AUSTRALIA RATIFIES THE TPP-11
TL Bureau. Canberra : Australia has today ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) trade agreement giving our farmers access to more markets, greater opportunities for our businesses, more jobs and increased investment. Australia is the sixth country to ratify the agreement, meaning it can now enter into force on 30 December this year. We join Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore as part of the first group to ratify. Our ratification means we are guaranteeing maximum benefits for our farmers and businesses, with the bonus of two tariff reductions within 3 days - one on 30 December and another on 1 January 2019. The TPP-11 is one of the most comprehensive and ambitious trade agreements in Australia’s recent history. It will help support Australian businesses to grow and see annual benefits of up to $15.6 billion to our national economy by 2030. Australian farmers and businesses will particularly benefit from new high-quality free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, our first ever with these two of the world’s top 20 economies.
NEWS Vol. 01 Issue 05 November 1, 2018 thelifenews.com.au
Some kind of object suspected to be fuselage of crashed Plane
TL Bureau. Jakarta. This object may be a reason for crash of Indonesian plane. An object suspected to be the fuselage of the crashed Indonesia Lion Air plane was located on the seabed, a rescue official said on Wednesday. There is a ship equipped with side scan sonar device and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has detected an object, suspected to be part of the fuselage of Lion Air JT 610 flight.
Lion Air by Indonesia plane crash, 189 on board reportedly missing
TL Bureau Jakarta : A Lion Air of Indonesia plane carrying 189 passengers on aboard crashed on Monday from north of Indonesia’s island of Java was airworthy, and had only been operated by Lion Air Group since August, the company addressed. A spokesman for Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said the Lion Air flight, JT610, lost contact 13 minutes after takeoff, adding that a tug boat leaving the capital’s port had seen the craft falling. “It has been confirmed that it has crashed,” the spokesman, Yusuf Latif, said by text message, when asked about the fate of the plane, which air tracking service Flightradar 24 identified as a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
If you want yourself on this newspaper to be shown in all over the world. Contact our advertising department at thelife.advertisement@outlook.com.au
US. President Trump and First Lady visit Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh TL Source. Washington DC : In the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s anti-Semitic attack, President Donald J. Trump condemned the shooting as an act of “pure evil” and called on the Nation to come together as one people united in a struggle for justice, safety, tolerance, and love. Today, the President and First Lady visited Pittsburgh to meet with family members of the victims and mourn the loss of life with the entire community. Their first stop was the Tree of Life Synagogue, where 11 Jewish Americans were murdered during a baby-naming ceremony Saturday morning. Accompanied by Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, President Trump and the First Lady walked alongside one another, placing a white flower and small stone on each of the 11 stars erected in a makeshift memorial outside the synagogue. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner followed a few steps behind, pausing at each star. Inside the synagogue, the President and First Lady lit candles for each of the 11 victims. Before leaving Pittsburgh, President Trump visited with wounded law enforcement officers and injured victims at the Univer-
sity of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Presbyterian Hospital. “These were very brave officers. These are incredible peo-
ple of law enforcement,” the President said after the attack on Saturday. “They’re really unsung heroes.”
Narcotic Smuggler Executed in Tabuk Region TL Bureau. Tabuk: The Ministry of Interior said in a statement issued today that Sulaiman bin Qubail bin Jalil Al-Atawi, a Saudi national, was executed in Tabuk Region today for smuggling a large quantity of prohibited Amphetamine pills . The Ministry said that the Court convicted the smuggler; Appeal and Supreme Courts endorsed the sentence, and a royal order was issued to execute the sentence. The Ministry of Interior affirms that the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is keen on combating narcotics due to their high harm to individuals and the society, warning anyone who tries to commit such actions to be punished according to the Islamic Sharia
Samuelsen to Iran: Planned assassination on Danish soil completely unacceptable
TL Bureau. Copenhagen: Today, foreign minister Anders Samuelsen summoned the ambassador of Iran, Mr. Morteza Moradian, to a meeting with the political director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This happened in reaction to information about illegal activities of an Iranian intelligence agency on Danish soil, which the head of Danish Security and Intelligence Service disclosed today. “As stated by the head of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service earlier
The meals that make a difference ASIA | OCEANIA | MIDDLE EAST | AMERICA | AFRICA | EUROPE
today, the assessment is that an Iranian intelligence agency has planned an assassination on Danish soil. This is completely unacceptable. In fact, the gravity of the matter is difficult to describe. That has been made crystal clear to the Iranian ambassador in Copenhagen today”, says Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anders Samuelsen. At the meeting, the political director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Danish government, expressed his unambiguous condemnation of the
completely unacceptable Iranian behavior. At the meeting, it was also stressed that Denmark is considering further consequences of the matter. Foreign minister Anders Samuelsen says that Denmark among other things intends to bring up the matter internationally. “We are in close contact with several like-minded countries regarding the issue of an Iranian intelligence agency’s illegal activities in Europe”, says foreign minister Anders Samuelsen.
In emergencies, going to school can be nearly impossible, especially for girls. Providing a nutritious meal at school helps children stay in class and learn. That investment in human potential builds economic growth in communities. Giving everyone a chance for a brighter future.
@thelifenews1
@thelifenews.australia
Join us @WorldFoodProgramme Follow us @WFP
thelifenewsaus
TheLifeNews
OCLC: 1049174218
2
EDITORIAL
Another Journalist Jamal disappears and then found to be killed without body during investigations
O
hk, so here is the situation of journalism everywhere in all over the world that nobody in real sense want to allow the journalism to do their work in real sense of responsibility towards the society and world. Nobody want
the journalism to communicate the masses around the world. Journalism is doing the same work from last many centuries towards people and society to aware all in transparency. But some governments, authorities, Top mafia’s, Top Organizations and Companies not even a single man to whom the news may be related to want journalism to work in real sense because they may scare from the real truth that if truth comes up out then the world will come to know and their curtain will be shut on international stage. Although we have many examples of journalists from Russia, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, India, Mexico, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Philippines, Malta and even in all over the world who died by gunshots, by bombs, by mysterious circumstances but the list of name countries is very high. According to Wikipedia “Seventy one journalists have been murdered or killed worldwide while reporting, covering an incident, or because of their status as a journalist. Audrey Azoulaywas not killed and hieding , the DirectorGeneral of UNESCO condemned the killing of journalists worldwide. She also called for an investigation into the killing of journalist Naveen Gupta in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India on 30 November. Frank La Rue, the UNESCO assistant director-general for communication and information said, “On average, one journalist is murdered every four days.” So the whole world knows that this profession is not safe in all terms, but still people from around the world chooses this profession around the world so that the truth must comes up in front of the world and society so that the world should be a better place to live in.
CORRESPONDENTS & BUREAUS CONTACTS WORLDWIDE Contact us if you have any story worldwide Aus: aus@thelifenews.com.au NZ, Fiji & Oceania : nz@thelifenews.com.au Thai, Malaysia, Singapore sg@thelifenews.com.au India SriLanka Nepal: india@thelifenews.com.au US, Canada & Mexico: usa@thelifenews.com.au UK & Ireland: uk@thelifenews.com.au Russia, Ukraine, Belarus & CIS russia@thelifenews.com.au Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania: estonia@thelifenews.com.au Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherland: swiss@thelifenews. com.au Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark : finland@thelifenews.com.au
From this month we have a latest example of the death and disappearance of Saudi Arabian Journalist Jamal bin Ahmad Khashoggi. Who was very senior journalist worked on top media organisations like Al Arab News Channel and Al watan as editor in chief and other senior positions. He according to sources started opposing the Saudi Government in may unrealistic matters and according to him was not right in ways so he got lot of restrictions from authorities and other agencies even his twitter account was also blocked by restricting agencies. So on October 2, 2018 he entered in Saudi Consulate in Turkey and didn’t return back out as he was mysteriously died inside. Authorities are investigating this matter till now. This week the fiancé of Jamal hold a press conferences in London.
