http://www.commerce.wa.gov/news-releases/community-programs-facilities/department-commerce-selects-john-smith-consulting-develop-buildable-lands-guidance-affordable-housing-plans/
Relief in sight for local governments seeking standards, guidance on land-use planning to meet community housing needs
OLYMPIA, WA – The Department of Commerce announced today that LDC, Inc. will develop guidance for local governments to help address insufficient supplies of affordable housing. Under a $260,000 contract, the firm will deliver a comprehensive report specifying guidance for county-wide Buildable Lands reports, the documents that guide land use planning efforts to address future housing needs.
King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Whatcom, Thurston and Clark counties will benefit through this project. LDC, Inc. will work with these counties and other stakeholders to develop the necessary guidelines by Dec. 2018. The 2017 legislature authorized the project (ESSSB 5254, Section 3).
“Skyrocketing housing costs driven by lack of supply is hurting communities across the state. We are seeing more people pushed into homelessness, businesses struggling to attract new workers, and middle class familites unable to afford home ownership,” said Commerce Director Brian Bonlender. “This work will strengthen communities by helping the designated Buildable Lands counties get an accurate picture of the quantity of land available for residential home construction. Only then will we have the ability to accurately determine the extent to which other barriers are contributing to our housing supply crisis.”
For information about the Buildable Lands program in Washington State or other Commerce programs that help Washington develop housing options, please visit www.commerce.wa.gov.
WORLD NEWS AND EVENTS
UN PRESS RELEASE: Occupation, Natural Resource Exploitation by Israel Hindering Social, Economic Gains in Palestinian Lands, Syrian Golan, Delegates Tell Second Committee
Press release issued 10/ 23/ 17
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/gaef3485.doc.htm
Israeli occupation and natural resource exploitation continued to hamper social and economic development in the occupied State of Palestine and the Syrian Golan, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) as it discussed those territories today.
Israel had carried out military decisions and discriminatory laws which impacted Palestinian natural resources and economic development, said the representative of the State of Palestine. By taking over his State’s resources, Israel had imposed full control on Palestinian trade and guaranteed that its economy would be almost completely subservient to Israel. Israel had also deprived Palestine World Trade Organization (WTO) benefits of 14.5 per cent for transport, transit and shipping fees of low‑income States.
Although the United Nations had adopted resolutions that determined Israel as the occupying Power of Palestinian territory, he said that Power gave no credence to those resolutions, acting as though it was above the law. Thus, he said that an international boycott of Israeli settlements and companies was a procedure in line with those resolutions and that the international community must end its dealings with Israeli settlements built on occupied Palestinian land.
Qatar’s representative, who spoke on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), stated that recent reports attested to a systematic and escalating pattern of human rights and international law violations because of Israel’s illegal, oppressive and destructive policies.
Despite calls by the international community to halt those activities, Israel continued its colonial settlement enterprise in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, he said. Israel must be compelled to respect international law, and the Palestinian people could not remain the exception to the responsibility to protect civilians from atrocities.
Yemen’s representative, speaking on behalf of the League of Arab States, said Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory and Syrian Golan had limited socioeconomic development and prevented Palestinians from the free and direct use of their natural resources. The Israelis had erected permanent military blockades on the Gaza Strip, which had exacerbated living conditions there. Noting a link between poverty suffered by Palestinians and Israel occupation practices, he said Israel’s daily activities were the primary reason many Palestinians lived below the poverty line.
Regarding the occupied Syrian Golan, the representative from the Syria said Israel had “blatantly defied” Security Council resolution 497 (1981) and had continued actions that deprived Syrians of their land. Israel and foreign companies continued to seize and exploit natural resources in the Occupied Syrian Golan, including water, gas and oil.
Bangladesh’s representative called upon the international community to impress upon Israel the need to put an end to its systematic violation of international humanitarian law, as well as to its restrictive measures, so that a favourable condition was created for the economies of Occupied Palestinian Territories to grow.
