The Life News South Africa. May 06, 2022

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Vol. 03 Issue 41 May 06, 2022

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Three killed and four Dust storm become dangerous and injured in attack in Israeli hospitalizes more than 1,000 in Iraq TL Bureau, Baghdad

TL Bureau, Elad Three individuals were killed and something like four more were harmed in an assault in the focal Israeli town of Elad.

Upwards of two unidentified assailants conveying a gun and a hatchet went after individuals strolling in the super Orthodox town close to Tel Aviv as Israel’s Independence Day was slowing down on Thursday night.

Something like one individual ran away from the area in a vehicle.

Each of the three casualties killed in the assault were men in their 40s, with one recognized as Yonatan Habakkuk, a dad of five.

Four additional individuals were hospitalized, including a 60-year-old and 35-yearold who supported genuine

wounds while a 40-yearelderly person was modestly harmed and a 23-year-elderly person was in gentle condition subsequent to battling with the assailants.

Designated spots were sent along the principal streets of the city as police looked for the vehicle that ran away from the area and Elad’s chairman requested that inhabitants stay in their homes.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid censured the assault in a proclamation Thursday.

“The delight of Independence Day was stopped in a moment,” Lapid said. “A deadly assault in Elad shocks the essence ... I send ardent sympathies to the families who lost their friends and family this evening and implore with the entire place of Israel for the security of the injured.”

A residue storm in Iraq caused whole-world destroying situations, managed a critical catastrophe for air quality and sent in excess of 1,000 individuals to nearby medical clinics this week.

AccuWeather forecasters say while Iraq has managed various residue storms this spring, a blend of environmental variables prompted an especially intense tempest on Thursday.

In excess of 1,200 individuals altogether across no less than six of Iraq’s 18 regions have been treated at region clinics for respiratory issues this week following a serious residue storm, as per Al Jazeera.

Inhabitants who endeavored to wander outside in the impacted regions on Thursday morning, neighborhood time, encountered a thick, gagging dust storm encompassing everything nearby.

“The latest residue storm Thursday morning was brought about by a front dropping across Iraq,” AccuWeather meteorologist Tony Zartman made sense of. “The breezy breeze that happened with the section of the front kicked up

the residue storm, significantly decreasing visibilities and causing undesirable air quality.”

AccuWeather forecasters say almost certainly, perceivability was close to zero now and again for different areas all through Iraq as well as the most awful of the residue obscured the sky. Thursday’s residue storm was just the latest in a series of tempests that have pummeled bits of Iraq this spring. Another residue storm covered the district only this previous Sunday. During Sunday’s tempest, both the Baghdad International Airport and the Najaf Airport had to close, as indicated by The National. “Iraq has experienced dry circumstances as of late

as well as throughout recent years,” Zartman made sense of. “Subsequently, any time a whirlwind goes along, it doesn’t take a lot to start off a residue storm.”

In April, climate service official Issa al-Fayad cautioned Iraq could confront “272 days of residue” each year in the next few decades, as per INA, the Iraqi state news organization.

This extended expansion in the general number of dusty days is because of Iraq and a large part of the encompassing regions becoming more sweltering and drier over the long run because of environmental change.

An absence of precipitation has prompted an absence of dampness in the space soils and sands for Iraq.

service said in a knowledge update that Azovstal for a second consecutive day has been the objective of a Russian ground attack. Kremlin authorities have said they are just endeavoring to close the office.

“The restored exertion by Russia to get Azovstal and complete the catch of Mariupol

is possible connected to the impending 9 May Victory Day celebrations and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s longing to have a representative outcome in Ukraine,” Britain expressed, alluding to the day that remembers Russia’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Azovstal plant evacuation operation in process, Ukraine TL Bureau, Kyiv

The activity to clear regular folks caught by battle at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol was in progress early Friday as Russian powers endeavor to catch the blockaded Ukrainian city in front of a significant military celebration commemoration one

week from now, authorities said.

Andriy Yermak, the top of Ukraine’s official office, reported in a proclamation on Telegram that “the following phase of saving our kin from Azovstal” had started.

“Ukraine will keep on doing all that to save all regular folks and the military,” he said in a

previous articulation that 500 regular folks had been emptied from the plant.

For a really long time, authorities have been attempting to empty the plant where regular citizens and Ukrainian contenders have looked for shelter as Russia besieged the city.

Early Friday, Britain’s safeguard

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editorial

Russian Attacks still affects Ukrainian parts ... No hope for ceasefire R ussian powers on Thursday kept up a surge against Ukrainian powers at a steel plant-turned-fortification in the critical port city of Mariupol, however Ukrainian authorities say they’re having some achievement repulsing Russian soldiers and retaking a few regions in the south and east.

Russian soldiers have been intensely going after the far reaching Azovstal steel plant for a really long time, where the final Ukrainian warriors and a few regular people have been stayed for quite a long time. Compassionate authorities have figured out how to clear a portion of the residents from the plant.

Petro Andriushchenko, a guide to Mariupol’s city hall leader, said that Russia shelled the plant over the course of Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

“There is constant shelling and attack, even around evening time with the change of shoot from drones. In certain areas, threats are now past the fence of the plant,” Andriushchenko expressed, as per CNN. “The last [four square miles] of opportunity in Mariupol have

been transformed into damnation.”

Authorities said just about 350 regular people who were cleared from the plant before this week had securely arrived at the city of Zaporizhzhia in focal Ukraine late on Wednesday.

The Red Cross, which participated in departure tasks, considered exchanges with Russian authorities for the philanthropic passage a “extremely fragile activity.”

“It’s a dynamic trustbuilding exercise, which is significant as our job as unbiased delegate,” Red Cross representative Chris Hanger expressed, as indicated by NBC News. “We wish we would have gotten more regular citizens out.”

Ukrainian warriors have said that Russian powers penetrated the plant’s edge in their development on resistance targets.

Moscow has expressed the significance of catching Mariupol, as it offers admittance to Crimea - - which was added by Russia in 2014 - - and the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin announced triumph in Mariupol last month, yet there are still pockets of obstruction

from Ukrainian warriors there. In the mean time, Kyiv said Thursday that Ukrainian powers have retaken a few Russianheld regions in the east and in southern Ukraine, around Mykolayiv and Kherson.

Moscow is keeping up endeavors to oversee the east’s Donbas district, which incorporates the nonconformist held areas of Luhansk and Donetsk, and is attempting to lay out a land hallway from the locale to Crimea through Mariupol.

Russia had done almost 50 airstrikes nearby on Tuesday. The Russian safeguard service said powers have obliterated six railroad stations that it said were utilized to supply Ukrainian

warriors - - and that Russian submarines in the Black Sea annihilated four Ukrainian ammo and arms stops.English knowledge authorities said that Moscow is making another drive to remove the eastern Ukrainian urban areas of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk.

“Russia will probably look to expand the danger presented to Ukraine by these practices to fix Ukrainian powers in the North, keeping them from being focused on the fight for the Donbas,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a tweet.

“Deviation from typical activity movement that could represent a danger to partners and accomplices isn’t at present expected.”

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world

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Venezuelan Interim President Guaidó TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaidó to underscore the importance of a peaceful restoration of democracy in Venezuela, free and fair elections, and respect for the rights and

freedoms of all Venezuelans.

Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the talks between the Maduro regime and the Unitary Platform as the best path for a return to democracy and for resolving Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis. The Secretary also reiterated U.S. support for the 2015 democratically elected National Assembly and for Guaidó as the Interim President of Venezuela.

Poland’s National Day

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Poland as you celebrate the 231st anniversary of the signing of your first constitution.

As the United States and Poland stand together in the face of Russian aggression, the critical importance of the enduring partnership between our two nations is exceedingly clear. As partners, friends, and NATO Allies, we are working together every day to advance our collective security, our mutual economic prosperity, and our shared democratic values. We are grateful for the strong ties of friendship and cooperation that

we have worked together to build over many decades, ties that so many are relying on today.

As I noted during my visit to Warsaw in March, Poland has responded with great generosity, leadership, and resolve at this moment of crisis. The United States greatly values Poland’s steadfast support for Ukraine and its warm welcome to millions of innocent civilians escaping the brutality of Russia’s war of choice.

In the year ahead, the United States looks forward to developing our partnership even further as we continue to coordinate closely on issues of mutual interest and our collective commitment to addressing regional and global challenges, including Putin’s unprovoked, unjust, and premeditated war.

Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Mexican Foreign Secretary Ebrard TL Bureau, Washington D.C. Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard in Washington, D.C. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Secretary Ebrard discussed preparations for the Summit of the Americas, U.S.-Mexico collaboration

to address the root causes of irregular migration, and the importance of ensuring a strong, stable, and competitive North America. Secretary Blinken highlighted how the Summit of the Americas will build on the strong collaboration between the United States and Mexico, especially when it comes to the Summit themes of democracy, clean energy, climate change, technology, and pandemic resilience.

Secretary Blinken’s Call with UK Foreign Secretary Truss

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss. The Secretary reaffirmed support for Ukraine, where the brave Ukrainian people continue to defend against the brutal attacks of Putin’s war of aggression.

