The Life News Singapore. January 16, 2020 by The Life News

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Vol. 02 Issue 18 January 16, 2020

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First woman to Trump, Chinese leader sign manage the Vatican ‘phase one’ trade deal in diplomacy in History 1st step to end conflict TL Bureau, Vatican City

Without precedent for history, the pope has named a lady to fill in as a supervisor at the Vatican’s Secretariat of State selecting Francesca Di Giovanni, a 27-year law proficient in the Catholic Church, for the post. Pope Francis reported her arrangement Wednesday as under-secretary for the Section of Relations with States. Di Giovanni has worked in the multilateral division and concentrated on vagrant and outcast issues in the workplace, and has practical experience in global philanthropic law, correspondences, private worldwide law, licensed innovation and the travel industry. The move is in accordance with Pope Francis’ earlier remarks supporting a more prominent job for ladies at the Vatican. Di Giovanni said she was astounded by the declaration. “For quite a while now we have been considering the requirement for an under-secretary for the

TL Bureau, Washington D.C/Beijing

multilateral area: A fragile and requesting division that necessities extraordinary consideration, since it has its own methodology, somehow or another not the same as those of the reciprocal circle,” she said. “In any case, I genuinely never would have figured the Holy Father would have endowed this job to me. ... I will attempt to put forth a valiant effort to satisfy [his] trust.” Di Giovanni, who started working at the Vatican in 1993, is the primary lady to hold an administration position in the Secretariat of State, which is the focal overseeing arm of the Catholic Church.

Following eighteen months of impasse, taxes influencing billions of dollars worth of items and bombed dealings, President Donald Trump consented to a fractional exchange arrangement with Chinese pioneers Wednesday the initial step to what the two gatherings expectation will be a full goals of the 18-month quarrel. Trump respected Beijing’s assignment, drove by Vice Premier Liu He, for the marking function in the East Room of the White House. The “stage one” understanding relaxes some U.S. taxes against China and verifies new acquisition of Americanmade things for Beijing. Liu and Trump alternated marking the archives following quite a while of exchanges. Trump hailed the arrangement as a stage toward an “eventual fate of reasonable and proportional exchange” and considered it a

019 second hottest year on record, UN confirms TL Bureau, Geneva

“The average global temperature has risen by about 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era and ocean heat content is at a record level,” said WMO SecretaryGeneral Petteri Taalas. “On the current path of carbon dioxide emissions, we are heading towards a temperature increase of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by the end of century.” WMO analysis showed the annual global temperature in 2019 was 1.1°C warmer than in the period from 1850-1900, or the pre-industrial era. Only 2016 was hotter, due to a very strong El Niño which causes warming, combined with long-term climate change. Furthermore, average temperatures for the past five years and 10 years, respectively, were the highest on record. Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one: a trend the UN agency expects will continue due to the record level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. WMO added that 2019 and the past decade also were characterized by retreating ice, record sea levels, increasing ocean heat and acidification, and extreme weather, all of which

have “major impacts” on human health and the natural environment. Meanwhile, the New Year began where 2019 left off, according to Mr. Taalas. “Australia had its hottest, driest year on record in 2019, setting the scene for the massive bushfires which were so devastating to people and property, wildlife, ecosystems and the environment,” he said. “Unfortunately, we expect to see much extreme weather throughout 2020 and the coming decades, fuelled by record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”

“memorable” understanding. “Together, we are correcting the wrongs of the past and conveying an eventual fate of monetary Justice and security for American specialists ranchers and families,” the president included. Liu said the settlement benefits the two sides. “This is a success win understanding,” he said. “It will realize stable financial development, advance world harmony and success, and is in light of a legitimate concern for

makers, shoppers and speculators in the two nations.” The bad habit chief additionally conveyed a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping. “The finish of the stage one understanding is useful for China, the United States and the entire world,” the pioneer composed. “It likewise shows that our two nations can follow up based on equity and common regard and can work through discourse and meeting to appropriately deal with and successfully resolve applicable issues.”

TL Bureau, London

court staff – will be filmed. Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, said: This government, alongside the judiciary, is committed to improving public understanding of our justice system and allowing cameras into the Crown Court will do just that. It will ensure our courts remain open and transparent and allow people to see justice being delivered to the most serious of offenders. Today’s legislation follows a successful threemonth pilot that allowed not-forbroadcast sentencing remarks to be filmed in eight Crown Courts and has been welcomed by ITN, Sky and the BBC.

Cameras to broadcast from the Crown Court for first time

The Crown Court (Recording and Broadcasting) Order 2020 will allow cameras to broadcast the sentencing remarks of High Court and Senior Circuit judges in some of the most high-profile courts across the country, including the Old Bailey. Proceedings are currently broadcast from certain Court of Appeal cases. Extending this to the Crown Court means the public will be able to hear judges explain the reasons behind their sentences for the most serious offences. Filming will be restricted to sentencing remarks only and no other court user – including victims, witnesses, jurors and

OCLC 1101190095

ensions between Iran and US create jeopardy from last couple of weeks, resulting Ukrainian airline crash in Tehran causing death of 176 passengers on board. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday European warriors in the Middle East could now be in peril because of a question recorded for the current week by Britain, France and Germany blaming Tehran for abusing the 2015 atomic arrangement. The countries set off the question instrument Tuesday, saying Iran has disregarded the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Every one of the three were signatories to the understanding, and the activity opens Tehran to potential worldwide approvals. “Today, the American officer is at serious risk, tomorrow the European warrior could be at serious risk,” Rouhani said in a discourse Wednesday. Rouhani’s comments were the first to compromise European powers in the district. Iran has recently given comparative dangers against U.S. troops, contending the American military is an undermining and destabilizing power in the Middle East. U.S. what’s more, European soldiers are positioned in Iraq and Afghanistan, France has a maritime base in Abu Dhabi and British powers are in Bahrain. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif included that the JCPOA contest component is intended to determine issues, and said the atomic arrangement is as yet dynamic. Iran has removed different strides from the understanding over the previous year, including outperforming as far as possible for enhanced uranium. Rouhani’s location came during a period of breaking down relations among Tehran and the United States. The U.S. military killed an Iranian authority not long ago, for which Iran fought back by assaulting two American bases in Iraq. Around the hour of the strikes, Tehran likewise unintentionally destroyed a Ukrainian aircraft and killed 176 individuals. Wednesday, Zarif said the Iranian open was deluded about the reason for the accident, including that the Revolutionary Guard knew quickly the plane was hit by a rocket. The shootdown has prompted enormous scale fights and requests for the evacuation of strict pioneer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Over the most recent couple of evenings, we’ve had individuals in the lanes of Tehran exhibiting

