Advisory On Counter-Terrorism Exercise At Crowne Plaza Changi Airport - Exercise Heartbeat TL Bureau Singapore
AUSTRALIA Vol. 02 Issue 06 May 16, 2019
The Singapore Police Force will be conducting a counterterrorism exercise codenamed ‘Exercise Heartbeat’ on 17 May 2019 from 4.00pm to 6.00pm at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport. This exercise is part of the SGSecure movement to enhance community
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resilience, emergency preparedness and joint response between the Home Team agencies and the community through a simulated terror attack. During the exercise, blanks will be used and loud sounds may be heard. Members of the public are advised not to be alarmed. “Exercise-in-progress” signages will also be displayed around the exercise areas.
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Central government extends ban on LTTE for five years Karamjit Singh Parwana. New Delhi. The Central Government has extended the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another five years under sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) with immediate effect. The notification in this regard was issued here today. The notification states that the LTTE’s continued violent and disruptive activities are prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of India; and it continues to adopt a strong anti-India posture as also continues to pose a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals.
Brexit: Federal Council opens consultation proceedings on trade agreement between Switzerland and the UK TL Bureau, Bern On 15 May the Federal Council opened consultation proceedings on the trade agreement with the United Kingdom and on an additional agreement extending the provisions of the trade agreement to the Principality of Liechtenstein. The agreements are intended to ensure to a large extent the continuation of existing trade relations after the UK’s departure from the European Union.
GOZNYM MALWARE: CYBERCRIMINAL NETWORK DISMANTLED IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATION TL Bureau The Hague
An unprecedented, international law enforcement operation has dismantled a complex, globally operating and organised cybercrime network. The criminal network used GozNym malware in an attempt to steal an estimated $100 million from more than 41 000 victims, primarily businesses and their financial institutions. A criminal Indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, USA charges ten members of the GozNym criminal network with conspiracy to commit the following: infecting victims’ computers with GozNym malware designed to capture victims’ online banking login cre-
dentials; using the captured login credentials to fraudulently gain unauthorised access to victims’ online bank accounts; stealing money from victims’ bank accounts and laundering those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank
accounts controlled by the defendants. Over the course of the international operation, searches were conducted in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Criminal prosecutions have been initiated in Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the United States.This operational success is a result of the international law enforcement cooperation between participating EU Member States (Bulgaria and Germany) as well as Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the United States (in alphabetical order). Europol, the European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation as well as Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit supported the case.
CAPTURE! Europol calling law enforcement photos.
TL Bureau The Hague
enforcement pictured in abstract and artistic form. Cybercrime: cyber criminals, Europol is calling for the best malware, payment card fraud, law enforcement photos from Internet of Things (IoT), digital Europe and beyond. Today, we forensics, cyber-attacks. We are launching CAPTURE 2019, are looking for pictures showthis year’s edition of our annu- ing us how cybercrime in all its al photo competition packed forms affect our lives. with new features: three cate- Diversity and inclusion: This section is about celebratgories – three winners: ing diversity in law enforceMaking Europe safer: Show us how police officers ment. Send us pictures porcarry out their job on a daily traying the diversity of the basis to fight crime: training women and men dedicating exercises, manoeuvres, law their life to make Europe a
safer place, or the work of the officers in service of diverse societies. Closing date: 15 August 2019 Are you a law enforcement officer and do you think you have what it takes to become a professional photographer for one day and show us the challenging but gratifying work of the police? You can send us up to five pictures - one of them might land you the opportunity of a free trip to the Netherlands if you are one of the lucky winners.
Yemeni Army launches rocket at militia gatherings in Al-Baidha, Yemen TL Bureau Al-Baidha, Yemen The Yemeni national army forces, backed by popular resistance, targeted today rallies and gatherings of Houthi militia in central Al-Baidha province. According to "September Net", the Yemeni army forces launched rocket attacks on gatherings of the Houthi militia rebels at the Qashash site, Qirba area, in Zahir district. The operation resulted in the destruction and burning of a combat car, the killing of three members of the Houthi militia and injury of others.
2
EDITORIAL
Elections. Destiny to decide Ruler. Although every country in this world is getting elections every month. But this month also a lot of countries are going through elections in their countries to choose their next leader for countries destined. Some Elections countries are North Macedonia, President (2nd round), Panama, President and Parliament, India, Parliament (5th phase), Belize, Referendum, South Africa, Parliament, India, Parliament (6th phase), Lithuania, President (1st round), Philippines, Senate and House of Representatives, Australia, Senate (one half) and House of Representatives, India, Parliament (7th phase), S w i t ze r l a n d , Referendums, Malawi, President and Parliament, Ireland, Constitutional referendum, Belgium, Federal Parliament, Lithuania, President (2nd round),
M a d a g a s c a r, Parliament etc and many others. Australia is also one of the countries where Australian federal election will be held on Saturday 18 May 2019 to elect members of the 46th Parliament of Australia. The election also called the dissolution of the 45th Parliament as elected at the 2016 double dissolution federal election. So Candidates like Scott Morrison as currently Prime Minister and currently representing the liberal party of Australia is doing hard in order to achieve his goal to become PM of Australia again. Where on other side The leader of Opposition Mr Bill Shorten who also representing Labor Party in Australia is doing best as well. Now see what happens on May 18, 2019. Some opined Scomo is the best PM ever till
now but some are on contrary. So let’s see who exactly wins within a couple of days. The best thing I love about elections in Australia is that they are always peaceful, respectful and without any violence, crime or hatred etc except any small ifs and buts. And when we take an example of the Republic of India the biggest democracy of the world then Indian general election is currently being held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will be conducted on 23 May, and on the same day the results will be declared. India is currently holding lot of old and strong
leaders on either of the sides, but till now current Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Damodardas Modi is strong leader as its presence in not only India but it’s influence is spread in all over the world as well. He also represents the biggest party in India as BJP. On the contrary Mr Rahul Gandhi the leader of Opposition representing the Indian National Congress which was the highest ruling party in India till now. So everywhere lot of rallies, hot climate of weather and elections, promises everywhere. So again let us all think what exactly will happens that Mr Modi will win or Mr Rahul Gandhi will.
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3 United States and Republic of Korea Environmental Affairs Council and Environmental Cooperation Commission
WORLD
150000 LITRES OF FAKE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SEIZED FROM
TL Bureau Washington, DC
‘WELL-OILED’ GANG
On May 13-14, the United States and the Republic of Korea held the third meetings of the Environmental Affairs Council (EAC) under the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Environmental Cooperation Commission (ECC) under the United States-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement on May 13 and 14. The United States and the Republic of Korea outlined actions they have taken to increase levels of environmental protection, ensure effective enforcement of environmental laws, and provide greater opportunities for public participation in environmental governance. The ECC reviewed environmental cooperation activities undertaken pursuant to the 2016-2018 Work Program and agreed on a 2019-2022 Work Program that includes activities on strengthening implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, among others.
Experts from Europol’s Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition - IPC3 supported the Italian NAS Carabinieri and the Tribunal of Darmstadt in Germany, in the arrest of 20 individuals and the seizure of 150 000 litres of fake olive oil. The criminals, who raked in up to 8 million every year in criminal profit, modified the colour of low quality oils to sell them on the Italian and German markets as extra virgin olive oil.The investigation began with the identification of a criminal organisation suspected of tampering with large quantities of sunflower oil in Italy. The gang made this poor quality oil look like extra virgin olive oil by adding chlorophyll, beta-carotene and soya oil. After this process, the suspects sold the counterfeit oil on the German market, trying to sell it to restaurant owners. The activities at this oil mill were carried out in unsanitary conditions. While some of the workers were responsible for the production and packaging of the product, the ones with bigger credit worthiness delivered the fake oil in lorries every two
TL Bureau, Darmstadt
weeks. Once in Germany, the counterfeit product was stored in logistics companies waiting to be distributed onto the German market. In some instances, the fake olive oil completely replaced the genuine one. 20 house searches
were carried out in Italy and Germany and a total of 150 000 litres of fake olive oil seized at different locations, including five lorries transporting 23 000 litres of counterfeit oil each. It is estimated that the suspects gained around
8 million every year, taking into account that they acquired one million litres of sunflower oil every year for approximately one million euros, and they sold the counterfeit product between 5 and 10 per litre.
