The Life News Australia Nov 16, 2020

News from World, Worldwide readership.

Vol. 03 Issue 42 Nov. 16, 2020

Peru’s President Manuel Merino steps down

TL Bureau, Lima

Not exactly seven days after his introduction, Peru’s break President Manuel Merino surrendered on Sunday in the midst of fights calling for him to venture down and in light of Congress’ choice to expel President Martin Vizcarra.

Merino declared his acquiescence in the midst of fights against Congress’ choice to eliminate Vizcarra over dubious pay off claims, saying his bureau will stay set up until another pioneer is chosen to dodge a force vacuum.

“As of now, when the nation is encountering one of its greatest political cries, I need the entire nation to realize that I’m introducing my permanent abdication,” he said. Congress said it would gather Sunday night to choose another substitution. Congress casted a ballot 105-19 to denounce the 57-year-old Vizcarra from office, as he said he disagreed with the choice however would not challenge it.

Vizcarra got to work in 2018, vowing to battle debasement, after his archetype Pedro Pablo Kuczynski surrendered a day prior to a decision on his own arraignment.

The expelling of Vizcarra provoked showings that started in the capital city of Lima, at that point spread to different urban areas all through the country.

Acquittal International said Friday that it had affirmed the “unreasonable and superfluous utilization of power” by the public police to suppress fights.

“The recordings that Amnesty International has carefully confirmed are solid proof of the brutality that the police are utilizing against the populace they ought to be ensuring,” Erika Guevara-Rosas,

Americas chief at Amnesty International, said in an assertion.

A week ago, in any event 15 individuals had been harmed during the fights, including three individuals truly injured by guns, Amnesty International said.

Senator Alberto de Belaúnde said a site he made for regular people to report police mishandles enrolled in excess of 200 protests in its first hour.

Basic liberties Watch said a week ago that Vizcarra’s expulsion represents a danger Peru’s standard of law.

It is hazy if Peruvians would acknowledge Congress’ decision to supplant Merino, as Vizcarra had gotten mainstream during his two years as president and individuals in the nation are generally reproachful of Congress the same number of individuals face examinations for debasement and different wrongdoings.

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Kim Jong Un calls for tougher COVID-19 measures

TL Bureau, Pyongyang

North Korean pioneer Kim Jong Un called for more grounded COVID-19 avoidance measures at a gathering of the politburo of the decision Workers’ Party, state media investigated Monday, denoting his first open appearance in quite a while.

The gathering, which was held Sunday, “talked about top to bottom the issue of additional fixing the state crisis against plague framework despite the ever-compounding overall wellbeing emergency,” Korean Central News Agency detailed. Kim “focused on the need to keep a high alarm, fabricate a tight hindering divider and further heighten the counter scourge work,” KCNA said. As of Nov. 5, North Korea has directed in excess of 12,000 tests however has not had any affirmed instances of COVID-19, as indicated by the World Health Organization. In general, the nation has detailed 6,173 speculated cases, eight of which were outsiders, with 174 individuals being held in isolate during the most recent seven day stretch of October.

Outside specialists question whether North Korea has really figured out how to stay away from the dangerous pandemic, however the extremist state made sensational strides right

on time by totally fixing its fringes in January.

The nation has additionally given its soldiers “shoot-to-execute orders” on the fringe to forestall the Covid from entering the nation, as indicated

by Gen. Robert Abrams, leader of U.S. Powers Korea.

In September, North Korean troopers shot and killed a South Korean fisheries official who floated over the sea limit. Seoul military authorities at first revealed that the troopers consumed his body, a charge that Pyongyang has denied and which has not yet been convincingly demonstrated.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said a week ago that the North has likewise laid landmines at its outskirt with China to help battle off the Covid, dreading an episode would overpower its restricted clinical foundation, as indicated by South Korean news office Yonhap.

Sunday’s public appearance by Kim was his first since Oct. 22, when KCNA announced that he visited a burial ground to offer appreciation to Chinese fighters who partook in the 1950-1953 Korean War. On Oct. 10, the North Korean pioneer directed a huge military procession, where another intercontinental ballistic rocket was revealed.

Hurricane Iota on another catastrophic blown towards Central America

TL Bureau, Washington DC

Regions of Central America actually faltering from a helpful emergency brought about by the destructive Hurricane Eta are currently under danger from a similarly amazing tropical framework Hurricane Iota.

At 1 a.m. EST on Monday, the public Hurricane Center said

Iota had fortified into a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Particle is the 6th serious tropical storm, which means it is a Category 3 or higher, to beat in the Atlantic this season. Only 40 minutes after the fact, Iota was found to have quickly fortified into a risky Category 4 storm.

Starting at 4 a.m. EST on Monday, Iota was

sneaking up suddenly with supported breezes of 145 mph. Particle kept on moving toward the west at 10 mph with its middle situated around 25 miles upper east of Isla de Providencia, Colombia, and 170 miles southeast of Cabo Gracias on the Nicaragua-Honduras fringe. Storm watches and alerts are essentially for a significant part of the coast.

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ockets terminated from Ethiopia have hit the capital of neighboring Eritrea, negotiators and witnesses stated, as the lethal battling between Ethiopian government troops and insubordinate powers in the north of the nation seemed to spill across worldwide outskirts.

In any event three rockets were terminated at Asmara on Saturday night, five representatives told the Reuters news office.

Radio Erena, a Paris-based diaspora station thoughtful to the Eritrean resistance, said Asmara occupants detailed “four blasts altogether”.

“Onlookers reveal to us that the rocket that focused the Ministry of data missed its imprint and fell external the structure,” he said.

“We don’t have any word on losses. Yet, what we can be sure of is that this is an immense acceleration of the contention that has so far been confined to the outskirts of Ethiopia, and especially to the Tigray district.

Presently, it has crossed global outskirts and it is something that could carry Eritrea into the contention.”

With most interchanges down in Tigray and Eritrea, authorities on the two sides couldn’t be reached and it was not promptly clear where in Tigray the rockets were terminated from or what harm they delivered.

Saturday’s assaults came hours after Tigray’s decision party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), took steps to assault Eritrean targets. The TPLF, which once overwhelmed Ethiopia’s decision alliance, had recently blamed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for enrolling military help from Eritrea.

“We will dispatch a rocket assault to thwart any military development in Asmara and Massawa,” Getachew Reda, the TPLF representative, told a neighborhood TV channel.

Massawa is an Eritrean port on the Red Sea. Eritrea and Ethiopia marked a harmony bargain two years back, however President Isaias

Ethiopia Tigray crisis

Afwerki’s administration in Asmara stays threatening to the Tigray initiative after their function in an overwhelming 1998-2000 war.

Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed denied sending troops to Ethiopia on Tuesday, telling Reuters: “We are not part of the contention”.

Abiy dispatched a military mission against Tigray’s chiefs a week ago, in the wake of blaming them for assaulting government troops situated in the northern area that fringes Eritrea and Sudan.

A top TPLF official showed up on Saturday to affirm that guarantee.

Sekoutoure Getachew in a video conversation said pre-emptive strikes were done in self-preservation against the Ethiopian armed force’s Northern Command, considering it an “universally known practice”.

The battling has executed several individuals on the two sides, sent great many regular folks escaping into Sudan and raised feelings of trepidation it could destabilize different pieces of Ethiopia and the more extensive Horn of Africa district.

A few outcasts showing up in the Sudanese bordertown of Hamdayat revealed to Reuters that their regions in Ethiopia had been shelled from Eritrea.

“We were shelled by ordnance volleys from over the Eritrean fringe,” said Naksiam Guru, a 22-year evacuee who lives close to the outskirt. “I saw individuals passing on in the roads.” Hamdayat is home to a camp facilitating 8,000 exiles. A few hundred showed up on Saturday morning, some intersection a fringe stream

in boats, some swimming or swimming through the water.

The strikes on Eritrea went ahead the exact day that the TPLF guaranteed rocket assaults on two air terminals in Ethiopia’s Amhara district.

The TPLF said the assaults were in counter for government air attacks against their area.

“The previous night we’ve caused hefty harms on the military parts of the Gondar and Bahir Dar air terminals,” Getachew, the TPLF representative, said in an assertion on Saturday, alluding to the influenced urban areas.

“However long the assaults on the individuals of Tigray don’t stop, the assaults will strengthen,” he added.