The Turkish fiancee of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi has called on US President Trump and other leaders to ensure that his death in Istanbul is not covered up, while Saudi Arabia’s top prosecutor on Tuesday visited the Saudi Consulate where officials from his government killed the writer. Speaking at a memorial in London on Monday, Hatice Cengiz expressed disappointment in the “leadership of many countries.” Singling out Trump, she urged him to “help reveal the truth and ensure justice be served.”
He was very famous journalist as he took interview of famous Mehandi and head of terrorist Osama Bin Laden when he was jihadi and doing campaign against soviet regime. Many opined that may be he worked for Saudi intelligence agency. But in end we know only one thing that he was died because of his contributions towards world and society. Government specially US, UK and many others including Saudi are trying to find out on any conclusion that in actual what was the reason behind his death in cruelty. Although the world knows each and every truth about him but still want to conclude that either he will get justice in real terms or he will also be in the same list of journalists dies while searching and working for truth. He was married and divorced three times in his life and about to get married to a Turkish PhD scholar who is 35 years old, all his before family members are reportedly some are US citizens and some others living in Saudi Arabia. Let us see and wait for the real truth of investigation. Hope journalism will get justice his death in mysterious way.
For letter to editor and suggestions please reach us at thelife.editorial@outlook.com.au
ADDRESS OF PUBLISHER: The Life (Digital & Print), Dr Parveen Malik, 127 Aberdeen Parade, Boondall 4034, Australia +61 (7) 31913325, Email: thelife.editorial@outlook.com.au For advertisement contact manager at thelife.advertisement@outlook.com.au
3
WORLD
Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians in West Bank TL Bureau. Israel : Israeli forces early Sunday carried out a large-scale arrest campaign across the occupied West Bank, detaining 14 Palestinians, according to a Palestinian source. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society said in a statement that the forces raided the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Al-Bireh and Tulkarem and arrested the citizens under the pretext they are wanted by Israeli authorities.
Switzerland and Malta reaffirm their ties TL Bureau. Bern: Switzerland and Malta maintain good and increasingly intensive relations. This was emphasised by both sides during an official visit to Switzerland by Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca on Tuesday, 30 October. In addition to bilateral issues, Malta’s head of state and President Alain Berset discussed European and migration policy issues, as well as developments in the conflict areas of North Africa and the Middle East.
THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ISTANBUL NEW AIRPORT
TL Correspondent. Singapore : Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health Dr Lam Pin Min will be making a working visit to Istanbul, Turkey, from 28 to 30 October 2018, to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Istanbul New Airport (INA). During this visit, SMS Dr Lam will interact with his counterparts from Turkey and other countries, to exchange views on transport developments and explore opportunities for enhanced transport co-operation. SMS Dr Lam will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Attack on Police Station in Libya
TL Bureau Cairo: The Arab Parliament has strongly condemned the cowardly terrorist attack on a police station in Jufra District, Libya, on Monday, which resulted in killing and abducting a number of security forces members. President of the Arab Parliament Dr. Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami said in a statement today that these cowardly terrorist attacks by criminal organizations will not stop Libya from moving forward in its war against terrorism and extremism, assuring the Parliament’s full support and solidarity with Libya in all its procedures to combat terrorist organizations in order to maintain the security, stability, and unity of Libya
UK. Air strikes against Daesh TL Bureau. Daesh: Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to provide support to the Syrian Democratic Forces’ operations against the last significant pocket of Daesh-held territory in the Euphrates valley of eastern Syria. On Monday 15 October, two Tornado GR4s were tasked with the destruction of a terrorist observation post which had been identified to the south-east of Hajin. A single Paveway IV guided bomb was released and this scored a direct hit on the observation post, destroying it. A further such observation post was identified to the north-east of Abu Kamal on Wednesday 17 October, and was again dealt with effectively by a Paveway attack delivered by a Tornado flight. As normal, the Tornados were supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, based along-
side them at RAF Akrotiri. Typhoon FGR4s provided further support to the SDF on Sunday 21 October. That evening, an SDF advance came under fire from a Daesh strong-point some five miles north-east of Abu Kamal. The Typhoon flight conducted a carefully planned attack with a single Paveway IV, which struck the strongpoint and immediately eliminated the threat to the SDF. Intelligence identified a small building north-east of Abu Kamal
as a base for terrorists planting improvised explosive devices. Two Tornados carried out an attack with a Paveway IV on Monday 22 October, which destroyed the target and caused a number of secondary blasts as the explosives inside detonated. On Wednesday 24 October, another Tornado flight provided further close air support to the SDF in the same area. Our aircraft struck a truck, armed with a pair of anti-aircraft guns, with a Paveway; the attack also accounted for a number of terrorists close to the vehicle. The SDF then encountered two successive Daesh strong-points, both of which engaged the SDF at short range. Despite the proximity of the SDF to the two targets, the Tornados were able to strike both of the terrorist positions with Paveway IVs.
Ratas discussed security and digital cooperation with Solberg TL Bureau Oslo: Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg met in Oslo to discuss European security and possibilities for a practical digital cooperation. Discussing the NATO-led military exercise Trident Juncture in Norway, Ratas stated that the security situation in Europe has notably exacerbated in the last years. “Trident Juncture is an extremely important exercise that brings together
all 29 members of NATO, as well as our partners Finland and Sweden. The exercise shows our cooperation capabilities and deterrence. NATO is strong and unified,” Ratas said. According to the prime minister, it is especially important to Estonia that the exercise includes moving forces through Europe. In the meeting, Ratas acknowledged Estonian and Norwegian cooperation in the Eastern Partnership. Last year, during the Esto-
nian Presidency of the European Union and before the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels, Estonia and Norway conducted a conference on the subject of the European countries’ image in Russian media. They presented the results of a media study, co-funded by Estonia and Norway, that have later been used as a valuable teaching material in training Ukrainian and Georgian journalists.
The Second Annual U.S.-AU Countering Violent Extremism Week
TL Bureau Washington DC: The U.S. Mission to the African Union and the African Union opened their joint Countering Violent Extremism Week in Addis Ababa today. The second annual meeting will feature a conference followed by a two-day capacity-building communications-focused workshop for practitioners from across Africa. U.S. Ambassador to the African Union Mary Beth Leonard and Principal Deputy Coordinator for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism Alina Romanowski delivered opening remarks along with African Union officials highlighting the strong partnership between the United States and Africa to counter terrorism and the roots of violent extremism. The conference will focus on developments and best practices in the Lake Chad Basin and Horn of Africa. This event will build and strengthen relationships between governments and civil society organizations, and increase the capacity of CVE practitioners to challenge extremist narratives on the African continent.
Ukrainian President congratulated the Ukrainian team at the Invictus Games in Australia TL Bureau. Kyiv: President Petro Poroshenko congratulated the Ukrainian team at the Invictus Games completed in Australia. “We are waiting for you in Ukraine. We will organize a solemn celebration of your arrival. We love you very much. We root for you. We are very proud of you. You are the best, the true face of Ukraine - strong, beautiful, patriotic. Thank you very much,” the Head of State said during a video conference with Ukrainian athletes. The President recalled with pleasure last year’s meeting with mem-
bers of the Ukrainian team who took part in the Invictus Games in Canada. “At that time, the Ukrainian team, the best in the world, won 14 medals. This year
you won 20 medals,” he said, adding that the Ukrainian team actually won 22 medals and two awards of the archers went to the general score.
4
WORLD
Aid convoy for north-east Syria postponed over security concerns – UN relief chief TL Bureau. The UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy from Damascus to Rukban, on the Syria-Jordan border, would have delivered assistance on Saturday to some 50,000 people. About 10,000 children would also have been vaccinated and other needs in the region assessed. “The population at Rukban has not received assistance since January this year, and they are increasingly desperate,” Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, told a Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Syria. The population at Rukban has not received assistance since January this year, and they are increasingly desperate – Mark Lowcock “There are continuing reports of children dying due to poor sanitary conditions and a lack of healthcare. This dire humanitarian situation cannot be allowed to continue,” he said. Turning to Idlib – where a demilitarization agreement was reached between Russia and Turkey in September – Mr. Lowcock called on all actors to protect the “glimmer of hope” offered by the lull in fighting.