Meeting with US Secretary Coalition airstrikes of State Mike Pompeo Vladimir Putin received US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi. TL Bureau, Sochi US Secy Mr Pompeo visited Russian President Putin at his residence in Sochi and stated ‘As you know, just recently, a couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of talking with the President of the United States by telephone. I got the impression that the President is in favour of restoring Russia-US ties and contacts and resolving issues of mutual interest’.For our part, we have said many times that we would also like to restore relations on a full scale. I hope that the necessary conditions for this are being created now since, despite the exotic character of Mr Mueller’s work, he should be given credit for conducting what is generally an objective inquiry. He reaffirmed the lack of any trace or collusion between Russia and the current administration, which we described as sheer nonsense from the very start. There was no, nor could there be any interference on our part in the US election at the government level. Nevertheless, regrettably, these allegations have served as a reason for the deterioration of our interstate ties. He added.
destroy Houthis’ combat vehicles in Hajjah, Yemen TL Bureau Hajjah, Yemen Aircraft of the Arab Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen destroyed today Houthi militia’s combat vehicles in the northwestern province Hajjah. According to "September Net", the coalition airstrikes targeted a camp of Houthi rebels in Abs district west of Hajjah, killing and wounding several Houthi insurgents and destroying six tanks.Moreover, similar airstrikes targeted sites of Houthi militia in Al-Jar farms of the same district, destroying two BMB vehicles and two platforms used by Houthi rebels to fire Katyusha rockets
‘Hateful attacks’
Pushing Sri Lanka backwards, UN
TL Bureau, Colombo In retaliation for the deadly violence on Easter Sunday, against Christians churches and upscale hotels in various parts of the country that left more than 200 people dead and hundreds of others injured, revenge attacks reportedly took place against mosques and Muslims’ homes on Monday.To be a Sri Lankan is to be a Buddhist, to be Hindu, to be a Muslim, to be a Christian – UN Special Advisers “It is in the interest of all ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, as well as the Government, the opposition, civil society and the security sector, to work collaboratively in taking appropriate action and immediately stop these hateful attacks”, said Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Karen Smith, UN Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, in a joint statement. Since the 21 April suicide bombings, there has been a spate of attacks against Muslim and Christian communities in the Buddhist-majority country. According to news reports, Sri Lanka declared a countrywide curfew on Tuesday after a man was killed by a sword-wielding mob on Monday in an escalating anti-Muslim backlash. Recalling their recent statements against violent extremism and hate speech, the UN Advisors acknowledged and welcomed the swift response of the Government, including by deploying the security forces to protect affected communities and addressing the spread of false information and incitement to violence.
4 Israeli forces arrest 21 Palestinians in West Bank TL Bureau, Ramallah Israeli forces, early Wednesday, launched a largescale arrest campaign in various parts of the West Bank, during which they arrested 21 Palestinians. A statement by the Palestinian Prisoners Society said that the Israeli army broke into various areas in the cities of Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem, Al-Bireh and Ramallah and the towns of Shu'fat and 'Isawiya in East Jerusalem (AlQuds) and arrested the Palestinians on the ground that they were wanted by authorities
WORLD
EU needs an ambitious agenda for growth, says Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment TL Bureau Helsinki “Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, starting in July, is an excellent opportunity to become actively engaged in the future of the EU debate,” says Jari Gustafsson, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment The Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has just published an outlook review that serves as
a basis for the new strategic priorities of the European Union over the next five years and for the work programme of the next European Commission to be appointed in November 2019. The report, ‘Perspectives for the EU’s strategic priorities in 2019 – a new design for sustainable growth’, discusses the EU’s future strategic agenda from the perspectives of growth and competitiveness. It also sets out the building blocks the Ministry considers crucial for a new design for sustainable growth in
the EU. “The EU must be able to make the right choices in 2019 by setting an ambitious policy agenda for growth. The new growth agenda should be geared towards enhancing the EU’s competitiveness in the global context and creating an economically, environmentally and socially strong Europe. The EU needs now a modern, forwardlooking policy approach,” says Janne Känkänen, the Ministry’s Head of EU and International Affairs.
GOZNYM MALWARE: CYBERCRIMINAL NETWORK DISMANTLED IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATION TL Bureau, The Hague
charges ten members of the GozNym criminal network with An unprecedented, internation- conspiracy to commit the folal law enforcement operation lowing: has dismantled a complex, infecting victims’ computers globally operating and organ- with GozNym malware ised cybercrime network. The designed to capture victims’ criminal network used GozNym online banking login credenmalware in an attempt to steal tials; an estimated $100 million from using the captured login cremore than 41 000 victims, pri- dentials to fraudulently gain marily businesses and their unauthorised access to vicfinancial institutions. A criminal tims’ online bank accounts; Indictment returned by a feder- stealing money from victims’ al grand jury in Pittsburgh, USA bank accounts and laundering
those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank accounts controlled by the defendants. Over the course of the international operation, searches were conducted in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Criminal prosecutions have been initiated in Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the United States. This operational success is a result of the international law enforcement cooperation between participating EU
Member States (Bulgaria and Germany) as well as Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the United States (in alphabetical order). Europol, the European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation as well as Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit supported the case. This operation showcases how an international effort to share evidence and initiate criminal prosecutions can lead to successful operations in multiple countries.
Lebanese Prime Minister Meets with US Acting Assistant Secretary of State TL Bureau, Beirut Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri met here today with US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield. During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest in addition to the latest political developments in Lebanon and the region
FC -Establishment of cyber security competence centre one step further TL Bureau, Bern During its meeting on 15 May 2019, the Federal Council adopted the implementation plan for the 2018–2022 national strategy for the protection of Switzerland against cyber risks (NCS) and thereby made further decisions on the establishment of the competence centre for cyber security. At the same time, the Federal Council decided to strengthen human resources in the area of cyber risks with an extra 24 posts.
PM meeting with NATO President of Ukraine met with Secretary General the President of the European Jens Stoltenberg Commission in Brussels Prime Minister Theresa May met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Downing Street TL Bureau, London.
would be an opportunity to celebrate NATO’s strength and look “The Prime Minister welcomed ahead to the next 70 years of the NATO Secretary General Jens Alliance. Stoltenberg to Downing Street “On the future of NATO, the on Tuesday afternoon for a wide- Prime Minister and Secretary ranging discussion on security General Stoltenberg spoke issues. about the importance of all Allies “She began by congratulating investing in our shared security the Secretary General on the in order to adapt to 21st Century extension of his appointment to threats and protect our people. 2022 and on a successful start They both welcomed the to NATO’s 70th anniversary progress that has been made on year.“The Prime Minister and Allies’ spending commitments in Secretary General Stoltenberg recent years but agreed it was discussed the NATO Leaders’ important to maintain momenSummit in December in London. tum and encourage all Allies to They agreed that the Summit increase their contributions.
TL Bureau Brussels President of Ukraine met with the President of the European Commission in Brussels In the framework of the participation in the High-level Conference on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership Initiative, President Petro Poroshenko met with President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. Petro Poroshenko thanked JeanClaude Juncker for his personal contribution to the achievement in recent years of Ukraine-EU relations of significant progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement, the functioning of the deep and comprehensive free trade area and the introduction of the visa-free regime. The Head of State also noted a significant support of Jean-Claude Juncker in the area of reforms and
promotion of Ukraine's economic development, in particular by providing Ukraine with macro-financial assistance. The President of Ukraine expressed hope for the further support by the President of the
European Commission of ambitious initiatives and goals on deepening sectoral integration between Ukraine and the EU, in particular in the context of preparations for the next EUUkraine Summit in 2019.