In response to those criticisms, Israel’s representative said that the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) report was full of false narratives and descriptions that were repeatedly used to bash and incite his country, and failed to mention that Hamas was administering the Gaza Strip through violence, human rights violations and exploitation of natural resources.
Conflict in the area had caused socioeconomic hardship on both sides, including through thousands of rockets that had been fired by Hamas at Israel, he said. The report also did not include the daily terror attacks by Palestinians against Israel. As for natural resources, Israel had recently agreed with the Palestinians on a Red and Dead Sea pipe project, an agreement on cross‑border sewage, and the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism. Concluding, he said it was surreal that Israel was being accused of human rights violations by some of the world’s worst human rights abusers.
UN PRESS RELEASE: With Millions Lacking Food, Education, Shelter, Targeted Approaches Needed to Meet Needs of Most Vulnerable, Mandate‑Holders Tell Third Committee
Press release issued 10/ 23/ 17
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/gashc4209.doc.htm
Millions of people across the world were without access to food, education and housing, with poverty the main obstacle to realizing their basic human rights, special mandate‑holders told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.
In a series of presentations, six experts called for targeted approaches to address the unique needs of vulnerable populations, underscoring throughout the primary responsibility of Governments to protect the fundamental freedoms of all citizens.
Hilal Elver, Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Food, said addressing food insecurity in countries affected by conflict had become her priority. Some 70 million people in 45 countries required emergency food assistance, up 40 per cent from 2015, she said, also quoting a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) finding that 489 million undernourished people were living in conflict zones.
Deaths in those areas were typically caused by hunger and disease, not combat, she said. Yet, the international community had never called for an international criminal trial against Government officials or non‑State actors for creating, inflicting or prolonging famine. While parties to armed conflict must meet the needs of populations under their control, such basic State functions were being passed over to the international humanitarian system, she noted.
Koumbou Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, asserted that it was up to Governments to ensure the right to education was realized. With 263 million children and young people lacking access to schooling, education systems must adapt to meet the needs of all pupils. States must also recognize that particularly vulnerable populations, including displaced persons, required increased assistance. All students should view schools as safe environments fostering a sense of belonging, she said. Enshrining those principles into education systems would promote peace and stability.
In that context, Leilani Farha, Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, also stressed the need for targeted approaches to meet the needs of specific vulnerable groups. Her report focused on the enjoyment of the rights under her mandate by persons with disabilities, as they were commonly homeless, institutionalized and subjected to neglect, abuse and discrimination for no reason other than their disability. “Housing is absolutely central to dignity and equal rights for persons with disabilities,” she said, adding that the housing conditions of more than 1 billion persons with disabilities had made clear the need for States to realize the right to housing.
Alleviating poverty was at the heart of realizing basic human rights, said Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights. The poor disproportionately experienced human rights violations. Addressing the needs of those living in poverty called for improved data collection from all relevant actors. There was little systematic data on the socioeconomic background of victims of civil and political rights violations, he said.
In the interactive segment of his presentation, he said his report focused on the need to separate the poor as a specific category, as they faced the overwhelming majority of violence, and were the leading victims of civil and political rights violations.
Also presenting before the Committee were Léo Heller, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Dainus Pūras, Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health.
FROM THE UN NEWS CENTER:
Ending child marriage in West and Central Africa on pace to take 100 years, warns UNICEF
24 October 2017 – Unless progress is accelerated, ending child marriage in West and Central Africa will take more than 100 years, with far-reaching, life-altering consequences for millions of child brides and crippling impact on the region's prosperity, the United Nations children's agency has said.
Don't just blame teachers when system is at fault, says UNESCO
24 October 2017 – Blaming just the teacher or the school for systemic educational problems can have serious negative side effects, warns a new report from the United Nations educational agency.
Central African Republic’s message to UN: ‘The only thing we want is peace’
23 October 2017 – It was once known as the ‘Bridge of Death,’ the frontline between warring factions in the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR). Legendary tales were shared of the bridge being drenched in blood, with even Government security forces scared to set foot on it.
