The Life News Aus. Feb 1, 2020 by The Life News

News from World, Worldwide readership.

Vol. 03 Issue 23 February 01, 2020

IOM Prepared to Support on Mobility Aspects of Coronavirus Outbreak

TL Bureau, Geneva

As concerns mount about the number of reported infections from a new coronavirus and its spread to at least 18 countries, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stands ready to offer technical support to governments, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), to enable people to travel in a healthy manner and help enact public health measures with minimum impact on society and the economy. The WHO today said there have been 9,692 identified cases of the respiratory tract infection and 213 fatalities. “As new cases continue to be reported daily, much remains to be understood about this virus, but what is certain is that human mobility is a reality, and we have to find ways within that reality to keep everyone safe and healthy, while limiting the social or economic disruption,” said Jacqueline Weekers, Director of IOM’s Migration Health Division. Global health officials gathered at the WHO in Geneva yesterday determined that the situation has now become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), highlighting the need for “a coordinated international response”. The Committee did “not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current

information available”. Based on international health regulations (IHR), although international travel restrictions may intuitively seem like the right thing to do, this is not something that is usually recommended given the social disruption that such restrictions tend to cause. IOM and WHO therefore recommend focusing more on preparedness and response measures. “IOM has expertise in helping governments implement the necessary preparedness and response measures, including cross-border coordination, migrant outreach and education, and engagement of communities on the move, to break chains of transmission,” Weekers noted. “IOM has developed community networks with migrants and mobile populations all over

the world that can be leveraged for risk communication activities, a key step in helping families be informed and stay healthy.” Among various preparedness and response activities, IOM and partners have been supporting governments on questions of health and migration by providing trainings, developing guidance on best practices, improving the hygiene standards of certain facilities, and supporting the drafting of protocols at airports, border crossings and seaports. For example, earlier this month, IOM, in partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) supported the Senegalese Government in carrying out a simulation exercise to strengthen the notification and management systems of the Dakar airport in case

of a major public health emergency. In addition to offering support and guidance, IOM reiterates the need for inclusive approaches and calls on countries to ensure that migrants and other non-nationals are taken into account in public health planning and messages. In line with international health principles, WHO’s Emergency Committee also cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination. “Information is key, and this means continuing to share timely and accurate information, based on sound public health principles, is critical,” stressed Dr. Nenette Motus, IOM’s Regional Director for Asia-Pacific. “It is important that we work together to prevent the undue stigmatization of international travelers.”

thelifenews.com.au

UK Leaves EU After 47 Years TL Bureau, London

Britain has left the European Union after 47 years of membership, taking a leap into the unknown in a historic blow to the bloc. Brexit became official Friday at 11 p.m. in London and midnight in Brussels, where the EU is headquartered. Thousands of enthusiastic Brexit supporters gathered outside the U.K. Parliament in London cheered as the hour struck. In a recorded message, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Britain’s departure as a moment of real national renewal and change‌ that would lead to a bolder, more energetic nation. But many Britons mourned the loss of their EU identity. And there was sadness in Brussels, where British flags were quietly removed from the bloc’s many buildings. Bidding a sad adieu to the first country to leave the European Union, French President Emmanuel Macron called Brexit a historic alarm signal‌that should force the EU to improve itself

China reports 259 people have died of new virus with 11,791 confirmed cases of the outbreak TL Bureau, Beijing

China reports 259 people have died of new virus with 11,791 confirmed cases of the outbreak.

Russian plan for hydrogen-powered Arctic outpost in nation of natural gas TL Bureau, Moscow

Another Russian-constructed look into station that works without oil or petroleum gas will be situated in the core of Moscow’s most prominent convergence of flammable gas in the Arctic, authorities said. The self-governing Station Snezhinka, or “snowflake” complex, will be made as a universal stage for designers, analysts and researchers in Russia’s inadequately populated Yamal-Nenets district, an Arctic territory around 1,000 miles upper

east of Moscow. Implied for the investigation of atmosphere look into, earth cordial life bolster innovations, apply autonomy, broadcast communications and savvy home applications, the station will be completely fueled by hydrogen and sustainable power sources, authorities state. Unexpectedly, it will sit in the area that produces 80 percent of Russia’s flammable gas and 12 percent of its oil. The undertaking is bolstered by the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental gathering of

eight nations connecting the Arctic Ocean, and will open in 2022, an introduction said for the current week. Nikolay Kudryavtsev of the Moscow Physical-Technical Institute said it will cost $13.3 million and be worked close Salekhard in Russia’s YamalNenets locale. The arrangement is a takeoff from what Yamal-Nenets Gov. Dmitry Artyukhov said only a year back. “[Renewable energy] isn’t for us,” he said at that point. “Our main goal is to create hydrocarbons and convey it to the business sectors.”

ellbeing authorities in Britain and Sweden affirmed their first instances of coronavirus as the overall number of cases transcended 10,000 Friday. England’s Department of Health and Social Care said it moved the two patients to a pro disease unit in Newcastle. The two people are individuals from a similar family. “The patients are getting expert [National Health Service] care, and we are utilizing attempted and tried contamination control methodology to forestall additionally spread of the infection,” Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said. In the interim a trip of British nationals landed in Britain on Friday from Wuhan. The office said the travelers were being taken to a National Health Service site for a 14-day Trial. Sweden likewise affirmed its first case Friday, in Jönköping County. Sweden’s Public Health Authority said the lady as of late visited the Wuhan territory and came back to Sweden on Jan. 24. The organization said she at first had no side effects yet later built up a hack and visited a clinic. Authorities there isolated her in a disease facility. The quantity of affirmed coronavirus cases hopped on Friday to about 9,800 worldwide as the every day loss of life in China hit a record 43 - carrying the aggregate to 213 since the episode started a month ago. Chinese wellbeing authorities said 42 of the passings happened in Hubei territory and 30 were accounted for in its capital of Wuhan, the focal point of the episode and home to the nowshut fish and creature showcase the infection is accepted to have risen up out of. Chinese Foreign Ministry representative Hua Chunying declared Friday the administration contracted two planes to get Chinese voyagers stranded abroad as carriers drop flights to Wuhan or prevent inhabitants from claiming the coronavirus-stricken city to load up planes. “In perspective on the handy challenges as of late experienced by Chinese residents from Hubei, particularly Wuhan, abroad, the Chinese government has chosen to send common sanction trip to take them straightforwardly back to Wuhan as quickly as time permits,” she said in an announcement. China’s Civil Aviation Administration said it will dispatch two planes Friday to recover Hubei inhabitants from Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu,

Coronavirus Virus spreading worldwide people dying everyday ...no cure and vaccine till now

Malaysia. Twenty-two nations have detailed in any event one affirmed instance of the coronavirus, named 2019nCoV, inciting governments to either limit access or shut off outskirts to Chinese residents. On Friday, a day after the Philippines detailed its first patient, President Rodrigo Duterte banned conceding Chinese nationals from Hubei region. “It will go on until the risk is finished, given that the wellbeing of our comrades is chief in the president’s psyche,” representative Salvador Panelo said in an announcement. The Philippines’ previously affirmed case was a Chinese lady who flew from Wuhan to Hong Kong before going through a few Philippine urban areas, he said. “The patient is being dealt with and disengaged,” he said. “Its absolutely impossible that she will transmit the infection to someone else as the emergency clinic work force are defensively dressed and their mouths and noses secured with careful veils in addition to their hands secured with gloves.” The move follows Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin marking a request to close its far eastern fringe with China Friday, and its remote service declared it had suspended electronic visas to Chinese nationals at checkpoints in the Far East, Kaliningrad Region and at air, ocean, vehicle and person on foot checkpoints in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad district. As per the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, countries all through Asia have limited section to Chinese nationals trying to forestall the infection’s spread. Sri Lanka suspended visas on appearance from China while Malaysia and Singapore quit giving visas to those from Hubei. In the interim, Mongolia and North Korea have shut their outskirts with China. New Zealand additionally reported its originally associated case with the ailment Friday. Service of Health Director-General Dr. Ashley Bloomfield told correspondents the patient landed

with indications in Auckland and was in seclusion. Thursday, the World Health Organization announced the episode a global general wellbeing crisis, and will prepare analysts and clinicians to create powerful medication medicines and immunizations. Social mammoth Facebook said it will work to help the WHO by constraining the spread of “deception and unsafe substance” about the coronavirus on its foundation. The organization said it will evacuate content with bogus cases or paranoid ideas that have been hailed by specialists as unsafe. “This incorporates claims identified with bogus fixes or avoidance techniques - like drinking dye fixes the coronavirus - or claims that make perplexity about wellbeing assets that are accessible.” Facebook official Kang-Xing Jin stated, including that it will likewise square hashtags that spread bogus data. South Korea affirmed 11 instances of the coronavirus, and is detailing its first instance of tertiary transmission, the first of its sort outside China where the official loss of life moved to 213 on Friday. Jeong Eun-kyeong, executive of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Friday at a press preparation the tertiary transmission cases happened between South Korea’s 6th patient and two of the patient’s relatives, South Korean telecom

editorial

company SBS revealed. Jeong said cases No. 10 and 11 are the consequence of tertiary, or third-hand, transmission, yet so far the patients have shown “gentle manifestations.” An aggregate of five new patients were accounted for on Friday, up from a sum of six patients on Thursday. Understanding No. 7 is a South Korean man who came back from Wuhan, China, a week ago. He loaded onto a plane from Qingdao. Understanding No. 8 was recognized as a 62-year-old South Korean lady who had not been to Wuhan however was ready a similar plane from Qingdao as Patient No. 7, as per SBS. The two patients are being treated at isolated medicinal focuses. South Korea’s ninth patient was tainted through auxiliary transmission after a gathering with Patient No. 5, who had come back from Wuhan. The instance of optional transmission between Patient No. 3 and Patient No. 6, detailed Thursday, gives a case of how rapidly and effectively the dangerous coronavirus could be spreading between individuals. The transmission happened when patients No. 3 and 6 met for over an hour at an eatery in southern Seoul, neighborhood arrange MBC announced Friday. Tolerant No. 3 may have not been isolated upon come back from Wuhan on account of a nonappearance of indications. At the eatery, the patient tainted the 6th patient, a colleague, over the span of an hour while situated a couple of feet away, as indicated by the report. South Korea’s affirmed cases may develop following the repatriation of in excess of 300 residents from Wuhan. A sum of 200 returnees are to experience a 10-day isolate in the city of Asan, where they were given a greeting from neighborhood inhabitants on Friday, Yonhap detailed.