Abiy has said government warplanes were besieging military focuses in Tigray, including arms warehouses and gear constrained by Tigrayan powers. The public authority says its military activities are pointed toward reestablishing the standard of law in the bumpy condition of 5,000,000 individuals.

editorial

The Amhara government said the air terminal in Gondar was hit while another rocket focused on the Bahir Dar air terminal missed its objective. The central government recognized that “the air terminal territories have continued harms”, adding that a specialist said two fighters were murdered and up to 15 injured.

“The TPLF junta is using the remainder of the weaponry inside its munititions stockpiles,” the national government’s crisis team composed on Twitter.

As the battling escalates, fears of ethnic assaults are rising.

Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission, designated by the public authority however free, said it was sending a group of specialists to the Tigray town of Mai Kadra to research reports of mass killings.

Reprieve International said on Thursday that scores and perhaps several regular folks were cut and hacked to death in the locale on November 9, refering to pictures and witnesses. It said it had not had the option to freely affirm who was capable yet said the observers had accused contenders faithful to Tigray’s chiefs.

The Tigray state government denied any contribution by TPLF individuals or the state’s unique police power in “this most unfortunate occasion”.

The rights commission said in an assertion it would examine all charges of basic freedoms infringement in the contention.

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3 Ukraine was and is a partner and friend for both the Democratic and the Republican Party of the United States - Volodymyr Zelensky TL Bureau, Kyiv

After the US elections, Ukraine has preserved the unwavering bicameral support of the Democratic and the Republican Party, and this is our victory, as stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“There were attempts to involve us in the internal affairs of another state, someone inside the country wanted us to make a mistake. But Ukraine has walked this path with dignity and, in spite of everything, has preserved the unwavering bicameral support of the United States, which is very important,” the Head of State said in his vlog.

He stressed that this is truly a victory.

“Our position was correct, it showed non-interference in the elections of another state, and therefore, most importantly - Ukraine was and remains a partner and friend for both Democrats and Republicans,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy added.

world

Most Stolen Vehicles in the United States

TL Bureau, Climton, New York

Courtesy EINPresswire.com/ Pickups are not only popular among drivers in the United States. It seems vehicle thieves are also taking an interest. A recent report by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a data clearinghouse within the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division, finds that the Ford Full-Size Pickup was the most targeted vehicle by thieves in the United States during 2019, replacing the Honda Civic, which topped the list in 2018. The 2019 top ten list includes: • 2006 Ford Full-Size Pickup • 2000 Honda Civic • 2004 Chevrolet Full-Size Pickup • 1997 Honda Accord • 2007 Toyota Camry • 2015 Nissan Altima

• 2018 Toyota Corolla • 2001 Dodge Full-Size Pickup • 2018 GMC Full-Size Pickup • 2001 Honda CR-V Contrary to the belief of many drivers, this 2019 list reflects the fact that the most stolen vehicles are not new. Rather, those most targeted are several years old. These vehicles are stolen for a variety of reasons.

Some are stolen and stripped for parts that are sold or used on other vehicles. Others are

stolen and resold by thieves to unsuspecting buyers. Many vehicles are stolen for joyriding, for use in committing other crimes, to perpetrate insurance fraud, to burglarize personal items and documentation, or for any number of other illegitimate purposes. And vehicle theft directly costs U.S. citizens more than any other single property crime – over $6.4 billion in 2019.

John Abounader, executive director of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI), reminds vehicle owners and operators that although vehicle thieves are always looking for opportunities to steal, simple preventative measures can be taken to reduce that risk. “Vehicle owners should be aware that thieves can be lurking anywhere, and drivers should practice prevention techniques such as hiding contents that may be desirable to a thief, locking the vehicle,

taking the keys, and utilizing antitheft devices,” said Abounader.

He added, “Common devices include steering wheel locking bars, ignition disabling switches, alarm systems, and GPS tracking devices. In addition, as thieves become more technologically advanced, drivers should consider storing electronic key fobs in containers that block passive signal transmission between the fob and vehicle when not in use.”

NCIC maintains a computerized database for access by criminal justice agencies making inquiries and for prompt disclosure of information about crimes and criminals. This information assists authorized agencies in criminal justice and related law enforcement objectives. NCIC compiles the annual list of most stolen vehicles as a means to raise awareness of vehicle crime among law enforcement agencies and associated entities with a related interest.

US secretary of state lashes out at Iran for continuing Russia Reports Egypt Showcases Scores of to ignore international laws and commitments 22,572 New 2,500-Year-Old Coffins targeting the interests of its people Coronavirus TL Bureau, Saqqara of antiquities, Mostafa Waziri,

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that the Iranian terrorist regime manages to continue, in a tragic way until today, to ignore international laws and commitments towards the rights of the Iranian people.

In a statement to mark the anniversary of public protests which took place in Iran last

year where 1500 protesters were killed, Pompeo said that thousands of demonstrators were imprisoned and subject to various types of torture, calling on the world community to understand that such regime did not give chance for the emergence of prudent and wise leaders. He urged the world community to join the U.S. call to release all political detainees and prisoners in Iran.

Cases in past 24 Hours

of the main Luzon island, including the capital, metropolitan Manila.

Twenty-two fatalities were recorded in Cagayan, 17 in southern Luzon, eight in Metro Manila, and 20 in two other regions, said Mark Timbal, the disaster management agency spokesman.

Twelve people were still missing and nearly 26,000 houses were damaged by Vamco, he said.

“This is the worst flooding that we had in the last 45 years,” Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said during a briefing with Duterte.

TL Bureau, Riyadh

TL Bureau, Moscow

Russia on Sunday reported a daily increase of 22,572 new coronavirus infections, taking the national tally to 1,925,825, Reuters reported.

Authorities also reported 352 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the official death toll to 33,186.

Egypt today, on Saturday showcased more than 100 coffins dating back 2,500 years, the latest and largest find this year in the vast burial ground of the Saqqara Necropolis, Reuters reported. The 26th Dynasty coffins - sealed, finely painted and well-preserved - were of a higher quality than previous finds there, said the secretarygeneral of the supreme council

suggesting they belonged to higher ranking families. Fiftynine coffins were unearthed in August at the same UNESCO world heritage site. More treasures are expected to be found there, said Waziri.

The newly-discovered coffins, plus associated mummies and artefacts, will go on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open next year.

Philippines’ Typhoon Deaths Rise as Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Saudi Dakar Rally Worst Floods in 45 Years Hit North

TL Bureau, Manila

The death toll from the deadliest cyclone to hit the Philippines this year has climbed to 67, while many areas remained submerged in a northern region hit by the worst flooding in more than four decades, officials said on Sunday, according to Reuters. President Rodrigo Duterte flew to Tuguegarao province to assess the situation in Cagayan Valley region, which was heavily flooded after Typhoon Vamco dumped rain over swathes

The Foreign Minister on the general elections in Myanmar TL Bureau, Oslo ‘Congratulations to the National League for Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi on winning the general elections in Myanmar. The high voter turnout shows people’s commitment

to the reform process. Norway expects the next government to use this mandate to achieve further democratic reform and inclusive development’, said the Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide after the elections.

Saudi Post has issued a postage stamp (two riyals category) and a post card (five riyals category) for Saudi Dakar Rally, which receives international attention with the participation of a number of drivers at the global level.

The issuance of the stamp coincides with the launch of the 2nd Saudi Dakar Rally next January. The stamp also embodies this global sport occasion, which is one of the most exciting and challenging races around the world.

The Saudi Post regularly issues

postage stamps on national and religious events, holidays, Hajj seasons, artistic and sports participations, as well as meetings and major conferences at the level of Islamic, Arab and Gulf summits to highlight various national achievements in all fields.

ideology of indiscriminate violence and terror. In doing so, the regime once again revealed its true nature and squandered any remaining claim to legitimacy in the eyes of the Iranian people. The regime killed as many as 1,500 Iranians, including at least 23 children.

Tragically, the regime’s reign of terror continues to this day. The regime ignores its own laws and international obligations to the rights of the Iranian

people. Thousands of protesters remain in prison, where they are reportedly subjected to flogging, electrical shocks, starvation, beatings, sexual assault and rape, and other acts of torture. Family members of victims are thrown in jail for advocating on behalf of their loved ones. The world should understand that there are no moderates to empower in such an evil regime; only officials who defend and seek to profit from this machine of cruelty.

