС по в рамках ДИС между Панамой и Италией.  Aitmaganbet: Совершенно верно, и это решение теперь обжаловано во Втором апелляционном округе. Подготовка аргументации завершена в августе прошлого года, включая докладную записку, предоставленную Соединенными Штатами, которая утверждает, что арбитражный суд между инвестором и государством, созванный в соответствии с Конвенцией МЦУИС, не является иностранным или международным трибуналом в соответствии со статьей 1782.  Sultan: Да, будет интересно посмотреть, как второй апелляционный округ решит подойти к этому вопросу. И я думаю, что мы обязательно вернемся к данным событиям в нашем следующем выпуске. Aitmaganbet: Давайте теперь поговорим о реформе УСИГ (ISDS). Рабочая группа №3 UNCITRAL рассматривает широкомасштабные реформы системы. В октябре прошлого года Рабочая группа рассмотрела проекты положения о процедурных реформах и так называемых сквозных вопросах. Sultan: именно так, Айтмаганбет, и секретариат сейчас представил проект положений, которые могут быть включены в существующие или будущие международные инвестиционные соглашения, или в качестве дополнения к арбитражного регламенту ЮНСИТРАЛ. Они рассматривают многие вопросы, которые были спорными.  Sultan: Текущие предложения сгруппированы в три раздела. В первом разделе рассматриваются условия ограничения подачи требований. в рамках инвестиционных споров, например, инвесторы обязаны инициировать разбирательство в судах, принимающих государств в отношении оспариваемых мер, прежде чем они смогут прибегнуть к инвест арбитражу. Также существует требования к инвестору отказаться от права инициировать или продолжать любое другое производство по разрешению споров, касающееся оспариваемых мер.  Предполагается предусмотреть срок исковой давности, продолжительность которого еще не определена.  Предусматриваются подробные положения, касающиеся обстоятельств, при которых государство может отказать инвестору в преимуществах МИС, в том числе, когда инвестиции были сделаны в нарушение законов и правил государства или национальных или международных принципов добросовестности или были сделаны путем коррупции, мошенничества или обмана. Также предусмотрено четко выраженное право договаривающихся сторон урегулировать спор в общественных интересах и принимать меры для обеспечения того, чтобы инвестиции осуществлялись с учетом защиты общественного здоровья, окружающей среды, а также поощрения и защиты культурного разнообразия. Ну и, наконец, в этот раздел включено право государство определяет встречные иски, что является очень важным моментом. Aitmaganbet: В дополнении ко всему, второй раздел посвящен проведению разбирательств, в том числе и в отношении бифуркации, обеспечительных мер досрочного прекращения дела, обеспечения расходов и финансирования арбитражей третьими сторонами, так называемый «third party funding». Третий раздел содержит положение, регулирующие оценку трибуналом ущерба и компенсации. Они требуют, чтобы трибунал учитывал вину истца, его неспособность смягчить убытки или ущерб. В нем также рассматривается вопрос об оценке ущерба в случаях осуществления инвестиций на ранней стадии, т. е. без истории ведения бизнеса, чтобы снять опасения по поводу иногда спекулятивного характера таких исков. Обсуждение будет продолжено на следующей встрече, которая состоится уже совсем скоро двадцать второго января текущего года в Вене.  Sultan: Спасибо. Я думаю, мы будем ждать остальных событий, которые будут в этом году в ближайшей перспективе. Я думаю, что на этом мы завершим выпуск. Я надеюсь, что это был интересный и полезный обзор недавних и ожидаемых событий в инвестиционном арбитраже Большое  Aitmaganbet: спасибо, что слушаете наш подкаст. Мы надеемся, что вам также будет интересен следующий выпуск нашей серии подкастов и особенно следующий подкаст, посвященный системе урегулирования споров между инвесторами и государством. На нашем сайте вы можете узнать больше об опыте работы Reed Smith в Лондоне, Париже, США, Астане и других странах по вопросам инвестиционных споров.  Outro: Arbitral Insights is a Reed Smith production. Our producer is Ali McCardell. For more information about Reed Smith's Global International Arbitration Practice, email arbitralinsights@reedsmith.com. To learn about the Reed Smith arbitration pricing calculator, a first of its kind mobile app that forecasts the cost of arbitration around the world, search arbitration pricing calculator on reedsmith.com or download for free through the Apple and Google Play app stores. You can find our podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google Play, Stitcher, reedsmith.com and our social media accounts at Reed Smith LLP on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.  Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to suggest or establish standards of care applicable to particular lawyers in any given situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Any views, opinions, or comments made by any external guest speaker are not to be attributed to Reed Smith LLP or its individual lawyers.  All rights reserved.

