The Life News Australia April 16, 2021 by The Life News

News from World, Worldwide readership. Vol. 04 Issue 52 April 16, 2021

A Yemeni Human Rights Report Monitors a 28% Increase in Violations by the Houthi Rebels in Al-Bayda Governorate TL Bureau, Aden

A Yemeni human rights report monitored a sizable increase in the violations committed by the Iranianbacked terrorist Houthi militia against civilians in Al-Bayda Governorate, Yemen, it was reported here today. The report issued by the Monitoring Center for Rights and Development spotted 674 violations during the year 2020, an increase of 28% compared with the year 2019. The violations included 49 civilian deaths, 34 injuries and 399 kidnappings. The report, published by the state-run Yemeni News Agency (Saba), also documented 79 cases of attacks on private property, 22 cases of destruction of homes, seven cases of attacks on public property, in addition to six cases of attacks on mosques. The report covered other cases of Houthi violations, including collection and looting of money and property, raids on commercial and banking stores and spying on the population, in addition to forcing government employees and teachers to attend sectarian activities of the Iranian-backed terrorist militia, and stopping work and plundering the charitable societies and institutions.

Atleast 8 killed and several injured in an open shooting at FedEx warehouse in U.S.

TL Bureau & Sources, Indianapolis

Police in Indianapolis said a shooter started shooting at a FedEx stockroom close to the city’s global air terminal late Thursday, killing in any event eight individuals and harming a few others prior to committing suicide. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department representative Genae Cook told journalists during a press instructions early Friday that every one of the casualties were articulated dead at the scene, excluding the presumed shooter. “Different others” were harmed, she said, yet the specific number of losses was not at first known. A few group were taken to emergency clinics, including in any event one who was in basic condition, Cook said. She added that two others were treated at the scene. “Feelings are high here,” Cook said. “This happened after many headed to sleep and many are as yet awakening to this. “This is a misfortune.” Specialists told journalists that police were informed of the “dynamic shooter episode” at the FedEx Ground Plainfield Operations Center not long after 11 p.m. EDT Thursday. A thought process in the assault wasn’t promptly known, police said. Specialists will refresh the case in a news gathering

at 10:30 a.m. Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine tweeted that Interstate 70, which runs east-west through Indianapolis, was momentarily shut because of police movement around there. FedEx said it was “profoundly stunned and disheartened” by shooting. “Our most genuine feelings are with every one of those influenced by this silly demonstration of viciousness,” the organization said in an explanation messaged to UPI. “The wellbeing of our colleagues is our first concern, and we are completely helping out researching specialists.” U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., said he’s “devastated” and petitioning God for the people in question. “I’m speaking with neighborhood specialists to get all subtleties of the assault, and my office stands prepared

to help everybody influenced any way we can,” he tweeted. “Toward the beginning of today, Indianapolis occupants are stood up to with the terrible information on one more mass shooting, a demonstration of viciousness that illogically killed eight of our neighbors,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in an explanation Friday. “As law implementation attempts to study this misfortune, our supplications are with the groups of those whose lives were stopped. “Much obliged to you to the entirety of our city’s specialists on call for their resolute work for the time being. Their speedy reaction gave basic guide to those harmed in the shooting and carried a proportion of quiet to a generally turbulent scene.” Thursday night’s assault is the most recent in a line of prominent mass shootings in

the United States as of late. Eighteen individuals were killed in assaults in Atlanta and Boulder, Colo., a month ago and four were killed, including a 9-year-old kid, in a taking shots at a business complex in Southern California. Prior Thursday, police fired and killed a presumed shooter who harmed at any rate two individuals when he started shooting at the San Antonio International Airport in Texas. The ascent in firearm savagery has incited numerous Democratic legislators and President Joe Biden to seek after more tight weapon control measures, including a restoration of an attack weapons boycott established by previous President Bill Clinton, which was in actuality somewhere in the range of 1994 and 2004. Endeavors to resuscitate the boycott by previous President Barack Obama and Democratic legislators weren’t effective.

resident Joe Biden reported approvals Thursday against almost three dozen Russian people and substances for endeavors to meddle in and impact the 2020 official political decision. In comments at the White House, Biden said he addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and revealed to him the United States would be “reacting in a deliberate and proportionate way” in the wake of verifying that Russia had meddled in the 2020 political race and was answerable for an inescapable cyberattack on U.S. offices and partnerships a year ago. “Today, I’ve endorsed a few stages, including removal of a few Russian authorities, as a result of their activities. I’ve likewise marked a leader request approving new measures, including assents to address explicit unsafe moves that Russia has made against U.S. interests,” he said. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control gave the approvals, which distinguish 16 individuals and 16 substances for intruding in the 2020 U.S. vote. “[We] will target Russian pioneers, authorities, knowledge administrations, and their intermediaries that endeavor to meddle in the U.S. appointive measure or undermine U.S. popular government,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in an explanation. “This is the beginning of another U.S. crusade against Russian insult conduct.” Thursday’s assents are focused on Russian entertainers who spread disinformation internet during the electing effort - some of which, the division said, was completed for benefit of the Russian government. U.S. authorities said 10 Russian representatives will be ousted from the United States, including some Russian knowledge authorities.

U.S. sanctions Russians for meddling in 2020 election process

The approvals place limitations on Russia’s sovereign obligation and influence Moscow’s capacity to raise dollar-named bonds. The move could make potential Russia loan specialists wary about being cut off from U.S. monetary business sectors. Comparative limitations have been utilized against Iran by the United States. A declassified knowledge report a month ago said that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved impedance a year ago to hurt Biden’s mission trying to keep previous President Donald Trump in the White House. Russian entertainers likewise endeavored to impact the result of the 2016 U.S. official political race in support of Trump, endeavors that drew sanctions from previous President Barack Obama before he left office. The approvals Thursday likewise come because of the SolarWinds cyberattack a year ago, which hit a few U.S. government organizations and many companies in what authorities accept was a knowledge gathering project. Biden said in a meeting a month ago that he thinks about Putin as a “executioner” and guaranteed that he will “follow through on a cost” for meddling in the 2020 political decision. “I will say a certain something. These are exceptionally awful comments with respect to the U.S. president,” Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov

reacted. “These are terrible relations.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said recently that the organization had requested a full appraisal of both the SolarWinds assault and endeavors to intrude in the political decision, which Biden won with in excess of 81 million votes across the country. The appraisals included assessment of reports that Russia had offered bounties on U.S. warriors in Afghanistan and the harming a year ago of noticeable Russian resistance pioneer Alexei Navalny. The organization endorsed Russia a month ago for the Navalny assault and his detainment by Russian specialists.Following Thursday’s authorizations, Biden said he revealed to Putin he “might have gone further” however rather decided to be proportionate.

editorial

“The United States isn’t hoping to commence a pattern of acceleration and struggle with Russia. We need a steady, unsurprising relationship,” he said. “In the event that Russia keeps on meddling with our vote based system, I’m set up to make further moves to react. It is my duty, as President of the United States, to do as such.” During the call with Putin on Tuesday, Biden recommended that they plan a culmination to address different issues, including the development of Russian soldiers along the Crimean line with Ukraine. “Out of that culmination were it to happen, and I trust it will - the United States and Russia could dispatch an essential dependability exchange to seek after participation in arms control and security,” Biden said Thursday. “We can address basic worldwide difficulties that require Russia and the United States to cooperate, remembering ruling for atomic dangers from Iran and North Korea, finishing this pandemic universally and meeting the existential emergency of environmental change.” Moscow has been moving extra soldiers to the line territory as of late, purportedly as a component of a preparation work out. Russia questionably attached Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that drew global judgment.

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world

Norway signs Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States

TL Bureau, Washington DC/ Oslo

“The United States of America is Norway’s most important ally, and we have shared more than 70 years of close, constructive defence cooperation. The Agreement both updates and further develops the agreements and cooperation already in place between Norway and the U. S. The Agreement will play a vital role in ensuring Norwegian security within the framework of NATO”, said Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen. The Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA) updates and regulates practical aspects of U.S. military activity in Norway, and supplements existing agreements between Norway and the U.S. The Agreement was signed today by Norway’s Minister of Defence. The Agreement must be submitted to the Storting (Norwegian parliament) for consent before it can enter into force. Zoom in on imageMinister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen sign an agreement between Norway and USA. Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen sign an agreement between Norway and USA Credit: Torbjørn Kjosvold, Norwegian Armed FOrces. ‘Our cooperation with our Allies is under continuous development. The Agreement reaffirms Norway’s close relationship with the U.S. and confirms Norway’s key position on the northern flank of NATO. To ensure that Norway and our Allies can operate together in a crisis situation under difficult conditions, we must be able to

hold exercises and train regularly here in Norway. The Agreement does not entail any changes to key Norwegian security policy principles. Our policies regarding the stationing of foreign forces on Norwegian territory, the stockpiling or deployment of nuclear weapons and port visits remain unchanged,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide on a press conference after a signing an agreement between Norway and USA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide on a press conference after a signing an agreement between Norway and USA Credit: Torbjørn Kjosvold ‘Norway’s defence rests on three main elements: the national defence

COVID-19 blog, 16 April: 478 new positive test results have been added within the past 24 hours

