The Life News South Africa. Feb 1, 2022 by The Life News

News from World, Worldwide readership. Vol. 03 Issue 35 Feb. 01, 2022

Russia and U.S. to speak again on Tuesday about Ukraine crisis

Courtesy: La times

TL Bureau, Washington D.C. A day after the United States and Russia conflicted over Ukraine at the United Nations Security Council, the nations’ best two representatives were planned to talk by telephone on Tuesday to address heightening feelings of dread with regards to Moscow requesting a tactical attack. Authorities said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian unfamiliar clergyman Sergey Lavrov will talk, with an objective of taking off additional tactical heightening close to Russia’s boundary with Ukraine. Tuesday’s call is one more exertion by the United States and Western countries to deter Russia from an attack into Ukraine - - like the Security Council’s gathering in New York City on Monday which

came after a solicitation from U.S. President Joe Biden’s organization. “We keep on participating in constant strategy and to deraise pressures and endeavor like Satan to further develop security for our partners and accomplices and for all of Europe, so far as that is concerned,” Biden said Monday, as indicated by The Washington Post. Blinken and Lavrov met face to face on Jan. 21 in Geneva with a similar objective. No leap forwards came in Switzerland, however the two sides consented to continue to talk. At Monday’s Security Council meeting, U.S. Envoy to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield cautioned Moscow against military mediation - - and stressed that the United States and Western partners

need a “way of harmony” and discourse. Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzya countered by blamed the United States for “inciting” the contention, and said that Moscow has no designs to cross the boundary into Ukraine. U.S. authorities say they have gotten a composed reaction from Russia about questions they presented after the last gathering among Blinken and Lavrov. The White House didn’t detail the responses, saying that it wouldn’t be useful to haggle openly. The Kremlin, nonetheless, additionally rejected that it had presented a reaction to U.S. concerns. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told state-run news organization RIA Novosti that the reaction is as yet being ready.

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Myanmar commemorate with crisis, violence, rebellion after a year TL Bureau, Yangon Tuesday denotes the one-year commemoration since the tactical takeover of the regular citizen government in Myanmar that is up until this point killed thousands, secured previous pioneers and left the country in a condition of monetary and political commotion. On Feb. 1, 2021, military forerunners in the Asian country held onto control of the public authority, declared a public crisis and confined pioneer Aung San Suu Kyi and other high ranking representatives - - saying that they were completely chosen through an ill-conceived and false political decision. The races in November 2020 were the second since Myanmar changed from a tactical fascism to a majority rule government. Activists on Tuesday wanted to hold a “quiet strike” and approached people in general to remain at home during the late morning and early evening. As a feature of the dissent, they applauded and hit pots as a

type of dissent into the tactical junta. Myanmar’s military has cautioned that individuals who take part in such fights will deal with legitimate indictments, and entrepreneurs have been sent notification cautioning that their property could be seized. In any case, in spite of having an entire a year to employ power, the Myanmar military has neglected to merge control cross country - - due incompletely to far reaching resistance, disdain for the junta and a shadow National Unity Government headed by a few removed regular citizen pioneers. “Since the beginning of the upset, when fights were amassed in the urban communities, the contention has spread to the remainder of the country,” Khu Ree Du, a representative for the resistance Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, said by The New York Times. “The state of the contention will be more extraordinary in the approaching year since what the Myanmar military has done is unpardonable.”

he situation is becoming critical now a days as amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine keeps on going in dangerous manner, there are different reasoning given by different people and different political leaders around the globe. Poland offers ammunition to Ukraine ahead of PMs visit to Poland has said it offered Ukraine thousands of ammunition before Mateusz Moraweicki’s visit to Kyiv. US President Biden will build on attempts to ensure energy back-up for European Allie’s when he hosts Qatar’s Emir in a White House meeting overshadowed by fears that Russia could cut exports over towards Ukraine crises. There have been irate conflicts among Russian and US agents at the UN Security Council, after the US assembled a conference to examine Moscow’s troop develop on its boundaries with Ukraine. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the assembly was the greatest Europe had found in many years. Her Russian partner blamed the US for inciting craziness and unsuitable impedance in Russia’s undertakings. The US and UK have guaranteed further authorizes assuming Russia attacks Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said regulation was being arranged which would focus on a more extensive scope of people and organizations near the Kremlin than is at present conceivable. A US official said Washington’s approvals implied people near the Kremlin would be cut off from the worldwide monetary framework. Russia has set an expected 100,000 soldiers, tanks, mounted guns and rockets close to Ukraine’s boondocks. In the interim, strategic endeavors proceed, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken because of hold converses with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later on Tuesday. The US says it has now gotten a composed reaction from Russia to a US proposition focused on de-heightening the emergency in Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine, let’s see what happens A state office representative said it would be “ineffective” to arrange the reaction in broad daylight. The representative added that the US remained completely dedicated to discourse and would keep on counseling intimately with its partners and accomplices, including Ukraine. Additionally on Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading out to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. He has vowed to work with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to track down a discretionary answer for contentions with Moscow and “stay away from additional slaughter”. At Monday’s UN Security Council meeting, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said there was no verification that Russia was arranging military activity against Ukraine, and that its troop develop was not affirmed by the UN. He said Russia regularly conveyed troops on its own domain and that this was not Washington’s concern. Russia had attempted to hinder the open meeting of the UN body however was outvoted by 10 votes to two. The Biden organization was “preparing pressures and manner of speaking, and inciting acceleration”, Mr Nebenzya said. “This isn’t simply inadmissible obstruction in the interior issues of our express, it’s likewise an endeavor to delude the worldwide local area about the genuine circumstance in the district and the purposes behind the current worldwide strains,” he said. Ms Thomas-Greenfield said the US kept on accepting there was a conciliatory arrangement yet cautioned that the US would act conclusively assuming Russia attacked Ukraine, the results of which would

be “terrible”. “This is the biggest... assembly of troops in Europe in many years,” she said. “What’s more presently, Russia is sending significantly more powers and arms to go along with them.” Moscow was intending to build its power conveyed in adjoining Belarus, on Ukraine’s northern boundary, to 30,000, she added. Late on Monday, the US requested the flight of relatives of American government workers from Belarus, refering to the “strange and concerning Russian military development”. A comparative request was before given to groups of US government faculty in the American consulate in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. Moscow needs the West to guarantee Ukraine won’t ever join the Nato union - in which individuals guarantee to come to one more’s guide in case of an equipped assault - yet the US has dismissed that interest. Nato’s 30 individuals incorporate the US and UK, just as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - previous Soviet republics which line Russia. Moscow sees Nato troops in

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eastern Europe as an immediate danger to its security. Mr Putin has since quite a while ago contended the US broke an assurance it made in 1990 that Nato would not grow further east, however translations contrast over precisely what was guaranteed. Russia attached Ukraine’s southern Crimea promontory in 2014. It is likewise backing rebels who held onto enormous wraps of the eastern Donbas district soon a short time later, and exactly 14,000 individuals have kicked the bucket in battling there. The India’s stakes in its ties with Ukraine and Russia. India during this week gave its first official statement amid ongoing tension between Russia and the west led by U.S.over the Ukraine. It’s been a tense for almost more than a month with the possibility of war looming large. There are still a lot of other predictions and ideological viewpoints of other political leaders and people on this concept. War is no doubt a kind of big tensions between Russia and Ukraine. I think calmness is the biggest key to find solutions for many disputes, there could be million of reasons for both of these countries to create imbalances between them but everyone should respect the past that they shared together the positive moments of brotherhood and happiness. in the world is the one which is never fought. And war is not the solution to any problem on the contrary it emerges lot of other problems.

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Appointment of Ambassador Jacobson as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. at Embassy Addis Ababa TL Bureau, Washington D.C. Office of the Spokesperson Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, will serve as Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, at the Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ambassador Geeta Pasi plans to retire to pursue other opportunities. Distinguished by her previous assignments, including as Ambassador to Kosovo, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, Ambassador Jacobson will lead U.S. engagement in Ethiopia. The Secretary of State selected Ambassador Jacobson to continue the work undertaken by Ambassador Pasi to press for an

immediate cessation of hostilities, an end to ongoing human rights abuses and violations, unhindered humanitarian access, and a negotiated resolution to the conflict in Ethiopia. The Department of State expresses its great appreciation to Ambassador Pasi, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, for her distinguished public service in advancing the values and interests of the United States around the globe, a career marked by three ambassadorial assignments and senior State Department leadership positions in Washington, D.C. We are particularly grateful for her stewardship of Embassy Addis Ababa during an exceptionally complex period.

