FUNDING BOOST FOR CHILDREN WITH BRAIN CANCER
A NEWS Vol. 01 Issue 02 August 1, 2018
ISSN 0000 000 X
thelifenews.com.au
Tougher Monitoring For Young Parolees in Australia Melbourne: Parolees as young as 16 could be forced to wear electronic monitoring devices, and subject to drug and alcohol tests regardless of age as a condition of their parole, under tough new laws introduced today by the Andrews Labor Government. Electronic monitoring will be targeted at young offenders who have committed serious offences such as murder, rape, home invasions, car jackings and culpable driving resulting in death.
Record 22,400 minimum wage workers to receive millions in backpay in UK London: The names of 239 employers found to have underpaid 22,400 UK workers by a total of £1.44m have been published today by the government. The back pay identified by HMRC was for more workers than in any previous single naming list and has generated record fines of £1.97m.
Victoria Crowned Number One Economy In Australia
Melbourne: Victoria’s economic growth, its pace of construction, and new-home starts, have powered it to the top of Australia’s economic performance table. The latest CommSec State of the States report released today shows Victoria leads the nation, following an analysis of key economic indicators, including retail spending, unemployment, housing finance.
Australia Bureau. ustralian Government will provide $5 million to ensure all Australian children with high risk brain cancer have access to life-saving clinical trials and genetic testing. The Government’s $105 million Australian Brain Cancer Mission will provide the funding to boost the Zero Childhood Cancer initiative. We are able to provide this funding boost to health and medical research because of our stronger economy. The funding will mean more than 200 children - around 50 every year with high risk brain cancer will now be
USTR Issues Tariffs on Chinese Products in Response to Unfair Trade Practices TL Bureau Washington, DC – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released a list of products imported from China that will be subject to additional tariffs as part of the U.S. response to China’s unfair trade practices related to the forced transfer of American technology and intellectual property. On May 29, 2018, President Trump stated that USTR shall announce by June 15 the imposition of an additional duty of 25 percent on approximately $50 billion worth of Chinese imports containing industrially significant technologies, including those related to China’s “Made in China 2025” industrial policy. Today’s action comes after an exhaustive Section 301 investigation in which USTR found that China’s acts, policies and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are unreasonable and discriminatory, and burden U.S. commerce. “We must take strong defensive actions to protect America’s leadership in technology and innovation against the unprecedented threat posed by China’s theft
of our intellectual property, the forced transfer of American technology, and its cyber attacks on our computer networks,” said Ambassador Robert Lighthizer. “China’s government is aggressively working to undermine America’s high-tech industries and our economic leadership through unfair trade
Imran Khan to be sworn in as Pakistan PM before Aug 14 TL Bureau Imran Khan will be sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister before the country’s independence day on August 14, his party has announced as it is trying to reach out to smaller parties and independents to form the next government. Though the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as the single largest
included in the program from right across Australia. Children with high risk brain cancers will receive genomic and biologic testing on their cancer cells, to help identify the drugs most likely to attack and treat their specific cancer. Scientists and doctors will work collaboratively to identify and deliver the most effective treatment plan, specifically tailored to suit each child’s individual disease. The funding will be used to fast track access to targeted treatments through a range of new national and international clinical trials.
party in the National Assembly after the July 25 elections, the party is still short of numbers to form its government on its own. PTI leader Naeenul Haq told media last night that consulta-
ASIA | MIDDLE EAST | AMERICA | AFRICA | EUROPE
tions are on to complete the number game. “We have done our homework and he will take oath as Prime Minister before August 14,” Haq said. According to the complete preliminary results announced by the ECP, the PTI got 115 general seats—12 short of a simple majority—while the PML-N and PPP won 64 and 43 seats, respectively.
practices and industrial policies like ‘Made in China 2025.’ Technology and innovation are America’s greatest economic assets and President Trump rightfully recognizes that if we want our country to have a prosperous future, we must take a stand now to uphold fair trade and protect American
competitiveness.” The list of products issued today covers 1,102 separate U.S. tariff lines valued at approximately $50 billion in 2018 trade values. This list was compiled based on extensive interagency analysis and a thorough examination of comments and testimony from interested parties.
Prime Minister Theresa May met with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas in Salzburg
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TL Bureau K. Prime Minister met the Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas at the Salzburg Festival. Prime Minister Ratas expressed his appreciation for the deployment of UK troops to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in Estonia. The Prime Minister underlined our ongoing support for Estonia’s and Europe’s collective security. The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s proposals for our future relationship with the EU. Both leaders agreed on the particular importance of continued security and defence cooperation. The Prime Minister updated on the investigation into the death of Dawn Sturgess and thanked Prime Minister Ratas for Estonia’s solidarity following the attack on the Skripals in Salisbury. They agreed that the response had been an important signal of European unity.
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EDITORIAL GLOBAL ISSUES
WORLD IS AGEING
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he world’s population is ageing: virtually every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older persons in their population. Population ageing is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, with implications for nearly all sectors of society, including labour and financial markets, the demand for goods and services, such as housing, transportation and social protection, as well as family structures and intergenerational ties. According to data from World Population Prospects: the 2017 Revision,
the number of older persons — those aged 60 years or over — is expected to more than double by 2050 and to more than triple by 2100, rising from 962 million globally in 2017 to 2.1 billion in 2050 and 3.1 billion in 2100. Globally, population aged 60 or over is growing faster than all younger age groups. Levels and trends in Population Ageing Globally, population aged 60 or over is growing faster than all younger age groups In 2017, there are an estimated 962 million people aged 60 or over in the world, comprising 13 per cent of the global population. The population aged 60 or above is growing at a rate of about 3 per cent per year. Currently, Europe has the greatest percentage of population aged 60 or over (25 per cent). Rapid ageing will occur in other parts of the world as well, so
that by 2050 all regions of the world except Africa will have nearly a quarter or more of their populations at ages 60 and above. The number of older persons in the world is projected to be 1.4 billion in 2030 and 2.1 billion in 2050, and could rise to 3.1 billion in 2100. Globally, the number of persons aged 80 or over is projected to triple by 2050, from 137 million in 2017 to 425 million in 2050. By 2100 it is expected to increase to 909 million, nearly seven times its value in 2017. Older persons are increasingly seen as contributors to development, whose abilities to act for the betterment of themselves and their societies should be woven into policies and programmes at all levels. In the coming decades many countries are likely to face fiscal and political pressures in relation to public systems of health care, pensions and social protections for a growing older population. Demographic drivers of population ageing The size and age composition of a population are determined jointly by three demographic processes: fertility, mortality and migration. All regions have experienced substantial increases in life expectancy since 1950. As the life expectancy at birth increases, improvements in survival at older ages account for a growing proportion of the overall improvement in longevity. While declining fertility and increasing longevity are the key drivers of population ageing globally, international migration has also contributed to changing population age structures in some countries and regions. In countries that are experiencing large immigration flows, international migration can slow the ageing process, at least temporarily, since migrants tend to be in the young working ages. However, migrants who remain in the country eventually will age into the older population. Resources and references. (World Population Ageing Report World Population Prospects: the 2017 Revision DESA United Nations Programme on Ageing)
FIFA THE EVENT OR TEST OF RUSSIA
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hk. So the 21st World Cup FIFA finally gone. And no other sporting event on this earth connects the fans of over the world consists all races, genders, age groups and nationalities like the FIFA World Cup™. That was especially the case during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, as our omni channel fan campaign united football supporters around the globe. FIFA spent an approximately of $15 Billion shows the most expensive World Cup FIFA ever. French were the luckiest one as they won the World Cup with one of the greatest players like pogba. Russia’s more than $15 billion spent on hosting football's showpiece, the most important event in the country since the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. Russia become the lucky charm from all over the world to get the ball in its hands and it means a lot for the country like Russia which hosted another event many years back in Sochi in year 2014. As you all know that In 2014 Winter Paralympics, the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), held in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia on 7–16 March 2014. 45 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) participated in the Games, which marked the first time Russia ever hosted the Paralympics. The Games featured 72 medal events in five sports, and saw the debut of snowboarding at the Winter Paralympics. So during 2014 Sochi events help Russia to got chance to boost its economy and generate more per capita income. Because after the collapse of Russian economy.
