EAST CHINA SEA (August 03, 2020) Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Matthew Pugliese, from Knoxville, Tenn., left, and Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Andrew Oliveira, from Gustine, Calif., load ammunition aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67). Shiloh is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Isaac Maxwell)

International Monetary Fund's Jan Brockmeijer (R), Deputy Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department (MCM);Laura Kodres (2nd R),Assistant Director, MCM; Jennifer Elliott (C),Co-Lead Author of Chapter 3, MCM; Srobona Mitra (2nd L),Co-Lead Author of Chapter 3, MCM and Tao Sun (L),Lead Author of Chapter 4, MCM attend the Analytical Chapters of Global Financial Stability Report Press Conference September 25, 2012 at the IMF Headquarters in Washington, DC. IMF Photograph/Stephen Jaffe

OKINAWA, Japan (Aug. 28, 2020) Marines with Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepare to embark the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) while the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), background, maintains station. Germantown, assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11 as part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit team, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serves as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

We picked every one of the (local, organic) berries for this pie by hand over the course of the summers of 2008 and 2009. The blueberries came from a school, and the strawberries and raspberries came from our CSA farm. All of our parents had a hand in this pie's creation, which made it really special. My dad and mom picked blueberries with us, my spouse's dad made the awesome crust from scratch, and my spouse's mom helped us to get the filling's flavor right.

We rolled out the dough and mixed up the filling and baked this pie on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. The next night, late at night, we were at a grocery chain store, people-watching. A woman picked up a boxed commercial pie and said to her shopping companion, "Wow! Awesome! This is two dollars! Why would *anyone* ever bother making things themselves at home?" And she laughed.

Eating locally helps us to do our part to reduce environmental pollution, as well as to increase local economic stability.

Picking all of the berries ourselves connects us quite literally with our food chain. Berry cultivation is not always easy to do; berries are delicate, and must be picked by hand. Our local CSA is good to us by providing berries, delegating the labor-intensive berry harvest to us. Otherwise, there'd be no way to make it cost-effective for shareholders.

Every berry you eat has been picked by a human hand. That fact is humbling in and of itself. It makes me even more humbled to spend hours each summer picking those berries myself; I can barely take the hot summer sun for an hour per week, yet billions of people worldwide cultivate, tend, and harvest all day, every day. So that others may eat. It is incredibly important to me that I remember this, and that I honor this process with gratitude and respect.

And with sweat. Because I am incredibly fortunate to be alive, and to have enough mobility in my body to pick fruit.

Each bite is a gift, a blessing. It is an homage to many hot hours under the sun, squatting, reaching, bending. It speaks to dirt, to prickers, to bugs, birds, swarming around as we worked and sweated and stained our hands with juice.

But I have a diabetic condition. I probably eat one piece of this pie per year, tops. Why do I bother? It's just pie.

So indeed, it's just a pie. It's made of grains, roots, bark, cane, and fruits. But it's so much more than that, for me, for the both of us.

I've been making this pie since 1995. It's a super-simple recipe, and the lattice technique couldn't be more straightforward, but the outcome is really wonderful. And then we all get to eat this pie together, for Thanksgiving.

I'm not for colonial imperialism, but I *am* for celebrating sustainable harvests, and families, and the sheer miracle of living. And with this, I rejoice.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Feb. 22, 2016) The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits alongside the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106). Providing a ready force supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, Stennis is operating as part of the Great Green Fleet on a regularly scheduled 7th Fleet deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan J. Batchelder/Released)

A discussion on Jamaica’s reform journey, from safeguarding financial stability amid economic turmoil, to modernizing its central bank to support its ambitious program on financial deepening and inclusion.

DJI demonstrates the stability of their aerial drones.

www.usaraf.army.mil

U.S. Army Africa supports Burundi's peacekeeping efforts in Somalia

By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

BUJUMBURA, Burundi – When U.S. Army Col. Steve Smith recently joined discussions with Burundian generals about how Burundi conducts peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, he was leading the way for U.S. Army Africa partnerships on the continent.

In mid-January, Smith led a team to work with Burundian officers on ways to enhance Burundi’s leadership capacity as their military prepares to deploy its next rotation of peacekeepers to Mogadishu. Smith, of the U.S. Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and Lt. Col. Ronald Miller, an Africa expert from U.S. Army Africa headquarters, held discussions with senior Burundian military officers at the Ministry of Defense in Bujumbura.

“We discussed the U.S. military’s way of planning for operations at the brigade level, using what we call MDMP, the military decision making process,” Smith said. “We also talked about how U.S. Army officers run a brigade-level command post.”