TL Bureau, Tallinn

The last 24 hours have seen 5,056 tests being analysed in Estonia in relation to coronavirus, of which the results of 478 (9.5%) of the initial tests were positive. A full 12,534 vaccine doses were also administered within the past 24 hours. In total, 277,745 individuals have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Estonia, and 80,926 individuals have received both doses. A total of 55% of all individuals over the age of seventy have received at least one vaccine dose. In Hiiu County, Lääne County, Tartu County, Järva County, Rapla County, Põlva County, Viljandi County, Jõgeva County, and Saare County, over 60% of all individuals over the age of seventy have been vaccinated. Based on the data in the population

register, the highest number of new positive test results came from Harju County, where 273 further individuals were found to have been infected. A total of 213 of the new cases in Harju County were from Tallinn. A further sixty-nine new positive coronavirus test results were added from Ida-Viru County, twenty-three each from Pärnu County and Lääne-Viru County, sixteen from Tartu County, and nine each from Järva County, Rapla County, and Valga County. Another seven new cases were added from Viljandi County, five from Jõgeva County, four each from Põlva County and Saare County, three each from Lääne County and Hiiu County, and two from Võru County. On nineteen occasions the places of residence of those individuals who tested positive were not specified in the population register.

capability, collective defence through NATO, and bilateral reinforcement plans with close allies. The ongoing development of defence cooperation with the US complements our own efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Norwegian Armed Forces,’ said Mr Bakke-Jensen.The U.S. has entered into similar agreements with several Allied countries in Europe, to promote more predictable development of defence cooperation and ensure a robust and practical framework for providing reinforcements in the event of war or crisis. The Agreement establishes and regulates Agreed Facilities and Areas, which are specified locations that may be used for military purposes. Under the Agreement, US forces will have unimpeded access to and use of

these facilities and areas. All U.S. activities shall be conducted with full respect for the sovereignty, laws, and international legal obligations of Norway. This is how the Allied presence in Norway has been organised since the end of the Second World War. Any US military activity carried out in Norway will continue to be subject to close coordination between Norway and the US. Under the Agreement, Agreed Facilities and Areas will be established at Rygge Military Air Station and Airfield, Sola Military Air Station and Airfield, Evenes Military Air Station and Airfield and Ramsund Naval Station. These locations have been selected with the aim of strengthening cooperation with the U.S. in the air defence and maritime domains in years to come. Infrastructure

investments may be made at all four locations. Projects within Agreed Facilities and Areas will be developed in consultation with the U.S., but funding must be allocated under the U.S. defence budget before projects can be initiated. As a result, it will take some time before any planned projects are completed. Additional Agreed Facilities and Areas may be established at a later date if Norway and the U.S. agree. This will also require the approval of the Norwegian Government and the consent of the Storting. The Agreement will be presented to the Storting in two propositions: one to request consent to ratify the Agreement and the other to propose necessary legislation to implement it in Norwegian law. Both propositions will be submitted to the Storting during the autumn 2021 session.

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

U.S. government to expand sovereign debt sanctions on Russia as appropriate. The U.S. Department of State is also expelling 10 officials from Russia’s bilateral mission. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is announcing sanctions against entities and individuals involved in election interference and against companies that support the malign activities of the Russian intelligence services responsible for the SolarWinds intrusion and other recent cyber incidents. These sanctions will serve to reduce Russian resources available to carry out similar malign activities. In addition, together with partners and allies, on March 2 the U.S. responded to Russia’s attempt to poison Aleksey Navalny using a chemical weapon and his subsequent arrest and imprisonment. We remain

concerned about Navalny’s health and treatment in prison, and call for his unconditional release. These actions are intended to hold Russia to account for its reckless actions. We will act firmly in response to Russian actions that cause harm to us or our allies and partners. Where possible, the United States will also seek opportunities for cooperation with Russia, with the goal of building a more stable and predictable relationship consistent with U.S. interests. Additionally, the State Department is taking steps to bolster cybersecurity partnerships internationally, including by providing a new training course with partners on the policy and technical aspects of publicly attributing cyber incidents and by supporting trainings on responsible state behavior in cyberspace.

Holding Russia to Account

Today, we announced actions to hold the Russian Government to account for the SolarWinds intrusion, reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and attempts to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections. We have engaged Russian authorities to share our concerns about their actions and the steps we are taking in response. The President is signing a new Executive Order on Russia that will broaden the scope of our sanctions authorities. Under this new Executive Order, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is issuing a directive prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from conducting transactions in the primary market for new ruble or non-ruble denominated bonds issued after June 14, 2021. This Executive Order also provides authority for the

4 UAE Condemns Terror Attack on Erbil Airport TL Bureau, Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates condemned the terror attack that targeted Erbil international airport in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. In a statement issued today, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed its strong condemnation of these criminal acts. The UAE Ministry also expressed its permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at destabilizing security and stability and inconsistent with humanitarian values and principles.

How much does Switzerland consume? - 87 million tons of material each year

TL Bureau, Dübendorf/ St. Gallen/Thun Empa researchers have analyzed the entire material and energy flows of the Swiss economy. Their final report now provides important data and comparisons. The team also looked into how the behavior of the Swiss population affects greenhouse gas emissions.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis receives new Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein Dominique Hasler TL Bureau, Bern

Today, for the first time, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received Dominique Hasler, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport of the Principality of Liechtenstein. This is the first official working visit of Liechtenstein’s new foreign minister in Switzerland. It focused on cross-border and bilateral relations as well as European and international issues.

world

The Government presents the 2021 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill

TL Bureau, Stockholm

The Government has taken a large number of measures since the outbreak of the pandemic. The measures are intended to provide increased security for those hit during the crisis and to safeguard people’s lives and health and livelihoods. The aggregate expenditure for the measures taken since the spread of the infection began is estimated at more than SEK 400 billion. Working Sweden out of the crisis for a better and more sustainable society Further reforms are required to solve the societal problems that Sweden already had before the pandemic. The powerful green economic restart must continue. The Government therefore proposes further measures to work Sweden out of the crisis and build a better and more sustainable Sweden than before the pandemic. Limit the spread of infection and carry out vaccination Rapid and safe vaccination is of fundamental importance for bringing Sweden out of the pandemic. At the same time, work to limit the spread of infection and care for the sick must continue. The Government has therefore proposed allocating a further SEK 1.7 billion to vaccine purchases and vaccination and giving the regions a further SEK 2 billion to cover health care costs of deferred care and of care for patients with COVID-19. To meet the need for continued large-scale testing and tracing, the Government has proposed additional funding of SEK 1.65 billion. The Government is also extending several of the temporary measures, including compensation for the sick pay standard deduction, the exemption from the requirement of a doctor’s certificate and forms of compensation to risk groups. Measures to alleviate the consequences of the pandemic The pandemic has caused serious consequences for the whole of society. The extensive support measures have alleviated the

Today the Government presents the guidelines for economic policy and the Spring Amending Budget with further measures to limit the spread of the virus and alleviate the consequences of the pandemic for the economy and also to work Sweden out of the crisis. The proposals presented in connection with the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill total almost SEK 45 billion. The proposals are based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

consequences for many, but more must be done. To continue to support viable companies and increase security for employees, the Government has proposed or is proposing a further extension of several of the temporary measures to reduce costs, turnover-based support, strengthen liquidity and improve access to financing. The culture sector and sports movement have also suffered negative impacts. The Government has therefore proposed extending crisis support for culture and sports and introducing an event guarantee. Cancellations of leisure activities and long periods of distance teaching risk having negative effects on children and young people. Schools should therefore be provided with funds for measures such as holiday school to reduce the risk of a negative impact on children’s knowledge development. The Government also proposes allocating funding to municipalities to create more summer jobs for young people as well as holiday activities for children and young people. Continued green economic restart A green recovery will be implemented with investments that reduce climate emissions and create jobs; here Sweden is taking a leading role in the climate transition. The Government therefore proposes allocating additional funding to reinforce environmental compensation

for goods transport by rail. The regions also receive funding to maintain capacity in public transport. To limit society’s vulnerability as a result of climate change, funding is provided for knowledge-enhancing and preventive measures. To get more people into work, there is a broad expansion of places in education and training at the same time as funding is proposed for more summer courses at universities and other higher education institutions. The Government also proposes targeted education and training action for groups with a vulnerable situation in the labour market and more introduction jobs and matching services. To enable more jobseekers with disabilities find work or start studies, the Government proposes reinforcing employment preparation activities. Sweden to be a secure country for everyone Crime and the causes of crime will be combated. Serious crime hits the whole of society and has a particularly hard impact on people living in socially vulnerable areas. To intensify action against serious crime, the Government proposes expanding previous reinforcements of the judicial system by providing new additional funding for agencies in the judicial system. The Government also proposes funding to strengthen work to prevent reoffending. The pandemic has worsened the

situation of women, children and LGBTQI people who are victims of violence or honour-related violence and oppression in close relationships. Now preventive work to address men’s violence against women and support for young people who are vulnerable in their relationships are being reinforced. To alleviate mental ill health among children and young people and increase support for victims of violence and others particularly vulnerable, the government grants to civil society organisations are being reinforced. Economic upturn in 2021 after decrease in activity Economic activity is expected to decrease slightly in early 2021 and to then increase gradually. Both the fiscal policy and monetary policy measures taken contribute to the recovery. Sweden’s GDP is expected to increase by 3.2 and 3.8 per cent in 2021 and 2022. The Swedish economy is expected to remain in recession during the period. The recovery in the labour market is also expected to pause at the beginning of the year and to then pick up again. The employment rate is expected to increase and unemployment to decrease slightly in the second half of 2021. However, unemployment risks being higher at the end of 2022 than it was before the pandemic. Public finances weakened substantially in 2020 and are expected to weaken further in 2021.

