The Life News Australian. July 16, 2022

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News from World, Worldwide readership.

Vol. 05 Issue 78 July. 16, 2022

Heatwave sparks wildfires in Europe as record broke

TL Bureau, Europe Outrageous intensity all through Europe has started rapidly spreading fires in France, Portugal and Spain, provoking mass departures, neighborhood authorities said.

Fires in southwestern France have consumed nearly 24,700 sections of land and uprooted large number of individuals, Turkish media source Anadolu Agency revealed. The blasts were consuming in the Gironde and Bouches-du-Rhone divisions.

French Premier Elisabeth Borne said a fire in La-Teste-de-Buch in Gironde office was brought about by an electric vehicle.

French media source Sud Ouest said an eatery, three houses and numerous

Courtesy: UPI lodges were obliterated in La-Testede-Buch.

BBC News revealed that in excess

of 11,000 individuals have escaped the Gironde district of France, and occupants were requested to

Mega Millions jackpot upgrades to $530 million

TL Bureau, California

Hey The Mega Millions big stake developed to an expected $530 million after no tickets matched each of the six numbers in Friday's drawing.

The numbers drawn Friday night were 8, 20, 26, 53, and 64, with a Mega Ball of 15. In the event that somebody had won the drawing, their assessed big stake would have been $480 million.

One ticket sold in California had the five fundamental numbers, winning a $1 million award. 28 won $10,000 and 854 brought back home $500.

The new $530 million bonanza would be worth about $304

Courtesy : UPI million with a singular amount cash choice.

The following Mega Millions drawing will happen Tuesday.

escape western Spain and Portugal, where handfuls more flames were consuming. Exactly 4,000 individuals were emptied from the Cazaux locale in France.

There were in excess of 30 dynamic flames in Portugal as of Friday, burning in excess of 74,000 sections of land Timberland fires were likewise detailed in Italy and Croatia this week as a memorable intensity wave overwhelms western Europe.

Accuweather said temperatures beat 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Portugal and Spain.

The warm air came from Africa's Sahara Desert, moving as far north as Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Britain.

Biden raises a killing of Khashoggi TL Bureau, Jeddah

U.S. President Joe Biden said he told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed canister Salman he assumed he was by and by liable for the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi during a gathering in Jeddah on Friday.

Biden said he raised the issue during a functioning meeting with Mohammed and different clergymen of the public authority at Al Salam Royal Palace.

"With the regard to the homicide of Khashoggi, I raised it at the highest point of the gathering, clarifying my thought process of it at that point, and my thought process of it now," Biden told correspondents in a news gathering after the gathering. "I made my view precious stone understood.

I said directly, for an American

president. To be quiet on the issue of basic freedoms is conflicting ..with what our identity is and who I am.

"What befell Khashoggi was over the top."

Biden has been censured for making Saudi Arabia part of his excursion to the Middle East, on the grounds that the crown sovereign is trusted by Western knowledge to be straightforwardly liable for the killing of Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018.

Khashoggi, a protester Saudi essayist and patron for The Washington Post, was frequently reproachful of Saudi regal initiative.

He was killed - - and knowledge offices accept he was dismantled - after he visited a Saudi department in Istanbul to get desk work for his arranged marriage. His remaining parts have never been found.

2 Russia is moving forward its tactical enrollment, which could come at a lofty expense for the nation well into the future, specialists expressed Saturday as Russia's safeguard serve guided troops to "further escalate" the conflict in Ukraine.

The Institute for the Study of War, a research organization situated in Washington, D.C., said in an examination Saturday that Russia "has sent off an enormous scope drive to frame volunteer brigades" from the nation over with "new worker units being accounted for day to day."

The new brigades are supposed to each comprise of around 400 men between the ages 18 and 60, who will be appointed to different positions including mechanized rifle units, tanks and maritime infantry units, as indicated by the research organization.

"Initiates are not expected to have earlier military assistance and will go through just 30 days of preparing before sending to Ukraine," the research organization wrote in its examination.

"This drive will probably deliver 'fighters' of lower quality than the ordinary recruits in the Russian armed force at near proficient warrior costs."

The research organization noticed that the enrollment exertion "will probably be costly" and that the compensations for newcomers by and large beginning at around $3,000 each month per trooper, or about $1.2 million every month for each 400-man unit.

"Assuming the work produces 85 brigades every one of 400 men it would carry 34,000 extra workers into the battle at the expense of about $102 million every month in compensation alone," the research organization composed.

"Taking into account that the 30 days of preparing the workers will get prior to entering battle won't create battle prepared troopers, that cost is exceptionally high."

The volunteers will probably get

editorial

Russia initiates again for military recruitment as troops directed to 'further intensify' Ukraine war

veteran status and advantages for serving in Ukraine which will add to Russia's financial plan "for a really long time," as per the research organization.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei K. Shoigu has guided troops to "further heighten" war endeavors in Ukraine, The New York Times detailed, refering to an assertion from the Defense Ministry.

In the mean time, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed in an explanation to Telegram on Saturday that "Ukrainian patriots will not be engaged with tasks in Donbas" and have deserted their situations close to Artyomovsk.

The Donbas locale, which contains the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk, has been to a great extent held by favorable to Russian separatists since Crimea was added by Russia in 2014.

Russian President Vladimir Putin perceived Luhansk and Donetsk as free republics before the beginning of the intrusion on Feb. 24.

Specialists have said Putin will attempt to add-on the Donbas locale into Russia before long.

The British Defense Ministry, which has been giving knowledge refreshes all through the conflict, said Saturday that Russian hostile activities "stay diminished in extension and scale, with battling west of Lysychansk zeroed in on Siversk and Bakhmut."

The British authorities said that Russia's endeavors stay decreased notwithstanding Russian professes to have entered the edges of the town of Siversk prior in the week.

"Russia has recently made untimely and bogus cases of accomplishment. This is possible to a limited extent

pointed toward exhibiting accomplishment to homegrown crowds and to support the spirit of the battling powers," the British Defense Ministry said.

"Ukrainian guard has been effective in spurning Russian assaults since Lysychansk was surrendered and the Ukrainian cautious line was abbreviated and fixed." The British Defense Ministry said that Ukraine's essential withdrawal from Lysychansk on July 3, the last Ukrainian fortification in the Luhansk region, has permitted Ukraine to focus its powers and "has been instrumental in lessening Russia's energy." In any case, rocket strikes were accounted for in the eastern Ukrainian locales of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk causing air cautions to be raised across the majority of Ukraine on Saturday. Oleh Synehubov, the legislative head of the Kharkiv territory, said in an explanation to Telegram that a 70-year-elderly person and two men in their 60s were killed during a rocket assault on the city of Chuhuiv in the Kharkiv

district.

Three others were hospitalized for their wounds, Synehubov said - - adding that a private structure and a school were among the designs obliterated and harmed. Russian powers additionally shelled Kharkiv and Izium yet there were no losses revealed. alentyn Reznichenko, the legislative head of the Dnipropetrovsk territory, said in a proclamation on Telegram that 53 rockets were terminated on the city of Nikopol on Saturday, killing no less than two individuals.

A senior military authority in the United States said during a press preparation on Friday that somewhere in the range of 100 and 150 regular people have been killed by Russian military strikes in Ukraine.

"We evaluate that Russian powers are restricted to steady, if any, gains around the northern Donbas, held off

by Ukrainian safeguards," the senior authority said. "Russian powers keep on sending aimless ordnance barrage, alongside air rocket strikes."

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world

King of Bahrain: Direct interference The United States Stands With the People in internal affairs of states among of South Sudan and Calls for Urgent most ominous current challenges Progress From South Sudan’s Leaders TL Bureau, Jeddah

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain has stressed the need to unite efforts to stop direct interference in the internal affairs of states, saying that it was one of the most ominous current challenges and that it violates the principles and rights guaranteed by international laws. In his speech at the Jeddah Security and Development Summit, the King of Bahrain also called for deep and balanced ways to resolve the crises and conflicts that have beset the Middle East, an important international strategic region that has suffered for years from difficult political, security and economic conditions and from very dangerous challenges.

“With its important international strategic position, for years

the Middle East has suffered, and continues to suffer, from difficult political, security and economic conditions, and serious challenges, which require us to think carefully to find the means to overcome ongoing crises and conflicts,” the Bahraini King added, affirming that the Palestinian cause must be resolved through a just and lasting settlement and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, in accordance with the twostate solution and the Arab Peace Initiative, alongside the creation of promising and sustainable economic opportunities for the Palestinian people, ensuring their effective participation in comprehensive development, based on the outcomes of the "Peace to Prosperity" workshop held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2019.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Signs the Artemis Accords

TL Bureau, Jeddah Office of the Spokesperson The United States welcomes Saudi Arabi’s signing of the Artemis Accords on July 14, affirming its commitment to safe, sustainable, and responsible space exploration.

Mohammed Saud al-Tamimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Commission, signed the Accords on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was joined during a virtual ceremony by Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Ambassador to the United States, Abdullah bin Amer al-Swaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Bill Nelson, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Martina Strong, Chargé d’Affaires for the United States Mission to Saudi Arabia, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer R.