5 53-year-old man charged with child exploitation offences at Sydney International Airport TL Bureau Sydney A 53-year-old Armadale (WA) man is expected to appear before Sydney’s Central Local Court today charged with child exploitation offences, after his arrest at Sydney International Airport last night (Wednesday, 15 May 2019). The Australian Border Force (ABF) received information on the man which warranted further investigation. Following an examination of the traveller and his belongings, the matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The AFP interviewed the man and reviewed his electronic devices, which allegedly found child exploitation material.
AUSTRALIA
Local Contractors Securing Government must revoke Work at RAAF Base Edinburgh mining
TL bureau Edinburgh To protect Australia and our national interests, the Morrison Government is building a stronger Defence Force by restoring Defence funding to 2 per cent of GDP by 2020-21 and investing over $200 billion in military capability over the decade. We have taken the important decision to ensure that planning and funding includes not only equipment such as aircraft or ships, but also enabling infrastructure such as runways, wharfs and ICT systems through an Integrated Investment Program (IIP). Assistant Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon David Fawcett, and the Liberal Candidate for Spence, Kathleen Bourne, today visited key capability works being delivered at RAAF Base Edinburgh and were briefed on planned construction contained in the IIP. RAAF Base Edinburgh is the centre of our nation’s flight test centre, military intelligence, sur-
approvals in Sydney’s water catchment TL Bureau, Sydney
veillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare capabilities, and is also the home of Army’s 1st Armoured Regiment and the 7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. “The Morrison Government is currently investing $448 million across ten major capital infrastructure projects in South Australia occurring in Cultana, Woomera, Port Wakefield,
Adelaide and here in Edinburgh. “Through the successful implementation of the Local Industry Capability Plan, the majority of sub-contract packages have been awarded to businesses within the local Adelaide metropolitan area. “Today Kathleen and I have visited two key infrastructure projects being delivered here in Edinburgh.
$81.5 million for New Cancer, Mental Health, and Heart Failure Services in Western Australia TL Bureau, Canberra The Morrison Government will provide $81.5 million to support Western Australians with cancer, mental health issues and chronic heart failure. These new initiatives will improve the lives of Western Australians in need, providing much needed support and hope. Our strong economic management means we can provide record investment in these initiatives, Medicare, public hospitals and medicines, delivering more
doctors, more nurses and more services to West Australians. $ 44 million for West Australian cancer strategies $25.1 million is being invested to help implement a cancer care strategy across rural WA. This includes $9 million for new radiation oncology treatment services at Geraldton, WA. The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Cancer Strategy will be the first WA-wide coordinated approach to providing specialist
$14 million Adult Mental Health Hub to be Established in Townsville community and its defence force personnel. The Morrison Townsville will be the location of a Government will delver $114.5 mil$14 million walk-in adult community lion for eight walk-in community mental health centre funded mental health centres, with one through the Morrison Government’s located in each state and territory record-breaking $736 million men- to trial which model works best for the needs of their particular comtal health Budget measure. The new centre will provide much munity. Announcing Townsville as needed support individuals seeking the location of Queensland’s cenhelp, particularly in times of crisis. tre, LNP candidate for Herbert, One in five Australians experience Phillip Thompson, said “I am a common mental disorder each delighted that our community’s year and almost half of us will face advocacy for further mental health some form of mental health prob- services has been acknowledged lem during our lives. This is of par- and rewarded by the Morrison ticular importance to the Townsville Government. TL Bureau, Townsville
cancer services in rural communities. It is aimed at overcoming the inequity of access for country cancer patients in WA, increasing survival and improving the quality of life for country people diagnosed with cancer. In addition, $19 million will be allocated for state wide genomic testing that will take the treatment of WA cancer patients to a new level. This testing will benefit all WA patients diagnosed with cancer by using the patients DNA to personalise
their cancer treatment plan. It will enable earlier, more informed clinical decision-making, aligning patients with the best treatment for their disease from the start. This funding is in addition to the Liberal National Governments $50 million investment in the Australian Genomics Cancer Medicine Program and the landmark $500 million Medical Research Future Fund Genomics Health Futures Mission.
NSW Greens MP and environment spokesperson Cate Faehrmann is calling on the government to revoke recent approvals for more underground coal mining in Sydney’s water catchment after revelations of warnings from Water NSW of the serious risks mining poses to the security of Sydney’s water supply. “You can’t get a stronger submission from a government agency than this. Clearly, if Water NSW could ban mining in our water catchments it would,” said Ms Faehrmann. “Sydney’s water catchment is the only publicly owned water catchment in the world that has longwall mining allowed under it. For the government to approve more mining after it has been advised of the risks mining poses to millions of people’s water supply is nothing short of criminal. “One of the problems is that the mining companies always underestimate and downplay potential water losses from subsidence when they seek approvals. Then, once in operation, it’s not exactly known how much water is lost, except that it’s substantial. “Sydney’s dams are dropping at the rate of 0.5% per week and will be just at 50% in a little over a month’s time. “With climate change meaning less rainfall in many of our catchments, the government must urgently revoke all approvals it has granted to expand mining under Sydney’s water catchment. It’s time the security of Sydney’s drinking water is put ahead of mining interests,” said Ms Faehrmann.
New Mental Health Services for Young People and to Treat Eating Disorders TL Bureau, Canberra The Government will allocate $16.5 million to expand mental health services which will benefit the residents of Higgins. A new headspace centre will be established in Glen Iris to support young people dealing with mental health challenges. And a $13 million residential centre for treating eating disorders will be established through the South East
Primary Health Network which covers the Higgins electorate. One in four people aged 16 to 24 experiences some form of mental illness every year and three-quarters of all mental illness manifests in people under the age of 25. “The new headspace centre will provide vital services and deliver innovative support for young Australians in Higgins,” Minister Hunt said. Liberal candidate for Higgins, Katie Allen, said “I am
committed to ensuring young Australians can get information, advice, counselling or treatment, when and where they need it.” The headspace program aims to improve access for young people aged 12 to 25 years who have, or are at risk of, mental illness. headspace offers early intervention services across four key areas—mental health, related physical health, social and vocational support, and alcohol and other drug use.
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NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA
Mana Ake helps 1500 young people in first year TL Bureau Wellington
Mana Ake with children and the kaimahi that support them. “In just one year, Mana Ake has supported 942 children individually, and Minister of Health Dr David Clark 578 children in groups. That’s a lot of and Minister of Greater Christchurch children that have been listened to Regeneration Megan Woods have and had their issues taken seriously. today celebrated the success of “Our tamariki have had a number of Mana Ake, which has helped more challenges in their lives, from the than 1500 young people in ongoing impact of the earthquakes Canterbury and Kaikoura in its first which served as the initial impetus year. As of 29 April, all Year 1 to 8 for Mana Ake, through to the attacks children in the 219 primary and inter- on March 15 this year, as well as mediate schools have access to day-to-day challenges. dedicated mental health and wellbe- “For parents to know that their chiling support in their schools through dren will be supported when they go Mana Ake – Stronger for Tomorrow. to school is a fantastic comfort – and Minister Clark and Woods attended no doubt will be improving the menan event in Christchurch today to tal health and wellbeing of many celebrate the one-year rollout of parents as well,” says David Clark.
Minister Megan Woods says it is the people involved in Mana Ake who have made it such a success. “The role kaimahi play to support Canterbury’s young people can’t be overstated. Our kaimahi go into schools every day to help, support and build resilience for our school children, equipping them with skills which will help them for the rest of their lives.“It was fantastic to hear from Karaitiana Tickell, Sir John Hansen and most importantly the voices of the community at today’s event. It’s clear from their words that Mana Ake is providing a valuable service for mental health and wellbeing support which had been missing in our city for a long time before,” Megan Woods says.