China to establish a cultural centre in Sub-group on local collective bargaining: No prospect of joint proposals but debate to continue Finland - agreement into force in April TL Bureau, Helsinki The sub-group on local collective bargaining has examined the conditions for expanding local collective bargaining. According to the working group, it is not possible to submit joint proposals on further measures in the current situation. However, the working group considers it important that the discussion on promoting local collective bargaining and developing the collective agreement system continues. The sub-group on local collective bargaining includes

representatives from employer and employee organisations, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Prime Minister’s Office. The group works under the Ministerial Working Group on Promotion of Employment. The Ministerial Working Group received a progress report on the promotion of local collective bargaining on 14 April 2021. The discussion was based on a memorandum published on the project page of the sub-group on local collective bargaining. The Government will discuss the matter of local collective bargaining in the mid-term policy review.

TL Bureau, Helsinki/Beijing

On 15 April, the Government adopted a decree bringing into force an agreement between Finland and the People’s Republic of China on the establishment of a China Cultural Centre in Finland. Negotiations on the agreement lasted for several years and the agreement was signed in Beijing in autumn 2019.

Under the agreement, the China Cultural Centre is a nonprofit cultural institute. China is responsible as a whole for establishing and organising the Centre. Finland does not incur any costs in relation to the agreement and it does not require the adoption of other legislation. The Cultural Centre must be established and managed in accordance with the legislation in force in Finland.

Australian Troops to Drawdown in Afghanistan

TL Bureau, Canberra

Today the Government announces that Australia will finalise the drawdown of our contribution to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. Over the past two years, we have been reducing our military presence in Afghanistan from a high of over 1,500 personnel to around 80 personnel currently. In line with the United States and our other allies and partners, the last remaining Australian troops will depart Afghanistan by September 2021. This decision is consistent with the Government’s policy, as set out in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update, to prioritise military resources on our region. This decision represents a significant milestone in Australia’s military history. Over the last 20 years, Australia has been a steadfast contributor to the fight against terrorism

in Afghanistan. Australia has fought alongside Coalition and Afghan partners to degrade the capabilities of terrorist organisations, including al-Qaeda. More than 39,000 Australian Defence Force personnel have deployed on Operations SLIPPER and HIGHROAD, helping to protect the safety and security of the Australian people at home and overseas. But safeguarding Afghanistan’s security has come at a cost. Since 2001, 41 Australian personnel have lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan, and many more were wounded, some physically and others mentally. The memories of all Australian Defence Force members who have lost their lives will continue to be honoured for their sacrifice and contribution to Australia’s mission in Afghanistan. We also acknowledge all those Australians who have served in Afghanistan and the impact this has had on

Finalists for 2021 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards Revealed

TL Bureau, Darwin

Finalists for the 2021 Northern Territory Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards have been unveiled following a record number of nominations. More than 140 nominations were received across nine categories to recognise the outstanding performance of nurses and midwives over the past 12 months. The awards celebrate the exemplary work of nurses and midwives who make an impact on the health and wellbeing of Territorians. This year’s event will acknowledge nominees,

finalists and recipients for both the 2020 and 2021 awards and provide an opportunity to celebrate the Territory’s successful response to COVID-19 during the International Year of the Nurse/Midwife. All nurses and midwives who hold a current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and are employed in the Northern Territory at the time of nomination or within 12 months of nomination are eligible. Award recipients for 2020 and 2021 will be announced at a gala dinner on Saturday 15 May 2021.

National Aboriginal Art Gallery Senior Director appointed

TL Bureau, Darwin

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Chansey Paech has announced the appointment of a Senior Director to lead the delivery of the National Aboriginal Art Gallery. Tracy Puklowski will take up the role on 24 May 2021. Ms Puklowski will be responsible for leading a project team of five officers with various skills across curatorial, engagement and project management. She will also provide input into the design of the art gallery; develop content and programming; and engage with stakeholders in Alice Springs, and nationally, to ensure the ongoing success of the gallery. Ms Puklowski has extensive knowledge about the arts, museum and culture

sectors, demonstrated throughout her career which includes senior roles at museums, libraries and archives across New Zealand and in Australia. Most recently, Ms Puklowski served as the General Manager of Creative Arts and Cultural Services at the City of Launceston, a major portfolio which included directing the Queen Victoria Museum and Gallery and developing a ground-breaking cultural strategy for the City of Launceston. Ms Puklowksi holds a Master of Arts with Honours in Art History, which included studies in Australian Art, and postgraduate qualifications in Museum Studies. In 2009, she was accepted into the highly competitive Museum Leadership Institute program run by the Getty Foundation in Los Angeles.

their lives. The conflict has exacted an enormous toll on the Afghan people and the complex task of making peace lies ahead. Australia continues to support the peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban. We encourage both parties to commit to the peace process and call on the Taliban to cease the violence. While our military contribution will reduce, we will continue to support the stability and development of Afghanistan through our bilateral partnership, and in concert with other nations. This includes our diplomatic presence, development cooperation program, and continued people-to-people links, including through our training and scholarship programs. Australia remains committed to helping Afghanistan preserve the gains of the last 20 years, particularly for women and girls.

australia

WA man charged with ordering live-distance child abuse

TL Bureau, Perth

A 70-year-old man who allegedly ordered live-distance child abuse from the Philippines is expected to appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court today (15 April 2021), charged by the Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team with 68 offences. The man is accused of making more than 860 payments to multiple entities in the Philippines for purposes including to procure children to be sexually abused, with this abuse allegedly committed on camera for him to watch live from his home in WA’s Mid-West. Records allegedly show the man sent more than $443,000 overseas but it is still being assessed how much was allegedly spent on child abuse material. WA JACET, which comprises Australian Federal Police and WA Police Force members, first arrested and charged the 70-yearold in September 2020 after he was allegedly identified from financial data collected during a separate child protection

investigation in South Australia. When officers searched the man’s Geraldton home on 21 September (2020), they allegedly found child abuse material on two devices and records of Skype chats that were allegedly consistent with the procurement of children for live-distance child abuse. The man was charged with two counts of possessing child abuse material obtained through a carriage service. He was placed on bail with strict conditions that included not to access the internet except for banking, legal or employment purposes; not to access social media and no unsupervised access to children. Further inquiries and digital analysis of seized devices resulted in WA JACET arresting the man at his home yesterday (14 April 2021) and charging him with 68 offences relating to the alleged live-distance child abuse. The man was refused bail to face court today. The charges are: 39 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.9(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);

comfortably on Andrew Forrest’s shoulders. What you see achieved with the scale of the industrial processors here, the people more importantly who have been brought together to make what Fortescue does a reality, is quite breathtaking. But you’d think as tonight we mark 1.5 billion tonnes of product coming out of these mines, you’d think that would be enough, but not for Fortescue and not for Andrew Forrest because he now looks forward with his team bringing the sharpest and smartest minds, working together on projects that are not only going to transform the resources industry here in Australia in the way they use energy but it’s going to change how Australia uses energy. And I think there is every prospect, because of the keen level of international interest in what is happening here and the work that is being done to genuinely change how the world operates, particularly in the resources sector. I’m very passionate and proud of what Australians are doing to change the technology that enables them to achieve great things. Energy is central to that. It’s the thing that drives our economy. It always has. And we need to change gear over the next 30 years, and that’s exactly what’s happened. These things don’t happen by accident, and they don’t happen by the actions of government, certainly not alone. It is a genuine partnership, it is a genuine working together

that sees these ideas, exciting ideas, frankly brave ideas Andrew, but you’re no stranger to those. And to get your best people to solve them and get them here on the ground, what we’re seeing the beginning of here, over these last 12 months and Andrew and I have spoken many times now, particularly over the course of this year. We’ve met in Canberra earlier this year, just before Australia Day, with the exciting work that’s being done on green hydrogen and how that works in with the broader resources sector and indeed into the steel industry itself. And there is already considerable interest in how that’s progressing in Japan and so many other countries, where Australia is forming energy partnerships with those countries, and what better way to put the substance in the partnerships when you’re talking about real projects being demonstrated here on the ground. Private capital is going into this project in particular, and we’re in discussion with further players we’re working with in the future, so, it’s really exciting, it is really groundbreaking. The ground that has already been broken here over the past twenty years that’s a story all on itself and I’m looking forward tonight to catching up with the men and women who’ve made that possible here. One of the reasons I was so keen to get to WA this week was to say thank you to Western Australians for the incredible job they’ve done and particularly over the past year.