Burundi and Uganda share peacekeeping duties under the African Union Mission in Somalia, an operation designed to stabilize Somalia’s security situation following decades of war and chaos. African peacekeepers in Somalia face daily challenges as they mentor Somalis in security operations and work to counter extremist groups like al-Shabaab.

The U.S. Army effort is part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to support Burundi in its peacekeeping efforts, said Brig. Gen. Cyprien Ndikuryio, chief of Burundi’s land forces. The U.S. has helped with training and equipment, followed by these senior leader discussions, he said.

“My colleagues and I are senior officers. One of them, or I, could be appointed to higher responsibilities in Somalia’s peacekeeping mission and use what we have learned,” Ndikuryio said.

Until now, Burundi’s military planned missions similar to the way Belgian and French militaries work. The Ugandan People’s Defense Force, Burundi’s partner in AMISOM, already employs a planning system that is similar to the U.S. military, Smith said.

“It’s incredibly important for Burundi, as they are working alongside other armies using the U.S.-based model, to promote interoperability and overall efficiency,” Smith said.

In 2006, Burundi ended its 12-year civil war. Since then, Burundi has made strides toward partnering with its East African neighbors and the United States.

In October 2009, Burundian troops took part in Natural Fire 10, a U.S. Army Africa-led humanitarian and civil assistance exercise held in Uganda. During that time, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, visited Bujumbura to watch Burundian troops undergoing training with the U.S. State Department-led African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program.

Burundian senior leaders then asked U.S. Army Africa to help with a familiarization event on brigade-level peacekeeping operations. Leaders from PKSOI at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania offered their expertise for the event.

“This effort in Burundi has been a great opportunity for the U.S. Army to engage with a partner nation’s land forces on the continent,” Smith said. “There’s a tremendous potential here, a great thirst for knowledge.”

Smith’s Burundi assignment also benefits PKSOI in their efforts, he said.

“I’m taking back with me a better understanding of U.S. Army Africa operations and what’s happening on the ground in Africa,” Smith said. “That knowledge will help PKSOI plan to support future missions.”

The talks came at a key time for the Burundian military, as they prepare to deploy a new rotation of peacekeepers to Somali.

“This support was very important and effective,” Ndikuryio said. “We appreciate this cooperation with U.S. Army Africa. We hope to interact with the command in the future.”

Cleared for public release.

Photos by Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica

Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica

Director of the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units, Italian Brig. Gen. Paolo Nardone, and his deputy, U.S. Army Col. Darius Gallegos, visited U.S. Army Africa’s mobile forensic laboratories to discuss the lab’s capabilities in underdeveloped or remote areas, at Caserma Ederle, Jan. 25, 2015. (U.S. Army Africa photo by Peter McCollaum)

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

If you were looking for ways to both strengthen and increase stability of the musculature of the spine one could perform various exercises, but there is only one solution that doesn't require any kind of exercise - active sitting on SpinaliS chairs. Strengthen your core muscles while sitting!

SpinaliS Spider Series Chair is one of the most popular models in Canada:

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Any type of prolonged poor posture will, over time, substantially increase the risk of developing back pain. Examples include slouching over a computer keyboard, driving hunched over the steering wheel, lifting improperly. SpinaliS chairs will take care of your bad posture and will improve it very fast.

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Core stability refers to a person's ability to stabilise their core. Stability, in this context, should be considered as an ability to control the position and movement of the core. Thus, if a person has greater core stability, they have a greater level of control over the position and movement of this area of their body. The body's core is frequently involved in aiding other movements of the body, such as the limbs, and it is considered that by improving core stability a person's ability to perform these other movements may also be improved i.e. core stability training may help improve someone's running ability. The bodies core region is sometimes referred to as the torso or the trunk, although there are some differences in the muscles identified as constituting them. The major muscles involved in core stability include the pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae (sacrospinalis) especially the longissimus thoracis, and the diaphragm. The minor muscles involved include the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and trapezius. Notably, breathing, including the action of the diaphragm, can significantly influence the posture and movement of the core; this is especially apparent in regard to extreme ranges of inhalation and exhalation. On this basis, how a person is breathing may influence their ability to control their core.

Some researchers have argued that the generation of intra-abdominal pressure, caused by the activation of the core muscles and especially the transversus abdominis, may serve to lend support to the lumbar spine.

Typically, the core is associated with the body's center of gravity, which is over the region of the second sacral vertebrae groups and stability is associated with isometric or static strength. In addition, it is the lumbar spine that is primarily responsible for posture and stability thus providing the strength needed for the stability especially utilized in dynamic sports.