NZ and China sign forestry cooperation arrangement TL Bureau, Wellington An arrangement signed by New Zealand and China today paves the way for future forestry cooperation and boosting bilateral trade, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. The arrangement was signed today in Wellington by Shane Jones and Mr Zhang Jianlong, the Administrator of China’s National Forestry and Grasslands Administration. “The updated arrangement supports and strengthens links between government, industry and research institutes in New Zealand and China. It provides a framework to address matters such as sustainability, wood processing and utilisation, and trade and investment,” Shane Jones said. “The forestry sector is an important and growing part of our bilateral trade with China, with export rev-
enue topping $3.2 billion in the year ending 2018. “Much of this growth has come from increased Chinese demand for New Zealand forestry products, supporting both continued high prices and record export volumes. “A number of Chinese companies choose to use wood sourced from New Zealand for their manufacturing, and I’m keen to see how we can grow the relationship further, especially for our respective wood processing industries. “With my Chinese counterpart, I have agreed that officials will cooperate to encourage increased trade, including in value-added wood products. “I’m pleased to announce that we will hold talks in China later this year, which industry will be invited to, to promote government-to-government and industry-to-industry collaboration.
Latest Emissions Trading Scheme reforms Comment from PM of NZ Jacinda Ardern on Facebook target transparency and compliance livestreaming announcement TL Bureau, Wellington ETS, increase rates of compliance with “It’s critical for public trust in the NZ ETS TL Correspondent Wellington “Facebook’s decision to put limits on livestreaming is a good first step to restrict the application being used as a tool for terrorists and shows the Christchurch Call is being acted on,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.“Today’s announcement addresses a key component of the Christchurch Call, a shared commitment to making livestreaming safer. “The March 15 terrorist highlighted just how easily livestreaming can be misused for hate. Facebook has made a tangible first step to stop that act being repeated on their platform. “Facebook’s announcement of new research into detecting manipulated media across images, video
and audio in order to take it down is welcomed. “Multiple edited and manipulated versions of the March 15 massacre quickly spread online, and the take down was slow as a result. New technology to prevent the easy spread of terrorist content will be a major contributor to making social media safer for users, and stopping the unintentional viewing of extremist content like so many people in New Zealand did after the attack, including myself, when it auto played in Facebook feeds. “The Christchurch Call gets agreement from tech companies to take initiatives to end the spread of terrorist content online. There is a lot more work to do, but I am pleased Facebook has taken additional steps today alongside the Call and look forward to a long term collaboration to make social media safer by removing terrorist content from it.”
Prime Minister to visit Singapore to launch Enhanced Partnership TL Bureau, Wellington Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will travel to Singapore on Friday 17 May to launch the New ZealandSingapore Enhanced Partnership and meet Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob. “We have a close and collaborative relationship based on shared history and interests. I am pleased to be visiting Singapore to launch the Enhanced Partnership alongside Prime Minister Lee and celebrate this significant achievement,” said Jacinda Ardern. “Extending trade opportunities is a central plank of the Government’s agenda. This is one of our most long-standing economic relationships and this upgrade is very important. The Enhanced Partnership focuses on increased cooperation across
four areas: trade and economic; people-to-people, defence and security, and science, technology and innovation. Singapore is New Zealand’s seventh largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $5.2 billion last year. New Zealand has more free trade agreements with Singapore than any other partner The two countries also enjoy warm people-to-people ties, including through arts and culture, education and tourism. “This upgrade is more than just economic, it signals strong ties across people-to-people and government as well,” Jacinda Ardern said. “As small advanced economies, we have always shared common views on the importance of stability and prosperity in the region. I look forward to discussing this further with Prime Minister Lee and President Yacob.”
the scheme, pave the way for robust NZ ETS auctions, ensure that the fixed price option is removed no later than the end of 2022, enable a price floor to be added to the NZ ETS if necessary in future. From 2021, changes designed to increase transparency of the NZ ETS will let the public access more information These latest changes will: about the scheme, including the emisimprove transparency within the NZ sions of individual NZ ETS participants. The second set of improvements to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) have been announced to further encourage greenhouse gas emissions reductions and increase forestry planting, said the Minister for Climate Change.
that information is readily available,” James Shaw said. “It’s also crucial that participants comply with their obligations”. NZ ETS compliance rates are expected to increase as a result of planned changes to the existing penalty regime which will see penalties separated into two categories; one related to reporting compliance and the other related to surrender/repayment obligations.
Safety focus in improved drug driver testing TL Bureau Wellington Improving the safety of all road users is the focus of a new public consultation document on the issue of drug driver testing. Plans for public consultation on options to improve the drug driver testing process have been announced by Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter and Minister of Police Stuart Nash. Julie Anne Genter said: “While drug drivers already face serious criminal penalties if caught, the current law makes it hard for Police to carry out higher numbers of tests that could deter drug driving. “And unlike with alcohol testing, drug testing comes with some unique challenges, which is why we want expert and public input into the design process. For example, unlike alcohol breath tests, drug tests can only detect
the presence of drugs or medication. They cannot test if a driver is impaired. “We know the public wants to be involved in the development of legislation that will impact them. Consultation will ensure changes to the current system incorporate the needs and wishes of New Zealanders. “A considered approach to developing enhanced drug driver testing will mean we can develop a robust testing system that’s grounded in evidence and best practice. We need to do this thoughtfully,” says Julie Anne Genter. “Irrespective of whether someone is impaired by alcohol, medication or recreational drugs, they shouldn’t be behind the wheel,” says Stuart Nash. “Last year, 71 people were killed in crashes where a driver was found to have drugs or medication in their system which may have impaired their driving. That
compares to 109 deaths where a driver was found to have alcohol in their system. “We need to do more to stop dangerous drivers getting behind the wheel and enforcement on our roads is a key part of this. However Police cannot do this on their own. Every one of us must challenge dangerous driving behaviours when we see them,” Mr Nash said. Consultation will take place over the next six weeks, concluding on Friday 28 June. The Government will be looking to confirm its options at the end of this year. The Government is looking for feedback on: the methods that could be used to screen and test for drugs the circumstances in which a driver should be tested what drugs should be tested for how an offence for drug driving should be dealt with by Police.
7 Madagascar Implements the International Monetary Fund’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System TL Bureau Antananarivo Madagascar has implemented the recommendations of the IMF’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS) by publishing critical data through the National Summary Data Page (NSDP). The page aims to serve as a one-stop publication vehicle for essential macroeconomic data on the national accounts, government operations and debt, monetary and financial sectors, and balance of payments. These data will be disseminated in both human- and machine-readable formats. The e-GDDS was established by the IMF’s Executive Board in May 2015 to support improved data transparency, encourage statistical development, and help create synergies between data dissemination and surveillance. The NSDP is posted on the webpage for Madagascar that is hosted on the open-data platform sponsored by the African Development Bank. A link to Madagascar’s NSDP is also available on the IMF’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board. The NSDP contains links to statistics published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the National Institute of Statistics, and the Central Bank of Madagascar.
BUSINESS
Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative Allocates Second Round Funding;
Expected to Grow 70,000 Women’s Businesses
TL Bureau WASHINGTON DC
The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) today announced its second funding allocations – expected to benefit 70,000 women-led businesses and mobilize nearly a billion dollars of additional public and private sector resources. The second round allocates $129 million for programs to boost women’s entrepreneurship that will be implemented by four multilateral development banks, expecting to mobilize $990 million of additional funds from other public and private sources. The African Development Bank received $61.8 million for activities covering 21 African countries; the Asian Development Bank received $20.2 million for activities in Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji; the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development received $22.9 million for activities in low-income Central Asian countries; and the Inter-American Development Bank received $24.28 million for activities in countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. This compliments the first round of We-Fi funds announced in April 2018, which allocated $120 million for projects implemented by the
IMF Executive Directors Conclude Visit to Panama
The African Development Bank (AfDB) was granted $61.8 million for its program “Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa” (AFAWA). The program will offer innovative and tailored financial instruments including a women-focused first loss risk-sharing facility, specialized capacity-building training, and targeted initiatives to dramatically transform the businessenabling environment for women entrepreneurs. Of 21 economies targeted, AFAWA will mainly service IDA and fragile or conflict-affect countries where women are underserved in accessing financing, markets, knowledge, and mentoring programs. These countries include Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was granted $20.2 million for a program on “Women Accelerating Vibrant Enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Pacific” (WAVES). WAVES will support more than 5,105 women-owned or led businesses in the Pacific and Viet Nam, and will foster long-term behavior change among key stakeholders in the private and public sectors. Access to finance will be expanded through performance-based lending in Viet Nam, and the first gender bond in Southeast Asia and the Pacific will be issued in Fiji. ADB will to support implementation of the gender provisions under Viet Nam’s business law. Women’s capacity and confidence to run successful businesses will be developed via financial literacy, business acceleration, and mentorship programs to increase their contributions to building inclusive and dynamic economies. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was granted $22.9 million for its “Women of the Steppe” Women in Business Program in Central Asia. 100% of We-Fi funding will be dedicated to activities in IDA countries including the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The program takes a holistic approach to tackling demandside, supply-side, and environmental constraints, thereby sparking systemic change at both the market and firm-levels. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) received $24.28 million for its “Women Entrepreneurs for Latin America and the Caribbean” (WeForLac) program. WeForLac will boost access to finance, markets, skills and networks, while strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems in support of women-owned and led businesses. The program is expected to reach more than 19,252 women, with a focus on underserved communities in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.