On the Anniversary of Protests in Iran TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

On November 15, 2019 and in the week that followed, brave Iranians took to the streets of more than 200 cities across Iran to protest four decades of mismanagement by a corrupt regime that squandered its people’s wealth on terrorism abroad and oppression at home. As the protesters exercised their freedom of expression, the regime responded by expressing its radical

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world

India reports less than 50K New Daily Cases since the last 8 days

TL Bureau, New Delhi

India has reported less than 50,000 new daily cases for the eight continuous day. In the last 24 hours, only 41,100 persons were found to be infected with COVID in India. Daily New Cases last crossed the 50K threshold on 7th November. Apart from the successful dissemination of COVID Appropriate Behaviour among the varied population groups, this trend assumes wider significance as many countries in Europe and America continue to see a surge in their daily numbers.

In the last 24 hours, India also registered 42,156 new recoveries which has led to a further contraction of the Active Caseload. India’s present active caseload of 4,79,216 consists of just 5.44% of India’s Total Positive Cases.

15 States/UTs have cases per million lower than India (6,387).

New Recoveries outnumbering New Cases every 24-hour cycle has also improved the Recovery Rate to 93.09% today. The total recovered cases stand at 82,05,728. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases that is steadily increasing presently stands at 77,26,512.

79.91% of the new recovered cases are contributed by ten States/UTs. With 7,117 persons recovering from COVID, Delhi saw the most number of recoveries. Kerala registered 6,793 daily recoveries while West Bengal reported 4,479 new recoveries.

Ten States/UTs have contributed 82.87% of the new cases.

Delhi reported 7,340 cases in the last 24 hours. Kerala recorded 6,357 new cases while Maharashtra reported 4,237 new cases yesterday.

85.01% of the 447 case fatalities that have been reported in the past 24 hours are from Ten States/UTs. 23.5% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra which reported 105 deaths. Delhi and West Bengal follow with 96 and 53 new deaths, respectively.

21 States/UTs have death per million lower than National Average of 94.

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australia

Investing in our Southeast Regional trade deal to boost export Asian partnerships opportunities for Aussie farmers and businesses

TL Bureau, Canberra

Australian farmers and businesses are set to benefit from better export opportunities with the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement between Australia and 14 other Indo-Pacific countries.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the signing of this longawaited agreement signalled our region’s shared commitment to open trade and investment, despite the challenges of COVID-19.

“Our trade policy is all about supporting Australian jobs, boosting export opportunities and ensuring an open region with even stronger supply chains.

RCEP builds on our trade successes and is good news for Australian businesses,” Prime Minister Morrison said.

“With one in five Australian jobs reliant on trade, the RCEP Agreement will be crucial as Australia and the region begin to rebuild from the COVID 19 pandemic.

“This agreement covers the fastest growing region in the world and, as RCEP economies continue to develop and their middle classes grow, it will open up new doors for Australian farmers, businesses and investors.”

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said RCEP would be the world’s largest free trade agreement and would improve export

opportunities for Australian farmers and businesses, especially in the services sector.

“This deal will further integrate Australian exporters into a booming part of the globe, with RCEP countries making up nearly 30 per cent of world GDP and the world´s population,” Minister Birmingham said.

“RCEP has been driven by the ten ASEAN nations, who collectively constitute Australia’s second largest two-way trading partner and have successfully brought Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea into this regional trading block with them.

“This agreement may have taken eight years to negotiate but it could not have come at a more important time given the scale of global economic and trade uncertainty.

“Economic cooperation of this scale sends a strong signal that our region is committed to the principles of open trade for the post COVID-19 recovery, just as we advanced them during the previous years of strong economic growth. “Greater openness within our region, as well as the greater integration of value chains and more common rules of origin which this deal delivers, will make it easier for Australian businesses and investors to operate throughout our region, helping Australia to continue to grow our exports.

“There are particular gains for Australian providers within the

financial services sector, education, health, engineering and other professional services, who can become better integrated within the region and have more access within RCEP countries.

“Australia is committed to fully ratifying RCEP as soon as possible so Australian farmers, businesses and investors can start to access the benefits of this agreement. It will also be an inclusive agreement, with the door open for others, especially India, to join if and when they are ready.”

Australia will also commit $46 million to provide technical assistance and capacity building to help eligible ASEAN countries implement their RCEP commitments, ensuring RCEP delivers on its full potential.

When finalised, the main benefits for Australia will be: A new single set of rules and procedures for accessing preferential tariffs in any of the 15 RCEP markets New scope for trade in services throughout the region including across telecommunications, professional and financial services.

Improved mechanisms for tackling non-tariff barriers including in areas such as customs procedures, quarantine and technical standards.

Greater investment certainty for businesses.

Rules on e-commerce to make it easier for businesses to trade online. A common set of rules on intellectual property.

TL Bureau, Canberra

Australian PM met with regional counterparts virtually today for the ASEAN-Australia Summit.

Australia’s vision of the IndoPacific region has ASEAN at its centre.

Australia was ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner. I welcome ASEAN’s agreement to annual leaders’ summits with Australia, building on the 2018 ASEANAustralia Special Summit in Sydney and marking a new chapter in our Strategic Partnership.

COVID-19 has changed much but Australia’s commitment to ASEAN remains steadfast.

Australia and ASEAN share a vision for a peaceful, inclusive, sovereign and resilient region.

ASEAN is more important than ever as we collectively deal with the health and economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.

Australia will invest in a new package of economic, development and security measures to support the region’s recovery from COVID-19.

We will invest $21 million for the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases, as part of Australia’s commitment of an additional $500 million over three years to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the Pacific and Southeast Asia, plus a further $24 million

towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

We will provide $232 million to support economic integration and development in the Mekong.

This includes scholarships for emerging leaders, strengthening of cyber and critical technology capabilities, and support for the implementation of the Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy. Australia will also open a liaison office in Myanmar’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw. We will invest a further $104 million towards the region’s emerging security needs, including in military education, infectious diseases, cyber resilience, maritime security and English language training.

We will expand our Defence Adviser and Defence Attaché network to cover all ASEAN countries and fund Australia’s defence industry to work with regional partners on peacekeeping.

ASEAN’s economic recovery will be supported with $70 million for high quality infrastructure development and technical assistance, plus $65 million for regional maritime states to develop their marine resources sustainably and address challenges through enhanced training, technical advice and cooperation.

We will invest $13 million to help partners work with technology standards-setting bodies to get their economies geared for the future.

said. “This agreement cements Australia’s longterm sovereign medical capabilities, giving us the ability to develop vaccines when we need them.”

“Just as major defence equipment must be ordered well in advance, this is an investment in our national health security against future pandemics.” Health Minister Greg Hunt said under the agreement, Seqirus would invest $800 million in the development of the facility project, creating 520 construction jobs, commencing in 2021.

“This new facility will guarantee Australian health security against pandemic influenza for the next two decades.” “Our government’s strategy to protect the health and wellbeing of Australians and the Australian economy, as well as having access to a world class health system.”

“This is a major milestone, ensuring that Australia can

mass produce vaccines against future flu pandemics, as well as continuing onshore production of seasonal flu vaccines, Q fever vaccines and antivenoms.

Without this historic agreement, the nation would need to source these critical medical products from overseas. Seqirus is currently the only company making influenza and Q fever vaccine in Australia, and the only company in the world making life saving antivenom products against 11 poisonous Australian creatures (snakes, marine creatures and spiders).

The current agreement between the Australian Government and Seqirus—a subsidiary of CSL Ltd—is due to end in 2024-25. To continue onshore manufacturing in Australia, Seqirus will now invest in a major new vaccine manufacturing facility close to Melbourne airport to replace its existing, ageing production facilities

in Parkville, Melbourne.

The highly specialised production facility is expected to be operational by 2026 with the contract for supply of these critical products extending to 2036.

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said Australia’s manufacturing capability had been a huge asset during the COVID-19 pandemic and this agreement will keep us in a strong position.

“The Morrison Government knows just how important it is for Australia to be able to stand up for itself when it really matters,” Minister Andrews said.

“This investment will not only allow us to continue to manufacture the essentials we need well into the future but it will also create and secure high paying manufacturing jobs across a range of skills.