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Ned Price, Department Spokesperson The United States laments the failure of South Sudanese leaders to implement the commitments they have made to bring peace to South Sudan and has consequently decided to end U.S. assistance for peace process monitoring mechanisms, effective July 15, as we assess next steps. Due to the lack of sustained progress on the part of South Sudan’s leaders, and following consultation with Congress, the United States is ending support for the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and

Evaluation Commission and the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism. South Sudan’s leaders have not fully availed themselves of the support these monitoring mechanisms provide and have demonstrated a lack of political will necessary to implement critical reforms. For example, South Sudan has yet to pass critical electoral legislation in keeping with the revitalized peace agreement’s timetable.

South Sudan still lacks a unified, professional military to serve and protect the population. Civil society members and journalists are routinely intimidated and

prevented from speaking out. The government continues to divert proceeds from oil production before they reach the national budget and has not implemented public financial management reforms.

The United States continues to provide significant assistance to save lives and reduce the suffering of the people of South Sudan, including approximately $1 billion in humanitarian and development assistance, support to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and additional assistance in coordination with partners through the World Bank and other international financial institutions.

President of Ukraine holds meeting with Minister of Internal Affairs

TL Bureau, Kyiv

Littlejohn from the Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. The principles of the Artemis Accords, grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, advance the NASA-led Artemis program, which will put the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and prepare the way for a human mission to Mars. Artemis relies on a broad and diverse international coalition, working together to achieve an historic and ambitious vision for human space exploration.As Accords signatories, state actors advance responsible behavior in outer space, including through the registration of space objects, deconfliction of activities, release of scientific data, and provision of emergency assistance.

Together, signatories will reduce uncertainty and increase the safety of space operations to facilitate the sustainable use of space to the benefit of all humankind.

President of Ukraine holds meeting with Minister of Internal Affairs President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denys Monastyrsky, who returned from the city of Vinnytsia.

The Minister of Internal Affairs reported to the Head of State about the consequences of the missile attacks on the city by the Russian army.

A total of 23 people have been killed in Vinnytsia, including three children, due to the criminal actions of the aggressor. Some 197 victims turned to health care institutions.

Four people remain missing.

Monastyrsky also briefed the President on the shelling of the city of Mykolaiv, where two people have been injured in an attack on the educational building of the Pedagogical University by four missiles.

Four more missiles struck the seven-story building of

the National Shipbuilding University.

"Russia is behaving like a terrorist state, targeting civilians.

We will do everything to find and punish those who give criminal orders and those who obey them," Zelenskyy said.

The President and the Minister of Internal Affairs discussed security issues, including the introduction of the 112 number as a single system of assistance to citizens, the introduction of a biometric identification and verification system based

on fingerprints and facial recognition, which should ensure the fastest possible solving of crimes and the creation of a safe environment for citizens.

Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the Unified Weapons Register with full functionality, which will bring the interaction of citizens and police authorities to a qualitatively new level in the matter of civilized legal circulation of weapons in Ukraine.

have always brightened the name of the country.” Talking about the difference that will be brought about by the new expressway, the Prime Minister said “the distance from Chitrakoot to Delhi has been reduced by 3-4 hours by the Bundelkhand Expressway, but its benefit is much more than that. This expressway will not only give speed to vehicles here, but it will accelerate the industrial progress of entire Bundelkhand.”

The Prime Minister emphasized that gone are the days when such great infrastructure and facilities were limited to large cities and selected areas of the countries. now , under the spirit of Sabka Saath

Sabka Vikas, even the remote and neglected areas are witnessing unprecedented connectivity. He continued that because of the expressway, the region will see many opportunities of development, employment and self employment.

He said that connectivity projects in Uttar Pradesh are connecting many areas which have been ignored in the past. For example, Bundelkhand Expressway passes through seven districts, viz. Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya and Etawah. Similarly, other Expressways are connecting every nook and corner of the state, leading to a situation where, “every

corner of Uttar Pradesh is ready to move forward with new dreams and new resolutions”. The DoubleEngine Government is working in that direction with renewed viogour, he said. Regarding improving air connectivity in the state, the Prime Minister said that new airports terminals came up in Prayagraj.

Kushinagar got new airport and work is going on in Jewar, NOIDA for a new airport and many more cities are being connected with air travel facilities. This will give a push to tourism and other development opportunities, he said.

The Prime Minister asked the Chief Minister to develop a tourism circuit

around the many forts in the region.

He also asked the Chief Minister to organise fort related events and competitions. The Prime Minister remarked that in the UP in which the Saryu canal project took 40 years to complete, in the UP where the Gorakhpur Fertilizer Plant was closed for 30 years, in the UP where the Arjun Dam project took 12 years to complete, in the UP where Amethi rifle factory was lying with only one name board, in the UP where Rae Bareli Rail Coach Factory was running only by painting the coaches, in that UP, now the infrastructure work is being done so seriously that it has even outperformed good states.

PM visits UP and inaugurates Bundelkhand Expressway TL Bureau, New Delhi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated Bundelkhand Expressway at Kaitheri village in Orai tehsil of Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh.

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, State Ministers, People’s representatives were among those present on the occasion Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister recalled the glorious traditon of hard-work, valor and cultural richness of Bundelkhand region. He said “the land that produced countless warriors, where the devotion for India flows in blood, the prowess and hard work of local sons and daughters

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world

Invader never stops if you give in to it – Olena Zelenska in interview with Corriere della Sera TL Bureau, Kyiv

Invader never stops if you give in to it – Olena Zelenska in interview with Corriere della Sera First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska gave an interview to the Italian publication Corriere della Sera. The President's wife spoke about the role of social networks in spreading the truth about the war in Ukraine and fighting Russian fakes. "Here's what I can't understand: during World War II, there wasn't so much information available. And the inhabitants of fascist states could justify themselves by the fact that they simply had nowhere to read about the crimes of their countries.

Now, the desire to know about Bucha or Mariupol depends solely on the person. Everyone's personal responsibility has increased in the 21st century, but not all people have realized it," she said.

The First Lady also answered the question what she thinks about the position of some European pacifists, who consider supplying weapons to Ukraine as prolonging the war.

"Being a pacifist when a gunwielding killer is coming at you is the last resort in your life.

Just imagine that it is in your country, in the magical Milan or in Naples, that the Russian invaders penetrated. That they occupied the outskirts of Rome, killed the

inhabitants of the suburbs. Their missiles hit residential buildings in Bologna every day. And then they take the breathless children out of there. And at this time, someone says: "Put down your weapons, do not resist! Try to talk to someone who just killed your parents with a bomb or bombed your children's school," Zelenska said. "You must understand an important thing: an invader, like a rapist, will never stop if you give in to him. He will go further. And who knows if he will reach you? I wouldn't want that. By stopping the invasion now, Ukrainians are stopping it not only for themselves, but also for Europe," the President's wife said.

ETH Board - ETH Board develops Strategic Areas in the fields of sustainability and dialogue with society TL Bureau, Berne/Zurich At its meeting on 13 July, the ETH Board approved “Joint Initiatives” of the ETH Domain Institutions covering “Energy, Climate and Environmental Sustainability” and “Engagement and Dialogue with Society”. The ETH Board

is thus boosting the activities covered by the “Strategic Areas” of the ETH Domain, as defined in its Strategic Plan 2025–2028. In addition, the ETH Board has appointed Dr Thomas Wohlgemuth as the new member of the WSL Directorate with effect from September.

Status of Israel-Lebanon Maritime Negotiations

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Ned Price, Department Spokesperson The United States remains committed to facilitating negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to reach a decision on the delimitation of the maritime boundary. Progress towards a

resolution can only be reached through negotiations between the parties. The Administration welcomes the consultative and open spirit of the parties to reach a final decision, which has the potential to yield greater stability, security, and prosperity for both Lebanon and Israel, as well as for the region, and believes a resolution is possible.

11 arrests in Germany, Poland and the UK for smuggling migrants from Belarus into the EU

Europol’s Operational Task Force Flow targets the increase of migrant smuggling activities along the EU-Belarus border

TL Bureau, Berlin

A cross-border operation, coordinated by Europol and involving law enforcement authorities from Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and the UK, has led to the dismantling of an organised crime network smuggling migrants from Belarus into the EU. In addition to the arrests and house searches carried out during the action day, Estonian and Lithuanian law enforcement authorities carried out checks on vehicles travelling on internal roads and crossing external borders. The operational activities were carried out in the framework of Europol’s Operational Task Force Flow, set up to tackle migrant smuggling networks active along the EU-Belarus border.

The action day on 13 July led to: Operational activities, checks and preventive measure in Estonia, Germany, Lithuania and Poland; 11 arrests (10 in Poland and 1 in the UK based on a German warrant); 1 high-value target arrested in the UK based on a German warrant; 28 locations searched (2 in Germany, 4 in Lithuania and 22 in Poland); 11 transfers detected with 11 facilitators and 60 migrants;

7 in Lithuania with 7 facilitators (nationals of Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Syria, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) and 44 migrants, all Iraqi nationals; 4 in Poland with 4 facilitators (nationals of Georgia, Syria and Ukraine) and 16 migrants (2 Afghan, 2 Indian, 8 Iraqi and 4 Syrian nationals); Seizures include electronic equipment, various documents, evidence of money transfers, and cash.