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world

U.S. Department of State Concludes $10 Million Settlement of Alleged Export Violations by Airbus SE TL Bureau, Washington D.C. The Department of State reached an administrative agreement with Airbus SE to resolve the alleged civil violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. § 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130. The Department of State and Airbus SE reached this settlement following an extensive compliance review by the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The Department of State and Airbus SE reached an agreement pursuant to ITAR § 128.11 to address providing false statements on authorization requests; the failure to provide accurate and complete reporting on political contributions, commissions, or fees that it paid, or offered or agreed to pay, in

connection with sales; the failure to maintain records involving ITAR-controlled transactions; and the unauthorized re-export and retransfer of defense articles. The settlement demonstrates the Department’s role in strengthening U.S. industry by protecting U.S.-origin defense articles, including technical data from unauthorized exports. The settlement highlights the importance of obtaining appropriate authorization from the Department for exporting controlled articles and providing timely and accurate reporting of payment of fees related to the sale of defense articles to the armed forces of a foreign country or international organization. Under the terms of the 36-month Consent Agreement, Airbus SE will pay a civil penalty of $10 million. The Department agreed to suspend $5 million of this amount on the condition the funds have or will be used for

Department-approved Consent Agreement remedial compliance measures. In addition, an external Special Compliance Official will be engaged by Airbus SE to oversee the Consent Agreement, which will also require the company to conduct two external audits of its compliance program during the Agreement term as well as implement additional compliance measures. Airbus SE voluntarily disclosed to the Department the alleged AECA and ITAR violations, which are resolved under this settlement. Airbus SE also acknowledged the serious nature of the alleged violations, cooperated with the Department’s review, and instituted several compliance program improvements during the Department’s review. For these reasons, the Department has determined that it is not appropriate to administratively debar Airbus SE at this time.

Public Designation, Due to Gross Violations of Human Rights, of Paul Christian Makonda of Tanzania

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

The Department of State is publicly designating Paul Christian Makonda under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2020 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights, which include the flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons. Specifically, the Department has credible information that Makonda was involved in such violations in his capacity as the Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam. In that role, he has also been implicated in oppression of the political opposition, crackdowns on freedom of expression and

association, and the targeting of marginalized individuals. The United States remains deeply concerned over deteriorating respect for human rights and rule of law in Tanzania. This includes actions taken by the government that curtail freedom of expression, freedom of association, and right of peaceful assembly; target marginalized people and the political opposition; and jeopardize life. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.

The law also requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to the public designation of Paul Christian Makonda, the Department is also publicly designating his spouse, Mary Felix Massenge. These actions against Paul Christian Makonda underscore our concern with human rights violations and abuses in Tanzania, as well as our support for accountability for those who engage in such violations and abuses. We call on the Tanzanian government to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression, association, and the right of peaceful assembly.

KSrelief Masam project manages to dismantle 1616 land mines in Yemen in January 2020, reports TL Bureau, Riyadh

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief)’s antiland mines project (Masam) has successfully managed to dismantle as many as 1616 different types of land mines in Yemen during the fourth week of January 2020, it was reported here today. A statement issued by the authority concerned said Riyadh-based KSrelief was able to unearth and thwart six anti-personnel and 402 anti-tank land mines, eleven bombs,

and 1197 unexploded ammunition, bringing to 1616 the number of mines dismantled during the fourth week of this month; and bringing to 125902 the total number of mines implanted by Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia in used lands, schools and homes in Yemen, according to which a great number of innocent children, women and elders went dead or lost human organs or suffered serious injuries. The Saudi initiative (Masam) aims to purify the Yemeni lands from this harmful scourge

Possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank: Foreign Secretary statement Unilateral move would be damaging to

renewed efforts to re-start peace negotiations, and contrary to international law

TL Bureau, London

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has responded to reports that Israel could begin to immediately apply Israeli laws over the Jordan valley and key strategic areas of the West Bank. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: The United Kingdom is concerned by reports of possible moves toward annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel. Any such unilateral moves would be damaging to renewed efforts to re-start peace negotiations, and

contrary to international law. Any changes to the status quo cannot be taken forward without an agreement negotiated by the parties themselves.

Promoting Accountability for Human Rights Abusers in Guatemala

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

On January 29, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed Francisco Cuxum Alvarado to his home country of Guatemala, where he faces charges related to human rights abuses committed during Guatemala’s civil war. As a member of the Civil Patrol, Mr. Cuxum Alvarado is accused of participating in the mass sexual assault of indigenous women in the early 1980s and in

the massacre of 70 women and 107 children on March 13, 1982, in Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. The United States strongly promotes accountability for human rights violations and abuses, no matter where or when they occur. We support the Guatemalan government in its efforts to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable, and to uphold respect for rule of law, transparency, and an independent judiciary.

IOM, FAO Lead Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction in West and Central Africa

TL Bureau, Dakar

The number of internally displaced people in West and Central Africa has more than doubled in the past three years driven by climate and environmental change, fastpaced urbanization, population growth and conflict.  In sub-Saharan Africa, a combination of conflict, floods, droughts and other natural hazards resulted in a doubling in the total number of new internal displacements over just three years (2015–2018), according to OCHA’s newly published Global Humanitarian Overview 2019. Similar data

from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) reveal that same trend. In 2019, over 800,000 people were displaced by disasters

in West and Central Africa, up from 344,700 in 2017, which itself was more than double the total of its previous year, 2016, when 161,700 men, women

and children were displaced. In 2019, alone, floods caused the displacement of at least 30,000 people in the Central African Republic, 41,000 people in Mauritania, 19,000 people in Far North Cameroon and another 15,000 people in North East Nigeria.  By any standard, this now represents an emergency unfolding relentlessly across the world’s poorest continent.  “West and Central Africa is marked by the recurrence and scale of human and material losses due to disasters caused by hazards such as floods, drought, armed conflicts and

epidemics,” explained Dr. Gouantoueu Robert Guei, Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), who added: “a regional partnership is of paramount importance to support the governments.”  Therefore, to reduce disaster-induced mobility in the West and Central African region and strengthen the resilience of at-risk populations, this week the International Organization for Migration (IOM) joined the FAO to launch CADRI, the Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) partnership in the region.

world

Finland’s imprint is visible in the fight against desertification TL Bureau, Helsinki In a report last autumn, the UN warned about the consequences of soil degradation and desertification. There are no deserts in Finland but that is also why we may have key solutions to the problem. During his visit to Finland, Secretary-General Ibrahim Thiaw met, among others, former President Tarja Halonen, who is the Drylands’ Ambassador for the UN Convention on Desertification. Photo: MFA / Katharina Bäckman Rapidly increasing land use accelerates climate change and soil degradation, which threatens food production and weakens habitats. According to a Special Report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (ICPP)

last August, approximately 500 million people live in deserted areas. The challenge is being addressed daily by Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Desertification (UNCCD) Ibrahim Thiaw, who visited Finland this week. Thiaw stresses that the problem is strongly affecting the whole world, even though for a heavily forested country in the north desertification may seem a distant issue. “The consequences of the problem are met even in countries where soil degradation is not among the main concerns, because in today’s world we are all in the same boat. When the situation escalates in one part of the world, people are forced to flee elsewhere.”

Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs commends the Green Deal

TL Bureau, Helsinki

At its meeting on Friday 31 January, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed the European Green Deal and its financing, the Brexit process, and financing of the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness BICC. The Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs noted that the European Green Deal proposed by the Commission provides a positive and comprehensive approach to address the EU’s main sustainability challenges. A key element of the Green Deal is the decision of the European Council last December to achieve climate-neutrality in the EU by 2050. Similarly, the

Commission’s aim to use the programme to build the EU into a fair and just society of wellbeing is well in line with the objectives Finland has set in the Government Programme. Finland will establish its positions on the individual initiatives after the Commission has given the proposals for these. With regard to the financing of the European Green Deal, Finland stresses the need to involve private stakeholders as broadly as possible. The EU budget and public funding by the Member States alone will not be enough to finance the considerable investments that will be needed. Finland points out that the investments will also create significant economic opportunities.

FSO - Electric cars gain momentum: number of new registrations more than doubled in 2019 TL Bureau , Neuchâtel

In 2019, 6 160 300 motor vehicles circulated on Swiss roads. This was 46 500 or 0.8% more than in the previous year. Three quarters of the entire fleet were passenger cars, including an increasing number of electric cars: of the 312 900 cars that were newly registered in 2019, 13 200 or 4.2% were purely

battery operated. This meant that new registrations of electric cars increased substantially year-onyear (+143.9%) while the number of petrol-driven cars only showed a slight increase (+1.9%) and diesel cars once again saw a clear decline (–11.9%). These findings are from the Federal Statistical Office’s (FSO) newly published Road Motor Vehicle Statistics.

Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Zahorodnyuk

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodnyuk in Kyiv, Ukraine. Secretary Pompeo and Defense Minister Zahorodnyuk discussed

U.S. support for Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its resilience against Russia’s aggression and to implement important defense sector reforms. The Secretary reiterated that U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering.

Kazakhstan to lead global school connectivity initiative in Central AsiaImage.jpeg

TL Bureau, Almaty

The Government of Kazakhstan, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) agreed to collaborate on GIGA, a UNICEFITU global initiative to connect every school to the Internet and every young person in Kazakhstan to information, opportunity and choice. Launched in 2019, GIGA sets the goal of providing connectivity to every school in the world. Some 3.7 billion people in the world do not have access to the Internet, of whom 360 million are young people. A lack of access to the Internet means children and young people are excluded from the wealth of information available online, limiting their resources to learn and to grow, and to fulfill their potential. Closing the digital divide requires global cooperation, leadership, and innovation in finance and technology.

“The joint UNICEF-ITU global initiative GIGA aims to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural education. It is important to note that providing remote villages with broadband Internet access is one of the most central areas of the work of our ministry,” said Askar Zhumagaliyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. “Telecom operators have laid thousands of kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines to villages. Within the framework of this project alone, we provided access to high-speed Internet for 446 rural schools, and by the end of this year there will be 1,342 such schools. Therefore, supporting GIGA is a

logical step for us to further expand the access of rural schoolchildren of Kazakhstan to online educational resources,” he concluded. According to ITU, the official source for global ICT statistics, nearly 80 per cent of the population in Kazakhstan uses the Internet, but the figure across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region ranges between 21 per cent and 81 per cent. Kazakhstan is among the countries with the highest level of mobile-broadband penetration in the CIS region. The country is also a regional leader in access to computers and offered the lowest price per gigabyte of all CIS countries with capped entry-level fixed-broadband plans in 2017

Designation of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Its Head Ali Akbar Salehi and Renewing Nuclear Restrictions TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

In response to the Iranian regime’s series of provocative nuclear escalations, the Department of State designated the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and its head, Ali Akbar Salehi, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferators and their supporters. The United States is committed to taking any action necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. AEOI and Salehi were designated for having engaged, or attempted to engage, in activities or transactions

that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of WMD by a foreign country of proliferation concern. AEOI has played a leading role in Iran’s nonperformance of its key nuclear commitments, such as exceeding the limits on its uranium stockpile and enrichment levels. Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of AEOI, personally inaugurated the installation of new, advanced centrifuges as part of Iran’s recent effort to expand its uranium enrichment capacity and chaired a ceremony at which Iran started injecting uranium gas into advanced IR-6 centrifuge

machines. The United States also renewed four nuclear restrictions on Iran for an additional 60 days. We will closely monitor all developments in Iran’s nuclear program and can adjust these restrictions at any time.Iran’s continued nuclear escalation underscores the serious challenge the Iranian regime poses to international peace and security. The time is now for the international community to stand together against Iran’s nuclear extortion. If the world is concerned with Iran’s behavior now, it should consider how Iran would behave with a nuclear weapon.

These NDCs are a key part of the Paris Agreement and are reviewed and updated every five years by the countries themselves. It’s now 2020, so all countries are expected to declare their amended NDCs. The Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean was the first nation to do so, Suriname is the second. Is Suriname a big emitter of the greenhouse gasses which lead to climate change? Forests cover 93% of Suriname’s land mass and are rich in biodiversity. UNDP Suriname/ Pelu Vidal | Forests cover 93% of Suriname’s land mass and are rich in biodiversity. No, on the contrary Suriname stated as far back as 2014 that it had a carbon negative economy; that means that any global warming gasses it does produce, are offset by natural resources which absorb those gasses. The South American country is 93 per cent covered by forest, which acts as a massive carbon

sink; in other words, all those trees capture, or suck in, harmful carbon dioxide gas removing it from the atmosphere. Less carbon dioxide means less warming. So why is Suriname’s update of its NDCs significant? It’s significant on a number of levels, firstly as a statement that this small country is committed to fighting climate change but also as a reminder to other countries that they too must update their plans if the international community is going to reach the 2 degree Celsius target it agreed on in Paris five years ago. And many of the smaller developing countries and especially island states, or those with low-lying coastal areas, are keen to push forward the new commitments because they are particularly susceptible to climate change, even though they have contributed least to the problem.

Suriname’s climate promise, for a sustainable future

TL Bureau, UN HQ

The South American country describes its new national plan as a “cost-effective pathway to decarbonization of substantiable economic development.” But what does this all mean in terms of global efforts to reverse the warming of the planet? Read on for an explanation. What are these plans and why are we hearing about them now? Globally, 196 countries, plus the European Union, originally signed up to the Paris Agreement in 2015 which commits the international community to restrict global warming to “well below 2 degrees Celsius” and aim, if possible, for 1.5C. It’s hoped that these ambitious targets will be met collectively by countries by setting distinct, individual or national goals known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs.

australia

NSW ENERGY DEAL TO REDUCE Billie Jean King Set To Change POWER PRICES AND EMISSIONS Our Game At World Cup TL Bureau, Canberra & Sydney

The Morrison and Berejiklian governments have reached a landmark agreement to lower power prices for consumers, reduce emissions and strengthen grid reliability. Through this partnership, both governments have committed to deliver a number of initiatives that will: increase gas and electricity supply in NSW by encouraging investment; improve grid security by supporting transmission interconnection and network access; and support emissions reduction projects that deliver genuine abatement. The more than $2 billion deal includes: NSW-based emissions reductions initiatives utilising $960 million in federal

funding, (with a minimum $450 million grants and the remaining $510 million a mix of grants and loans) matched by $1.01 billion in direct funding from NSW. Jointly underwriting the delivery of HumeLink and the Queensland-NSW interconnectors to strength grid reliability. Commitments from the NSW Government to facilitate investment opportunities to inject an additional 70 petajoules of gas per year into the east coast market. An undertaking from the NSW Government to remove barriers to coal supply to the Mount Piper Power Station. Supporting new generation projects in NSW through the Federal Government’s $1 billion Underwriting New Generation Investment program. Financial support for the establishment

Change in business behaviour confirms Government legislation

TL Bureau, Canberra

The Morrison Government welcomes the decision taken by businesses in recent days to change their payment terms with their suppliers. Decisions taken by Telstra and Rio Tinto to improve their payment terms with suppliers, many of them small and family businesses, better align with the Morrison Government’s impending legislation and community expectation.Minister for Small and Family Business Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash said that these

Darwin man sentenced for child abuse material offences TL Bureau, Darwin

A 35-year-old Darwin man has received a 12-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to accessing and possessing child abuse material. The man, who was sentenced in the Darwin Supreme Court yesterday (30 January), was charged in July 2019 by the Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NT JACET). Police launched an investigation after a report from Canada’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC) about a person sharing child abuse material via an instant messaging service. Inquiries identified the now 35-year-old Darwin man as the subscriber of an account that had uploaded and shared the abhorrent material. A search warrant was executed at the man’s home in June 2019 and police seized his laptop and phone. A forensic examination of the devices uncovered child abuse videos and image files. Police arrested the man in July 2019 and charged him with: using a carriage service for child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);

decisions confirmed the Payment Times Reporting Framework was the right policy to get best practice out of business. “This legislation is all about transparency. So when big business react so quickly to community expectations in this instance, we know that they will be equally influenced by the Payment Times Reporting Framework,” she said. Once implemented, the scheme will require Australian businesses with an annual turnover of $100 million or more to report how and when they pay their small business suppliers.

of a pilot renewable energy zone in the Central West to help large-scale renewable generators pump as much as energy as possible into the grid. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the NSW energy deal was the first of many he hoped to sign with state and territory governments across Australia. “I want households and businesses paying less for their electricity and I want to continue to get emissions down – this deal does both,” the Prime Minister said. “There is no credible plan to lower emissions and keep electricity price down that does not involve the greater use of gas as an important transition fuel. “This plan is about getting greater access to that gas, as a vital accompaniment to our record investment in renewables.

TL Bureau, Melbourne

Gender equality and human rights icon Billie Jean King will headline a special International Women’s Day event in Melbourne in March, two days before the landmark ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final at the MCG. The tennis legend and social justice champion will be keynote speaker at the Change Our Game International Women’s Day Lunch on Friday, 6 March at Zinc Federation Square. King will be a guest of the ICC at the T20 final on Sunday, 8 March – International Women’s Day. The Andrews Labor Government is backing a drive to fill the MCG for the final and to set a new mark for attendance at a women’s sporting event. The record is 90,185, achieved for the 1999 soccer World Cup final between the US and China in California. Cricket has already

broken new ground in regards to the T20 World Cup, with the women’s tournament being played as a standalone event for the first time. The 10-nation tournament kicks off on 21 February and the Australian team led by Victorian star Meg Lanning is a hot favourite to make the final, where US superstar Katy Perry will perform. The Change Our Game lunch will follow on from a Community Sport Symposium to be held throughout the morning at Federation Square. Designed to increase the number of women and girls in leadership positions in sport and active recreation, audiences will hear from leading thinkers in sport, business and beyond. The Office for Women in Sport and Recreation has teamed up with Visit Victoria and Global Victoria to promote gender equality.