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The Aggregate Stability Comparison display, (left) using two clear pipes with water, demonstrate the structural stability of healthy soil that has organic matter from cover crops and aeration created by worms and roots, verses soil that is mechanically tilled on a regular basis and falls apart in water, during the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS soil health demonstration event “The Bundled Benefits of Soil Health” on Thursday, September 18, 2014 in the People’s Garden,at the USDA headquarters, in Washington, D.C. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.

The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.

The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.

The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.

May 24th

9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II

09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese

Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)

Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)

10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break

11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)

Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)

Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)

Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)

Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch

14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I

Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)

Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”

Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”

Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”

Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)

Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)

João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”

Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”

Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”

Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)

Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)

Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”

Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”

Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”

15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break

16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)

Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)

Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)

Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)

Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)

Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)

18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II

Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)

Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)

Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”

Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”

Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”

Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”

Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)

Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)

Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”

César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”

Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”

Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”

Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)

Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)

Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”

Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”

Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”

Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”

Susana Pedro

The Labour Party in Ireland is a social-democratic political party. The Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish political parties, Labour does not trace its origins to the original Sinn Féin. In the 2011 general election it gained 37 of the 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, almost double its total of 20 in the 2007 election, making it the second largest political party in the 31st Dáil. The Labour Party has served in government for a total of nineteen years, six times in coalition either with Fine Gael alone or with Fine Gael and other smaller parties, and once with Fianna Fáil, giving it the second-longest time in government of Irish parties, next to Fianna Fáil. As of 9 March 2011 it is the junior partner in a coalition with Fine Gael for the period of the 31st Dáil.

The current party leader is Eamon Gilmore, elected in October 2007 alongside Joan Burton as deputy leader. Gilmore is the current Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).

The Labour Party is a member of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists, whilst the party's MEPs sit in the European Parliament group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Through these bodies Labour is linked with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland.

www.streetsofdublin.com

Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.

The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.

The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.

The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.

May 24th

9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II

09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese

Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)

Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)

10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break

11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)

Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)

Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)

Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)

Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch

14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I

Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)

Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”

Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”

Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”

Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)

Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)

João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”

Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”

Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”

Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)

Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)

Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”

Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”

Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”

15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break

16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)

Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)

Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)

Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)

Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)

Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)

18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II

Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)

Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)

Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”

Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”

Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”

Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”

Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)

Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)

Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”

César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”

Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”

Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”

Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)

Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)

Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”

Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”

Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”

Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”

Susana Pedro

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 14, 2020) Sailors remove and stow a pallet of dry goods dropped off by an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Archangels" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). New Orleans, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.

The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.

The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.

The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.

May 24th

9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II

09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese

Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)

Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)

10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break

11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)

Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)

Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)

Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)

Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch

14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I

Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)

Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”

Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”

Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”

Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)

Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)

João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”

Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”

Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”

Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)

Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)

Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”

Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”

Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”

15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break

16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)

Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)

Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)

Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)

Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)

Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)

18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II

Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)

Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)

Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”

Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”

Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”

Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”

Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)

Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)

Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”

César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”

Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”

Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”

Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)

Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)

Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”

Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”

Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”

Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”

Susana Pedro

www.storerboatplans.com/media/video/video-easy-speed-and-...

A discussion on Jamaica’s reform journey, from safeguarding financial stability amid economic turmoil, to modernizing its central bank to support its ambitious program on financial deepening and inclusion.

Peter Dattels; Deputy Director; Monetary and Capital Markets Department answers questions at a Press Conference for the Global Financial Stability Report during the 2014 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings October 8, 2014 at IMF Headquarters in Washington.©IMF Photo

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 19, 2020) Seaman Hau Tran, from Killeen, Texas, walks the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) searching for foreign object debris before the ship conducts amphibious operations. New Orleans, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven (ESG 7), along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

Dawn working on her shoulder stability with some "waitress carries"! You can sub the medicine… t.co/OC8GSEmWIL (via Twitter twitter.com/optimizephysio/status/784454792177414144)

VIEW THE VIDEO

Labour Party Deputy Leader and Director of Elections, Joan Burton today launched “Vote YES for Stability”, the party’s animated video on the Stability Treaty.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Burton said: “This animated video is a short and simple guide to the main issues that arise from the Stability Treaty and it outlines some of the reasons why we believe that a YES vote is crucial for Ireland.

“We hope that the use of simple visualisations and key messages in the video will make the YES arguments accessible to an online audience who may be more accustomed to using online platforms to inform themselves on various issues.

“This Treaty is about ensuring a stable currency which will increase investor confidence in Ireland which will in turn bring about economic recovery. This is why it is vital that we vote YES on May 31st.”

It may be very superficial but cash was and is a huge desire for myself after graduating college. I mean why else are we all getting degrees? We want to make money with the degree we earn and live a comfortable life. It may seem obvious but cash is important because it provides stability in a multitude of ways and makes life easier overall. A lack of finances can make my life after college living hell. This relates to the overall theme because money is not important yet in my life, I still live off of my parents but, in the future, after school, cash will be a necessity.