Iran what now on atomic agreement and statement by Canada & Ukraine

against the way that they were misled for two or three days,” Zarif said. Iraqi Shia priest Muqtada al-Sadr additionally restricts the nearness of U.S. powers. Wednesday, he approached Iraqis to arrange a “million-man walk” to drive the American military out of the locale. Iraqi parliament has additionally passed a nonbinding vote to oust U.S. troops, who have been helping Iraq battle the Islamic State fear gathering. The Iranian government denied Monday it endeavored to conceal the inadvertent shootdown of a Ukrainian carrier a week ago, after it took Tehran three days to recognize a rocket cut down the plane. The Ukraine International Airlines flight smashed after departure from the air terminal in Tehran on Wednesday. At first, Iranian authorities said a mechanical disappointment likely caused the accident, which murdered every one of the 176 ready. On Saturday after U.S. insight said proof showed it was shot somewhere around a rocket and a few refusals by Tehran - the Iranian government at long last recognized the genuine reason. “In these dismal days, numerous reactions were aimed at pertinent authorities and specialists ... a few authorities were even blamed for lying and a coverup at the same time, believe it or not, that was not the situation,” government representative Ali Rabiei said Monday. Rabiei said Tehran just found out about the unintentional strike Friday, that day its common avionics boss said it was “outlandish” the plane was brought somewhere near a rocket. U.S. authorities refered to satellite and radar information as proof a rocket hit the jetliner, which happened around a similar time Iran propelled two rocket assaults at bases in Iraq lodging U.S. troops. “The fact of the matter is that we didn’t lie,” Rabiei included, while likewise censuring the United States for “spreading the shadow of war

over Iran.” “Lying implies cognizant and conscious distortion of reality. A wonder such as this never occurred,” he included. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said it took days to recognize the rocket strike since specialists were looking down each conceivable road. “The declaration of the genuine reason for the Ukrainian plane accident took some time because of the need of looking at all the potential hypotheses, including ‘conceivable foe activities in sticking,’ ‘hacking of frameworks’ ‘invasion,’ and other related components,” he said. The majority of the 176 individuals on board the plane were Iranian and Canadian residents. On Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau guaranteed the exploited people’s families the administration won’t rest until it verifies equity. “This catastrophe ought to have never happened, and I need to guarantee you that you have my full help during this exceptionally troublesome time ... You give us reason to seek after equity and responsibility for you,” Trudeau said during a commemoration administration in the western region of Alberta.

editorial

“I need to guarantee all families and all Canadians, we won’t rest until there are answers. We won’t rest until there is equity and responsibility.” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani apologized Saturday, and many demonstrators walked in Tehran and requested the acquiescence of strict pioneer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The fights spread to in any event twelve urban areas outside the capital, and Tehran security powers shot poisonous gas, elastic projectiles and some live ammo to scatter the groups. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday cautioned Iran against hurting dissidents. “The world is viewing. All the more significantly, the USA is watching, he tweeted. In an uncommon expression of remorse, Gen. Hossein Salami, president of the Revolutionary Guards, said he wanted to be among the bound travelers of Flight 752, and that the military is more troubled than any other person over the accident, Iran’s Fars News Agency detailed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the investigator general has opened an examination concerning the “murders” of 11 Ukrainian residents who were ready the plane and that Kiev will give monetary help. Iran has additionally swore money related guide. Another airbase in Balad, Iraq, was focused by more rockets on Sunday. It some time ago housed U.S. troops, however is presently kept an eye on by Iraqi powers. In any event four Iraqi soldiers were harmed in the assault, and the rockets were of Russian source, authorities said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reacted by approaching Iraq to consider the assailants dependable. “These proceeded with infringement of Iraq’s power by bunches not faithful to the Iraqi government must end,” he said.

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world

IFC To Help Tunisian Start-Up Accelerators National implementation of EU Boost Entrepreneurs, Create Jobs directive on access to financial TL Bureau, Tunis, Tunisia Managing Director at Flat6Labs, Tunisia through private sector-led IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with two Tunisian start-up accelerators today to help unlock the potential of innovative entrepreneurship in the country, with a focus on women-led start-ups and creating jobs for young people. IFC signed the MoUs with Flat6Labs Tunisia, which operates an accelerator program and earlystage investment platform, and Impact Partner Tunisia, which supports young start-ups and small medium enterprises (SME) especially those with a strong social impact, creating sustainable jobs for women and young people. These agreements will help further build the capacity of both accelerators by expanding the scale and increasing the number of entrepreneurs being supported, and by fostering expansion to include more women and more entrepreneurs outside the capital/ economic cities. Yehia Houry,

said: “Our partnership is a natural result of the collaboration that we have started with IFC. It is perfectly in line with our strategy aimed at multiplying the entrepreneurial dynamic in Tunisia. Our objective is not only to support start-ups but also to initiate a new entrepreneurial breath with women and young people from all regions of Tunisia.” Leila Charfi, President of Impact Partner Tunisia said: “Through programs, we support start-ups and emerging SMEs with high job creation potential, particularly for women and young people. This partnership with IFC allows us to strengthen the support of these young companies and help them develop and create a lasting impact.” The MoUs are being signed as part of the Accelerate4Youth Program, supported with funds from Germany, Norway and the Netherlands. The program forms part of IFC’s strategy to help boost economic growth in

job creation and by strengthening the country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, while promoting social inclusion through increased opportunities for young men and women. Sérgio Pimenta, IFC Vice President for the Middle East and Africa said: “The early stage is often the most crucial for building and sustaining healthy entrepreneurship, which is vital for creating quality jobs and developing innovative solutions in emerging markets. Today’s agreements will not only help FlatLabs6 and Impact Partner Tunisia build capacity, but will ultimately help the start-ups, who will benefit from improved services, mentorship and, potentially, grants.” The agreements follow a $1 million investment by IFC in September in the Anava Seed Fund, an accelerator and early stage fund managed by Flat6Labs Tunisia, to help support tech entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs, in particular.

UN moves to tackle ‘hidden abuse’ and violence against Europe’s children TL Bureau, UN Hq

And despite the magnitude of this figure, “it is well established that incidents of interpersonal violence are widely underreported”, according to the World Health Organization’s European Region office. Accounting for underreporting, WHO estimates that of the 204 million children under the age of 18 across the region, 9.6 per cent experience sexual exploitation, 22.9 per cent physical abuse and 29.1 per cent emotional harm. Moreover, 700 are murdered every year. High cost of violence “The cost of violence against children adds up”, WHO maintained, highlighting that an estimated $581 billion is spent annually on treating victims. “But the financial cost pales in comparison to the toll on individuals’ health”, said the agency. Violence against children

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Silicon Valley, California. Secretary Pompeo and Minister Motegi reaffirmed the continuing

TL Bureau, Helsinki

The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to implement the EU directive on access to financial information at national level. The directive contains rules to facilitate the use of information held in bank account registries by the authorities for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting certain offences. The directive was adopted on 20 June 2019 and Member States must bring into force the acts, decrees and administrative regulations necessary for ensuring compliance

with the directive no later than 1 August 2021. According to the directive, each Member State must designate the competent authorities empowered to access and search its national centralised bank account registry. Centralised bank account registries mean the centralised automated mechanisms, such as central registries or central electronic data retrieval systems. They allow competent authorities to search electronically information on bank and payment accounts as well as on their holders and beneficial owners.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand. PM call with PM Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand: 14 January 2020

TL Bureau, London

The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand on Jan 14, evening. The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed on the need for continued engagement and dialogue to deescalate tensions.