Up to EUR 13 000 to be smuggled from Iraq to the EU via Belarus The investigation detected 99 incidents of the illegal transportation of migrants and discovered 662 migrants

smuggled by the targeted network, part of which was uncovered during the action day on 13 July. The same criminal network had previously taken a hit in January 2022, when Polish authorities arrested 20 suspects and seized more than the equivalent of EUR 500 000 cash in euros and dollars. The criminal group consisted of Syrian and Turkish nationals.

They recruited the migrants from Iraq and arranged their transportation from Iraq/ Baghdad into the EU. The members of the criminal network were based in and acting from the countries across the smuggling route. Their tasks were divided hierarchically, with

the majority of the individuals acting at different levels not knowing each other personally.

The migrants paid between EUR 10 000 and EUR 13 000 for a full smuggling service from their country of origin, via Belarus, to Germany generating an estimated turnover of at least EUR 7 million for the criminal network. These payments were made via the hawala underground financial system.

Hawaladars with residence in Berlin (Germany) also executed the payments for the drivers after receiving a proof of completion, such as pictures of migrants after arrival in their final destination.

The criminal network used Turkey as a transit country and logistical hub. Once in Turkey, the migrants legally travelled to Moscow with tourist visas, from where they were then transferred to the Belarusian capital Minsk, or Grodno, a city near the borders with Lithuania and Poland. From there, the migrants were then smuggled to Germany via Poland and Lithuania.

The criminal network used three smuggling routes, each with an EU end destination: From Iraq via Turkey to Belarus, and then towards Poland and Germany; From Iraq via Turkey, then via Russia and Belarus, towards Latvia and Germany, and; From Iraq via Turkey, then

via Russia and Belarus towards Lithuania, Poland and Germany.

For the final transfer towards the EU, the criminal network recruited drivers, mainly Ukrainian nationals, via web forums and social media platforms. For their services on this last leg of the smuggling route, from Poland to Germany, they charged between EUR 500 and 1 000 per person.

The criminal network often transported the migrants in life-threatening conditions, such as overcrowded vehicles and even closed cars on loading platforms. In October 2021, German authorities found the body of a migrant close to the border. The forensic examination suggested that the smugglers abandoned him in an empty field after suffering bad health conditions, where he then died off a multiple organ failure.

Dedicated Task Force at Europol to support the crisis response In June 2021, Lithuanian law enforcement reported an increase of the illegal migration inflow across the BelarusLithuanian border. Authorities in Poland and Latvia reported the same. In response, Lithuania set up a Joint Investigative Cell (JIC) in Vilnius to serve as an operational hub that would facilitate the cooperation between involved national law enforcement authorities.

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australia

Bulldogs Home Revamp Underway TL Bureau, Perth

A milestone in the Western Bulldogs’ proud 145-year history is being marked today, with demolition of the old EJ Whitten Stand making way for a major upgrade of facilities at Whitten Oval, thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos visited the site to inspect progress and announce a further $8.2 million investment from the Labor Government into the second stage of the oval’s redevelopment.

The project will deliver integrated men’s and women’s football program facilities and a new indoor field to support the club’s training and community programs.

The Government had already committed $36.6 million for the Stage Two redevelopment to replace ageing facilities and support the growth of the club.

The new EJ Whitten Stand will be built with improved seating and facilities for spectators, along with a new function room, administration

offices, and space for the club’s Community Foundation to deliver its programs.

The project will also include broadcast quality sports lighting, the refurbishment of the entry building and museum, and a new match day pavilion with a merchandise shop, food and beverages, first aid room and amenities.

The Footscray site is the home of the Bulldogs, but AFL games stopped being played there in 1997. It has been given a new lease of life in recent years with the return of VFL and hosting VFLW and AFLW games. When the project is complete in early 2024, it will cement Whitten Oval’s status as a premier AFLW training and match day venue.

Stage One of the redevelopment was delivered in 2018 to support the club’s participation in the AFLW competition with female friendly change rooms and umpires’ rooms, and a video scoreboard.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos “This development will be a game-changer for the Bulldogs

and their supporters, with upgraded facilities for staff, players and spectators.”

“We’re upgrading sporting facilities right across the state to ensure greater access and to help level the playing field for all participants.”

Quote attributable to Member for Footscray Katie Hall “The club’s Community Foundation has an outstanding record of supporting Melbourne’s western suburbs, including its Daughters of the West, Nallei Jerring, and African-Australian GOAL mentoring programs – this project will give the Foundation better facilities to enhance the delivery of its programs.”

Quote attributable to Western Bulldogs President Kylie Watson-Wheeler “The government’s financial contributions have enabled us to realise our dream of a reimagined precinct, which will not only give our elite men’s and women’s teams the most cutting-edge facilities in the competition, but a place for the whole community of the west to enjoy."

Specialist domestic and family violence court to operate in Brisbane TL Bureau, Brisbane A specialist domestic and family violence court will be established in Brisbane to help vulnerable Queenslanders navigate the justice system.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman said the Queensland Government had committed $19.7 million over four years to roll-out the new specialist court to deal exclusively with domestic and family violence (DFV) matters.

“This model ensures victims attending court can have confidence the experience won’t further traumatise them,” Minister Fentiman said.

“It means people who experience DFV are supported through the legal system, instead of getting lost in it.”

The Attorney-General said additional funding has also been committed to upgrade the Courthouse to improve victim safety and make sure facilities are modern and functional.

“Brisbane has one of the busiest magistrates courts in Queensland, which deals with a high volume of DFV matters, so the community will

benefit from this specialist service,” Minister Fentiman said.

“In 2020-21, the court dealt with almost 1,900 applications for domestic violence orders and more than 2,200 charges of contravening a domestic violence order.”

Specialist domestic and family violence courts were first trialled in Queensland in 2015 and currently operate in Southport, Beenleigh, Townsville, Mount Isa and Palm Island. A new specialist DFV court will also be established in Cairns.

“Specialist courts are shown to be effective in prioritising the safety of victims, holding perpetrators accountable and working to promote changes in attitudes and behaviour,” Minister Fentiman said.

“The Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s Hear Her Voicereport one supported the model, recommending an expansion of the program.” The Attorney-General said the design and operation of the Brisbane Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Court would be informed by the operations of existing specialist courts, particularly Queensland’s first permanent specialist DFV court at Southport.

by the Australian community.

Some of these costs can’t be measured – such as the impact on every frontline paramedic, doctor, nurse or police officer who gets assaulted by drug-affected persons; people living in fear of gangrelated violence resulting in a stray bullet in their child’s bedroom; or someone whose parent, child, partner or friend doesn’t make it home because of a car accident with a drugaffected driver.

“The AFP will continue to attack drug traffickers’ operations, logistics, finances and communications – both onshore and offshore – to ensure the protection of the West Australian community.”

ABF Commander James Copeman said officers had intercepted the consignment of four wheel rims due to a number of anomalies, including a presumptivepositive result, using trace and substance detection technology. The consignment was then referred to the AFP. “It doesn’t matter if it’s an MDMA tablet in an envelope, meth hidden in pillows or a tonne of heroin built into heavy duty machinery, the ABF has a range of sophisticated targeting methods which combine with our passionate officers who

are determined to prevent these harmful substances from entering Australia,” Commander Copeman said.

ACIC Acting Executive Director Intelligence Operations Thomas Hester said this result was another example of the importance of agencies working together to deliver impacts through their unique capabilities.

“By working together, we are preventing illicit drugs such as cocaine from reaching the community and we will continue to work with our partners to target those who profit from the trafficking of these drugs, with no regard for the harm they cause,” Mr Hester said.

The men have each been charged with: Import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs (cocaine), contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth); and Attempt to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs (cocaine), contrary to section 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). Both offences carry a potential penalty of life imprisonment. The men faced Perth Magistrate’s Court today (15 July 2022) and have been remanded in custody to re-appear next week (21 July).

Sydney father and son charged over $24m WA cocaine haul TL Bureau, Sydney

This is a joint release between Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commissioner A Sydney father and son with alleged links to Middle Eastern organised crime have been charged with importing 66 kilograms of cocaine discovered in car tyres in Western Australia.

The men were arrested in Perth last Friday evening (8 July) after they went to a home in Nollamara and allegedly collected dozens of packages of what were supposed to be illicit drugs but were instead a harmless substance substituted by police.

The 53-year-old man had only flown in from Sydney earlier that day, while his son, 25, had arrived the night before (7 July 2022).

Police allege four West Australians also charged over the plot had already cut apart the four high performance wheels to access the 56 packages of white powder concealed inside.

The Sydney pair allegedly collected the packages, which had been placed inside bags and a cardboard box, and briefly stopped at a hotel

before driving to a shopping centre in the Perth suburb of Belmont.

Police will allege the two men opened at least one of the plastic wrapped blocks to test the contents before dumping all of them in a skip bin outside the shopping centre.

AFP investigators, assisted

by ABF officers, swooped on the pair soon after they left the shopping centre, arresting them and then retrieving the dumped items.

AFP officers in NSW later searched the men’s family home in the South-Western Sydney suburb of Canterbury, where they seized items that will undergo further examination.