Press Conference, Christmas Creek Mine, WA

TL Bureau, Canberra

ANDREW FORREST: We’re very honoured to have the Honourable Melissa Price, the Honourable Scott Morrison, Prime Minister, here at Christmas Creek, and it is an historical evening. We’ve shown the leaders of our country what is the future of our country. Here you have miles and miles of solar panels, which we will combine with wind, which will eventually power the entire Pilbara, and we will be building gigawattage which is equivalent to what Australia powers itself with as a nation. I’m really excited that I can make these statements as we stand on the men and women’s shoulders who have built Fortescue, those tens of thousands of great Australians who have made the company which has been able to transform the iron ore industry, exist, grow and thrive here in Australia. With no further ado, the head of Australia, Scott Morrison. PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Andrew, it’s great to be here with you, it’s great to be hear with your whole team, and joined by Melissa who’s not just my fellow cabinet member, but also the local member for an electorate that spans about three quarters to two thirds of Western Australia. It’s tremendous to be here, to see first hand, the sheer scale of what is being achieved by Fortesuce, over the last years. The word pioneer is thrown around quite a lot, but it’s one that sits very

NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA

Pacific mental wellbeing supported Fresh approach proposed to across Auckland and Wellington

TL Bureau, Wellington

Pacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions, says Aupito William Sio. “One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by Pacific, for Pacific approach that appreciates the diversity of our Pacific communities. “Pacific people are more likely to develop mental distress than the general population, but less likely to reach out for support. “It has been proven that culturally appropriate services support better mental health outcomes. With these new services across

the Auckland, Counties Manukau, Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHB areas, people will have more access to services that they can feel confident will appreciate their Pacific languages, cultures and values,” Aupito William Sio said. The new services funded through today’s announcement are in addition to the Pacific services that we have expanded across Canterbury, Waitematā and Waikato DHB areas. “Supporting our Pacific communities means more than simply having Pacific people delivering services at the frontline. Instead, new models of care are needed that reflect the values and philosophies of Pacific peoples,” Aupito William Sio said. “Effective services for Pacific peoples need to integrate the

Govt expands Mana Ake to provide more school-based mental wellbeing support

TL Bureau, Wellington

More children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Health Minister made the announcement while visiting Homai School in Counties Manukau alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti. “Mana Ake has supported more than 7,000 children across Canterbury and Kaikōura since 2018. It has been a proven success and we are delighted to announce we’re continuing to support the programme in Canterbury and beginning to expand this programme across New Zealand,” Andrew Little said. “This is a significant step to ensure every primary and intermediate-aged school child in Aotearoa will have access to mental health and wellbeing support services. This is part of the Labour government’s commitment to lay the foundations for a better future.” The expansion of Mana Ake will start in five new DHB areas; Northland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Lakes and West Coast. The programme provides mental health and wellbeing support for children in primary school years 1–8. Kaimahi (workers) support schools and whānau when children are experiencing issues that affect their wellbeing that can include bullying, parental separation, grief and loss. Mana Ake will be funded through Vote Health

and Vote Education for the first time, showing a true crossgovernment approach. “This Government is dedicated to supporting our young people and their whānau. It provides immense comfort for parents and caregivers to know that children will be supported when they go to school,” Jan Tinetti said. “Schools are the perfect place to roll out programmes to build mental well-being capability that will benefit children, as well as their teachers, whānau and communities.” With the Mana Ake model as a base, DHBs and local communities will co-design services for their areas. “It’s important we ensure children and young people have early access to support that provides the foundations of lifelong mental wellbeing. This can take many different forms and that’s why we need to make sure we provide access to tailored approaches to meet the needs of different communities,” Andrew Little said. “Everybody has a role in supporting the mental wellbeing of those in their communities and by working together we can all contribute to ensuring the next generation is empowered and resilient to make for a better future.” Youth mental health is part of the Cooperation Agreement between Labour and the Greens. “Everybody deserves access to mental health support when they need it. With Mana Ake, we have an incredible opportunity to ensure that New Zealanders know from a young age that they can and should reach out for help,” Green Party mental health spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said.

cultural values of respect, family, reciprocity, collectivism and spirituality.” Once up and running the new services are expected to be able to support more than 3,000 people a year. The contracts, worth a total of $6.6 million, are part of the Government’s $455 million programme to increase access, and choice of, mental health and addiction services. “While the services announced today are tailored for people with mild to moderate needs, I’m hopeful it will have a flow on effect by helping prevent needs from escalating and increasing awareness of mental wellbeing within the Pacific communities,” says Aupito William Sio.

Smokefree 2025

TL Bureau, Wellington

New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced. “Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke kills around 12 people a day in New Zealand. Recent data tells us New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decrease, but they need to reduce more quickly, especially for Māori and Pacific people,” Dr Ayesha Verrall said. “We want to make sure that New Zealanders, particularly our underserved communities, don’t

continue to suffer the disastrous effects of smoking tobacco. If we are to have a chance of achieving the smokefree goal, we need to change our approach. “Our proposals for a Smokefree 2025 Action Plan scale up current initiatives such as mass media campaigns. They sit alongside new policy options, including the introduction of a smokefree generation and making smoked tobacco products less available, less addictive and less appealing. “Over 75 percent of smokers have tried to quit but smoking is primarily driven by addiction. This makes quitting extremely difficult even though most smokers want to do so.

the airport. “Thanks to the SH20B upgrades, the travel time between Puhinui Station and the airport on the Airport Link electric bus will only be around 10 minutes. Work to upgrade Puhinui Station to an efficient, modern and userfriendly rail and bus interchange is expected to finish in June. “Vehicles carrying three or more people will also be able to use the bus/T3 lanes, which will encourage people to carpool and ease congestion. “The airport is one of the largest employment hubs in Auckland with more than 900 businesses around it – these upgrades will make it easier for thousands of Aucklanders to get to and from work. It’ll also help Kiwis

and visitors avoid pre-flight congestion as air travel picks up. “The quick bus service the project enables is the first step to connecting up South and East Auckland with good public transport. The route will eventually become part of a rapid transit route connecting to Manukau and Botany with a dedicated busway or possibly light rail. “Electric buses are going to be exclusively used on this route and we’ll be working with councils to fully decarbonise their public transport bus fleets by 2035,” says Michael Wood. SH20B is one of two main routes to Auckland International Airport with more than 30,000 vehicles per day. The total project cost is $72 million.

to keep people in work, and invested an additional $150m to increase MSD’s employment and financial services as part of our COVID-19 recovery package. “We’ve continued to invest in employment outcomes along the way, with additional funding for Flexi-Wage and industry interventions such as Apprenticeship Boost. “The quarterly statistics show that more people are moving off Benefit than coming on. The number of people now receiving a Main Benefit is 365,937 a fall of 23,563 from the December Quarter. “The fall is in line with the trend we generally see in the March quarter, however signs are encouraging with 10,670 more people moving off benefit than the same period in 2019. “The statistics for the next quarter will provide us with a more complete insight but

indications are positive. This positivity is reflected in the latest jobs online data which shows vacancies increased 73.7 percent compared to a year earlier. “Vacancies are up across all industries with most growth being seen in healthcare, manufacturing, construction and hospitality. “MSD have been working hard to ensure those who sought assistance during the pandemic are linked back into work as quickly as possible. Their effort is making a difference, and the March quarter results are a testament to the great work of MSD staff right across the country. “While these figures are encouraging we cannot rest on our laurels. MSD will continue to prioritise linking Jobseekers into work and supporting businesses who are looking for new staff,” says Carmel Sepuloni.

Green light for 10 minute e-bus to Auckland Airport

TL Bureau, Wellington

Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the completion of upgrades to State Highway 20B which will give Aucklanders quick electric bus trips to and from the airport. The State Highway 20B Early Improvements project has added new lanes in each direction between Pukaki Creek Bridge and SH20 for buses and vehicles carrying three or more people. A shared path has also been built to give Aucklanders more options for getting to the airport, work, schools and the shops. Michael Wood said any Aucklander with access to the rail network will now have a quick and convenient trip to

Record Number of People Move Into Work

TL Bureau, Wellington

The Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021. “More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) began keeping electronic records in 1996,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The investment the Government has made during our response to COVID-19 is working and has led to lower than predicted unemployment. “The longer people remain on a benefit the more difficult it becomes for them to reenter the Labour Market, so early interventions are vital. That’s why the Government invested in the Wage Subsidy

BUSINESS

IFC, JC Flowers Launch Platform to Help Indian Financial Institutions Resolve Distressed Assets

TL Bureau, New Delhi

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is partnering with J.C. Flowers & Co. to help financial institutions in India resolve distressed assets, an initiative that will free up capital for new lending and allow mid-sized Indian firms to preserve jobs and avoid insolvency. Under the project, an expansion of IFC’s Distressed Asset Recovery Program’s (DARP) work in India, IFC will invest up to $100 million in the J.C. Flowers India Opportunities Fund if certain conditions are met, with an initial commitment of $40 million. The Fund is a partnership

Producer and Import Price Index rose by 0.6% in March

with Eight Capital Management, an Indian distressed assets investment firm. The COVID-19 crisis has devastated the global economy, spurring an increase in non-performing loans, which can threaten financial stability, undermine the supply and pricing of credit, and reduce investment. India has introduced multi-pronged regulatory and prudential measures to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. However, the Reserve Bank of India estimates that a second wave could potentially cause non-performing loans to reach $200 billion—nearly 15 percent of gross loans—by September 2021. This partnership aims to support an

inclusive economic recovery and revitalization of India’s economy, promote credit growth, and ensure the continuity of hardest-hit businesses and livelihoods. “Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a blow to companies’ ability to repay their debts, and increased already soaring pre-crisis corporate debt levels,” said Alfonso Garcia Mora, IFC Vice President for Asia and Pacific. “By helping create a functioning market for distressed assets, this initiative will let viable Indian firms return more quickly to productivity, limit the movement of solvent firms into bankruptcy, and allow banks to return to their core lending

In addition to its investment, IFC will support J.C. Flowers and Eight Capital in the adoption of environmental and social standards in line with the IFC Performance Standards. IFC’s DARP focuses on the acquisition and resolution of distressed assets, the refinancing and roll-over risk of viable entities, and the restructuring of small and medium-size enterprises. Since it was established in 2007, DARP has committed $7.7 billion globally, including the mobilization of $5 billion. This has enabled banks to offload over $33 billion of nonperforming loans, while helping over 18 million debtors resolve their obligations.