World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, and Islamic Development Bank to tackle the barriers facing women entrepreneurs across developing countries. Together, the two allocations aim to reach 115,000 women entrepreneurs and mobilize $2.6 billion in additional public and private sector resources, ten times the resources allocated by We-Fi’s 14 donor governments. “We-Fi is the first of its kind – a large-scale, multi-stakeholder partnership designed to address obstacles facing women entrepreneurs through comprehensive, sustainable solutions,” said Geoffrey Okamoto, Chair of the We-Fi Governing Committee and Acting Assistant Secretary for International Finance and Development at the United States Department of the Treasury. “The idea is not to fund individual women entrepreneurs, but to fund projects that disrupt the systemic causes of financial obstacles to women’s entrepreneurship.” “When we unleash women’s economic potential, they increase global growth, prosperity and peace,” said World Bank Group Chief Executive Officer, Kristalina Georgieva. “We-Fi has exceeded all targets in mobilizing billions of dollars of financing for women entrepreneurs, including in the most challenging environments.
COMMONWEALTH BANK ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO THE BANK’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TL Bureau, Panama City
to meet with President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, A group of Directors from the Finance and Economy Minister 24-member Executive Board[1] Eyda Varela de Chinchilla, other of the International Monetary senior officials as well as memFund (IMF) comprising Mr. Sami bers of the financial and bankGeadah, Mr. Zhongxia Jin, Mr. ing community, and representaMaher Mouminah, Mr. Thomas tives of the private sector. Ostros, Mr. Alexandre Tombini, “Panama’s model as a regional and Mr. Piotr Trabinski visited trade, logistics, and financial Panama from May 13-15. At the center, has positioned the end of their visit, the Executive country as one of the most Directors issued the following dynamic economies in Latin statement: America. Its strong fundamen“The International Monetary tals reflect good policy frameFund and Panama have enjoyed works, open trade, high investlong and fruitful cooperation. ment, the emergence of a Our visit to Panama was an vibrant service sector, and the opportunity to strengthen this expansion of the Panama Canal. relationship and learn firsthand Looking ahead, continued fiscal about the significant economic discipline and sustained efforts achievements and the authori- to enhance Anti-money launties’ policies to continue dering and combatting the improving the country’s econo- financing of terrorism and tax my, the challenges it faces and transparency will solidify the the way in which the Fund can country’s positive economic contribute. We had the honor prospects.
TL Bureau Sydney The Board of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia announces that Sir David Higgins will retire as a non-executive director on 31 December 2019. CBA Chairman Catherine Livingstone AO
expressed her appreciation on behalf of the Board, the Group’s executives and shareholders: “I would like to thank Sir David for his service, commitment and contribution to the Board.” Ms Livingstone said Sir David’s decision to retire was reflective of the time commitment required for the Board
and travelling to Australia when considered with his portfolio of directorships from 1 January 2020. Sir David has been a Director of the Bank since September 2014 and has been the Remuneration Committee Chairman and a Risk Committee member.
8
FEATURE
New Stanford research examines how augmented reality affects people’s behavior Stanford scholar Jeremy Bailenson and other researchers found that people’s interactions with a virtual person in augmented reality, or AR, influenced how they behaved and acted in the physical world. BY ALEX SHASHKEVICH California As major technology firms race to roll out augmented reality products, Stanford researchers are learning how it affects people’s behavior – in both the physical world and a digitally enhanced one. In a new study led by Jeremy Bailenson, a professor of communication in the School of Humanities and Sciences, researchers found that after people had an experience in augmented reality (AR) – simulated by wearing goggles that layer computer-generated content onto real-world environments – their interactions in their physical world changed as well, even with the AR device removed. For example, people avoided sitting on a chair they had just seen a virtual person sit on. Researchers also found that participants appeared to be influenced by the presence of a virtual person in a similar way they would be if a real person were next to them. These findings are set to publish May 14 in PLOS ONE.“We’ve discovered that using augmented reality technology can change where you walk, how you turn your head, how well you do on tasks, and how you connect socially with other physical people in the room,” said Bailenson, who co-authored the paper with graduate students Mark Roman Miller, Hanseul Jun and Fernanda Herrera, who are the lead authors. Their findings mirror much of the research Bailenson has done on virtual reality (VR). While VR attempts to simulate a real-life environment and take the user out of the present setting, AR technology layers digital information atop the user’s physical surroundings. In recent years, many technology companies have focused on developing augmented reality goggles and other products, shifting away from their previous emphasis on virtual reality, Bailenson said. Bailenson said today’s AR goggles can project a realistic, 3D version of an actual person in real time onto the physical surroundings of the goggles-wearer. This allows for groups of people across the world to make eye contact and communicate nonverbally in other nuanced ways – something that video conferencing struggles to achieve. “AR could help the climate change crisis by allowing realistic virtual meetings, which would avoid the need for gas to commute or flying to meetings in person,” Bailenson said. “And this research can help bring attention to the possible social consequences of AR use at a large scale, so the technology can be designed to avoid these issues before becoming ubiquitous.” To examine how AR affected the way people behaved in social situations, researchers recruited 218 participants and conducted three studies. In the
The photo shows an actor in place of a research participant and what they experienced during one of the studies. The area inside the dotted line is the field of view of the augmented reality goggles, which shows digital content such as an avatar, “Chris.” (Image credit: Mark Miller and Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab) first two experiments, each participant interacted with a virtual avatar named Chris who would sit on a real chair in front of them. The first study replicated a traditional psychology finding known as social inhibition. Just as people complete easy tasks with ease and struggle with more challenging ones when they have a person watching them in the real world, the same held true when an avatar was watching study participants in augmented reality, the researchers
found.Study participants completed easy anagrams faster but performed poorly on the complex ones when avatar Chris was visible in their AR field of vision.Another study tested whether participants would follow accepted social cues when interacting with avatar Chris. This was measured by tracking whether participants would sit on the chair that avatar Chris previously sat on.Researchers found that all participants who wore the AR headset sat on the empty chair next to Chris instead of sitting right on the avatar. Of those participants who were asked to take off the headset before choosing their seat, 72 percent still chose to sit in the empty chair next to where Chris sat previously. “The fact that not a single one of the subjects with headsets took the seat where the avatar sat was a bit of a surprise,” Bailenson said. “These results highlight how AR content integrates with your physical space, affecting the way you interact with it. The presence of AR content also appears to linger after the goggles are taken off.” In the third study, researchers examined how AR affects the social connection between two people who are having a conversation while one of them wears an AR headset. Researchers found that those wearing AR goggles reported feeling less socially connected to their conversation partner. Bailenson said that additional studies, which he and his team are now working on, are needed to further examine the effects of augmented reality. “This paper scratches the surface of the social-psychological costs and benefits of AR use, but much research is needed to understand the effects of this technology as it scales,” the researchers wrote. This research was supported by two National Science Foundation grants.