AFP Superintendent Graeme Marshall said the successful removal of cocaine with an estimated value of about $24 million from Australian streets would make the community safer.

“We suspect these men were planning to take the cocaine to the eastern states for distribution,” Detective Superintendent Marshall said.

“Drug trafficking syndicates will try any avenue they can to flood Australia with drugs because of the profit they can make, however the AFP is working closely with our Commonwealth partners to disrupt these syndicates and protect the Australian community.

“The cost of this greed is paid

6

NZ and Other Oceania

Five lay members of the Empowering Pacific High Court appointed Aotearoa to achieve home ownership

TL Bureau, Wellington

Attorney-General David Parker announced today the appointment of five lay members of the High Court under the Commerce Act 1986.

Lay members assist the Court in cases involving appeals from decisions of the Commerce Commission and in other matters under the Commerce Act, and play a key role in ensuring that expert evidence on complex competition or regulation issues is properly understood, tested and assessed by the Court.

The five lay members are: Pat Duignan. Mr Duignan is a finance and economics adviser

and was appointed a lay member to the High Court in April 2016 in relation to regulatory matters. He previously served as a Commissioner of the New Zealand Commerce Commission from 2010 to 2015, and as an expert member of the Accident Compensation Corporation Board Investment Committee from 2003 to 2021. He is a director of Munro Duignan Ltd, a corporate finance and treasury risk management advisory business. Stephen King.

Professor King has considerable expertise and experience in economics, specialising in applied microeconomic theory, industrial organisation, competition and regulation. He is a Commissioner

of the Australian Productivity Commission and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Monash University in Melbourne. Tony van Zijl.

Professor van Zijl has expertise in financial reporting, audit, capital markets, cost of capital, valuation, and performance measurement and reporting. He has provided litigation support and expert evidence in arbitrations, Commerce Commission hearings, and High Court proceedings. He is Professor of Accounting and Financial Management and Director of the Centre for Accounting, Governance and Taxation Research, Wellington School of Business and Government, Victoria University of Wellington.

Fish Passage remediation in Tasman District to boost fish numbers and employment

TL Bureau, Wellington

A joint Government and Tasman District Council project is investing to bring more freshwater fish to the Tasman region, protect local waterways and employ local people.

Environment Minister David Parker said the five-year $2 million Tasman Fish Passage project will see more than 4,000 in-stream structures assessed, with around 1,500 being restored for fish passage – including culverts, weirs, dams, and water intakes that migratory fish cannot climb or swim over.

“Restoring these in-stream structures allows fish to access their habitats to spawn and so

sustain their populations. The increasing abundance and diversity of fish in our streams will also help bird species that feed mainly on freshwater fish – many of which are also threatened,” David Parker said.

“The Tasman Fish Passage project is also expected to create 17 new jobs, with a focus on growing local skills.” Funding is being provided from the Government’s Jobs for Nature initiative, the Ministry for the Environment’s Freshwater Improvement Fund and the Tasman District Council.

Tasman District Council Senior Resource Scientist Trevor James said this funding will increase the rate and the scale of activity

by over 20 times. Archdeacon Harvey Ruru of the Tasman District Council said: “The funding will make a huge difference to help our te taiao – our environment – and the little fish that can’t speak for themselves.” The remediation project also intends to improve local freshwater knowledge and foster kaitiakitanga through iwi-led education events and Mātuaranga Māori monitoring. “One of our top priorities going forward, is for our rangatahi to understand the migrations of fish,” Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō spokesperson Aaron Hemi said. “We have to look after our environment in order to have something for tomorrow.”

amongst New Zealanders aged 65 and over. That in turn has led to an increase in hospital occupancy.

“We are continuing to ask New Zealanders to do three things - get vaccinated, wear a mask in many or most indoor settings and isolate when sick to suppress the spread of the virus over the remaining winter months. If we all play our part we can take some pressure off the health system.

“To support this we are implementing a range of measures to help Kiwis stay well. These extra measures will help get us and the health system through the winter months. Please do your bit.

Medicines “We are increasing access to antiviral medication to those most likely to end up in hospital, making free masks and RATs more widely available and doing another push to lift uptake of flu and COVID-19 vaccines

including the second booster.

"Antiviral medications can reduce the seriousness of COVID-19 meaning fewer people need to be hospitalised, so we are making these more widely available as pharmacist only medications.

“Pharmac are also broadening the eligibility criteria to enable more people from higher risk groups to access antiviral medications.

Pharmac will be making further announcements about this today.

“These eligible groups will be able to access antivirals without the need for a doctor’s prescription. This means access will expand from 2 per cent to 10 per cent of cases. “From Monday 18 July anyone over 75 years of age who has tested positive for COVID-19 or anyone who has been admitted previously to an Intensive Care Unit directly as a result of COVID-19, will be eligible to access antivirals through

TL Bureau, Wellington

Pacific peoples in Aotearoa are now on the road to achieving their ultimate goal of home ownership, one year after the launch of the Pacific Financial Capability Development programme, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “We successfully secured funding of up to $41.315 million over four years for the Pacific Housing Initiative in Budget 2020 and we can now offer access to a financial capability programme.

This programme will increase the financial capability of Pacific families and individuals to own their own homes.

“The launch of the programme in February 2021 was a first step towards providing initiatives to strengthen the financial management knowledge and skills of Pacific families and communities, while supporting them to save towards home ownership,” Aupito William Sio said.

“In June last year,15 organisations specialising in budgeting and financial services were contracted to support over 1,000 Pacific people who have enrolled in the programme.

“The goal is to have over 3,000 people through the programme and more than 100 people moving into their new homes within 12

months of starting the service.

“Already, 42 families have achieved home ownership goals – 10 families have homes saved from mortgagee sales and 32 have purchased new homes.

“Families who did not believe they could buy a house are moving to new homes and more than 50 per cent of participants have been placed on homeownership plans.

“This shows we are moving in the right direction to improve Pacific homeownership rates. In 2017, Pacific home ownership rates was 18% and now it currently sits at 21 per cent. “More than 95 per cent of participants have received financial literacy training, while more than 70 per cent have received support to save, budget and manage their debt. “Our providers are telling us families are learning to manage their debt, budgeting and saving towards buying a house, which shows how effective this programme is,” said Aupito William Sio. This financial capability service embodies Pacific cultural values and recognises Pacific communities as leaders and the owners of wellbeing and culture, it is family-centred, and enables Pacific communities to lead their own solutions. “Giving Pacific people the tools to achieve home ownership empowers our communities to live prosperously is one of our overarching goals,” Aupito William Sio said.

their GP. “This will help alleviate pressure on primary care by removing the need for GPs to review every COVID-19 patient that may be eligible for antivirals.

“To speed up access to antivirals, GPs can now provide back pocket prescriptions which means at-risk patients for acute respiratory illnesses can be preapproved and have their prescription ready should they become unwell and need the medicine immediately.

RATs and masks “To increase uptake in use in RATs and masks packs of medical masks will be provided free along with free RAT kits for individuals and households from testing centres and in more locations by the end of the week. You do not need to have COVID-19 symptoms. And P2/N95 masks will be available for clinically vulnerable and high risk individuals.

“Free RATs will be available from all current community providers, including marae, testing stations and local pharmacies.

“We are encouraging everyone who needs extra RATs or masks to head to a testing site or other location and collect a free pack for you and your whānau. There is no criteria, you don’t need to be unwell or have symptoms.

“Wearing masks can reduce new cases of the virus by as much as 53 per cent. We are asking New Zealanders to keep up good mask wearing, especially over the remaining winter months where the virus is more likely to pass in indoor settings.

“The tried and tested measures: wearing a high quality mask, strong vaccine and booster uptake, antivirals and testing are highly effective and will put us in the best position to get through what is one of the toughest winters we’ve faced.

New measures to tackle COVID-19 and flu

TL Bureau, Wellington

The Government is rolling out additional measures to help tackle the second Omicron wave and record levels of flu to ease pressure on the health system and health workers.

“There’s no question the combination of a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations, the worst flu season in recent memory and corresponding staff absences are putting health workers and the whole health system under extreme pressure,” Minister for COVID-19 Response Dr Ayesha Verrall said.

“Our modelling suggests we’re at the beginning of a second Omicron wave that could be bigger than the first, with the more transmissible BA.5 variant becoming the dominant strain in the community.

“There has been a significant increase in cases over the past two weeks, and worryingly the biggest jump is in cases

7

BUSINESS

World Bank Group Responds to Overlapping Crises with Nearly $115 Billion in Financing in Fiscal Year 2022

TL Bureau​, Washington

In its just-completed fiscal year 2022 (FY22), the World Bank Group responded with unprecedented scale to overlapping global crises, providing advice and financing in response to the sharpest economic slowdown in eight decades, rising inflation, deepening food insecurity, war and fragility, and the continued negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid these devastating crises, the World Bank Group deployed a record $114.9 billion in FY22 (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022).

Commitments during FY22 were informed by our knowledge work and helped countries address rising food prices, manage refugee flows, bolster health preparedness, maintain private sector trade, and support efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, among others, benefitting especially the poor and most vulnerable.