The Government is presenting its new foreign and security policy strategy

The Government’s new foreign and security policy strategy rests on values and has five concrete core areas. The strategy is to provide the direction for Denmark’s place in the world. TL Bureau, Copenhagen Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod, and Minister of Defence Trine Bramsen are presenting the Government’s new foreign and security policy strategy on 31 January. The strategy is a compass for the foreign and security policy work to the benefit of Denmark’s interests and to safeguard our shared values. “Fighting for peace has a price. But it is nothing compared to the coast of not fighting. Denmark must join in around the world together with our allies and partners. Because it is there, where it is hardest, that our efforts mean the most. This applies to our security and to our democratic values,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod and expanded by saying: “It means that Denmark must engage in the world and lead the way in the fight for precisely these values. The threat assessment is changing all the time. The complexity increases. But the solution to this must never be that Denmark becomes incapable of taking action. With the new strategy, we are making it completely clear that we can be counted on – also when it difficult,” said Jeppe Kofod. In the foreign and security policy strategy, the Government has chosen five core areas that will be the driving force behind the work: Values diplomacy, safety diplomacy, climate diplomacy, migration diplomacy, and economic diplomacy. “The priorities of the strategy

reflect the fact that foreign policy and domestic policy are inextricably intertwined. The changes that we are fighting for in Denmark also demand that we fight for Danish interests and values around the world. The defence of the Dane’s safety, prosperity, and especially the climate fight do not stop at Denmark’s borders. It requires a global engagement, strong transatlantic and European cooperation,” said Jeppe Kofod. In the work with the strategy, the Government has, therefore, also wished to provide the Foreign Service with increased clout within the areas that have been prioritised. This has been done in connection with the adoption of the Budget for 2022. This means a concrete strengthening of Denmark’s work in the EU, NATO, the UN, the Arctic, Africa as well as with regard to our export initiatives. In all, 21 embassies and consulates will be strengthened, and the reorganisation will affect, in total, 28 missions around the world and 11 departments in the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in Copenhagen. At the same time, a break is underway with the massive cutbacks in the Foreign Ministry’s budget. “We must use our strength correctly – we must use it with a purpose. We are putting an end to the massive cutbacks and are fulfilling the promises that the Social Democrats made in our 2025 plan leading up to the election. Among other things, this means that the planed cutbacks in the Foreign Ministry will also be cancelled in 2022 and 2023,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod.

Increasing Pressure on the Burmese Military Regime and Its Supporters

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Since the military coup of February 1, 2021, the people of Burma have stood firm in rejecting military rule and calling for their country’s return to the path to inclusive democracy. Tragically, in its continued violent quest to consolidate control, the regime has killed nearly 1,500 people, including women and children, and detained some 10,000 more, including civilian officials, civil society and labor activists, journalists, and foreign citizens. On the one-year anniversary of the coup, the United States is imposing sanctions on the

Saudi Arabia Reports 4,211 New COVID-19 Cases, 5,162 Recoveries TL Bureau, Riyadh

The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced the registration of 4,211 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,162 recoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the past 24 hours. The ministry added that the number of critical cases reached 967. The ministry’s statistics showed that the total number of infections in the country reached 687,264, while the recovery tally reached 640,353. MoH reported four new deaths, bringing the fatalities tally in Saudi Arabia to 8,940. It advised everyone to contact 937-Service Center for consultations and inquiries around the clock, obtaining reliable health information and services, as well as knowing the latest development of COVID-19.

Directorate of Procurement of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services; on Tay Za, a prominent business supporter of the regime, and his adult sons, Htoo Htet Tay Za and Pye Phyo Tay Za; and on prominent business supporter of the regime Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung and his KT Services and Logistics (KTSL) Company Limited. Today’s action also includes the designation of Supreme Court Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo, Union Attorney General Thida Oo, and Anti-Corruption Commission Chair Tin Oo for their role in enabling the regime to undermine the rule of law and Burma’s democratic institutions. These actions were taken pursuant to Executive

Order 14014. We are coordinating these actions with the United Kingdom and Canada to demonstrate the international community’s strong support for the people of Burma and to further promote accountability for the coup and the violence perpetrated by the regime, including the killing of at least 35 people including children and humanitarian workers in Kayah State on Christmas Eve last year. The United States will continue to work with our international partners to address human rights abuses and press the regime to cease the violence, release all those unjustly detained, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and restore Burma’s path to democracy.

TL Bureau, Brussels

concerning the Sámi and Kven people in Norway. The Secretary General is responsible for managing and organising the work of the secretariat under the guidance of the commission. The Secretary General takes part in the practical work of the commission as a member of the secretariat and acts as secretary at the commission’s meetings. The selection of other members of the secretariat is still under way. The office of the secretariat will be located in the Sámi homeland. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Concerning the Sámi people was appointed in October 2021 and its term will run until the end of 2023. The commission an impartial and independent body whose objective is to identify and assess the historical and present-day discrimination experienced by the Sámi people.

Anni-Kristiina Juuso appointed Secretary General of Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Master of Laws trained on the bench, has been appointed to serve as Secretary General of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Concerning the Sámi People. Juuso will take up her duties on 1 February 2022. Juuso is transferring to her post from UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, where she worked as a doctoral researcher studying the institution of truth and reconciliation commissions in the context of indigenous peoples. Prior to this, she served as a Senior Specialist at the Prime Minister’s Office in preparatory tasks related to establishing the truth and reconciliation commission in Finland, and as a Senior Adviser involved in establishing a truth and reconciliation commission

North Korea missile tests, January 2022: Minister for Asia’s statement

Minister for Asia, Amanda Milling, statement on the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile by North Korea on 29 January. TL Bureau, London Minister for Asia, Amanda Milling said: The UK condemns the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile by North Korea on 29 January. This launch, and the short range ballistic missiles tested on 27 January, are clear breaches of UN Security Council

Resolutions and pose a threat to our regional partners and global security. We encourage North Korea to engage in discussions with the United States in order to secure complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. Until this happens UN sanctions must be fully enforced by all states.

Palestine Records 10,444 New Cases of COVID-19 TL Bureau, Ramallah

Palestine recorded, in the past 24 hours, 10,444 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) along with 6 new deaths and 1,296 recoveries in all Palestinian governorates. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated today that the rate of recovery reached 88.8%, while the rate of active cases reached 10.2%. It further said that the death rate stood at 1%.

4 KSA, Iraq Sign MoU to Support Agricultural, Livestock and Fisheries Cooperation TL Bureau, Riyadh The Agricultural Committee of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council signed today a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the agricultural fields between the two countries, aimed at strengthening cooperation in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, in light of the effective regulations and laws in both countries. This came during the preparatory and ministerial meetings of the committee headed by Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, and Iraqi Minister of Agriculture Eng. Mohammed Karim Al-Khafaji. During the meeting, the committee discussed issues of common concern in the environmental, water, agricultural, and food security fields.

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Joint Statement on the Situation in Myanmar

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson A joint statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, on the one year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. Begin text: On 1 February 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar, denying the democratic aspirations of Myanmar’s people. One year later, the devastating impact on the people of Myanmar is clear. Over 14 million people are in humanitarian need, the economy is in crisis, democratic gains have been reversed, and conflict is spreading across the country. The military regime bears responsibility for this crisis, which has

gravely undermined peace and stability in Myanmar and the region. We once again call for the immediate cessation of violence and for constructive dialogue among all parties to resolve the crisis peacefully. We reiterate our call on the military regime to immediately end the State of Emergency, allow unhindered humanitarian access, release all arbitrarily detained persons, including foreigners, and swiftly return the country to the democratic process. On the anniversary of the coup, we remember those who have lost their lives over the past year, including women, children, humanitarian personnel, human rights defenders, and peaceful protesters. We strongly condemn the military regime’s human rights violations and abuses across the country, including against Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities. We express grave

concern at the credible reports of torture and sexual and gender-based violence. We express serious concern over the more than 400,000 additional people who have fled their homes since the coup. We also express grave concern at the deepening humanitarian crisis across the country and urge the military regime to provide rapid, full, and unhindered humanitarian access to vulnerable populations, including for the purposes of vaccination against COVID-19. We express grave concern over the large number of persons arbitrarily detained and the sentencing of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees. We call on all members of the international community to support efforts to promote justice for the people of Myanmar; to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses

accountable; to cease the sale and transfer of arms, materiel, dual-use equipment, and technical assistance to the military and its representatives; and to continue supporting the people of Myanmar in meeting urgent humanitarian needs. We emphasize our support for the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus and the efforts of the ASEAN Special Envoy to support a peaceful resolution in the interests of the people of Myanmar. We call on the military regime to engage meaningfully with ASEAN’s efforts to pursue full and urgent implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, which includes ensuring that the ASEAN Special Envoy has access to all parties in Myanmar, including prodemocracy groups. We also welcome the work of the UN Special Envoy of the SecretaryGeneral on Myanmar and urge the military regime to engage constructively with her.