9
LIFE AND REAL ESTATE
Entertainment One Joins Tristar Pictures’ Holiday Romantic Comedy Happiest Season Starring Kristen Stewart And Mackenzie Davis
TripAdvisor Unveils the 10
Film From Director Clea DuVall To Be Released In U.S. On November 20, 2020.
Alternatives to Save Money
TL Bureau Culver City, CA It was announced today that Entertainment One (eOne) has come aboard TriStar Pictures’ Happiest Season and will co-finance the holiday-season romantic comedy. Additionally, TriStar Pictures has set a U.S. release date of November 20, 2020. eOne will handle distribution for the United Kingdom and Canada with TriStar Pictures distributing in all other territories. Happiest Season, scheduled to begin production in January 2020, will star Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis and is written by Clea DuVall and Mary Holland. DuVall, who was recently recognized as one of The Alice Initiative’s top 20 rising filmmakers, will also direct, making this her first studio project. Marty Bowen and Isaac Klausner of Temple Hill are producing. Happiest Season captures
About Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/ corp/divisions.html.
the story of a young woman (Stewart) whose plan to propose to her girlfriend (Davis) while at her family’s annual holiday party is upended when she discovers her partner hasn’t yet come out to her conservative parents. Hannah Minghella and Shary Shirazi are overseeing the
project for TriStar Pictures. Nick Meyer and Zev Foreman are overseeing for eOne. Clea DuVall is represented by Gersh and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Mary Holland is represented by ICM Partners, Primary Wave Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.
About Entertainment One Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales; family programming, merchandising and licensing; digital content; and live entertainment. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world. Entertainment One’s robust network includes international feature film distribution company Sierra/Affinity; Amblin Partners with DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; Makeready with Brad Weston; unscripted television production companies Whizz Kid Entertainment and Renegade 83; live entertainment leaders Round Room Live; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; innovative music platform Audio Network; and award-winning emerging content and technology studio Secret Location.
Most Popular U.S. Summer Destinations and Affordable TL Bureau NEEDHAM, Mass. TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel site, today announced its 2019 Summer Vacation Value Report, highlighting the 10 most popular U.S. destinations for this summer, based on hotel booking interest from U.S. travelers. Most Popular U.S. Summer Destinations(Ranked #1-10) Hotel Summer Average Nightly Rate Alternative Affordable U.S. Destinations Hotel Summer Average Nightly Rate Percentage Savings for Alternative Destination 1. Orlando, FL $216 Kissimmee, FL $137 37% 2. Las Vegas, NV $167 Reno, NV $144 14% 3. Myrtle Beach, SC $250 Kill Devil Hills, NC $200 20% 4. Maui, HI $533 Oahu, HI $328 38% 5. New York City, NY $329 Philadelphia, PA $258 22% 6. Key West, FL $336 Key Largo, FL $246 27% 7. New Orleans, LA $196 Miami, FL $173 12% 8. Ocean City, MD $286 Nags Head, NC $229 20% 9. San Diego, CA $283 Mammoth Lakes, CA $202 29% 10. Virginia Beach, VA $272 Williamsburg, VA $183 33%
MILLENNIUM AIRPORT HOTEL DUBAI’S UNWTO and Basque Culinary Center GM WINS ‘GENERAL MANAGER OF THE launch Guidelines for the Development the second year in a YEAR 2018’ AWARD For row, Mr. Simon Moore of Gastronomy Tourism T L Bureau, UAE
For the second year in a row, Mr. Simon Moore has been declared the winner of the ‘General Manager of the Year’ award by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels MEA Group. The honour highlights his achievements in terms of outstanding performance, excellence and leadership. The award was presented to Mr. Moore at a beautiful ceremony held in Mussanah during the Millennium & Copthorne General Managers Think Blue Ocean Summit 2019. The event was attended by various General Managers of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels from across the Middle East and Africa region. Mr. Moore said, “It is a great hon-
has been declared the TL Bureau winner of the ‘General Madrid Manager of the Year’
our to be recognized as the General Manager of the Year within the Millennium & Copthorne Hotel group in the MEA region. This award means a lot to us and will be a great motivation for our team. It is testimony to our dedication, superior performance and hard work. On behalf of all my team, I would like to thank Millennium & Copthorne Hotels MEA as well as all our guests who are the real reason behind our success.” Mr. Moore has superb experience with a strong track record in the hospitality industry.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) have launched a new set of guidelines to help destinations benefit from the growing interest in gastronomic tourism. The joint initiative was presented at the 5th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in San Sebastian, Spain. As tourists increasingly demand unique and authentic travel experiences, the global gastronomy market has been enjoying significant growth over recent years. The new toolkit from UNWTO and BCC is aimed at helping destinations benefit from this trend. This initiative
is focused on empowering destinations with the knowledge and concrete steps they need to design and implement a Gastronomy Tourism Plan. By adopting such a plan, cities and regions can enjoy the many benefits gastronomy tourism can bring. In addition to creating more and better jobs, it can also serve as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship. Addressing delegates at the 2019 World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism UNWTO SecretaryGeneral Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The broad spectrum of gastronomy tourism makes it an ally for job creation and social inclusion. It has a particular potential to economically empower the most vulnerable groups, such as women, youth,
indigenous and rural communities,” The ‘Guidelines for the Development of Gastronomy Tourism’ include recommendations on key aspects of planning and management as well as possible interventions and activities for implementation by National Tourism Administrations (NTAs), National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). The publication touches on issues such as the promotion of the value chain, education and skills development, competitor analysis, destination image, governance, control and monitoring mechanisms and more.
Thomas Cook India and Mastercard Partner for ‘Priceless Cities’ Experience Outbound travellers from India gain first time access to handpicked ‘Priceless’ experiences in the world’s greatest cities TL Bureau Mumbai/New Delhi Tapping into the evolving aspiration of Indian travellers, Mastercard and Thomas Cook India today announced their partnership to bring, for the first time, Mastercard’s global ‘Priceless Cities’ program for outbound travellers from India. Offered for a period of six months starting May 2019, Thomas Cook India’s forex cardholders (Borderless Prepaid Cards
and One Currency Cards) will have the opportunity to utilize these unique benefits and create enriching experiences for themselves. The initiative will allow travellers the opportunity to unlock hidden gems across more than 40 cities worldwide through the ‘Priceless Cities’ program. All Thomas Cook prepaid cards in India exclusively enjoy Mastercard’s safe and secure payments network. ‘Priceless Cities’ is part of Priceless,
a one-of-a-kind global experiential program by Mastercard. First introduced in New York in 2011, the program celebrates the world's greatest cities by connecting consumers' passions to unique experiences, privileged access and attractive offers. Cardholders will have access to box seats at bespoke events, cooking classes with Masterchefs, along with an array of other benefits to choose from. The program is designed to bring consumers closer
to their passions — dining, sports, shopping, arts and entertainment, and travel — through one-of-a-kind experiences and exclusive access in more than 40 destinations around the world such as Paris, Rome, Abu Dhabi and Singapore. Commenting on the launch, Mahesh Iyer, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. said, “We are delighted to partner with Mastercard to offer our Borderless and One Currency
card customers, unique and inspirational experiences across more than 40 cities worldwide. India’s new age travellers are showing an increasing appetite for exclusive experiences and hence the Priceless Cities portfolio, featuring falcon flying in Dubai, stay at Zaya Nurai, one of the world’s most beautiful islands in Abu Dhabi , or a gin masterclass in Singapore, finds strong appeal across our segments.”