"Developing countries are facing multiple challenges— from war to surging food and energy prices—which deepen inequality and lead to reversals in development gains," said World Bank Group President David Malpass. "The World Bank Group has responded with urgency, scale, and impact. We have committed consecutive surges of financing, analytical support, and policy advice, first in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now to address the food crisis, the war in Ukraine, and its spillover effects."

World Bank Group Commitments (in U.S. billions) FY 20 FY 21 FY 22* IBRD 28.5 30.5 33.1 IDA 30.4 36.1 37.7 IFC 28.4 31.5 32.8 Long-term finance (own account) 11.1 12.5 12.6 Mobilization 10.8 10.8 10.6 Short-term finance 6.5 8.2 9.7 MIGA 4.0 5.2 4.9 Recipient-Executed Trust Funds (RETFs) 3.6 6.4 6.4 TOTAL (excluding short-term finance, mobilization, and RETFs) 74.0 84.3 88.2 TOTAL (including short-term finance, mobilization, and RETFs) 94.9 109.7 114.9 *Preliminary and unaudited numbers as of July 14. Totals may not add up due to rounding. ​ ​ ​ The World Bank (IBRD and IDA) committed $70.8 billion in assistance in FY22, its highest ever level of commitments, nearly 70% higher than the precrisis average of commitments from FY13 to FY19. That figure included $33.1 billion from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in support to middle-income countries as well as a few higher-income countries and $37.7 billion in grants and zero- or low-interest loans to the world's poorest countries from the International Development Association (IDA).

IDA commitments to countries facing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) reached $16.2 billion, accounting for 43% of IDA's total commitments in FY22.

To meet the increased demand for funding during FY22, the World Bank fully used all remaining resources from the IDA19 replenishment. As a result, the IDA20 replenishment was

advanced by a year, providing $93 billion of continued support for poor countries through June 2025. IBRD was also able to increase resources, drawing on a crisis buffer arranged in the capital increase in 2018 to surge its financing.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, total World Bank Group financing has reached $272 billion, including $52.6 billion in the last quarter of FY22.

For the 15 months from April 2022 to June 2023, financing is expected to reach $170 billion.

An important component of this funding will be devoted to food security, including social protection and projects in agriculture, nutrition, water, and irrigation. The World Bank has made available around $30 billion over these 15 months as part of a comprehensive, global response to the ongoing food security crisis, some $12 billion of which will be new lending, informed by our substantial data and analytical work on food and

Proposal to allow Telstra and NBN Co to amend broadband agreements

TL Bureau, Sydney

The ACCC has issued a draft determination proposing to authorise Telstra and NBN Co and their related entities to amend agreements that they entered into from 2011 and 2014 which facilitated the rollout of the national broadband network.

The existing agreements, authorised under statute, provide the necessary legal certainty that certain conduct would not contravene Australian competition laws.

This conduct is not the subject of any previous or existing ACCC authorisations.

The Telstra Group is proposing

to undertake a restructure of its organisation and is seeking to incorporate its related entities into the existing agreements with the NBN through an amendment.

Under the proposed authorisation, entities across the restructured Telstra group will be able to continue to give effect to their existing rights and obligations owed to NBN Co. “In our assessment we are limited to considering the potential public benefits and detriments that flow from the restructure and not from any existing agreements,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.

“The Telstra restructure is likely to result in some public

benefits including increasing value to the shares widely held by Australian retail investors, largely by improving commercial opportunities.”

“The ACCC understand that in the absence of the proposed authorisation, the Telstra Group’s restructure will not proceed, and they will be bound by existing agreements with the NBN and the statutory protections from the Telecommunications Act,” Mr Keogh said.

The ACCC is now seeking submissions from interested parties in relation to its draft determination before making a final decision in August/ September 2022.

nutrition systems. Since April 1, the World Bank delivered 32 food-crisis related operations and committed $5.3 billion in this area.

The World Bank continued to rapidly increase its climate financing in FY22, in line with the World Bank Group's Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) for 2021-2025, which aims to commit 35% of Bank Group financing to climate, on average, with at least 50% of World Bank climate finance supporting adaptation. The World Bank's climate finance totaled a record $26 billion (37% of commitments) in FY22, an 83% increase from $14.2 billion in FY19. At $12.8 billion, the FY22 adaptation share reached 49%, just shy of the 50% target, and an all-time high dollar amount. As part of the CCAP, the World Bank Group has begun publishing Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs), new core diagnostic reports that integrate climate change and development considerations and help countries prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost adaptation. Reports on Türkiyeand Vietnam have been published, with over 20 more nearing completion and expected in coming months.

The World Bank continued to focus on COVID-19 during FY22, with pandemic response financing reaching $72.8 billion between April 2020 and June 2022, including $37.6 billion and $35.1 billion in IBRD and IDA commitments, respectively.

As of June 30, 2022, the World

Bank has approved $10.1 billion in financing for vaccine acquisition and deployment in 78 countries, of which $4.6 billion is for 42 countries in Africa.

Over 600 million doses have been contracted with approved Bank financing, of which over 430 million have been delivered.

The Bank is also setting up a financial intermediary fund to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

With over $1 billion in financial commitments already announced, the fund will bring additional, dedicated resources for PPR, incentivize countries to increase investments, enhance coordination among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy.

Progress was also made in efforts to fully incorporate women in economies. An unprecedented 90% of the World Bank's FY22 operations are helping to close gender gaps, well above corporate commitments.

The World Bank and IFC continued to mobilize private capital through bond markets in FY22. IBRD raised approximately $41 billion, and IDA raised approximately $10 billion from investors in capital markets, to finance sustainable development activities. IFC issued just over $9 billion in bonds for private sector development and job creation in emerging markets. IBRD, IDA and IFC are rated AAA/Aaa.

Telstra’s proposed acquisition of majority stake in Fetch TV not opposed TL Bureau, Canberra The ACCC will not oppose the proposed acquisition of 51.4% of Media Innovations Holdings Pty Ltd (Fetch TV)

by Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX:TLS).

Telstra and Fetch TV both supply content aggregation services through set-topboxes. Telstra supplies Telstra TV with eligible Telstra retail broadband services and Fetch TV supplies set-top-boxes to broadband retailers to supply as an add-on to broadband services, and directly to consumers through select retail stores.

The ACCC’s review focussed on whether Telstra would have the ability and incentive to foreclose competing broadband retailer’s access to Fetch TV. “Our investigation found that

entertainment offerings are one important way for broadband retailers to differentiate themselves from competitors,” ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said.

“However, Fetch TV does not appear to be critical or a ‘must have’ aspect for Telstra’s retail broadband competitors to offer consumers a competitive retail broadband service.”

“With this in mind, it is unlikely the proposed transaction would lead to Telstra foreclosing rival broadband providers,” Ms Carver said.

Several broadband retailers, including those that offer Fetch TV, also supply other entertainment offerings or other inclusions. For example, SubHub by Optus allows customers to combine and save on subscription video ondemand services like Netflix.

8

Feature

Four questions: Risa Wechsler on what the James Webb Space Telescope images reveal The Stanford astrophysicist and cosmologist reacts to recent news about the newly released image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope.

By Maddi Langweil California NASA set off a frenzy within the astronomy community this week with its much-anticipated releaseof the first images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The infrared images represent humanity’s deepest and sharpest glimpse into the early universe.

The first of them – previewed by the Biden Administration at the White House on Monday – reveal the spangle of stars and galaxies contained within a speck of sky no bigger than a grain of sand held out at arm’s length. Another reveals a ghostly landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” carved by stellar winds in a nearby star-forming region in the Carina Nebula.

Upon seeing JWST’s first trove of images, Stanford astrophysicist and cosmologist Risa Wechsler was reminded of the initial glimpse of the universe captured by another space observatory many years ago.

“I was just starting graduate school when the Hubble Deep Fieldwas released, and that had such a tremendous impact on our understanding of galaxies and the universe,” Wechsler said. “I expect JWST will be at least as transformational, and I can’t wait to see what creative things people will do with the telescope.”

What was your first reaction to this image taken by the JWST? Awe. Pure awe. There is just so much detail in this image that we have never seen before. As someone who is lucky enough to think about how galaxies form and evolve every day, they continue to surprise me. These images are just stunningly beautiful.

I was so excited that I didn’t sleep very well on Monday night after seeing the first image, I woke up thinking about these tiny, wonderful galaxies and anticipating what we will learn and what else we can do

Risa Wechsler (Image credit: Harrison Truong) with this telescope.

Why did NASA choose this location for the first image?

Galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, as imaged by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI) This location includes a galaxy cluster that is about 4 billion light-years away. The big white galaxies in the center of the image are part of that cluster, and we also expect that it is surrounded by an even larger amount of dark matter.

The cluster and the galaxies within it are very pretty on their own, but more importantly, that cluster has so much mass that it is something called a strong gravitational lens – this is an effect due to general relativity whereby any mass in the universe distorts spacetime. Very much like a magnifying glass, the light behind the cluster gets bent but also magnified, which means that galaxies very far away actually appear brighter than they would if there were not something more massive in the way. This helps us see galaxies even farther back in time than we would in an emptier region of space! hat stands out for you in this “deepest field image” of the universe captured by the JWST? There were three things that stood out to me personally in the image.

The first is just how many galaxies there are in the image.