Myanmar/Burma: Declaration Time limit for lodging an application before the European by the High Representative on Court of Human Rights to be reduced to four months from six to four months. However, disadvantage’. Following this behalf of the European Union TL Bureau, Helsinki the shorter application period will change that entered into force

TL Bureau, Brussels

One year ago, on 1 February 2021, the military authorities in Myanmar forcibly overthrew the civilian government in blatant violation of the will of the people as expressed in the general elections of 8 November 2020. This act halted the country’s democratic transition with disastrous humanitarian, social, security, economic and human rights consequences. Since the beginning of the crisis, the EU stands unequivocally with the people of Myanmar, continuing to strive for a return to democracy. The European Union is deeply concerned by the continuing escalation of violence and the evolution towards a protracted conflict with regional implications. Since the military coup, the situation has continuously and gravely deteriorated. A large part of the population is now in a highly precarious situation, experiencing poverty, food shortages, displacement, and violence. More than 1,500 people have been killed, over 8,600 are currently under detention and 80 people sentenced to death. There are over 400,000 newly displaced people since the military takeover. This is in addition to almost one million Myanmar refugees in neighbouring countries. The European Union condemns

in the strongest terms continuing grave human rights violations including torture, sexual and gender based violence, the continued persecution of civil society, human rights defenders and journalists, attacks on the civilian population, including ethnic and religious minorities by the Myanmar armed forces. Therefore, the EU calls for full accountability of the leaders responsible for the coup as well as of the perpetrators of violence and human rights violations. The EU also reiterates its firm demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners arbitrarily detained in relation to the coup and the return to power of democratically elected leaders. As a matter of priority, the EU reiterates its calls for an immediate cessation of all hostilities, and an end to the disproportionate use of force and the state of emergency. The military authorities must ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all displaced persons and people in need, in all parts of the country. The European Union will continue to provide humanitarian assistance, in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence and reiterates its call for the full and immediate respect of international humanitarian law.

The time limit for lodging an application before the European Court of Human Rights will be reduced from the current six months to four months on 1 February 2022. The process for lodging an application before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg will be changed in certain respects as of 1 February 2022. As regards applicants, the most significant change is the reduction of the period for submitting an application. The time limit within which the Court must receive an application after the final domestic decision will be reduced

not apply to cases where the final domestic decision was given before 1 August 2021. The change is due to the transitional provision laid down in Protocol No. 15 amending the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, having entered into force on 1 August 2021, under which the four-month period for submitting an application to the Court shall only apply as of 1 February 2022. Another major change affecting applicants concerns the admissibility criteria for a human rights application at the Court with regard to ‘insignificant

on 1 August 2021, cases where the applicant has not suffered a significant disadvantage will no longer be admitted, even if the alleged human rights violation had not been duly considered by a domestic court. Consequently, the European Court of Human Rights will no longer process matters that can be characterised as insignificant. The change underlines the subsidiarity of the application mechanism under the Convention in relation to applying the Convention at national level. Alleged human rights violations must primarily be considered before national courts.

In total, 346 individuals are being treated in Iraq Records 7,217 Cases hospital due to symptomatic COVID-19

TL Bureau, Tallinn

As of the morning of 31 January, hospital treatment is being provided to 346 individuals who have been infected with COVID-19. A total of 219 patients who have COVID-19 are currently receiving hospital treatment after having developed serious symptoms, including 171 patients who have not been vaccinated (which covers 78.1% of the overall figure), and forty-eight patients who have been fully vaccinated (which amounts to 21.9% of the overall figure).

Forty-eight new COVID-19 cases have been opened by hospitals within the past 24 hours. One new death has been added within the same period which involves a 94 year-old woman. This individual had not been vaccinated. The last 24 hours have also seen 9,756 tests being analysed in Estonia in relation to coronavirus, of which the results of 4,964 were positive. The average infection rate for the last seven days for every 100,000 members of the country’s vaccinated population is 345.7, while for the unvaccinated population the figure is 562.6.

of COVID-19 TL Bureau, Baghdad

Iraq recorded 7,217 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 2,210,058. In today’s statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Health reported 13 new deaths, bringing the death tally to 24,389. The report added that the recovery tally rose to 2,110,752, after reporting 5,759 new related cases.

SOUTH AFRICA

Presidency notes the President Ramaphosa to receive Part leak of PEAC report 2 of State Capture Commission report TL Bureau, Cape Town

TL Bureau, Cape Town The Presidency has noted that a report of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 13 January 2022, had since been leaked to the media. The PEAC was established to provide the President with a range of expert perspectives on the country’s economic policies. The Presidency in a statement said all reports by the PEAC remain confidential unless the Presidency decides to release the report for broader circulation. “The effect of the leak has been to allow for selective quotation from the document, often out of context,

to support various agendas,” it said. It said members of the Council hold a range of diverse and nuanced views, which have been presented to the President in various reports and meetings. The President values the diversity of views and insights that the members of the Advisory Council provide.

Motshekga visits schools in Springs

TL Bureau, Cape Town

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, is today visiting four schools in Springs, Ekurhuleni, to conduct monitoring and oversight. The Minister will visit Phelang Special School, Fred Habedi Primary, Lefa Ifa Secondary and Eureka High School. “These visits provide an opportunity to further support schools while strengthening efforts to mitigate risks within school communities, as they are still expected to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of both learners and teachers,” the department said in a statement.

The Minister will also engage with education stakeholders at Mpengesi Primary School hall in Etwatwa at 13h30. Meanwhile, Basic Education Deputy Minister, Dr. Reginah Mhaule, will also conduct monitoring and oversight visits in the Ehlanzeni Education District in Mpumalanga. The schools to be visited are Lungisani Secondary School and Jerusalem Secondary School in White River. Since the beginning of the 2022 academic year, the Minister and her deputy have been visiting schools around the country to assess readiness and conduct monitoring.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to receive the second part of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, on Tuesday. In a statement, the Presidency said it will publish this part of the report shortly after it is presented to the DirectorGeneral in the Presidency, Phindile Baleni, by the Secretary of the Commission, Professor Itumeleng Mosala. Acting Chief Justice and Commission Chairperson Judge Raymond Zondo presented the first part of the report to President Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings on 4 January 2022. The Presidency said it will

receive the third and final part of the report by 28 February 2022. “As required by a ruling of the Gauteng High Court on 28 December 2021 – and in line with the remedial action contained in the Public Protector’s report dated October

2016 – the President will submit the full Commission report to Parliament by the 30 June 2022 with an indication of his intentions with regards to implementation of the Commission’s recommendations,” the Presidency said.