Disaster assistance for flood-

impacted communities in Queensland TL Bureau, Brisbane

Disaster assistance for road and infrastructure repairs is now available in the Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Burdekin, Longreach and Townsville council areas after recent flooding across Northern Queensland. Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David

Littleproud said the assistance would help to restore essential community infrastructure. “The Federal Government will pick up part of the bill to fix roads and other Infrastructure and to clean up,” Minister Littleproud said. “This provides immediate financial support to flood affected communities. “The sooner communities can get back to work, the faster they can recover. “We will make further assistance available to these communities as it is needed.” Queensland

Minister for Emergency Services Craig Crawford said some areas had reported rainfall of up to 600 millimetres. “This heavy and persistent rainfall has caused flash flooding, damage to public infrastructure and road closures across wide areas of Northern, Central and Western Queensland,” Minister Crawford said. “This funding will also assist with restoring damaged public infrastructure to alleviate the financial burden on these impacted communities.

TL Bureau, Canberra

“This research project is an opportunity to work together for the good of our sector and for the good of students to ensure international students access mental health support when they need it.” Mental Health Consultants Orygen will undertake the research. Orygen Executive Director Professor Pat McGorry AO said the research would explore ways the sector could improve its response to mental health and safety issues for international students. “We know from our 2017 report Under the Radar: the mental health of Australian university students that many of these students experience a number of risk factors for poor mental health and wellbeing,” Professor McGorry said. “This project is an opportunity to both build on our previous knowledge in this area and complement the work currently being undertaken by Orygen to develop a National University Mental Health Framework.”

Drug accused wanted for International student mental skipping bail in Melbourne health in the spotlight TL Bureau, Melbourne The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is appealing for information on the whereabouts of a man who is due to face trial as part of a conspiracy to import illicit drugs via light aircraft from California into Australia in 2017. 54-year-old Jim Soukoulis, who formerly lived in the Sydney suburb of Zetland, was arrested in July 2017. His arrest followed an investigation involving the seizure of 255 kilograms of methamphetamine in California in June 2017, allegedly destined to be imported into Australia in a light aircraft. The man was extradited to Melbourne following his arrest and was later bailed to live at an address in South Melbourne when released from custody in November 2017. As part of his bail conditions, a $900,000 security was posted, including $600,000 against his mother’s home. He was also

required to report daily to South Melbourne Police Station. His last report to Police was on 12 November 2019. Yesterday (Thursday, 30 January 2019), the Melbourne County Court made a determination the man has absconded, and arrest warrants have been issued. He was last seen in the carpark of his apartment building on Albert Road, South Melbourne, on the morning of 12 November 2019. The man has connections in Sydney and family connections in Adelaide and Greece, and also frequently travelled to Thailand prior to his arrest.

International students will receive better mental health support. The Morrison Government is providing $200,000 to research: mental health supports and services available to international students, challenges to engage international students with help, and best-practice examples. Australia hosted 693,750 international students in 2018 with the sector contributing $37.6 billion to the economy and supporting 240,000 jobs. Minister for Education Dan Tehan said improving access to mental health support for international students was the right thing to do. “We have a moral duty to ensure the international students who study in Australia are supported to succeed in their studies and that includes support to maintain their mental health,” Mr Tehan said.

NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA

Dargaville pontoon Vocational education to take to be upgraded centre stage in schools TL Bureau, Wellington

The Provincial Growth Fund will invest $4 million for Kaipara District Council to upgrade the Dargaville pontoon, the first in its plan to improve wharves on Kaipara Harbour, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The replacement of the Dargaville pontoon will improve access to the harbour and grow tourism and other commercial activities,” Winston Peters said. Today’s announcement follows the investment early last year of $950,000 for Kaipara District Council to analyse its harbour infrastructure and

ferry transport. The funding announced today is expected to have benefits in servicing the growing local and international tourist numbers including cyclists and daytripper demands. Kaipara Harbour is a worldfamous habitat for fish and birds and has an international reputation as a productive marine ecosystem and breeding ground for 42 coastal bird species including the migratory locally revered kuaka, bar-tailed godwit. “Dargaville pontoon is a key piece of infrastructure for this harbour. If we are to grow our regions and ensure that all New Zealanders benefit from our strong economy, investments such as this are crucial.

Government charters Air NZ flight to assist Wuhan departure TL Bureau, Wellington

The Government has agreed with Air New Zealand to charter an aircraft to assist New Zealanders leaving Wuhan, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. The aircraft will have capacity for around 300 passengers and will fly from Wuhan to New Zealand. Officials will be working through operational requirements with Air New Zealand and Chinese authorities. New Zealanders in the Hubei region who are registered on Safetravel have been emailed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to register interest in the flight, which is subject to Chinese Government approval. “We are pleased to be have been able to offer this assistance to New Zealanders in a challenging situation,” Mr Peters said. “We encourage all New

Zealanders in the Hubei region to register on Safetravel and ensure all their details are accurate and up to date. This will give us a better understanding of the level of demand for this flight.” “New Zealand will be offering any additional seats to Pacific Island and Australian citizens as a matter of priority.” “This is a complex operation as we work through all the necessary requirements but we are working to have the aircraft depart as soon as possible.” Consular teams will be working with health officials to ensure that the risks of transmission of the Coronavirus to New Zealand are carefully managed throughout the evacuation process. Officials are currently developing procedures for: predeparture health screening of passengers, infection control inflight, and isolation of all passengers arriving in New Zealand for up to two weeks.

Major demolition work to begin at new Dunedin Hospital site TL Bureau, Wellington

The Ministry of Health has awarded the site clearance and demolition works contract for the New Dunedin Hospital to Ceres New Zealand LLC, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. “It’s great to have Ceres NZ on board the project. They have decades’ worth of experience working on large demolition projects and they played a key role supporting the Christchurch rebuild,” David Clark said. “By New Zealand standards this is a large and complex project. The nature of the site requires consideration of a range of issues, including

traffic management and safety, impact on neighbouring properties and businesses, disconnecting and re-routing on-site utilities and removal of hazardous materials such as asbestos. “I’m pleased we now have Ceres NZ ready and set to get on with this crucial and substantial work toward our new hospital very soon,” David Clark said. Starting with around 15 workers, the Ceres NZ team will increase to 40 personnel at the peak of demolition works. Most of the workforce will be sourced locally. Staged demolition works will begin in February and may take up to 12 to 18 months.

TL Bureau, Wellington

More than 85,000 students will talk to around 4000 employers at events to promote vocational education in schools, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. The Government is funding 343 schools with $3000 each to run trades-based events to give both students and teachers the opportunity to connect with

and explore industry-specific careers. Most will take place in terms one and two this year. It comes as the Government unveils a $12 billion infrastructure programme to build and upgrade roads, rail, schools and hospitals, creating thousands of new jobs up and down the country. “It’s a great time for young

people to get into the trades and the interest from schools wanting to run these events has been tremendous,” Chris Hipkins said. “The Government originally planned to fund events for 250 schools, but the Ministry of Education received 343 eligible proposals and we’re funding all of them.

Waitangi Day marked by community events

TL Bureau, Wellington

New Zealanders will come together at community events across local marae, parks, schools and atop maunga to commemorate Waitangi Day, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern said today. “This year $400,000 in grants from the Commemorating

Waitangi Day Fund will be made to over 40 community groups to host a range of events to mark the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Jacinda Ardern said. “Every year these events help us to learn, ask questions and deepen our collective understanding of what Te Tiriti means for us. “Events this year include a Treaty trail race through Kaikōura,

a festival in Ashburton, and a talk, waiata and performance in Porirua. Big events like Waitangi ki Manukau 2020, held by Auckland Council and Manukau Urban Māori Authority at Manukau’s Hayman Park, will bring together tens of thousands of people and the Waitangi Village will encourage the use of Te Reo.

and economy. “We are providing up to $12.745m through the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to ensure the region has a reliable water supply which can be used to develop underutilised land, grow new markets, create jobs and put more money into the local economy,” Winston Peters said. The two water storage projects being funded are: Northland Water Storage and Use Project – up to $12m for Northland Regional Council Kai for Kaipara Water - $745,000 for Kaipara District Council In 2018 the PGF provided up to $18.5m to Northland Regional Council to progress water storage

projects in the Kaipara and mid-North regions through pre-feasibility work. The funding allowed only one of these to move to full feasibility and construction. “We’re now providing additional funding to enable water storage projects in both regions to progress to construction,” Shane Jones said.“Through this initiative Northland will be able to store water during peak flow times to use during dry periods. A reliable freshwater supply will lead to benefits that include providing landowners with greater land use options and the opportunity to develop new sustainable agriculture and horticulture markets,” Shane Jones said.

Upto$12.7mforNorthland water projects

TL Bureau, Wellington

The Government will provide up to $12.7 million to make Northland more resilient in the face of extreme weather, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Water is critical for Northland’s economy and wellbeing but is increasingly under threat from floods and drought, declining rainfall and river flows and rising temperatures,” Winston Peters said at an event in Dargaville today. “There are also increased demands on water resources from a growing population

High Commissioner to Tuvalu Announced

TL Bureau, Wellington

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of diplomat Matt Howell as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Tuvalu. Mr Howell is well qualified for this appointment.

He has a background in international development, a long career working in the Pacific, and is the New Zealand Director for the Tuvalu Trust Fund. He has also previously served at the New Zealand High Commission in Honiara,” said Mr Peters. “The High Commissioner will play a critical role

in taking forward the New ZealandTuvalu Statement of Partnership which was signed by both countries in March 2019. This arrangement will see our two countries work together more closely on areas such as climate change, workforce development and regional security.