The two discussed additional security and humanitarian

assistance to Ukraine and continued transatlantic unity.

They also discussed economic consequences for those who continue to provide financial or material support that aids the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine.

Additionally, the Secretary raised the need to continue our collective support for combatting the COVID-19 pandemic globally and providing sustainable health security financing, including through a robust, commitmentsdriven summit on May 12.

In total, 2,000 new COVID-19 cases were added last week, with 156 patients requiring hospital treatment

TL Bureau, Tallinn

According to the Health Board, a little over 2,000 new COVID-19 cases were added last week, with 156 patients requiring hospital treatment as of Monday morning.

According to Hanna Sepp, head of the Health Board’s Department of Concomitant Diseases, a total of 16,204 tests were analysed last week, of which 2,039 were positive. Compared to the week before, the number of registered infection cases has dropped by 26%. ‘The “R” number remains around 0.85.

This week we can expect a little under 150 new cases each day,’ explained Sepp, adding that the risk level regarding the spread of coronavirus is medium, based on the risk matrix which is focussed on the number of hospitalisation cases.

The hospital treatment figure should drop to 120 patients this week. As of Monday

morning, 156 people required hospital treatment, of whom a total of sixtyone patients were receiving hospital treatment after having developed severe COVID-19 symptoms.

On average within the past seven days, 6.3 new patients each day who exhibit signs of symptomatic COVID-19 infection have been hospitalised. Nine new deaths were registered within the week, including four of individuals who had not been vaccinated.

A total of 2,123 vaccine doses have been administered over the past seven days, with 362 individuals receiving their first injections. As of this morning, 453,407 individuals have received their additional or booster doses. Of the total population in Estonia, 63.5% have received two vaccine doses. The SARS-CoV-2 concentration levels in wastewater remained at a moderate level. Based on data from the past three weeks, the virus concentration levels

in wastewater has been showing a growing trend in Narva, Ahtme, and Tallinn.

Based on the results of the past week, Viljandi, Valga, Sillamäe, Kohtla-Järve, and Keila showed the greatest level of increase. The Health Board stopped publishing daily COVID-19 statistics as of the start of May and will now be publishing overviews of the infection situation on a weekly basis. According to Hanna Sepp, head of the Health Board’s Department of Communicable Diseases, a weekly assessment of the indicators provides a more comprehensive overview of the spread of the infection compared to the previous daily assessment. Several countries, including Finland out of our nearest neighbours, have also switched to similar practices.The coronavirus map on the Health Board’s website will be updated once a week, on Tuesdays, with new numerical information also being published at the same time.

Dr. Karen Donfried and several leaders from throughout the Departments of State and Defense also participated in the USASD session. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy was in Washington as well, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the United States Lilit Makunts.

Further Democratic Reforms and Promote Mutual Prosperity Assistant Secretary Donfried reaffirmed the United States would continue its robust assistance and cooperation to the Armenian government in building responsive democratic and economic institutions that both reflect our common values and deliver better governance and prosperity. The delegations had a robust dialogue on U.S. assistance to support Armenia’s positive democratic trajectory.

This includes programs to support human rights, media literacy, social protection, justice sector reforms, and the new Patrol Police Service.

The delegations also discussed advancing judicial impartiality and strengthening freedom of expression. Mechanisms to promote mutual prosperity in the economic sphere were also a key topic of discussion, including energy cooperation and workforce

development to promote and deepen bilateral trade and investment.

Towards Security, Peace, and Regional Conflict Resolution The two delegations discussed issues related to border security, and partnership in the defense and security sector through disaster management, defense reform, medical support, and peacekeeping.

The delegations exchanged views on security matters and noted the United States’ role as a CoChair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which has a mandate to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the NagornoKarabakh conflict.

Looking To Tangible Results Minister Mirzoyan and the Armenian delegation also had constructive meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, and many others. During their time in Washington, delegation members signed a number of documents, including a Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding that will serve as a mechanism through which our governments can develop stronger ties between our nuclear experts, industries, and researchers. The United States and Armenia also signed two joint action plans on anti-corruption and law enforcement reforms.

2022 U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue.

Begin Text: U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Washington, D.C., to launch the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue (USASD) on May 2, 2022. During the Dialogue, the United States and Armenia reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties across the breadth of the bilateral relationship.

This round of USASD discussions coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.Armenian diplomatic relations.

The delegations positively assessed the status of bilateral ties and reviewed the potential for expanding our partnership.

The Armenian delegation included Deputy Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan, Deputy Central Bank Governor Nerses Yeritsyan, and Ministry of Defense officials.

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs

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Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Japanese National Security Advisor Akiba

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Japanese National Security Advisor Akiba Takeo in Washington, D.C. on May 3. Secretary Blinken and National Security Advisor Akiba emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance and the upcoming Quad Summit to maintain an inclusive, free, and open Indo-Pacific. The

Secretary and the National Security Advisor reaffirmed the basic principles of freedom, selfdetermination, and sovereignty in response to the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. The Secretary expressed appreciation for Japan’s leadership in supporting Ukraine, and they discussed how to best cooperate to impose further costs on Russia for its aggression. They also compared notes on efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the IndoPacific region and push back against unilateral efforts to alter

the status quo. The Secretary and the National Security Advisor discussed expanding economic cooperation and strengthening the global rules-based international order through the U.S.-Japan Economic Policy Consultative Committee (“Economic 2+2”) and also welcomed efforts to enhance trilateral U.S.Japan-Republic of Korea cooperation to support the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and other shared goals.

Mail order gun service The members of the gang arrested, all Polish nationals, mostly belonged to one same family. They have been under investigation since August 2020. The family members residing in the Netherlands, which included the gang’s ringleader, were in charge of acquiring firearms of various types – both legal and illegal - across Europe. These firearms were then stored in the Netherlands, and when needed sent to the family members in Poland for them to convert the deactivated weapons into live-firing ones in illegal workshops.

The firearms were advertised for sale on Polish online marketplaces as ‘antique’ or ‘deactivated’ ones for which the sale is authorised.

The illegal, live-firing weapons would then be offered for sale to trusted clients.

Once sold, these weapons were sent via parcel delivery companies to strawmen for further distribution in Poland or directly to the clients who purchased the firearms.

The organised crime group also supplied ammunition alongside the weapons.

Up to the action day, this gang of gunrunners is suspected to have distributed several hundred illegal firearms using this modus operandi.

European coordination International police cooperation coordinated by Europol was central in bringing to justice the perpetrators who were located in different European countries.

Gun smugglers behind mail order service arrested in Poland and the Netherlands TL Bureau, Warsaw/The Hague

An international operation involving law enforcement authorities from Poland and the Netherlands has resulted in the takedown of a gang of gunrunners accused of smuggling an arsenal of weapons into Poland using parcel delivery companies.

On 25 April, Europol supported a series of actions carried out simultaneously in the Netherlands and in Poland, as a result of which 82 individuals were arrested (81 in Poland, one in the Netherlands) and 250 firearms seized. Some 300 locations were searched across Poland, alongside two in the Netherlands in Beverwijk and Heemskerk.

world

Three German fugitives arrested in Spain for providing shadow banking system to criminals

TL Bureau, Madrid

With the support of Europol’s Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC), the Spanish Civil Guarda (Guardia Civil), together with the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) and the Police Headquarters Heilbronn (Polizeipräsidium Heilbronn), have broken up a money laundering ring which was operating a parallel banking system for criminals.

Three individuals have been arrested as the result of an action day in Malaga, Spain, on 30 March, the details of which can only be released now due to operational reasons. All three suspects have been on the run from the German authorities since 2021. The criminal organisation’s ringleader – a German national of Russian origin – features among those arrested.

The suspects are believed to have run a shadow banking

system which processed hundreds of millions of euros of criminal transactions isolated from any oversight mechanisms governing the legal financial system.

The criminals moved around large amounts of cash through this parallel system, helping criminals launder their illegal proceeds and fund their activities mainly linked to drug trafficking. The ringleader of this criminal network would negotiate commissions of up to 5 % for every million euros managed, with profits estimated at more than EUR 250 000 per day.

Europol’s EFECC supported the investigation by providing its secure communication platform and facilitating international cooperation between Spain and Germany, running cross-checks and providing analytical support and operational expertise. A Europol mobile office was also deployed to Malaga to assist the Spanish authorities with the action day.

Four astronauts splash down off Florida after six months in space

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts splashed down off the coast of Florida in the early hours of Friday, ending a six-month mission at the International Space Station, dpa reported. NASA’s Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron, along with German astronaut Matthias

Maurer of the European Space Agency, arrived back on Earth about 24 hours after undocking from the station. The Crew Dragon capsule could be seen streaking across the night sky before four parachutes were deployed to slow down the spacecraft’s reentry. “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed - welcome back to Earth,” SpaceX tweeted.