And now FIFA comes up in Russia after four years and the world visited Russia in their own eyes that Russia is capable enough to host such events. Almost the whole world visit Russia for this event either in anyway. New data released by FIFA has revealed that Russia 2018 was the most engaged FIFA World Cup™ in history. Record-breaking interest from fans online resulted in over 7.5 billion engagements across FIFA digital platforms during the World Cup. And that kind of event shows the world specially Pro-Russians to rethink about the image and name about Russia. The FIFA Fan Fest took Russia like a storm. Following the exhilarating final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia that saw France take the title, FIFA can confirm that the Russian edition of the FIFA Fan Fest welcomed 7.7 million visitors. This compares to 5.2 million fans at the 2014 edition. Every matchday tens of thousands of Russian and international football fans opted for the FIFA Fan Fest locations as their venues of choice. They watched a total of 917 hours of live football and enjoyed an exciting music and cultural entertainment programme featuring 646 bands playing 323 hours of live music, all free of charge. so that’s a good one for making the event for lifetime memory. Critics opined in many ways about the selection of Russia for this event. Some opined that it is not a right place for such a big event. Some opined about the safety and security of the players and fans as well as viewers. But Russia played well in terms of organising and in terms or playing. And shows the world the even it was divided with Ex-CIS countries but still have something to host the world.
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WORLD
ABF seize fake “Australian made” pianos
Photo Source: ABF.
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he Australian Border Force (ABF) is continuing its operational focus on trade enforcement, seizing ten Chinese-made pianos falsely claiming to be Australian made. The instruments arrived into Brisbane on 2 June 2018 and carried a number of logos and stamps, including one very similar to the iconic green-and-gold Australian Made logo. The logo claimed the products were “designed and assembled in Australia”. ABF officers contacted the Australian Made Campaign Ltd (AMCL), and formally seized the goods under the Trade Marks Act 1995 on 18 June 2018 for infringing trademarks held by AMCL under the Notice of Objection scheme.
UN experts urge India to align new anti-trafficking bill with human rights law TL Bureau.
EU LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GOOGLE TAKE ON TERRORIST PROPAGANDA IN LATEST EUROPOL REFERRAL ACTION DAYS O TL Bureau. n 9 and 10 July 2018, Europol’s Internet Referral Unit (EU IRU) organised the tenth joint Referral Action Days with colleagues from specialized units from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. This time the campaign was focused on different platforms belonging to Google and was attended by representatives of the company. This coordinated action against online terrorist propaganda focused mainly on the production of terrorist materials produced by the so-called “Islamic State” and “al-Qaeda” and their sympathisers. Among the items referred were propaganda videos and social media accounts glorifying or supporting terrorism and violent extremism. Since the creation of the EU IRU, Europol has enjoyed excellent cooperation with Google in tackling terror-
HMRC has formed an alliance with tax enforcement bodies in 4 countries to share intelligence and expertise in the battle against international tax crime.
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Referrals of terrorist content detected by the law enforcement specialists were swiftly reviewed by respective platforms. It is, however, important to emphasise that the final removal of the referred material is a voluntary activity by the platforms, taking into consideration their own terms and conditions. During the Referral Action Days Europol promotes a coordinated approach to fighting terrorist propaganda online.
Tax chiefs unite to tackle international tax crime
Photo Source: UN
aria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, and Urmila Boola, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, said in a statement that they were “gravely concerned” about the bill as presented by the Government to the Indian Parliament last week. “Its focus on addressing trafficking from a criminal law perspective is not sufficiently complemented by a human rights-based and victim-centred approach” they added, flagging that this risks further harming already vulnerable individuals. The experts explained that the bill over-emphasises the criminal response, including the promotion of “rescue raids” by the police and the institutionalisation of victims in the name of rehabilitation, not giving due consideration to their rights and needs, especially in terms of protection. According to the experts, other problematic aspects include the “over-broad and vague nature” of some of the bill’s provisions, which could lead to blanket criminalisation of activities that do not necessarily relate to trafficking.
ism online. The event was an opportunity for all parties to review the kind of content that terrorist groups attempt to disseminate online and further improve the referral process with the common aim of ensuring that material glorifying terrorism would be removed from Internet as soon as possible. As concluded by the Google representatives: “We found the action days productive and useful - good progress was made in how we continue to work together”.
TL Bureau he UK has joined forces with Canada, the Netherlands, the United States and Australia to launch the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) – a new alliance dedicated to tackling international tax crime and money laundering. The group will build on existing international cooperation by
sharing intelligence and expertise, and will work together on joint operations to crack down on those who make a living out of enabling tax crime. At their first meeting, the J5 brought together leading experts in tax and other financial crimes from each of the 5 member countries. Together they developed tactical plans and identified op-
portunities to pursue cyber criminals and enablers of international tax crime. The new alliance will help HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) build on work that has secured more than £2.8 billion from offshore tax evaders since 2010. That money has been used to fund our vital public services like the NHS.