They committed to working together to strengthen our bilateral relationship, including by agreeing an ambitious free trade deal after the UK leaves the EU. Finally the leaders underlined the importance of our ongoing cooperation to tackle climate change, ahead of COP26 in Glasgow later this year.

Meeting of co-chairs of the Finnish-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation TL Bureau, Helsinki/Moscow to improve the ability of Finnish is chilling and distressing – WHO spokesperson Studies reveal that children who experience violence are at higher risk of mental illness, drug use, alcohol use and obesity, but also for chronic disease later in life. “Violence against children is chilling and distressing”, said Bente Mikkelson, WHO Europe’s Director of the Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health. “Child trauma has a terrible cost, not only to the children and the adults they become, whose lives it wrecks, but to every country’s well-being and

economy”. Laws to protect, on the rise Governments are showing an increased appetite to tackle the scourge. Overall, the political will to combat violence against children has risen, with 66 per cent of regional countries having prohibited corporal punishment in all settings. However, passing laws is only part of the solution. While 83 per cent of countries in the region have developed a national action plan to stop child maltreatment, fewer than half are being sufficiently funded.

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo’s Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

information moves a step closer

strength of the U.S.-Japan Alliance in light of the 60th anniversary of the U.S.Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed continued cooperation on trade, and coordination on

an array of security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, including the DPRK. They also discussed the importance of U.S.-ROKJapan trilateral cooperation, and expressed commitment to continue close work on global security issues

On 15–16 January, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will travel to Moscow for a co-chairs’ meeting of the Finnish-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation. The Commission is co-chaired by Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari and Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. “I am pleased that I shall be meeting the Economic Commission’s other co-chair. The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity for assessing the current state and future prospects of the economic relationship between our countries. In Russia, many national programmes are under way that include ambitious targets in a range of areas, such as waste management. It would be good if our Russian neighbours could take greater advantage of Finnish waste management expertise and technology in future,” Minister Skinnari says. The Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation aims

businesses to operate in Russia and to build contacts between companies. The Commission consists of sectoral and regional working groups. The co-chairs’ meeting will also cover matters that are dealt with by the different working groups and any issues concerning businesses. The cochairs previously met at a meeting of the Economic Commission in 2018. The working groups have continued their concrete technical work relating to, for example, the transport sector, customs and the forest sector. Additionally, Minister Skinnari will hold discussions with Russia’s Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov. Russia is the sixth most important destination for Finnish exports and the second largest country of origin for Finnish imports. Trade with Russia is subject to both the economic and sectoral sanctions imposed by the EU and Russia’s counter-sanctions. Due to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the EU’s sanctions against Russia are still in place.

world

Partners for Prosperity: Ghana at the UK- Arab Parliament Africa Investment Summit 2020 in London issues statements

For Ghana, the Summit will provide a platform to secure investment opportunities, more exports and jobs that will benefit both Ghanaian and British businesses. TL Bureau, London

The President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo will lead a ministerial delegation of several Cabinet Ministers and key officials at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on 20 January 2020. The Summit, hosted by the UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, is a major milestone for the UK, and for our enduring partnership with Ghana. It brings, for the first time, UK and African leaders, businesses and entrepreneurs, alongside international finance institutions, to showcase new partnerships that create jobs and boost mutual prosperity. The Summit will strengthen the UK-Ghana partnership that is

building a secure and prosperous future for all our citizens. Through economic development, trade and investment we are increasing jobs, addressing security needs and meeting global challenges. Ghana is driving discussions at the UK-Africa Investment Summit. President Akufo-Addo will address world leaders on the importance of securing sustainable finance for Africa’s infrastructure, discuss investment opportunities, and how we can mobilise future partnerships that meet the needs of modern African nations. In the margins of the Summit, President AkufoAddo will hold talks with the Prime Minister and meet UK Government Cabinet Ministers, including the Foreign Secretary and the Development Secretary.

India Russia relations will reach newer heights in times to come, says Shri Dharmendra Pradhan regarding Syria and during interaction with Russian media delegation Somalia

TL Bureau, Cairo At the conclusion of its meetings today, the Arab Parliament issued two statements regarding Syria and Somalia. In a statement on “Follow-up of developments in the federal republic of Somalia”, the Arab Parliament affirmed its support for the Federal Republic of Somalia in defending its sovereignty and unity, and condemned external interference in its internal affairs. On the developments in the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Arab Parliament reaffirmed its full support for the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, saying that the solution to the Syrian crisis will be achieved only through a comprehensive political process that preserves the unity and Arabism of Syria and realizes the aspirations of its people in security and stability.

TL Bureau, New Delhi Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today interacted with a delegation from Russian media. Speaking to the delegation, Shri Pradhan said, “2019 was a landmark year which boosted the bilateral relations between India and Russia to hitherto unscaled heights. The special and privileged

strategic partnership between our two countries was strengthened significantly. Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has described Russia as a reliable partner and a special friend and President Putin in turn has talked of taking IndiaRussia relations to new heights of cooperation. It is uncommon to find two major powers that have developed a partnership such as ours.”