E83 CORRUPTION in ISDs: You Should Know - The Bottom Line with Jaco Booyens and Missie Carra In this compelling episode, we're joined by Missie, a passionate advocate for parental rights in education and healthcare. With a background as a nurse, Missie brings a unique perspective to her advocacy work. Her journey began with eye-opening research into Comprehensive Sexual Health Education, uncovering the unsettling link between the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health and the 'Public School Pipeline to Planned Parenthood'. This discovery ignited her mission to protect families from the encroachment of radical ideologies in our public education system. Drawing from her extensive involvement in local, state, and national initiatives, Missie sheds light on the far-reaching implications of Comprehensive Sex Ed, Critical Race Theory, Social Emotional Learning, and the Agenda 2030 framework. Through her expertise and firsthand experiences, Missie offers invaluable perspectives on navigating these complex issues and empowering parents to advocate for the well-being and future of their children.  helpjbm.org sexnationfilm.com Instagram: @jaco.booyens X: @booyensjaco TikTok: @jaco.booyens --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jacobooyens/support

In our latest episode, we have two very special guests - voices you will know - talking about a corporate trade power tool that definitely should be on the “out with the old” list! We're talking about Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) and its implications for our economies and democracies. First, a quick refresher:   What is ISDS?  ISDS grants foreign investors special rights and privileges, allowing them to sue governments outside of domestic courts. These suits often result in staggering compensations for corporations, all while undermining public policies.   ISDS has to go.    That's why we teamed up with Nobel-winning economist Prof. Joseph Stiglitz and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), our guests on this podcast, to release a paper that we co authored with experts from Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment and the Center for the Advancement of the Rule of Law in the Americas at Georgetown University Law Center, about how we can exit out of ISDS in the Americas. 

In the fifth edition of our regular ISDS podcast series, hosts Suzie Savage and Patrick Beale once again break down the key investment treaty arbitration developments that took place in the latter part of 2023. They discuss the Energy Charter Treaty, award enforcement case updates, the ISDS elements included in the Law Commission's review of the English Arbitration Act 1996,  Indo-Pacific updates (notably the UK signing the CPTPP), s.1782 news, before closing with commentary on UNCITRAL Working Group III's proposed ISDS reforms.

Join Don as he sits down with the 2024 Michigan Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Jeffrey Collier from Saginaw ISD to discuss how it feels to be the first ISD superintendent to receive this award and about the important services and support ISDs can provide to their communities.

MCALLEN, Texas - Educator Beatrize Valenzuela received one of the biggest cheers at South Texas College's 2nd Annual Apprenticeship Summit.The Region One Education Service Center STEM/CTE specialist received warm applause following her opening remarks during a panel discussion on partnerships and apprentice perspectives. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Education and Math. CTE stands for Career & Technical Education. Here are Valenzuela's opening remarks:“Hi, good morning everyone. My name is Beatrize Valenzuela and I was a teacher at La Joya ISD 19 years. This is my second year working with Region One. I have the honor of being STEM/CTE specialist for one of the GEAR UP grants called Pathways to the Future. “In my 19 years as an educator I worked in low socio-economic communities. I was in Sullivan City for ten years, and then I was in Pueblo De Palmas. So I worked with those students from low income communities. “I was in love with what I did. And those students have so much potential, but nobody was tapping into it because they were in rural areas. There were not a lot of teachers there that have a STEM background. "So, when my students started asking for that assistance and I didn't have it, I made it my personal goal to learn. I started learning about robotics, I started learning about coding, I started learning all about STEM, and I started taking it to those communities and, lo and behold, they started placing and winning at the state level. “You know, we started to see that passion ignited in those communities and that's when I said, Oh my gosh, we are not tapping into the talent and potential that we have out there. “So I did my best to try to promote and try to foster that creativity and that passion amongst my students. But, as a teacher, we're limited in what we know about what's available, what's in demand, what are the jobs, what are the needs, what are the pathways. And, as I came up and started to collaborate more and network more and learn about the grants from Texas Workforce, I started to learn about the wonderful resources that are out there, that are available for us to be able to educate our educators. "And so that is the key. That is what is missing. We need to bridge that gap. So, we are working with Texas Workforce, we are working with STC, so that we can start to make a four-year plan, to bring those students in. We have students that are currently freshmen and what we want to do or what we're working on is, we're working on starting to prepare those students for those pre-apprenticeships and those apprenticeships so that when they come in, they're coming in with those necessary skills. “We want to work on those micro-credentials which are going to give them the problem-solving, the collaboration, the communication, what we call soft skills. But we want them to be able to have those badges, those micro-credentials, and we're so honored to be able to work with STC to hopefully be able to reach more students and the broader community so that we can fill these positions. We can fill these gaps that we know exist. “So, the main thing is that I want to take away from this is that we just need to have more of an open line of communication between industry and ISDs and educators and Region One can help bridge that gap. So thank you for having us here.”Valenzuela also responded to three other questions from panel moderator Carlos Margo. Margo is dean of industrial training and economic development at STC.To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A ridiculous, spurious decision from a Travis Co. Democrat district judge places a temporary injunction on TEA from releasing the public school A to F accountability ratings. The judge, ruling on a lawsuit to stop transparency from about 100 ISDs, says school districts could suffer “irreparable harm” from the release! How?One charter school leader wrote me:  “You are probably already aware of this, but some judge in Austin blocked TEA from releasing ratings after about 100 ISDs sued.  I think charters should do the opposite and tell the world to ”bring it on” because we don't fear accountability like the ISDs do.  … But we need to face the facts.  It's widely understood that the delay is because TEA is trying to tweak ratings to already make schools look better.”Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Brain dead Democrats in Houston and Harris County go out of their way to advertise their brain dead status: Harris County justice leaders eye ‘cite and release' revival.Texas rig count up in this week's Baker Hughes report.Second Amendment issues including stupidity from a Dallas city councilman. Here's where to sign up for NRA political action.In the last segment, it's the beginning of a Pratt on Texas Podcast Extra with Dr. Gilbert Berdine, an associate professor of medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and an affiliate of the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University, in which we discuss the dangerous failures of the American health systems in handling COVID. The full Podcast Extra interview can be found here (link will post after 6pm.)Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