Almost every tiny one-pixel speck in that image is a galaxy, and probably some of them, especially the very red ones that we couldn’t see with other telescopes, are galaxies from the first 500 million years of the universe.

The second is related to those stretched out and strangely shaped galaxies. The reason they are stretched out is due to the gravitational lensing effect I mentioned earlier. The very far away galaxies, that are behind the more nearby galaxy cluster, have their light distorted by the fact that the cluster is bending spacetime. You can also actually see multiple images of some of the galaxies. The thing that stands out about this lens is how sharp and thin some of those features are! That will allow us to make an even better model of where the mass is and will help us study the details of the very distant galaxies better than ever.

The third is that faint and fuzzy white stuff in the middle of the image that looks like a cloud. This is something that we call “intracluster light” –

and it’s essentially like the sea spray that comes off previous galaxy collisions that formed the galaxy cluster. That can teach us about the formation history of the cluster in different ways than the galaxies alone.

How is the James Webb telescope relevant to your work on dark matter?

The trained observer can almost “see” dark matter directly in this image because of those stretched and magnified galaxies. More specifically, we see the impact that dark matter has on the background galaxies because without it we would not have enough mass to get these very elongated features. The image is so clear that it will enable us to make much more precise models of where the dark matter is in this galaxy cluster. A specific thing that we will be looking for is whether the dark matter in the cluster is very smooth, or whether there is evidence for small clumps of dark matter, that would impact these lensing features differently. Measuring the amount of substructure can help us tell the difference between different kinds of dark matter particles.

9

life and real estate

COVID-19 pandemic fuels largest continued backslide in vaccinations in three decades WHO and UNICEF sound the alarm as new data shows global vaccination coverage continued to decline in 2021, with 25 million infants missing out on lifesaving vaccines

TL Bureau, Geneva/ New York The largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years has been recorded in official data published today by WHO and UNICEF. The percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) – a marker for immunization coverage within and across countries – fell 5 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 to 81 per cent.

As a result, 25 million children missed out on one or more doses of DTP through routine immunization services in 2021 alone. This is 2 million more than those who missed out in 2020 and 6 million more than in 2019, highlighting the growing number of children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases. The decline was due to many factors including an increased number of children living in conflict and fragile settings where immunization access is often challenging, increased misinformation and COVID-19 related issues such as service and supply chain disruptions, resource diversion to response efforts, and containment measures that limited immunization service access and availability.

“This is a red alert for child health. We are witnessing the largest sustained drop in childhood immunization in a generation. The consequences will be measured in lives,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “While a pandemic hangover was expected last year as a result of COVID-19 disruptions and

lockdowns, what we are seeing now is a continued decline.

COVID-19 is not an excuse.

We need immunization catchups for the missing millions or we will inevitably witness more outbreaks, more sick children and greater pressure on already strained health systems.”

18 million of the 25 million children did not receive a single dose of DTP during the year, the vast majority of whom live in low- and middleincome countries, with India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and the Philippines recording the highest numbers. Among countries[1] with the largest relative increases in the number of children who did not receive a single vaccine between 2019 and 2021 are Myanmar and Mozambique.

Globally, over a quarter of the coverage of HPV vaccines that was achieved in 2019 has been lost. This has grave consequences for the health of women and girls, as global coverage of the first dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is only 15%, despite the first vaccines being licensed over 15 years ago.

It was hoped that 2021 would be a year of recovery during which strained immunization programmes would rebuild and the cohort of children missed in 2020 would be caught-up.

Instead, DTP3 coverage was set back to its lowest level since 2008 which, along with declines in coverage for other basic vaccines, pushed the world off-track to meet global goals, including the immunization indicator for the Sustainable Development Goals.

This historic backsliding in rates of immunization is

happening against a backdrop of rapidly rising rates of severe acute malnutrition. A malnourished child already has weakened immunity and missed vaccinations can mean common childhood illnesses quickly become lethal to them. The convergence of a hunger crisis with a growing immunization gap threatens to create the conditions for a child survival crisis.

Vaccine coverage dropped in every region, with the East Asia and Pacific region recording the steepest reversal in DTP3 coverage, falling nine percentage points in just two years.

“Planning and tackling COVID-19 should also go hand-in-hand with vaccinating for killer diseases like measles, pneumonia and diarrhea,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO DirectorGeneral. “It’s not a question of either/or, it’s possible to do both”. Some countries notably held off declines.

Uganda maintained high levels of coverage in routine immunization programmes, whilst rolling out a targeted COVID-19 vaccination programme to protect priority populations, including health workers. Similarly, Pakistan returned to pre-pandemic levels of coverage thanks to high-level government commitment and significant catch-up immunization efforts.

To achieve this in the midst of a pandemic, when healthcare systems and health workers were under significant strain, should be applauded.

Monumental efforts will be required to reach universal levels of coverage and to

prevent outbreaks. Inadequate coverage levels have already resulted in avoidable outbreaks of measles and polio in the past 12 months, underscoring the vital role of immunization in keeping children, adolescents, adults, and societies healthy.

First dose measles coverage dropped to 81 per cent in 2021, also the lowest level since 2008.

This meant 24.7 million children missed their first measles dose in 2021, 5.3 million more than in 2019. A further 14.7 million did not receive their needed second dose. Similarly, compared to 2019, 6.7 million more children missed the third dose of polio vaccine and 3.5 million missed the first dose of the HPV vaccine- which protects girls against cervical cancer later in life. The sharp two-year decline follows almost a decade of stalled progress, underscoring the need to not only address pandemic-related disruptions but also systemic immunization challenges to ensure every child and adolescent is reached. WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a strategy for all countries and relevant global partners to achieve set goals on preventing diseases through immunization and delivering vaccines to everyone, everywhere, at every age.

“It’s heart-breaking to see more children losing out on protection from preventable diseases for a second year in a row. The priority of the Alliance must be to help countries to maintain, restore and strengthen routine immunization alongside executing ambitious COVID-19 vaccination plans, not just

through vaccines but also tailored structural support for the health systems that will administer them,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The IA2030 partners call on governments and relevant actors to: Intensify efforts for catchup vaccination to address backsliding on routine immunization, and expand outreach services in underserved areas to reach missed children and implement campaigns to prevent outbreaks; Implement evidence-based, people-centred, and tailored strategies to build trust in vaccines and immunization, counter misinformation and increase vaccine uptake particularly among vulnerable communities; Ensure current pandemic preparedness and response and the global health architecture strengthening efforts lead to investment in primary health care (PHC) services, with explicit support to strengthen and sustain essential immunization; Ensure political commitment from national governments and increase domestic resource allocation to strengthen and sustain immunization within PHC; Prioritize health information and disease surveillance systems strengthening to provide the data and monitoring needed for programmes to have maximum impact; and Leverage and increase investment in research to develop and improve new and existing vaccines and immunization services that can achieve community needs and deliver on IA2030 goals.

TOURISM STATISTICS INFORM UN REPORTS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

TL Bureau, Madrid

A United Nations global assessment of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) makes clear the important role that tourism must play in achieving the ambitious agenda for change.

Launched at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which this year is held around the theme of ‘building back better’ from the pandemic, the UN reports draw on UNWTO’s statistical work to track tourism’s role in delivering meaningful progress for people and the planet. Specifically, the UN SG Progress report on SDGs

with its statistical annex will serve as an input to the deliberations of the HLFP. Alongside this, the Sustainable Development Goals Extended Report is aimed at the wider public and provides an overview of all 17 Goals with infographics, including those illustrating the relevance of tourism.

Prepared in collaboration with the entire UN Statistical System, the reports and their latest available data show that action is needed to accelerate the delivery on the SDGs and to step up national measurement efforts, including for the tourism sector.

As demonstrated in section on

SDG8 (‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’), tourism a major force of development was one of the most affected economic sectors by the COVID-19 Pandemic as global GDP from tourism nearly halved between 2019 and 2020, with widereaching consequences for jobs, local businesses and conservation efforts.

On SDG12 (‘Responsible Production and Consumption’), UNWTO’s statistics serve to highlight the importance of national efforts to implement standardized tools like Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs) and the System of EnvironmentalEconomic Accounting (SEEA).

Both underpin the UNWTO-led Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) that assesses the social, economic and environmental impacts and dependencies of tourism—at national and sub-national levels -. These tools also underline the importance of multistakeholder collaboration which is fostered through the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network.

As countries build back better and aim to build more sustainable and resilient tourism, various policy frameworks have recognized the need for these measurement

tools to guide their efforts and thus contribute to more evidencebased policymaking. Examples at the international and regional level are the UNWTO Recommendations for the Transition to a Green Travel and Tourism Economy and the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, both welcomed and endorsed by the G20, the European Parliament resolution on establishing a strategy for sustainable tourism, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework, UNWTO General Assembly resolutions and UN Statistical Commission decisions.

10

Tackling Racism & Racial Inequality in Sport Update

TL Bureau, London

We know from the review that racism remains an everyday reality in sport in the UK, often causing a devastating impact on the lives and mental wellbeing of the targeted individuals and their families.

This reinforces our collective determination to promote and enable urgent systemic change to tackle racism and eradicate racial discrimination from the sporting system.

It also highlights the need for more effective measures to protect individuals who experience racism or any other kind of abuse in sport.