Amendments to the Terrorist Designations of al-Shabaab
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TL Bureau. S. Department of State has amended the designation of al-Shabaab – an al-Qa’ida affiliate in Somalia – to include al-Hijra and other aliases. These aliases have been added to al-Shabaab’s designations as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. Additionally, the Department of State also completed al-Shabaab’s legally required five-year FTO review and determined that the designation would be maintained.
Al-Hijra, formed in 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya serves as a wing of alShabaab. Al-Hijra, which is extensively interconnected with al-Shabaab both organizationally and operationally, consists primarily of Kenyan and Somali followers of al-Shabaab in East Africa. It has openly
engaged in al-Shabaab recruiting in Kenya and facilitated travel of al-Shabaab members to Somalia for terrorism purposes. Since al-Shabaab’s initial 2008 FTO designation, it has killed numerous civilians throughout East Africa. Al Shabaab’s attacks included the October 2017 attack in Mogadishu where the group detonated a truck bomb that killed over 500 people, the September 2013 Westgate Mall attack in Kenya that killed more than 70 people, and the July 2010 suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda that took place during the World Cup and killed 76 people, including one U.S. citizen.
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India is setting up Ten Indigenous Nuclear Power Reactors
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TL Correspondent. he Government in June, 2017 accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for setting up ten indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MW each in fleet mode. These reactors of indigenous technology are being set up by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), a wholly owned PSU of Government of India under the administrative control of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Pre-project activities comprising of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement, Environmental Clearance, etc are in progress at various stages at these sites. Land is available at Kaiga and Gorakhpur sites and land acquisition is at an advanced stage at Chutka and Mahi Ban-
swara sites. Environmental Clearance is accorded for Chutka 1&2 and GHAVP 3&4 projects. For other sites, the process of Environmental Clearance is in various stages. In addition, procurement of long manufacturing cycle equipment, human resource planning etc. have been initiated. With the progressive completion of projects under construction (including 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), being implemented by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited [BHAVINI] and projects sanctioned (including these ten PHWRs), the total nuclear power capacity will reach 22480 MW by the year 2031. This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region.
Environmental regulation Fisherwomen of Lake Chad show optimism in a polarized culture in face of multiple challenges.
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TL Bureau. Courtesy by Fatima Husain | MIT ith an affinity for environmental issues and a knack for analysis, MIT doctoral student Parrish Bergquist aims to clarify the ways in which changing political landscapes influence environmental policy outcomes. Bergquist’s path to doctoral research in the departments of Political Science and Urban Studies and Planning began well before she joined MIT. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a degree in American studies and English, the Birmingham, Alabama, native volunteered for two years with the U.S. Peace Corps in Honduras to study international development and policy. There, she gained a firsthand perspective on the impacts of global climate change. “People in Honduras lived so much closer to environmental damage than we do in the U.S.,” Bergquist says. “Carbon emissions from developed countries were already starting to have an effect on [climate in that region]. ... It affects everybody.” During conversations with women and children, Bergquist learned that those who were tasked with fetching water had to walk even further with each trip to find clean water sources.
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TL Bureau n her nets she has perhaps fifty fish, a good enough catch, given she started fishing just five hours earlier. But, it is not sufficient to feed her eleven children. “I can sell this fish and use that money to buy grain to feed my family,” she said, “but the grain doesn’t go far. I have been fishing for twenty years and it is becoming more difficult to catch fish.” Fishing has traditionally sustained communities in the Lake Chad Basin area, supporting nearly 30 million peo-
Photo Source: UN
ple living along its shores in Chad, but also Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger. However, the once huge lake which covered 250,000 km2 has now shrunk to one tenth of its original size, largely due to unsustainable water
Nicaragua must end demonstrator killings and seek a political solution in wake of ‘absolutely shocking’ death toll: UN chief
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TL Bureau peaking in neighbouring Costa Rica on Monday night, António Guterres said that it was “an essential responsibility of the State to protect its citizens, and this basic principle cannot be forgotten, especially when, unfortunately, we have a death toll that is absolutely shocking.” At least 12 people were killed over the weekend, mostly as police and paramilitary supporters of the government confronted demonstrators who have been protesting proposed reforms to the pension system across the country, since 18 April. Protesters are demand-
Photo Source: UN
ing that the long-serving President, Daniel Ortega, step down. The UN chief told reporters on Monday that “it is essential that violence must stop immediately and that the political dialogue, the national dialogue, be revitalized because only a political solution is accept-
able for Nicaragua.” Mr. Guterres said that he was “not a supporter of simplistic analysis of complex problems, but there is one thing that is obvious: there is a death toll that is shocking due to the use of force on the part of entities linked to the State, that is not acceptable.”
management and the corrosive effects of climate change. With fish now more scarce, and fishermen needing to travel further to find them, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stepped in to offer support.
Indo-US delegation meeting on Defence Cooperation
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TL Correspondent. s part of Indo-US Bilateral Defence Cooperation, the 7th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) meeting was held between India and the US delegation here today. The meeting was co-chaired by, Secretary (Defence Production), Dr Ajay Kumar and Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, DoD, US Government Ms Ellen M Lord. The meetings are held twice a year, alternately in India and the USA with the aim to bring sustained leadership focus to the bilateral defence trade relationship and create opportunities for co-production and co-development of defence equipment. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ajay Kumar brought out that Indian government has taken a number of steps to give an impetus to Indian defence industry and its flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative. He said, given the large defence outlay planned for India’s defence requirements in the future, the contribution of our defence industry, in partnership with foreign OEMs to begin with, is expected to be significant. This would also contribute to overall growth of the economy and will also have several opportunity benefits and downstream effects.
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AUSTRALIA
SCREEN AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES $2.9 MILLION FOR 10 DOCUMENTARIES (Screen Australia today announced $2.9 million in production funding for 10 projects through the Documentary Producer and Documentary Commissioned programs. The slate of projects includes a new feature for the ABC about the Black Saturday bushfires titled Aftermath-Beyond the Firestorm, a new three-part series for SBS by Blackfella Films called First Wars, and The Australian Dream written by Stan Grant about AFL legend Adam Goodes, with a focus on race, identity and belonging.) Photo Source: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations 2018 U
TL Bureau S Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis hosted Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and Minister for Defence Marise Payne on July 23-24 for the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in Palo Alto, California. Holding the meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the U.S. Pacific coast and near the birthplace of the ANZUS Treaty, is a fitting affirmation of the vitality of our alliance and the significance of the Indo-Pacific to our shared future. As President Trump and Prime Minister Turnbull declared when they met at the White House in February, the U.S.-Australia alliance is steadfast and en-
during, and underpinned by a deep alignment of mutual interests and shared values. This year marks a century since U.S. and Australian forces first fought side by side at the Battle of Hamel in 1918. From the battlefields of Europe to this contested century, there are no greater friends than Australia and the United States. The Secretaries and Ministers emphasized both nations’ strong and deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific. They made clear their commitment to work together – and with partners – to shape an Indo-Pacific that is open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based. A key outcome of discussions in Palo Alto is a joint work plan that advances our shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, which has diplomatic, security, and economic dimensions.