Dialogue and discussion with Jeroen Dijsselbloem at the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Dutch finance minister and ECOFIN Chair Jeroen Dijsselbloem worries that the way in which the EU Commission applies Stability and Growth Pact rules may not be entirely objective, he told Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs on Tuesday. At a meeting reviewing the Dutch Presidency of the Council of Economy and Finance Ministers, he said he hoped that on Friday 17 June they would agree a road map for completing the Banking Union with a European Deposit Guarantee Scheme (EDIS).

Stability and Growth Pact: No special treatment for France "because it is France"

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20160613IPR32051...

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(Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives CreativeCommons licenses creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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The Labour Party in Ireland is a social-democratic political party. The Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish political parties, Labour does not trace its origins to the original Sinn Féin. In the 2011 general election it gained 37 of the 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, almost double its total of 20 in the 2007 election, making it the second largest political party in the 31st Dáil. The Labour Party has served in government for a total of nineteen years, six times in coalition either with Fine Gael alone or with Fine Gael and other smaller parties, and once with Fianna Fáil, giving it the second-longest time in government of Irish parties, next to Fianna Fáil. As of 9 March 2011 it is the junior partner in a coalition with Fine Gael for the period of the 31st Dáil.

The current party leader is Eamon Gilmore, elected in October 2007 alongside Joan Burton as deputy leader. Gilmore is the current Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).

The Labour Party is a member of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists, whilst the party's MEPs sit in the European Parliament group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Through these bodies Labour is linked with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland.

www.streetsofdublin.com

At the end of World War II, the victorious Allies captured both German scientists and research papers in aerodynamics which had given the Germans a slight edge in technology during the war. Among this was research into swept wings, which promised better handling at high speeds, a feature used successfully in the Messerschmitt Me 262. All the combatant nations had been developing jet fighters at the end of the war, and the Soviet Union was no different: like the Western Allies, it found the swept wing concept to be a perfect solution to add speed without sacrificing stability; unlike the West, the Soviets could not take advantage of it due to a lack of adequate jet engines. Soviet metallurgy was simply not up to the task, and experimental jet fighters were severely underpowered. Engine designer Vladimir Klimov, however, came up with a novel idea: he asked the British in 1946 if they could provide a few examples of their latest engine. To the stunned surprise of Klimov, the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, and Josef Stalin, the British complied, providing Klimov with the plans for the Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet, one of the most successful jet engines in history. Klimov quickly reverse engineered it as the VK-1, and just like that, the Soviets had the perfect engine for their planned jet interceptors.

MiG OKB already had a jet fighter in service, the MiG-9, but it was a poor performer. By modifying a MiG-9 into the I-310 prototype, with VK-1 propulsion and swept wings and tail surfaces, the resultant aircraft was superb: it was very manueverable and fast. It was placed into production as the MiG-15. This in turn was superseded by the more advanced and reliable MiG-15bis, which added airbrakes and a few minor avionics changes. Though pilots hated the cramped cockpit, which forced them to fly without heated or pressurized flight suits—a real concern in frigid Russian winters—they loved its responsiveness and speed. Though the MiG-15 was designed to intercept the B-29 Superfortress, hence its heavy cannon armament, it could quite easily hold its own in a dogfight. It rapidly replaced most propeller-driven fighters in the Soviet inventory, and was quickly supplied to Soviet client states.

The MiG-15 would get its first taste of action during the Chinese Civil War, when Russian-flown MiG-15s flew on behalf of the Communist Chinese against the Nationalists; a P-38L was shot down on 28 April 1950 for the type’s first victory. By far, however, it would be Korea where the MiG-15 would see the most action.

After starting out well, the North Korean armies were, by fall 1950, in full rout from South Korea, pursued by United Nations forces. The World War II-era North Korean People’s Air Force had been annihilated by UN aircraft, and though China intended to intervene on behalf of North Korea, it lacked trained pilots. Stalin agreed to secretly provide both MiG-15s and the pilots to fly them, operating from bases in China across the Yalu River from North Korea. The pilots, under command of Soviet top ace Ivan Kozhedub, were instructed to speak in what little Korean they knew, and never fly over territory where they might be captured. The former was rarely heeded in the heat of combat, while the short range of the MiG-15 limited pilots to flying in and around the Yalu valley in any case. This rapidly became known as “MiG Alley.” By November 1950, Russian-flown MiG-15s were in combat against American and British aircraft, both sides fielding pilots who had already flown combat in World War II. Both sides were to find they were close to evenly matched as well: the Russians claimed the first jet-to-jet victory on 1 November, when a MiG-15 shot down a USAF F-80C; four days later, they suffered their first loss, to a US Navy F9F Panther. Most engagements were to occur between the F-86 Sabre and the MiG-15.