Number of COVID-19 patients WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans requiring hospitals Kluge visits Finland to discuss health TL Bureau, Helsinki

The number of COVID-19 patients in specialised and primary healthcare started to decline in April. The results of wastewater monitoring also indicate a downward trend in the epidemic. A fourth vaccine dose is recommended for people aged 12 or over who have a severely weakened immune system, people aged 80 or over and all older people living in residential care homes.

Between 18 April and 1 May, a total of little over 600 new COVID-19 patients were admitted to specialised healthcare. Before the number of new COVID-19 patients started to decline in April, over 800 patients were admitted to care within a two-week period.

The need for intensive care also started to fall after March. Between 18 April and 1 May, a total of 38

new COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding two-week period the number was 58. On Wednesday 4 May 2022, over 40 per cent of COVID-19 patients in intensive care and other wards in specialised healthcare were being treated mainly for some other reason than COVID-19.

On Wednesday 4 May 2022, the total number of COVID-19 patients in primary healthcare was 471.

Although the number of patients decreased clearly in April, the total number is still high. On Wednesday 4 May, about 40 per cent of all COVID-19 patients in primary healthcare were being treated mainly for some other reason than COVID-19. On Sunday 1 May 2022, the total number of COVID19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register stood at 4,063.

crises and economy of wellbeing

TL Bureau, Helsinki

Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, will visit Finland on Friday 6 May. He will meet with Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Aki Lindén.

The topics to be discussed during the visit include the effects of the war in Ukraine on health and health cooperation in Europe, preparedness for and response to health crises, resilience, the economy of wellbeing, digital health and innovations.

Kluge and Lindén will also learn about the work done by the City of Espoo to promote

wellbeing and health, and they will visit the Iso Omena Service Centre, which offers a range of public services from healthcare to employment services.

“Finland and the WHO Regional Office for Europe have a strong, long-standing partnership, with shared priorities, most notably on tackling non-communicable diseases and their risk factors through health promotion, and building an economy of wellbeing,” says Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“It is my great pleasure to be here in Finland to discuss

with Minister Lindén and his team how we can further deepen our collaboration, and address the extensive health challenges of our time including health security, emergency preparedness and response,” he adds.

“We also have to look beyond crises and on recovery, with people’s wellbeing at the core of policy and practice.

The economy can generate health and wellbeing for all. Together with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Finland is contributing to the development of the economy of wellbeing approach in the Europe,” says Minister Lindén.

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South Africa

Stage two load shedding to New bridge for the be implemented tonight community of Empangeni TL Bureau, Cape Town

TL Bureau, Cape Town Eskom is expected to implement stage two load shedding from 5pm this evening until the early hours of next Monday morning.

This after the energy supplier lost generation capacity at several power stations.

“This load shedding has been caused by a shortage of generation capacity owing to delays in returning generators to service as well as breakdowns of nine generators.

“Since [Monday], a generation unit each at Lethabo, Tutuka, Ingula, Drakensberg, Arnot as well as two units each at Hendrina and Matla power stations suffered breakdowns.

Further, delays in returning generators to service at Arnot, Kendal and three units at Tutuka power stations have added to the capacity

constraints,” Eskom said.

The power utility explained that this led to an unexpected loss of at least 15 067MW of capacity with a further 3875MW of energy on a maintenance outage.

“Eskom expects to return as many of these units to service as possible over the next few days. We also expect to rely on the use of emergency generating reserves to limit the stage of load shedding during this period.

“Eskom would again like to remind the public that load shedding is implemented only as a last resort to protect the national grid. We therefore request the public to continue using electricity sparingly to reduce the occurrence of load shedding. Eskom will promptly inform the public should there be any further significant developments,” Eskom said.

NPA being bolstered to fight corruption, says Lamola

TL Bureau, Cape Town

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Ronald Lamola, says the department is strengthening the National Prosecuting Authority’s human and financial capacity is critical to entrenching the rule of law and fighting fraud and corruption.

The Minister was giving Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services an overview of the ministry’s performance plans for the current financial year.

“We are in full flight mode in the rebuilding of the National Prosecuting Authority. We are – as much as possible – directing critical resources to the NPA to ensure that it has the human resource capital and the financial resources to respond to the many crimes which afflict our communities, despite the challenging fiscal environment that we find ourselves in.

“Furthermore, this new injection

of resources must enable the NPA to combat organised crime, white collar crime and corruption. We know that it is not enough but at least, it is in the right direction to enable them to rebuild and to plan ahead,” the Minister said.

Lamola told the committee that since its establishment, the NPA’s Investigating Directorate is making strides in high level prosecutions.

According to the Minister, the directorate has declared 82 investigations and enrolled at least 20 cases with 65 accused. It has also prioritised nine corruption matters for enrolment within the next six months. “In their own words, [National Director of Public Prosecutions] Advocate Shamila Batohi and her Deputy Anton Du Plessis, have said that we are nearing a moment of high level prosecutions being executed without fear or favour.

We shouldn’t second guess them.

They are better placed than all of us to tell no lies and claim no easy victories,” he said.

Public Works and Infrastructure, Minister Patricia de Lille, will hand over the latest bridge to the community of Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal.

De Lille will hand over the Nsimbakazi Bridge on Thursday as part of the ongoing Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme.

The National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) in collaboration with the Department of Defence (DoD) and the KwaZuluNatal provincial government is constructing bailey-type bridges in the various districts in the province.

The initiative forms part of government’s response to challenges of access to social facilities and forms part of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) commitments as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year.

The programme is aimed at providing urgent safe access to social amenities such as schools, places of work and clinics and further respond to potential disaster areas and emergency disaster situations. The programme contributed towards the skills development initiative

Condolences for Gardee TL Bureau, Cape Town

Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu has conveyed government’s condolences to the family of former EFF Secretary General and Commissar, Godrich Gardee, on the passing of his daughter, Hillary.

“For [a] start is to really pass our condolences to the family of Gardee and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in general because we know that they will be there for him,” Zulu said when responding to member’s statements during a plenary of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Hillary’s lifeless body was found abandoned outside Nelspruit in Mpumalanga after she went missing on 29 April.

According to a statement by the EFF, the death of the 28-yearold - who was born in Lagos in Nigeria and was Gardee’s first born daughter - has left the family distraught and the collective EFF leadership at a loss for words.

At the time of her death, Gardee was a part-time IT student at the University of South Africa while she ran her own IT business.

as 23 graduates are appointed as the bridge assessment, project management team and maintenance team.

These positions included junior and assistant engineers as well as candidate construction project managers.

Since the 2020/2021 financial year, 14 bridges have been completed in various areas in the province. The project also provided Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) opportunities to residents from surrounding communities with 420 EPWP opportunities having being created during the construction of the 14 bridges.

In light of the recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, the DPWI

and DoD are working with the provincial government to respond to the need for additional bridges to be installed.

To date, 18 bridge sites were identified and assessed for the 2022/23 financial year, and following the floods, an additional six sites were identified for bridges to be installed.On 21 April 2022, an additional 28 bridge sites requests were received from various municipalities.

Defence Minister Thandi Modise and KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Human Settlements MEC Jomo Sibiya will accompany Minister de Lille.

TL Bureau, Cape Town

had been conducted in both the public and private sectors.

A provincial breakdown of the statistics revealed that a majority of new cases on Tuesday were from Gauteng (45%), followed

by KwaZulu-Natal (28%). “The Western Cape accounted for 12%, Free State 5%, Eastern Cape 4%; Mpumalanga and North West 2% each, and Limpopo and the Northern Cape each accounted for 1% of today’s new cases,” the statistics reveal. The institute said the proportion of positive new cases/total new tested on Tuesday was lower than Monday’s (21.0%).

SA records 3 785 new COVID-19 cases

South Africa on Tuesday recorded 3 785 new COVID-19 cases, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said. The figure brought the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 802 198. The increase represented a 17.6% positivity rate.

“Today, the National Department of Health (NDoH) reports seven deaths and of these, two occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 100 377 to date,” the NICD said on Tuesday. To date, 24 527 102 tests

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BUSINESS

IFC Invests US10 Million in Vatia to CBA interest rate decision CBA responds to the Reserve Bank Promote Renewable Energy and Support of Australia’s cash rate decision.

Colombia’s Climate Goals TL Bureau, Parramatta

TL Bureau, Bogota

A new investment will help diversify Colombia’s energy sources while promoting renewable energy projects and boosting economic resilience in the country. IFC’s US$10 million investment in the form of preferred equity in Vatia, a leading Colombian electricity retailer and aggregator, will improve access to cleaner energy, contributing to the country’s climate commitments.

In its first engagement with a retail power aggregator globally, IFC will also assist the company to obtain financing of up to $36 million in long-term debt. IFC’s support will allow Vatia to acquire greenfield solar assets and strengthen its capital position, expanding and diversifying its generation capacity in Colombia. This will help displace carbon-intensive and more expensive thermal generation, reducing around 55,000 tons of CO2 emissions equivalent each year. In addition, IFC’s investment will enable smaller businesses and commercial and industrial users to implement energy efficiency plans and additional savings.