Imam who sexually abused student has sentence increased
TL Bureau. London : An imam who sexually assaulted a young child over a period of 7 years had his sentence increased today after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Mohammed Ghani, 65, was a respected imam in the local community who used professional visits to the victim’s home as an opportunity to carry out a campaign of sexual abuse. This resulted in lasting emotional repercussions for the victim. Ghani was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court in August, where he was given 2 years imprisonment. Today, after the Solicitor General’s referral, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 5 years imprisonment. Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said: “Ghani abused his position of authority and subjected a vulnerable child to a campaign of sexual assaults. I hope that the Court of Appeal’s decision today brings the victim and their family some comfort.”
US about Recent Developments in Sri Lanka
TL Bureau. Washington DC. The United States continues to follow developments in Sri Lanka with concern. We urge all sides to refrain from intimidation and violence. We call on the President, in consultation with the Speaker, to immediately reconvene parliament and allow the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people to fulfill their responsibility to affirm who will lead their government.
80,000 youngsters at risk in DRC after forcible expulsion from Angola: UNICEF
TL Bureau. Geneva: The warning concerns at least 80,000 youngsters who are part of a more than 300,000-strong wave of people who have mostly arrived in DRC’s troubled Kasais region since the start of the month. “UNICEF estimates that among the returnees more than 80,000 are children, and these children are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance,” spokesperson Christophe Boulierac told journalists in Geneva. The alert follows a warning by the UN’s human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, that the forcible mass expulsion of Congolese migrants from Angola had resulted in “serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border”. Some youngsters described having to leave Angola in a rush, after official efforts to reform the country’s diamond mining industry, which reportedly also involved ethnic violence and the destruction of DRC migrant workers’ homes.
Extortion
In addition to suffering from hunger and bad weather, those expelled from Angola have also faced extor-
tion at checkpoints along the country’s border with DRC, UNICEF said in a statement. The influx of so many people to the Kasais is particularly concerning because the once relatively peaceful region was gripped by deadly conflict between local and government forces in 2016 and 2017 that destroyed vital public services. “There was a very, very serious crisis of malnutrition in Kasai and these children are coming in a very bad condition from Angola,” Mr Boulierac said, before adding that
dangerously low levels of blood sugar - hypoglycaemia – had been diagnosed in some youngsters. “Some of them are suffering from hypoglycaemia and there might be an increase of malnutrition, acute malnutrition, which makes a child more vulnerable to all kinds of disease.” UNICEF’s immediate concerns about a rise in malnutrition levels have been heightened by the rapid increase in food prices. In Kamako, Kasai province, the cost of corn has doubled since the start of the crisis.
Court throws book at printers who failed to complete contracts TL Bureau. London: High Quality Books Ltd, formerly known as Printed Books Limited, and We Print Books Ltd, formerly known as Offset Printers Limited, were wound up in the public interest in the Manchester District Registry on 18 October 2018. The Official Receiver has now been appointed as the Liquidator. The two London-based publishers operated numerous websites offering printing services, specialising in small print runs. One of their key tar-
gets were self-publishers, who were attracted to the competitive rates. However, the Insolvency Service received complaints about the printers and following enquiries, found
evidence of wrongdoing. Investigators found that after an order was placed, the printers demanded advanced payment of at least 50% before the job started. The companies would then claim they completed the jobs in-house but investigators found that no printing facilities were either owned or operated by them. Instead, the print jobs were sub-contracted and mainly to suppliers in Eastern Europe who were not alw ys paid and often failed to dispatch the work as a result.
Rejal Al-Turathiyyah Village to be registered at UNESCO TL Bureau Riyadh: Member of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Dr. Hamza Nasr concluded his field visit to Asir region yesterday to follow up the registration of Rejal Al-Turathiyyah Village in the Governorate of Rejal Alma’a on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. During the visit, he met with Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Asir Region , and a number of officials to com-
plete the requirements of registering
the village, on UNESCO’s list.
5
AUSTRALIA Strengthening public confidence in university research funding
TL Bureau. Canberra : The Morrison Government will improve the public’s confidence in taxpayer funded university research by strengthening the application process for Australian Research Council grant funding to include a national interest test. The Government is investing $9.6 billion for research and development this financial year. The taxpayer is funding the Australian Research Council (ARC) to provide $3 billion in grants for individual university research projects over the next four years. ARC grants currently range in size from $30,000 to $8 million a year. Minister for Education Dan Tehan said he was acting to ensure taxpayers had confidence in how their money was spent. “Under the legislation, the Education Minister makes the final decision about whether a research project will receive hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars through the ARC,” Mr Tehan said.
ABC AND SCREEN AUSTRALIA UNITE ON DISRUPTED
TL Bureau Sydney: DisRupted will fund three to four individuals or teams to make a standalone film to reflect and capture what it’s like to be a young person with disability in Australia, and provide them with the opportunity to disrupt and reframe how disability is understood. The films will be broadcast on ABC ME on the International Day of People with Disability in 2019 for the 8 –12-year-old demographic. Australian audiences will gain real insights into the lives and perspectives of young people with disability told by them as comedy, drama or documentary. DisRupted will be a defining moment for Australian young people with disability who will see stories reflecting their experiences brought to the screen and told from an authentic point of view by young actors with disability in a breakout role. DisRupted will provide a careerchanging opportunity for new and diverse talent in front and behind the camera. The authorship of each film is to be driven by a creative with disability as either writer, producer and/or director.
REVIEW CONFIRMS WHY LIVE EXPORT MUST END TL Bureau. Melbourne : A scathing review into the failures of the Department of Agriculture to properly regulate the live export industry confirms why the trade must end. The review completed by Philip Moss has in eye-opening detail, articulated what Animals Australia’s experience has been over the past 15 years, as the primary watchdog of this industry. “Laid bare is an industry that has a cultural acceptance of cruelty and a blatant disregard for the law,” said Chief Investigator Lyn White. “The Department has been completely out of its depth in trying to regulate these companies. Terrible abuse and blatant regulatory breaches have been dismissed and ignored.”
Rubella officially eliminated from Australia In a highly significant public health accomplishment for Australia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified that Australia has eliminated rubella, a contagious viral illness that can result in miscarriage or stillbirth
TL Bureau. Canberra: In a highly significant public health accomplishment for Australia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified that Australia has eliminated rubella, a contagious viral illness that can result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Rubella, also known as German measles, is a contagious viral illness that causes a fever, rash and swollen lymph glands. If contracted by pregnant women during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, the disease can result in miscarriage or stillbirth or cause life-long problems for their babies. The elimination of rubella is a great day for public health in Australia and sends a powerful message that
vaccinations work. I commend the efforts of Australia’s health professionals over the decades and the millions of parents who ensure their children are always vaccinated. Our National Immunisation Program played an essential role this huge achievement by ensuring high levels of vaccination coverage for rubella. Only last week I announced the nation-wide immunisation rates for five year olds was 94.62 per cent, which is the highest figure on record. The science is in and the medical experts’ advice is absolute - vaccinations save lives and protect lives and they are an essential part of a healthy society.
ABF international partnership, stops 26kg of GBL from hitting Australia’s streets
TL Bureau : A joint operation between the Australian Border Force (ABF) and Hong Kong Customs and Excise (HKCE) has resulted in multiple detections of the drug GBL totalling more than 26kg over the past two weeks. During Operation Backstream, which ran from 15 – 28 October, the ABF and HKCE jointly targeted mail items originating in Hong Kong, destined for Australia. The collaborative work of the ABF and HKCE resulted in 10 detections with a total weight of 26.26kg. The operation also detected a further 3.795kg of illicit substances, and 180 vials of other illicit substances. The operation was part of long term ongoing partnership between the two agencies to stem the flow of illicit drugs and contraband through international mail. Acting ABF Assistant Commissioner Port Operations Command, Claire Rees, said international partnerships, like the one the ABF has with our Hong Kong counterparts are vital to stopping illicit substances from reaching our shores.