BUSINESS

Rebuilding for a stronger Australia Ombudsman urges AMP

TL Bureau, Canberra

The business community’s BizRebuild initiative is working to quickly restore the jobs and small businesses that hold communities together to ensure bushfire affected towns do not fold and fade away. BizRebuild, chaired by General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove (Retd), and members of his advisory committee, including Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Jennifer Westacott AO and President Tim Reed, today heard firsthand from around 50 mayors and local businesses from bushfire devastated communities. Sir Peter told the community meeting at Parliament House: “We heard today the theme of disaster and setback repeated again and again across local communities. We also heard a very dire impression of the economic damage.’’ “We won’t let your communities fold and fade away. “We want to lead a business recovery and larger businesses are already working to help smaller ones. Whether it’s getting someone a job in the job in the short-term, whether it’s getting someone the tools they need to start working again, or providing a temporary shopfront for a gutted business.’’ “Our job is to get money and

action on the ground as fast as possible. We are not going to be bogged down by bureaucracy. We are not going to ask you to fill out complicated forms. We are not going to ask you to jump through numerous hoops. I want to make this as easy as possible,’’ Sir Peter said. The meeting heard from communities, many in drought, how the bushfires had resulted in 100 per cent of holiday bookings evaporating, businesses shutting, and jobs disappearing. Others said their agriculture and forestry industries had been decimated. Mayors said there was a desperate need to get cash and credit flowing back into their local economies, tourists returning, and larger companies buying more from regional businesses. Ms Westacott said: “Members of the business community cannot begin to comprehend the trauma local communities are facing but we have undertaken to work alongside them, providing the onthe-ground assistance they need to recover and rebuild.” “BizRebuild will launch “flying squads” giving case management support to small businesses who need advice and guidance as they prepare to rebuild for even stronger future.

KLARNA LAUNCHES IN AUSTRALIA WITH CBA

TL Bureau, Parramatta Commonwealth Bank customers will be able to benefit immediately from using one of the world’s largest and most innovative buy now pay later online shopping services following today’s official launch of Klarna Australia. By accessing Klarna through the country’s market-leading banking app, CBA customers can quickly register and begin shopping at any online store. Purchased items will show up in the CommBank app and customers will also be able to take advantage of price drop and out of stock notifications directly from Klarna. Klarna will also be available to non-CBA consumers. Klarna is one of the world’s biggest digital payments providers with more than 85 million customers using the service to purchase goods and services from 200,000 merchants. In Australia, CBA is the market leader

in digital payments with more than 7 million digitally active customers and 5.6 million customers that use the CommBank app every day. CBA Chief Executive Officer Matt Comyn said: “Our partnership with Klarna will further enhance the customer experience in our leading banking app and address the rapidly growing demand among consumers for new payment options. In particular, it allows us to build on our leading technology to deliver the very best payment services for our customers and merchants in Australia, on platforms which are safe, secure, and easy to use. “By partnering with Klarna, we are bringing together our market leading digital technology, merchant relationships and strong customer network with Klarna’s innovative payments technology and integrated shopping experience for the benefit of CBA customers and many more Australian consumers.”

Last week it matched Beach House Stairs in Batemans Bay with Bunnings which sourced and donated new tools from across the state. Acting quickly and providing the tools meant a local business was able to stay afloat, nine tradesman stayed in work, earning wages and supporting their families and local communities. BizRebuild aims to replicate these efforts across fire affected regions. “We want to rekindle a sense of community in bushfire affected regions, give them a sense of hope and a road to recovery. Our response is designed to be practical and on-the-ground,’’ Ms Westacott said. Mr Reed said: “This is about coordinating the resources that large companies have for impact. We want to help small businesses at the heart of these communities get back on track.’’ “Business Council of Australia members have given more than $33 million in donations, and millions more in in-kind support,’’ he said. “We have already encouraged larger businesses to waive or defer debts wherever possible to alleviate the pressure, and to make sure cash is coming in by paying invoices before they are due and holding corporate events in devastated communities.

to come to mediation table with planners

TL Bureau, Canberra

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has urged AMP to formally commit to mediation, as it moves to exit up to 250 financial planning businesses. “More than 80 AMP financial planners have approached my office in the past few months and many of them are telling us they face financial ruin as a result of AMP’s new exit terms,” Ms Carnell says. “Many of those planners who borrowed from AMP to buy into the business at a set price, now face losing their homes and their livelihoods, as the financial institution seeks to impose a three-year restriction on working as a financial planner. “My office has met with AMP and although they signalled they were open to mediation, they have yet to confirm their participation. “It’s critical these small business owners have clear information

about their financial position before making any big decisions about their future. Mediation would be one way of providing that much-needed clarity. “We’ve called on AMP to waive debts for those financial planners facing AMP-imposed reduced buyback values. “AMP has also been asked to extend its termination deadline, so that a resolution may be reached. “Small businesses in the financial planning industry have faced a great deal of turmoil in the aftermath of the Banking Royal Commission, with hundreds of planners bearing the brunt of brutal restructures and fire sales by banks and wealth funds. “We remain concerned about a number of behaviours that may include the conduct of lookback audits, financial planning licensors shifting responsibility for client compensation payments to licencees, short notice periods provided to licencees exiting the business and restraint of trade provisions.

120 NEW SPECIALIST BANKERS, MAJOR FEE CUTS AND FASTER LENDING DECISIONS FOR CBA SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS TL Bureau, Parramatta

Commonwealth Bank is delivering on its commitment to be better for small business, introducing more than 120 new roles dedicated to supporting small business customers, removing more business banking fees, and providing quicker access to business funding. Clive van Horen, Executive General Manager of Business Customer Solutions at CBA, said the changes were all based directly on customer feedback and needs. “Our small business customers have wanted more from us and we’ve been working hard to make the improvements they’ve asked for – like faster access to cash flow, more specialist bankers, and less fees,” Mr van Horen said. “Small businesses are often the first to feel the pinch from shifts in the broader economy. As Australia’s largest bank, it is imperative we listen to these businesses, back them, and try to make it easier for them to innovate, invest and grow.” The changes build on the commitment CBA made to small business customers in February – to lend even more, remove more fees, and increase its small business support teams. “We’re delivering on our commitment with the introduction of more than 120 new small business banker roles to better support specific customer needs, including more business bankers in our Australian phone based business centres, and Business Banking Managers in branches in key geographic areas,” Mr van Horen said. The bank has also rolled out BizExpress, a business lending application offering small businesses a faster lending decision, and faster funding for loans up to $1 million. “The nature of small businesses is such that they require quick access to funding, whether it’s to capitalise on opportunities, cover debts or cash flow, or purchase equipment. BizExpress can provide our eligible small business customers with a lending decision in minutes, enabling faster access to the funds they need to keep them growing,” Mr van Horen said.

“We fully acknowledge there is concern in the small business community that it is getting harder to access credit. We currently lend more than $500 million to Australian businesses every week and have the capacity and appetite to do much more.” Customers are already seeing the benefits of the changes – like Melanie Villani from Victorian clothing retailer Evergreen Clothing, who recently received a funding decision on a $80,000 better business loan within four hours of applying. Ms Villani needed the funds to build a new warehouse in order to accommodate an increase in online orders. “I started Evergreen Clothing in 2014 as a fashion retailer here on the Mornington Peninsula. Over the last two years, we’ve seen a marked spike in our online business and clearly needed a bigger space to accommodate this growth. We wanted to make sure we could get orders out as quickly as possible to our customers who are spread right across Australia,”

FEATURE

IFC to Help Promote Good Corporate Governance to Enhance Ukraine’s Private Sector Competitiveness TL Bureau, Kyiv

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has partnered with Ukraine’s National Securities and Stock Market Commission and the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Academy to promote good corporate governance in the country, including managing environmental and social risks. This is a part of IFC’s broader strategy to help Ukraine’s private companies improve performance, enhance competitiveness, and attract investment. Ukraine has the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Principles for public joint-stock companies, whose shares are traded on the stock market. However, more and more businesses, including nonlisted companies, face the need for an integrated approach to environment, social, and governance issues to attract sustainable investment.IFC, together with its two partners on this project, will develop and introduce the new National Corporate Governance Code, which reflects the latest developments

in terms of integrated environmental, social, and corporate governance. IFC experts will support the introduction of practical and clear guidance on best practices for publicly-traded companies. IFC will bring to the table its global expertise in corporate governance, as well as its extensive experience in emerging markets. Taras Ivyshyn, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Academy, said: “We will produce a comprehensive, bilingual document that will explain the principles of corporate governance to all Ukrainian companies. The Code will fully comply with international corporate governance principles, as well as deal with the realities of Ukrainian laws.” The National Securities and Stock Market Commission will oversee the code’s effective implementation, while the Ukrainian Corporate Governance Academy will deliver awarenessraising events to promote the Code in the Ukrainian business community. “Corporate governance should not be

the privilege only of securities issuers, state-owned companies, or banks. Given the importance of best practices for players from other areas, we will develop a Ukrainian gold standard that can be applicable to all businesses,” said Timur Khromayev, head of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission. “In the medium term, these joint efforts will encourage investors and banks to consider the Corporate Governance Code’s key principles when making financing decisions. We are helping create an improved regulatory framework for environmental, social, and governance practices, which improves company performance. Companies with enhanced corporate governance are better able to attract investment, , thereby enhancing Ukraine’s private sector competitiveness,” said Jason Pellmar, IFC Regional Manager for Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. IFC’s Promoting Investment through Integrated Environmental, Social, Governance Standards Program

in Europe and Central Asia is implemented in partnership with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland SECO. The program aims to help strengthen the development of the private sector in Europe and Central Asia, including Ukraine. For more information about IFC’s work in the areas, visit: www. ifc.org/sustainability About IFC IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities where they are needed most. In fiscal year 2019, we delivered more than $19 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org