Restaurants across Finland can open to customers on Monday 19 April with restrictions

TL Bureau, Neuchâtel

TL Bureau, Helsinki

The Producer and Import Price Index increased in March 2021 by 0.6% compared with the previous month, reaching 100.8 points (December 2020 = 100). In particular, petroleum products, basic metals and semi-finished metal products as well as petroleum and natural gas saw higher prices. Compared with March 2020, the price level of the whole range of domestic and imported products fell by 0.2%. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Continued ban on telemarketing of mobile phone connections proposed

TL Bureau, Bogota

The Government proposes to prolong for a further three years temporary provisions concerning a prohibition on telemarketing of mobile phone connections, and governing confidential processing of radio communication traffic data for use in trials. The temporary ban on telemarketing of mobile phone connections would be prolonged in its current form as of 2 July 2021, and would continue until 1 July 2024. The ban on telemarketing of mobile phone connections seeks to protect consumers from disruptive marketing practices. The current marketing ban only allows direct marketing of mobile phone subscriptions to a consumer by telephone when the consumer explicitly request such marketing.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced a US$20 million investment in the HMC Andean Private Debt Fund (HMC), a private debt fund that will provide financing to MiddleMarket Enterprises (MMEs) in Colombia, Peru and Chile to accelerate economic recovery in the region. The investment will allow HMC to provide much-needed financing to MMEs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective is to contribute to strengthen job security and local economic development on the road to recovery from the health crisis. HMC aims to have a total capitalization of up to US$100 million and will be managed by HMC Capital,

TL Bureau, Helsinki

business in support of medium and small enterprises. Together with our partners, IFC remains committed to supporting India’s efforts to restore economic growth and stabilize the financial system.” The new partnership will create the first dedicated platform in India for mid-sized distressed assets, which account for $27 billion—more than a third—of the country’s corporate stressed assets. Despite increasing demand for corporate resolution, the mid-sized segment is underserved due to a lack of large transactions and the challenges investors face in identifying attractive opportunities. As a result, resolution efforts have focused on large corporates.

new services across the Auckland, Counties Manukau, Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHB areas, people will have more access to services that they can feel confident will appreciate their Pacific languages, cultures and values,” Aupito William Sio said. The new services funded through today’s announcement are in addition to the Pacific services that we have expanded across Canterbury, Waitematā and Waikato DHB areas. “Supporting our Pacific communities means more than simply having Pacific people delivering services at the frontline. Instead, new models of care are needed that reflect the values and philosophies of Pacific peoples,” Aupito William Sio said.

“Effective services for Pacific peoples need to integrate the cultural values of respect, family, reciprocity, collectivism and spirituality.” Once up and running the new services are expected to be able to support more than 3,000 people a year. The contracts, worth a total of $6.6 million, are part of the Government’s $455 million programme to increase access, and choice of, mental health and addiction services. “While the services announced today are tailored for people with mild to moderate needs, I’m hopeful it will have a flow on effect by helping prevent needs from escalating and increasing awareness of mental wellbeing within the Pacific communities,” says Aupito William Sio.

IFC announces US$20 million investment in the HMC Andean Private Debt Fund to boost MMEs growth in Colombia, Chile and Peru a global investment and advisory platform with focus on alternative assets. Elizabeth Martinez de Marcano, manager for the Andean Region of IFC, declared: “The growth in productivity of MMEs is key for achieving sustainable economic growth in Colombia, Peru and Chile. IFC’s support to the Fund will help spur the growth of an alternative financing channel for middlemarket enterprises, create jobs, enable financial inclusion, and ultimately drive economic diversification in the region We are proud to participate in this effort with HMC.” “With limited capacity of traditional channels to finance underserved segments in LAC, alternative instruments such as fund vehicles can play an important role in providing them with capital. IFC’s timely financial assistance will allow

us to support MMEs that are not yet ready to raise debt in capital markets, thereby helping them prepare to tap these markets. We are honored to have IFC as an investor in our Fund, supporting the MMEs in the region,” said Felipe Held, CoFounder and CEO at HMC. Daniel Dancourt, Partner and Head of Credit at HMC Capital, added: “At HMC we are committed to be part of MMEs growth in the Andean Region. Our objective is to give them access to credit and support their businesses in this challenging environment.” The productivity of MMEs is constrained by limited access to long-term finance. In Chile, Colombia, and Peru, only a minority of MME investments are financed by banks. Most MMEs with access to credit from traditional commercial banks only can secure short-

term loans for working capital, which are insufficient to meet their long-term investment needs to modernize their businesses and remain competitive in the regional markets. The COVID-19 pandemic has badly hurt companies of all kinds, but particularly those with smaller operating margins, such as MMEs. Business and liquidity have dried up, jobs have been lost, and entrepreneurs have dramatically curtailed if not closed their businesses—at least temporarily. IFC uses investment and advisory services to support financial intermediaries in reaching out to the MMEs sector more effectively and efficiently. On the investment side, IFC helps to increase businesses’ access to financial services by providing funding to institutions that focus on MME lending.

Stanford study identifies another explanation for the ‘marriage premium’

TL Bureau, California

Stanford sociologist Florencia Torche uncovers empirical evidence to show that the benefits of marriage to child development derive not just from individual characteristics of spouses and their circumstances. How society views marriage as an institution matters too. BY KRYSTEN CRAWFORD CALIFORNIA Something big is happening with babies in Chile – and it’s at the heart of a unique study into what it means to be born to married versus unmarried parents. In Chile, the proportion of births among women based on their marital status has shifted dramatically in the last 30 years. More unmarried women today give birth relative to married women. While this trend has been happening in most of the Western world, the drop has been especially sharp in Chile. This has allowed Florencia Torche, a professor of sociology in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, and Alejandra Abufhele of the Universidad Católica de Chile to investigate a key question about marriage’s effects on child development and society’s role in promoting them. Social scientists have long known that the offspring of married couples have significant, lifelong advantages over children born to unwed mothers, including better mental and physical health, higher levels of education and higher incomes. Research into this “marriage premium” has identified the multitude of individual differences – in race, socioeconomic status, personality, among other characteristics – to account for the discrepancies between

children of married and unmarried parents. But what about society’s role? When it comes to the marriage premium and child development, society’s influence has always been part of the conversation, but assumptions about its impact have not been proven. “The question of the institution of marriage – how normative or accepted it is within society – and how it might affect the marriage premium has been curiously missing as a focus of research,” said Torche, whose research focuses on inequality and well-being across generations, including the effects of early life exposures to shocks such as natural disasters, armed conflict and crackdowns on immigration. Torche and Abufhele saw in Chile a “unique and exceptional opportunity” to tackle this question head on. In a paper published April 14 in the American Journal of Sociology, the pair detail striking evidence that societal perceptions of matrimony also contribute to the marriage premium. “As marriage has lost its normative status in Chile, the marriage premium for children also declined to the point where it fully disappeared,” Torche said. “Our analysis of that decline shows that the status of marriage in society matters.” The researchers say their findings do not discount the role that parents and their marital circumstances contribute to the marriage – it’s just not the whole story. “Both factors matter,” Torche said. “Individual characteristics matter and the extent to which marriage is a norm in a society also matter.” A novel and striking insight In Chile, marriage shifted from norm to exception within a