1-2부 [뉴스 신세계] 1) 尹 “이권 카르텔 보조금 폐지..수해 복구 재정 투입” 1-1) ‘비상근무' 공무원 노조, 홍준표 대구시장 비판 2) ‘김건희 라인' 조사마다 다른 교량·터널 수? 조작 의혹 - 헬마우스 임경빈 작가, 김민하 시사평론가 [이슈 하이킥] 정부, ‘1300억 배상' ISDS 판정 불복..배경은? - 송기호 변호사

Neocolonialism, Democratic Deficits and Regulatory Chill of the Investor State Dispute Settlement MechanismDiscussion with Lisa Sachs on the regulatory chill and democratic deficit of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism (ISDS). We discuss the structural issues of ISDS, including conflict of interest, lack of transparency and lack of accountability as well as its neocolonial origins and entrenchment. We also discuss the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, the expanding investor protections of international investment law, treaty shopping and how ISDS is distorting the investment climate in favor of fossil fuels. Additionally, we discuss the fragmentation of international law and the need to have holistic international jurisprudence and governance.For More Info:https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=sustainable_investment_staffpubshttps://ccsi.columbia.edu/content/primer-international-investment-treaties-and-investor-state-dispute-settlementhttps://ccsi.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/docs/publications/fJohnsonetal58-1.pdfhttps://ccsi.columbia.edu/content/investment-law-policyhttps://icsid.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/ICSID%20Convention%20English.pdfhttps://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-dispute-settlementhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14693062.2022.2153102?journalCode=tcpo20https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2697555https://www.oecd.org/daf/inv/investment-policy/4th-Annual-Conference-on-Investment-Treaties-agenda.pdfhttps://policyalternatives.ca/ontheoffensivehttps://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/diaepcbinf2019d3_en.pdfhttps://digitallibrary.un.org/record/803449?ln=enhttps://alexandra-arneri.medium.com/that-my-keen-knife-see-not-the-wound-it-makes-part-ii-why-loot-when-you-can-lend-the-violence-of-be65d7e16c9d