As part of its energy policy, aimed at ensuring energy security, low prices, and reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, Colombia aims

to achieve 25 percent penetration of non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) by 2030. Despite considerable potential for NCRE, the resources remain largely untapped—less than 0.5 percent of the energy mix in the country.

Luis Fernando Sanvodal, Vatia’s CEO, said: “We welcome IFC’s long-term funding that is not readily available in a domestic market given the nascent business model. It will help demand aggregators like us play a key role in promoting NCRE, either through our own generation or by acting as off-takers for new projects. Additionally, aggregators can provide long-term contracts, a key hurdle in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, with high hydro penetration and price volatility depending on weather patterns.”

IFC will also ensure the adoption of corporate governance and environmental and social practices in line with IFC’s Performance Standards.

Adil Marghub, IFC head of infrastructure and energy for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “Globally, end-users increasingly bypass traditional incumbents and get their energy from alternative sources, either directly from generators or retail aggregators.

By supporting a leading market

GPS Capital Markets Hires FX Leader in Australia Office}} TL Bureau, Salt Lake City

GPS Capital Markets, LLC, a leading corporate foreign exchange brokerage firm, expanded their leadership in Melbourne, Australia this month. GPS is pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Bernie Tuck. Mr. Tuck has been hired as an FX Consultant leader to expand the GPS presence in the APAC region. “I’m thrilled to have joined GPS Capital Markets. Having spent 17 years in FX I am most excited to join a firm with an outstanding culture and offering FX and payments to the corporate market. The combined value proposition of credit, payment solutions and treasury management systems for customers had me immediately drawn to GPS,” said Mr. Tuck. “I see a long and progressive career here for myself. I am also very impressed with the longevity served by so many of the staff here and their commitment to our customers.”

Bernie Tuck comes to GPS with nearly 20 years of Foreign

Exchange trading experience.

Prior to joining GPS Capital Markets, Mr. Tuck oversaw multiple FX desks and dealers, as well as most FX aspects at WUBS. “We are thoroughly excited to add such a well-respected industry veteran to the GPS Australia team,” said Leigh Taylforth, GPS APAC Regional Director. “Bernie brings a wealth of financial services and quantitative markets experience and we expect him to be a core part of our continued growth in the APAC region.”

ABOUT GPS CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, GPS Capital Markets, LLC provides corporate foreign exchange services that help companies manage their foreign currency risks and execute foreign currency transactions through one unified platform. GPS has several offices throughout the United States, as well as in Australia, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. Learn more at www.gpsfx.com.

player, IFC is promoting a crucial change in the market structure, with retailers playing an increased role in the energy market. This will allow Vatia to serve more customers while highlighting the financial viability of the energy retail aggregation model in the region, contributing to the country’s energy supply diversification.”

Colombia is IFC’s second-largest committed portfolio in LAC and seventh largest worldwide, with over US$3 billion in new financing over the past five years alone. In the fiscal year ended in June 2020, IFC’s long-term investments in the region totaled a record $7.1 billion, including a record US$4 billion mobilized from other investors, enabling investments to foster sustainable growth across the region, create jobs, and fight the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About Vatia Vatia is an energy retailer and generator in Colombia, concentrated in the regulated market, with more than 33,000 users and an annual demand of around 1,300 GWh/Year, of which 400 GWh/Year come from NCRE sources. Vatia promotes the reduction of energy consumption through energy efficiency programs and expects to generate revenues of US$162 million during 2022.

Report: Companies resolved employee IT issues 23% faster in 2021 TL Bureau, San Mateo, Calif (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH), a software company empowering the people who power business, today announced the findings from its second annual Freshservice Service Management Benchmark Report which measured key performance indicators (KPIs) for the IT industry across 62 million tickets in 2021. The report revealed that global IT teams adapted to remote work in 2021, resolving employee tickets 23% faster than the year before as overall resolution time for IT tickets went down by seven hours. In a world where employees increasingly rely on technology to get their work done at home, in the office, and everywhere in between, the Freshworks report confirmed that new technologies that enable chatbots and virtual agents are making a substantial impact helping employees and companies become more productive — and even delighting them along the way.

In light of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) cash rate decision, CBA will increase home loan variable interest rates by 0.25% p.a.

New Standard Variable Reference Rates Owner Occupier Principal and Interest Standard Variable Rate home loans will increase by 0.25% per annum (p.a.) to 4.80% p.a.

Investor Principal and Interest Standard Variable Rate home

loans will increase by 0.25% p.a. to 5.38% p.a.

Owner Occupier Interest Only Standard Variable Rate home loans will increase by 0.25% p.a. to 5.29% p.a.

Investor Interest Only Standard Variable Rate home loans will increase by 0.25% p.a. to 5.64% p.a.

Group Executive, Retail Banking, Angus Sullivan said: “This is an important time to support customers as some may not have experienced an interest rate increase since they took out their loans.

17% net sales growth offset inflationary pressures contributing to strong year-over-year performance

TL Bureau, Westchester May 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to the food and beverage manufacturing industry, today reported results for the first quarter of 2022. The results, reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for 2022 and 2021, include items that are excluded from the nonGAAP financial measures that the Company presents.

“Ingredion overcame inflationary headwinds and is off to a strong start in 2022,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and chief executive officer. “We delivered 17% net sales growth driven by higher-than-expected demand and strong price mix. In a highly inflationary environment, we achieved significant, favorable price mix that more than offset increased input costs and contributed to 6% operating income growth. We also made progress in the quarter improving the resilience of our supply chain despite continued global logistics constraints, which enabled us to better meet customers’ changing needs.”

“We continued to advance our Driving Growth Roadmap, growing our specialties ingredients net sales by 20% in the quarter, led by strong demand for texturizing ingredients.

Additionally, plant-based proteins net sales grew more than 250% in the quarter, as our quality and yield improved and our production ramp-up accelerated at our two manufacturing facilities.

PureCircle also achieved another high double-digit net sales growth quarter, reflecting strong demand for high intensity, nature-based sweeteners,” stated Zallie.“As we started 2022, new challenges arose, and our team continued to show exceptional agility in responding to events

First quarter 2022 reported and adjusted EPS*were $1.92 and $1.95, respectively, compared to first quarter 2021 reported and adjusted EPS of $(3.66) and $1.85, respectively The Company maintains its expectation for full year adjusted EPS of $6.85 to $7.45, which reflects the impact of higher than expected effective tax rates

such as the dislocations brought on by the Ukraine conflict, its impact on global corn supply, and, most recently, the resurgence of the pandemic in China. I am incredibly proud of our people as they operate with an owner’s mindset to adapt and engage each day to create value for our stakeholders. We look forward to a year of meaningful growth, as we leverage technology and the best of nature, to deliver an expanding set of innovative ingredient solutions for our customers and consumers alike.” *Adjusted diluted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”), adjusted operating income, adjusted effective income tax rate and adjusted diluted weighted average common shares outstanding are non-GAAP financial measures. See section II of the Supplemental Financial Information entitled “NonGAAP Information” following the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this press release for a reconciliation of these nonGAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

8

Feature

Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, university’s first new school in 70 years, will accelerate solutions to global climate crisis

TL Bureau, California

Stanford’s first new school in 70 years will launch this fall as the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, recognizing a $1.1 billion gift from John and Ann Doerr, the largest in the university’s history. The commitment, together with gifts from other generous donors, will extend the university’s scholarship and dramatically amplify its impact in tackling the urgent climate and sustainability challenges facing all people.

Arun Majumdar has been appointed as the school’s inaugural dean.

The combined gifts, totaling $1.69 billion, will shepherd the creation of a new kind of school focused on cultivating deep knowledge and high-impact solutions to pressing planetary challenges. In addition to academic departments that advance subject understanding, the school will include interdisciplinary institutes that innovate across fields and an accelerator focused on developing near-term policy and technology solutions. New faculty, new facilities, and a new institute will round out the school, bringing exceptional breadth and scale to the university’s work in addressing the future of the planet.

“These gifts will help Stanford bring its full effort to bear on solving the most complex problems in climate and sustainability, and on training the next generation of students who are eager and driven to address these challenges,” said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “We have designed a school for the future combining knowledge generation and impact, building on the strong foundation established through Stanford’s history of scholarship in Stanford Earth and our other schools and interdisciplinary institutes. We are deeply grateful to John and Ann for partnering with us to realize the school’s mission, as well as to the other

Investments of $1.1 billion from John and Ann Doerr, along with gifts from other philanthropists, catalyze interdisciplinary efforts to tackle urgent climate and sustainability challenges facing people and ecosystems worldwide.

generous lead donors who are leveraging their resources to help us create a more livable future.”

“Stanford is making a bold, actionable, and enduring commitment to tackle humanity’s greatest challenge, and we have deep conviction in its ambition and abilities,” said John and Ann Doerr.

“We believe the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability will be a model for the interdisciplinary collaboration required to solve this existential challenge – and set a new standard for scholarship in the 21st century. Today’s real and pressing challenges – not least, solving our climate crisis – require that knowledge be channeled toward the building of practical, implementable solutions. With a deep track record in groundbreaking scholarship and impact, and a critical mass of subject experts and innovators, Stanford is perfectly positioned to make a measurable difference in climate and sustainability challenges. This is the decisive decade, and we must act with full speed and scale.”