The average South African household is consuming more goods and services, and is still spending most of its money on housing, food and transport. That is according to Statistics South Africa’s newly published changes to the average South African household’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket of goods and the new weights for the CPI. The weights indicate which items South African households spend more money on, while the CPI basket of goods indicate which products most South Africans are buying - an indicator of the cost of living. “In the most recent update… the CPI

basket will now contain 415 items, up from 404 in 2016. A total of 14 new items were added, while two items were removed from the basket. Some products were either split into two or combined into one,” the data collection agency said. Stats SA explained that the revisions were based on information collected as at December 2019 and the list was determined from “detailed sales information” from South African retailers. The statistics body said the reference period of the weights is 2019, to reflect a normal period not including the economic devastation caused by COVID-19. “As the weights remain fixed for a number of years into the future, the CPI manual guides that the

weights should reflect a ‘normal’ consumption period and to adopt weights that are not likely to change much in the future,” Stats SA said. The South African shopping bag According to Stats SA, more products have been added to the consumer basket of goods to reflect a change in South African spending habits, while others - which may have become obsolete due to technological changes - have fallen way. “In this update, DVD players and satellite dishes are out of the basket, while sound bars and speakers are included. The item ‘pre-recorded CDs’ was renamed ‘CDs, subscription and streaming music’ to reflect the growth in consumer appetite for streaming music services.

the President said. The bills introduce a wider range of protections for victims and survivors including: Protecting the vulnerable from secondary victimisation by allowing courts to appoint intermediaries through which a minor, a disabled person or an elderly person can be examined in proceedings. Tightening the bail regime. Outlawing of sexual grooming and exploitation of persons with mental disabilities and the Sexual Offences Register. Making it a criminal offence not to report any sexual offences against vulnerable persons. Tightening up of obtaining protection orders and broadening the scope of the conditions under which to apply for a protection

order. The President explained that the new pieces of legislation also place responsibility on members of society to act against incidents of domestic abuse or sexual offences against the most vulnerable. “All adult persons who have knowledge or suspicion that domestic violence is being perpetrated against a child, a person with a mental disability or an elderly person are obliged to report such acts to a social worker or to the police. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. “This puts into law the principle that violence against women and children is everyone’s responsibility. When a woman or child is beaten, hurt, raped, assaulted or killed, it is a shame

on us all. It is even worse if we knew it was taking place and could have prevented it,” said President Ramaphosa. He reiterated that although the new legislation empowers the judiciary in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide in the courts, the root of solutions to the scourge still lies within society. “Leaving an abusive relationship is never easy. But as the government, we have promised to provide the legal protection and support an abused person needs for themselves, their children and those close to them. The passage of these new laws is a step in this direction. But it is not the solution. We must prevent violence and abuse from happening in the first place.”

Housing, food highest costs for SA households TL Bureau, Cape Town

New anti-GBV legislation offers more protection for victims, survivors

TL Bureau, Cape Town

President Cyril Rampahosa says three new pieces of legislation aimed at fighting gender-based violence and femicide are a step in the right direction in the fight against the scourge. Last week, Ramaphosa signed into law the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act. The three laws were formulated following the 2018 National Presidential Summit on Gender Based Violence and Femicide which gave rise to the country’s National Strategic Plan of Gender-based Violence and Femicide. “I am pleased that despite the

significant disruptions caused to the Parliamentary programme by the COVID-19 pandemic, our parliamentarians have passed laws that will strengthen existing provisions around gender-based violence. “I signed into law three pieces of legislation that honour our promises to strengthen the criminal justice system, promote accountability across the state and put support for survivors at the centre of all our efforts,”

BUSINESS

Monthly Review of Accounts of Union Government of India upto month of December 2021 for Financial Year 2021-22 TL Bureau, New Delhi The Monthly Account of the Union Government of India upto the month of December, 2021 has been consolidated and reports published. The highlights are given below:The Government of India has received Rs. 17,61,692 crore (89.1% of corresponding BE 2021-22 of Total Receipts) upto December, 2021 comprising Rs. 14,73,809 crore Tax Revenue (Net to Centre), Rs. 2,59,414 crore of Non-Tax Revenue and Rs. 28,469 crore of Non Debt Capital Receipts. Non-Debt Capital Receipts consists of Recovery of Loans Rs. 19,105

crore and Miscellaneous Capital Receipts of Rs. 9,364 crore. Rs. 4,50,310 crore has been transferred to State Governments as Devolution of Share of Taxes by Government of India upto December, 2021. Total Expenditure incurred by Government of India is Rs. 25,21,058 crore (72.4% of corresponding BE 2021-22), out of which Rs. 21,29,414 crore is on Revenue Account and Rs. 3,91,644 crore is on Capital Account. Out of the Total Revenue Expenditure, Rs. 5,64,414 crore is on account of Interest Payments and Rs. 2,71,374 crore is on account of Major Subsidies.

Turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays rose in the retail sector by 0.5% in nominal terms in December 2021 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by

TL Bureau, Sydney

2.2% compared with the previous month. The result for 2021 was a considerable nominal rise of 4.2%. All sectors were able to offset most of the losses suffered partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These are provisional findings from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

A new support package announced by the NSW Government will keep the doors of many businesses open, according to the state’s peak business organisation, Business NSW. The NSW Government has announced the package in the wake of the Omicron surge, with businesses of turnover between $75,000 and $50 million set to benefit. The package, which commences from February 1 includes: A payment of up to $5000 per week (20% of payroll) for businesses with turnover between $75,000 and $50 million who suffered a 40% downturn in January and project to do the same in February. The Small Business Fees

which was closely developed with business and universities, will boost the collaboration needed across sectors and not only help develop our best ideas here, but turn them into global success stories. “Importantly, the new 3-stage research commercialisation scheme helps align research with the government’s modern manufacturing priorities and we welcome additional funding for the CSIRO venture capital fund. “Building on the trailblazer universities fund announced last year, we support the additional $296 million to fund 1,800 additional PhDs and 800 fellowships in industryfocused disciplines. We want our researchers to follow more career pathways as entrepreneurs, moving between

academia and industry. “The only way Australia can thrive in the future is through innovation and universities play a critical role in this. “Investing in universities and research commercialisation is investing in our economic future. Businesses know that universities are one of Australia’s key economic and strategic assets. “Stronger partnerships between researchers and businesses of all sizes will bring together expertise, industry nous and the investment needed to back promising research. “Business looks forward to continuing to collaborate closely with government and universities to build a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship to drive our economic recovery.”

exhibition concerned with the future of technologies and their role in the prosperity of humanity and finding innovative solutions to the most important challenges it faces. LEAP Conference kicked off with two morning panel sessions which the sessions focused on topics such as developing a sustainable digital future, IOT. The Conference will continue its activities today with a main panel session in the afternoon. The first panel session focused on theme “Imagine the Possibilities

of a Sustainable Digital Future”; and attended by B?rje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson Group. The second panel session discussed the topic “The Internet for All”, moderated by Lord Stephen Carter CBE, Former Minister of Communications UK & Group CEO Informa PLC, and attended by the CEO and Hrish Lotlikar, CEO and Founder of Superworld, and Guy Diedrich, SVP and Global Innovation Director at CISCO, in addition to Ricky Corker, Chief

FSO - Swiss retail trade turnover fell in December by 0.5% - rise of 4.2% in 2021 as a whole TL Bureau, Neuchâtel

SUPPORT PACKAGE A LIFELINE FOR NSW BUSINESSES and Charges rebate program extended to $3000, and can include 50% of the costs incurred to acquire RAT’s for the workplace, Commercial landlord relief extended until 13 March “Business has been crying out for support because of the dramatic impacts that Omicron has had on their operations, especially in what many hoped would be their busiest time,” said Business NSW Chief Executive Daniel Hunter. “The Government has done a great job in designing a package that will help a wide variety of business owners who’ve suffered a downturn in their operations through no fault of their own, and now what’s important is that the money gets out the door and into the hands of those most in need,” Mr Hunter said. “Our most recent Business

Conditions Survey published earlier this month found 40% of businesses had cashflow to last them for the next three months, so this relief will be widely embraced by the business community across NSW. “What’s crucial now is that customers have the confidence to return to businesses and do their shopping in a safe manner. “Businesses are doing the right thing in ensuring their staff are healthy before commencing shifts – together the economy can roar back into life if we abide by the rules and return to our favourite businesses,” Mr Hunter said. About Business NSW Formerly the NSW Business Chamber, Business NSW is the peak policy and advocacy body which has been representing businesses in NSW since 1826.