FEATURE

A new study co-authored by Stanford sociologist Florencia Torche investigates a key question about marriage’s effects on child development and society’s role in promoting them. (Image credit: Getty Images) generation – a swift reversal of fortune that was also comprehensive and measurable: The proportion of births among married women plunged from 66 percent in 1990 to 27 percent in 2016. What’s more, in the early 1990s, babies born to married mothers had a considerable advantage over newborns from outside of marriage in that they were less likely to be of low birth weight, premature or small for gestational age. But by the mid-2010s, this advantage was negligible in the case of low birth weight, had completely disappeared for preterm birth and had declined by about two-thirds for small-for-gestational-age birth.“We found that this change was not due to demographic or socioeconomic differences between married and unmarried mothers or to the increase in cohabitation,” Torche said. This conclusion was further supported by results from two additional analyses the researchers performed: First, they looked at births by marital status and infant health across regions of Chile. In the second, they studied health outcomes among siblings whose mother was unmarried when delivering one child and married when delivering another. The three analyses were designed to complement one another. “There is always a risk that there are differences between women who marry before having children and those who do not that we cannot observe in the data,” Torche said. The birth certificate data that Torche and Abufhele relied on didn’t have information on, for example, differences in personality or health conditions

that might explain why the marriage premium disappeared over time. By analyzing siblings of the same mother born under different marital statuses, the authors ruled out these and other unmeasured characteristics. The researchers found that, on all three measures, the results were similar: As views on marriage in Chile changed, newborns of unmarried mothers were on average as healthy as those of married women. “By triangulating evidence of marital fertility and infant health over time, across place and within siblings, we offer consistent evidence that the prevalence of marriage in society also factors into the marriage premium,” Torche said. According to Torche, the overall finding – that society at large can reinforce the marriage premium – is important for policymaking. Any group that is considered to be outside the norm, such as single parents or non-heterosexuals, may face stigmatization or even discrimination from family members, co-workers, neighbors and institutions. For unwed mothers, it can lead to higher levels of stress, which is known to harm fetal development, or feelings of shame that prevent them from seeking support. When that happens, the marriage premium gets reinforced. “When creating and implementing social policies, we need to be careful that the non-normative characteristics or statuses of the people they are intended to help are not portrayed as a problem,” said Torche. “In addition to harming the individuals, it limits what policies can achieve.”

life and real estate

Global shortage of innovative antibiotics fuels emergence and spread of drug-resistance

TL Bureau, Geneva

The world is still failing to develop desperately needed antibacterial treatments, despite growing awareness of the urgent threat of antibiotic resistance, according toreport by the World Health Organization. WHO reveals that none of the 43 antibiotics that are currently in clinical development sufficiently address the problem of drug resistance in the world’s most dangerous bacteria. “The persistent failure to develop, manufacture, and distribute effective new antibiotics is further fueling the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and threatens our ability to successfully treat bacterial infections,” says Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Assistant Director General on AMR. Almost all the new antibiotics that have been brought to market in recent decades are variations of antibiotic drugs classes that had been discovered by the 1980s. The impact of AMR is most severe in resource-constrained settings and among vulnerable groups such as new-borns and young children. Bacterial pneumonia and bloodstream infections are among the major causes of childhood mortality

under the age of 5. Approximately 30% of neonates with sepsis die due to bacterial infections resistant to multiple first-line antibiotics (https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214109X(17)30362-5). Report findings WHO’s annual Antibacterial Pipeline Report, reviews antibiotics that are in the clinical stages of testing as well as those in early product development. The aim is to assess progress and identify gaps in relation to urgent threats of drug resistance, and to encourage action to fill those gaps. The report evaluates the potential of the candidates to address the most threatening drug-resistant bacteria outlined in the WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (WHO PPL).This list, which includes 13 priority drug-resistant bacteria, has informed and guided priority areas for research and development since its first publication in 2017. The 2020 report reveals a near static pipeline with only few antibiotics being approved by regulatory agencies in recent years. Most of these agents in development offer limited clinical benefit over existing treatments, with 82% of the recently approvedantibiotics being derivatives of existing antibiotic

classes with well-established drug-resistance. Therefore, rapid emergence of drug-resistance to these new agents is expected. The review concludes that “overall, the clinical pipeline and recently approved antibiotics are insufficient to tackle the challenge of increasing emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance”. Novel solutions outside the traditional development pathway The lack of progress on antibiotic development highlights the need to explore innovative approaches to treat bacterial infections. The 2020 WHO pipeline report for the first time includes a comprehensive overview of non-traditional antibacterial medicines. It highlights 27 non-traditional antibacterial agents in the pipeline ranging from antibodies to bacteriophages and therapies that support the patient’s immune response and weaken the effect of the bacteria. High failure rates and impact on market dynamics The report notes that there are some promising products in different stages of development. However, only a fraction of these will ever make it to the market due to the economic and inherent scientific challenges in the drug development

designers, curators, artists, craftsmen and developers have worked nonstop on the building as well as the exhibition, and H.C. Andersen’s House will finally be revealed at a so-called soft openingon June 30th. “It represents great significance and a vast amount of joy for Odense that we are opening up an attraction that will have such a great draw just in time for the start of the summer vacation period. Both because it will attract a whole lot of visitors – and we need that – but also because H.C. Andersen plays such a significant part in the shared identity of the people of Odense. With the museum, it will be possible to explore his authorship and fairytales in new ways, which will add to the sense of community in the city. This is why it is great news in every possible way that the doors will already open up by the end of June,” says the Mayor of Odense, Peter Rahbek Juel of the Social Democractic Party. Council member for City and Culture, Christoffer Lilleholt of the Liberal Party, is also looking forward to the museum opening its doors: “I am incredibly excited to experience the new museum. First of all, it is a unique museum

for a marvelous poet, and, second of all, we are thirsty for cultural experiences after a long and hard lockdown. It will be a great day for the city and for H.C. Andersen.” When the museum opens its doors to the public after the official opening on June 30th, it will not be the entire museum experience that visitors will be presented with, but rather a kind of preview, says Torben Grøngaard Jeppesen, the head of Odense City Museums: “The COVID lockdown has, unsurprisingly, presented us with some challenges along the way, and this means that there will be parts of the museum that will not be totally ready the day we open it. Add to this that, with a construction and exhibition design of this caliber, there will inevitably be some aspects of starting trouble, for instance in terms of the engineering, which has to be tested and finetuned. When we nevertheless prioritize a soft opening, followed by a gradually increased opening over the summer, it is because we wish to offer outstanding magical and artistic experiences for the many people that will be spending their summer vacation here in Denmark.”

H.C. Andersen’s House opens on June 30th 2021

TL Bureau, Copenhagen

In Odense, everyone is working at full speed to prepare for the opening of the ambitious H.C. Andersen’s House. This will make it possible to present the many Danes, who are expected to go on vacation in their own country this summer, with a unique experience. H.C. Andersen’s House will be ready for a so-called soft opening on June 30th 2021. The new H.C. Andersen’s House in Odense is among the largest and most ambitious museum projects in recent times, made possible through substantial support from the A.P. Møller Foundation and contributions from Nordea-fonden, the Augustinus Foundation, Knud Højgaards Fond, the City of Odense and Odense City Museums. Chairman of the A.P. Møller Foundation, Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, explains: “H.C. Andersen has to be our greatest poet. He captivates children and adults alike with his magical stories, which people all over the world can see themselves in – to this day. It is our hope that we, with the new museum, are approaching the core of H.C. Andersen’s universe.” For the past many months, exhibition

process. This, along with the small return on investment from successful antibiotic products, has limited the interest of major private investors and most large pharmaceutical companies. The report confirms that the preclinical and clinical pipeline continue to be driven by small- and medium-sized companies. These enterprises often struggle to finance their products to the late stages of clinical development or until regulatory approval is obtained. The COVID-19 opportunity The COVID-19 crisis has deepened the global understanding of the health and economic implications of an uncontrolled pandemic. It also accentuated the gaps in sustainable funding to address these risks, including investments in R&D of antimicrobial medicines and vaccines, whilst revealing what rapid progress can be made when there is enough political will and enterprise. “Opportunities emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic must be seized to bring to the forefront the needs for sustainable investments in R&D of new and effective antibiotics,” said Haileyesus Getahun, Director of AMR Global Coordination at WHO. “Antibiotics present the Achilles heel

for universal health coverage and our global health security. We need a global sustained effort including mechanisms for pooled funding and new and additional investments to meet the magnitude of the AMR threat.” Global Initiatives To address gaps in funding and drive sustainable investments in antibiotics development, WHO and its partner Drugs for Neglected Diseases intitive (DNDi) have set up the Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership (GARDP) to develop some of the innovative treatments that are included in the report. In addition, the WHO has been working closely with other non-profit funding partners such as the CARB-X to “push” and accelerate antibacterial research. Another important new initiative is the AMR Action Fund, a partnership that was set up by a coalition of pharmaceutical companies, philanthropies, the European Investment Bank, with the support of the WHO, that aims to strengthen and accelerate antibiotic development through global pooled funding. The Fund is expected to play an important role in ensuring that the most innovative and promising products receive the required funding.

TL Bureau, Hampton Road Virginia

Minton also pointed out that particularly for investors who like to fix up properties for a quick sale, “there are specific tax regulations that you can take advantage of, but only if your business is structured properly and individual property records are accurate.” The Minton firm is particularly positioned for service to the real estate community as their tax professionals are highly experienced in working with both agents and investors. In addition, Ms. Minton owns a real estate development company and has been involved in more than $120 million in real estate transactions as a principle. In addition to the resources of the Minton team of tax professionals, the firm has assembled a Professional Advisory Team that can assist clients with legal, insurance, benefits, financial planning, and investment questions. Real estate agents and investors can learn more about the enhanced services offer by Minton CPA and Associates by visiting www.realtorcpa. net, or by calling 757-546-2870.