Additional philanthropic investments have been made by Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, Angela and David Filo, and other donors.

A distinctive approach The new school has been designed to power excellence in eight areas of scholarship that, together, are crucial for advancing the long-term prosperity of the planet: climate change, Earth and planetary sciences, energy technology, sustainable cities, the natural

environment, food and water security, human society and behavior, and human health and the environment.

Built for impact, the school will have a distinctive three-part structure that includes rigorous academic departments, interdisciplinary institutes, and an accelerator for technology and policy solutions.

The academic departments will launch with about 90 existing faculty from Stanford and add an additional 60 faculty over 10 years to provide strength and breadth across all eight areas of scholarship. Existing faculty will include those currently in Stanford Earth, who will transition to the new school, as well as faculty from other schools. Early faculty hires will focus on energy, climate science, and sustainable development and environmental justice.

The interdisciplinary institutes bridge areas of scholarship across the university in service of knowledge acquisition and solutions development. The existing Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy will become part of the school, joined by a new Institute for Sustainable Societies that adds critical new attention to issues of institutional and economic infrastructure, and the politics of transitioning to more sustainable ways of life.The new Sustainability Accelerator will drive policy and technology solutions. It will help advance high-potential technologies by providing laboratories, tools, and domain expertise to help researchers refine and scale prototypes. The accelerator will also

support interdisciplinary policy design and engagement with external stakeholders.

Competitive grants given by the accelerator will help develop sustainability technologies, policies, and innovations, and emphasize measurable impacts through partnership with the external community, connecting directly to needs in government, industry, and other outside entities.

The school will also provide curriculum, research, training, and project-funding opportunities for students across campus, regardless of area of study. In addition, the new school will collaborate closely with the university’s leading professional schools to generate essential insights and solutions that can be rapidly deployed to mitigate and better respond to climate and sustainability challenges. Additional programs, including professional education, will help equip professionals to advance sustainable solutions in real-world contexts.

The choice of the word “Sustainability” in the school’s name signals the urgent need for scholarship and new, high-impact solutions to foster a sustainable future. The school’s creation reflects the Stanford community’s deep ambition to lead in this domain, building on the university’s decades of foundational work.The people and programs in the new school will be brought together in a new Sustainability Commons, located on the west side of campus. The Commons will be anchored by two new flagship buildings that will follow Stanford’s history of creating sustainable, LEED Platinum certified buildings. The Commons will also include the existing Green Earth Sciences Research Building and the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2).

A promenade will connect the academic buildings, rooftop garden, and multiple outdoor gathering spaces.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands will become first Pacific island nation to publish fishing activity to Global Fishing Watch map

TLBureau, Koror, The Republic of Palau

(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KOROR, THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU - The Republic of the Marshall Islands has committed to sharing its vessel monitoring data on Global Fishing Watch’s public map, bolstering ocean governance and promoting compliance throughout some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. This momentous decision was announced on April 14, 2022 at the seventh Our Oceans Conference by the Honorable John M. Silk, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The declaration marks the first Pacific island nation to make its fishing activity visible to the world.

The partnership agreement was signed between the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) and Global Fishing Watch, symbolizing the two organizations’ dedication to advancing transparency of fishing activities in the Pacific Islands region, home to the world’s most productive tuna fisheries.

All vessels flying the Marshall

Global Fishing Watch commends the Republic of Marshall Islands’ leadership toward fisheries transparency Islands’ flag and foreign vessels fishing in its fishery waters will appear on Global Fishing Watch’s map through the integration of the government’s vessel monitoring system (VMS) data. These vessels primarily target tropical tuna species of the Western and Central Pacific ocean, which hold environmental, economic and cultural significance across the region’s island nations— around half of the world’s tuna catch comes from these waters.

“There is real value in open data when it comes to monitoring the ocean,” said Glen Joseph, Director of the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority. “By making its fishing activity visible on the Global Fishing Watch map, the Republic of the Marshall Islands is helping demonstrate compliance. We hope the data-led insights complement already existing monitoring, control and surveillance tools to validate what is being reported by flag States and strengthen the way fisheries are

managed.”

“Global Fishing Watch is honored to be partnering with the Marshall Islands to build greater transparency of fishing activity in the Pacific,” said Tony Long, chief executive officer of Global Fishing Watch.

“This progressive decision will help facilitate accountability and good behavior in the region and support a more sustainable future by strengthening fisheries monitoring.”

“Our partnership with Global Fishing Watch is an important element of our regional commitment to combat IUU fishing,” said the Honorable John Silk, Minister for Natural Resources and Commerce, Republic of the Marshall Islands. “In 2018, Marshall Islands’ President Hilda Heine set out a bold vision of an IUU-free Pacific by 2023.

Other Micronesian presidents signed onto that challenge the following year.

To achieve this ambitious goal, we must harness innovative technologies to protect our marine resources and the livelihoods of Pacific people.”

Global Fishing Watch uses publicly broadcast automatic identification system data to track close to 70,000 commercial fishing vessels operating globally. Adding VMS data, which is required by many governments, provides an even clearer view of global fishing activity. The data can assist fishers abiding by the rules through faster, more efficient port entry and provide opportunities to implement regulatory and market incentives to reward them.

A country of coral islands and atolls spread out over 750,000 square miles (1.94 million square kilometers) of ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, the Marshall Islands relies heavily on revenue from the tuna industry–well over one-third of the government’s domestic revenue comes from the tuna sector.

As a member of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and one of eight Parties to the Nauru Agreement, this independent small island developing State recognizes

the importance of collaboration to secure sustainable fisheries. Enhanced monitoring and regional solidarity across FFA’s 17 Members has led to a decrease in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing throughout the Pacific, according to a recent quantification study which, in part, used Global Fishing Watch data to examine vessel activity throughout the region’s waters.

MIMRA’s fisheries MCS systems are state-of-the-art, and are backed by the resources of the FFA’s Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre. Their monitoring systems build on an innovative management approach used by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement that caps regional fishing activity to support conservation and economic goals. With Global Fishing Watch now available to support and complement existing efforts, the Marshall Islands is taking the next step toward embracing fisheries transparency. “Transparency can help vessel operators publicly demonstrate compliance and show their commitment to implementing relevant conservation measures,” added Tony Long.

9

life and real estate

WHO launches first ever global report on Infection Prevention and Control

Reveals that good IPC programmes can reduce health care infections by 70%

TL Bureau, Geneva

The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent large disease outbreaks have highlighted the extent to which health care settings can contribute to the spread of infections, harming patients, health workers and visitors, if insufficient attention is paid to infection prevention and control (IPC). But a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that where good hand hygiene and other cost-effective practices are followed, 70% of those infections can be prevented.

Today, out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, seven patients in high-income countries and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries will acquire at least one health care-associated infection (HAI) during their hospital stay.

On average, 1 in every 10 affected patients will die from their HAI. People in intensive care and newborns are particularly at risk. And the report reveals that approximately one in four hospitaltreated sepsis cases and almost half of all cases of sepsis with

organ dysfunction treated in adult intensive-care units are health careassociated.

Today, on the eve of World Hand Hygiene Day, WHO is previewing the first ever Global Report on Infection Prevention and Control which brings together evidence from scientific literature and various reports, and new data from WHO studies.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many challenges and gaps in IPC in all regions and countries, including those which had the most advanced IPC programmes,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General. “It has also provided an unprecedented opportunity to take stock of the situation and rapidly scale up outbreak readiness and response through IPC practices, as well as strengthening IPC programmes across the health system. Our challenge now is to ensure that all countries are able to allocate the human resources, supplies and infrastructures this requires.”

The new WHO report provides the first-ever global situation analysis of how IPC programmes

are being implemented in countries around the world, including regional and country focuses.

While highlighting the harm to patients and healthcare workers caused by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance, the report also addresses the impact and cost-effectiveness of infection prevention and control programmes and the strategies and resources available to countries to improve them.The impact of healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance on people’s lives is incalculable. Over 24% of patients affected by health care-associated sepsis and 52.3% of those patients treated in an intensive care unit die each year. Deaths are increased two to threefold when infections are resistant to antimicrobials.

In the last five years, WHO has conducted global surveys and country joint evaluations to assess the implementation status of national IPC programmes.

Comparing data from the 201718 and the 2021-22 surveys, the percentage of countries having a national IPC programme did not improve; furthermore in 2021-

22 only four out of 106 assessed countries (3.8%) had all minimum requirements for IPC in place at the national level. This is reflected in inadequate implementation of IPC practices at the point of care, with only 15.2% of health care facilities meeting all of the IPC minimum requirements, according to a WHO survey in 2019.