Inflation report highlights need for policy reform
TL Bureau. Canberra : The Australian Bureau of Statistics today released inflation figures for the September quarter. Headline inflation was below the RBA’s target of 2-3%, rising 0.4% for the quarter and 1.9% over the last year. “While overall inflation might be low and certainly lower than the RBA would like, a 20%-plus spike in petrol prices over the last year adds to the costs of businesses grappling with some of the most expensive electricity prices in the world,” Adam Carr, Chief Economist for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said today. “Today’s report serves as a reminder as to why policymakers need to take urgent policy action to help businesses survive and thrive.
Significant Firearm Seizure and Charges TL Bureau. Perth: Twenty six firearms, including a Browning M2 machine gun, have been seized following a joint investigation between the WA Police Force and the Australian Border Force (ABF). ABF officers in Perth intercepted a package from Slovenia, which on further examination was revealed to contain firearm parts. Following a joint investigation by ABF and Cannington Detectives, on 26 October 2018 a joint Firearms Act Search Warrant was
executed at a property in Belmont. It will be alleged that following a search of the property officers located unsecured: The working parts of a M2 Browning Machine Gun, Four shotguns, An SKS semi-automatic rifle, Three rifles, Eleven handguns, Ammunition (including 50 calibre machine gun rounds), Nineteen silencers, Knives and knuckles dusters. Also located at the property were plans and diagrams for the manu-
facture of firearms. A 23 year old man from Belmont has been charged with: Unlicensed Manufacture of Firearms/ Ammunition,Unlicensed Person Possess Firearm/Ammunition, Three counts of Possessed a Prohibited Weapon, Possessed a Prohibited Drug (Methylamphetamine), Possession of Contrivance Known as a Silencer, Unlicensed Person Came Into Possession of Three or More Firearms
Ancestral remains returned to Goldfields community TL Bureau. Perth: Ancestral remains returned to Tjiwarl people with repatriation ceremony at Sir Samuel Cemetery A repatriation ceremony will be held today at the Sir Samuel Cemetery, about 43 kilometres north of Leinster, with the remains of an ancestor of the Tjiwarl people returned to the community and respectfully buried. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage; Western Australian Museum and Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation have been working
to return an ancestor of the Tjiwarl people to the Sir Samuel Cemetery, as part of the department’s ancestral remains repatriation program. The ancestral remains were collected by the WA Museum in 1899 and cared for at the museum. The 19th and early 20th century practice of collecting human remains reflected the wider interest in indigenous peoples by museums worldwide. Over the past two decades the WA Museum, through its Federal Govern-
ment-funded Indigenous Repatriation Program, has been working with Aboriginal traditional owners to return their ancestors back to country. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is working in consultation with communities to repatriate to country, in an appropriate manner, ancestral remains that were once removed and that are currently held in temporary storage in various parts of the State.
6 NZ Post chair resigns
TL Correspondent Wellington. Jane Taylor is leaving the board of New Zealand Post, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Wednesday. “Jane has decided to resign from the NZ Post board, and I have accepted her resignation,” Grant Robertson said. “We’d like to thank Jane for her significant work in setting up NZ Post’s strategy, and guiding the organisation through a significant period of change,” Grant Robertson said. Current deputy chair Jacqueline (Jackie) Lloyd has been appointed NZ Post acting chair.
Free trade boost for Kiwi agribusinesses
TL Bureau. Wellington: New Zealand kiwifruit, beef and wine producers will benefit most from the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, along with smaller agribusinesses such as those producing mussels and cherries, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. As Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker announced today, the CPTPP will enter into force for New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Singapore on 30 December now six nations have ratified the trade pact. “The CPTPP will, for the first time, provide us with preferential access to the world’s third largest economy Japan, as well as fellow G20 members Canada and Mexico,” Damien O’Connor said. “It places our primary sectors on equal footing with exporters from other countries with lower tariffs in these markets.
Crown accounts track in line with Budget forecasts TL Bureau. Wellington : OBEGAL, revenue, expenses close to Budget forecasts in first 3 months of 2018/19 -Corporate tax receipts in line with forecast, up 8.2% from last year -Net debt below forecast at 30 September 2018 The first set of Crown financial statements for the 2018/19 year show the Government accounts are tracking in line with the Budget 2018 forecasts, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The Treasury today released the Financial Statements of the Government for the first three months of the new financial year, from 1 July to 30 September 2018. As with other years, these initial readings early in the financial year can be variable due to differences in the timing of revenue and expenses, and corporate reporting structures,” Grant Robertson said. “The Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) was close to forecast at a $0.3 billion deficit over the three months. A small deficit is normal at the start of the financial year. This is because monthly tax revenue ramps up as the year progresses, while expenses are more evenly spread out. The Treasury advises that the early deficit is set to reverse out into a surplus in the coming months.
NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA
NZ Government saves electric trains TL Correspondent Wellington: The Government is keeping electric locomotives on the North Island Main Trunk Line running to help meet its long term emissions goals and boost the economy. The 15 electric trains will be refurbished by KiwiRail and will continue to run between Hamilton and Palmerston North. The refurbishment of the trains and electric control system is funded with an additional $35 million over four years. This is additional to the $4 billion for public transport and rail under the National Land Transport Programme. Deputy Prime Minister and shareholding Minister Winston Peters said refurbishing these trains in New Zealand was looking to the future of our environment and economy. “We’re making the right deci-
sion for the long term. Replacing electric locomotives with diesel would be a step backwards. “By refurbishing these locomotives here, we’re creating jobs in KiwiRail’s Hutt Workshop and supporting our local rail industry. It just makes sense,” Winston Peters said. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said this decision supports the Government’s wider $4 billion package in public transport, rapid transit and rail. “Rail connects regions with the cities and helps create a more modern, sustainable transport network. Keeping the electric trains shows that we are continuing to invest in the future,” Phil Twyford said. Acting Associate Transport Minister James Shaw said New Zealand can’t move to a zero carbon future by moving away from clean energy.
New Zealand Fiji election observer group
TL Correspondent Wellington: Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today that New Zealand will contribute thirteen observers to participate in the Multinational Observer Group which will report on the Fiji General Election. “New Zealand is proud to be able to support Fiji’s election in this way. The Multinational Observer Group will help to give the people of Fiji, and the international community, confidence in the election outcome.” Mr Peters said. New Zealand’s group is being led by former Labour MP Ross Robertson who has already commenced his observation role in Fiji. He is being joined by MPs Darroch Ball, Poto Williams, Louisa Wall and Michael Wood, and a number of New Zealand officials. “The calibre of New Zealand’s observer delegation reflects the strength of our relationship with Fiji, and our ongoing commitment to support Fiji’s democratic processes. “This will be Fiji’s second election since its return to Parliamentary democracy in 2014. New Zealand has been supporting Fiji’s election preparations, including by donating election supplies and providing technical assistance to the Fiji Elections Office. “New Zealand welcomes Fiji’s upcoming election and looks forward to working with the new Government in Fiji to continue strengthening New Zealand – Fiji relations,” said Mr Peters.
“Choosing to invest in clean, electric transport is essential to meeting the challenge of climate change. “Keeping the electric trains ontrack is the right thing to do for the future of rail, particularly as we investigate options for further electrification of the network and the role of hydrogen-fuelled trains,” James Shaw said. The Government continues to work with KiwiRail, including through the Future of Rail project, to consider how the Government’s environmental objectives can be supported through investment in rail. The project will assess the effectiveness of New Zealand’s current rail operations and identify the role it can play in supporting urban development and the growth of our freight and tourism sectors.