Once more, the two were closely matched. The MiG-15 had a better rate of climb, was superior above 33,000 feet, and had harder hitting cannon armament. The F-86’s six machine guns were often ineffective against the rugged MiG, but it was more manueverable, especially at low level, and if the machine guns did not cause as much damage, they fired at three times the rate of the MiG-15’s cannons, and usually hit what they aimed at, due to a superior radar-ranging gunsight. Both sides had to deal with instability at high speeds: if the MiG pilot got into trouble, he would climb out of danger, whereas the Sabre pilot would dive. The pilots were evenly matched, though the Russians would later admit that the Americans were better trained. Both sides overclaimed during the war, with both Soviet and American pilots claiming 12 to 1 kill ratios: the truth may never be known, though 40 Russians were awarded the title of ace during the war. The MiGs did succeed in one task, driving the B-29s into night attacks, after six were shot down or badly damaged on a single mission in October 1951.

Interestingly enough, the F-86 was as much a surprise to the Soviets as the MiG-15 was to the West, and both sides attempted to procure an example of the other. The United States’ Operation Moolah, offering $100,000 to any Eastern Bloc pilot who defected with a MiG-15, resulted in three MiG-15s, two flown by Polish pilots to Denmark and the third by North Korean pilot No Kum-Sok.

After the end of the Korean War, the MiG-15 remained in service, though it slowly began to be replaced by the MiG-17 and MiG-19. Nonetheless, MiG-15s were involved in eleven separate incidents during the Cold War, shooting down several US and British reconnaissance aircraft and an Israeli airliner. By the mid-1950s, however, the MiG-15 was beginning to show its age, and in combat with Sidewinder-equipped F-86s of Taiwan and Israeli Super Mysteres, it came off second best. Gradually, single-seat MiG-15s were retired from active service, though hundreds of two-seat MiG-15UTI “Midget” trainers remained in service; the MiG-15UTI is still flown by several air forces to this day. About 16,000 MiG-15s were produced in the Soviet Union, Poland, and Czechslovakia, and a good number remain in existence today in museums and numerous flyable examples, including 43 in the United States.

The MiG-15bis in the Malmstrom Museum’s Top Ace collection is the aircraft flown by Yevgeny Pepelayev, one of the high scoring Soviet pilots of the Korean War; he commanded the 196th Guards Fighter Regiment at the time. Like most MiG-15s during the war, it is finished in bare metal, with an all-red nose as a recognition feature. North Korean markings were carried despite being flown exclusively, until 1952 at least, by Russian pilots. The fate of the real aircraft is unknown, though a similarly painted MiG-15 is on display in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Stability graph

J. Benson Durham (left to right), Anna Ilyina, Tobias Adrian, IMF Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department, Fabio Natalucci and Randa Elnagar, present the Global Financial Stability Report press briefing at the 2018 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings on Wednesday, April 18 in Washington, D.C. Ryan Rayburn/IMF Photo

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Sept. 7, 2020) Fireman Tyler Garringer, from Bullhead City, Ariz., receives orders via handheld radio during a damage control drill aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). New Orleans, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

VIEW THE VIDEO

Labour Party Deputy Leader and Director of Elections, Joan Burton today launched “Vote YES for Stability”, the party’s animated video on the Stability Treaty.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Burton said: “This animated video is a short and simple guide to the main issues that arise from the Stability Treaty and it outlines some of the reasons why we believe that a YES vote is crucial for Ireland.

“We hope that the use of simple visualisations and key messages in the video will make the YES arguments accessible to an online audience who may be more accustomed to using online platforms to inform themselves on various issues.

“This Treaty is about ensuring a stable currency which will increase investor confidence in Ireland which will in turn bring about economic recovery. This is why it is vital that we vote YES on May 31st.”

IMF Financial Counselor Tobias Adrian and Deputy Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Fabio Natalucci provide the Global Financial Stability Report update during the COVID-19 Pandemic at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. on June 25, 2020. IMF Photo/Cory Hancock

A massive fire under the MTA Metro-North Railroad elevated line on Park Av. near 118th St. caused a halt in train traffic while engineers assessed the stability of the structure.

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

PHILIPPINE SEA (Jan. 14, 2021) Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Elia Reams, from Jackson, Tenn., poses for a photo with a tray of cookies in the USS America (LHA 6) bake shop. America, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, serving as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kelsey Culbertson)

Caligula's Sisters Agrippina, Drusilla and Livilla were given unprecedented honours. Here they are represented as Securitas (Stability), Concordia (Harmony) and Fortuna (Fortune).