In our last update in December, we noted that our priority over the following six months would be to engage with our external partners on the outcomes of the TRARIIS review and the need to deliver action against our five overarching commitments relating to People, Representation, Structures and Systems, Insights and

Investment.

The five Sports Councils have been meeting regularly and collaborating as a group to share and review actions we have initiated in line with those commitments.

We set out below what each Sports Council is doing in this respect and details of other activity can be found here.

UK Sport In February, at our PLx conference (UK Sport’s key learning and collaboration event for funded sports in the highperformance system), we invited Ladi Ajayi from AKD Solutions to introduce the ‘Tell your story’ report (carried out as part of the TRARIIS review) and share its findings with sports.

UK Sport’s Chair, Dame Katherine Grainger, issued a call to action, urging the leaders present to understand the priority to engage with this work, take the opportunity to reimagine sport and start to lead the necessary transformational change.

In May, we launched “Sport

Integrity”, a new independent and confidential disclosure and complaints service pilot for all athletes, coaches and support personnel within the highperformance sports system.

This will help funded National Governing Bodies (NGBs) to uphold the highest standards of conduct in their World Class Programmes and take appropriate disciplinary action when necessary. Amongst other areas, Sport Integrity forms part of the high-performance community’s direct response to TRARIIS, following its recommendation that an independent and impartial investigatory body be established. We set out the bespoke, tailored practical support we will be providing to help them create and implement their Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP). The DIAP is a requirement under the revised Code for Sports Governance for all organisations seeking or in receipt of significant funding from UK Sport and/or Sport England.

last days of an asymptomatic infection and her most recent negative test indicates that she is no longer infectious.

Weston tested negative on rapid antigen tests leading into the training camp in Perth and has been testing daily under the Diamonds’ health and safety protocols.

“Jo’s initial PCR results showed C/T values consistent with low levels of the virus, indicating either the very start or very end of an infection,”

Dr White said.

“We took a cautious approach and isolated Jo and performed daily testing. This showed the PCR C/T values change to the point that the virus was undetectable, which indicates that this was the end rather than the start of her COVID-19 infection.” The Diamonds will travel to Manchester tomorrow in preparation for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

UPDATE ON DIAMONDS DEFENDER JO WESTON TL Bureau, Fitzroy

Australian Diamond Jo Weston will travel with the team to Manchester tomorrow after testing negative to COVID-19.

Netball Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Susan White said after discussions with the testing laboratory and other experts, it is believed Weston’s PCR tests during the first days of the Diamonds camp detected the

Sports

USA wins The World Games gold medal, three-peats as women’s softball world champion

Welcome to this daily summary of The World Games softball competition, giving you the latest news and key updates on the multisport event that finished today in Birmingham, Alabama.

TL Bureau, Birmingham

USA defeated Japan, 3-2, in The World Gameswomen's softball final to earn the gold medal and the title of world champions. In the bronze medal game, Chinese Taipei defeated Australia, 6-0, and won a medal at the world championship level for the first time in 20 years.

In a thrilling gold medal game, Janae Jefferson`s base-clearing double in the bottom of the second inning was the gamewinning play for USA. The hosts defeated Japan, 3-2, and won not only the gold medal, but also retained the women’s softball world champion title. The game was played at Hoover Met Stadium in front of a bumper crowd of 8,200 softball fans who thrived on every play, creating an amazing atmosphere for the two top-ranked women's softball teams in the world.

It is USA’s 12th women’s softball world title, and third consecutive. For Japan it’s the sixth second place finish at world championship level. The final was also a repeat of the Tokyo 2020

Olympic Games gold medal gamelast year however, that time, Japan beat USA to retain their Olympic title.

Chinese Taipei earned The World Games softball bronze medal on the back of a superb performance by young pitching ace Hsia-Ai Ke. This is Chinese Taipei’s first podium at a world championship level in 20 years, and the third overall podium. They finished in third place in the 2002 World Championship and runner-up in 1982 on home soil.Ke, who led Chinese Taipei to the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cupsilver medal last year, pitched an absolute gem against Australia. She tossed a 2-hit shutout, striking out 4 with 2 walks.

In the fifth-place play off, Puerto Rico defeated Canada, 1-0, while Italy finished in seventh place after winning their last game against Mexico.

Haylie McCleney was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of The World Games softball competition.

The local outfielder hit .553 with 4 runs and 5 RBI as USA’s leadoff hitter.

SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA ESTABLISHES INTEGRITY MANAGER NETWORK TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTION OF AUSTRALIAN SPORT TL Bureau, Canberra

Sport Integrity Australia has today launched a new 24 person Integrity Manager Network to enhance the integrity capabilities of sports that have adopted the National Integrity Framework.

The network embeds 19 Integrity Managers within sports and an additional five Integrity Support Officers within Sport Integrity Australia to support the implementation of the National Integrity Framework – a suite of policies designed to mitigate integrity threats, keep athletes safe and competitions fair.

Each position is fully funded by Sport Integrity Australia with the aim of boosting sport's

understanding, awareness and capability to manage integrity threats at all levels. With some integrity managers working across more than one sport, the Network will provide integrity support to 54 Australian sports.

Sport Integrity Australia CEO David Sharpe said the network is the first of its kind and will proactively help protect Australian sport.

“The network will provide Integrity Managers with a supportive and collaborative environment to ensure they can effectively implement the Framework in their sports, including training, resources, expert advice, and development and networking opportunities

provided by Sport Integrity Australia,” Mr Sharpe said.

“Having these governmentfunded positions embedded in sports will enhance their integrity capability and help keep their sports safe and fair.

Jonathan Pitt, National Legal and Integrity Manager at Baseball Australia and Water Polo Australia, said the support and resources going into helping sports implement a new integrity framework will be “instrumental in strengthening sport across the board”.

“The network is invaluable, especially with other integrity managers starting in the same or similar roles at same time.

We’ve been able to share

insights from our previous experiences so far, and in future we’ll have a group of people who are working towards the same outcome and can support one another.”

The network came together for the first time this week to complete Sport Integrity Australia’s inaugural Managing Integrity in Sport course in Melbourne. The three-day intensive course, developed in partnership with Victoria University, was designed to enhance the knowledge of attendees across the range of integrity issues covered in the National Integrity Framework, as well as doping.

Attendees were offered

opportunities to interact with subject matter experts, be actively involved in ‘problem solving’ sessions, and engaged with other attendees through interactive activities and case studies. They were also provided with online resources that can be consulted when required.

Pitt, a former athlete, said he was impressed by the training and resources on offer.

“I’ve learning so much already, they’ve provided a great platform,” he said.

The first intake of the course runs from 12-14 July in Melbourne at Victoria University’s city campus, with future intakes scheduled from October 2022 onwards.

11

tech/auto

The heart of the BMW M Hybrid V8: P66/3 eight-cylinder hybrid turbo engine drives the LMDh prototype.

An intensive period of testing begins in a few weeks for the BMW M Hybrid V8, with which BMW M Motorsport will be battling for overall wins in 2023 in the IMSA GTP class of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The project had already reached a key milestone before the rollout: the successful fire-up of the hybrid drive system after installation in the test vehicle at the end of June.

TL Bureau, Munich

An intensive period of testing begins in a few weeks for the BMW M Hybrid V8, with which BMW M Motorsport will be battling for overall wins in 2023 in the IMSA GTP class of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The project had already reached a key milestone before the rollout: the successful fire-up of the hybrid drive system after installation in the test vehicle at the end of June. The BMW M Hybrid V8 is powered by the P66/3 eight-cylinder turbo engine with supplementary electric drive. The combustion engine is based on the DTM unit used in the BMW M4 DTM in 2017 and 2018. During two phases of reconstruction, it underwent comprehensive adjustments to meet the stringent requirements of the LMDh hybrid drive system.

Ulrich Schulz, Head of Drivetrain Design at BMW M Motorsport, and his group had initiated an evaluation to determine which race engine would be best suited for conversion into a high-performance hybrid drive system, even before the BMW Group Board of Management had given the green light to the BMW M Motorsport entry in the LMDh category in June 2021.

Time constraints and the need to consider sustainability aspects that are playing an ever more critical role in motor racing, as well as the automobile industry in general, meant that returning to the drawing board to design a completely new engine and building it at great cost was not an option. Consequently, the question was to establish which proven race engine would best meet the stringent requirements and specifications of the LMDh regulations.

The normally-aspirated P66/1 eight-cylinder engine used in the 2017 and 2018 seasons in the BMW M4 DTM was the one that got the nod. As a fully load-bearing component in the BMW M Hybrid V8, it had the advantage that it could be used in a monocoque chassis without an additional subframe and it was also the one that most closely corresponded to the regulatory requirements after conversion to a hybrid turbo engine.

“During the evaluation phase, we also took a look at the P48 four-cylinder turbo engine from the BMW M4 DTM and the P63 eight-cylinder turbo engine from

Specifications for the P66/3 engine in the BMW M Hybrid V8.