Northern Ireland Troubles-related incident victims payments scheme

TL Bureau, London

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Julian Smith CBE MP, has today signed new legislation establishing a victims payments scheme. This scheme acknowledges the harm caused to those people injured through no fault of their own in the Troubles through annual payments of c. £2,000 to £10,000 for the rest of their lives.Following consultation, changes have been made to the scheme to increase the number of injured people who will qualify, and to benefit spouses and carers looking after those who were seriously injured. It will not apply to those who were injured due to their own actions or who committed serious criminal offences. An independent judge-led board will make

decisions on whether payments should be made where there is compelling evidence that a payment would not be appropriate. Secretary of State Julian Smith said: “The Troubles had a devastating impact on many, and the time has come to implement a victims payments scheme to deliver for those who need it most and for those injured through no fault of their own. “I would like to pay tribute to the courage of those people who have fought long and hard to see such a scheme. “We have talked about this for long enough. It is time to get it done.” The Troubles had a profound and often devastating impact on too many people, in Northern Ireland and beyond. When we speak about the

Troubles we rightly talk about the many violent deaths, but it is also vital that we do not overlook the harm caused to those who were seriously injured in Troubles incidents. Many of the people who were injured have to live with a daily reminder of the impact of that terrible event or events - whether through loss of mobility, loss of limbs, psychological trauma or some other life limiting health condition or disability. Following the recent consultation, the Secretary of State has introduced new rules for the scheme, so that the needs of those injured in the Troubles through no fault of their own receive the recognition that they deserve. The new scheme will mean: *The payment can be

transferred to a spouse, civil partner, cohabiting partner, registered carer or anyone who provided a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for ten years on death of the injured person. *The date parameters for the scheme will be Jan 1966 - Apr 2010, but an independent Board will also have discretion to consider applications for incidents outside these dates which they consider it would be in line with the purpose of the scheme to include. *Awards may only be adjusted for historic compensation where that historic compensation is higher than a threshold. *Payments through the scheme will not impact income-related benefits or tax (including income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax).

*Anyone injured anywhere in the UK who meet the other eligibility criteria will be eligible for the scheme (regardless of residency). And any UK citizen, or person of NI, injured in Europe will be eligible. The discussions and delay of the past few years have gone on long enough. The time has come to get this done and deliver for those people who will benefit most. The new Regulations will mean that from May, victims can apply for payments, and the system has been designed to support those seriously injured and traumatised in the Troubles. This new scheme and legislation being introduced today puts victims and their needs at the heart of Government’s approach to dealing with the legacy of the Troubles.

life and real estate

Emirates honours distinguished employees at QANTAS GROUP PILOT ACADEMY TAKES FLIGHT the 12th annual Najm Chairman’s Awards

TL Bureau, Toowoomba

The next generation of pilots will learn to fly at the Qantas Group’s new Pilot Academy in Toowoomba, which was officially opened today. The Pilot Academy will have the capacity to train up to 250 pilots each year to build a long-term talent pipeline for Qantas, Jetstar and QantasLink and help the broader industry meet the increasing need for skilled aviators. Boeing estimates more than 800,000 more pilots will be required globally over the next 20 years with around one third of them in the Asia Pacific. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who was in Toowoomba with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to inspect the new training facilities and student accommodation, said some of the airline’s future 787 Dreamliner and A380 Captains would be graduates of the Academy. “Opening our new Pilot Academy is a historic moment for Qantas, for aviation in Australia and for the thousands of future pilots who will learn how to fly here in Toowoomba,” Mr Joyce said. “Qantas Group pilots have a longheld reputation for being amongst the best in the world because of their high standards of training, and that tradition continues with the launch of our own Pilot Academy. “Without the Queensland Government and the Wagner Corporation, it would not have been possible to get these worldclass training facilities built and open for students so quickly. We thank them for their commitment to the project.” The training facilities comprise a 1500 square metre hangar, four flight training simulators, classrooms as well as purposebuilt pre-flight briefing and flight

New flight training school formally opens in Toowoomba Scholarship program launched for Indigenous, female and regional students

scheduling areas. The students are learning to fly in single-engine Diamond DA40 and multi-engine DA42 aircraft. The Academy also aims to increase the proportion of female and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pilots in the industry. Mr Joyce said, in its centenary year, Qantas will provide three scholarships for Indigenous students, each valued at $85,000, with future scholarships available for female students and candidates from regional and remote areas. “When we announced the academy, we said we wanted to tap into a broader, more diverse talent base. Through our scholarship program we’re encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, women and regional students to pursue a career in aviation to ensure the pilots in the cockpit better reflect the diversity of those sitting in the cabin.” The first 34 students started their training at the new facilities earlier this month, with 100 students expected to be in training by the end of 2020. The Academy is expected to eventually grow to have the potential to train as many as 500 pilots a year across Toowoomba and Mackay, the preferred location for the second Academy site.

TL Bureau, Dubai 26 of the Emirates Group’s top employees received the organisation’s most prestigious recognition today at the Najm Chairman’s Awards. The awards recognise employees whose work and actions are characterised by a strong work ethic, a spirit of innovation, extraordinary acts of bravery and selfless teamwork. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, presented the coveted ‘Najm Chairman’s Award’ to six individual and team achievements at a ceremony that took place at Emirates Group Headquarters today. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of colleagues, as well as friends and families of the honourees, and streamed live to thousands of employees around the world. The winners also received a monetary award for their contributions. Applauding the exceptional employees on their wins, HH Sheikh Ahmed said: “Our people are our greatest asset, and the Najm Chairman’s Awards honourees are a perfect example of how Emirates Group employees live the values of our organisation, and with their powerful passion and initiative help drive our business and

reputational momentum forward. We are grateful for the example they set everyday in helping to make a difference for customers, for their fellow colleagues and for our businesses around the world through their dedication and commitment to excellence. Today, we celebrate their achievements and contributions which truly embody the Emirates Group’s can-do spirit.” Najm, which means ‘star’ in Arabic, has been the Group’s employee recognition and reward programme since 2007. The Najm programme has different award tiers which recognises employees all year round for their excellence, commitment and innovation, and going above and beyond their roles to make a difference. This year, the Emirates Group recognised over 14,000 employee achievements through the programme. The ‘Najm Chairman’s Award’ is the highest accolade at the Emirates Group, and nominated employees and teams undergo a rigorous process which is vetted and screened by department heads and senior management. Since 2008, 73 Najm Chairman’s awards have been given out to employees across different departments at the Emirates Group. Phenomenal Acts and Exceptional Initiatives

The Najm Chairman’s Award 2019/2020 winners were honoured across a range of extraordinary achievements saving lives, dedicating their time to create innovative solutions for the business and operation, overcoming overwhelming challenges through teamwork, and delivering service excellence. Selfless teamwork results in aircraft recovery in harsh conditions Omar Al-Samarrai, Mook Park, Giovanni Scalsi Riquelme and Andre Weidlich were recognised for the recovery work they led after an emergency diversion to Goose Bay Airport Newfoundland, Canada. Challenges mounted as the airport lacked the resources and facilities to cope with the large aircraft and volume of customers onboard. However, this did not deter the team who effectively managed the situation, and took care of customers. Buses were arranged to transport groups of passengers to the terminal and updates communicated on an ongoing basis until the replacement aircraft arrived. Despite several obstacles along the way, the flight deck and cabin crew’s teamwork was instrumental in delivering outstanding airmanship and decision making to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers.

Beirut Basketball Club Presents Championship Ice cream a firm favourite for Air New Zealand customers Trophy to Emirates Group Chairman

TL Bureau, Dubai

The Emirates Group Chairman & Chief Executive, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum today received Nadim Hakim, Beirut Basketball Club President at the Group’s headquarters. During the visit, Hakim presented the Arab Women’s Club Championship Trophy to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed. This is the first time the Beirut Basketball Club clinches the Arab Women’s Club Championship title. Emirates Airline partnered with the Beirut Basketball Club in September 2019 to sponsor its 2019/2020 season. The partnership underscores the airline’s longstanding commitment to supporting basketball in the region as well as connecting with the fan base of this popular sport. Emirates has been a loyal supporter of basketball since 1991, when it partnered with the UAE Basketball Association as Sponsor and Official Airline. The airline has also been a sponsor of the Dubai International Basketball Championship for 29 years.

With more long weekends on the horizon, many Kiwis will be enjoying an ice cream or two as they head to the beach, bach or barbecues.

TL Bureau, Wellington Air New Zealand data shows New Zealanders’ fondness for the creamy treat on the ground extends to inflight consumption, with the airline’s customers consuming more than 960,000 servings of ice cream on international flights departing New Zealand in the past year. Total consumption of ice cream on board has grown by more than 20 percent over the past decade. Air New Zealand customers were served more than 860 tonnes of ice cream on their journeys over that period - equivalent to the weight of five 777-300 aircraft. Air New Zealand Senior Manager Customer Experience Niki Chave says this reflects the fact ice cream

is a firm customer favourite all year round. “We’ve been serving ice cream on board continuously for more than two decades, and in that time we’ve offered more than 30 different flavours. Out of our largest port, Auckland, we currently serve more than 24,000 individual portions a week. “It’s a treat that takes you back to childhood and makes you think of long summer evenings. It’s also a nice palette cleanser after a meal and satisfying to enjoy as you relax and watch a movie.” Over the past decade the airline has also served more than 4,000 tonnes of milk and 1,000 tonnes of yoghurt in flight, as well as 820 tonnes of cheese on board and in its lounges.