Accelerated industry-university Jubail Port Initiatives Planned for research collaboration is critical Promotion of Petrochemicals Export

TL Bureau, Canberra

The Business Council is a strong supporter of the government’s focus on research commercialisation and today’s investment will be crucial to our economic success for decades to come, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said. “The government’s $2.2 billion package will significantly improve Australia’s ability to commercialise our best ideas and innovations, scaling them up to create exciting new industries, new exports and new highly skilled jobs for Australians. “Australian businesses are ready, willing and able to invest in the new innovations and solutions of tomorrow. Today’s common-sense package,

TL Bureau, Jubail

Jubail Commercial Port and the National Industrialization Company (Tasnee) have held a workshop hosting leading Jubailbased industrial companies and major shipping lines to discuss collaboration opportunities and initiatives promoting the export of petrochemicals through the port.The workshop also discussed proposals to supply empty containers at the port, increase the port’s share of outbound containers owned by Jubailbased manufacturers to save on time and cost, and reduce the carbon footprint of traffic congestions caused by trucks transporting goods and cargo to other sea ports. Workshop participants expressed their support for all initiatives

that facilitate investment and agreed to hold a series of meetings between manufacturers and shipping lines to assess the level of cooperation between both parties. Jubail Commercial Port is modernly equipped to receive vessels of all types and sizes. The port is instrumental in the efforts of the Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) to develop a sustainable and prosperous marine sector and transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub, in addition to realizing its social and economic ambitions. Jubail Commercial Port supports the eastern region’s economy thanks to its proximity to key manufacturing centers which reduces the import and export bills, in addition to the efficient and high quality distribution facilities to global markets.

LEAP International Tech Conference Kicks off with Participation of 350 Speakers from 40 Countries

TL Bureau, Riyadh

The international technological conference “LEAP” conference was launched shortly in the capital, Riyadh, under the theme “One Eye on the Stars”, with a participation of more than 350 speakers representing 40 countries form around the world. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting LEAP Conference, which will continue until next Thursday. LEAP Tech Conference is the largest Tech conference and

Customer Experience Officer (CCXO), Nokia, Alaa A. Malki Chief Technology Officer at Mobily, and Ahmed Al-Faifi, SVP of Middle East North, SAP. It is expected that the conference, across 6 stages, with the participation of more than 350 international and local speakers, will address the future of technology through more than 380 orbital talks, foresight its variables and work to proactively tackle them through technology, thus creating a more prosperous

reality that enhances the lives of societies, and befits ambitions. The conference link has witnessed a registration of more than 100,000 interested people from inside and outside the Kingdom, since its announcement, at a time when the conference allocated $1 million as prizes for Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch competition. It is expected that more than 700 international and technology startups, and more than 200 investors including major investors in venture capital participate in conference.

FEATURE

Inside the secret world of U.S. intelligence with Stanford scholar Amy Zegart

By Melissa De Witte California

Despite a proliferation of spythemed entertainment, many Americans, including some of the country’s top policymakers, know little about the U.S intelligence community and often get much of it wrong, says Stanford scholar Amy Zegart. In a new book, Zegart examines what is at risk when intelligence is grossly misunderstood. “Spy-themed entertainment has become adult education and appears to be influencing how Americans think about hotbutton intelligence issues,” said Zegart, a senior scholar at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) and the Morris Arnold and Nona Jean Cox Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence (Princeton University Press, 2022), Zegart also traces how American espionage has evolved over the centuries and what’s at stake in its future as technology rapidly changes and transforms all aspects of government and society. More intelligence about intelligence For nearly three decades, Zegart has studied the secret world of U.S. intelligence and Americans’ attitudes toward it, including the influence fictional spies have had on everyone from students in her classroom to the upper echelons of government. Fictional movies and TV shows about U.S. intelligence – known also as “spytainment” – are giving Americans an unrealistic impression about the U.S. intelligence community and the issues they portray, Zegart said. For example, the “do whatever it takes” interrogation methods used by 24’s Jack Bauer – such as waterboarding, a technique that simulates drowning and is considered by many to be a form of torture – don’t work as the show depicts they do. The ticking time bomb scenario that frequently drove the show’s storylines is also not how terror plots unfold, and intelligence officers – like Homeland’s Carrie Mathison – don’t run rogue, without oversight. The idea for Spies, Lies, and Algorithms originated when Zegart was teaching the course U.S. Intelligence Agencies in

Amy Zegart’s new book, Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence, examines the past, present and future of U.S. intelligence.(Image credit: Princeton University Press) Theory and Practice at UCLA, where she taught before joining the Stanford faculty in 2012. It was 2009, and public trust in the U.S government had declined to historically low levels. At the time, the U.S. intelligence community was embroiled in controversy. The Iraq War, which Zegart points out in the book “began with faulty intelligence,” was in its sixth year. There were ongoing debates about the National Security Agency’s expansion of its warrantless wiretapping program in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the Senate Intelligence Committee was getting ready to investigate the CIA’s detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists in secret prisons across the world. When Zegart showed up to teach on the first day of her class, she expected protestors outside her classroom and empty seats inside. Instead, it was standing room only, with students eager to learn more about U.S. intelligence, Zegart recalled. Many had questions about controversial issues they were reading in the news and watching on TV and movies: They wanted to know more about the Iraq WMD intelligence failure, whether

CIA black sites violated the law, if the National Security Agency was eavesdropping on their phone calls. Zegart, in turn, was also curious. She wanted to learn more about her students’ attitudes toward these issues. She surveyed her students and was troubled by some of the patterns that emerged in the data, particularly what appeared to be a connection between television viewing habits and attitudes toward torture. Zegart found that those who watched the TV show 24 – which frequently depicted the use of violence and torture to extract information from terror suspects – were statistically more likely to approve of waterboarding and justify other extreme forms of counterterrorism methods, like rendition, than those who didn’t tune in to spy-themed dramas. These findings were replicated when Zegart conducted two national surveys in 2012 and 2013 with the polling firm YouGov. Across all surveys, Zegart saw just how little Americans knew about what the National Security Agency and other agencies in the intelligence community did, despite the deluge of news at the time surrounding the massive leak of classified

information from the NSA by the organization’s former employee and contractor, Edward Snowden in 2013. Over the following years, Zegart has seen a similar lack of understanding among policymakers about how intelligence agencies operate. For example, in 2009 during the confirmation hearings for Leon Panetta to become the next director of the CIA, Zegart noticed members of the Senate Intelligence Committee using 24 plotlines in the questions they posed to the nominee. And it’s not just students and policymakers who appear to be influenced by spytainment, but military trainees as well. Zegart shares in her book how the dean of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Army Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan, was so concerned about how 24’s depiction of torture was affecting his cadets that he met with the show’s creative team in Los Angeles to ask them to stop producing episodes that portrayed such brutal techniques as being effective. And in what Zegart describes as “a truth-isstranger-than-fiction moment,” when Finnegan showed up to the meeting in his uniform, the crew presumed he was an actor. Understanding intelligence in a digital age Zegart’s book also explores how spycraft is evolving. In a digital world, furthering a better understanding of U.S. intelligence is more important than ever before, because technology is transforming who gathers intelligence and how. Intelligence is no longer shrouded in classified files at Langley; it’s found online in public spaces like Google Earth, where anyone can uncover government secrets hidden in plain sight. For example, thanks to the thousands of satellite images readily available, Stanford scholars – not special agents with security clearances – were able to sleuth out nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea. “Today, anybody with a cellphone and an internet connection can collect or analyze intelligence,” Zegart said. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, the most important intelligence about the annexation didn’t come from classified information, it came from selfies that Russian soldiers posted on social media with Ukrainian highway signs

in the background, she pointed out. “What that means is that superpower governments no longer control the collection and analysis of intelligence like they used to in the Cold War. It’s a totally different enterprise today,” Zegart said. Meanwhile, technological changes have also led to more people in the American public needing intelligence. For example, threats to critical infrastructure – like the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline in 2021 – mean sectors from the financial services industry to public utility companies need intelligence about threats to their systems. And interference by foreign adversaries on elections means more voters need information about how to safeguard elections, said Zegart. Simultaneously, intelligence agencies themselves have also had to balance the advantages and disadvantages that new technologies, like artificial intelligence, quantum computing and social media, offer in gathering intelligence around the world. “These tools have incredible potential, but they also have real limits and real risks,” Zegart said. For example, when it comes to detecting nuclear threats from a foreign threat, relying on artificial intelligence to inform analysis is not enough. “Imagine going to the president and saying, ‘Mr. President, we think that China is likely to invade Taiwan, because that’s what the AI tells us.’ It’s not so compelling, right? Analysis isn’t just about data. It’s also an act of persuasion,” Zegart added. All these changes call for a new mindset about how the intelligence community thinks about classified information, said Zegart. “We need to fundamentally reimagine what intelligence can do and should do in a digital era, and that starts by realizing that secrets don’t play the role they used to,” Zegart said. Making intelligence more transparent is a huge shift for intelligence agencies, and while the CIA has made some progress on being more transparent with the public about what it does, it still feels counterintuitive. “It’s an unnatural act for secret agencies to be public, but it’s really important for the American people to understand what they do,” Zegart said.