Dr June Oscar AO acknowledged as 2018 National NAIDOC Person of the Year
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Aus Resident Bureau. t has also been announced that Liz Stevens who has been with Screen Australia and predecessor agency Film Australia for 15 years will be leaving Screen Australia to explore a number of creative opportunities. “Documentary is one of the most powerful, significant and necessary forms of storytelling available to us. Documentaries have the ability to educate, inform, entertain, redress injustice and spark national conversations. I’m reminded of all those qualities when I look at the impressive titles and teams in this round of funding, one of my last whilst leading the documentary unit at Screen Australia,” said Liz Stevens Senior Manager of Documentary at Screen Australia. “Over the last 10 years working at Screen Australia I have been impressed by the dedication and skill of Australian documentary filmmakers. I have seen the great care and craft they’ve used to record a snapshot of our shared history.
Men charged with people smuggling & immigration offences
TL Bureau. A Chinese national and Taiwanese national have been charged with people smuggling and immigration offences following their interception at Brisbane Airport earlier this week. The 42 year old Chinese national and 52 year old Taiwanese national were identified as being of concern by an Australian Border Force (ABF) Airline Liaison Officer (ALO) as they departed Denpasar, Indonesia. The ALO referred the pair for further intervention on arrival in Australia and they were intercepted by ABF officers at Brisbane Airport on Sunday (22 July 2018). The men were denied entry into Australia and taken into immigration detention while further enquiries were made.
TL Correspondent. Dr June Oscar AO is the 2018 National NAIDOC Person of the Year, honouring her championing of the rights of the Bunuba people and preserving traditional languages. Sponsored by Commonwealth Bank, the annual award honours outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have helped to make a difference in promoting indigenous issues or have excelled as a leader in their chosen field. A tireless campaigner for improving Indigenous recognition and outcomes, Dr Oscar has worked for more than 30 years across the fields of aca-
Skills Squad to begin training for the “Olympics of the skills sector”
T demia, public policy, culture and the arts with a particular focus on helping to prevent Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In 2017, she was the first Indigenous woman to be appointed as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.
Ensuring all multinationals pay their fair share of tax in Australia
TL Bureau. The Turnbull Government is ensuring multinational tax laws apply to all relevant entities, by extending the definition of a Significant Global Entity (SGE). This measure was announced in the 2018-19 Budget. Many significant measures undertaken by the Turnbull Government to tackle multinational tax avoidance rely on the SGE definition. For example, a foreign private investment firm which controls several large businesses with consolidated income of $1 billion or more will now be defined as an SGE, and would fall within the scope of the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law if a group member sought to avoid tax by booking its Australian sales offshore.
Aus Resident Bureau. wenty-three of the nation’s best apprentices, trainees and VET graduates have been shortlisted to the WorldSkills Australia 2018/19 Skills Squad for the opportunity to represent Australia at the WorldSkills International Championships in 2019. Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Karen Andrews, said the 47-strong Skills Squad (which includes industry expert Training Managers), announced today, would have the opportunity to fly the flag for Australia on the global stage. “These young people and their trainers are fantastic ambassadors for Australia’s world-class VET sector,” Minister Andrews said. “The WorldSkills International Championships is like the Olympics for the skills sector and is proof that not only is VET providing real skills for real careers, it can give young people a chance to compete overseas.
Australia to support Afghan Blackhawks
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Aus Resident Bureau. ustralia will assist the Afghan National Air Force to establish its UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter capability. Minister for Defence Senator the Hon Marise Payne made the announcement while attending the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Brussels. Australia will provide around 20 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, including aviation advisers and force protection, who will help Afghanistan develop its Blackhawk capability. This will be managed within Australia’s overall commitment of around 300 ADF personnel. “Australia is one of only a few
nations in the international coalition currently flying Blackhawks and we will be able to provide qualified personnel to support the introduction of this important platform,” Minister Payne said. “The Blackhawks are a critical battlefield enabler that will provide the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces with increased air mobility and response capabilities for ground forces.” “Australia will also continue to fund the sustainment of Afghanistan’s current fleet of Mi-17 helicopters as it transitions to the Blackhawk through the Afghan National Army Trust Fund.” Australia remains the second largest
contributor to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, and has contributed US$520 million since 2010. “Since 2001, Australia has remained steadfast in its support to Afghanistan. Our additional contribution reflects the importance we place on supporting the Afghanistan government and its efforts to further peace and reconciliation,” Minister Payne said. “Australia remains committed to working with NATO and its partners to support the Government of Afghanistan to provide security and stability for its people and to prevent the spread of terrorism.”
6 Keep our money clean TL Bureau. New Zealand Justice Minister Andrew Little has launched a public information campaign to raise awareness about the problem of money laundering by domestic and foreign criminals here in in New Zealand. “The Keep Our Money Clean campaign is about keeping our international corruption-free reputation and making sure Kiwi businesses are informed and prepared,” says Andrew Little. “The campaign starts today and uses print and digital advertising. It will run in four phases as new business sectors come under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act. “New Zealanders are rightly proud that our country is free from corruption. To keep it that way we need all Kiwi businesses to be vigilant so criminals with dirty money won’t do us any harm.
Fijian Government approves 2018 daylight saving TL Correspondent The Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Jone Usamate advises the public that Government has approved the consecutive days from 4 November 2018 until 13 January 2019 inclusive as the daylight saving period. Members of the public are advised to move their clocks one hour ahead at 2.00 am on Sunday 4th November. The day light saving period will end at 3.00am on Sunday 13th January. Daylight saving is the time for general purposes throughout Fiji and members of the public are advised to make changes to their time accordingly.