SPORTS

BMW M2 CS Racing celebrates debut in North America.

TL, Munich.

The test and development phase for the BMW M2 CS Racing is entering the home stretch. Now the time has come to present the new entry-level car in the BMW M Customer Racing product range to the public, and to potential customers. Last weekend, the BMW M2 CS Racing celebrated its North American debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). The intention is for the car to continue the success story started by the BMW M235i Racing and the BMW M240i Racing in recent years. Fans were able to steal a first glance at the newest member of the family at the first highlight of the new season, where three different BMW racing cars were in action – the winning BMW M8 GTE and the BMW M6 GT3 in the 24hour race, and the BMW M4 GT4 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race. The BMW M2 CS Racing was on display in the event area near the BMW M Experience truck, where anyone could come along to take a look. BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said: “BMW racing cars have enjoyed regular success in North America since the 1970s and they really thrill

the fans. That applies to our GT cars and to the BMW M2 CS Racing’s predecessors that helped BMW customer teams to secure countless wins and titles over the years. From the 2021 season onwards, we are aiming to add a new chapter to our history of success in North American motorsport with the BMW M2 CS Racing.” From the start of the 2020 season, responsibility for the sale and distribution of BMW race cars for customer racing lies with BMW M GmbH. Their Head of Sales and Marketing, Thomas Felbermair, said: “North America is the most important market for BMW M worldwide, therefore it is important for us to present

the BMW M2 CS Racing as our new entry-level car for the first time in the US. With this car we will not only be represented in classic motor racing, but also in the club racing segment and in the Track Day community. We have many loyal fans and customers in North America, who all share an emotional connection to our brand. Consequently, we see plenty of potential for our new car in North America. We are looking forward to giving our fans, customers and BMW dealers a close look at the BMW M2 CS Racing at various events during the next few weeks. I am sure that they will love it.” After appearing at Daytona,

the BMW M2 CS Racing was presented to North American BMW dealers during a conference outside Miami (USA). In early March, the car will be shown at the TC America season-opener at Austin (USA), where it will be sent into race competition by customer teams from the 2021 season onwards. BMW M2 CS Racing to continue the success story in North America. The BMW M2 CS Racing can build on the extremely successful history of its predecessors in North America. Since 2016, BMW customer teams have claimed three team titles and two drivers’ championships with the BMW M235i Racing and

the BMW M240i Racing in TC America and the previous series. The aim is for the new car to continue in this vein. The BMW M2 CS Racing offers the best setup for successful entry into motorsport. The new customer racing car is powered by an S55 six-cylinder in-line engine with BMW M TwinPower Turbo Technology which, with a capacity of 2,979 cc in the racing version, achieves between 280 hp (205 kW) and 365 hp (268 kW), depending on the Balance of Performance or Permit B classification. The maximum torque of 550 Nm is transmitted by a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which has been applied using specialist motorsport software. Another highlight of the BMW M2 CS Racing is its engine management. As with the BMW M4 GT4, in the future this will be controlled via power sticks, which enable various performance levels to be programmed and retrieved depending on the stipulated Balance of Performance. In parallel, BMW Motorsport is developing an upgrade variant of the BMW M2 CS Racing with 450 hp, providing a compelling racing car for the club racing segment that is rapidly gaining in popularity in North America.

NFL TO SALUTE FOUR 100-YEAR-OLD FIBA Executive Committee focus on VETERANS AT SUPER BOWL LIV DURING upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournaments ON-FIELD PREGAME FESTIVITIES

TL Bureau, California

NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL announced today that the NFL will salute four 100-yearold World War II Veterans at Super Bowl LIV on Sunday, Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium. The four veterans will participate in the official on-field Coin Toss ceremony before the Chiefs-49ers game. Colonel CHARLES E. MCGEE (Ret.), will flip the coin, surrounded by Staff Sergeant ODÓN SANCHEZ CARDENAS (Ret.), Lieutenant Colonel SAMUEL LOMBARDO and Corporal SIDNEY WALTON. FOX will televise the coin toss live. “As we culminate the NFL’s 100th season, we’re extremely proud to honor four World War II veterans celebrating 100 years of life,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. “These four men deserve our gratitude for their tremendous contributions to the United States of America and we’re thrilled to recognize their service on the country’s largest stage.” The NFL and U.S. military have more than 42 years of shared history

at the Super Bowl. From flyovers, to special presentations of the Color Guard, to military performances during pregame festivities, the NFL’s unwavering support of veterans, active duty service members and their families is deeply embedded as a Super Bowl tradition. Super Bowl LIV will also feature a Joint Aerial flight demonstration represented by the men and women of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The four veterans participating in the coin toss are members of the “Greatest Generation” and were among the 16 million Americans whose sacrifice, valor, dedication, and determination 75 years ago preserved our freedom and saved our nation and the world. The NFL worked alongside the Friends of the National World War II Memorial organization who helped to identify these veterans. “More than 1,000 NFL personnel served in the military during World War II,” said HOLLY ROTONDI of Friends of the National World War II Memorial.

TL Bureau, MIES (Switzerland) FIBA’s Executive Committee met today at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, FIBA headquarters, for their second meeting of the 2019-2023 cycle. The meeting commenced with a one minute of silence to pay homage to the recent passing of two basketball greats – NBA Commissioner Emeritus and FIBA Hall of Famer, David Stern, and basketball icon, five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIBA Basketball World Cup Ambassador, Kobe Bryant. Below are the key decisions from the meeting. FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments just around the corner

Next week sees the highly anticipated Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments tip-off. With the relocation of the event from Foshan, China to Belgrade, Serbia, final preparations are being completed for the two tournaments which are now taking place in conjunction with each other. Teams from China, Great Britain, Korea and Spain will be playing their scheduled games at the City Arena in Belgrade with the tournament now classified into two groups. Belgium and France will host the other two tournaments. Preparation for the Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, taking place in June, are underway with the four tournaments being hosted

in Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia. Richard Carrion appointed Chairman of the Joint Management Committee for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. The Executive Committee has named Richard Carrion as the Chairman of Joint Management Committee’s Board, the supervisory body of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, which is set to take place in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines. Mr Carrion has been an IOC member since 1990 and has served among other Olympic roles as a member of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games of Atlanta 1996, Rio 2016 and currently Milano Cortina 2026.

tech/auto

Bosch: broad portfolio ensures sales remain high – adverse environment impacts earnings TL Bureau, Stuttgart

In the 2019 business year, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) came to some 3 billion euros. This puts the estimated EBIT margin at just under 4 percent. Result was affected by the downturn in automotive production, particularly in the key Chinese and Indian markets, the further reduction in the share of diesel engines in cars, high restructuring costs (particularly in the mobility segment), and increasing upfront investments in projects of future importance. “The current year remains challenging for many companies, especially in the automotive industry and mechanical engineering segment – and hence also for Bosch,” said Prof. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, CFO and deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management. “Nonetheless, in the sectors and regions that are important for us, we want to grow more strongly than the markets once again in 2020,” he added, cautioning that Bosch will have to continue to work rigorously on its profitability and adjust its manufacturing capacity. Mobility of the future: the challenges of change Bosch has a clear picture of the future of mobility and of how to make a success of the move to alternatives. “Tomorrow’s mobility will be not only electrified and automated, but also connected and personalized,”

Denner said, adding that because of its diverse portfolio, Bosch is better prepared for the various scenarios and developments than almost any other company. However, he warned that the road to the mobility of the future presents the automotive industry with some major challenges. First, irrational arguments about the car have stifled any level-headed, nuanced debate about road traffic. Second, the industry needs more time to manage the transition. As Denner emphasized: “Particularly when it comes to jobs, a process as fundamental as the transition to electromobility can’t be achieved overnight.” Third, the economic situation is exacerbating the need for structural change in the industry. Bosch expects global automotive production to shrink in 2020 for the third year in a row. This year, the company is forecasting a further decline of

Training courses from ZF Aftermarket: First-hand technical know-how

2.6 percent to some 89 million vehicles worldwide – almost 10 million units less than in 2017. Bosch is expecting this level to remain constant over the next few years, and does not anticipate any increase in global automotive production before 2025. Mobility of the future: business opportunities for Bosch “The move to alternative mobility will not be the end of mobility – and certainly not the end of the car,” Denner said, adding that Bosch is still well-positioned in its quest to be a leading provider of mobility solutions. He went on: “The fundamental upheaval in the automotive industry holds great opportunities for Bosch.” This includes growing demand for mobility in the future. According to the International Transport Forum (ITF), personal mobility will increase by almost 50 percent worldwide between 2015 and

2030. “For the foreseeable future, the car will remain the number one means of transport – and has excellent prospects of becoming an even safer, more convenient, and more eco-friendly means of transport,” Denner said. New technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and the fuel cell will also further advance the move to alternative mobility. As an innovation leader, Bosch will benefit from its early entry into these areas of development. Furthermore, new automakers in the electromobility market increasingly require complete solutions rather than components. He continued: “For us as a fullservice provider, more systems business means sales potential running into the billions.” The company estimates that the market for software-intensive electronics systems will grow by 20 percent annually between

now and 2030. Bosch invests some 3.7 billion euros annually in software development and currently employs 30,000 software engineers. Upskilling the workforce: AI training program for 20,000 associates For Denner, a qualified workforce is a strategic success factor for mastering current and future challenges. “Bosch sees itself as a learning organization in which learning is integrated into day-to-day work,” he said. In addition to its regular investments in upskilling its workforce, Bosch is launching a new AI training program for nearly 20,000 associates. It includes training formats at three different levels for managers, engineers, and AI developers and includes guidelines for using AI responsibly. Developing business: some 3 billion euros for growth areas Bosch intends to expand its existing business and open up new areas of business. “We want to do this by making substantial up-front investments in future technologies,” Denner said. “In the period from 2013 to 2020, Bosch will have invested a total of some 3 billion euros in completely new growth areas.” This year, Bosch will invest 500 million euros in electromobility alone, including fuel cells. It will spend more than 600 million euros on automated driving and another 100 million euros on connected mobility solutions.