Nero: the Man Behind the Myth

(May - Oct 2021)

Nero is known as one of Rome's most infamous rulers, notorious for his cruelty, debauchery and madness.

The last male descendant of the emperor Augustus, Nero succeeded to the throne in AD 54 aged just 16 and died a violent death at 30. His turbulent rule saw momentous events including the Great Fire of Rome, Boudicca's rebellion in Britain, the execution of his own mother and first wife, grand projects and extravagant excesses.

Drawing on the latest research, this major exhibition questions the traditional narrative of the ruthless tyrant and eccentric performer, revealing a different Nero, a populist leader at a time of great change in Roman society.

Through some 200 spectacular objects, from the imperial palace in Rome to the streets of Pompeii, follow the young emperor’s rise and fall and make up your own mind about Nero. Was he a young, inexperienced ruler trying his best in a divided society, or the merciless, matricidal megalomaniac history has painted him to be?

Nero was the 5th emperor of Rome and the last of Rome’s first dynasty, the Julio-Claudians, founded by Augustus (the adopted son of Julius Caesar). Nero is known as one of Rome’s most infamous rulers, notorious for his cruelty and debauchery. He ascended to power in AD 54 aged just 16 and died at 30. He ruled at a time of great social and political change, overseeing momentous events such as the Great Fire of Rome and Boudica’s rebellion in Britain. He allegedly killed his mother and two of his wives, only cared about his art and had very little interest in ruling the empire.

Most of what we know about Nero comes from the surviving works of three historians – Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio. All written decades after Nero’s death, their accounts have long shaped our understanding of this emperor’s rule. However, far from being impartial narrators presenting objective accounts of past events, these authors and their sources wrote with a very clear agenda in mind. Nero’s demise brought forward a period of chaos and civil war – one that ended only when a new dynasty seized power, the Flavians. Authors writing under the Flavians all had an interest in legitimising the new ruling family by portraying the last of the Julio-Claudians in the worst possible light, turning history into propaganda. These accounts became the ‘historical’ sources used by later historians, therefore perpetuating a fabricated image of Nero, which has survived all the way to the present.

Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus on 15 December AD 37.

He was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger. Both Gnaeus and Agrippina were the grandchildren of Augustus, making Nero Augustus’ great, great grandson with a strong claim to power.

Nero was only two years old when his mother was exiled and three when his father died. His inheritance was taken from him and he was sent to live with his aunt. However, Nero’s fate changed again when Claudius became emperor, restoring the boy’s property and recalling his mother Agrippina from exile.

In AD 49 the emperor Claudius married Agrippina, and adopted Nero the following year. It is at this point that Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus changed his name to Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. In Roman times it was normal to change your name when adopted, abandoning your family name in favour of your adoptive father’s. Nero was a common name among members of the Claudian family, especially in Claudius’ branch.

Nero and Agrippina offered Claudius a politically useful link back to Augustus, strengthening his position.

Claudius appeared to favour Nero over his natural son, Britannicus, marking Nero as the designated heir.

When Claudius died in AD 54, Nero became emperor just two months before turning 17.

As he was supported by both the army and the senate, his rise to power was smooth. His mother Agrippina exerted a significant influence, especially at the beginning of his rule.

The Roman historians Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio all claim that Nero, fed up with Agrippina’s interference, decided to kill her.

Given the lack of eyewitnesses, there is no way of knowing if or how this happened. However, this did not stop historians from fabricating dramatic stories of Agrippina’s murder, asserting that Nero tried (and failed) to kill her with a boat engineered to sink, before sending his men to do the job.

Agrippina allegedly told them to stab her in the womb that bore Nero, her last words clearly borrowed from stage plays.

It is entirely possible, as claimed by Nero himself, that Agrippina chose (or was more likely forced) to take her own life after her plot against her son was discovered.

Early in his rule, Nero had to contend with a rebellion in the newly conquered province of Britain.

In AD 60–61, Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe led a revolt against the Romans, attacking and laying waste to important Roman settlements. The possible causes of the rebellion were numerous – the greed of the Romans exploiting the newly conquered territories, the recalling of loans made to local leaders, ongoing conflict in Wales and, above all, violence against the family of Prasutagus, Boudica’s husband and king of the Iceni.

Boudica and the rebels destroyed Colchester, London and St Albans before being heavily defeated by Roman troops. After the uprising, the governor of Britain Suetonius Paulinus introduced harsher laws against the Britons, until Nero replaced him with the more conciliatory governor Publius Petronius Turpilianus.