10
SPORTS
ICC welcomes first female match referee and boosts numbers on development panel TL Bureau, Nagpur The International Cricket Council (ICC) has welcomed India’s GS Lakshmi as the first female to be appointed to the ICC International Panel of Match Referees. Following close on the heels of Claire Polosak, who earlier this month became the first ever woman umpire to stand in a men’s ODI, Lakshmi will be eligible to referee international games with immediate effect. Lakshmi becomes first woman on the ICC International Panel of Match Referees Sheridan’s addition takes number of women on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires to eight Meanwhile, Australia’s Eloise Sheridan has joined compatriot Polosak on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires, taking the number of women on that panel to an unprecedented eight.Lauren Agenbag, Kim Cotton, Shivani Mishra, Sue Redfern, Mary Waldron and Jacqueline Williams are the other women officials on that panel. The first woman on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires was Kathy Cross, who retired last year. Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager Umpires and Referees: “We welcome Lakshmi and Eloise to our panels, which is an
important step forward in our commitment to encouraging women officials. It is heartening to see their progress and I am sure many more women will be inspired to follow their example. I wish them all the best for a long and enjoyable career. “We are committed to ensuring greater gender parity among our officials, but all
Eloise Sheridan appointments are made purely on merit. Elevation is as a result of a thorough evaluation process that identifies the most talented match officials breaking through to an international level. It is pleasing that through consistent high performance we are able to add more women to our panels. Lakshmi, 51, who first offi-
New European Women's Baseball Championship to be launched this July in Rouen, France
European champion will automatically qualify for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup TL Bureau, PARIS The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and its continental body Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) today jointly announced the launching of a new European Championship in the discipline of Women's Baseball, to be first staged in July and contested every year prior to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup®. Hosting rights for the inaugural European Women's Baseball Championship 2019 have been awarded to the French city of Rouen, home of the current French national baseball champions, club Rouen Huskies, in collaboration with the French Federation of Baseball and Softball (FFBS). The Czech Baseball Association and FFBS are launching Women's National Baseball Team pro-
grammes and will battle with the Netherlands for the inaugural European crown in Rouen. The best women's baseball team in Europe will qualify for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup and compete For the Title of World Champion. The next Women's Baseball World Cup is scheduled for 2020. "This is an historic day in the evolution of baseball, reflecting the continued growth of our game internationally and among young players and women here in Europe," said CEB President Didier Seminet. "The launch of the European Women's Baseball Championship reflects modern times, sends a message that baseball can be played by anyone and helps to break down stereotypes associated with women in sport," WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said.
ciated as a match referee in domestic women’s cricket in 2008-09, has overseen three women’s ODI matches and three women’s T20I matches. 'It is great now to be able to continue my involvement in cricket in a different role' – Eloise Sheridan 'It is great now to be able to continue my involvement in cricket in a different role' – Eloise Sheridan G S Lakshmi: “To be selected in the international panel by the ICC is a huge honour for me as it opens up new avenues. I have had a long career as a
cricketer in India and also as a Match Referee. I hope to put my experience both as a player and as a match official to good use on the international circuit.“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ICC, officials at the BCCI, my seniors in the cricketing circuit, my family and colleagues who have supported me over the years. I hope to live up to their expectations by doing my job to the best of my ability.”Sheridan was the reserve umpire for two matches in the Men’s Big Bash
League 2018-19 and umpired four matches in the Women’s Big Bash League the same year. In October 2018, she became the first woman in Australia to umpire a men’s first grade Premier Cricket final. Eloise Sheridan: “As a player, cricket allowed me to travel, meet wonderful people and share a mutual love for the game. It is great now to be able to continue my involvement in cricket in a different role, and give something back to the game that has been such a big part of my life.
United States and Canada go head to head in Women's Qualifier Americas in pursuit of World Cup spots TL Bureau, Sydney United States and Canada square off in the ICC Women’s Qualifier Americas 2019 as the Road to Australia 2020 and New Zealand 2021 continues· The teams are just two steps away from T20 and 50-over Women’s World Cups The victorious nation in the three-game tournament will secure a place in both the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 and ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2020 The ICC Women’s Qualifier Americas begins on 17 May in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where USA and Canada will play three T20 Internationals in as many days. Both sides are just two steps away from the Australia T20 and New Zealand 50-over World Cups in 2020 and 2021 respectively, meaning there are bragging rights and the honour of representing your region in the next phase of qualification up for grabs. The Women’s Qualifier Americas
USA Women's team poses with the trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia is one of five regional tournaments acting as a dual qualifier for 27 teams, firstly in their pursuit of a spot in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier – taking place in Scotland between 31 August and 7 September 2019 where they will join Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, PNG, Thailand and Zimbabwe. Secondly, the victor will also compete in the ICC Women’s Cricket World
Cup Qualifier 2020, where they will join confirmed teams Bangladesh, Ireland, PNG, Thailand and Zimbabwe. Further information can be foundhere. USA captain Sindhu Sriharsha, who took up cricket aged seven before being enrolled into her first formal coaching camp as a nineyear-old, said: “We’d be ecstatic if we qualified for the next phase.
11
TECH/AUTO
Launch of the “Symphony of Engines”: press conference for the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019. TL Bureau Munich/Milan. A feast for the eyes and ears will enchant fans of Historic Cars and Motorcycles at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este from 24th to 26th May 2019. This prestigious event is being held on the banks of Lake Como in Cernobbio, Northern Italy. The traditional press conference was held by the organisers on Wednesday 15th May to set the scene for the exclusive parade of beauties on two and four wheels. At Milan’s La Scala, BMW Group Classic, the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and BMW Group Italia provided international media representatives with information about the programme schedule, the entire field of participants, and details and innovations that will once again make the world’s most exclusive beauty contest for classic vehicles with a heritage tradition an unforgettable event on the shoreline of Lake Como in 2019. At the press conference held in Milan’s La Scala, Ulrich Knieps, President of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and Head of BMW Group Classic, joined with Danilo Zucchetti, Managing Director of Villa d’Este Hotels, and Sergio Solero, President of BMW Group Italia, to outline further details of the programme schedule. For the first time, they also presented all the vehicles nominated for the beauty con-
TL Bureau, Mumbai.
Information about the programme and the field of participants of this year’s beauty contest for historic vehicles at La Scala Milan – Parade of the classics on the shores of Lake Como from 24th to 26th May is defined by two anniversaries: 90 years of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and 90 years of BMW automobile production. – New winner’s trophy “Trofeo BMW Group” celebrates world premiere. test in advance of the event. The list of nominated vehicles is available with immediate effect on the website of the Concorso D´Eleganza Villa D´Este. This year, the festival of elegance organised jointly by BMW Group Classic and the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este is being held under the motto “The Symphony of Engines – 90 Years of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and BMW
The all-new BMW X5 launched in India.
Automobiles”. In 1929, the beauty contest for automobiles celebrated its premiere in the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa
d’Este. At that time, the event had been created as a competition for particularly exclusive new vehicles.
The all-new BMW X5 was launched in India today. Mr. Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary sportsman unveiled the all-new BMW X5, which demonstrates a fresh modern design with refined interiors and authoritative driving attributes. Locally-produced, the all-new BMW X5 is available in a diesel variant at BMW dealerships from today onwards. The petrol variant will be available later in 2019. Dr. Hans-Christian Baertels, President (act.), BMW Group India said, "BMW established the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment with the launch of BMW X5 in 1999. The BMW X5 has been the best-selling car in this segment for many years and has become one of our most successful models. The fourth generation embodies this model's typical characteristics versatility, sovereignty and luxury. The all-new BMW X5 is bound to add another chapter to this success story by introducing a new interpretation of the letter X. Combining an elegant and strong design with supreme on and off-road ability, the all-new BMW X5 has an even greater blend of premium luxury performance, technology and comfort."