EPISODE: The Country is Not for Sale-Economic Development & Employment Zones (ZEDEs) versus National SovereigntyGUESTS: Beth Geglia, anthropology PhD, and Melinda St. Louis, Director of Public Citizen's Global Trade WatchBACKGROUND:On May 3, Democratic U.S. lawmakers urged the U.S. Trade Representative and State Department to eliminate investor-state dispute settlement provisions from current and future trade deals and to intervene on behalf of Honduras against a U.S. company's nearly $11 billion claim against the country.In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Trade Representative Katherine Tai, 33 lawmakers said that investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) systems in trade deals constitute a "problematic corporate handout" that violates countries' sovereignty and democratic rights.ISDS mechanisms enable multinational corporations to sue the governments of foreign trading partners for profits they claim have been forfeited as a result of domestic policies designed to protect workers, consumers, and ecosystems. Such lawsuits challenge meaningful labor, product safety, and environmental standards, and the mere threat of them can even preempt the enactment of robust regulations, placing ISDS at the heart of what critics have called neoliberal globalization's "race to the bottom."ADDITIONAL LINKS:Senator Warren, Representative Doggett Call for Elimination of Investor-State Dispute Settlement System, Action on Behalf of Honduran GovernmentWarren Leads Call to End Dispute System “Weaponized” by Corporations Amid Honduras CaseCenter for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR)Honduras Solidarity NetworkInstitute for Policy Studies (IPS) Latin America Working Group (LAWG)Public Citizen/Global Trade WatchOUR BROADCAST PARTNERS:WTF is Going on in Latin America & the Caribbean is a Popular Resistance broadcast in partnership with Black Alliance for Peace Haiti/Americas Team, CODEPINK, Common Frontiers, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Friends of Latin America, InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Massachusetts Peace Action and Task Force on the Americas.

If you want to get in touch with James, follow this trial results and his events at the farm this is his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063790141190 If you want to know more about trialling in UK you can check the ISDS website, where you can find the trial diary and all the news regarding sheepdog trials https://www.isds.org.uk/ Join my Collie Club to work with me of any training and behaviour you need help with your Border Collie! New payment options have just been added: https://thatlldoacademy.com/online-academy/

School districts all over Texas are switching to a new school week schedule of four days rather than the traditional five day. This new scheduling idea was introduced to schools to help attract more teachers to districts that were lacking staffing power and two local ISD's – Harlandale and La Vernia could be next.

Claire & Nichole hope you are having a restful holiday season! We are replaying a past favorite episode from our Education Series.Attention Mentions:Patti Everitt: she's really paying attention to the importance of teachersClaire: Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-wives Edition on Bravo and PeacockNichole: Fair Play, a documentary on Apple+Go behind the ballot with us for this information-packed episode with Patti Everitt who knows all things charter schools. She has dedicated so much of her time to asking questions about how charter schools function in Texas so we can all have more clear information. She talks about the challenges that charter schools create for local ISDs and the different expectations and accountability for each. Patti gives us a tutorial on how charter schools are funded in Texas and how that affects all Texas families. She also informs us on important questions families should ask when making decisions about charter schools versus their local ISD. Buckle up for a very informative episode.

There are many organizations in the Michigan public education arena. We talk with the new Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, John Severson, Ph.D., about how we collaborate and listen at the state level, as well as how ISDs and locals work together for the common good of their communities.

Suzie Savage and Patrick Beale discuss key developments in the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) landscape in 2022 and look ahead to 2023. The duo's third horizon-scanning instalment covers the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), including various EU states' intention to leave and what this means for the future of the ECT; the review of the 1996 English Arbitration Act; the availability of USC section 1782 in aid of ICSID arbitrations; the African Continental Free Trade Agreement; the progress of UNCITRAL Working Group III on ISDS reform; and whether the pandemic led to an uptick in ISDS claims.

Marcy Galle is a Parent Advocate and Co-Founder of Families Engaged For Effective Education. She is a former city councilmember of Willow Park just north of Aledo, Texas. Marcy is an expert in public information requests, the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) and the public education grievance process. When local ISDs lawyer up, she steps in to help families exercise their parental rights as outlined in the Texas Education Code. There is a pattern of ungodly behavior in Godley ISD where she has dealt with the administration, the school board, and superintendent shirking their responsibilities and circumventing the law by propping up their lawyers against parents. She is also advocating for parents in Joshua ISD, Fort Worth ISD and others. Parents are being denied their constitutional right to speak at school board meetings. Districts across Texas are deploying antagonistic and disrespectful tactics to dissuade parents from testifying at board meetings. They often go into closed session for 1-2 hours at the beginning of meetings making working parents wait until the closed sessions adjourn before hearing public testimonies. DeSoto ISD is another repeat offender of TOMA. Regarding the captive market of public school students fed into the predatory social-emotional learning cash cow for vendors, parents are benign denied their right to opt in or opt out of these experimental learning technologies and strategies. Marcy helps families understand the laws written to protect children and parents so they can be empowered with the law in order to fight lawlessness. Marcy can be contacted at marcy.m.galle@gmail.com Families Engaged for Effective Education is on Facebook Website: Familiesengaged.orgTexas Lawyers CreedBrought to you by:https://MoveFreelyAmerica.orghttps://OBBMNetworkPodcasts.comhttps://OBBMNetworkBrands.comJunkluggers of Grapevine, Irving, and Denton 630-470-8307Terrel Tipton, Insperity HR Services, 972-409-4316Support the show