The marriage between Nero and Octavia, aged 15 and 13/14 at the time, was arranged by their parents in order to further legitimise Nero’s claim to the throne. Octavia was the daughter of the emperor Claudius from a previous marriage, so when Claudius married Agrippina and adopted her son Nero, Nero and Octavia became brother and sister. In order to arrange their marriage, Octavia had to be adopted into another family.

Their marriage was not a happy one. According to ancient writers, Nero had various affairs until his lover Poppaea Sabina convinced him to divorce his wife. Octavia was first exiled then executed in AD 62 on adultery charges. According to ancient writers, her banishment and death caused great unrest among the public, who sympathised with the dutiful Octavia.

No further motives were offered for Octavia’s death other than Nero’s passion for Poppaea, and we will probably never know what transpired at court. The fact that Octavia couldn’t produce an heir while Poppaea was pregnant with Nero’s daughter likely played an important role in deciding Octavia’s fate.

On 19 July AD 64, a fire started close to the Circus Maximus. The flames soon encompassed the entire city of Rome and the fire raged for nine days. Only four of the 14 districts of the capital were spared, while three were completely destroyed.

Rome had already been razed by flames – and would be again in its long history – but this event was so severe it came to be known as the Great Fire of Rome.

Later historians blamed Nero for the event, claiming that he set the capital ablaze in order to clear land for the construction of a vast new palace. According to Suetonius and Cassius Dio, Nero took in the view of the burning city from the imperial residence while playing the lyre and singing about the fall of Troy. This story, however, is fictional.

Tacitus, the only historian who was actually alive at the time of the Great Fire of Rome (although only 8 years old), wrote that Nero was not even in Rome when the fire started, but returned to the capital and led the relief efforts.

Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio all describe Nero as being blinded by passion for his wife Poppaea, yet they accuse him of killing her, allegedly by kicking her in an outburst of rage while she was pregnant.

Interestingly, pregnant women being kicked to death by enraged husbands is a recurring theme in ancient literature, used to explore the (self) destructive tendencies of autocrats. The Greek writer Herodotus tells the story of how the Persian king Cambyses kicked his pregnant wife in the stomach, causing her death. A similar episode is told of Periander, tyrant of Corinth. Nero is just one of many allegedly ‘mad’ tyrants for which this literary convention was used.

Poppaea probably died from complications connected with her pregnancy and not at Nero’s hands. She was given a lavish funeral and was deified.

Centred on greater Iran, the Parthian empire was a major political and cultural power and a long-standing enemy of Rome. The two powers had long been contending for control over the buffer state of Armenia and open conflict sparked again during Nero’s rule. The Parthian War started in AD 58 and, after initial victories and following set-backs, ended in AD 63 when a diplomatic solution was reached between Nero and the Parthian king Vologases I.

According to this settlement Tiridates, brother of the Parthian king, would rule over Armenia, but only after having travelled all the way to Rome to be crowned by Nero.

The journey lasted 9 months, Tiridates’ retinue included 3,000 Parthian horsemen and many Roman soldiers. The coronation ceremony took place in the summer of AD 66 and the day was celebrated with much pomp: all the people of Rome saw the new king of Armenia kneeling in front of Nero. This was the Golden Day of Nero’s rule

In AD 68, Vindex, the governor of Gaul (France), rebelled against Nero and declared his support for Galba, the governor of Spain. Vindex was defeated in battle by troops loyal to Nero, yet Galba started gaining more military support.

It was at this point that Nero lost the support of Rome’s people due to a grain shortage, caused by a rebellious commander who cut the crucial food supply from Egypt to the capital. Abandoned by the people and declared an enemy of the state by the senate, Nero tried to flee Rome and eventually committed suicide.

Following his death, Nero’s memory was condemned (a practice called damnatio memoriae) and the images of the emperor were destroyed, removed or reworked. However, Nero was still given an expensive funeral and for a long time people decorated his tomb with flowers, some even believing he was still alive.

After Nero’s death, civil war ensued. At the end of the so-called ‘Year of the Four Emperors’ (AD 69), Vespasian became emperor and started a new dynasty: the Flavians.

[Francesca Bologna, curator, for British Museum]

Taken in the British Museum

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 19, 2020) Seaman Hau Tran, from Killeen, Texas, heaves in a line to allow a landing craft, utility, from Navy Beach Unit (NBU) 7 to exit the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). New Orleans, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven (ESG 7), along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 25, 2020) Hospital Corpsmen stabilize a patient's feet to treat a simulated pelvic fracture aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) during medical training. New Orleans, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven 7, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

On Tuesday, the Greek Prime Minister focused on the need to broaden and deepen the EU while addressing MEPs during the fifth “This is Europe” debate.