Finance company fined in first case for taking security over prohibited items TL Correspondent. Auckland: Finance company Aotea Finance (West Auckland) Limited (Aotea West Auckland) has been fined $48,750 for taking security over prohibited items such as beds and cooking equipment. In the Commission’s first such prosecution, Aotea West Auckland pleaded guilty to five representative charges under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (CCCF Act) for offending which occurred between June 2015 and March 2016. The CCCF Act prohibits lenders from using essential cooking and medical equipment, portable heaters, washing machines, refrigerators, beds and bedding, and critical identity and financial documents as security for loans, meaning that lenders cannot repossess these items if the borrower fails to make payments.
International education contributes $5.1 billion to New Zealand economy TL Correspondent. Wellington: New research shows the most recent annual economic value of international education is $5.1 billion, making it the country’s fourth largest export, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “$4.8 billion is attributed to international students visiting New Zealand and $0.3 billion to education and training goods and services delivered offshore,” Chris Hipkins said.
“The research highlights how important the international education sector is to New Zealand not only nationally but also regionally. “Auckland has seen a drop in the total number of visiting students over the last year – largely due to continued efforts by Government to lift overall quality – however, the economic value of the sector remained strong, totalling $2.76 billion. “New Zealand regions such as Southland ($60 million), Waikato
($280 milliona) and Northland ($50 million) also saw significant economic benefit from local activity.” The report, based on 2017 data, also highlights that 49,631 jobs are supported by the international education sector. This is made up of 47,490 jobs connected to visiting students, and a further 2,141 jobs (973 in New Zealand and 1,168 offshore) from offshore activity in 2017. “These strong economic results are underpinned by other positive changes in the sector,” Chris Hipkins said.
7
BUSINESS
CBA ANNOUNCED KEY APPOINTMENTS TO LEAD DEMERGER TL Bureau. Sydney: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) announced today that, following a thorough global and local search, Jason Yetton will be appointed Chief Executive Officer and Andrew Morgan will be appointed Chief Financial Officer of CBA’s wealth management and mortgage broking businesses (NewCo). These appointments follow CBA’s commitment in June 2018 to the demerger of NewCo, which includes Colonial First State, Count Financial, Financial Wisdom, Aussie Home Loans and CBA’s minority shareholdings in ASX-listed companies CountPlus and Mortgage Choice. Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFSGAM) will no longer form part of NewCo, following today’s announcement of an agreement to sell CFSGAM to Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation. Mr Yetton will join after two years as CEO and Managing Director of SocietyOne. Prior to that he spent more than 20 years at Westpac and BT Finan-
cial Group, including as Group Executive Westpac Retail and Business Banking. Mr Morgan is currently Chief Financial Officer, Wealth Management at CBA. Prior to this he was CFO for the Business and Private Bank and Bankwest at CBA. He has over 25 years’ ex-
perience in the financial services and property sectors, including at Lend Lease Corporation, National Australia Bank, Radian and Perpetual. CBA Chief Executive Officer Matt Comyn said: “The appointments bring an important mix of external and internal experience, as well as a deep
understanding of wealth management and financial services, to lead the new entity. “Jason is an accomplished leader, with deep wealth management and broad financial services experience. He is well positioned to lead NewCo and will be strongly supported by Andrew,” Mr Comyn said. “These appointments, effective 1 December 2018, will help drive NewCo’s strategy and future potential.” With today’s announcement regarding the agreement to sell CFSGAM, the candidate non-executive directors that had been identified for NewCo will no longer continue in their positions. “I thank John Mulcahy and the other candidate directors for their contributions during this time. Under John’s leadership, they have played an important role in achieving the successful sale outcome for CFSGAM. A new board for NewCo will be established in advance of the proposed demerger,” Mr Comyn said.
Divestment of global asset management business
O
n other side Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its global asset management business, Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFSGAM), also known outside of Australia as First State Investments, to Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (MUTB) for total cash consideration of $4.13 billion (the Transaction).[1] The Transaction follows CBA’s announcement in June 2018 regarding its intention to demerge its wealth management and mortgage broking businesses. Subsequent to that announcement, MUTB approached CBA in relation to CFSGAM and the CBA Board determined that it would be in the best interests of clients, employees and
shareholders to explore a potential sale of CFSGAM. CBA Chief Executive Officer Matt Comyn said: “CFSGAM is a high quality business that has achieved strong growth under
CBA’s ownership for over 18 years. MUTB is one of the largest asset managers in Japan, with a long history and deep capabilities. We believe that CFSGAM’s clients and employees will benefit from
MUTB’s supportive long-term ownership”. “Today’s announcement represents another important milestone in CBA’s strategy to focus on its core banking businesses and to create a simpler, better bank. The sale of CFSGAM to MUTB represents significant value for CBA shareholders and is a positive outcome for CFSGAM clients and employees,” Mr Comyn said. The total cash consideration represents a multiple of 17.5x CFSGAM’s pro forma FY18 net profit after tax of $236 million. [2] The estimated total proceeds imply a post-tax gain on sale of approximately $1.5 billion[3], which includes estimated posttax separation and transaction costs of approximately $100 million. As a result of the Transaction, CFSGAM will not be included in the previously announced demerger of CBA’s wealth management and mortgage broking businesses.
8
FEATURE
ROBOTS LEARN TASKS FROM PEOPLE WITH FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED BY STANFORD RESEARCHERS With a smartphone and a browser, people worldwide will be able to interact with a robot to speed the process of teaching robots how to do basic tasks
By Sofie Bates California (SUN): In the basement of the Gates Computer Science Building at Stanford University, a screen attached to a red robotic arm lights up. A pair of cartoon eyes blinks. “Meet Bender,” says Ajay Mandlekar, PhD student in electrical engineering. Bender is one of the robot arms that a team of Stanford researchers is using to test two frameworks that, together, could make it faster and easier to teach robots basic skills. The RoboTurk framework allows people to direct the robot arms in real time with a smartphone and a browser by showing the robot how to carry out tasks like picking up objects. SURREAL speeds the learning process by running multiple experiences at once, essentially allowing the robots to learn from many experiences simultaneously. “With RoboTurk and SURREAL, we can push the boundary of what robots can do by combining lots of data collected by humans and coupling that with large-scale reinforcement learning,” said Mandlekar, a member of the team that developed the frameworks.
Stanford researchers are testing two frameworks that, together, could make it faster and easier to teach these robot arms basic skills. (Image credit: Courtesy Stanford Vision and Learning Lab)
Yuke Zhu, a PhD student in computer science and a member of the team, showed how the system works by opening the app on his iPhone and waving it through the air. He guided the robot arm – like a mechanical crane in an arcade game – to hover over his prize: a wooden block painted to look like a steak. This is a simple pick-and-place task that involves identifying objects, picking them up and putting them into the bin with the correct label. To humans, the task seems ridiculously easy. But for the robots of today, it’s quite difficult. Robots typically
learn by interacting with and exploring their environment – which usually results in lots of random arm waving – or from large datasets. Neither of these is as efficient as getting some human help. In the same way that parents teach their children to brush their teeth by guiding their hands, people can demonstrate to robots how to do specific tasks. However, those lessons aren’t always perfect. When Zhu pressed hard on his phone screen and the robot released its grip, the wooden steak hit the edge of the bin and clattered onto the table. “Humans are by no means opti-
Humans teaching robots
mal at this,” Mandlekar said, “but this experience is still integral for the robots.”
Faster learning in parallel
These trials – even the failures – provide invaluable information. The demonstrations collected through RoboTurk will give the robots background knowledge to kickstart their learning. SURREAL can run thousands of simulated experiences by people worldwide at once to speed the learning process. “With SURREAL, we want to accelerate this process of interacting with
the environment,” said Linxi Fan, a PhD student in computer science and a member of the team. These frameworks drastically increase the amount of data for the robots to learn from. “The twin frameworks combined can provide a mechanism for AI-assisted human performance of tasks where we can bring humans away from dangerous environments while still retaining a similar level of task execution proficiency,” said postdoctoral fellow Animesh Garg, a member of the team that developed the frameworks.