Listeners will be aware of the amount of coverage we've given to CETA, and the ISDS (investor courts) that it signs us up for over the last few years. We have not been shy about our dislike... So it was a great boost when the case taken against the constitutionality of aspects of the deal by Green Party TD, Patrick Costello's was victorious in the Supreme Court. (would've loved to have seen Leo's face) Patrick rejoined us to talk about taking the case, the judgement and where to next politically for a deal that is already over 90% implemented. (recorded Saturday 13th Nov) Join us to get these as soon as they're done and lots more exclusive podcasts at patreon.com/tortoiseshack

A new barrier to climate action is opening up in an obscure and secretive part of international trade law which fossil fuel investors are using to sue countries if policy decisions go against them. We speak to experts about the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism and how it works. Many are worried that these clauses in international trade deals could jeopardise global efforts to save the climate – costing countries billions of dollars in the process.Featuring Kyla Tienhaara, Canada research chair in economy and environment at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada, Emilia Onyema, reader in international commercial Law at SOAS, University of London in the UK, Lea Di Salvatore, PhD researcher at the University of Nottingham in the UK and Maria-Rita D'Orsogna, anti-oil activist and professor of mathematics at California State University, Northridge in the US.This episode was produced by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript will be available soon. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.Further reading:How treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate – and cost countries billionsEnergy charter treaty makes climate action nearly illegal in 52 countries – so how can we leave it?British investors could sue Australia over climate action if UK joins trans-Pacific trade pact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigeria has a terrible history with international oil companies like Shell, having a hard time getting compensation for environmental damage. Even with some legal wins,  like when the Hague Court of Appeals found Shell Nigeria liable for damages from pipeline leaks in the villages of Oruma and Goi, the country is still a long way from achieving true justice. To add salt to the injury, the violators have themselves gone on to sue Nigeria, sometimes using domestic law, but in the greater number of cases, resorting to  Investor State Dispute (ISDS) clauses in Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) that Nigeria is signed to.   As a result of these cases, where costs to citizens have run into billions of dollars, Nigeria has become critical of the current international arbitration system, and has since announced that it will revise all bilateral investment treaties (BITs) signed between 1990 and 2001. They plan to re-negotiate 12 out of the 15 BITs that are currently in force.  However, at the same time, Nigeria has already completed the first three steps of joining the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). This treaty is frequently used by fossil fuel companies to sue countries when they try to enact environmentally friendly policies. History shows that, though the Energy charter treaty makes many promises of burgeoning investment, the reality is that it doesn't significantly improve investment prospects. Instead, the ECT's Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions give foreign investors in the energy sector sweeping rights to directly sue states in international tribunals of three private lawyers, called arbitrators. Companies can be awarded dizzying sums in compensation for government actions that have allegedly damaged their investments.  When you consider that nearly all ISDS cases against Nigeria so far are already linked to the exploitation and selling of oil or gas, and couple this with the importance of the energy sector to Nigeria's economy, it's easy to see the risk the country could face. If Nigeria joins the Energy Charter Treaty, the effort to critically assess its current investment treaties seems rather futile.     In many of the countries that are in the process of acceding to the ECT, hardly anyone seems to have even heard of the agreement, let alone have thoroughly examined its political, legal, and financial risks. And even with a supposed “modernization process”, which is supposed to deal with the problematic clauses in the treaty,  it  continues to threaten to bind yet more countries to corporate-friendly energy policies. Why are African countries like Nigeria drawn to the ECT, when the treaty has such obvious grave implications for their ability to determine their own internal policies?  What is the broader context that informs this seemingly contradictory behaviour?  To understand what is happening with the Energy Charter Treaty in West Africa, and particularly in the region's biggest country by population and economy, Nigeria, I spoke to Oberko Daniel. Daniel works as a tax and trade organizer for Public Services International, which is the  Global Union Federation of Workers in Public Services. Currently based in Accra, Daniel also coordinates PSI's project on digitalization in the region Image: The retired Orlando Power station in Johannesburg, South Africa/ Wikimedia Commons. Episode Notes: ISDS in Nigeria https://www.tni.org/en/publication/isds-in-nigeria Busting myths around the Energy Charter Treaty: https://www.tni.org/en/ect-mythbuster Public Services International https://publicservices.international/?lang=en 