Information and events for APA 2019: New High Award Secures Further British citizens in Spain Exploration of the Norwegian Continental Shelf TL Bureau, Oslo

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy offers 69 production licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf in the Award in Pre-Defined Areas 2019 (APA 2019). - I am proud to offer 69 new production licenses in this year’s APA round. The companies show great interest in further access to new exploration acreage. This means that the industry believes in future value creation on the Norwegian continental shelf, says Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Sylvi Listhaug. The 69 production licenses are located in the North Sea (33), the Norwegian Sea (23) and the Barents Sea (13). A total of 28 different oil companies, ranging from the large international majors to smaller domestic exploration companies, are offered ownership interests in one or more production licenses. Of these, 19 will be

offered operatorships. The licenses are awarded with workprogramme commitments or as additional areas to such licenses. - Hopefully, the exploration in the awarded acreage will result in new discoveries. This is important to ensure employment, valuecreation and future government revenue for Norway’s largest industry, says Listhaug. The APA licensing rounds cover the most explored areas on the Norwegian shelf. One of the primary challenges in mature areas is the expected decline in discovery size. Smaller discoveries may not be able to carry standalone developments, but can have good profitability when making use of existing and planned infrastructure. It can also be seen in context with other discoveries or planned developments. Timely discovery and exploitation of such resources is therefore important. The first licensing round on the

Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) took place in 1965. The activity started in the North Sea, and exploration in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea started around 15 years later. Thus, Norway will soon have more than 40 years of experience in all sea-areas on the NCS. Approximately 225 000 people are today directly or indirectly engaged in the Norwegian petroleum sector. The competence and the competitiveness in the industry also produces positive ripple effects into other industries. Since the first oil-discovery was made, the sector has contributed with over 14 900 billion NOK in value creation. It has also given the Norwegian state a net cash-flow of over 6 450 billion NOK since the start of the new millennium. The State’s net cash-flow in 2020 from the petroleum sector is estimated to be approximately 245 billion NOK. That equals approximately 185 000 NOK for a family of four.

TL Bureau, Madrid

British Embassy Madrid, British Consulate General Barcelona, British Consulate Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, British Consulate Malaga, British Consulate Santa Cruz de Tenerife, British Consulate Ibiza, British Consulate Palma de Mallorca, British Consulate Alicante, and British Consulate General Madrid Spain outreach events These events are part of an ongoing

outreach programme being held across Spain. Details of future events will be announced on this page and on our Brits in Spain Facebook page. If you are unclear about current residency requirements in Spain, or how the UK’s exit from the EU might affect you, come along to one of our upcoming events to ask the questions that most concern you. These events are free and open to all interested British nationals.

U.S. Participation in Expo 2020 Dubai TL Bureau, Washington D.C. of the strong partnership between the The Department of State is pleased to announce the participation of the United States in Expo 2020 Dubai, the next World’s Fair and the first in the Middle East and Africa. Expos, also known in the United States as World’s Fairs, are significant opportunities to showcase American freedom, ideals, enterprise, culture, and global leadership. The U.S. pavilion is made possible by the generosity of the Emirati government in recognition

United States and the United Arab Emirates. This is a historic opportunity for a global audience to experience the U.S. pavilion and Expo 2020 Dubai when it opens its gates in October 2020 for an expected 25 million visits during the six-month long event. Importantly, the American private sector will have a golden opportunity to showcase its creativity and innovation, as well as pursue business partnerships and new markets with corporate leaders from around the world.

IFC Supports Vietnam Prosperity Bank to Boost Climate Financing, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

TL Bureau, Hanoi, Vietnam

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a financing package of $212.5 million to Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank. The funding will help VPBank expand its lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and boost financing especially for climate-friendly projects. Concerning greenhouse-gas emissions, Vietnam’s is one of the most carbon intensive countries in the world, ranking only after China and Mongolia in the East Asia and Pacific region. While reducing greenhouse-gas emissions has been a national target to mitigate climate change impact, it presents a $753 billion climate

investment opportunity for Vietnam between 2016 and 2030, according to an IFC study. However, the current share of climate financing — as a percentage of total bank financing — in Vietnam is just about five percent or $10.3 billion, indicating a significant climate finance gap. Against this backdrop, about one third of the financing package will be earmarked for climate-friendly projects, creating new options for businesses to obtain green financing at a favorable interest rate. The five-year tenor loan comprises $50 million from IFC’s own account, $37.5 million from the multi-investor Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP) managed by IFC, and $125 million in syndicated loans from the

Chinese Bank of Communications Company Limited; Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited; Korean KEB Hana Bank; Thai Kiatnakin Bank Public Company Limited; German DEG — Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungesellschaft mbH; and multilateral International Investment Bank. “Our loan to VPBank addresses IFC´s strategic objective of increasing financing for climatesmart initiatives to boost environmentally sustainable development in emerging markets with high potential of greenhouse gas emissions reduction such as Vietnam,” said Rosy Khanna, IFC Financial Institutions Group Director for Asia Pacific. “Participation of regional and international lenders in this financing

package shows the high interest of institutional and private investors in climate finance in Vietnam, facilitating a new source of capital while helping the country tackle climate change at the same time.” This is IFC’s first green loan to a bank in Vietnam, where most of the near-term multimillion-dollar climate investment potential is in renewables and infrastructure. The loan will qualify as per the Green Loan Principles — a widely accepted set of voluntary guidelines that specify the use of proceeds, monitoring, and reporting. VPBank will also establish a management system to track, manage, and report on the use of proceeds of a loan for dedicated green projects through third party verification.

Singapore

Logistics firm first to be charged for false declaration on workplace discrimination

TL Bureau, Singapore

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has charged Ti2 Logistics Pte Ltd in the State Courts today with one count under section 22(1)(d) Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (“EFMA”) for making a false declaration to the Controller of Work Passes in an Employment Pass (EP) application. This is the first case where an employer is prosecuted for falsely declaring that it had considered local candidates fairly, under the updated Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) to tackle workplace discrimination. About the Case Investigations by the MOM revealed that the company had falsely declared in an EP application that it had interviewed two applicants who are Singapore citizens and considered local candidates fairly for the position of Business Development Manager that it was hiring. However, Ti2 Logistics had already pre-selected the EP applicant and had no intention to interview any local candidates.

CCCS Consults on the Proposed Acquisition by SembWaste Pte. Ltd. of Veolia ES Singapore Pte. Ltd. TL Bureau, Singapore

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCCS”) is inviting public feedback on the proposed acquisition by SembWaste Pte. Ltd. (“SembWaste”) of 100% equity interest in Veolia ES Singapore Pte. Ltd. (“VESS”) (collectively, the “Parties”) from Veolia Environmental Services Asia Pte. Ltd. (the “Proposed Transaction”). CCCS received an application from SembWaste on 8 January 2020 for a decision on the Proposed Transaction. CCCS is now assessing whether the Proposed Transaction would infringe section 54 of the Competition Act (Cap. 50B), which prohibits mergers that have resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market in Singapore.