World Health Organization and UNICEF Pacific statement on the deaths of two children in Samoa after MMR vaccine
TL Bureau UNICEF and the WHO are deeply concerned about the deaths of two children in Samoa last week after they received a routine Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The deaths of these two children is a tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with their families and the people of Samoa. A government-led investigation including autopsies is underway, and until it is complete, we will not know the cause of this tragedy. As a precaution, the Government of Samoa has suspended all MMR vaccinations across the country pending the outcome of this investigation. We are working closely with the Government of Samoa to support an investigation into this tragic event. The MMR vaccine, which has been used in Samoa since 2009, is regularly assessed for safety and quality and is prequalified by WHO and procured by UNICEF. The MMR vaccine protects children from measles, mumps, and rubella, which are viral diseases associated with significant illness and death in children around the world. It is the best way to reduce a child’s risk of getting these highly infectious diseases and is widely used around the world in the routine immunization schedules of many countries.
NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA
Auckland Police seize drugs and firearms as part of Operation Pencil
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TL Bureau. he success of Operation Pencil was evident yesterday when NZ Police seized a large number of firearms, cash, drugs and other items of concern from an address in Grey Lynn. The operation began 11 days ago and is specifically aimed at preventing an increase in serious crime in the Auckland City West area. Operation Pencil focuses on known priority crime offenders and high crime areas such as carparks, shopping malls, gas stations and rail-
way stations. Police conducted a search warrant yesterday and along with drugs and cash that were seized, police also recovered three shotguns (two sawn off), a bolt action rifle, standard rifle and ammunition. “This search and seizure was particularly pertinent as a number of items seized were consistent with what is required to set up a clandestine laboratory. We believe the seizure of these items has possibly prevented a clan lab being set up and subsequently prevented a sig-
The Government’s plan to introduce a new Zero Carbon Bill has brought thousands of people together to discuss how we address climate change. TL Correspondent More than 14,000 submissions were received during the six week consultation, which closed today. “I have been impressed by the number of businesses and farming leaders who have stood up to share their commitment to leading the change,” says the Minister for Climate Change. “I believe there will be many benefits that come from us taking advantage of the opportunities from the transition that the Zero Carbon Bill will help us achieve. “The Bill will put a target in place to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050, and it will set up the steps and the institutions we need to get there, such as an independent Climate Change Commission. “What’s really promising is that the vast majority of New Zealanders are firmly behind us taking action. In particular, I welcome the bi-partisan support we’ve had for key parts of the Bill,” James Shaw says.
nificant amount of drugs from reaching our streets,” said Sergeant James Cassin, Auckland City West, Tactical Crime Unit, Car Squad. “We are committed to preventing further harm and antisocial behaviour by holding people involved in illegal activities to account. Drugs have no place in our community, they destroy the lives of the users, as well as harming their whanau, friends and wider circles. We hope this arrest will bring some reassurance to the community,” he said.
‘Domestic Voilence’ Life changing legislation celebrated
TL correspondent (NZNO) New Zealand Nurses Organisation, today celebrates the passing of the Domestic Violence Victims’ Protection Bill last night as it brings greater protection to victims of domestic violence and legislates for support in the workplace. The detrimental effects of domestic violence is of great concern to NZNO which, is a large union and professional organisation with over 50,000 members. The majority of its members are women of which some will be victims of domestic violence. NZNO spokesperson on violence against women Carol Beaumont says employers can help victims to be safe, to help support changes in peoples’ lives and indeed for some, this help may save lives. “As we all know the extent of domestic violence and its terrible effect is huge in our society,” she said. “As a health profession organisation and union with large numbers of female members who deal with domestic violence issues, we are pleased that from April 2019 access to up to 10 days special leave will be available; more flexible working arrangements and; protection against adverse treatment in employment. “This legislation will help many who are struggling to leave violent relationships, establish new lives and maintain their economic independence. “We acknowledge MP Jan Logie for promoting this Bill and the Green, Labour and NZ First parties for supporting this legislation throughout,” Ms Beaumont said.
Air New Zealand top of class at Skytrax World Airline Awards
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TL Correspondent. he airline has scooped the prize for Best Premium Economy Class numerous times since the awards began in 1999. Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Anita Hawthorne says the awards recognise the investment the airline has consistently put into its Premium Economy experience. “We’ve really invested in our Premium Economy product and service, starting with our luxury leather armchair which offers more legroom and recline, through to our premium New Zealand wines and Kiwi-inspired cui-
sine, which we know our customers value. “The award also reflects the hard work of our talented team of
people who provide the unique Kiwi style of service we’ve become renowned for,” says Ms Hawthorne. The airline was also recognised for its role in the design and day-to-
day management of the Star Alliance Lounge in Los Angeles’ Tom Bradley International Terminal, which was voted Best Alliance Lounge for the fourth year in a row. The Skytrax World Airline Awards are the global benchmark of airline excellence. The awards are determined annually through the Skytrax airline passenger satisfaction survey of more than 20 million passengers. The survey covers 335 airlines globally and measures passenger satisfaction across more than 40 key performance indicators of airline product and service including onboard seat comfort, food and service.
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BUSINESS New Zealand retains top spot for ease of doing business. TL Bureau “This ranking recognises the effectiveness of New Zealand’s business regulators, including the speed and efficiency of the company registration process, meaning our regulatory environment is the most conducive to the operation of a local business,” says General Maanager Business Integrity Services Ross van der Schyff. “One of the measures that make up the overall ease of doing business ranking is time and cost of starting a business. New Zealand has been the top ranked country in the world on this measure for the past 10 years. “We are very proud of this achievement, but we’re also working to maintain the integrity of information held on our business registers and the transparency of our online systems.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Implements the International Monetary Fund’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System
TL Bureau. Bosnia and Herzegovina has launched a National Summary Data Page (NSDP) to implement the recommendations of the enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS). The NSDP is a data portal that serves as a one-stop vehicle for publishing essential macroeconomic data in both human and machine-readable formats. The NSDP is hosted by the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its website, and is available on the IMF’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) at: https://dsbb.imf.org/e-gdds/ country/BIH/category Publication of essential macroeconomic data for Bosnia and Herzegovina through the NSDP will provide domestic policy makers and a broad range of stakeholders, including international investors and rating agencies, with easy access to information that the IMF’s Executive Board has identified as critical for monitoring economic conditions and policies. Making this information simultaneously available to all users will bring greater data transparency.
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United States and China Business Council (USCBC) Statement on New Proposed US Tariffs on $200 Billion in Imports
TL Bureau n response to announcement by the Office of the US Trade Representative of its plans to move forward with a 10 percent tariff on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, USCBC President John Frisbie released the following statement: “Enough is enough. The United States and China need to stop the needless escalation of a tariff war and start working on solutions that will address the real concerns that American companies have about China’s intellectual property protection and technology transfer policies. Those are the right issues to focus on,
but tariffs are the wrong way to solve them. Business wants solutions, not sanctions. “The cumulative tariffs that both countries are beginning to implement will harm each other’s econo-
mies and jobs. No one wins in that scenario, we both lose.” In the absence of a negotiated outcome, tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports will be in place by mid-September.