LUCENCE DIAGNOSTICS LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST MOLECULAR TEST TO GUIDE SURGICAL APPROACH FOR BREAST FIBROEPITHELIAL TUMORS TL Bureau. Singapore: Lucence Diagnostics today announced the launch of the world’s first molecular test to distinguish breast fibroadenoma, the commonest benign breast tumor, from phyllodes tumor, a less common tumor that may be malignant. Both fibroadenomas and phyllodes tumors are classified as fibroepithelial tumors. This test will help doctors decide how to treat an indeterminate fibroepithelial breast lump that has been detected. The FibroPhyllo™ Tissue test is based on a technology invented by the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Fibroadeno-
ma is the most common benign breast tumor in the world. Around 1 in 10 women will develop a fibroadenoma in their lifetime[1]. In the United States, nearly one million fibroadenomas are diagnosed each year[2],[3]. It typically requires no treatment or the surgical removal of only the tumor. Phyllodes tumor is a less common tumor, a small percentage of which can be malignant; it may recur even after being removed. International guidelines recommend the surgical removal of both the phyllodes tumor and its surrounding healthy breast tissue. It can be challenging to differentiate the two types of breast tumors because they share overlapping clinical and histological features. Current immunohistochemical
techniques are also subjective and open to interpretation. As the prudent approach for indeterminate cases discovered on core biopsy is to treat such cases as potentially malignant, this can result in the unnecessary removal of healthy breast tissue for women. Lucence’s new FibroPhyllo™ Tissue test addresses this problem by being able to distinguish whether an indeterminate fibroepithelial breast lump is a fibroadenoma or a phyllodes tumor on core biopsy material. The technology that underpins the test was developed over five years by a research team led by Professor Tan Puay Hoon, Chairman, Division of Pathology and Senior Consultant at SGH and Dr Tan Min-Han, then Principal
Investigator at A*STAR and currently Founder and CEO of Lucence Diagnostics. The team identified five genes with different biological functions using machine learning and found that the expression levels of these five genes could accurately distinguish between the two types of breast tumors. The FibroPhyllo™ Tissue test was validated in a cohort study of 230 breast fibroepithelial tumor tissue samples. The test was able to differentiate fibroadenomas from phyllodes tumors with an accuracy of 93%. Their findings were published in the leading journal Breast Cancer Research in 2016.
9
LIFE & REAL ESTATE
The 12th UNWTO/PATA Forum Looks Into the Future of Tourism TL Bureau Madrid: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the People’s Government of Guilin, China held the 12th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook on 25-27 October 2018. This year’s edition - ‘The Future of Tourism: Road to 2030´, aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). “Digital advances provide opportunities to tourism in order to enhance inclusiveness, community empowerment and efficient resource management to achieve the SDGs. Yet to do so, we need to better understand where tourism is heading so we can adopt the adequate policies and business strategies.” said UNWTO Executive Director Shanzhong Zhu at the event. International tourist arriv-
als in Asia and the Pacific grew 6% in 2017 to reach a total of 323 million. Rapid economic growth in emerging economy markets, rising air connectivity, more affordable travel and enhanced visa facilitation continue to fuel tourism from within and outside the region. Asian destinations earned USD 390 billion in international tourism receipts in 2017, 29% of the global figure, a share that has steadily increased from 17% in 2000. China,
the world´s top spender in international tourism and fourth largest destination, has been one of the main drivers behind this growth. Dr. Ian Yeoman, travel and tourism futurologist, delivered the keynote speech on the future of tourism, highlighting the importance of societal behaviours towards a sustainable future and the distribution of wealth generated by tourism, as main drivers of change.
Toyota Tundra Pie Pro Makes its Own Pizza at SEMA 2018 Full-size Pizza-Making Pickup Truck is Powered by a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Powertrain from a Toyota Mirai TL Bureau . PLANO: Appearing at Toyota’s 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show display, the one-of-a-kind, Zero-emission Tundra PIE Pro is a mobile pizza factory that takes the party wherever it goes. “As the flagship Toyota truck, the Tundra is a workhorse in the truest sense,” said Ed Laukes, Group Vice President - Toyota Division Marketing. “Its great strengths are its extreme capability and eminent versatility, and what better way to illustrate that than by turning it into something completely unique—a hydrogen fuel cell electric-powered, pizza-making robotic vehicle!” The Tundra PIE Pro was built by Toyota’s Motorsports Technical Center (MTCI). The overall project included cooperation from its Plano, Texas, neighbor Pizza Hut, along with engineering from Nachi Robotic Systems. The starting point was a Tundra SR5 that was torn down to a bare rolling chassis and then reassembled from the ground up. The conventional gasoline-powered drivetrain was removed and replaced with a hydrogen fuel-cell electric power unit adapted from the Toyota Mirai. This use of hydrogen is one more example of Toyota’s ongoing, cutting-edge hydrogen fuel-cell technical development. Sales of its hydrogen-powered Mirai surpassed 4,000 units this past September, and the company is continuing development on a hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 commercial truck fleet. The Tundra’s bed has been converted into a virtual pizza factory on wheels—what MCTI calls The Kitchen. Totally self-contained, The Kitchen comprises a refrigerator, a
pair of computer-guided articulating robotic arms, and a portable, highefficiency conveyor oven. Like the truck itself, all Kitchen components can be powered by hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain. From start to finish, the pizzamaking process takes between six and seven minutes. When the process begins, the first robotic arm opens the refrigerator and removes the selected pizza, places it on the oven conveyor, and returns to close the refrigerator door. The pizza is then conveyed
through a high-speed ventless oven. On the far side, a second robotic arm removes the finished pie, places it on the cutting board, divides it into six identical slices, boxes it up, and delivers it to the customer awaiting on the side of the Tundra. The Tundra PIE Pro’s environmental impact is virtually nil—the only by-products being water vapor emissions and delicious Pizza Hut pizza. “We’ve had a hand in putting together all sorts of custom Toyota vehicles over the years,
from high-performance racecars to one-of-a-kind show vehicles,” said MTCI’s Marty Schwerter, “but the concept and technology used in this Tundra presented a unique challenge.” The Tundra PIE Pro, along with other Toyota specialty vehicles— can be found in the Toyota display booth (#24800) in Central Hall and on the Patio Annex of the as Vegas Convention Center, Oct. 30 – Nov. 2, 2018.
10 2019 AFL Games in the NT Locked In TL Correspondent. Darwin: The Territory Labor Government continues to partner with the AFL to bring high quality games to the NT. Melbourne Demons will once again play two home matches in the NT next year - one in Darwin and one in Alice Springs. Excitingly, they will take on reigning premiers the West Coast Eagles in Alice Springs and then battle it out with the Adelaide Crows in Darwin. This comes after the Territory Labor Government’s investment of $1.7 million a year over the next five years to secure annual AFL Premiership games in the NT from the 2019 AFL season. Melbourne Football Club will take on the Adelaide Crows on 1 June in Darwin and go up against Premiership champions West Coast Eagles on 21 July in Alice Springs. The large TV audience and expected crowds at both TIO Stadium in Darwin and TIO Traegar Park in Alice Springs is a fantastic way to promote the Territory to the rest of Australia.
New Zealand wins Fast5 Netball World Series TL Bureau. Melbourne : New Zealand has won the Fast5 Netball World Series title at Melbourne Arena, claiming the gold medal for the seventh time. The Kiwis defeated Jamaica by one goal in a thrilling 34-33 match, after going down to Jamaica earlier in the day by one point. New Zealand captain Sulu Fitzpatrick is proud of how her team worked together throughout the tournament and is happy to see the gold medal back in New Zealand’s hands after finishing fourth last year. “This win is a really nice way to end our journey for this year, especially moving forward with momentum into next season and the World Cup,” she said.