Since 2014, employers submitting EP applications need to first advertise on MyCareersFuture. sg (unless exempted), and fairly consider all candidates, under the FCF. This is to promote fair and transparent employment practices. False Declaration a Serious Offence All employers must make accurate, complete and truthful declarations to the Controller of Work Passes in their work pass applications. Making false declarations is a serious offence. Upon conviction, employers can be fined up to $20,000 or jailed for up to two years or to both for each charge under section 22(1) (d) EFMA. Members of the public who know of employers who have not fairly considered locals for job opportunities or have discriminatory hiring or workplace practices should report the matter to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) at www.tal.sg/tafep/contact-us. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

CHECK ON TRAFFIC SITUATION BEFORE EMBARKING ON YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAND CHECKPOINTS THIS LUNAR NEW YEAR TL Bureau, Singapore

Traffic flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas is expected to be heavy during the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays. Departing traffic is expected to be heavy between Friday, 17 January and Tuesday, 28 January 2020 while arrival traffic is expected to be heavy between Saturday, 25 January and Tuesday, 28 January. About 415,000 travellers use the land checkpoints daily and this number increases during the festive peak periods. For the Friday before Christmas last year, we cleared 475,000 travellers across the land checkpoints – the highest number we have seen in recent years. Travellers using the land checkpoints during this Lunar New Year holiday season can expect delays. Travellers Have a Part to Play Security at our checkpoints remains the

MAS and ACRA Launch Variable Capital Companies Framework TL Bureau, Singapore

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) launched the Variable Capital Companies (VCC) framework today. The VCC is a new corporate structure that can be used for a wide range of investment funds and provides fund managers greater operational flexibility and cost savings . It will encourage more funds to be domiciled in Singapore and enhance our value as an international fund management centre. Fund managers will be able to constitute investment funds as VCCs across both traditional and alternative strategies, and as open-ended or closed-end funds . Fund managers3 may also incorporate new VCCs or re-domicile their

existing investment funds with comparable structures by transferring their registration to Singapore as VCCs. This can be done via ACRA’s online application form at www.vcc. bizfile.gov.sg. Inaugural Launch of 20 Investment Funds as VCCs. A group of 18 fund managers participated in a VCC Pilot Programme that was initiated by MAS and ACRA in September last year. All of these fund managers have today incorporated or re-domiciled a total of 20 investment funds as VCCs. These investment funds comprise venture capital, private equity, hedge fund and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, demonstrating the viability of the VCC framework across diverse use cases. The list of fund managers that participated in the VCC Pilot Programme is set out.

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)’s top priority against any potential threats to Singapore. With security checks coupled with large number of travellers using the checkpoints at the same time, traffic build-up is inevitable and delays can be expected. Travellers should factor the additional time needed for immigration clearance into their plans. Before setting off on their journey, travellers are reminded to check and ensure that they bring their rightful passports with a remaining validity of six months or more. During peak periods, ICA has encountered many instances of travellers turning up at the land checkpoints either with a wrong passport, or without a passport. Such cases will cause unnecessary delays, add to traffic buildup and inconvenience other travellers. ICA would also like to remind travellers that

passports which have been reported lost can no longer be used for travelling even if they are found subsequently. These passports will be cancelled by ICA, and any attempt to use them is an offence under the Passports Act and may be punished by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both. Passports that have been recovered must be surrendered to ICA within 14 days. Failure to surrender the recovered passport is an offence under the Passports Regulations and may be punishable by a fine of up to $3,000 or imprisonment for up to 2 years, or both. Travellers are also reminded not to bring in prohibited items such as firecrackers, “Pop-Pop” or controlled items such as ‘bak kwa’, eggs and potted plants. If travellers bring in dutiable or controlled items, they should proactively make declarations to our officers prior to checks.

Tender closing for site at Gibraltar Crescent for dementia care village TL Bureau, Singapore On behalf of the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Urban Redevelopment Authority closed the tender for the site at Gibraltar Crescent for a dementia care village today. The site was launched for sale via the Concept and Price Revenue Tender approach on 16 July 2019. One tender submission was received today and under this approach, only the envelope containing the concept proposal was opened for evaluation. Please see Annex A [PDF, 12kb] for the particulars of the tenderer. Concept and Price Revenue Tender A Concept and Price Revenue Tender approach was adopted to evaluate this tender. This is to ensure that the selected concept proposal aligns with

the vision of the dementia care village. Under this approach, tenderers are required to submit their concept proposals and tender prices separately. The concept proposals will first be evaluated by a Concept Evaluation Committee, chaired by MOH, against a set of criteria, which include the suitability of the proposed model of care for persons with dementia, as well as the quality of the care programmes and services. Only concept proposals that are shortlisted will proceed to the second stage for evaluation based on price only. This is not an announcement of tender award. A decision on the award of the tender will be made after the tender has been evaluated. This will be published at a later date.

Launch of MOF’s Budget Quiz 2020

Annual Singapore Budget Quiz now into its tenth year TL Bureau, Singapore

Based on FY2019 estimates, what are the Government’s three largest sources of revenue? Compared to spending in FY2007, which area of spending has since increased the most in dollar terms – Infrastructure, Social, Economic, or Security? These are some of the questions presented in the Ministry of Finance’s Budget Quiz 2020. Now in its

10th year, the Quiz will be launched on Wednesday, 15 January 2020 on the Singapore Budget website (www.singaporebudget.gov.sg). Besides an Open Category for public participants, there will be an Inter-School Challenge. Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges/Centralised Institutes, and Institutes of Technical Education/Polytechnics with the highest participation will be awarded challenge trophies. The Budget Quiz will run from Wednesday,

15 January to Tuesday, 4 February 2020, ahead of this year’s Budget Statement, to be delivered on Monday, 18 February 2020 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Heng Swee Keat. Through the Budget Quiz, MOF seeks to increase public awareness and understanding of the annual budget process and of key national policies, and allow participants to appreciate the intricacies of policymaking in a simplified manner.

MALAYSIA & NEARBY

Renewal of taxi permits to tie in with extended relaxation of restricted zones. TL Bureau, Hong Kong The Transport Department (TD) announced today (January 15) that to tie in with the relaxation of restricted zones for taxis, new restricted zone permits for taxi owners/drivers will be issued starting January 20. A TD spokesman said, “The Government announced on December 28, 2018, to progressively carry out works to permanently relax the restrictions on taxis for picking up or setting down passengers in all designated restricted zones on roads with speed limits at 70 kilometres per hour or below (except taxi restricted zones), with the following operation hours: (1) 8am to 10am and 5pm to 7pm; (2) 8am to 10am and 5pm to 8pm; (3) 7am to 7pm; and (4) 7am to 8pm. “The Government has been progressively installing supplementary traffic signs displaying ‘Except taxi pick up or drop off’ beneath traffic signs for a no-stopping restriction erected in restricted zones across the territory.