life and real estate

Tonnes of COVID-19 health care waste expose urgent need to improve waste management systems

TL Bureau, Geneva

Tens of thousands of tonnes of extra medical waste from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous strain on health care waste management systems around the world, threatening human and environmental health and exposing a dire need to improve waste management practices, according to a new WHO report. The WHO Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19: status, impacts and recommendations bases its estimates on the approximately 87,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE) that was procured between March 2020- November 2021 and shipped to support countries’ urgent COVID-19 response needs through a joint UN emergency initiative. Most of this equipment is expected to have ended up as waste. The authors note that this just provides an initial indication of the scale of the COVID-19 waste problem. It does not take into account any of the COVID-19 commodities procured outside of the initiative, nor waste generated by the public like disposable medical masks. They point out that over 140 million test kits, with a potential to generate 2,600 tonnes of non-infectious waste (mainly plastic) and 731,000 litres of chemical waste (equivalent to onethird of an Olympic-size swimming pool) have been shipped, while over

8 billion doses of vaccine have been administered globally producing 143 tonnes of additional waste in the form of syringes, needles, and safety boxes. As the UN and countries grappled with the immediate task of securing and quality-assuring supplies of PPE, less attention and resources were devoted to the safe and sustainable management of COVID-19 related health care waste. “It is absolutely vital to provide health workers with the right PPE, “said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “But it is also vital to ensure that it can be used safely without impacting on the surrounding environment.” This means having effective management systems in place, including guidance for health workers on what to do with PPE and health commodities after they have been used. Today, 30% of healthcare facilities (60% in the least developed countries) are not equipped to handle existing waste loads, let alone the additional COVID-19 load. This potentially exposes health workers to needle stick injuries, burns and pathogenic microorganisms, while also impacting communities living near poorly managed landfills and waste disposal sites through contaminated air from burning waste, poor water quality or disease carrying pests. “COVID-19 has forced the world to reckon with the gaps and neglected aspects of the waste stream and how

we produce, use and discard of our health care resources, from cradle to grave,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health at WHO. “Significant change at all levels, from the global to the hospital floor, in how we manage the health care waste stream is a basic requirement of climate-smart health care systems, which many countries committed to at the recent UN Climate Change Conference, and, of course, a healthy recovery from COVID-19 and preparedness for other health emergencies in the future.” The report lays out a set of recommendations for integrating better, safer, and more environmentally sustainable waste practices into the current COVID-19 response and future pandemic preparedness efforts and highlights stories from countries and organizations that have put into practice in the spirit of “building back better”. Recommendations include using eco-friendly packaging and shipping, safe and reusable PPE (e.g., gloves and medical masks), recyclable or biodegradable materials; investment in non-burn waste treatment technologies, such as autoclaves; reverse logistics to support centralized treatment and investments in the recycling sector to ensure materials, like plastics, can have a second life. The COVID-19 waste challenge and increasing urgency to

address environmental sustainability offer an opportunity to strengthen systems to safely and sustainably reduce and manage health care waste. This can be through strong national policies and regulations, regular monitoring and reporting and increased accountability, behaviour change support and workforce development, and increased budgets and financing. “A systemic change in how health care manages its waste would include greater and systematic scrutiny and better procurement practices,” said Dr Anne Woolridge, Chair of the Health Care Waste Working Group, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA). “There is growing appreciation that health investments must consider environmental and climate implications, as well as a greater awareness of cobenefits of action. For example, safe and rational use of PPE will not only reduce environmental harm from waste, it will also save money, reduce potential supply shortages and further support infection prevention by changing behaviours.” The analysis comes at a time when the health sector is under increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize the amount of waste being sent to landfill — in part because of the great concern about the proliferation of plastic waste and its impacts on water, food systems and human and ecosystem health.

Tonnes of COVID-19 health care waste expose urgent need to improve waste management systems

TL Bureau, Geneva

the initiative, nor waste generated by the public like disposable medical masks. They point out that over 140 million test kits, with a potential to generate 2,600 tonnes of noninfectious waste (mainly plastic) and 731,000 litres of chemical waste (equivalent to one-third of an Olympic-size swimming pool) have been shipped, while over 8 billion doses of vaccine have been administered globally producing 144,000 tonnes of additional waste in the form of syringes, needles, and safety boxes. As the UN and countries grappled with the immediate task of securing and quality-assuring supplies of PPE, less attention and resources were devoted to the safe and sustainable management of COVID-19 related health care waste. “It is absolutely vital to provide health workers with the right PPE, “said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. “But it is also vital to ensure that it can be used safely without impacting on the surrounding environment.” This

means having effective management systems in place, including guidance for health workers on what to do with PPE and health commodities after they have been used. Today, 30% of healthcare facilities (60% in the least developed countries) are not equipped to handle existing waste loads, let alone the additional COVID-19 load. This potentially exposes health workers to needle stick injuries, burns and pathogenic microorganisms, while also impacting communities living near poorly managed landfills and waste disposal sites through contaminated air from burning waste, poor water quality or disease carrying pests. “COVID-19 has forced the world to reckon with the gaps and neglected aspects of the waste stream and how we produce, use and discard of our health care resources, from cradle to grave,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health at WHO. “Significant change at all levels, from the global to the hospital floor, in how we manage the health care waste stream is a basic requirement

of climate-smart health care systems, which many countries committed to at the recent UN Climate Change Conference, and, of course, a healthy recovery from COVID-19 and preparedness for other health emergencies in the future.” The report lays out a set of recommendations for integrating better, safer, and more environmentally sustainable waste practices into the current COVID-19 response and future pandemic preparedness efforts and highlights stories from countries and organizations that have put into practice in the spirit of “building back better”.Recommendations include using eco-friendly packaging and shipping, safe and reusable PPE (e.g., gloves and medical masks), recyclable or biodegradable materials; investment in non-burn waste treatment technologies, such as autoclaves; reverse logistics to support centralized treatment and investments in the recycling sector to ensure materials, like plastics, can have a second life. The COVID-19 waste challenge

and increasing urgency to address environmental sustainability offer an opportunity to strengthen systems to safely and sustainably reduce and manage health care waste. This can be through strong national policies and regulations, regular monitoring and reporting and increased accountability, behaviour change support and workforce development, and increased budgets and financing. “A systemic change in how health care manages its waste would include greater and systematic scrutiny and better procurement practices,” said Dr Anne Woolridge, Chair of the Health Care Waste Working Group, International Solid Waste Association (ISWA). “There is growing appreciation that health investments must consider environmental and climate implications, as well as a greater awareness of co-benefits of action. For example, safe and rational use of PPE will not only reduce environmental harm from waste, it will also save money, reduce potential supply shortages and further support infection prevention by changing behaviours.”

SPORTS

Celebration of the Life of John Madden Set For February 14

TL Bureau, California

Public Memorial at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland to Benefit Local Youth The Madden Family has announced that there will be a public memorial in celebration of John Madden’s life on Monday, February 14th at 5:30 pm PST at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, California. It had been previously announced for February 15th, but the Coliseum

has been secured for one more Monday Night Football event! Tickets will be sold via Ticketmaster and will go on sale later this week. All proceeds will be directed to Madden Charities for the benefit of the John Madden Foundation to provide educational opportunities for the youth of Oakland. Details can be found on the RingCentral Coliseum website. https://www. theoaklandarena.com/events/ detail/john-madden-celebration/

Saudi Arabia Seeks to Qualify to the World Cup 2022 against Japan TL Bureau, Riyadh

The Saudi national football team seeks to win the direct qualification card when playing against its Japanese counterpart tomorrow at Saitama Stadium 2002 as part of the eighth round of Asian Qualifiers to the 2020 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Saudi national team heads the second group with 19 points four points ahead of Japan, the second, and five points ahead of Australia, the third, where winning tomorrow’s match guarantees the

sixth qualification for the Saudi team to the world cup in its history. The Saudi team so far has lost only two points through a goalless draw with Australia, and now seeks to win Japan again after it winning the home match 1-0 in Jeddah on October 7, 2021 to guarantee the direct qualification in case of the win regardless of the results of the Australia-Oman match, especially that the point difference between the Saudi and Japanese national teams will expand to 7 points two rounds before the end of the qualifiers.