Name V-shaped Otto four-stroke twinturbo engine Capacity 3,999 cc No. cylinders 8 Cylinder construction Cast aluminium cylinder block and cylinder head, cylinder lining as iron layer in LDS procedure V angle 90 ° Bore 93 mm Stroke 73.6 mm Cylinder spacing 102 mm Valves per cylinder 4 Engine speed max. 8,200 rpm Output (regulated) approx. 640 hp Torque approx. 650 Nm Injection High-pressure direct injection at 350 bar Oil system Dry sump system with six-cell oil drain pump and oil tank the BMW M8 GTE, but potential problems with the durability of the P48 and the heavy weight of the P63 were negative considerations,” is how Schulz explained the decision to choose the P66 engine. “It is a huge plus that we were able to make use of existing materials such as steel and aluminium from BMW’s time in Formula 1 for the basis of the engine, as well as for individual components – like shafts, housing and small parts. That saved us time and a lot of money and was therefore efficient and sustainable.

Efficiency is a critical factor for this project, as we have a very short period of time available between getting started and the

first racing appearance at Daytona in 2023. Converting the normallyaspirated P66/1 engine into a biturbo and then working with the electric drivetrain colleagues to turn it into a hybrid drive system was very complex. Thanks to the expertise, the great collaboration and the high level of motivation of all departments, we managed to complete the fire-up of the complete drive unit just a few weeks ago. We now feel that nothing is standing in the way of testing.” The first phase saw the normally-aspirated P66/1 DTM engine converted into an intermediate engine, named P66/2, primarily by adapting two turbochargers and adjusting the

crank drive. The focus was on durability, increased performance and temperature management for the engine. The P66/2 completed numerous testing units, including complete racetrack simulations, on the test bench. The next step was the creation of the P66/3 race engine, including a twinturbo version, adjustments to the specific requirements of the Dallara chassis, final exhaust system, oil tank, cabling and integration of the high-voltage environment. The cylinder block and cylinder heads were recast in the BMW Group foundry in Landshut (GER) and the injection system was rebuilt for direct injection. Engineers who already boasted plenty of experience with

electric drive systems from the Formula E project were testing and integrating the electric motor in parallel. The unit that forms the hybrid drive system in the car consists of the e-motor, the inverter and the high-voltage battery. There is a separator clutch between the electric and combustion engines, enabling fully-electric driving – in the pit lane, for example.

The two drive components were connected in the car for the first time at the end of June. The first fire-up for the hybrid system was a success. At the end of July, that will be followed by the rollout in Varano de Melegari (ITA).

The intensive test phase begins immediately after that.

12 Floods in China’s Sichuan Result in at Least Six Deaths TL Bureau, Beijing

At least six people died and another 12 are missing amid floods in China’s southwestern province of Sichuan, Sputnik quoted the state-owned CCTV reports. Heavy rains hit the Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County in northern Sichuan on Friday and Saturday, causing flooding. As of Sunday morning, the death toll from the floods stands at six, while at least 12 people are missing, CCTV said​​​.

A total of 22,300 people in over a dozen villages have been affected.

Power lines have been severely damaged in some areas and traffic was disrupted.

world

State’s best budding stars shine at sell-out stage showpiece

TL Bureau, Brisbane

More than 1,700 Queensland state school students have taken to the stage at the stage at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the Premier and Education Minister among the audience at today’s sell out Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage (CGEN) performance.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the production was exceptional.

“The talent we have in our Queensland state schools is world class,” the Premier said.

“As Queensland’s largest annual youth performing arts program, CGEN gives

young artists of all levels incredible opportunities and exposure. “CGEN participants experience auditions, workshops, professional coaching and rehearsal opportunities plus the final performances to packed houses.

“Today we saw students of all ages, from kindy right through to Year 12, shine in this outstanding production, and I want to congratulate everyone involved.” Education Minister Grace Grace said this was the 18th year of CGEN. “Back in 2005 CGEN started with a cast of 550 students, and now we have 1,700 playing to packed audiences over four performances,” Ms Grace said. “At all four shows these creative and talented students

Day of International Criminal Justice: Declaration by the High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the European Union TL Bureau, Brussels

17 July is a day to commemorate our commitment to international criminal justice. This is an occasion to reflect on how impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community

undermines the very fabric of societies. Impunity destabilises countries and entire regions, causes unspeakable suffering to millions of people, especially the most vulnerable ones, threatens international peace and security, hampers reconciliation and reverses

wowed audiences of up to 1800 people – every year this show just gets better and better. “Whether it’s the orchestra, the choir, the dancers, the actors, the student media, or the stage crew, students from right across the state are showcasing their diverse talents and it was a joy to watch. “I’m certainly one very proud Education Minister today!” Ms Grace said CGEN was a credit to students, their parents, mentors, teachers, and other behind-the-scenes supporters. “I want to thank and pay tribute to parents, carers and teachers for their hard work and dedication in supporting the young artists,” Ms Grace said.

“The students who supported the stage

performers deserve a special shout out too. Those behind-the-scenes students whose technical skills in sound, lighting and digital technology helped make the show the visual and sound spectacular it was. “Of course, none of this would be possible without our corporate partners – The Courier-Mail, Network 10, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and Out There Productions Australia.

“I also thank our program partners TUH Health Fund and The Wardrobe, and creative partners Vocal Manoeuvres, Vocal Manoeuvres Academy, Drum Camp, Rapid Displays, Flipside Circus and Rockit Productions.”

Appointments to the EU Court of Justice: seventh activity report of the Article 255 panel published TL Bureau, Brussels

hard-won progress in postconflict situations. International justice mechanisms are essential to ensure that the most serious crimes are investigated and prosecuted, perpetrators are held accountable and victims receive justice, adequate assistance and reparations for the harm suffered.

The advisory panel on judicial appointments provided for in Article 255 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union published today its seventh activity report.

The panel's task is to give an opinion on candidates' suitability to perform the duties of judge and advocategeneral of the Court of Justice and the General Court. Its

opinions are intended to inform member states' governments before they decide on the appointments.

The activity report of the panel provides a summary of the panel's work from October 2019 until February 2022.

It also includes detailed information on the procedures it has established for assessing the candidates and how it interprets the requirements set out in the Treaty.

Shri Tomar said that India is an agricultural country and Agriculture is such a sector in which continuous work needs to be done and solve new challenges. At present, the challenge is to promote Traditional Farming as well as move forward using technology. It is the effort of the Prime Minister that there should be a change in the life of the villagers, poor and farmers, so that infrastructure is improved in the rural areas, life should be easy and Agriculture should be converted into a profitable venture. Towards this goal, multi-faceted efforts have been made. Funding is being done by implementing schemes to create new jobs. People are being linked

with employment, employment opportunities are being created in the agriculture sector.

“When an educated person picks up Agriculture as a profession, then by combining technology with qualification and experience, so many employment opportunities can be created, so that the problem of employment can be solved,” he said. “When an educated person picks up Agriculture as a profession, then by combining technology with qualification and experience, so many employment opportunities can be created, so that the problem of employment can be solved,” he said. Union Minister Shri Tomar said that it has been 93 years since the setting up of the ICAR. “Since its establishment in the year 1929 till date, about 5,800 seed-varieties have been released by it, including about 2,000 of these varieties released in the eight years since 2014 till now. This is a very important achievement. These include seed varieties of horticultural, climate friendly and fortified varieties.

Today we are facing the challenge of Climate Change, so this is the matter of biggest concern to the scientists. We have to come out

with a roadmap in this direction and present the results before the country so that India’s agricultural exports improve further. In this, the role of other scientists of all KVKs and ICAR institutes is important,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that the New Education Policy was born on the vision of the Prime Minister, now Agriculture curriculum is being included in the school education.

“How agricultural education institutions should adopt the New Education Policy, this work has been done by ICAR, its fruitful results will be seen in the future,” he said.

Shri Tomar also asked ICAR and KVK to make determined efforts in the field of agricultural productivity including increasing the production of pulses, oilseeds and cotton. Earlier, the Agriculture Minister interacted online with some farmers from different parts of the country. In the discussion of the Agriculture Minister with the farmers of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat etc., it emerged that their incomes and standard of living is improving due to government schemes and institutional support.

Collective efforts under the leadership of PM have more than doubled the income of lakhs of farmers: Shri Tomar

TL Bureau, New Delhi

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the Agriculture sector and farmers are developing rapidly in the country. On the call of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to double the farmers' income, many farmers have succeeded in doubling or more than doubling their incomes as a result of the collective efforts of all including the Central and State Governments, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).

To commemorate the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, an e-publication has been prepared by compiling success stories of 75,000 farmers out of lakhs of farmers whose incomes have increased. Also a State-wise brief publication on Doubling Farmers Income has also been prepared. These were released by Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar on the occasion. The e-publication is available on the ICAR website. Shri Tomar also distributed awards to scientists and farmers on the 94th foundation day of ICAR.

Addressing the function organized at ICAR Pusa Campus, Delhi, Shri Tomar said that today is a historic day as the ICAR had decided last year that in the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav year, the success stories of 75,000 farmers would be documented whose incomes have doubled or more than doubled. This compilation of successful farmers will prove to be a milestone in the history of the country, he said.

Shri Tomar also released other publications of ICAR. He said that the foundation day of ICAR should be celebrated as ‘Sankalp Diwas’.

On this occasion, resolutions for the whole year should be taken and they should be fulfilled by the next Foundation Day.