BMW Tate Live Exhibition 2020: Ten Days Six Nights. Faustin Linyekula, Okwui Okpokwasili and Tanya Lukin Linklater take over the Tanks at Tate Modern. TL Bureau, London

TL Bureau, Friedrichshafen Each new generation of vehicles and products offers users significant added value and makes driving safer, more efficient or more comfortable. For the workshops, this means that they must continually align their services with the new technologies and train their employees accordingly. ZF Aftermarket supports repair workshops with a wide range of technical training courses in theory and practice - for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Expansion of the high-voltage training program In addition to levels 1 and 2, ZF Aftermarket also offers training for

car workshops to become a ZF highvoltage expert level 3 (corresponds to the training “Expert for highvoltage systems level 3”). The focus here is on working on highvoltage components that are under voltage. With the training course “Specialist in non-HV intrinsically safe systems”, the workshop program will also offer training on electric vehicles for commercial vehicle partners from January 2020. After successful completion of the seminar, participants are entitled to work independently on non HVintrinsically safe vehicles and to change HV components such as the engine or energy storage system in a de-energized state.

From March 20 to 29, the annual BMW Tate Live Exhibition, realised through the long-term partnership between Tate Modern and BMW, goes into its fourth edition. This year’s programme features Faustin Linyekula, Okwui Okpokwasili and Tanya Lukin Linklater, who will come together to create ten days of live performances and site-specific installations for Tate Modern’s atmospheric underground Tanks. The artists, who draw on their individual cultural heritages, each use the body in different ways to explore history, inheritance and storytelling. About the Artists Faustin Linyekula (b.1974) blends theatre, dance and music to articulate his experiences of socialpolitical tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Imagining the body as an archive he works with a circle of collaborators to physically express the traumatic legacies of colonialism and the upheaval of the

DRC’s history since independence. Okwui Okpokwasili (b.1972) explores the collision of memory and the present in her durational performances, activating installations designed by her partner Peter Born. Brought up in the Bronx, New York, Okpokwasili’s intensely physical performances make visible the experiences of women of colour, sometimes drawing from her Nigerian roots. Tanya Lukin Linklater (b.1976) uses performance, poetry and installations to call attention to Indigenous histories. Originating from two communities in the Kodiak archipelago of southwestern

Alaska – the Native Villages of Afognak and Port Lions – Lukin Linklater draws on interactions with her extended family, Indigenous knowledge and Alutiiq and Cree experiences on the land to inform her work.

world

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine discussed priority measures of the bilateral dialogue with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan

TL Bureau, Kyiv Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva had a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov. The parties praised the results of the official visit of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Azerbaijan in December 2019 and discussed priority measures of the bilateral dialogue for the nearest future. Ihor Zhovkva noted the importance of implementation

of joint projects between Ukraine and Azerbaijan, especially in the infrastructure and energy sectors. Khalaf Khalafov reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s willingness to deepen practical cooperation with Ukraine in all areas of mutual interest, and commended the effective cooperation between the two countries in the international arena. During the meeting, special attention was paid to expectations from the 12th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Commission on Economic Cooperation taking place in Kyiv on January 30-31, 2020.

FDFA - UK’s withdrawal from the EU: bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU continue to apply

TL Bureau, Bern

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union at midnight on 31 January 2020 will not change the relationship between Switzerland and the UK in the near future: the bilateral agreements between Switzerland

and the EU will continue to apply to the UK until the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 (which may be extended). Switzerland can use the transition period to continue to work out together with the UK their future relationship as part of the Swiss “Mind the Gap” strategy.

Joint press statement of the Ministers for European Affairs of Denmark, Finland, France and Sweden, Copenhagen, 31 January 2020 TL Bureau, Copenhagen

The Ministers for European Affairs of Denmark, Finland, France and Sweden met in Copenhagen on 31 January 2020 to discuss their shared European priorities as well as their commitment to building a strong and effective Europe. On the day of the British exit from the European Union, the ministers expressed their regret while respecting the sovereign decision of the United Kingdom. They confirmed their determination to work towards a deep, comprehensive and balanced future relationship with the UK that ensures a level playing field. The discussions highlighted many issues of common interest as well as a wish to work more closely together in order to deliver tangible results that meet citizens’ expectations: Denmark, Finland, France and Sweden share a strong wish for

the European Union to be at the forefront of the fight against climate change and for the EU to step up its efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and enhance its climate objectives for 2030. The ministers emphasized that this should include mainstreaming climate action in all relevant European policies and instruments, especially in the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which should devote at least 25 % of all spending to climate action. The transition to climate neutrality must take place in a way that preserves and even enhances the EU’s competitiveness. Ministers highlighted the necessity for the EU to come to a timely agreement on the future MFF. The ministers emphasized the importance of the EU’s core values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and stressed the need to strengthen the EU’s ability to prevent and respond to rule of law violations.

Foreign ministers of Sweden and Norway to visit Finland

TL Bureau, Helsinki

Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and Norway’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide will visit Finland on 5–6 February. The two ministers will attend the Hanalys seminar on foreign and security policy at Hanaholmen on 6 February. Hanalys is a national and international high-level political seminar organised at the SwedishFinnish Cultural Centre Hanaholmen. This year,

the focus will be on the multilateral system and its promotion. During the day, the foreign ministers of Finland, Sweden and Norway will have a joint meeting to discuss topical international issues, such as the Middle East and mediation. “I am very pleased with this event, which combines important discussions on international issues and cooperation with our neighbours Sweden and Norway,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto.

“A new dawn for Europe” - Op-ed article by Presidents Charles Michel, David Sassoli and Ursula von der Leyen

TL Bureau, Brussels

As the night draws in this evening, the sun will set on more than 45 years of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union. For us, as Presidents of the three main EU institutions, today will inevitably be a day of reflection and mixed emotions – as it will for so many people. Our thoughts are with all of those who have helped to make the European Union what it is today. Those who are concerned about their future or disappointed to see the UK leave. Those British members of our institutions who helped shape policies that made lives better for millions of Europeans. We will think of the UK and its people, their creativity, ingenuity, culture, and traditions, that have been a vital part of our Union’s tapestry. These emotions reflect our fondness for the United Kingdom – something which goes far beyond membership of our Union. We have always deeply regretted the UK’s decision to leave but we have always fully respected it, too. The agreement we reached is fair for both sides and ensures that millions of EU

and UK citizens will continue to have their rights protected in the place they call home. At the same time, we need to look to the future and build a new partnership between enduring friends. Together, our three institutions will do everything in their power to make it a success. We are ready to be ambitious. How close that partnership will be depends on decisions that are still to be taken. Because every choice has a consequence. Without the free movement of people, there can be no free movement of capital, goods and services. Without a level playing field on environment, labour, taxation and state aid, there cannot be the highest quality access to the single market. Without being a member, you cannot retain the benefits of membership. Over the next weeks, months and years we will have to loosen some of the threads carefully stitched together between the EU and the UK over five decades. And as we do so, we will have to work hard to weave together a new way forward as allies, partners and friends. Whilst the UK will cease to be an EU member, it will remain part of Europe. Our shared geography, history and ties

in so many areas inevitably bind us and make us natural allies. We will continue to work together on foreign affairs, security and defence with a common purpose and shared mutual interests. But we will do it in different ways. We do not underestimate the task that lies before us but we are confident that with goodwill and determination we can build a lasting, positive and meaningful partnership. But tomorrow will also mark a new dawn for Europe. The last few years have brought us closer together – as nations, as institutions and as people. They have reminded us all that the European Union is more than a market or economic power but stands for values that we all share and defend. How much stronger we are when we are together. This is why the Member States of Europe will continue to join forces and build a common future. In an age of great power competition and turbulent geopolitics, size matters. No country alone can hold back the tide of climate change, find the solutions to the digital future or have a strong voice in the ever-louder cacophony of the world.

But together, the European Union can. We can because we have the largest internal market in the world. We can because we are the top trading partner for 80 countries. We can because we are a Union of vibrant democracies. We can because our peoples are determined to promote European interests and values on the world stage. We can because EU member states will leverage their considerable, collective economic power in discussions with allies and partners - the United States, Africa, China or India. All of this gives us a renewed sense of shared purpose. We have a common vision of where we want to go and a commitment to be ambitious on the defining issues of our times. As set out in the European Green Deal, we want to be the first climate neutral continent by 2050, creating new jobs and opportunities for people in the process. We want to take the lead on the next generation of digital technologies and we want a just transition so that we can support the people most affected by change. We believe only the European Union can do this. But we know we can only do it together: people, nations, institutions.