From the US MISSION TO THE UN:
Explanation of Vote on a Draft UN Security Council Resolution to Extend the Mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8040
Thank you, Mr. President. As I just said before the vote, it is not every day that this Council considers an issue that is so horrific – so shocking to the conscience – as the use of chemical weapons against civilians. And today is an important day on the calendar; it is UN Day on which we the peoples of the United Nations recommit to unite, as the UN Charter preamble states, to maintain international peace and security. We all know there has long been an international norm against the use of chemical weapons because they are so cruel and so indiscriminate as never to be justified.
In one of our rare moments of unity, this Council appropriately condemned chemical weapons attacks in Syria. We even collaborated on creating an independent, impartial body to investigate confirmed cases of chemical weapons use. This body is comprised of internationally recognized, independent experts. It employs professional, scientific means of investigating attacks and identifying those responsible.
And yet – and yet – this body is under attack by the Syrian regime’s allies. And the question we must ask ourselves is whether the JIM is being attacked because it has failed in its job to determine the truth in Syria or because its conclusions have been politically inconvenient for some Council members.
We have just voted on a short, simple resolution to extend the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, also known as the “JIM.” We mandated this technical body to investigate chemical weapons attacks on the innocent men, women and children of Syria. Composed of experts from the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, OPCW, the JIM has a simple task: to find out who ordered and carried out the use of these weapons in Syria.
Statement by Ambassador Haley on Russia’s Veto of the Renewal of the Joint Investigative Mechanism on Chemical Weapons
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8038
Russia has once again demonstrated it will do whatever it takes to ensure the barbaric Assad regime never faces consequences for its continued use of chemicals as weapons. By rejecting the renewal of the work of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) – an independent, purely technical body – Russia has made it clear that it does not care about stopping the use of chemical weapons in the world. This is the ninth time Russia has protected Assad and his team of murderers by blocking the Security Council from acting. In doing so, Russia once again sides with the dictators and terrorists who use these weapons.
US STATE DEPT: Remarks at the Saudi Arabia-Iraq Inaugural Coordination Council Meeting
Press release issued 10/ 22/ 17
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2017/10/274993.htm
SECRETARY TILLERSON: Your Majesty, Prime Minister, Excellencies, and delegation members, it is indeed a pleasure to return to Riyadh, particularly for this endeavor. I thank His Majesty King Salman for his hospitality and for hosting us today for this important event. I am grateful to both His Majesty and Prime Minister Abadi, for indeed it is a joy and an honor (inaudible) the Saudi-Iraq Coordination Council.
This event highlights the strength and breadth as well as the great potential of the relationship between (inaudible), and I am honored to take part in this ceremony. The U.S.-Saudi relationship remains strong as does the U.S.-Iraq relationship. Your important relationship between the Kingdom and Iraq is vital to bolstering our collective security and prosperity, and we take great interest in it. The United States supports enhanced cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq across many pillars of the Coordination Council.
We are encouraged to see that Saudi Arabia and Iraq have made important strides in your bilateral relationship as evidenced by the recent opening of the Arar border crossing in August and the resumption of flights between Riyadh and Baghdad last week. Both represent the beginning of what we hope will be a series of even more tangible actions to improve relations, to strengthen cooperation, on a host of issues.
We are grateful for this progress and urge you to continue to sustain this vital relationship for the stability of the region. I also appreciate Prime Minister Abadi’s leadership in the Government of Iraq. In recent months, you all have watched the impressive achievements in Iraq’s fight against ISIS/Daesh, particularly the swift victories of Iraqi Security Forces in Tal Afar and Hawija.
As major military operations near conclusion, Iraq’s financial needs for stabilization and reconstruction are evident. The Joint Coordination Council will not only lead to closer cooperation in the fight against Daesh, but it will also help support the rehabilitation of facilities and infrastructures in the areas liberated. The council will also contribute to reforms that will grow and diversify Iraq’s private sector. Such reforms will encourage foreign investment that is vital to Iraq’s reconstruction efforts. This will be critical for winning the peace that has been earned through hard-fought military gains.