SCHIEBEL CAMCOPTER® S-100 DEPLOYED FOR RIVER POLLUTION CRISIS IN MALAYSIA TL Bureau, Vienna

Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100, supported by Three Tis Group, was deployed as a first emergency response providing critical situational information during the Kim Kim river toxic pollution crisis in Malaysia. In March 2019 more than two tons of illegal chemical waste were dumped in the Kim Kim river, which is located near the largest industrial area in the South of Malaysia, Johor Malaysia. As a result, toxic fumes were released throughout the adjoining area affecting more than 6,000 people with many being hospitalised and numerous schools being closed. The Malaysia Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), in collaboration with Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), called for a first emergency disaster response to analyse and scan the polluted river and adjoining area. The CAMCOPTER® S-100 was the Unmanned Air System (UAS) of choice and was deployed from March to September 2019 by MAF, supported by Schiebel’s partner Three Tis Group, to gain situational information of

the affected area. The UAS was operated by day and night for a total of approximately 30 flight hours. The CAMCOPTER® S-100 was equipped with FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE 380-HDc, which delivers stabilised multi-spectral imaging and intelligence functions.

“The CAMCOPTER® S-100 is perfectly suited for emergency response in crisis situations. Given its small size and innovative technology it is capable of flying in difficult terrain whilst collecting valuable data,” said Tunku Ahmad Zahir Bin Tunku Ibrahim, Managing Director at Three Tis Group.

CONTINUATION OF INTERMITTENT LANES CLOSURE (SUNGAI BESI-BOUND AND KUALA LUMPUR-BOUND) AT KM12.0 KM12.4, KUCHAI LAMA, SUNGAI BESI HIGHWAY Date: 15 January 2020 – 14 February 2020, Time: 11.00pm – 5.00am

SC AND PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND FREEZING ORDER TL Bureau, Kuala Lumpur

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and the Public Prosecutor (PP) successfully secured an order to freeze the bank accounts of a director of a company over an ongoing investigation. The Shah Alam High Court yesterday allowed the SC to strike out a suit filed by Teh Sew Wan on 24 August 2019. Teh filed the suit following the freezing and seizure of her bank accounts, initiated by the SC and the PP in accordance to section 44 and 50 of the Freezing and Seizure Orders under Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). Teh claimed that the orders under AMLATFPUAA are bad in law and her constitutional rights were infringed. At the hearing held at the Shah Alam High Court yesterday, the SC and the PP argued that the suit filed by Teh was pre-mature and an abuse of court process as the investigation against Teh is still ongoing.

Reshuffling cabinet is not an Dr Mahathir already has ideas easy task – Dr Mahathir to improve education system Courtesy: PM Malaysia Office

TL Bureau, KUALA LUMPUR Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said reshuffling the cabinet is not an easy task as it takes time and has to be accepted by all parties in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. “Reshuffling is not an easy task because it should not only be accepted by me, but also the (four) parties in the coalition,” he told reporters after attending Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd’s (Bank Rakyat) Integrity Forum 2020 here today. Queried by reporters on the appointment of a new Education Minister to replace Dr Maszlee Malik who resigned early this month, Dr Mahathir said he has yet

to decide the matter. “I have not decided anything,” said the prime minister, who has been appointed the acting Education Minister, with the appointment agreed to by the Cabinet during a meeting on Jan 8. eanwhile, on power transition between him and PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir said the matter has to be decided by all the four parties in PH.“It has to be decided by all the four parties together, whether they want me to go or not to go. As far as I’m concerned, if they want me to go now, I will go now,” he added. It was reported that several PKR members of Parliament have pushed for a firm date for the power transition, proposing it to happen in May this year.

TL Bureau, KUALA LUMPUR

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he already has ideas on how to improve the education system in the country. Having been appointed as acting Education Minister hardly two weeks ago, Dr Mahathir said he was still in the process of attending briefings by the Education Ministry to understand its functions and responsibilities. “We find there are many things that need to be reviewed, (to see) whether they are good or not. “We also find that people normally make comments and we will take into consideration their comments and decide if we need to make changes or not,” he told reporters after attending a Bank Rakyat conversation session with the Prime Minister here today. Dr Mahathir was appointed

the acting Education Minister effective last Jan 3 following Dr Maszlee Malik’s resignation from the post . Dr Mahathir said the aim of the Education Ministry is to educate students so that they could live a perfect life. “Our aim is to educate children so that when they grow up, they can live a good life, able to earn a living, become a productive person and not one who is solely dependent on assistance,” he added. On a request by the from National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) for the government to consider adding Influenza A to the list of infectious diseases that requires quarantine leave, Dr Mahathir said he would think about it. The prime minister said he was also studying on the call for the government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)

BUSINESS

40 Economies Make 62 Legal Reforms to Advance Women’s Economic Participation

TL Bureau, WASHINGTON D.C.

The regulatory environment for women’s economic participation has improved over the past two years, with 40 economies enacting 62 reforms that will help women – half the world’s population – realize their potential and contribute to economic growth and development, says a new World Bank study. Still, the results are uneven — women in many countries have only a fraction of the legal rights of men, holding back their economic and social development. The study, Women, Business and the Law 2020, measures 190 economies, tracking how laws affect women at different stages in their working lives and focusing on those laws applicable in the main business city. It covers reforms in eight areas that are associated with women’s economic empowerment, conducted from June 2017 to September 2019. “Legal rights for women are both the right thing to do and good from an economic perspective. When women can move more freely, work outside the home and manage assets, they are more likely to join the workforce and help strengthen their country’s economies,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass. “We stand ready to help until every woman can move through her life without facing legal barriers to her success.” The areas of Workplace and Marriage saw many reforms, especially in the enactment of laws that protect women from violence. In the last two years, eight economies enacted legislation on domestic violence for the first time. Seven economies now have new legal protections against sexual harassment in

employment. Twelve economies improved their laws in the area of Pay, removing restrictions on the industries, jobs and hours that women can work. Globally, the most frequent reforms were in areas related to Parenthood, with 16 economies enacting positive changes. Reforms included expansion of the amount of paid maternity leave available to mothers, introduction of paid paternity leave and prohibition of dismissal of pregnant employees. Achieving legal gender equality requires strong political will and a concerted effort by governments, civil society, and international organizations, among others. But legal and regulatory reforms can serve as an important catalyst to improve the lives of women as well as their families and communities. “This study helps us understand where laws facilitate or hinder women’s economic participation. It has incentivized countries to undertake reforms that can eliminate gender imbalances,” said World Bank Group Chief Economist Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg. “Achieving equality will take time, but it is encouraging that all regions have improved. We hope that this research will continue to serve as an important tool to inform policy making and level the playing field for women.” The WBL index measures only formal laws and the regulations which govern a woman’s ability to work or own businesses– a country’s actual norms and practices are not captured. The global average score was 75.2, which improved slightly from 73.9 two years ago. Clearly, much more work remains as women in many countries have only a fraction of the legal rights of men,

holding them back from opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. The eight areas covered by the index are structured around women’s interactions with the law through their careers: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. Reforms are urgently needed in the area of Parenthood, which scored just 53.9 on average. In almost half of economies that provide any form of paid maternity leave, the burden falls on the employer, making it more costly to hire women. But paid maternity leave can help to retain female employees, reducing turnover cost and improving productivity. These longer-term benefits often outweigh the short-term costs to employers, according to the study. Of the ten economies that improved the most, six are in the Middle East and North Africa, three are in Sub-Saharan Africa and one is in South Asia. While there was considerable progress, the Middle East and North Africa remains the region with the most room for improvement. Eight countries now have a score of 100, with Canada joining Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden due to a recent reform in parental leave. Regional Highlights Advanced Economies: Advanced economies continue to make progress on the indicators. Of the 40 economies with scores above 90, 27 are OECD high-income economies. The Czech Republic and the United States reformed laws related to paternity and parental leave, giving parents more opportunity to share childcare responsibilities, while Italy and Slovenia equalized pension benefits between men and women.