“This agreement is just one in a range of investments we’re making to drive Australian

manufacturing forward and create jobs. We’re also investing a further $1.3 billion through our Modern Manufacturing Initiative into projects across six priority areas, including medical products.”

The Morrison Government acted quickly and decisively to address the consequences of COVID-19 and as a result, Australia has achieved some of the best health and economic outcomes in the world. More than $18.5 billion has committed to support the emergency COVID-19 health response to the pandemic, including $3.2 billion to secure access to over 134.8 million doses of potential COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by the University of Oxford-Astra Zeneca and the University of Queensland, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax. The Victorian Government has also supported the procurement of suitable land for Seqirus.

$1 billion manufacturing agreement secures Australia’s national health security

TL Bureau, Canberra

A new high-tech vaccine manufacturing facility will be developed in Melbourne to secure Australia’s longterm supply of critical health products including pandemic influenza vaccines and lifesaving antivenoms.

The $1 billion agreement between the Morrison Government and Seqirus also provides the ability to rapidly manufacture vaccines when responding to health pandemics in the future.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new complex would be the largest influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Keeping Australians safe is my number one priority and while we are rightly focused on both the health and economic challenges of COVID-19, we must also guard against future threats,” the Prime Minister

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NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA

3 new cases of COVID-19

Prime Minister meets with key ASEAN and East Asia Summit partners

There are three new cases of COVID-19 to report in New Zealand today.

There are two new cases at the border and one linked to the Auckland case D - who is already in quarantine.

One person who tested positive today arrived from the UK on 10 November via Qatar and Australia. The individual tested positive at routine testing around day 3 in Hamilton and is now being transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.

The second case arrived from Dubai on 10 November and was also detected on testing around day 3. This person has now been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.

We are also today confirming a positive test result in a close contact who is already in Auckland’s quarantine facility and which was reported yesterday as under investigation.

As reported yesterday this individual’s initial test result was

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today attended the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit and discussed with Leaders a range of shared challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region, including: The ongoing management of the COVID-19 pandemic; The importance of working collectively to accelerate economic recovery; and Exploring further opportunities for partners to work more closely on health, economic and security issues facing the region. The ASEANNew Zealand Commemorative Summit, which was held digitally, also marked the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic partnership between the two parties. “New Zealand and ASEAN share a strong legacy of working together to advance peace and prosperity in our region. ASEAN is our fourth largest trading partner, a crucial defence and security partner, and a critical strategic hub that connects us to Asia and the rest of the world,” Jacinda Ardern said.

TL Bureau, Wellington

negative and their subsequent test yesterday returned a weak positive result. A third test taken yesterday is now confirmed as positive. These test results indicate that this new case is a very recent infection.

This individual is a close contact of Case D and has been in the Auckland quarantine facility since 12th November.

Auckland Regional Public Health have identified seven close contacts and three casual contacts. All have been contacted and testing arranged.

Testing for all ten contacts is expected to be completed by the end of the day.

There are no places of interest identified to date for this latest case.

Testing Yesterday the increased demand for community testing across Auckland’s testing network continued.

A full list of testing sites in Auckland is available on the Auckland Regional Public Health Service website.

Minister acknowledges students as exams begin

TL Bureau, Wellington

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has recognised the extraordinary challenges students have faced this year, ahead of NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams which begin on Monday.

“I want to congratulate students for their hard work during a year of unprecedented disruption, and I wish students all the best as they begin exams,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

“The wellbeing of students is one of the top priorities for the Government. I encourage students to stick to a study plan, remember to build in breaks for exercise and relaxation, and talk to someone if the pressure is getting too much.

“This is an important time of year, and whānau have vital roles to play in supporting and encouraging

students to do their best.

“Students will have a fair opportunity to achieve NCEA and continue on to further study or work, despite the impact of COVID-19 this year.

“Earlier this year the Government took a range of steps to support students, including delaying exams, introducing additional Learning Recognition Credits, and amending thresholds for endorsements and University Entrance.

Exams end on 9 December, by which time around 140,000 students will have participated in 120 NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exam sessions.

“Around 35,000 students from almost 300 schools are entered to sit some NCEA exams online.

This year, 58 online exams will be available across NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3.

Masks to be worn on Auckland public transport and all domestic flights TL Bureau, Wellington Masks will need to be worn on all public transport in Auckland and in and out of Auckland and on domestic flights throughout the country from this Thursday, Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins said today.

“I will be issuing an Order under the COVID-19 Response Act requiring the wearing of face coverings on all public transport into, out of and through the Auckland region, including for taxi and Uber drivers, and on all New Zealand passenger

flights. This will come into force at 11.59pm on Wednesday 18 November,” Chris Hipkins said.

“Adding mask wearing to the toolbox of measures against the virus is a sensible precaution and the time is right to make the move. “As we learn more about the virus and continue to strengthen our test, trace and isolate processes and border measures, modelling is now telling us that we’re at the stage of having the toolset that means we’re better able to respond to community cases with fewer restrictions.

Anyone in the Auckland area, and indeed throughout New Zealand, who has cold or flu symptoms should get a test and stay at home until they receive a negative test result.

In addition to the testing advice provided yesterday which remains current, we are now asking that if people were in Auckland CBD at locations of interest, they get a test regardless of symptoms.

These locations are listed on the ARPHS website.

This is an enhanced surveillance tactic to ensure we are not missing any cases who may be asymptomatic. The list of locations can change as more information becomes available.

Numbers The total number of active cases is 58.

Our total number of confirmed cases is now 1,645.

Yesterday our laboratories completed 10,525 tests for COVID-19, bringing our total number of tests completed to date to 1,179,587.

This is the highest number of tests

in one day at a weekend since Sunday 16 August.

Nearly 70% of the testing done yesterday was in the Auckland region, with another 10% in the Wellington region.

NZ COVID Tracer There are now 2,362,500 registered users of the NZ COVID Tracer app.

Poster scans have reached 115,673,661 and there have been 4,805,696 manual diary entries.

Over 1.1 million scans took place yesterday, the most since 26 September. Yesterday there were more than 500,000 people scanning codes which is also the highest number since 26 September. It is encouraging to see that many New Zealanders are responding to the call to get back into the habit of scanning the QR codes.The Ministry continues to encourage everyone to scan the QR codes wherever they see them, as the more we all scan, the safer we’ll all be. The faster we can contact trace, the quicker we can get ahead of the virus and prevent spread in the community.

TL Bureau, Wellington

New Zealand signs Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

TL Bureau, Wellington

Increase to New Zealand’s GDP by around $2 billion each year Increase opportunities for NZ exporters to access regional markets Cuts red tape and offers one set of trade rules across the Asia Pacific region.

New government procurement, competition policy and electronic commerce offers NZ exporters increased business opportunities.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor have announced the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was today fully concluded and signed.

RCEP is a trade agreement between 15 economies in the Asia Pacific region that are home to almost a third of the world’s population and take over half of New Zealand’s exports.

“Securing free trade agreements like RCEP is an important part of New Zealand’s Trade Recovery Strategy, helping to put New Zealand in the best possible position to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and seize new opportunities for exports and investment,” Jacinda Ardern said. “A range of New Zealand industries will directly benefit from this new agreement, helping us to accelerate our economic recovery and build back better. These include the education sector, with new access opportunities into large ASEAN economies such as Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

“Our primary industries will also

profit – with the new expectation that Customs authorities will release perishable goods within six hours of arrival, helping to reduce spoilage and save money.

And the meat industry specifically will benefit from the elimination of tariffs on some meat products into Indonesia.

“This free trade agreement also holds significant strategic value for New Zealand, by strengthening and deepening our relationships across the RCEP region,” Jacinda Ardern said. New Zealand exported over $36 billion of goods to RCEP countries and nearly $12 billion of services in the year ending December 31, 2019. Today, Damien O’Connor signed RCEP alongside Ministers from ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea during a virtual ceremony, witnessed

by Leaders of the 15 RCEP countries.

India withdrew from the negotiations last year and did not sign the agreement today.

A fast-track process for India’s accession has been established, should it wish to re-join RCEP in the future. “This agreement will secure market access for New Zealand exporters to a region which includes seven of New Zealand’s top 10 trading partners,” Damien O’Connor said. “RCEP is projected to add $186 billion to the world economy.”