We are grateful that this council meeting underscores how important it is for the region that Iraq have a growing, stable economy and a government with increasing capacity to provide for all of its citizens. This event will lay the foundation for improved cooperation on these and other issues for the future of Saudi Arabia and Iraq to continue to build a relationship for the benefit of both members and the broader region. The United States and friends support continued cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and again, we congratulate you on this important conclusion of the Coordination Council. Thank you.
United States and Ukraine Hold Nonproliferation Working Group Meeting in Kyiv
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/10/275056.htm
The United States and Ukraine held a Nonproliferation Working Group Meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 24. The regularly-held meeting is one of several exchanges the United States and Ukraine hold each year to strengthen bilateral cooperation to address the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, advanced conventional weapons, and sensitive dual-use technologies.
Interagency experts from both sides met to discuss a range of nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and strategic trade control challenges and how the countries can best cooperate to address those challenges. In light of the growing threat from the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile program, this meeting put special emphasis on promoting effective and robust implementation of strategic trade controls and all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, including 2270 and 2321.
Remarks at the Office of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2017/10/275015.htm
SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister, for receiving me in Baghdad. It is truly a pleasure to be here to have this opportunity to visit with a very important partner in the fight to defeat ISIS, to defeat Daesh. And we congratulate Iraq under your leadership for the tremendous progress and victories – the liberation of Mosul last July, taking one of Daesh’s stated caliphate capitals away from it, the recent liberations of Hawija and Tal Afar. These are all very important victories, and we applaud the efforts on the part on the Iraqi forces to defeat Daesh. As you point out, there is still more that has to be done to ensure that Daesh is defeated once and for all and is eliminated from all of Iraq.
We are concerned and a bit saddened by the recent differences that have emerged between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi central government. We are – we have friends both in Baghdad, and we have friends in Erbil, and we encourage both parties to enter into discussion and dialogue. I think if both parties commit themselves to a unified Iraq, to a – to the Iraqi constitution, I think all differences can be addressed and the rights of all can be respected and Iraq will have a very secure and a prosperous future.
We had an opportunity to share in an important event in Saudi Arabia, the creation of the Coordination Council. We think this is an important milestone in restoring relationships between Iraq and the Gulf, the GCC countries, and Saudi Arabia that’s going to lead to very important economic development in Iraq as well – all for the good of the people of Iraq – and strengthening the security and stability of the region.
We look forward too to furthering U.S. economic activity with Iraq, and we look forward to a future of a secure and stable Iraq with a great partnership between Iraq and the U.S. for many years to come. Thank you again.
US DEFENSE DEPT: Mattis in Philippines to Strengthen Ties with ASEAN, Discuss North Korea
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2017 — Strengthening ties with allies, increasing defense capabilities in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and discussions about the threat of North Korea are among the topics Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will contend with on his trip to the region, he told reporters traveling with him yesterday.
WORLD AND NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...
Kurds offer to suspend independence drive, seek talks with Baghdad
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Kurdish authorities in Iraq offered on Wednesday to put an independence drive on hold, stepping up efforts to resolve a crisis in relations with Baghdad via dialogue.
Nearly 30,000 Kurds displaced from city near Kirkuk: aid groups
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Nearly 30,000 Kurds have been displaced from a multi-ethnic city south of Kirkuk where sectarian tension flared after Iraqi forces took control of it, humanitarian organizations said on Wednesday.
Under Trump plan, refugees from 11 countries face additional U.S. barriers
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration will temporarily delay processing of most refugees from 11 countries identified as high-risk, while resuming refugee admissions for other countries, government officials said on Tuesday. Most of the affected countries are in the Middle East and Africa, according to documents seen by Reuters.
Obama discriminated against coal, nuclear: U.S. energy secretary
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - The United States discriminated against the nuclear and coal industries under the administration of former President Barack Obama, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said on Wednesday.
Daily Bible Verse: speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:19-20 NKJV
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