Netball Australia welcomes $20 million Federal Labor commitment
TL Correspondent. Melbourne: Netball Australia has today welcomed a commitment from Federal Labor of $20 million over two years to help fund a range of Netball Australia’s grassroots participation and engagement programs, and to ensure a strong future for netball in Australia. If Labor is elected, this will be the single biggest investment ever in Australian netball by a federal government and will benefit the more than 850,000 adults and children that participate in netball across Australia – from our 3,801 local netball clubs, to Suncorp Super Netball and the Samsung Australian Diamonds. The funding will also support Netball Australia’s bid to host the 2027 Netball World Cup, bringing netball’s pinnacle international event to Australia once again and showcasing the world’s best netball talent.
SPORTS
Mexico wins their first-ever World Cup in Baseball TL Bureau Bagota : The Under-23 Men’s National Baseball Team of Mexico captured the nation’s first-ever official baseball world championship Sunday night, defeating favourite and previously unbeaten Japan in the Final of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup® 2018, before more than 7,000 fans at Estadio Edgar Renteria in Barranquilla, Colombia. The WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup -- the year’s top national team/international baseball competition -- was broadcast live in Mexico by Claro Sports. Social media exploded across Mexican society, with celebrities, artists, writers, musicians, politicians, major news networks, journalists, athletes and clubs from other sports, and fans liking, retweeting and/or sending celebratory tweets in response to the Mexican U-23 National Baseball Team’s historic 2-1, 10-inning victory in Barranquilla. Mexico’s most important media outlets, including Diario Record, El Universal, ESPN Mx, Medio Tiempo, Multimedios Deportes, Televisa, and Univision, pushed news of the country’s historic win to millions of their social media followers and subscribers. Mexican billionaire Alfredo Harp Helu tweeted, “Mexico world champions in baseball, the U-23 [National Team] defeated Japan in the final, 2-1 in 10 innings.” Liga MX football club Tigres UANL tweeted, “We will always
be proud to see Mexicans succeed and more if they are world champions.” Footballers from the Liga MX Women also liked and/or retweeted WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup content following Mexico’s win. Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) CEO Javier Salinas and LMB clubs praised the team and players on their historic result. The Mexican U-23 National Team under the Mexican Baseball Federation (FEMEBE) was formed by players in LMB, the country’s toptier professional baseball league. WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari and Barranquilla mayor Alejandro Char were both in attendance for the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup Final and tweeted their congratulations. Among the many notable tweets, likes and retweets were those from Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture
and Sport (CONADE), popular sports journalist Ines Sainz, WWE’s Sin Cara and AC Omonia footballer and Olympic gold medallist Jorge “Chatón” Enriquez. According to Twitter analytics, WBSC generated a 1,593.5% increase in social media impressions and a 1,795.0% increase in profile visits during the U-23 Baseball World Cup (reporting period 17-29 October). The announcement of the final game result is also one of WBSC’s most popular posts on Facebook, having generated over 10,000 shares and 48,517 likes across all shares (at the time of writing). It is anticipated that baseball will continue to rise in terms of popularity and talent in Mexico, with president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledging to promote the sport in the country. Mexico is currently ranked sixth in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings.
Basketball icon Kobe Bryant becomes FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 global ambassador TL Bureau . Beijing: Former NBA and USA national team superstar Kobe Bryant on Wednesday was revealed as a FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 global ambassador. Over the course of a stellar 20-year career, Bryant won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and two Olympic gold medals with the USA. He is widely considered to be one of the best players in basketball history and among the world’s greatest athletes. His popularity in China is second to none and this is reflected by the fact that he ranks as the most followed NBA player on Chinese social media, where he has some 6.84 million followers.
Long-list for the RLIF Golden Boot has been extended
TL Bureau London: The long-list for the Rugby League International Federation Golden Boot awarded to the players who have produced the most outstanding performances in international games throughout the year has been extended after the weekend’s games. Five players have been added to the men’s list and one player to the women’s list. England has supplied John Bateman, Tommy Makinson and Elliott Whitehead all of whom had
stand-out games in the first test match against New Zealand. In turn the panel has added Kiwi players, Shaun Johnson and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to the list which already includes Tonga’s Jason Taumololo and Sio Siua Taukeiaho and from Australia, Valentine Holmes, James Tedesco and Boyd Cordner. Georgia Roche can celebrate her England debut plus a nomination for the prestigious BBC young sports personality of the year by
adding a nomination to be the inaugural Women’s Golden Boot winner. She joins New Zealand star, Honey Hireme and Australians Isabelle Kelly, Ali Brigginshaw and Brittany Breayley. The panel, drawn from the rugby league media in both hemispheres will meet again on Sunday November 4th to select the final short-lists The RLIF Golden Boot 2018 will be awarded to the winners at a special dinner at Elland Road, Leeds on November 7th.
11
TECH/AUTO
Lamborghini Avventura: an expedition of Urus to discover Iceland Photo courtesy; Lamborghini
TL Bureau Sant’Agata Bolognese: In October Iceland became the next destination for Lamborghini Avventura, the series of Lamborghini expeditions organized to discover the most spectacular places and roads in the world. Following Andalusia, Transylvania and Norway, Iceland was chosen as an ideal destination for testing the unlimited versatility of the Urus Super SUV on roads, tracks and the one-of-a-kind landscapes of Iceland. The first Lamborghinis to touch the ground of Iceland, seven colorful Urus traveled a total of some 900 km in two days, in a whole range of meteorological conditions, from sun to gusty wind, rain and snow. The adventure started from the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest, site of the famous Blue Lagoon: the geothermal area fed by the production of water at the nearby geo-
thermal plant of Svartsengi, featuring pools of pale blue warm water. From the lagoon, the convoy proceeded along the southern coast, touching dream-like
places: the cliffs of Krysuvikurberg, named after the two trolls they represent according to legend, to the black sand beach of Reynisfjara, up to the promontory of Dyrhólaey, with
its enormous natural stone arch that projects out into the sea, populated by colonies of puffins that nest on the cliffs and migrate in winter. With the Anima selector set
on Terra, the Urus convoy then ventured to off-road routes and fords, providing a perfect demonstration of their drivability on the most extreme terrains, such as on the tract that runs below the promontory of Hjörleifshöfði down to the sea, or leading to the “black” glacier of Kötlujökull. The journey continued through moss-covered lava fields in the area of the Laki volcano, the iceberg lagoon of Fjallsárlón, at the southern end of the Vatnajökull glacier, and on to the extraordinary vision of the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, amidst icebergs and seals. And finally, the convoy returned to the capital Reykjavik, the political, cultural and economic heart of the island, bringing civilization after so many kilometers of nature and a silence broken only by the roar of the seven powerful Super SUVs.
BMW i provides mobility solution to The Ocean Cleanup Boyan Slat and his team drive BMW i3 at home and abroad
TL Bureau Munich. Since 2013, Boyan Slat has been working on his dream to rid the Pacific Ocean of the large amounts of waste plastic floating around. During that time, the 24-year-old Dutch TU Delft student has become world famous with his initiative The Ocean Cleanup that tackles the so-called ‘plastic soup’. ‘The largest cleanup in history’ is what the team calls the operation. The cleaning system consists of a 600-meter-long tube that floats on the water. Below it is a tapered, three-meter long ’skirt’. The floater not only ensures the buoyancy of the system, but at the same time prevents plastic from flowing over it, while the skirt prevents the (plastic) waste from escaping underneath. Both the plastic waste and the system are propelled by the ocean current, but the wind and waves only drive the system, because the float is just above the water surface, while the plastic is mainly just below it. The system therefore moves faster than the plastic, allowing the plastic to be caught. With this method – according to The Ocean Cleanup, fifty percent of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ could be cleaned every five years. A history with BMW i
September 8, 2018 was the official launch of ‘System 001’ in San Francisco. A tugboat pulled the ingenious floating device under the Golden Gate to the open sea marking the start of the cleanup operation. The system went on its way to a stopover, some 600 kilometers off the coast. After a trial period of two weeks, it continues its journey to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, some 1,500 kilometers further, to start the Cleanup.