For New Zealand exporters, businesses and investors this means: A single set of trade and

investment rules across the entire RCEP region, increasing certainty and reducing complexity that comes from different rules with different partners.

The opportunity for our exporters to get their products into RCEPwide regional value chains, increasing demand for New Zealand inputs into the engine room of the world economy.

More market access opportunities, especially for services and investment into China and some ASEAN member states.

Less red tape for exporters, and more streamlined trade; and New rules on government procurement, competition policy and electronic commerce, which will help New Zealand exporters take advantage of increased business opportunities.

“As a party to RCEP, New Zealand has a seat at the table of this globally significant regional economic agreement, providing the opportunity to cooperate on a broad range of economic and emerging issues. It shores up support for international trade rules which small countries like New Zealand rely on, at a time when we’re seeing increasing protectionism,” Damien O’Connor said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has released the legally verified text of RCEP, and a National Interest Analysis.

The National Interest Analysis assesses the likely costs and benefits for New Zealand entering into RCEP, and will soon be presented to Parliament, together with the RCEP text.

7 New trade deal a boost to our recovery TL Bureau, Canberra

By signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) the Morrison government is helping set Australian workers up for the future and to create new jobs to fuel our recovery, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

“Trade will be critical to our recovery.

Australians need jobs and selling more of our world class products and services to the world is one of the best ways we can create them.

“This agreement covers markets worth around 30 per cent of global GDP, it will be a huge opportunity for Australian businesses who want to expand, invest and create local jobs.

“Our success over the last 30 years has been built on trade and investment with Asia, this agreement will help lock in a new wave of growth and new jobs just when we need it most. “Trade is Australia’s life-blood and helps sustain one in five Australian jobs, RCEP will help magnify that impact. “We congratulate the Morrison government for staying the course on this job creating agreement, creating new opportunities for Australians and helping set Australia up for the future.”

BUSINESS

Union movement makes a paper tiger from regional trade pact

TL Bureau, Canberra

The union movement’s scare campaign about Australia’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a paper tiger. The ACTU is attacking new opportunities for trade that in reality will generate jobs, improve living standards, and help us on the road to recovery from COVID-19.

“Bringing together our regional trading partners will be critical to Australia’s economic success and the growth of jobs and local businesses following the devastating toll of COVID-19,” ACCI CEO James Pearson said.

“RCEP highlights the inextricable link between trade and economic success. The success of smaller and larger businesses alike in creating jobs will be boosted by this agreement.

“We are disappointed the ACTU is trying to scare Australians by claiming local jobs will diminish.

Social housing investment a win-win TL Bureau, Canberra

The Victorian Government is making the right decision to invest in social housing and create desperately needed jobs in the state, Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

“Victoria urgently needs new jobs the fuel the recovery after a long and drawn out economy crippling shut-down, this is a good start.

“For thousands of Victorians finally able to get back to work this will be welcome news.

“Critically, by partnering with the private sector the government has recognised that it will be businesses who create the majority of the new jobs needed to fuel our recovery.

“All governments must unleash their balance sheets and invest in projects that create jobs now and continue to pay dividends into the future. “Employers are ready to partner with governments to deliver the projects we need to set us up for the future, create new jobs and supercharge our economic recovery.”

Japan’s economy rebounds by 21.4% in 3rd quarter

TL Bureau, Tokyo

Japan’s economy grew at the fastest pace on record in the third quarter, rebounding sharply from its biggest postwar slump, as improved exports and consumption helped the country emerge from the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported. However, analysts painted the sharp bounceback as a one-off from the depths of recession, and cautioned that any further rebound in the economy will be moderate as a resurgence in infections at home and abroad clouds the outlook. The world’s third-largest economy expanded an annualised 21.4% in JulySeptember, beating a median market forecast for an 18.9% gain

and marking the first increase in four quarters, government data showed on Monday.

It was the biggest increase since comparable data became available in 1980 and followed a 28.8% plunge in the second quarter, when consumption took a hit from lock-down measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The rebound was driven largely by a record 4.7% surge in private consumption, as households boosted spending on cars, leisure and restaurants, a government official told a briefing.

External demand also added 2.9 percentage points to gross domestic product (GDP) growth thanks to a rebound in overseas demand that pushed up exports by 7.0%, the data showed.

and consumer choice that global trade delivers.

“It is time for the Federal Government to undertake a full economic assessment of trade agreements across with all of our RCEP partners and look to remove older and outdated agreements in favour of this latest agreement. Reducing the tangle of red tape created by overlapping older agreements can deliver real benefits.”

The signatories to the RCEP represent Australia’s most important trading partners across Asia. India helped shaped the agreement and is welcome to join in later, while the regional rules-based system has been strengthened and unified in this major new agreement.

“As we broaden our supply chains and seek new investment, common trading rules and procedures will be critical to boosting confidence, reducing the costs of doing business and generating jobs in Australia.”

It is a paper tiger. It’s important such baseless fear campaigns do not spread. “RCEP does not reduce Australian jobs, or the protections enjoyed by working Australians. It does offer improved market access for our services sector. For much of Australia’s production sector, earlier bilateral and regional agreements are already delivering

jobs and opportunities.

“Australia relies on international trade, investment and movement of people for much of our success.

We always have and we always will. Internationally engaged businesses generate jobs, and the Australian economy and community benefits from the improvements in competitiveness

Asian Shares Rise

Singapore companies pursue growth opportunities in trade, connectivity and sustainability in Shandong amidst COVID-19 pandemic

TL Bureau, Tokyo

Shares started out the week on a strong footing after the Standard & Poors 500 hit a fresh high on Friday, with robust data from Japan and China fueling optimism over economic recoveries even as coronavirus caseloads surpass earlier records.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.8% to 25,852.74 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong picked up 0.4% to 26,263.41. The Kospi in South Korea surged 1.9% to 2,541.04 and in Australia the S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.2% to 6,484.30. The Shanghai Composite index gained 1% to 3,342.23, AP reported.

In other trading, benchmark U.S. crude oil gained 52 cents to $40.65 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It lost 99 cents to $40.13 on Friday. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 42 cents to $43.20 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar slipped to 104.52 Japanese yen from 104.65 yen. The euro rose to $1.1853 from $1.1836.

TL Bureau, Singapore City

Singapore-Shandong economic relations continued to grow strongly – from January to September 2020, bilateral trade between Singapore and Shandong reached US$3.6 billion1, which was a growth of over 117% year-on-year2.

Against this positive backdrop, Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Foreign Affairs and Transport Chee Hong Tat and Shandong Vice Governor Ren Airong convened and co-chaired the 22nd SingaporeShandong Business Council (SSBC) meeting today.

Convened amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as both Singapore and Shandong resume economic activities in a phased and safe manner, the 22nd SSBC meeting reported on the good progress achieved last year across its four

focal areas – trade & connectivity, modern services, sustainable development and people-to-people exchange. Both sides also agreed to deepen collaborations in these four focal areas. Additionally, SMS Chee and Vice Governor Ren witnessed five project signings at the meeting. (Please refer to Annexes for the list of signings.)

Said SMS Chee, “The partnerships we have developed through the Singapore-Shandong Business Council have enabled our trade, investment and people-to-people linkages to remain resilient during the pandemic. I am happy with the good progress that we have achieved so far. We will build on this strong foundation to further deepen, strengthen and accelerate our collaborations, and create more growth opportunities for our businesses.”

SARS WILL DISCONTINUE THE USE OF CHEQUES

TL Bureau, Pretoria

Following the decision by South African banks to discontinue cheques as a form of payment, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has decided not to accept cheques as a form of payment at Customs ports of entry from 14 December 2020 and at banks from 1 January 2021. Taxpayers and Customs clients who need to pay SARS can use one of the following options: eFiling Electronic Funds Transfer

(EFT) At a bank branch (cash and EFT). All payments can be made at any ABSA, Capitec, FNB, Nedbank or Standard Bank branch.

Travellers entering and leaving the country will still be able to pay cash at the port of entry.

Taxpayers are reminded that all payments must contain the correct beneficiary ID and payment reference number (PRN). Detailed payment information is available on the SARS website www.sars.gov.za.

8

FEATURE

Women at the Forefront of COVID-19 Containment in Cox’s Bazar

TL Bureau, Dhaka

Cox’s Bazar – The unprecedented spread of COVID-19 has not spared the world’s displaced communities. In Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, the largest refugee settlement in the world, women leaders are on the frontline responding to the deadly outbreak’s impact on their communities.