Myanmar’s Growth Resilient Despite Global Slowdown TL Bureau, YANGON

Myanmar’s economy continues to show resilience despite the ongoing global slowdown and domestic uncertainties, according to a new World Bank report released today. The Myanmar Economic Monitor for December 2019 estimates that Myanmar’s economy grew at 6.3 percent in 2018-19, marginally higher than 6.2 percent in 2017-18. Economic growth is expected to reach 6.4 percent in 2019-20, helped by growing investment in the transport and telecommunications sector and planned infrastructure spending by the government before the 2020 elections. The service sector is the main driver of growth in Myanmar and is expected to grow by 8.4 percent in 2018-19. A slow recovery in tourism related services is offset by robust growth in wholesale and retail trade. The industrial sector is expected to grow by 6.4 percent, on the back of strong manufacturing growth offsetting slower growth in construction.

Despite seasonal floods and volatile demand, agriculture output growth is projected to be stable at 1.6 percent, with greater diversification in production and export destinations, but remains below potential. At the same time, it remains important to monitor domestic macroeconomic volatility. Since the June 2019 Myanmar Economic Monitor, headline inflation reached 10.4 percent in August 2019 as the important and carefully planned increase in electricity came on top of rising food prices. The report also points to continued insecurity and violence in border areas and the aftermath of the Rakhine crisis as factors that affect investors’ sentiment. The report sees external downside risks to Myanmar’s economic outlook from slowing global and regional growth, along with trade tensions. Global growth is expected to slow to 2.4 percent in 2019 from 3.0 percent in 2018. Growth in the East Asia and Pacific region is projected to slow from 6.3 percent in 2018 to 5.8 percent on average over the two years 2019-20, and to ease further to

5.6 percent by 2021. “Myanmar continues to experience robust growth but as the global economic environment deteriorates, the importance of domestic factors such as prevalent conflict, low private sector productivity, and institutional constraints challenge investor sentiment and hamper the country’s long-term prospects,” said Gevorg Sargsyan, Acting World Bank Country Director for Myanmar. “Urgent actions are needed to address sources of conflict, improve social inclusion, and foster a diversified and responsible private sector to sustain economic performance and set the foundation for Myanmar’s future prosperity.” The report special topic looks at Myanmar’s rapidly growing private sector. According to the report, reforms have lifted Myanmar quickly in the recent World Bank Group Doing Business Index. But firms in Myanmar need greater access to inputs such as finance, land, and skills, better connectivity, and an enabling business environment to support a responsible private sector.

East Asia and the Pacific: Four economies conducted four reforms in three areas. Thailand introduced a reform in the area of getting paid, and Timor-Leste in the area of getting a pension. Fiji increased the duration of paid maternity leave and introduced paid leave for fathers for the first time. Europe and Central Asia: Four economies enacted five reforms in five areas, and two economies changed laws to reduce opportunities. Armenia enacted legislation protecting women from domestic violence. Cyprus introduced paid paternity leave. Georgia adopted legislation to provide for civil remedies in the case of the unfair dismissal of a victim of sexual harassment. Moldova lifted some restrictions on women’s employment by limiting them to pregnant, nursing, and postpartum women. Latin America and the Caribbean: Four economies made four reforms in four areas. Barbados enacted legislation on sexual harassment in the workplace. Peru and Paraguay received high scores in the 90s. Economies in this region made important strides toward lifting restrictions placed on women in the 1980s and 1990s, but the pace of reforms slowed over the past decade. Middle East and North Africa: Seven economies enacted 20 reforms in seven areas, although one economy implemented a negative reform. Saudi Arabia made the biggest improvement globally, enacting reforms in six out of eight areas measured including in women’s mobility, sexual harassment, retirement age and economic activity. The United Arab Emirates also reformed in five areas. Djibouti, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia implemented an additional nine reforms.

World Bank Approves Additional Credit to Support 86,000 New Households for Earthquake Housing Reconstruction in Nepal

TL Bureau, WASHINGTON D.C. The World Bank has approved an additional credit of US$ 200 million to the Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project (EHRP) in Nepal. The EHRP and the second additional financing contribute to the Government of Nepal’s umbrella Housing Reconstruction Program (HRP) which aims to rebuild earthquakeresistant core housing units by providing housing grants to eligible beneficiaries who have enrolled in the program. The second additional financing will scale up EHRP’s support to the Government’s HRP by

financing reconstruction of an additional 86,680 houses in the 32 districts affected by the 2015 earthquakes. The impact of the earthquakes is estimated at 35 percent of Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with recovery needs of about US$ 7 billion. “It is our aim to ensure that no one is left behind as Nepal builds back better from the devastating earthquakes of 2015,” stated Idah Z. PswarayiRiddihough, World Bank Country Director for Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives. “We support the Government of Nepal’s efforts in reconstruction to help Nepalis rebuild not just homes but also lives.”

FEATURE

UK brings senior climate delegation to Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi

TL Bureau, London She is expected to highlight the crucial role that India is playing and discuss the importance of working together in partnership on these shared challenges. She is accompanied in India by senior officials working on climate change in the British Government, including Catherine Bremner, Director of International Climate and Energy at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Ms Bremner will speak at Raisina about the e-mobility revolution, including the ‘Road to Zero Strategy’, which sets out the UK’s ambition for at least 50% of new car sales to be ultra-low emission by 2030. Sir Dominic Asquith, High Commissioner to India, said: The UK is here in force at Raisina this week. The strong climate focus of our delegation shows how important this agenda is to the UK. This is Claire O’Neill’s first overseas visit in her role as COP President – that speaks volumes about how crucial UK-India collaboration will be over the next year and beyond. It’s not just climate. The range

of expertise within this delegation – from environment and finance to defence and development – demonstrates the breadth of opportunities for UK-India collaboration. We are natural partners, with common interests in addressing common challenges. I’m confident we’ll hear this repeated from experts on both sides this week.