WOOLWORTHS AND NETBALL AUSTRALIA TEAM UP FOR NETSETGO

TL Bureau, Fitzroy

Woolworths will support the next generation of Australian netballers in partnership with Netball Australia, as the new naming rights partner of NetSetGO. The partnership with Woolworths will help ensure more young Aussies stay active and live healthier lifestyles through Australia’s biggest female team sport. NetSetGO is Australia’s official netball starter program for girls and boys aged 5 to 10. The program, which is set to attract its 600,000th participant in 2022, provides an opportunity to learn the netball basics and get outside and make some friends. The additional threeyear commitment from Woolworths to the sport is part of the supermarket’s Pick Fresh, Play Fresh initiative which aims to inspire healthy eating habits in Australian kids through sport, helping them play at their best and

follow in their heroes’ footsteps. Over the past five years, Woolworths has provided much-needed support to grassroots netball communities, with $1.1 million in grants awarded to more than 285 netball clubs right across Australia. In addition to the new long-term commitment to NetSetGO, Woolworths community grants will continue with the next round opening this month to help provide financial assistance to local netball clubs to encourage children to eat fresh food. Woolworths will also continue to support netball through to the elite level as the Official Supermarket Partner across Netball Australia, its Member Organisations and their affiliated Suncorp Super Netball clubs. Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan said: “We’re delighted to welcome Woolworths as the new naming rights partner of NetSetGO. This

is the perfect partnership to help inspire netballers as they start their journey with the sport through Woolworths NetSetGO. “We look forward to working with Woolworths to bring this partnership to life and make it easier for more kids to eat well, be active, play netball and have fun.” Woolworths Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Hicks said: “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Netball Australia with the aim to inspire current and future players to pick fresh and play fresh. “Whether it’s refuelling between quarters with freshly cut oranges or replenishing energy with bananas postgame, eating fresh and healthy food is essential for children to lead healthy and active lifestyles. “As the biggest female team sport in Australia, we’re proud to support NetSetGO and look forward to the launch of the 2022 season.”

Beijing 2022 athletes invited to sign Olympic Truce Mural TL Bureau, Beijing The Olympic Truce Murals at the Olympic Villages of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 were inaugurated today during a ceremony at the Flag Mall of the Beijing Olympic Village. Participating athletes and officials are invited to show their commitment to building a peaceful world through sport by signing the Mural. Placed at the heart of all Olympic Villages since the Olympic Winter Games Turin 2006, the Olympic Truce Mural is a strong symbol of the power of sport to bring the world together in peaceful competition and create opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation. The concept of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Truce Mural, named “Light of Peace”, is inspired by traditional Chinese lanterns symbolising light, peace and reunion. On the symbolic date of the Chinese New Year, the inauguration of the Mural took place during a ceremony attended by IOC President Thomas Bach and Beijing 2022 Vice-President Yang Shu’an, along with the IOC Vice-Presidents, members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, and representatives of Beijing

2022 and the Beijing Olympic Village. The two leaders were the first to sign the Mural. “It is a truly auspicious moment to inaugurate the Olympic Truce Mural today on Chinese New Year,” said the IOC President in his speech. Addressing the winter sports athletes who are competing at Beijing 2022, President Bach acknowledged them as ambassadors to promote peace and human understanding: “Over the coming days, you will compete fiercely against one another. At the same time, you will be living together peacefully and respectfully under one roof, in the Olympic Village. In this

way, you will show us what the world can look like if we all respect the same rules and each other. This is the true Olympic spirit. This is the message of the Olympic Games: bringing the world together in peaceful competition. In this Olympic spirit, I invite you to leave your signature on the Olympic Truce Mural to show your commitment to this mission of peace of the Olympic Games.” The IOC President also addressed political leaders by saying: “Today, we call on all political leaders around the world to observe their commitment to this Olympic Truce.” Click here to read President Bach’s speech in full

Beijing 2022 Vice-President Yang added: “Setting up the Olympic Truce Mural and encouraging all ‘villagers’ to express their wish for peace by signing is the best implementation of the United Nations [UN] Olympic Truce Resolution. “I hope the ‘Light of Peace’ will bring the warmth of home to everyone in the cold winter, light up new hopes and convey our good wishes of pursuing peace, enhancing mutual understanding and working together for a shared future.” The Olympic Truce for Beijing 2022 was established in the UN resolution entitled “Building a peaceful and better world

through sport and the Olympic ideal”, which was adopted by consensus at the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 2 December 2021. It was co-sponsored by 173 UN Member States, demonstrating the widespread support and recognition by the international community of the power of sport and the relevance of the Olympic Winter Games to bring the world together in peaceful competition, providing hope for a better future. The resolution calls for the Olympic Truce to be respected from seven days before the start of the Olympic Winter Games, which open on 4 February 2022, until seven days after the Paralympic Winter Games, which close on 13 March 2022. On 28 January, to mark the start of the Olympic Truce, UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a message to “call on everyone to observe the Olympic Truce during the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games”. The tradition of the Olympic Truce, or “Ekecheiria”, dates back to the 9th century BC in Ancient Greece as a period during which war and conflict ceased to allow for safe travel to and from the ancient Olympic Games.

tech/auto

BMW Group significantly increases use of lowcarbon steel in series production at European plants

TL Bureau, Munich

The BMW Group continues to reduce CO2 emissions in its supplier network as part of its ambitious ongoing sustainability activities. Steel produced using natural gas or hydrogen and green power, instead of fossil resources like coal, makes a vital contribution to this. The BMW Group has now signed a corresponding agreement with Salzgitter AG for delivery of low-carbon steel. The steel will be used in standard production of cars at the BMW Group’s European plants from 2026 onwards. With this move, the BMW Group is expanding its sourcing of low-carbon steel to two suppliers. The aim is to use low-carbon steel to meet over 40% of demand at its European plants by 2030, thereby reducing CO2emissions by up to 400,000 tonnes per year. “This is an important step in substantially reducing CO2 emissions at source in the supplier network,” said Joachim Post, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. “Our aim is to reduce vehicles’ lifecycle carbon footprint with a holistic approach. With steel, in particular, we are leading the way by sourcing low-carbon steel for our plants in Europe in the future.” “Salzgitter AG is putting ‘circularity’ at the centre of its new strategy,” said Gunnar Groebler, CEO of Salzgitter AG. “We firmly believe that closed loops of recoverable materials can only realise their full effect with strong partners. We are delighted about the circular economy cooperation with the BMW Group and the agreement to supply green steel to our longstanding customer. Partnering for Transformation – this is how we will translate our new corporate vision into practice.” Agreements with two suppliers on low-carbon steel will meet over 40% of steel demand at European plants The BMW Group already signed an agreement with Swedish startup H2 Green Steel in October of last year. H2 Green Steel will supply the BMW Group’s European plants with steel produced exclusively using hydrogen and green power

+++ BMW Group expands sourcing of low-carbon steel: Agreement with Salzgitter AG provides for delivery of low-carbon steel from 2026 +++ Salzgitter AG and H2 Green Steel will meet more than 40% of steel demand for standard production at BMW Group’s EU plants, saving around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year +++ Steel remnants from plants will be reused in circular economy +++ Post: “Another important step in reducing CO2 emissions in the supplier network” +++

from renewable energies from 2025 onwards. This process will reduce CO2 emissions by around 95%. Together, the two agreements will supply over 40% of the steel required by the company’s European plants and save around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. BMW Group press plants in Europe process more than half a million tonnes of steel per year. Gradual transition to lowcarbon steel production Due to its energy-intensive manufacturing process, steel production generates high CO2emissions. However, because of its versatility, steel is one of the most important materials for car production and will continue to account for a large proportion of the body and many components. To lower CO2 emissions from steel production on a massive scale, Salzgitter AG is gradually switching to virtually carbon-free production. Electricity from renewable sources and its use in production of hydrogen from electrolysis are key elements of the transformation. This green hydrogen will replace the coal currently used in the conventional blast-furnace process. This is made possible by so-called direct reduction plants, which use hydrogen to directly reduce iron ore to iron in the solid state. The solid iron produced in this way is then melted down with steel scrap in an electric arc furnace powered by renewable electricity. Salzgitter AG plans to use this method to gradually reduce