During the event in San Francisco, the team was supplied with a fully electric BMW i3. In the Netherlands, in September, three BMW i3s models have also been delivered at the new head office of The Ocean Cleanup in Rotterdam to provide 100 percent electric mobility for Boyan Slat and his team for the coming 12 months. The delivery of the vehicles to the Rotterdam office, builds on a longer cooperation that started in
2017 when three BMW i3’s were provided to the mobility mix for the event during which Slat and his team made the grand announcement to start the operation as soon as 2018. BMW i and The Ocean Cleanup. For The Ocean Cleanup it is important that their company cars suit the philosophy of the organization, and the fully electrical BMW i3 fits that bill completely. “At BMW i as an incubator for innovations we also keep pushing the boundaries of sustainability, even beyond the car”, says Dr. Robert Irlinger, head of BMW i. “We are delighted to support The Ocean Cleanup on their mission, because we share the same mindset.” Awarded as the world’s most sustainable car manufacturer (1), BMW Group, in turn, sees the need to address the global challenge of plastic pollution, even though the company is not at the root of it. At the same time, BMW i continuously strives to maximize the use of recyclates and re-growing materials in their products. In the wider context of a circular economy BMW i is considering the use of recovered plastic from rivers and oceans.
12 Bolsonaro pledges to ‘change the destiny’ of Brazil TL Bureau. Rio de Janeiro: Brazil’s president-elect Jair Bolsonaro has promised to “change the destiny of the country” and to create “a great, free and prosperous nation.” “It was not possible to continue flirting with socialism, communism, populism and left-wing extremism,” Bolsonaro said after his victory was confirmed. The candidate said he would preside over a “Brazil of different opinions, colours and orientations.” Pledging to follow in the footsteps of leaders such as Winston Churchill, Bolsonaro said he would establish a “decent government.”
US is Ready to Resume its Support for the Fight against Terrorism in Yemen
TL Bureau. Manama: Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen Saleh affirmed that the US contribution and assistance in building the national army in his country will bring security and stability to Yemen and will serve regional and international efforts to protect corridors. During his meeting with Gen. Joseph Votel, Commander of the US Central Command in Manama today, the Yemeni Vice President expressed appreciation of the US efforts in combatting terrorism and supporting the Yemeni national army. The two sides also discussed the Iranian violations and interferences in the Yemeni affairs.
Stinger missile systems delivered to Latvia (EU)
TL Bureau. Riga: “At present we are at a historic stage when Latvia is receiving significant armament from the allies for strengthening its military capabilities. Stinger missile systems from Denmark will considerably improve the air-defense capabilities of the Latvian Armed Forces,” said Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis. In August this year Latvian troops participated in trainings of Stinger operators in Finland. As reported, last summer Latvia signed an agreement with the Danish armed forces on purchase of Stinger air-defense systems. The Stingers are among the most effective and most widely combat-tested portable air-defense systems and are used by many of Latvia’s allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and Lithuania, the Latvian Defense Ministry said.
Director of wholesale trade company fined $48,000 for making false statements in applications for certificates of origin
TL Bureau. Singapore : A wholesale trade company director was sentenced by the State Courts on 30 October 2018 to a fine of $48,000, or in default 16 weeks’ imprisonment, for making false statements when applying for certificates of origin (CO)1 for his company’s exports. Chetan Rasiklal Sheth, 63, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty to eight charges. Another 14 charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing. Singapore Customs launched investigations after receiving information that Tradewinds Impex Private Limited was facilitating the evasion of anti-dumping duties in India by falsely declaring the country of origin for stainless steel importers in India. Investigations revealed that between September 2014 and July 2015, Chetan, who is the director of Tradewinds, made false statements to the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) and the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SMCCI)2 when applying for COs for the export of 22 shipments of stainless steel coils and sheets.
WORLD
Belarusian State University launches its own satellite TL Bureau. Minsk: The BSU Sat-1 satellite of Belarusian State University has been successfully launched to operate in Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 500km. It is Belarus’ first student satellite and the third Belarusian facility in Low Earth Orbit. The information about the launch was posted on the official website of the Belarusian university, BelTA has learned. BSU Sat-1 was launched by a Chinese satellite launch vehicle on 29 October, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Steady communication has been established and is being maintained with the satellite, with all its systems functioning well. Being quite compact, weighing about 1.6 kg, the satellite has all the features of big multi-purpose satellites: it is equipped with energy saving, control, orientation, stabilization, and telecommunication systems, with a complex of technological and research payload. The satellite has a digital camera, a spectrum system, an infrared detector and other special-purpose equipment. The software for the satellite was developed by the BSU scientists. The flight program was elaborated taking into account technical specifications of the satellite launch vehicle, the satellite servicing platform and the
satellite’s tasks. The university satellite is set to address a broad spectrum of tasks. It will study and research radiation fields of the near Earth space and radiation hardness of electronic elements, and will do Earth remote sensing. Satellites of this class can be used as a flying educational laboratory for students. Using ground systems for data control, receipt and processing, students can study space technology and carry out research in realtime mode. Apart from that, students have already received unique experience of full-cycle development, creation and use of their own spacecraft taking an active part in its development.
Halt death sentences on children, UN rights expert urge Saudi authorities TL Bureau. Bern: The experts warned that carrying out the sentences could amount to “arbitrary executions.” The six who face imminent execution, were sentenced for charges that the experts said criminalize fundamental human rights, including the freedom of assembly and expression. The six individuals, all male, – Ali al-Nimr; Dawood al-Marhoon; Abdullah al-Zaher; Mujtaba al-Sweikat; Salman Qureish; and Abdulkarim al-Hawaj – were allegedly tortured and ill-treated, forced to confess, denied adequate legal assistance during trial and never had access to an effective complaint mechanism, the experts said. “As a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Saudi Arabia is under an obligation to treat everyone under the age of 18 as a child,” the group said in a news release issued by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Monday. “Children should never be subject to the death penalty, this practice violates an existing norm of customary international law and renders the punishment tantamount to torture […] In these circumstances, the execution of these six individuals would constitute arbitrary executions,” they stressed.
TRAVELLERS ADVISED TO PLAN JOURNEY WHEN USING LAND CHECKPOINTS
TL Bureau. Singapore : With the Deepavali public holiday coming up on 6 November 2018, traffic flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas is expected to be heavy, particularly from Friday, 2 November to Tuesday, 6 November 2018. Travellers using the land checkpoints during this period can expect delays and should take note of this advisory. Travellers Have a Part to Play: Security at our checkpoints remains the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)’s top priority against any potential threats to Singapore. With security checks, traffic build-up is inevitable, especially when large number of travellers use the checkpoints at the same time.
PM addresses ‘Make in India’ Seminar in Tokyo, Japan Karamjit Singh Parwana Foreign Correspondent. New Delhi/Tokyo: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today, addressed the ‘Make in India: India-Japan partnership in Africa and digital partnership’ seminar, in Tokyo. The Prime Minister explained how the Union Government is focused on improving ease of doing business, and ease of living for the citizens. He expressed happiness at the large presence of Japanese companies in India. Noting that Japan has been a partner in many important industrial projects in India, the Prime Minister explained the strength of India’s economic performance over the last four years. He said India is today
the fastest growing major economy. He mentioned other major transitions in the Indian economy, including the move from informal to formal economy, digital transactions and GST etc. The Prime Minister said that India’s rising economy, fast growing middle class and young demography offer many new opportunities to Japanese investors. In this context, he mentioned low cost manufacturing, IT industry, and electric mobility, among other sectors. The Prime Minister emphasized on the shared values between India and Japan. He said that both countries would look to develop stronger development partnerships in other parts of the world, including the Indo Pacific, South Asia and Africa.
13
A joint Australian, state and territory government initiative.
Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra.