Lack of access to modern energy services remains a major constraint to economic development in many regions, and perhaps in Africa most of all. According to the Africa development Bank, only 40 percent of the continent's people have regular access to electricity.  African governments are trying to expand their capacity to provide energy to their citizens, and this has seen a proliferation of “mega energy deals”, where governments sign deals investors, usually foreign, who pledge to work with the government to build energy generation facilities, upgrade energy grids and other such cost-intensive developments.  However, this all happens in a context where we know what we have to do to solve the climate crisis. We must keep coal, oil and gas in the ground. What happens when African governments try to pass progressive policies to protect the environment, and to protect  people from some of the harmful practices of these investors? The fossil fuel industry has a secret powerful weapon to keep countries locked in on fossil fuels: The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).  The ECT is an International Investment Agreement (IIAs) that establishes a multilateral framework for cross-border cooperation in the energy industry. The treaty covers all aspects of commercial energy activities including trade, investments and energy efficiency,  and it is currently on a massive geographical expansion into Africa, Asia and Latin America.  History shows that, though the Energy charter treaty makes many promises of burgeoning investment, the reality is that it does not significantly improve investment prospects. Instead, the ECT's Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions give foreign investors in the energy sector sweeping rights to directly sue states in international tribunals of three private lawyers, the arbitrators. Companies can be awarded dizzying sums in compensation for government actions that have allegedly damaged their investments, either directly through ‘expropriation' or indirectly through regulations of virtually any kind. In many of those countries in the process of acceding to the ECT, hardly anyone seems to have even heard of the agreement, let alone have thoroughly examined its political, legal, and financial risks. And even with a supposed “modernization process”, which is supposed to deal with the problematic clauses in the agreement,   the treaty continues to threaten to bind yet more countries to corporate-friendly energy policies. Here at the state of power podcast, we are concerned with power. How it can be generated in a fair and equitable manner,  without endangering the planet or livelihoods. On this episode of the podcast, we take a specific look at East Africa, where five of the East African Community (EAC) countries have signed the non-legally binding International Energy Charter (IEC), which is a political declaration aimed at strengthening energy cooperation among signatory countries and international organizations, and does not impose any legal or financial obligation. The Governments of Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda signed the IEC in 2015, while the Government of Rwanda in 2016, and the Government of Kenya and the East African Community as an intergovernmental institution signed the charter in 2017.  As a consequence of this political declaration, the ECT Secretariat, whose survival depends on continuation of the treaty, continues to lobby these countries to take additional steps towards acceding to the Energy Charter treaty, which , because of its ISDS clauses,  is not as innocuous as the International Energy Charter.  To get a better understanding of what exactly is going on, we speak to  Olivia Costa, who is the executive director of Tanzania Trade and investment coalition, a grouping of thirteen Civil Society Organizations in the East African country. Joining her is  Brenda Akankunda, who works with the Southern and Eastern Africa trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), and is based in Uganda. Both organizations  focus on Trade and Investment.  Image: The retired Orlando Power station in Johannesburg, South Africa/ Wikimedia Commons.  Episode Notes:  On the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT):  https://www.tni.org/en/energy-charter-dirty-secrets Busting myths around the Energy Charter Treaty:  https://www.tni.org/en/ect-mythbuster State of the World Conference link:  https://www.tni.org/en/webinar/state-of-the-world-2022 Get your tickets to the State of the World Conference:  https://ticketpass.org/event/ELAYKF/state-of-the-world

2022년 9월 7일 수요일 주제: ‘2800억 배상' 론스타 판정이 남긴 것은? 1. 론스타 사건의 쟁점과 ISDS 판결의 의미 2. 론스타 사태, 부실 M&A는 누구의 책임인가? 출연: 김남근 변호사 (참여연대 정책자문위원) 이정환 미디어오늘 대표 전성인 홍익대 경제학부 교수

0901 [최강 인터뷰 3] 론스타 ISDS 6조원 중 2925억 배상 판정, 이의제기 가나? - 전성인 교수 (홍익대 경제학부) / 최문호 기자 (KBS 탐사보도부) full gid://kbs-podcast/631000388968699130bb63b5 Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:43:30 GMT no

Attention Mentions: Patti Everitt: she's really paying attention to the importance of teachersClaire: Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-wives Edition on Bravo and PeacockNichole: Fair Play, a documentary on Apple+ Go behind the ballot with us for this information-packed episode with Patti Everitt who knows all things charter schools. She has dedicated so much of her time to asking questions about how charter schools function in Texas so we can all have more clear information. She talks about the challenges that charter schools create for local ISDs and the different expectations and accountability for each. Patti gives us a tutorial on how charter schools are funded in Texas and how that affects all Texas families. She also informs us on important questions families should ask when making decisions about charter schools versus their local ISD. Buckle up for a very informative episode.