However, encouraging progress has been made in some areas, with a significant increase being seen in the percentage of countries having an appointed IPC focal point, a dedicated budget for IPC and curriculum for front-line health care workers’ training; developing national IPC guidelines and a national programme or plan for HAI surveillance; using multimodal strategies for IPC interventions; and establishing hand hygiene compliance as a key national indicator. Many countries are demonstrating strong engagement and progress in scaling-up actions to put in place minimum requirements and core components of IPC programmes. Progress is being strongly supported by WHO and other key players. Sustaining

Steady Progress at Tranquility Beach Resort – Curio Collection by Hilton in Dominica

TL Bureau, Roseau

(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Tranquility Beach Resort - Curio Collection by Hilton in Dominica is all geared up for opening for travellers this year.

The five-star ultra-luxury resort will feature 99 rooms and abundant ultra-luxury amenities for people looking to escape into the lap of nature.

The resort complements the sustainable, eco-tourism principles of the Caribbean island country of Dominica, which pays keen attention to responsible travel.

The Tranquility Beach Resort, located in Salisbury, Dominica, is a luxury boutique hotel with an emphasis on environmental sensitivity and first-class hospitality standards.

Located on a four-acre marine coastal hideaway viewing the Caribbean sea, it is one of the most stunning hotels in the region. This undiscovered coastal location is beautifully poised and includes two secret cove beaches on both sides of the property. The

prime attraction for the tourist is indeed its location.

Tranquility Beach Resort’s modern structures have been constructed to portray the dream of a truly Caribbean paradise.

Besides the presence of secret beaches and pools, the resort includes a spa center, a gourmet restaurant, and several other world-class amenities that are nowhere else in the region.

The most exquisite feature is its dramatic cliff-hanging villas that are built directly into the rock, offering mesmerizing ocean views and giving people a feel similar to floating over the water.

The cliff-hanging villas are one-bedroom dramatic lifestyle spaces that will provide extraordinary lifestyle experiences with no boundaries on living your lives to the fullest.

The villas are designed on an area of over 650 square feet of indoor living space and more than 250 square feet of outdoor living space. The Tranquility Beach Resort will provide environmentally-sensitive, first-class accommodation. This

super-luxurious beach resort will comprise two and three-bedroom villas as well as condo suites, which will offer a full-service setting.

The two-bedroom standalone villas will provide an exclusive experience with a stunning coastal view. It will feature the open concept of living-diningkitchen. A few more luxuries to be provided in these villas are two en suite baths complemented by a powder room, laundry facilities, a private patio, and very own private pool.

These mesmerising villas are available in two (2) options: One Storey Option: Over 1,325 square feet of interior living with 1,350 square feet of exterior living space. Two Storey Option: 1,850 square feet of interior living with over 1,500 square feet of exterior living space.

The three-bedroom villas will provide a similar experience to two-bedroom villas, with more lavish space. These will also follow the open concept of living-dining-kitchen. It will feature three en suite baths and

a powder room, laundry and private patio and a very own private pool.

Four-bedroom villas are also available in two options: - One Storey Option, which is constructed on over 1,600 square feet of interior living with over 1,300 square feet of exterior living space.

- Two Storey Option, which is constructed on more than 2,350 square feet of interior living with over 1,550 square feet of exterior living space. “The Tranquility Beach Resort - Curio Collection

by Hilton in Dominica is among the projects that I am proud to watch from its very inception to now,” Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit. The 5-star resort is also a governmentapproved real-estate project that qualifies for the country’s world-renowned Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.

The minimum investment starts from USD 200,000 onwards, which also qualifies an individual for citizenship in Dominica, provided they also pass all the due diligence checks.

and further expanding this progress in the long-term is a critical need that requires urgent attention and investments.

The report reveals that high-income countries are more likely to be progressing their IPC work, and are eight times more likely to have a more advanced IPC implementation status than low-income countries.

Indeed, little improvement was seen between 2018 and 2021 in the implementation of IPC national programmes in lowincome countries, despite increased attention being paid generally to IPC due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO will continue to support countries to ensure IPC programmes can be improved in every region.

WHO is calling on all countries around the globe to increase their investment in IPC programmes to ensure quality of care and patient and health workers’ safety. This will not only protect their populations, increased investment in IPC has also demonstrated to improve health outcomes and reduce health-care costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

UNWTO Brings Tourism for Transformation to UN General Assembly TL Bureau, New York The United Nations General Assembly has met for a first ever dedicated session on tourism and its key role in inclusive recovery and growth.

The High-Level Thematic Debate was convened by the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Abdulla Shahid, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In the General Assembly Hall, government representatives joined public and private stakeholders in recognizing tourism’s unique ability to drive positive change.

Tourism for hope and opportunity As the first ever UNWTO SecretaryGeneral to address the UN General Assembly, Zurab Pololikashvili stressed that “now is the time to build resilient and peaceful societies and tourism can help make this happen!

Tourism is a leading provider of opportunities because it is based on people, builds bridges and helps create a better tomorrow for people everywhere.”

10

Sports

First Dakar 2026 initiatives underway

TL Bureau, Dakar

The first Dakar 2026 initiatives were launched through the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), with 60 future OVEP implementers taking part in a training course to help them develop their own educational programmes around the Olympic values.

Since the start of spring, Senegal has been celebrating sport and its values with activities organised in the lead-up to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026. The goals are to engage with young people, get them moving, introduce them to the Olympic values and identify those who will ultimately contribute to the staging of the YOG. Such activities will be organised every year in the spirit of teranga*, as momentum builds all the way up to 2026.

Following the four-year postponement of the YOG in Dakar, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been working closely to make the most of this additional time by putting together a unique programme of activities to mobilise young people in Senegal and Africa and transform the Senegalese sports sector in the long term.

A task force, made up of teams from the IOC and Dakar 2026, plus local stakeholders – the City of Dakar and the Senegalese Ministries of Youth, Sport and Education – is working to identify concrete action to be implemented this year.

“With our partners in Senegal, we have selected activities that blend sport, art and music to connect with young people specifically,” said the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Dakar 2026, Kirsty Coventry. “2022 will be a very significant year for the organisers,

with exciting programmes offered in Dakar and across Senegal. It is a real taste of the very ambitious engagement programme envisaged between now and 2026.”

The programme of activities has been developed as part of the preGames legacy plan. It embodies the Dakar 2026 vision: “Youth and sport united to contribute to the transformation of Senegal, and a source of inspiration for Africa.”

Concrete action on the ground from 2022 all the way to 2026 The first educational initiatives began this week through the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP). Training sessions are being given to 60 participants from organisations interested in Olympism and promoting the Olympic values, including the Senegalese National Olympic Academy, the Ministries of Sport, National Education and Youth, and the National Education and Sports Institute (INSEPS). The participants, who are instructors themselves, are being given a full introduction to the Olympic

values as part of two- to three-day train-the-trainer workshops. They are learning how to develop their own educational programmes and tailor activities to their communities and specific local contexts. Once they have completed the course, the instructors will become ambassadors for Olympism as part of the “OVEP Master Trainers” community in Senegal.

A new feature of the educational programme will be the “Brevet Olympique Civique et Sportif” certificate, which is aimed at schoolchildren throughout the country, from primary to secondary school level. Classes will be given to pupils to teach them about the Olympic values as part of their allocated civic education hours.

The goal is also to identify potential YOG volunteers and grant a label to the schools taking part in the programme.

The traditional “Youth Weeks” will be taking place in May, and they will have a distinctive Olympic flavour between 2022 and 2026.

The 2022 edition, which was

officially launched by the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, on 2 April, will have the theme “Youth Weeks in tandem with Olympism”. Some 9,000 young people will take part in competitions throughout the country between 26 and 29 May 2022. The goals are to make participation in sports competitions more freely accessible to young people and to raise awareness about the YOG. One of the highlights of the programme will be the “Dakar en Jeux!” festival in October and November 2022 – when the YOG were initially due to take place. This celebration of sport and culture will then be held every year all the way up until 2026. The festival will be an opportunity to raise the profile of the YOG and mobilise key stakeholders, in particular local young people.

“We are delighted to see that young people are already getting physically active, getting excited, discovering new sports and looking after their health in the run-up to the Games,” said Ibrahima Wade, the General Coordinator for the

YOG Dakar 2026. “We will be celebrating the arrival of the Games – which are highly anticipated – over the next four years. We are welcoming sport in the spirit of teranga!”

Other sports activities being taken round the country and developed for the long term The “Kids Olympic Skills” programme will enable young people to get familiar with and hone their skills in new Olympic sports, and practise these sports on a more regular basis. The sports will vary depending on the region, so that they are best tailored to the young participants’ respective local environments.

This initiative will also help to develop a nationwide programme to promote water sports, which will include offering swimming lessons to children. The “Impact 52 Fitness” programme will be more oriented towards health and well-being. This programme will be taken round the country to engage directly with the people of Senegal, with a view to promoting the physical and mental health benefits of sport and exercise, and raising awareness about public health issues.

The YOG Dakar 2026: an Olympic first in Africa The YOG 2026 aim to serve as a catalyst to transform Senegalese young people through sport, and become a blueprint for Senegal and future YOG hosts. There are 28 sports on the programme, plus seven additional sports that were proposed by Dakar 2026 (baseball5, breaking, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and wushu).