Russia to host the IPHS 2020 conference
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TL Bureau ASS, For the first time Russia will host the International Planning History Society Conference. Through the collaborative effort of the Russian Convention Bureau and the Concord Group supported by the Roscongress Foundation, following the presentation of the Russia’s bidding committee, Moscow was chosen as the venue for the IPHS 2020 conference. The conference will take place on 1–5 July 2020. Its theme will be ‘City Space Transformation: Renovation of The Urban Environment’. The decision to hold the conference in Moscow was made at the meeting of Programme Committee of the International Society on 15 July in Yokohama (Japan). Other bidders were Lübeck (Germany) and Oslo (Norway). The Russian presentation was held by a representative of the International Society, Professor of Urban Planning and Design Depart-
ment at the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARKHI) Alexey Krasheninnikov and a representative of a potential congress operator of the event in 2020, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Concord Group Natalya Evnevich.
As a result of the presentations, Moscow was chosen as the venue for the International Conference in 2020. This decision was officially announced on 19 July at the closing meeting of the conference in Yokohama.
Demand for World Bank Group Financing Rises to Nearly $64 billion in Fiscal Year 2018
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TL Bureau orld Bank Group commitments to developing countries hit nearly $64 billion in fiscal year 2018, which ended June 30, with record increases in human development, climate finance, and IDA support. “Demand continues to rise for our finance, expertise, and innovation,” World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. “In the last fiscal year, our shareholders improved our ability to meet that demand with a historic $13 billion capital increase, which will help us address the most critical challenges of our time, and help our client countries – and their people – reach their highest aspirations. The capital increase was a strong vote of confidence in the World Bank Group’s staff, who work tirelessly across the globe to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.” Human Development lending—which spans education; health, nutrition and pop-
Human Development lending—which spans education; health, nutrition and population; social protection; and jobs— increased by a record 74 percent ulation; social protection; and jobs—increased by a record 74 percent. Its share in the World Bank’s total commitments for the year saw an unprecedented increase, going to 25.2 percent in FY18 from 16 percent in FY17. In addition, in fiscal year 2018, 32.1 percent of World Bank Group financing was climate change-related – already exceeding a target set in 2015 of 28 percent of lending volume to be climaterelated by 2020. With a record-setting
$20.5 billion in climate-related financing delivered in the last fiscal year, the World Bank Group continues to step up its support to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to increasingly intense climate change impacts. A record 45 percent of FY18 World Bank (IBRD/IDA) agriculture lending will deliver climate co-benefits, making good on the potential of agriculture to contribute to the climate solutions that are so urgently needed. Total lending in the Food and Agriculture Global Practice also rose sharply to $4.65 billion in new IDA/IBRD commitments, up from $2.5 billion in FY17. Same drastic change lies in other allies like International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
RECORD FINE FOR DIRECTOR WITH MULTIPLE COMPANIES ACT BREACHES IN SINGAPORE
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TL Bureau. Company Director in Singapore was convicted and fined a record $57,000 for 38 charges ($1,500 per charge) in the State Courts. Lawrence Fong Kok Liong pleaded guilty to the charges for offences under section 175 and 197 of the Companies Act (CA) for failing to hold the annual general meeting (AGM), and failing to file annual returns (AR) in relation to 19 companies. Fong had been convicted in 2014 for similar offences and compounded 60 similar offences. A further 78 charges were taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.
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FEATURE
“Weeding” coral reefs (The Great Barrier Reef in Australia)
(The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’) and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.)
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his week will see significant quantities of seaweed physically removed from the fringing reef at Magnetic Island’s Florence Bay, in north Queensland, in a bid to give its coral an opportunity to both recover and grow. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority reef conservation actions assistant director Dr Mark Read said it was part of a trial looking at ways marine managers can take action in the water to protect corals. “Large quantities of seaweed — also known as macroalgae — can overgrow and smother coral after impacts from bleaching, cyclones, and crown-of-thorns, hindering the recovery of coral,” he said. “When seaweed overgrows it can block the sunlight coral needs to be healthy and reduce the space available for new baby coral to settle and grow on. “This trial focuses on whether the health of a section of fringing reef can be enhanced by removing the overgrown seaweed, with the results used to inform whether this could be ap-
Photo Source: GBRMPA
plied at larger scales. “Initially, we will assess how much seaweed was removed and whether there has been any positive change to the coral and fish population at the site. “At the conclusion of coral spawning season in late 2018, further surveying will be undertaken to determine the success and effects of the algae removal on coral spread and
growth. “We want to find out if we can scale-up and replicate the process in a larger area using more people and perhaps other equipment to further improve the process. “These localised actions to protect corals are important to local communities and local reefs — it’s part of a suite of on-ground initiatives to enhance resilience.”
Approximately 12 staff from the Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife will be scuba diving and snorkeling over three days, armed with scraping equipment, protective gear and dive catch bags. The seaweed will be removed from 20 metre by 20 metre sections of Florence Bay and placed in floating collection buckets before being identified, weighed and disposed of at a suitable location on land. Pre-trial monitoring of the site was undertaken to determine what species of coral and fish were present and to monitor any changes through time after removing the seaweed. The trial is a partnership between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Reef intervention work like this is one of the key actions in the Marine Park Authority’s Reef Blueprint, which outlines the top 10 actions to protect the Reef. It responds to unprecedented pressures faced by the Reef in recent years.
THE BEST COACHES AT RUSSIA 2018
Gareth Southgate England
Roberto Martinez Belgium
Didier Deschamps France
Stanislav Cherchesov Russia
Zlatko Dalic Croatia
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LIFE & REAL ESTTE
Apple Piazza Liberty opens Thursday in Milan Apple Piazza Liberty Will Revitalise a Piazza in the Centre of Milan TL Bureau Milan — Apple premiered Apple Piazza Liberty, a new retail location that will revitalise a piazza in the centre of Milan. The project, which includes both a grand public plaza and a store below, brings Apple’s latest retail design to Italy for the first time. Just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Milan, visitors will first see a dramatic glass fountain that serves as the entrance to the store and a backdrop to the large outdoor amphitheatre. The piazza, clad in Beola Grigia, a stone used throughout Mi-
House prices up by 4.5% in the euro area
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TL Bureau ouse prices, as measured by the House Price Index, rose by 4.5% in the euro area and by 4.7% in the EU in the first quarter of 2018 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. These figures come from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2017, house prices rose by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU in the first quarter of 2018. House price developments in the EU Member States Among the Member States for which data are available, the highest annual increases in house prices in the first quarter of 2018 were recorded in Latvia (+13.7%), Slovenia (+13.4%), Ireland (+12.3%) and Portugal (+12.2%), while prices fell in Sweden and Italy (both -0.4%) as well as in Finland (-0.1%). Compared with the previous quarter, the highest increases were recorded in Lat-
via (+7.5%), Hungary and Slovenia (both +4.4%) as well as in Portugal (+3.7%), while the largest decreases were observed in Malta (-4.7%), Cyprus (-1.8%) and Sweden (-0.8%). The Geographical area consists; The euro area consists of Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. The European Union includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The data refers to the euro area and EU country compositions at a specific point in time. New Member States are integrated into the aggregates using a chain index formula.