In camp settings, misinformation about the disease can spread quickly and hinder women and girls from seeking essential health services. The Women’s Committee – which comprises more than 100 female Rohingya refugee and host community members – is on a mission to

change this. As the health crisis persists, they are playing an

imperative role in curbing the spread of the disease in their

community through educating others about how to stay safe.

The global spike in gender-based violence experienced often by women struggling in isolation due to COVID-19 is also a risk in Cox’s Bazar. The women have taken an active role in shifting the cultural acceptance of male violence against women. They receive training on how to ensure that protection measures are implemented across all aspects of daily life.

The group also contributes to camp management and humanitarian programming in Cox’s Bazar in which the women participate in providing food and nutrition, shelter management and sanitation services in their community.

Stanford study identifies the undersea origins of mysterious Love waves, decoding some of Earth’s continuous vibrations

TL Bureau,

By Josie Garthwaite.

Calfornia Vibrations travel through our planet in waves, like chords ringing out from a strummed guitar. Earthquakes, volcanoes and the bustle of human activity excite some of these seismic waves. Many more reverberate from wind-driven ocean storms. ocean waves When wind-whipped ocean waves send piston-like thumps of pressure down to the seafloor, the patchwork structure of the solid Earth below answers with a thrum all its own.

(Image credit: Andrey Polivanov / Shutterstock) As storms churn the world’s seas, wind-whipped waves at the surface interact in a unique way that produces piston-like thumps of pressure on the seafloor, generating a stream of faint tremors that undulate through Earth to every corner of the globe.

“There is an imprint of those three Earth systems in this ambient seismic data: atmosphere, Earth’s rocky outer layers and ocean,” said Stanford University geophysicist Lucia Gualtieri, lead author of a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that helps to resolve a decades-old conundrum over the physics of seismic waves related to ocean storms. Known as secondary microseisms, the small seismic waves excited by rumbling oceans are so ubiquitous and chaotic that seismologists have long set the data aside. “When you record these waves, the seismic record looks like random noise because there are so many sources, one close to the other across the extended area of a storm.

They’re all acting at the same time, and the resulting wavefields interfere with each other,” Gualtieri said.

“You want to just discard it.” Yet over the last 15 years, researchers

Supercomputer simulations of planetary-scale interactions show how ocean storms and the structure of Earth’s upper layers together generate much of the world’s seismic waves. Decoding the faint but ubiquitous vibrations known as Love waves could yield insights about Earth’s storm history, changing climate and interior.

have found a way to extract meaning from this noisy data. By analyzing how quickly pairs of waves travel from one seismic station to another, they have begun to glean insights about the materials they’re moving through. “We use seismic waves like X-rays in medical imaging for scanning the Earth,” said Gualtieri, who is an assistant professor of geophysics in Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth).

Love waves from the ocean floor Unlike a single ocean wave rolling across the surface, which dies out before it reaches the deep sea, the chaotic interactions of waves traveling in opposite directions during a storm can create an upand-down bobbing motion at the surface that pulses all the way to the solid Earth below. Vibrations known as Rayleigh waves then travel outward from the pulse, moving the ground up and down as they go.

For decades, scientists have understood the vertical component of ocean-storm microseisms, where Rayleigh waves dominate. But there is another set of vibrations recorded during ocean storms that are inexplicable in the accepted theories for how stormy seas generate movements in the solid Earth. These

vibrations, named Love waves after their 20th-century discoverer, jostle underground rock particles side to side – perpendicular to their path forward – like a slithering snake.

“These waves shouldn’t be there at all,” Gualtieri said. “We didn’t know where they were coming from.”

Scientists have presented two plausible explanations. One idea is that when the vertical force pumping down from colliding ocean waves encounters a slope on the seafloor, it splits and forms the two different surface wave types: Rayleigh and Love. “In that case, the source of Love waves would be very close to the source of Rayleigh waves, if not the same location,” Gualtieri said.

But Gualtieri’s research, co-authored with geoscientists from Princeton University, finds the slopes and inclines of the seafloor are not steep enough to generate the strong horizontal force necessary to produce the Love waves picked up by seismic recorders. Their results, published Nov. 9, support an alternative theory, in which Love waves originate within the Earth itself. It turns out that when windswept seas throttle pressure down to the seafloor, the patchwork structure of the solid Earth underneath answers with a thrum all its own.

“We understand how earthquakes create Love waves, but we’ve never exactly figured out how ocean waves create them,” said ambient seismic noise expert Keith Koper, a professor of geology and geophysics and director of seismograph stations at the University of Utah, who was not involved with the study. “This is a little embarrassing because oceangenerated Love waves have been observed for over 50 years.” The paper led by Gualtieri, he said, “provides conclusive evidence” for how ocean waves generate this particular kind of vibration in the Earth.

Simulating Earth Using the Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the researchers simulated the complex interactions that occur between storms, ocean waves and the solid Earth over three-hour periods.

Accurate down to four seconds, each simulation included 230,400 pressure sources scattered across the entire globe. “We’re using the computer as a lab, to let seismic waves propagate from realistic sources all over the world’s oceans based on known physics about how and where seismic waves are generated by ocean storms, as well as how they move through the Earth,” Gualtieri said. One version of the

model Earth represented the planet as a simplistic stratified world, where properties vary only with depth, like a layer cake. The other, more true-to-life model captured more of the three-dimensional variation in its underground terrain, like a chocolate chip cookie. For each version, the researchers switched underwater depth data on and off to test whether seafloor features like canyons, ravines and mountains – as opposed to the deeper structure – could produce Love waves.

The results show that Love waves are poorly generated in the layer-cakelike, one-dimensional Earth. Given about 30 minutes and a rumbling ocean, however, Love waves emanated from below the seafloor in the three-dimensional model. When Rayleigh waves and other seismic waves generated by ocean storms encounter hotter or cooler zones and different materials in their lateral journey through Earth, the study suggests their energy scatters and refocuses. In the process, a portion of the wavefield converts to Love waves. “If you apply those pressure sources from interfering ocean waves and you wait, the Earth will give you the entire wavefield,” Gualtieri said. “It’s the Earth itself that will generate the Love waves.”

9

life and real estate

Bosch and BASF establish joint venture for digital technologies in the agricultural sector

TL Bureau, Cornelia Durr.

Stuttgart Making tomorrow’s agriculture more efficient with Smart Farming

Farmers to benefit from automated, agronomic digital solutions Accelerated digital innovations foster precision farming, resource efficiencies and sustainability First joint product to be released in Brazil, followed by Europe and North America Reduced need for crop protection in specific applications depending on local conditions Bosch brings to the JV significant capability in hardware and software, as well as digital services.

BASF Digital Farming with its xarvio™ Digital Farming Solutions provides an automated, real-time, field specific agronomic decisionmaking engine for weed management that is powered by the digital xarvio platform for crop optimization. It provides farmers with field zone specific advice on how to produce crops in the most sustainable way.

Combining the expertise of both companies, with state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions, will make it easier and more convenient for farmers to benefit from digital solutions.

Spraying and saving “Thanks to connecting agricultural machinery using high-tech sensors, intelligent software and digital products, we can make tomorrow’s agriculture more efficient and at the same time more environmentally friendly,” said Andrew Allen, responsible for Commercial Vehicles and Off-Road Business at Robert Bosch GmbH. “Both companies are committed to investing

time, resources and funding in joint activities that will lead to the development of new sustainable, precision technologies that improve agricultural practices and outcomes,” said Vincent Gros, President of BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division. The

first two products to be launched will be a version of the Intelligent Planting Solution (IPS), with enhanced digital intelligence for seeding and fertilizer prescriptions and Smart Spraying. The Smart Spraying solution combines Bosch’s camera sensor technology and

software with xarvio’ s crop optimization platform.

Both products have been tested extensively in real growing conditions. Such innovative precision farming practices enable resource efficiencies supporting farmers and the environment.

Depending on the local

conditions this may lead to a reduced need for crop protection in specific applications.

Smart Spraying shows up to 70% herbicide volumes reduction in experimental stage. The solution is expected to be launched with a limited number of machines in 2021.