The Games will be held across three host sites, Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. The official dates will be announced in due course. *Senegal’s distinct brand of respect and hospitality.

NFL Celebrates Mother’s Day with Tokyo 2020 Official Film selected for the Festival de Cannes Programming Lineup on NFL Network

TL Bureau, California The National Football League celebrates Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 8 with a programming lineup on NFL Network honoring women throughout the game of football.

Highlighting NFL Network’s Mother’s Day programming schedule is the airing of NFL Films/NBC five-part docuseries Earnin’ It: The NFL’s Forward Progressbeginning at 2:00 PM ET. Narrated by Grammy Awardwinning singer/songwriter Ciara, and executive produced by Jane Skinner Goodell and Teri Wagner Flynn, Earnin’ It highlights the careers of some of the most powerful women working in the NFL, such as Sarah Thomas, Jennifer King and Lori Locust.

The series features interviews with NFL head coaches, players and team owners, and provides

Mother’s Day Programming Begins Sunday, May 8 at 12 Noon ET All Five Episodes of NFL Films/NBC Docuseries ‘Earnin’ It’ Air Starting at 2:00 PM ET

a behind-the-scenes look at how the League prepared for Super Bowl LVI and the Pepsi Halftime Show.

Provided below is the full Mother’s Day programming schedule on NFL Network which starts at 12 Noon ET: 12 Noon ET: NFL 360: Women in Football – A special edition of the Emmy-nominated series NFL 360 hosted by Melissa Stark profiles New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson and the incredible impact she has made on the city of New Orleans, and tells the story of Muslim athlete/activist Fouzia Madhouni battling extreme poverty, gender discrimination and breast cancer on the way

to launching a youth football academy in Morocco 12:30 PM ET: A Lifetime of Sundays – NFL Films presents an unprecedented look at the history of professional football through the eyes of four iconic female owners: Chicago Bears’ Virginia McCaskey, Detroit Lions’ Martha Firestone Ford, Kansas City Chiefs’ Norma Hunt and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Patricia Rooney. Academy Award-winning actress Regina King narrates 2:00 PM ET: Earnin’ It: The Pipeline (Episode 1) – A look at how a pipeline was created to bring women into essential roles at the National Football League, both on and off the field.

TL Bureau, Tokyo

The Official Film is set to be released in two parts, one depicting the Games through the eyes of the athletes (Side A), and the other from the perspective of staff and volunteers (Side B). The film, a behind-the-scenes record of the Olympic Games held last summer amid the coronavirus pandemic, depicts the unusual context the Games were held in, in addition to the story of sport and competition. The 1-hour-59minute first part, or “Side A”, will have its world premiere at Cannes on 25 May, with “Side B” slated for international release in June.

“We are delighted that the Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Side A will have its world premiere at the Festival de Cannes,” said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

“The story of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has been captured with characteristic style and flair

by Naomi Kawase. The film presents the Games through a truly unique lens.”

The hundreds of hours of footage for this Official Film were captured over a period of two years, documenting the run-up to the Games and culminating with the postponed Games that were eventually held in the summer of 2021. Produced by the Kinoshita Group in collaboration with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the IOC, the message of the film goes beyond physical exploits and focuses on some human stories of the Games. “I am truly pleased that the film is invited to the Festival de Cannes,” said the Director, Naomi Kawase. “The Cannes Classics section is reserved for films that are recognised as cultural heritage.

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tech/auto

MMEX RESOURCES CORP. AND THE PROVINCE OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO ARGENTINA JOINTLY ANNOUNCE THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN HYDROGEN PROJECT FROM WIND POWER IN RÍO GRANDE, PROVINCE OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA

TL Bureau, Fort Stockton

April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Province of Tierra del Fuego and MMEX jointly announce the potential development of a green hydrogen project in the Río Grande area. The Governor of the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Mr. Gustavo Adrian Melella, announced that, “MMEX, a North American company with operations in Texas USA with extensive experience in the implementation, financing and operation of energy infrastructure in Latin America and the USA, is evaluating a project for the production of 55 tons of green hydrogen with 160 megawatts of base wind power.”

Governor Melella added, “The excellent wind conditions in the Río Grande area, which allow efficient logistics and production and direct access to the sea, are the basis for MMEX’s entry into Argentine Patagonia. The final objective would be the implementation of a green hydrogen node destined to export to Europe and Asia. We welcome and support the participation of MMEX in Tierra del Fuego.”

Jack W. Hanks, the CEO of MMEX stated, “We are very excited to join the Government of Tierra del Fuego to plan this project. The global focus on renewable energy and the need to reduce the planet’s carbon footprint is at the core of

Tierra del Fuego and MMEX’s strategy, drawing on MMEX’s green hydrogen expertise.”

Hanks added, “Since 1989, in Texas and Peru, MMEX has built and operated thermoelectric plants, oil and gas pipelines, oil refineries and ethanol plants. It has also explored and operated oil and gas fields.

MMEX, in conjunction with Siemens Energy, recently completed a front-end engineering design study for the production of 55 tons per day of hydrogen for this project and its other projects in Texas. Hydrogen can be transformed into Ammonia or Methanol for global exports. It is estimated that the investment will be in the range of US $500 million, generating up to 1,500 jobs in the construction stage and 300 qualified and permanent jobs in the operation stage.”

Hanks further commented, “Siemens Energy is a leading manufacturer of electrolysis equipment that enables the transition to clean energy. MMEX has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, one of the world leaders in the production of wind towers, which is associated with the realization of this project. This will allow defining the necessary wind turbine and the required land to implement a 160MW wind farm that supplies electrical energy to the Siemens electrolysers to produce hydrogen.” Governor Melella

added, “The province of Tierra del Fuego and MMEX have signed agreements on the exchange of technical information. This allows rapid progress in the preliminary assessment of wind potential.”

The provincial government, within its support for the development of renewable energy industries, welcomes initiatives that allow the sustainable use of Tierra del Fuego’s resources and reaffirms, as a government, its commitment to sustainable development, the preservation of the environment, investment and employment.

The following constitutes a “Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward looking statements. These risks include but are not limited to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, our lack of revenues, general business conditions, the requirement to obtain significant financing to pursue our business plan, our history of operating losses and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s SEC reports.

In particular, readers should note MMEX undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Cellebrite to Showcase Advanced Access as a Service at the Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference

The availability of Cellebrite’s advanced access capability as a cloud-based service is intended to enable a broader base of law enforcement agencies to benefit from the most cutting-edge technology TL Bureau, Petah Tikva Israel and TYSONS CORNER, Va., May 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellebrite DI Ltd. (NASDAQ: CLBT), a global leader in Digital Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, today announced the upcoming release of the SaaS-based version of Cellebrite Premium. Cellebrite Premium is an industry leading advanced access solution, providing unlock and extract capabilities for most iOS as well as the leading Android devices. The new offering, which is part of Cellebrite’s industryleading DI suite of Solutions, will be previewed at the upcoming Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from May 9th to May 12th, 2022.

The solution aims to allow law enforcement agencies to benefit from flexible licensing options and reduce ongoing hardware and maintenance costs. In addition, the SaaS-based version

of Premium aims to provide agencies immediate access to the most up-to-date capabilities, allowing more law enforcement organizations to decentralize device access and data collection efforts as they work to expedite digital investigations and reduce case backlogs.

Ronnen Armon, Cellebrite’s Chief Products & Technologies Officer, commented: “Law enforcement agencies of all sizes should have access to solutions that can help them combat continuously growing digital evidence challenges. We are committed to addressing our customer needs in the face of the ever-growing quantity, variety, and complexity of digital evidence, and enabling a flexible consumption of our most advanced capability is our latest innovation to achieve this goal.

We look forward to continuing to partner with our customers to enable them to protect and save lives, accelerate justice, and preserve privacy in communities around the world.”

FourKites Launches Universal Appointment Manager Solution in APAC to Ease Supply Chain Labour Shortage Woes and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Next-generation appointment booking application leverages real-time supply chain visibility to facilitate collaboration between shippers and carriers

TL Bureau, Chennai (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FourKites®, the #1 realtime supply chain visibility platform, today announced that it has launched Appointment Manager℠, its universal appointment booking solution, in India, Australia and New Zealand. The cloud-based solution helps warehouses, distribution centres and manufacturing facilities collaborate efficiently on pickup and receiving time slots, saving significant time and improving daily operations and partner relationships. In addition, the highly configurable solution allows shippers and carriers to eliminate excess dwell time on site, eliminating detention fees and significantly reducing carbon emissions. Facility schedule management is a notoriously time-consuming

task for shippers and carriers alike. With carrier dwell averaging over 3 hours per day, according to FourKites data, Appointment Manager improves facility productivity and reduces carrier wait time by more than 50%. Highly configurable for personalised requirements, Appointment Manager enables shippers and carriers to collaborate in real time, and allows carriers to self-book their preferred time based on real-time transit conditions, thereby eliminating hours of daily administrative work and error-prone manual processes.