CO2 emissions from steel production to around 5% of what they originally were. Closed loop conserves resources and reduces CO2 emissions The BMW Group already established a closedloop material cycle for sheet steel waste from BMW Group Plant Leipzig with Salzgitter AG more than five years ago. After delivering steel coils to the plant, Salzgitter AG takes away steel remnants of the kind produced at press plants, for example, when doors are punched out, and uses this material to produce new steel. This steel is then supplied to the BMW Group plants. In this way, raw materials can be used multiple times in a circular economy, thereby conserving natural resources. Sheet steel waste from the BMW Group’s other European plants is also either reused through a direct material cycle or sent back to the steel producer via steel traders and

processed into new steel. Use of secondary steel from circular economy reduces CO2 emissions Up to a quarter of the steel in BMW Group vehicles already comes from recycling loops. The BMW Group plans to increase its percentage of secondary steel in stages, reaching up to 50% by 2030. Since this requires significantly less energy, CO2 emissions from production of secondary steel are an average of 50-80% lower than from primary steel. Investment in startups accelerates development of new technologies In addition to sourcing lowcarbon steel, the BMW Group has also invested in an innovative method for carbonfree steel production developed by American startup Boston Metal, through its venture capital fund, BMW i Ventures. Boston Metal uses electricity for its new technology, which, by means of an electrolysis

cell, produces molten iron that is later processed into steel. If electricity from renewable energies is used for this process, then steel production is carbon-free. Over the coming years, Boston Metal plans to expand the new method for steel production on an industrial scale. Through its investment in startups, the BMW Group aims to accelerate development of new technologies, promote competition and provide impetus that will make it easier for young companies to enter the market. Innovative technologies provide better, more sustainable and more efficient access to raw materials. Investing in new technologies is one of many steps the BMW Group is taking to meet its ambitious targets for the steel supply chain – for example, by making low-carbon production an important award criterion for every contract.

world

The Government is presenting its new foreign and security policy strategy

TL Bureau, Copenhagen The Government’s new foreign and security policy strategy rests on values and has five concrete core areas. The strategy is to provide the direction for Denmark’s place in the world. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod, and Minister of Defence Trine Bramsen are presenting the Government’s new foreign and security policy strategy on 31 January. The strategy is a compass for the foreign and security policy work to the benefit of Denmark’s interests and to safeguard our shared values.

“Fighting for peace has a price. But it is nothing compared to the coast of not fighting. Denmark must join in around the world together with our allies and partners. Because it is there, where it is hardest, that our efforts mean the most. This applies to our security and to our democratic values,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod and expanded by saying: “It means that Denmark must engage in the world and lead the way in the fight for precisely these values. The threat assessment is changing all the time. The complexity increases. But the solution to this must never be that Denmark becomes incapable of taking action. With the new strategy,

we are making it completely clear that we can be counted on – also when it difficult,” said Jeppe Kofod. In the foreign and security policy strategy, the Government has chosen five core areas that will be the driving force behind the work: Values diplomacy, safety diplomacy, climate diplomacy, migration diplomacy, and economic diplomacy. “The priorities of the strategy reflect the fact that foreign policy and domestic policy are inextricably intertwined. The changes that we are fighting for in Denmark also demand that we fight for Danish interests and values around the world. The defence of the Dane’s safety, prosperity, and

especially the climate fight do not stop at Denmark’s borders. It requires a global engagement, strong transatlantic and European cooperation,” said Jeppe Kofod. In the work with the strategy, the Government has, therefore, also wished to provide the Foreign Service with increased clout within the areas that have been prioritised. This has been done in connection with the adoption of the Budget for 2022. This means a concrete strengthening of Denmark’s work in the EU, NATO, the UN, the Arctic, Africa as well as with regard to our export initiatives. In all, 21 embassies and consulates will be strengthened,

and the reorganisation will affect, in total, 28 missions around the world and 11 departments in the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in Copenhagen. At the same time, a break is underway with the massive cutbacks in the Foreign Ministry’s budget. “We must use our strength correctly – we must use it with a purpose. We are putting an end to the massive cutbacks and are fulfilling the promises that the Social Democrats made in our 2025 plan leading up to the election. Among other things, this means that the planed cutbacks in the Foreign Ministry will also be cancelled in 2022 and 2023,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod.

EU competitiveness ministers to discuss crisis resilience and strategic dependencies

TL Bureau, Helsinki

The EU ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy will meet to discuss the Union’s measures to develop its crisis resilience. The meeting will be organised by France, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy will meet in Lens, France on 31 January and 1 February 2022. They will discuss the EU’s measures to reduce strategic dependencies as well as the challenges related to critical materials. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will

represent Finland. Finland considers it important that the supply of raw materials is evaluated as part of the green transition. Finland also emphasises that sustainable bioeconomy solutions should be added to the EU’s strategic toolbox. “The bioeconomy, circular economy and innovations play a crucial role in the industry’s transition towards a carbon-neutral economy. For example, new biobased alternatives are key to solving the challenges concerning raw materials. This should be recognised more widely at the EU level,” Lintilä says. The EU reviews and monitors the Union’s strategic

dependencies at regular intervals. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for the EU to strengthen its crisis resilience and ensure the availability of certain critical raw materials and equipment, such as medicines and protective equipment. Improving crisis resilience should be evaluated from a broad perspective, which takes into account the economic renewal and ensures a level playing field for all in the EU market. An efficient internal market and an open and rules-based trade policy play an important role in ensuring security of supply. In the EU’s informal meetings, ministers discuss current issues, but no decisions are taken.

GEO-SPATIAL DATA AND CARTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES TO TRACK, COMPARE AND REPRESENT LONGER TERM DEVELOPMENTS : SURVEY

TL Bureau, New Delhi

The usage of new forms of data and information for tracking the economic activity and development is an important theme this year. The Economic Survey for FY 2021-22, tabled in the Parliament today by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, lays emphasis on this approach and mentions that geo-spatial data and cartographic techniques can be used to track, compare and represent longer term developments. The Survey highlights the importance of Geospatial maps in visualizing data to better understand trends, relationships and patterns. The availability of plethora of information from satellites, drones, mobile phones and other sources alongside a dramatic improvement in cartographic technology allows a better use of this data set for public good.. The Economic Survey illustrates some of the interesting ways of depicting Geo-spatial data: Comparison of Night-time luminosity data between 2012 and 2021 It provides an interesting representation of the expansion of electricity supply, the geographical distribution of populationand economic activity, urban expansion as well as growth of ribbon developments between urban hubs.

India Night-time Luminosity 2012

India Night-time Luminosity 2021

Expansion of National Highways India’s National Highway Network has grown from 71,772 Km in August 2011 to 1,40,152 Km August 2021.

India’s National Highway Network (As of August 2011)

India’s National Highway Network (As of August 2021)

Comparison of Number of Operationalised Airports in India between 2016 and 2021 The number of Operationalised Airports (Pre-UDAN) has grown from 62 (As of Nov. 2016) to 130 by December2021.

Number of Operationalised Airports (As of Nov. 2016)

Number of Operationalised Airports (As of Dec. 2021)

Comparison of Metro-rail network between 2011 and 2021 The Survey studies the Metro-rail Network of various cities and makes a case for the usage of data for trackingeconomic activity and development. Delhi Metro-rail network between 2011 and 2021

Delhi Metro-rail Network 2011

Delhi Metro-rail Network 2021

The Delhi Metro-rail Network has grown from 145 operational Stations with a length of 196.35 Km (As of Dec. 2011) to 286 operational stations and a length of 390.14 Km (As of Dec. 2021) Bangalore Metro-rail network between 2011 and 2021

Bangalore Metro-rail Bangalore Metro-rail Network Network 2011 2021 The Bangalore Metro-rail Network has also grown from just 6 stations being operational with a length of 6.7 km (As of Dec. 2011) to 52 operational stations with a length of 56.2 km (As of Dec. 2021)