10

SPORTS

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe: Stoneman makes title move with Paul Ricard Race 1 win TL Bureau, Sant’Agata Bolognese/Le Castellet

Bonaldi Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman claimed his third overall win of the 2020 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe season after a commanding performance in the opening race of the weekend at Paul Ricard. Stoneman briefly lost out to title rival Kevin Gilardoni (Oregon Team) after the pit-stops but wrestled the lead back with 20 minutes remaining to secure the victory.

The field of 23 Lamborghini Huracán ST Evos had to battle a falling afternoon sun throughout the 50-minute encounter, with Stoneman fending off Gilardoni’s team-mate Dorian Boccolacci during a lively opening lap.

Boccolacci settled for second, while Miloš Pavlović (Target Racing) maintained third place despite running outside of the track limits marker at Signes.

Stoneman quickly opened up a three-second margin over Boccolacci, who in turn had the legs on Pavlović. The Serbian veteran appeared to struggle in his stint as the GSM Racing Huracán of Jonathan Cecotto began to launch an attack for third place.

That scrap continued all the way until the pit-stop window, with Pavlović impressively holding off the faster Cecotto behind. Karol Basz, in the Pro-Am title-winning #16 VS Racing car was also in the mix and the trio waited until the final minute of the 10-minute pit window before handing over to their co-drivers.

Stoneman and Boccolacci’s cars had already been in and out of the pits, with the former having to serve an extra three seconds at his box as a solo driver. Despite this, the #11 was handed a 1.698s postrace penalty as his Oregon Team released Gilardoni before the minimum pit-stop time elapsed.

While Gilardoni briefly held the lead over Stoneman, the Bonaldi Motorsport driver was quickly onto the tail of the #11 and swept past back into the lead at the Beausset corner. From then on, Stoneman - who himself received a post-race time penalty of 0.420s - comfortably claimed the victory.

Second on the road was Gilardoni but that became third as Alberto di Folco - alongside team-mate Kevin Rossel - dragged his Target Racing car up to within half a second of the Oregon Team machine, thus inheriting the runner-up spot. Off the podium was Max Weering (Johan Kraan Motosport) who recorded yet another impressive fourth place, ahead of Cecotto’s team-mate Patrick Liddy. Championship newcomers Maxime Oosten and Milan Teekens scored a sensational sixth overall in the

second Johan Kraan Motorsport entry.

Stoneman’s win and double pole position means that the British driver closed to within half a point of the Swiss driver in the standing heading into the final race of the season. Whichever crew finishes ahead of the other in Sunday’s second 50-minute encounter, will be crowned champion.

Dean Stoneman (#33 Bonaldi Motorsport): “I’m lost for words. That was a really tough race, the tyres in the last few laps were finished, so I just backed the car right off and brought home really. Good points for the championships, obviously with two poles in qualifying and victory today. The #11 car was quite slow at the end of the pitlane, it was backing off a bit which cost me a lot of time. But we still won, and I can’t wait to fight tomorrow.” Basz and Lewandowski completed another routine Pro-Am victory for VS Racing, having spent much of the opening stint (with Basz at the wheel) squabbling among the top Pro runners. Lewandowski took over at the stops and brought the #16 car home seventh overall.

Micanek Motorsport’s Josef Zaruba finished second in class, 10thoverall, just ahead of the Leipert Motorsport pairing of Mikko Eskelinen and Elias Niskanen. The battle for the Am title took another twist as Leipert Motorsport’s Fidel Leib

and Yury Wagner claimed their fourth class win in a row to move to within 1.5 points of Target Racing’s Massimo Mantovani.

Only Wagner or Mantovani can win the title as both Leib and Mantovani’s team-mate Dilantha Malagamuwa have not contest all the rounds. Autovitesse’s Cedric Leimer led the early stages in the class but would receive a fivesecond post-race penalty for a start infringement. It mattered little in the end as the Swiss driver retired shortly after the pit-stops.

This handed the lead to Wagner/ Leib, whose task was made easier after Malagamuwa suffered a leftrear puncture. Malagamuwa and Mantovani were classified in eighth but need to finish ahead of the Wagner/Leib combination in Sunday’s second race to win the title. In Lamborghini Cup, Hervé Leimer took the win ahead of Micanek Motorsport’s Kurt Wagner and Libor Dvoracek, while class champion Hans Fabri finished third after spinning early on. The final race of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe season will take place on Sunday at 09:05 CET.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo - 2020 Calendar

Round 1: Misano Adriatico, 7-9th August Round 2: Nürburgring, 4-5th September Round 3: Barcelona, 9-11th October Round 4: Spa-Francorchamps,

20-24th October Round 5: Circuit Paul Ricard, 13-15th November Roger Dubuis The rush of adrenalin, a pounding heart, the sure and certain knowledge that something is about to happen: Enter the future of hyper horology.

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Pirelli Established in 1872, Pirelli is among the world’s leading tyre producers. It is the only pure consumer tyre company that includes car, motorbike, and bicycle tyres as well as associated services.

Pirelli has a distinct positioning in high value tyres, characterised by an advanced technology with more than 2,700 homologations obtained, thanks to partnerships with the most prestigious car manufacturers in the world. In order to achieve the highest levels of performance, safety and containment of environmental impact, Pirelli has always been strongly committed to research and development, in which it invested 6.1% of revenue from highvalue products in 2019. Involved in motorsport since 1907, Pirelli has been the exclusive official tyre partner of the Formula 1T World Championship since 2011 and has just renewed the agreement until 2023.

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11

tech/auto

Stylish, practical, cool: Going on a shopping tour in Copenhagen in the MINI Cooper SD Clubman ALL4.

TL Bureau, Munich.

If you want to go in search of the cliché of the Danes being cool and reserved Scandinavians, visit Copenhagen in July or August. When the temperatures are high in summer, life in the Danish capital takes place near and on the water. In the harbour basin and on the canals of Copenhagen, young Danes are out and about being loud and cheerful - not only on canoes and motorboats, but also on floating curiosities such as self-made rafts complete with sofa, fridge and sound system. On the other hand, confirming the prejudice about the Danish preference for fashion, culture and design at all times of the year is very easy. Stylish boutiques, tastefully decorated cafés and a harmonious combination of traditional and modern architecture characterise the centre of Copenhagen.

So a stylish individualist on four wheels fits the street scene perfectly.

The MINI Cooper SD Clubman ALL4 (fuel consumption combined: 4.7 – 4.6 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 124 - 121 g/km) is the ideal companion for a shopping tour through the trendy districts of the city. Four doors, the stretched roofline and the two laterally opening split doors at the rear make it an exceptional phenomenon in the premium compact segment. As a modern version of the classic Shooting Brake concept, it combines independent style with a high degree of variability. And driving fun is a number one priority even with a generous load in the back. Its 4-cylinder diesel engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology delivers 140 kW/190 hp, which is always split between the

Denmark’s capital is a hotspot for people who appreciate fashion, design and a laidback lifestyle. Just the right environment for an individualist like the MINI Clubman.

With its six doors, a particularly powerful diesel engine and all-wheel drive, it offers the ideal ride for a stylish shopping spree between Tivoli and Amalienborg Castle.

front and rear axles as required via the ALL4 all-wheel drive system.

Copenhagen regularly ranks among the world’s top cities in terms of quality of life in surveys. In addition to the proximity to the water, the diverse cultural offerings and the high level of public infrastructure, careful urban development also contributes to this.

Copenhagen is old and new at the same time. The Tivoli amusement park was opened in 1843. It is located in the direct vicinity of the town hall, which was built 50 years later, and the main railway station, which is also more than 100 years old. Nyhavn is another city tourist centre. The “new harbour” was built in the 17th century to connect the city’s central market place to the water. The colourful gabled houses on either side of the jetty are now a popular photo motif and house shops as well as cafés, bars and restaurants, which serve as a popular meeting place for locals and visitors alike.

The Royal Palace

Charlottenborg near Nyhavn, which is now used as an art gallery, also dates from the 17th century.

Denmark’s royal family has resided in Amalienborg Castle a little further north since the early 19th century. On the palace square, surrounded by four almost identical city palaces, the changing of the royal guard can be observed every day at lunchtime.