lan, is open to the public 24 hours a day and will host special events year-round
ty,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “In a city
amongst 14 Gleditsia Sunburst trees planted in the area. “There’s no better expression of our vision for Apple stores serving as modern-day gathering places than Apple Piazza Liber-
with such rich history of art, entertainment and creativity, it’s an honour to establish a space where anyone can be inspired to learn, create and connect with their neighbours.”
NEW WEBSITE FOR CHINESE BUSINESS EVENTS IN AUSTRALIA
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TL Correspondent ourism Australia has launched a redesigned version of its Chineselanguage website for business events, be.australia.cn, to help grow international visitation for the sector which was worth $4.75 bilPhoto Source: Tourism Australia. lion to the Australian economy in 2017. A u s t r a l i a ’s natural beauty is one of the key drivers of visitation from China and visitors to the new site will see more images and videos of Australia’s business events offering and destinations, event delivery, incentive programs, and testimonials from incentive planners. Users can also access sources of inspiration and information on holding a business event in Australia. Importantly, the site has also been built to ensure the best user experience and integration with Chinese social media platforms. The website was launched this week by Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP.
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SPORTS
Kylian donated
Photo source: FIFA
$after500,000 winning from
World Cup 2018 to charity By TL Bureau. The 19-year-old French forward Kylian Mbappe made roughly $22,300 each game this World Cup, plus a reported $350,000 bonus for winning the final on Sunday, which adds up to over $500,000, and he’ll be donating that sum to charity. It might only be a fraction of his total salary — he gets paid $1.7 million a month by his club team, Paris-Saint Germain — but half a million dollars could mean a lot to the Premiers de Cordees, an association that organizes sporting events for children with disabilities. “Kylian, he’s a great person,” said Sebastien Ruffin, general manager of Premiers de Cordee. “When his schedule.
Debutants’ coaches depart directly from FIFA By Getty images, Source FIFA.
TL Bureau. Heimir Hallgrimsson has left his role as head coach of the Iceland national team after spending seven years in the position. Hallgrimsson led Iceland, alongside Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, to their first UEFA EURO in 2016, where they finished as quarter-finalists, before solely guiding the team as head coach to the nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup™ finals. Iceland exited Russia 2018 after the group stage, but their debut at the world finals included a 1-1 opening draw with Argentina before suffering defeats to Nigeria and eventual finalists Croatia. The first head coach to take Panama to a World Cup finals, Colombian Hernan Dario Gomez, also announced he will be leaving his post. Writing in a letter published by Panama’s Football Federation (FEPAFUT), Gomez said: “Now, for me, it is the time for the difficult act of moving my feet from the place where I have put my heart. Russia 2018 was the beginning, I fulfilled my promise to take Panama to its first football World Cup and that will remain in my heart, and those of all Panamanians, for life. Panama is on a secure path to continue making history in football.” The 62-year-old took charge of Panama in February 2014, with the goal of taking the central American nation to its first-ever World Cup, which he accomplished.
Russia 2018 in numbers TL Bureau. 519 centimetres made Luka Modric (1.72m), Eden Hazard (1.73m) and Antoine Griezmann the smallest combined height of the adidas Golden, Silver and Bronze Ball recipients since Toto Schillaci, Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona had merely 512 centimetres between them in 1990. 135 years and three months was the cumulative age of Uruguay’s Oscar Tabarez and Portugal’s Fernando Santos when they met in the Round of 16 – the oldest combined age for two coaches in a World Cup match. Tabarez and England’s Roy Hodgson had a combined age of 134 years and two months when their teams clashed at Brazil 2014. 72.5 kilometres is what Ivan Perisic covered during the tournament – more than any other player. Xavi (80km) and Thomas Muller
Pre-registration for ICC Cricket World Cup Public Ballot 2019 opens TL Bureau. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Public Ballot opens 10am (BST) on Wednesday, 1 August, when ticket applications will be open to all members of the public. Fans must register an account via the Cricket World Cup Ticketing Website ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Public Ballot opens on 1 August 2018 and Tournament begins 30 May 2019 The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Public Ballot will open at 1000 (BST) on Wednesday.
By Getty images, Source FIFA
21 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES IS THE COMBINED TOTAL LIONEL MESSI AND CRISTIANO RONALDO HAVE, STAGGERINGLY, GONE WITHOUT SCORING IN THE KNOCKOUT PHASE OF THE WORLD CUP. (84km) ran unprecedented totals at South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 respectively. 48 years had passed since a team had overturned a two-goal deficit and won a knockout-phase match at the World Cup until Belgium rallied to stun Japan
3-2. The last had been West Germany, who came from two goals down to edge England 3-2 at Mexico 1970, albeit with the aid of extra-time. 40 years have passed since a World Cup Final was without a player from Bayern Munich or Inter
Milan. The German giants had their status preserved by Corentin Tolisso coming on for France against Croatia, who started Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic of I Nerazzurri. 21 hours and 10 minutes is the combined total Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have, staggeringly, gone without scoring in the knockout phase of the World Cup. The Argentinian and the Portuguese have made eight and six appearances in the knockout rounds respectively.
Refereeing and VAR at the 2018 FIFA World Cup: A new era for football
TL Bureau. A few days after Argentinian referee Nestor Pitana signalled the final whistle, FIFA looks back extremely satisfied with how the referees performed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and how the historic implementation of Video Assistant Referees (VARs) contributed to the resounding success of refereeing at the tournament. “We said we wanted this to be the best World Cup ever and it’s been the best World Cup ever. A crucial role in this achievement was played by the referees who excelled with performances of the highest standard,” said FIFA President
Gianni Infantino. Following the fundamental decision to use VARs at the World Cup, FIFA is extremely happy with the overwhelming acceptance of VAR by players, coaches, fans and the media. FIFA’s Deputy Secretary General (Football), Zvonimir Boban, who oversaw the entire VAR project, underlined the importance of the revolutionary use of video technology to football. “As said by the FIFA President, VAR is not changing football, it is cleaning football, and this was our overriding aim when we started the VAR project together with The IFAB.