At the beginning of his speech, Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that his country suffered more than any other in the past few years, but was ultimately able to overcome the political and economic challenges that almost led to its exit from the euro. Now, in addition to being among the top growing economies in Europe, Greece is on the front line of fighting for the future of the EU - in the EU’s response to the pandemic, as well as in protecting the external border from Turkey’s instrumentalisation of migrants and its aggression against Greece and Cyprus.

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220701IPR3436...

This photo is free to use under Creative Commons license CC-BY-4.0 and must be credited: "CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2022– Source: EP". (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) No model release form if applicable. For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu

Designer unknown (佚名)

1987, March

Strengthen education of the legal system, protect stability and unity

Jiaqiang fazhi jiaoyu weihu anding tuanjie (加强法制教育维护安定团结)

Call nr.: BG E37/183 (Landsberger collection)

More? See: chineseposters.net

Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.

The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.

The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.

The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.

May 24th

9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II

09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese

Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs

Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)

Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)

10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break

11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)

Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)

Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)

Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)

Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch

14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I

Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)

Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)

Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”

Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”

Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”

Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)

Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)

João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”

Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”

Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”

Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)

Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)

Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”

Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”

Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”

15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break

16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)

Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)

Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)

Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)

Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)

Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)

18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II

Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)

Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)

Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”

Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”

Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”

Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”

Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)

Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)

Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”

César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”

Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”

Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”

Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)

Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)

Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”

Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”

Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”

Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”

Susana Pedro

Tobias Adrian, IMF Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department, speaks during the Global Financial Stability Report press briefing at the 2018 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings on Wednesday, April 18 in Washington, D.C. Ryan Rayburn/IMF Photo

WATERS EAST OF JAPAN (July 23, 2020) Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Griffin Henderson, from Seattle, fights a simulated class alpha fire during a general quarters training exercise aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67). Shiloh is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Isaac Maxwell)

Financial Counsellor and Monetary and Capital Markets Department Director Tobias Adrian provides the Global Financial Stability Report during the 2021 Annual Meetings at the International Monetary Fund.

IMF Photo/Joshua Roberts

12 October 2021

Washington, DC, United States

Photo ref: _JR25557.ARW

DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 24AN15 - participants captured during the session Davos Insights on Growth and Stability in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 24, 2015.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell

A STRONG Hold

This beautiful dragonfly is balancing effortlessly between two poles..... her stability and immobility, only possible by the hold of the spike and her lightness and lightning-quick movements brought by wind and space (and possible only by letting go this hold) .

And it symbolizes so beautifully for me the importantness of finding a balance between the two poles ourselves.

What gives us so much stability, that at the same it encourages us to fly, to let go of this hold, to move on? This can easily become a lifelong question .......... but maybe it's worth the search :-))

Prabh - this was NOT the 100mm :-))))

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 25, 2020) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Eric Hayford, left, from Cleveland, draws blood from Interior Communications Technician 2nd Class James Davis, from Temple Terrace, Fl., to support a blood drive aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). New Orleans, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven 7, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelby Sanders)

On Tuesday, the Greek Prime Minister focused on the need to broaden and deepen the EU while addressing MEPs during the fifth “This is Europe” debate.

At the beginning of his speech, Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that his country suffered more than any other in the past few years, but was ultimately able to overcome the political and economic challenges that almost led to its exit from the euro. Now, in addition to being among the top growing economies in Europe, Greece is on the front line of fighting for the future of the EU - in the EU’s response to the pandemic, as well as in protecting the external border from Turkey’s instrumentalisation of migrants and its aggression against Greece and Cyprus.

Read more: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220701IPR3436...

This photo is free to use under Creative Commons license CC-BY-4.0 and must be credited: "CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2022– Source: EP". (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) No model release form if applicable. For bigger HR files please contact: webcom-flickr(AT)europarl.europa.eu

Try Kruy, of the APS engineering support division, checks the installation of a newly installed front end system for beamlines at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advance Photon Source in May 2014. The front ends contain an X-ray beam position monitor (XBPM) that is unique in the world and will enable the beam stability needed to take advantage of the 1,000 times increase in coherence that the APS Upgrade will provide, making it the brightest high-energy synchrotron in the world. The new front end designs have two different types of next-generation XBPM both work on the principle of X-ray florescence from copper, which will reduce detection contamination and improve the long-term stability of the storage ring compared to traditional photoemission XBPMs.

NAVAL BASE GUAM (Aug. 4, 2017) - Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) approaches the starboard side of submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) as Sterett prepares to moor at Naval Base Guam for a scheduled port visit. Sterett is deployed in support of maritime security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific and is operating under the command and control of U.S. 3rd Fleet. U.S. 3rd Fleet operating forward offers additional options to the Pacific Fleet commander by leveraging the capabilities of 3rd and 7th Fleets. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Byron C. Linder/Released) 170804-N-ZW825-220

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