Minton CPA and Associates Announces Programs for Real Estate Investors

Christina Minton, Founder and CEO of Minton CPA and Associates recently shared her firm’s programs that are designed specifically for clients who invest in residential and commercial real estate. In a presentation to local investors Ms. Minton pointed out that today’s low interest rates and high demand for homes have created special opportunities for investors. “Whether your strategy is to buy and hold long term, or fix and flip a property quickly, there are important business structure and tax consequences that must be considered if you are to maximize profits” was one of the key points of her seminar. To help the firm’s real estate agent and investor clients, Minton and Associates has developed a 3-tier program of services. These are designed to provide customized consulting for someone just starting out in investing as well as the seasoned real estate buyer with a large property portfolio.

2021 NFL DRAFT NIGHT ONE FESTIVITIES TO KICK OFF IN CLEVELAND, THURSDAY APRIL 29

SPORTS

First-ever FIBA official competition at FIBA’s Headquarters on FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series’ return

Ann Wilson To Sing The National Anthem and Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s AllCity Choir to Sing Lift Every Voice and Sing

TL Bureau, Cleveland

The NFL announced today that Grammy-Award winners, KINGS OF LEON will open festivities at the Draft Theater in Cleveland on Thursday, April 29 as part of the NFL Draft Concert Series presented by Bose. Their full performance will be streamed on NFL.com, in the NFL app and live on the NFL’s Facebook page. Portions of the performance will also be televised in NFL Network, ESPN and ABC’s pre-Draft coverage beginning at 7 PM ET. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and lead singer of legendary rock band, Heart,ANN WILSON will sing the National Anthem as part of the Draft opening festivities. Tapping into the talent of the local community, the CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT’S ALL-CITY CHOIR will perform a special rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing, live from the Draft Theater. The National Anthem and Lift Every Voice and Sing performances will be broadcast live on NFL Network and ESPN. Cleveland local cover group, THE SUNRISE JONES will serve as the House Band and will provide entertainment in between Draft selections on Thursday, April 29and Friday, April 30. Since 2013, The Sunrise Jones has been a fan favorite across Northeastern Ohio with their rollicking renditions of a variety of music genres. In addition to the Night 1 festivities at the Draft Theater, attending prospects will walk the NFL Draft Red Carpet, located on the plaza of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Select invited

guests will be invited to welcome prospects as they begin their Draft Night journey. The NFL Draft Red Carpet will be televised on NFL Network beginning at 6 PM ET. Headlining acts for Night 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft Concert Series presented by Bose will be announced in the coming weeks. The league previously announced the 2021 NFL Draft will take place across iconic downtown Cleveland locations including FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center, with the Draft Theater being set against the backdrop of Lake Erie. The NFL Draft Experience – the NFL’s interactive football theme park – will be free and open to the public around FirstEnergy Stadium during all three days of the Draft. Reservations will be required to attend the free Draft Experience through the NFL OnePass app, which is now available for download. The Draft Theater will not be visible from the Draft Experience; however, fans will be able to view the Draft from multiple screens around the Draft Experience during their OnePass reserved time slot. There is also opportunity to watch the Draft inside FirstEnergy Stadium for fans who have Draft Experience reservations during the times that Draft is operational. All three days of the NFL Draft will be broadcast on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC, including two nights of primetime coverage on Thursday and Friday. For more information on NFL Draft Experience and for the full list of interactive games and attractions, fans should visit NFL. com/Draft and download the NFL OnePass app here.

TL Bureau, MIES (Switzerland) The FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series - the dedicated women’s 3x3 professional circuit - is back, starting with a stop organized by Swiss Basketball in Mies on May 15-16. It will mark the first time a FIBA official competition (3x3 or basketball combined) is organized at FIBA’s Headquarters, which have beenrenamed the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in 2018 in memory of the former FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee member. “The Patrick Baumann House of Basketball has been host to several 3x3 events before but organizing a FIBA official competition at home in front of our headquarters, on the same day that Patrick is inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, will definitely have a special meaning to us,” Zagklis added. The FIBA Open - the largest 3x3 grassroots event in Switzerland - has been organized at FIBA’s Headquarters since 2015 and will take place on June 19-20

in 2021. “We are delighted to work with Swiss Basketball to bring the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series back after the great success of the 2019 edition,” FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said. “One of FIBA’s three strategic pillars is the development of women in basketball and this competition will help the teams who are preparing everyday to get a chance to be the first women to play 3x3 at the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 24-28, 2021.” A total of 8 teams will play in Mies: Hungary, Mongolia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain and Switzerland. For the first time, the players will compete for prize money. Swiss Basketball rejoiced the opportunity to organize a FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series event only two weeks before the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Graz, Austria on May 2630. “It is an honor for Swiss Basketball to be able to organize the first stop of the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2021,” Swiss Basketball President Giancarlo Sergi said.

Queensland Firebirds find tracks to success TL Bureau, Brisbane

The Queensland Firebirds are excited to announce the Club’s new Principal Partner, with the sponsorship bringing together two proud brands with a rich history in Queensland. Australia’s largest rail freight operator and top 100 ASX company, Aurizon, join the triple premiership winning Firebirds on a three-year partnership commencing on the eve of the 2021 Suncorp Super Netball season. Queensland Firebirds CEO, Catherine Clark, said it was a landmark day for the Club. “To welcome a brand as committed, reliable and synonymous with Queensland as Aurizon into our Purple family is an incredibly proud moment for the Queensland Firebirds,” Clark said. “A synergy of values is critical to our partnerships. Aurizon’s integrity, pursuit of excellence and enduring people first culture truly resonates with what we have built, and continue to build, here

at the Firebirds.” “For 25 years we have been Queensland’s Club, and we play for all of Queensland. Aurizon’s presence in regional Queensland via their broad footprint in centres across the State speaks volumes of the alignment between our two brands.” “We share a passion for Queensland and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Together through this alliance we are poised to achieve some great things over the next three years.” Aurizon transports more than 250 million tonnes of Australian commodities annually, connecting Australian industry with international and domestic markets. Aurizon’s Managing Director & CEO Andrew Harding said Aurizon was delighted to partner with the Queensland Firebirds, a highperformance team competing in the world’s best netball league. “Aurizon is proud to announce our three-year partnership in Queensland with the Firebirds,” Harding said. “The Firebirds have shown what can be achieved

through teamwork, excellence and commitment, and are inspiring young women to participate in netball and aim for the stars. “Aurizon is committed to building a more inclusive, diverse team across our national operations and having a

pipeline of young women leaders to support our future success. We see great alignment with the Firebirds in their championing of success and excellence in sport, with an ever growing participation of young women in netball.

“With more than 80% of Aurizon’s employees living and working in regional communities, we are also delighted that the Firebirds have a commitment to regional Queensland with community engagement across the state.”

tech/auto

TL Bureau, Molsheim

as customers can now enjoy the legendary Chiron hyper sports on Japanese public roads. This new showroom site in Tokyo is a home away from home, and we have complete faith that Sky Group embodies the passion and philosophy of Molsheim. We are delighted that Bugatti Tokyo will present our brand perfectly, not just to our Japanese customers, but also to a truly international clientele, thanks to the showroom’s unique location within Tokyo’s embassy quarter.” In addition to sales services, officially trained Bugatti technicians will be able to carry out certified servicing and repairs to Chiron models. The new showroom site is operated by official Bugatti sales partner Sky Group, which has established decades of experience in meeting its customers’ demands and desires through its portfolio of leading luxury brands, including Bugatti’s VW Group stablemates Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche. The new showroom is located at 5 Chome-10-37 Minamiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0047. Yuta Kasai, Managing Director at Sky Group, added: “It is, without doubt, one of Sky Group’s greatest achievements to meet Molsheim’s requirements and to be chosen to represent the legendary French marque that is Bugatti. And of course, what makes the opening of the Bugatti Tokyo showroom even more exciting is that the full PHP homologation of the Chiron has been met, with Japan being the first country to have that certification in all of Asia. Everyone at Sky Group thrives on the challenge of meeting the needs of the most discerning customers and is looking forward to bringing our passion, energy and integrity to Bugatti.”