Matt shares his journey from playing professional soccer in England to starting his own sports training and conditioning business here in north Jersey. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/flavio-romeo/message

EJR is back! This week I will report how the very corporations responsible for trashing the planet, are suing governments globally in a desperate attempt to kill any meaningful climate justice law. Now, both the mainstream press, (and progressive outlets like TYT with Cenck Ughur), are reporting this story as if it were a new phenomenon--it's not. This process has been in effect for years, courtesy of a specific tool that permeates our multilateral trade agreements, namely ISDS or Investor State Dispute Settlement.  ISDS is essentially, a kangaroo court, and the judges or 'arbitrators' often come from the ranks of corporate law firms that are paid by the very polluters bringing the suit. It is a dishonest setup, and both democrats and republicans signed off on this Faustian deal.  I have written on this subject for some time now. Come join me.  Jeanine 

Speaker: Professor Rochelle Dreyfuss, NYW Law School Biography: Rochelle Cooper Dreyfuss is Pauline Newman Professor of Law at NYU Law School and a Co-Director of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. She is a leading scholar of intellectual property law as well as other science and technology topics. She was a research chemist prior to law school, and later clerked for Chief Justice Warren Burger of the US Supreme Court. Among her works on international intellectual property issues are A Neofederalist Vision of TRIPS: Building a Resilient International Intellectual Property System(2012, with Graeme Dinwoodie), and several co-edited books, including Framing Intellectual Property Law in the 21st century: Integrating Incentives, Trade, Development, Culture, and Human Rights (2018, with Elizabeth Siew Kuan Ng); and the IILJ Project volume Balancing Wealth and Health: The Battle Over Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines in Latin America (2014, with César Rodríguez-Garavito). She was the Arthur Goodhart Visiting Professor in Legal Science at Cambridge University for 2019–20.Abstract: Many countries have responded (or have considered responding) to the COVID pandemic by modifying their intellectual property laws to ensure the availability of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and related information. Some have asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a waiver to excuse any steps they might take that are inconsistent with obligations under the TRIPS Agreement. Although a waiver would protect WTO members from challenges in the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, a state that is a party to an international investment agreement (IIA) that includes investor-state dispute resolution has something else to worry about. Investors could claim that its actions amount to an indirect expropriation or a denial fair and equitable treatment in violation of the obligations in the IIA. In this piece, I conduct a thought experiment on how such suits might unfold. The first part describes how states sought or may seek to exercise control over the knowledge and products needed to protect public health during the global pandemic. The second part considers the challenges that investors might lodge and how they might be resolved. I identify the places where safeguards in IIAs that are intended to protect sovereign authority over healthcare may fall short.For more information see: https://www.cipil.law.cam.ac.uk/seminars-and-events/cipil-seminars

OBBM CEO Susan Hamilton talks with Host Lynn Daveport about the connection between public education and our businesses. Lynn is running for Dallas College Board District 1, and plans to bring fiscal responsibility and contract transparency to the constituents over a large portion of Dallas County. Listen to learn how this line item on your property tax bill is calculated and what that means for you. Early voting starts April 25th and voting day is May 7th, so get informed and get involved! Go to DallasCountyVotes.org to get a better understanding of your ballot.  Community College isn't just a financial discussion, though that's a large portion. Academic excellence has suffered, and our businesses feel it. The current faculty and long-term employees are concerned with the current direction, should we be listening?  Taxpayers own and financially support the Dallas College institution, and the board works for them, though they appear to have forgotten.  Hear from a former faculty member as he speaks to the board. What is the real story and the real impact of early college high school? Is maturity level a concern? Parents love the idea of college credit, but often it comes with a great deal of remedial courses that can cause significant burn out for the student before they ever get to follow their degree plan.  Lynn points out that reading comprehension and the ability to organize thoughts are critical components to a successful college pathway. Partnerships between college and local ISDs are blurring the lines, and as an education advocate and researcher, she's got legitimate questions and concerns about this arrangement. District 1 covers portions of Lake Highlands, Richardson, Addison, and Preston Hollow - a large area. Lynn brings a unique understanding of the K-12 space and unemployed people. She knows the difference between workforce training and education. 1.1 billion dollars allocated in 2018 needs scrutiny and oversight, and Lynn is ready to challenge the system to ensure constituents and students get the benefit of transparency and stewardship of those funds. This is a word-of-mouth campaign, and Lynn Davenport is determined to cause awareness of the issues that concern our neighborhoods to our detriment. The combination of Gene Robinson running for District 2 and Lynn Davenport in District 1 will be a powerful team with the heart, knowledge and ability to dig deep and solve problems.  Social Impact Podcast is on Spotify! Call 214-673-4018 to support the show, have Lynn speak to your group, support her campaign, or get exposure for your business.Subscribe to the OBBM Network Podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, iHeart, Google Podcasts and more. OffBeat Business TV can be found on Youtube, Vimeo , Rumble , BitChute  and wherever you enjoy great on-demand podcasts and TV.Support the show (https://obbmdfw.locals.com)