A particularly impressive example of modern Danish architecture can be found opposite Amalienborg Castle on the east side of the harbour basin. The new opera house was inaugurated in 2005 and is one of Copenhagen’s most impressive buildings, with its round glass façade and wide metal roof. In the immediate vicinity of the Nyhavn and also located directly on the water, the new playhouse, completed in 2008, is one of the buildings that have shaped the cityscape in recent times. Its façade of flat bricks and large glass surfaces picks up

stylistic elements of the old harbour warehouses and at the same time forms a charming contrast to the historic buildings in the surrounding area. The wide wooden footbridge surrounding the theatre building is a popular starting point for night owls, especially in summer.

Other spectacular examples of the new Danish building culture are the Concert Hall on the island of Amager, opened in 2009, a 45-metre high cube with a blue illuminated fibreglass façade, and the “Black Diamond”, an annex to the Royal National Library built in 1999 with a dark granite façade that slopes conspicuously to the side.

In addition to culture and history, fashion and design are omnipresent in Copenhagen. The Danish business metropolis is home to numerous internationally renowned fashion labels.

So the city tour in the MINI Cooper SD Clubman ALL4 almost automatically turns into a shopping spree. But shoes, shirts and dresses alone are not enough. In

Copenhagen, visitors to many of the shops will encounter the typical Danish interior design, which is characterised by clear shapes and natural colours. Now, at the latest, the variability of the MINI Clubman comes into its own. Its storage capacity is 360 litres when all seats are used. After a visit to the Fritz Hansen branch, however, the maximum load volume of 1,250 litres may be called for.

Denmark’s most famous furniture manufacturer also has its origins in Copenhagen. In 1827 the master carpenter Fritz Hansen founded his workshop in the immediate vicinity of Amalienborg Castle. Since then, the Fritz Hansen company has made a name for itself primarily as a manufacturer of highquality seating furniture.

Once you’ve found what you are looking for, you can fold down the backrest elements in the rear of the MINI Clubman and temporarily swap the three back seats for the desired number of designer chairs.

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Health Ministry Spokesman: 305 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia TL Bureau, Riyadh

Assistant Minister of Health and Official Spokesman of the Ministry of Health Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali said in a press conference here today that 305 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 353,255 cases, including 7,294 active cases receiving necessary medical care.

Of these, there are 810 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable, he said. As many as 357 cases have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 340,304, Dr. Al-Abdulaali said, adding that 16 new deaths have been reported, bringing the total deaths to 5,657.

1 776 FIREARMS SEIZED IN INTERNATIONAL SWEEP AGAINST ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF TURKISH MANUFACTURED WEAPONS

TL Bureau, The Hague

A total of 24 European countries[1] supported by EU institutions and agencies[2] including Europol, have come together to target alarm and signal weapons of Turkish origin illegally trafficked into the EU via Bulgaria and other countries.

To tackle the increase in weapons illegally transformed and traded, operation BOSPHORUS was setup and led by the Romanian Police (Politia Romana) within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). Supported by Europol, authorities collected data and conducted intelligence analysis of the buyers and sellers of firearms earlier this year to enable series of investigations and activities on a national level.

Between 2 and 11 November the yearlong operation BOSPHORUS was concluded by joint action days. During the span of the action days, police officers from Albania, Greece, Portugal and Romania carried out 81 house searches.

These investigations led to the following arrests and seizures:

11 arrests; 191 firearms; 3 714 cartridges of ammunition; small quantities of drugs including cannabis and cocaine; unstamped cigarettes packs; 1 vehicle; 164 pieces of pyrotechnics; false ID documents.

Previous results: prior to the action days, all participating countries conducted various activities and investigations that led to the additional seizure of 1 585 firearms.

OPERATIONAL SET-UP The action leader of the EMPACT Firearms activity from the Romanian Police coordinated the operation with the support of

the health safety guidelines.

As part of the broadcast of the event, President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö, Speaker of Parliament Anu Vehviläinen and Prime Minister Sanna Marin will present their video greetings to children and young people. The morning’s video broadcast will also feature an exciting and energetic performance by hip hop artist Elastinen, recorded specifically for the event.

You can watch the event live starting at 8.00 on the Government YouTube channel, where it will also be available as a recording

from 9.00 onwards.

As part of the celebration, the Ministry of Education and Culture will announce the winners of the Children’s Day Prize. The prize aims to recognise the work of organisations in promoting culture for children. A recording of the award ceremony, which will take place at the Snellman School in Helsinki, will be available on the Government YouTube channel on 20 November at 8.30.

The events of the day are intended especially for schools as part of their Universal Children’s Day celebrations.

Flags flying for children’s rights on 20 November

TL Bureau, Helsinki

Friday 20 November is Universal Children’s Day. For the first time this year, it will be a designated flag day. We invite everyone to join us in flying the flag and celebrating Universal Children’s Day. At 8.00 in the morning on Universal Children’s Day, the Finnish flag will be raised at Puistokoulu School in Jyväskylä by schoolchildren’s representatives, the Ombudsman for Children and representatives from the National Child Strategy and the City of Jyväskylä. The event will be arranged in line with

France reports 27,228 new COVID-19 cases TL Bureau, Paris

France reported today 27,228 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases to 198,1827 cases.

The French Ministry of Health said in a statement today that the number of deaths reached 302, bringing the total number of deaths to 44,548.

First sponsors for COP26 announced with one year to go until the climate summit TL Bureau, London The UK has today revealed its first sponsors for COP26 as it drives climate action in the run up to the international climate change summit in Glasgow.

SSE, ScottishPower, NatWest Group and National Grid are the first Principal Partners who will support the delivery of a successful and ambitious COP next November. The Principal Partners represent some of the leading lenders, investors and energy companies in the UK. These partnerships demonstrate the COP26 Presidency’s commitment to working with businesses who have

credible science-based carbon emission reduction plans that are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

ScottishPower, SSE and National Grid are investing in low-carbon assets and infrastructure as part of the UK’s drive for a decarbonised economy by 2050 at the latest. Today, the three energy firms confirmed they are developing ambitious plans to develop a multi-billion pound underwater super-highway that will see the North Sea become the hidden power house of Europe, supporting the UK supply chain and delivering hundreds of green jobs throughout construction and operation.

Bulgaria, Spain and Europol. The framework for the joint action weeks consisted of an operational upstream work performed by gathering intelligence, databases crosschecking and operational analysis of buyers in the EU of weapons from Bulgarian firearms dealers. Europol provided further support during the course of the action days with the exchange of information and real time communication among the participating countries.

DISARMING CRIMINALS In recent years, alarm and signal weapons have become extremely popular among criminals and feature in considerable figures in firearm trafficking and seizure

cases. This is due to the fact that they can be easily converted into lethal weapons and are cheaper to procure.Europol plays a key role in supporting Member States fight criminal networks involved in illegal weapons and explosives trafficking. As part of a wider strategy to identify the criminal networks supplying terrorist groups with firearms and ammunition, Europol experts work closely with counter terrorism experts on international investigations. Moreover, Europol specialists and analysts combine efforts to assist Member States in developing their own resources to monitor and tackle the dark web phenomenon.

[1] Participating countries: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Rep, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and UK. [2] Participating EU institutions and agencies: European Commission, European Firearms Experts, Eurojust, Europol.

International Education Week Kicks Off with Open Doors Report

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

November 16-20, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education are celebrating the 21st annual International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative to highlight the benefits of international education and exchange.

International education – both welcoming international students to the United States and encouraging more Americans to experience the world through study abroad – is a cornerstone of the State Department’s academic exchange efforts.

Promoting educational exchange between nations is vital to our country’s economic well-being and national security, forging lasting connections between Americans and their peers in other countries, benefiting local communities, and generating knowledge to solve shared challenges.

During IEW, virtual events at schools, universities, and in communities across the United States and around the world, will focus on the importance of international education in fostering security and economic growth, and

highlight why more students should experience international education.

To kick off the week, the State Department, in collaboration with the Institute of International Education, released the annual Open Doors report of data and trends in international academic mobility. In academic year 2019/20, more than one million international students studied at U.S. institutions of higher education for the fifth year in a row. The number of American students studying abroad grew by 1.6 percent from the prior year to 347,099 Americans.

International students have a major positive impact on American communities by enriching U.S. classrooms with new perspectives, contributing $44 billion to the U.S. economy, and supporting over 455,000 U.S. jobs last year. The State Department’s global network of over 430 EducationUSA advising centers in nearly 180 countries promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive, and timely information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.