Specifically, Appointment Manager offers the following benefits: Labour optimisation: Leveraging FourKites’ Dynamic ETA® to provide the most accurate times of arrival, teams can better allocate labour and resources based

on real-time data and shifts in expected arrival time. Ease and compliance with carrier scheduling: Appointment Manager creates a single appointment layer accessible to both shippers and carriers to streamline communication and facilitate collaboration.

Time slots are created by the facility to ensure adherence to preferred scheduling, business rules and specific commodity requirements.

True end-to-end visibility: Powered by real-time supply chain visibility data from FourKites, Appointment Manager extends visibility even further into the facility via one streamlined interface.

With FourKites, stakeholders receive a comprehensive, endto-end view of shipments from point of origin to predictive insights that help orchestrate activities in the facility.

Diminished carrier detention

costs: With optimised scheduling, carrier dwell on site can be virtually eliminated, helping shippers avoid detention fees and fines for truck queues on public roads.

Reduced carbon emissions: Scheduling and operational efficiencies driven by Appointment Manager reduce time carriers spend in the yard by hours and eliminate a significant amount of on-site carbon dioxide emissions.

“We are excited to extend the easiest, most flexible appointment booking application to the APAC market,” said Mathew Elenjickal, FourKites Founder and CEO. “This groundbreaking solution helps shippers across the globe optimise end-to-end visibility, efficiency and sustainability, as well as adapt quickly as their business needs change.

We’re thrilled to be launching

Appointment Manager in Asia Pacific, specifically tailored to the needs of local facilities.”

About FourKites FourKites® is the #1 supply chain visibility platform in the world, extending visibility beyond transportation into yards, warehouses, stores and beyond. Tracking more than 2.5 million shipments daily across road, rail, ocean, air, parcel and courier, and reaching more than 200 countries, FourKites combines real-time data and powerful machine learning to help companies digitize their end-to-end supply chains. More than 1,000 of the world’s most recognized brands — including 9 of the top-10 CPG and 18 of the top-20 food and beverage companies — trust FourKites to transform their business and create more agile, efficient and sustainable supply chains. To learn more, visit https://www. fourkites.com/.

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world

2022 EU drug markets analyses from Europol and the EMCDDA

Europe’s changing role in expanding cocaine and methamphetamine markets TL Bureau, The Hague Europe’s role in international drug production and trade is changing, according to new analyses released today

by Europol and the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). In an indepth look at the cocaine and methamphetamine markets, the agencies point to increased production activities in Europe and how collaboration between criminal groups worldwide is creating new security threats and expanding the market.

The new analyses cover trends along the supply chain from production and trafficking to distribution and use. They describe a large and expanding cocaine market and a currently small, but steadily growing, methamphetamine market in the EU. They also warn of the heightened threat posed by innovation in production processes and chemical precursors, and a

growing range of products that may be hazardous to consumers.

Europol’s Executive Director Catherine De Bolle stresses: “The trade in illegal drugs continues to dominate serious and organised crime in the EU, and nearly 40 % of the criminal networks operating at the international level reported to Europol are active in drug trafficking. Fighting this illegal trade is a key priority for Europol and the EU. Today’s analysis supports us in understanding the market dynamics and is crucial for formulating effective law enforcement responses”.

EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel says: “Our new analyses show that we are now facing a growing threat from a more diverse and dynamic drug market, that is driven by closer collaboration between European and international criminal organisations. This has resulted in record levels of drug availability, rising violence and corruption, and greater health

problems. In response, we need to be even more sensitive to signals coming from the market and invest in greater coordinated action, not only in Europe, but also with our international partners in producer and transit countries”.

Europe is a major synthetic drug producing region, both for domestic and external markets. Increasingly, it is also a key trans-shipment point for drugs originating elsewhere and destined for other world regions. For both cocaine and methamphetamine, there is evidence that Latin American and European criminal groups are partnering in production, trafficking and distribution.

Today’s findings draw on data and information from the EMCDDA’s drug monitoring system and on Europol’s operational intelligence on organised crime. Taking a threat assessment approach, the agencies present key areas for action at EU and Member State level. These include: rapidly identifying emerging health and security

threats, investing in forensic and toxicological capacity to keep pace with innovation, targeting the illicit drug supply chain and reducing vulnerabilities at external borders.

Cocaine-record seizures and increasing production in Europe Today’s analysis shows that the European cocaine market is expanding, driven by unprecedented levels of trafficking leading to historically high availability. High levels of cocaine production in South America have resulted in record quantities seized in Europe.

Europe is also a destination and transit zone for cocaine bound for the Middle East and Asia. More production is also now taking place inside Europe, indicating changes in the region’s role in the international cocaine trade. A large variety of individuals and criminal networks shape the complex supply of cocaine to, and within, the EU. The potential for new smokable cocaine products to emerge on the market raises concerns about future health risks.

Cocaine is the second most commonly consumed illicit drug in the EU after cannabis, with a market retail value in 2020 estimated at EUR 10.5 billion (range EUR 7.7 billion to 12.8 billion). Around 3.5 million Europeans (15–64 years) report having used the drug in the past year, 14 million in their lifetime. While cocaine use remains concentrated in the south and west of Europe, the market appears to be spreading eastward.

For the fourth consecutive year, record amounts of cocaine (214.6 tonnes) were seized in Europe in 2020, a 6 % increase from 2019, suggesting high availability of the drug. Three countries — Belgium (70 t), the Netherlands (49 t) and Spain (37 t) — accounted for around three-quarters of the European total, but large quantities were also seized by Italy (13.4 t), France (13.1 t), Germany (11 t) and Portugal (10 t). Most cocaine seized in Europe arrives in maritime shipping containers.

Eurojust: Council adopts its mandate Heavy rain and floods in on new rules allowing the agency to Afghanistan kill 22, destroy hundreds of homes preserve evidence of war crimes

TL Bureau, The Hague

Today the Permanent representatives to the EU adopted a mandate on new rules to allow Eurojust to preserve, analyse and store evidence relating to core international crimes, such as war crimes.

Following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity and war crimes have been and are being committed in Ukraine. The EU will take, as a matter of urgency, all necessary measures to ensure that those who committed those crimes in Ukraine are held accountable.

Prosecution services at the International Criminal Court and in several member states, as well as in Ukraine, have started investigations concerning these events. Coordination and exchange of evidence between prosecuting authorities in different jurisdictions is important to ensure the effectiveness of these investigations. In addition, due to the ongoing hostilities there is a risk that evidence related to war crimes cannot be safely stored on the territory of Ukraine and therefore it is appropriate to establish a central storage at a

safe place.

The draft new rules will allow Eurojust to: store and preserve evidence related to war crimes, including satellite images, photographs, videos, audio recordings, DNA profiles and fingerprints process and analyse this evidence, in close cooperation with Europol, and share it with the relevant national and international authorities, including the International Criminal Court Next steps On the basis of this position, an agreement will now need to be reached with the European Parliament so that this regulation can be adopted and enter into force as soon as possible.

Background At the beginning of March, all EU member states, together with other partner states, decided to collectively refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court. At the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 4 March, ministers encouraged Eurojust to fully exercise its coordinating role and to make itself available as required to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Apart from the investigation by

the ICC prosecutor, the General Prosecutor of Ukraine has opened an investigation, and the authorities of several member states have opened national investigations. A Joint Investigation Team has also been established by the judicial authorities of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, with the support of Eurojust and the participation of the office of the prosecutor of the ICC. A number of other initiatives to support the collection of evidence of possible war crimes have been developed, including financial and operational support for the ICC and various types of support for the Ukrainian authorities.

In its conclusions of 24-25 March, the European Council reiterated that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine grossly violates international law and is causing massive loss of life and injury to civilians. Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters.

These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible, and their accomplices, will be held to account in accordance with international law.

TL Bureau, Kabul

Heavy rain and flooding have killed 22 people, destroyed hundreds of homes and damaged crops in Afghanistan, a disaster management official said on Thursday, according to Reuters.

The Taliban government, struggling to cope with the disaster that has affected more than a third of its provinces, will approach international relief organisations for help, officials said.

“Due to flooding and storms

in 12 provinces, 22 people have died and 40 injured,” said Hassibullah Shekhani, head of communications and information at Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority. Shekhani said 500 houses were destroyed, 2,000 damaged, 300 heads of livestock killed and some 3,000 acres of crops damaged. He said the International Committee of the Red Cross was helping and officials would approach other international organisations for help.

Prime Minister announces appointment of new Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island TL Bureau, Ottawa The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the appointment of the Honourable James W. Gormley, a judge of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island, as the new Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island.

Chief Justice Gormley replaces the Honourable David H. Jenkins, who elected to retire from his full-time position

effective October 31, 2021, but continues to work as a supernumerary judge.

Quote “I wish Chief Justice Gormley every success as he takes on his new role. He is a respected and active member of the legal community with deep ties to his province, and he brings a wealth of experience to the bench. I am confident he will be a great asset to the people of Prince Edward Island as Chief Justice.”