The master craftsmanship of the Century, Japan's only chauffeur-driven car. TL Bureau Tokyo A look inside Toyota Motor East Japan's Higashi-Fuji Plant, which is responsible for producing every Century model, reveals the many ways master craftsmen leave their mark. A full model change in June 2018 led to the development of the third-generation Century, which remains Japan's only chauffeur-driven automobile. Each Century model has been handcrafted at Higashi-Fuji Plant of Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. (former Kanto Auto Works, Ltd.). What are the skills required to create Century models produced at this plant? The plant where the Century is produced is very different to a standard mass-production plant. There is no assembly line, no long row of cars. There is no sound of electronics or machinery. In this quiet, spacious area, a small number of highly trained, skilled craftsmen create cars almost as if they are producing works of art. The production process for the Century has five steps: stamping, body, painting, assembly, and inspection. Each step incorporates the
master craftsmanship one would expect for a Century. One of the focal points of the exterior design of the new Century model is the character line that runs down both flanks. This is formed using a traditional chamfering method known in Japanese as "kichomen." This term originally referred to the elaborate way the posts of kicho, Heian period (794-1185) room partitions used by nobles to provide private areas for themselves, were chamfered to avoid leaving a simple angle. The finely-detailed, intricate workmanship on these partitions has led to the adjective "kichomen" coming to mean
"to carry out work accurately and carefully." The kichomen chamfering on the Century body is created by skilled hands that create the curves when producing such angles. The minor imperfections on the body panels after processing in the press are delicately smoothed, creating a precise, unbroken line. The metal is then finished with power sanders. This is a task that demands the utmost concentration: even the motion of breathing could affect the dynamism of this line.To complete the body, the kichomen chamfer line must match perfectly from the front to the rear. However, as
befits a luxury car, the doors on the Century are extremely thick and heavy, and so once the weight of the interior finishings is added later on, the rear ends of the doors will drop slightly from their original positions. Here, a technique known as "door-lifting" is employed. In other words, to align with the descent of the door, the alignment is deliberately adjusted to ensure that it looks perfect when the car is completed. Many of those who purchase a Century are VIPs. When alighting from the rear seats, the Century's body becomes almost like an elegant mirror, allowing its passengers to casually check their appearance. This mirror finish is just one of the ways the Century caters to those who are fortunate to own one. Even installing the tower console located between the front seats requires delicate work by hand. The key is making sure it is precisely even between both seats. Experienced craftsmen can sense the degree of tilt to either side, and carefully turn the bolts to adjust the center console position. This is not something that can be reduced to numbers; the work is achieved through the special trust in the senses and experience known at Toyota as "kan-kotsu" or "intuition and skills."
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Jaisalmer gets Ready to Host International Army Scout Masters Competition 2019
UN health agency highlights lifestyle choices that can prevent onset of dementia, as millions more succumb each year
Karamjit Singh Parwana Foreign Correspondent New Delhi International Army Scout Masters Competition as a part of International Army Games will be organised under the aegis of Konark Corps at Jaisalmer from 24 July to 17 August 2019. The event will witness participation of the Mechanised Infantry Scout Teams of eight countries including Russia who is the founding member of this format of International Army Games. The Russian Delegation, Senior Military and Diplomatic dignitaries from participating countries visited Jaisalmer Military Station on 14 and 15 May 2019. The delegates were shown and briefed on the special training facilities created at Jaisalmer and Pokhran. The visiting team of officials were impressed with the overall arrangements and complimented the Indian Organisers for creating the excellent infrastructure for the competition. The head of the Russian delegation Lieutenant General Budyshkin Albert Alienvich expressed confidence that India will provide the right opportunity for all teams to excel and bring long term tangible benefits to International Military Cooperation.
TL bureau, UN HQ Key lifestyle choices such as getting regular exercise, not smoking or drinking too much, can reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, the UN health agency said on Tuesday. In recommendations to counter an expected tripling in the number of people with the degenerative condition in the next 30 years, the World Health
Organization (WHO) guidelines are designed to help medical professionals and governments to develop national policies. Today, around 50 million people globally suffer from dementia and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year.“We need to do everything we can to reduce our risk of dementia,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The scientific
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt Call on Qatar to Stop Funding Terrorist Groups TL Bureau, Geneva
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt called on the State of Qatar to stop funding terrorist groups and respect the rights of migrant workers. This came in the speeches delivered by the three countries before the UN Human Rights Council at its meeting today to review the human rights situation in Qatar. In its speech to the Council today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called upon the State of Qatar to take the
necessary measures to stop its financing of the terrorist groups and to take the necessary measures not to give terrorist groups media platforms to spread fanatical ideas of terrorism. The Kingdom also called for the removal of obstacles that hinder Qatari citizens and expatriates working in Qatar from performing Hajj and Umrah.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed deep concern over the tragic humanitarian situation of hundreds of Qatari families of Al-Ghufran clan as the Qatari government withdrew citizenship from members of Al-
Ghufran clan, confiscated their money and property and discriminated against them with forced displacement in addition to robbing them of their rights to return home. For its part, the Kingdom of Bahrain called upon the State of Qatar to take the necessary and immediate measures to remove barriers to access to justice for migrant workers, to apply the necessary standards to ensure their protection from abuse and exploitation, to punish offenders and to ensure that they receive their wages in a timely manner
Peter Hultqvist received Defence Commission’s final report TL Bureau, Stockholm On 14 May, the chair of the Defence Commission, Björn von Sydow, submitted his final report to Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist.“The Defence Commission has undertaken a thorough analysis of huge importance for Sweden’s defence and security policy. The Commission has completed its task well and
managed to incorporate the supplementary instructions on greater order in defence finances into the final report.” “The Commission’s work and conclusions will now be the starting point for the Government’s future work. The next step for the Government is to task the Swedish Armed Forces and the Defence Materiel Administration with analysing the economic implications and feasibil-
ity of the Defence Commission’s proposals. The Government plans to present a defence policy bill for the period 2021–2025 to the Riksdag in 2020,” said Mr Hultqvist at the presentation of the report. The cross-party Commission has been working since January 2017 to analyse international developments and the associated implications for Sweden’s defence and security policy.
evidence gathered for these guidelines confirm what we have suspected for some time: that what is good for our heart, is also good for our brain.” According to WHO’s new guidelines, other lifestyle choices that people can make to reduce the risk of dementia include controlling their weight, eating healthily and maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Last year, WHO pro-
vided support to countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Qatar, Slovenia and Sri Lanka to develop a comprehensive, multi-sectoral public health response to dementia, it said in a statement. Reducing the risk of lifestyle choices linked to dementia is one of several areas of action included in WHO’s Global action plan for the public health response to the illness.
Government awards £ 25 million to fund zero-emission transport innovations New projects are powering the future of zero emission vehicles. TL Bureau, London 22 projects in total will benefit from government investment to decarbonise UK transport innovations to be funded include a quick-charging fully-electric motorbike prototype and agricultural vehicles with reduced emission capability investment a key Industrial Strategy milestone, and part of wider measures towards a net zero carbon economy Projects across the country are set to benefit from £25million investment to develop ground-breaking zero emission technologies for new vehicles. One project aims to develop innovative, new electric motorcycle technology lowering vehicle emissions and noise, with faster battery charge times and making electric motorbikes attractive to the market. Led by Triumph
Motorcycles, the project adds award-winning motorsport and electrification experience from Williams Advanced Engineering, propulsion innovation from Integral Powertrain and Warwick Manufacturing Group’s success integrating academic research with public and private sector projects. Other winning projects include: a project that will add an electric drive axle to a conventional dieselpowered truck, creating a hybrid engine which will store and reuse the electrical energy on the trailer a research and development project to replace metals with new materials using recycled carbon fibres from aviation waste a feasibility study into the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology as a zero-emission solution for utility and off-road vehicles
Yemeni Minister calls on the world community to protect civilians against Houthi crimes in Al-Dhalea Province in Yemen TL Bureau, Al-Baidha Dr. Mohammed Askar, Yemen's Minister of Human Rights, today called on the world community in general and the United Nations in particular to shoulder their responsibility in protecting civilians in Al-Dhalea Province and a number of villages in Yemen against capital and grave crimes being committed by the Iranbacked Houthi militias using different kinds of weapons, ballistic missiles and explosives.
In a press conference he held in the country's provisional capital of Aden, Askar said that, according to reliable field statistics and information, as many as 27 civilians were killed, 73 wounded, 9000 persons and 361 families displaced, and 541 homes partially or totally damaged in addition to five health facilities, nine schools, and 145 farms destroyed and 16 government and 34 houses controlled by the Houthi militias in Al-Dhalea province.