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SPORTS
ROUND OF 16
FINAL
FRANCE
4-3
ARGENTINA
FRANCE
URUGUAY
2-1
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
1-1
RUSSIA
Russia win on penalties (3 - 4)
CROATIA
1-1
DENMARK
Croatia win on penalties (3 - 2)
BRAZIL
2-0
MEXICO
BELGIUM
3-2
JAPAN
SWEDEN COLOMBIA
1-0
SWITZERLAND
1-1
ENGLAND
England win on penalties (3 - 4)
4-2
CROATIA
France wins World Cup
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he 2018 FIFA World Cup came to a close Sunday as France defeated Croatia 4-2 to claim its second World
Cup trophy. The victory earned France a spot among the upper echelon of World Cup champions and placed it alongside Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Uruguay as a multiple tournament winner. The match took place Sunday at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, with an attendance of more than 78,000.
QUARTER-FINALS URUGUAY
0-2
FRANCE
BRAZIL
1-2
BELGIUM
SWEDEN
0-2
ENGLAND
RUSSIA
2-2
CROATIA
Croatia win on penalties (3 - 4)
SEMI-FINALS FRANCE
1-0
BELGIUM
CROATIA
2-1
ENGLAND
PLAY-OFF FOR THIRD PLACE BELGIUM
2-0
ENGLAND
12
WORLD
Putin held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council
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TL Bureau ussian President Putin hold a meeting with Security Council members. The participants discussed the results of the President’s recent international contacts, including the RussianUS summit in Helsinki on July 16. They reviewed the initiative to use the 2018 FIFA World Cup Fan ID cards as documents for visa-free entry into Russia by foreigners until the end of this year. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Ex-
ecutive Office Anton Vaino, Minister of the Interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bort-
nikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.
EUROPOL AND ISRAEL SIGN ARRANGEMENT TO TACKLE CROSS-BORDER CRIME
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TL Bureau srael’s National Police Commissioner, Inspector General Ronen Alsheich and Europol’s Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle, today signed a working arrangement to expand cooperation to combat crossborder criminal activity. Aware of the urgent problems arising from international cross-border organised crime, the agreement allows for the exchange of strategic information and the joint planning of opPhoto Source: Europol erational activities. The signature concludes successful negotiations between Europol and Israel on how to effectively join forces to fight serious and organised crime. After entry into force of the agreement, this new level of cooperation will be important for tackling priority crime areas affecting both the European Union (EU) and Israel, such as fraud, cybercrime and terrorism. Investigations in the EU have occasionally established links to Israel in the field of financial crime. As Europol supports EU Member States in identifying crossborder links, the Israeli contribution in such cases continues to be of utmost importance. Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, said: “Today, I am signing the first ever Europol working arrangement between Europol and a non-EU country.
TWO CRIMINAL GROUPS DISMANTLED FOR LAUNDERING EUR 2.5 MILLION THROUGH SMURFING AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES TL Bureau. Europol has supported the Spanish Guardia Civil and the National Police of Colombia in dismantling two criminal organisations involved in large-scale money laundering. It is estimated that the EUR 2.5 million have been laundered by using different methods, such as smurfing and cryptocurrency exchanges. 23 members of the group were arrested – mainly from Spain, Colombia and Venezuela -, and another 9 investigated. 12 house searches were carried out - 10 in Spain and 2 in Colombia-, and 2 vehicles seized, along-
side mobile phones, computers and banking and financial documents. Also, numerous virtual wallets used
ONLINE SCAMMERS CAPTURED AFTER CAUSING EUR 18 MILLION OF DAMAGE IN MORE THAN 35 000 CASES
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TL Bureau fter six years of preparation and coordination, the international Operation Warenagent has seen the arrest of 15 individuals, thought to be members of a network responsible for online fraud causing EUR 18 million worth of damage. The operation was conducted by the German Prosecutor’s Office of Dresden, the Saxon State Office of Criminal Investigation, the Lithuanian Police and the Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office, with help from Europol and Eurojust at the international level. During the investigation, the Department of Organised Crime together with the Cybercrime Competence Center Sachsen (SN4C) and the judicial assistance of Lithuania met in The Hague to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with the support of Europol and Eurojust. Overall five coordination meetings took place at Eurojust. The information gathered, alongside frequent information exchange and analysis by Europol, led the investigators to identify and locate the key target in Cyprus.
by the criminal organisation to launder the cash were frozen by law enforcement authorities. Europol supported the operation by facilitating information exchange and by deploying four experts to Spain equipped with a mobile office and a Universal Forensic Extraction Devices (UFED) . This allowed for real-time crosschecks of the data gathered during the course of the actions against Europol’s databases, as well as the extraction of data from the mobile and computer devices seized for its posterior analysis.
The investigation began in January 2017 when Colombian authorities warned about a Colombian family with links to drug trafficking that was operating in the Spanish city of Zaragoza. The Spanish Guardia Civil verified the existence of a criminal organisation operating in Spain and dedicated to laundering the money earned by other criminal groups who were operating in various locations in Spain and France. The criminal network picked up the illicit proceeds, split them and sent them in small remittances – a criminal method known as smurfing.
Syria: Scaled-up assistance, ‘sustained access’ needed to 140,000 made homeless, says UNHCR TL Bureau to enhance its humanitarian “A new scaling-up of assis- response for IDPs, returnees tance is needed and UNHCR and other crisis-affected comcontinues to advocate for sus- munities. tained access for humanitari“In anticipation and recan actors,” UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Photo Source: UNICEF Mahecic told reporters at the regular press briefing in Geneva, explaining that the UN and other partners have reached tens of thousands. During the first six months of this year, amid continued fighting and new displacements, nearly 13,000 refugees from neighbouring countries and another 750,000 internally ognition of this dynamic, displaced persons (IDPs) are UNHCR ramped up its capacestimated to have returned to ity inside Syria already in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Rural 2017 to support refugees and Damascus, Damascus, south- internally displaced people west and north-eastern Syria. who return spontaneously,” he Mr. Mahecic pointed out stated. that the UN’s has continued In recognition of Wednes-
day’s announcement of a joint Syrian-Russian initiative to set up a refugee centre in Syria to help those wishing to return home, UNHCR said that while
it has not yet seen any details of the plan, it is ready to engage in discussions with both Governments and prepared to work with them towards finding solutions that meet international refugee and human rights standards.