Janet and Stephanie sit down with Dr Tara van Ho to get a crash course in Investor State Dispute Settlements and the controversy around them

Something nice happening in 2020 - the Arbitration Station is back! Seated in London - responsibly spread out - we start off with the recent UK news that international law is not that important after all [TIME 14:20]. We then look back over the summer and discuss some recent developments in treaty-based renewable cases: is Romania the new Spain [TIME 28:42]? We also engage in perhaps the silliest Happy Fun Time in the history of silly Happy Fun Times: we're casting the ISDS movie [TIME 49:03]! Who plays Schreuer? Who plays GKK? Listen in, we're back!

This week we have a ribs up bone down situation on our hands. We brought on Memphis Mac to talk all things BBQ and the art of smoking. Memphis Mac is a local smokehouse about to finalize the opening of their second location in Millennial Park. The owner, Carlos, was not always a pit master smoking the best pieces of meat in town. For about 20 years he was a professor teaching ISDS, yes, we thought the same thing, how do you go from ISDS to smoking meat. The answer for Carlos was simple, smoking meat was a passion of his. After turning in his cap and gown he grabbed an apron and some wood, opening a location right at the entrance to the Exxon plant here in Baton Rouge and the rest is history. Being a numbers guy, he spends most of his time prepping for the week and calculating based off of statistics just how much meat he needs to prep fo the upcoming days. With a focus on the numbers, it makes so much sense for Carlos to be setup for success. If you're looking for some of the best BBQ in BR, look no further, Memphis Mac will take care of you. Oh, and they ship! Be sure to like, share & subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! Podcast Link: https://thepattygshow.com/ Memphis Mac Website: https://www.memphismac.com/ Memphis Mac Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memphismacbbq/ Memphis Mac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mem_mac_bbq/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pattygshow/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pattygshow/support

"Education Transformation" Rainstorm Brainstorm, Episode 5 Time: Midday Condition: Sustained Shower Location: (Austin, TX) Guests: none Topic: Can Montessori educational teachings show us how to adapt to virtual learning environments? Narrative Abstraction: Morgan combines what he's learned about Montessori education with what he knows about kids nowadays; they're better at the internet than adults. "As a long shower finally commences in the midst of a summertime drought, Morgan recalls conversations he's had with his father, a high school english teacher, and his step-sister, a professor's assistant and art teacher, have taught him about education in general and education during CoViD-19. He sips away at his coffee while pondering whether or not the faculties of ISDs could use the superior digital knowledge of its student-base to develop social networking systems specific to schools." END E --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rainstorm-brainstorm/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/rainstorm-brainstorm/support

This week we are going back to the days of college for some, and looking forward to the future for others. Sitting down with Dr. Ed. Watson to discuss the entrepreneurial ecosystem being developed at LSU. We walk through the beginning days dating back to the 1980s of when the department and courses were just getting started. We discuss the dot com boom and everything it meant for the ISDS department at LSU. As being an LSU Alumni myself, the entrepreneurship department plays an important role for me as I was among the first two graduates with the paired bachelors degree in Entrepreneurship. There is such an importance of having a strong entrepreneurship program at a large university because it allows students to utilize the resources of the university in order to further progress their business ideas. While the end goal is still a diploma, they are putting in steps to ensure you can also graduate with a business underway. If you are enjoying the show, we would be forever grateful for a share, subscribe, or even a review wherever you listen to podcasts or Facebook. Podcast Link: https://thepattygshow.com/ LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute Website: https://www.lsu.edu/business/sei/index.php LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSUSEI/ LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lsuentrepreneurship/?hl=en LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stephenson-entrepreneurship-institute/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pattygshow/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pattygshow/support