MOLSHEIM COMES TO TOKYO AS BUGATTI OPENS NEW SHOWROOM IN JAPANESE CAPITAL

Bugatti creates a new Tokyo home with touches of Molsheim as the Chiron hyper sports car is officially homologated for the Japanese market. Molsheim comes to Tokyo as Bugatti opens new showroom in Japanese capital Although 10,000 kilometers separate Japan’s capital from Bugatti’s headquarters in France, visitors experience the spirit of Molsheim the moment they step through the doors of the new showroom in the Minato City district of Tokyo. The frontof-house staff is fully trained by Bugatti, and all possess exemplary knowledge of the brand, just as the technicians who service, maintain and repair customers’ cars do. The official opening of Bugatti Tokyo follows the legendary Chiron model and its derivatives passing the strict Japanese homologation requirements in 2020, the first country in Asia to grant this certification. Now Bugatti enthusiasts can add a Chiron hyper sports car to their collection and enjoy it on Japanese public roads as well as admiring it from their garage. The new Bugatti Tokyo Showroom Opening on a specially selected date – the 16th of April, or 16/4, inspired to reflect the Chiron’s W16 four-turbo charged engine – the Bugatti Tokyo site is based on the latest showroom standards of the French luxury marque in Japan, and one of the first in the world to be designed around Bugatti’s new visual identity. The iconic Bugatti name is presented in white typography against an anthracite background on the exterior wall, while the showroom proudly showcases a rare-to-see Chiron

The Bugatti name is synonymous with bespoke luxury and unrivalled performance all around the world. The French luxury marque revolves around the Atelier and headquarters in Molsheim, France while still offering customers a true Bugatti experience in key locations across the globe. The newest official Bugatti showroom opens in Tokyo bringing hyper sports car enthusiasts a piece of Molsheim to the Japanese market – coming at the perfect time after the Chiron1 was granted homologation in Japan in 2020 allowing Bugatti owners to be able to fully enjoy their cars on Japanese roads.

through its window. Visits are by appointment only and are held on an exclusive, one-to-one basis to ensure an intimate, discreet and COVID-safe experience for customers. As part of a highly refined overall showroom experience, the latest digital technology is used to tell the Bugatti marque’s history and highlight every facet of the Bugatti model range. Using a tablet, customers can immerse themselves in their car’s configuration, with the details beautifully mirrored and displayed on screens mounted

on the showroom wall. Three wall-mounted videomonitor displays espouse Bugatti’s brand values. A range of stunning physical exhibits including scale model cars, pieces of art, and specially designed graphics affixed on the walls, support the digital content provided by a series of bespoke films and animations. Customers can immerse themselves physically in the world of Bugatti with elegantly designed soft-touch catalogs, luxurious leather swatches and vibrant color samples to enable

them to create their personalized Bugatti model. The tastefully appointed lounge area is is designed to meet the new look and feel of Bugatti’s recently introduced showroom standards. The high-grade materials and exceptional skill used to refine all showroom elements, including furniture, fabric samples and decorative items are commensurate with those used to bring the Bugatti Chiron to life. Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti explained: “This move into the Japanese market is perfectly timed for us,

Emanuele Pirro: “The Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 talks the language of emotions”

TL Bureau, Sant’Agata Bolognese

Emanuele Pirro is one of the fathers of the Essenza SCV12: the track-focussed hypercar equipped with the most powerful V12 engine ever designed by Lamborghini, presented in July 2020 and due to make its track debut in just a couple of months at exclusive events reserved for owner-drivers. The former F1 driver, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours

five times, was part of the project and its development from the very first day. For the first time he talks about the sensations and behindthe-scenes views from a test schedule that lasted two years and took in thousands of kilometres at circuits such as Monza, Portimao, Barcelona and Le Castellet. Pirro shared testing duties with Raffaele Giammaria: Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s test driver, who is also in charge of the Youngster Programs.

world

Ihor Zhovkva and Diplomatic Advisor to Spanish Prime Minister discussed preparation of bilateral political dialogue measures

TL Bureau, Kyiv

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva had a phone conversation with Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Spain Emma Aparici. During the conversation, special attention was paid to the aggravation of the security situation in eastern Ukraine and the increase in the activity of Russian troops on the borders of our state. Emma Aparici noted the Spanish side’s concern

over the latest developments and assured of clear support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the context of the bilateral agenda, the parties positively assessed the results of the phone conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, which took place in January. Ihor Zhovkva and Emma Aparici exchanged views on the key elements and content of the forthcoming official visit of the Spanish

UAE Announces 1,843 New COVID-19 Cases, 1,506 Recoveries, 2 Deaths in Last 24 hours

TL Bureau, Abu Dhabi

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 198,135 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using stateof-the-art medical testing equipment. As part of its intensified testing campaign, the MoHAP announced 1,843 new coronavirus

cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 493,266.The UAE Health Ministry also announced 2 deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,547, pointing out that an additional 1,506 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 476,518.

Finland participates in the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks TL Bureau, Helsinki Finland will participate in the annual UN Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks held from 19 April to 7 May 2021. The common theme of the Finnish delegation is comprehensive security. The Finnish delegation, convened by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, includes representatives of public

authorities, companies and higher education institutions. A total of eight organisations are involved in the delegation. “Finland is seen as a reliable partner in the international arena and our expertise is in demand. In particular, there is interest in the Finnish model of comprehensive security. This year we want to highlight it in our own programme,” says Jari Honkanen, Senior Specialist from the Ministry of the Interior.

Switzerland presents report on implementation of UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

TL Bureau, Bern

From 13 to 15 April 2021, Switzerland presented its report on its implementation of the International Convention to the UN Committee. The report underlines Switzerland’s commitment to worldwide efforts fighting the crime of enforced disappearance.

Russia reports 8,995 new coronavirus cases, 397 deaths

TL Bureau, Moscow

Russia on Friday reported 8,995 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, including 2,476 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,684,148. The country also reported another 397 deaths, raising the official toll to 104,795, according to Reuters.

Coronavirus Disease COVID-19: AstraZeneca vaccine

Prime Minister to Ukraine. The interlocutors agreed on the importance of speeding up work on draft bilateral documents that can be signed during the visit. Ihor Zhovkva informed about the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea and the goals of the Ukrainian initiative to create a Crimean Platform. He expressed hope that the Spanish side would take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform at the highest possible government level.

TL Bureau, Copenhagen

The Danish Medicines Agency and the Danish Health Authority agree with EMA that the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective and supports EMA’s general assessment that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. The current epidemiological situation in Denmark is at a relatively stable point. The majority of persons at risk have been vaccinated or are scheduled to be vaccinated. In this light,

the Danish Health Authority has decided not to bring back the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the Danish national vaccine roll-out in the current situation. In its decision, the Danish Health Authority has weighed the current epidemiological situation in Denmark against the specific risk profile of the vaccine. The Danish Health Authority has not ruled out that the vaccine could be resumed in the Danish national vaccination programme if the situation changes.

TL Bureau, Brussels

reliance on external consultants; • creating a database to match treaty implementation needs and resources; and • building IT and communications mechanisms to enable more effective cooperation between states parties’ points of contact and the ATT Secretariat. The project also strengthens the ATT Secretariatʼs institutional capacity to provide sustainable support to the states parties. It fits within the recently adopted strategy to strengthen the EUʼs contribution to rulesbased multilateralism, by promoting global peace and security. This decision is also part of the EUʼs longstanding support of the ATT. In addition to facilitating early negotiations on the treaty, the EU has provided approx.

EUR 15 million for numerous projects aimed at promoting its universal adoption and implementation. The ATTʼs universal adoption and implementation are crucial to the reduction of violence and human suffering in conflict-affected regions. In force since December 2014, the Arms Trade Treaty regulates international trade in conventional arms, their parts and ammunition, with the goal of eradicating the illicit sale and diversion thereof. All EU Member States are parties to the Treaty. The ATT Secretariat manages the reporting by states parties, their national points of contact, and national control lists. In addition to organising the conferences of states parties and intersessional work, it also administers the ATT Voluntary Trust Fund, which assists states’ implementation of the Treaty

Arms Trade Treaty: EU steps up support in fight against illicit arms trade

The EU will provide new funding for the effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The Council today adopted a decision allowing the EU to support three projects of the ATT Secretariat in Geneva with a contribution of EUR 1.37 million. The aim is to help states parties to the treaty to strengthen their national arms export control systems. Export control systems are key instruments for preventing the diversion of, and illicit trade in arms, and contribute to more responsible trade in military equipment and technology. More specifically, the EU’s support will enable the following actions: • training local and regional ATT experts to deliver implementation assistance and reduce

Union Health Ministry Issues Regulatory Pathways for foreign produced COVID-19 Vaccines

TL Bureau , New Delhi

In a radical reform measure, the Union Government of India had approved a significant streamlining and fast tracking of regulatory system for COVID-19 vaccines approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL). This decision will facilitate quicker access to such foreign vaccines by India and would encourage imports including import of bulk drug material, optimal utilization of domestic fill and finish capacity etc., which will in turn provide a fillip to vaccine manufacturing capacity and total vaccine availability within the country. The Union Government has today issued the Regulatory Pathway in India for COVID-19 Vaccines approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA

Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL). The Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) headed by DCGI has today explained that the following would be the Pathway: CDSCO shall prepare detailed guidelines specifying regulatory pathway for approval of foreign approved Covid vaccines based on NEGVAC recommendations. These guidelines have since been prepared and posted by CDSCO on its website. CDSCO will take steps to widely disseminate these guidelines to the concerned stakeholders. Applicants for grant of approval for Restricted Use in Emergency situation may be submitted to CDSCO. Application can be made by the foreign manufacturer through its Indian subsidiary or through its authorized agent in India (in case it does not have an Indian subsidiary). CDSCO will process such

applications for Restricted Use in Emergency Situation and DCGI will consider and take a decision within 03 working days from date of submission of complete application by the applicant. DCGI will issue permission for Restricted Use in Emergency situation with, interalia, the following conditions: Vaccine shall be used as per the guidelines prescribed under National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. First 100 beneficiaries of such vaccines shall be assessed for 7 days for safety outcomes before it is rolled out for further Vaccination program. Applicant shall initiate conduct of post approval bridging clinical trials within 30 days of such approval. Applications for Restricted Use in Emergency situation for such vaccines maybe accompanied by bridging trial protocol, application for import registration certificate and application for import license.