The official UK delegation at Raisina 2020 includes: Admiral Tony Radakin CB ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff. He will be discussing the Indo-Pacific with counterparts from India, Japan, Australia and France. Gareth Bayley, Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan

and Director of South Asia and Afghanistan at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He will participate in a panel on counterterrorism with India’s Chief of Defence Staff. Joanna Roper, FCO’s Special Envoy for Gender Equality. She will discuss how women leaders are scripting stories of change and affecting political outcomes around the world. Rachel Glennerster, Chief Economist, Department for International Development. She will explore how communities and civil society can mobilise to reclaim control over the development debate. Veda Poon, Director International Finance, Her Majesty’s Treasury. She will discuss the international economy and multilateralism in a panel on trade, together with India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry. Other senior attendees include: Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland; Rafaello Pantucci, Director International Security Studies, Royal United Services institute for Defence and Security Studies, and Robin Niblett CMG, Director, Chatham House.

Heartbreak as Women and Children Perish in Migrant Shipwreck

TL Bureau, Çeşme, Western Turkey

“I saw some light of hope in people’s eyes hoping that their children or wives were alive but I had to give them the terrible news that some of their family members had died. Then I saw the deepest level of helplessness and desperation in their eyes. I had to inform a recently wed man that his wife and baby had died. I cannot find words to express how he hugged his deceased wife and child as a last farewell.’’ The words of Mehmet Emin Ayhan, a member of the IOM Turkey Mediterranean Response Team describing the scenes as survivors and the dead came ashore in Çeşme, Western Turkey at the weekend. Eleven people including eight children lost their lives in the shipwreck on Saturday (11/01) when their small boat carrying 19 migrants capsized 250 metres after launching, on the short journey to the nearby Greek islands. The eleven deceased - all Syrian nationals - were recovered by the Turkish coast guard at around 20:30 Turkish time. Among the eight survivors are four men, three women and one child. IOM Turkey’s Mediterranean Response Team was called to the disembarkation point and provided assistance in the form of blankets, hot drinks, first aid and comfort to the shocked survivors. This latest tragedy comes during an apparent spike in departures from the western coast of Turkey. In the past two weeks a boat carrying 15

migrants capsized and eight people died in the locality. A few days after that a vessel carrying 56 migrants capsized nearby leaving four migrants dead and one still missing. In a separate incident on Saturday, 20 people were rescued and twelve died when their boat capsized on an unusual route in the Ionian Sea near the Greek island of Paxos. Seventeen people are reported missing. The latest tragedy brings the total number of deaths recorded in the Mediterranean in the first ten days of 2020 to 35. According to figures provided by Turkish Ministry of Interior Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM) 60,000 migrants and refugees were

intercepted trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2019. In December alone more than 3,000 migrants were intercepted by the Turkish Coast Guard. “More and more people are being driven by desperation to take these journeys of abject desperation”, said Lado Gvilava, IOM Chief of Mission in Turkey. “This latest tragedy breaks my heart, not only as we join the grief of the migrants and their families, but also as I hear, once again, that my staff have acted as heroes. Their hearts are forever marked with what they see every day, and I cannot praise them highly enough as they carry out their grim work with true dedication.”

life and real estate

Tourism: Towards 2030 Conference Returns in 2020

TL Bureau Darwin The Tourism: Towards 2030 Conference will return to Darwin and Alice Springs in March, bringing local tourism operators together with the common goal of growing the Territory’s tourism industry. As part of the Labor Government’s Northern Territory’s Tourism Industry Strategy 2030, this year’s conference will provide opportunities to learn, network and come away with useful tips and real, actionable outcomes that can be used to grow businesses. In 2020, the conference theme will be “Tourism Excellence” with topics to cover future trends,

tourism accessibility, managing social platforms and regional dispersal. The conference will feature a keynote speech by Nigel Collin, renowned author of business bible, ‘The Game of Inches’ and global thought leader on leading change within organisations and businesses. Other speakers include Review Pro, Google Australia, Tourism Australia and the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, while the Good Scout Travel Co. will give special insights into accessible tourism. Last year’s inaugural event was attended by over 150 people in Darwin and 120 in Alice Springs, with guest speakers and panellists

RESIDENTIAL SENTIMENT PICK-UP SUPPORTS PROPERTY INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

TL Bureau, Canberra Strong house price expectations over the next 12 months have offset modest confidence in the economy to deliver an improved outlook for the property industry according to the ANZ/Property Council Survey for the March 2020 quarter. National property industry confidence levels have increased by five index points from the previous survey to 123. This is slightly above the average for 2019 of 121 index points, and three index points below the survey historical average. A score above 100 index points indicates net positive sentiment among survey respondents. Ken Morrison, Chief Executive of the Property Council of Australia said: “Housing construction is one of the big engines of the Australian economy, so it’s encouraging news that industry sentiment has strengthened, but it also heralds a renewed challenge for policy-makers on housing affordability. “Strong house prices help underpin confidence and activity, but without matching housing supply, this can lead to runaway price increases and real housing affordability pressure. “Coming off the back off a sustained drop in new housing approvals and construction starts, we must be vigilant to ensure housing supply keeps up with demand, including population growth, as the residential market reboots. “Governments must be on the front foot in keeping the housing supply lines open and support affordability through better planning and infrastructure delivery. “It will be important for all levels of

government to keep their focus on these challenges in the months ahead, on top of the huge job of helping our bushfire-affected communities recover and rebuild,” Mr Morrison said. The ANZ/Property Council has proven to be an accurate indicator of housing prices since its inception, as reflected in the chart below which compares the outlook tracked in the ANZ/Property Council and ABS dwelling prices since 2011. ANZ Senior Economist, Felicity Emmett, commented: “Signs of recovery in the residential property market have been emerging for some time, with sentiment turning around convincingly in May. Since then, auction clearance rates have picked up sharply, prices have been rising strongly in Sydney and Melbourne and housing finance is starting to pick up. “The improvement in the residential property market seems set to continue. The results of the latest survey show that the strong improvement in sentiment about residential property has extended into the current quarter. The continued improvement in credit availability suggests that the outlook for construction activity, not just prices, should begin to pick up in coming months – initially though a stabilisation and then up-tick in building approvals. Prices are benefitting from a combination of pent-up demand and low stock levels, but we think that the current strong monthly price gains will moderate in 2020 as more supply comes on stream and credit policies stay relatively constrained.

from regional, Territory and Australian tourism organisations. Delivered in partnership with Tourism Top End and Tourism Central Australia through the Business Enterprise Program, the conference will be held in Darwin on 25 March and in Alice Springs on 27 March 2020. Tickets are now available online: · Darwin tickets http://tix.yt/t2030-darwin · Alice Springs Tickets http://tix.yt/t2030alice-springs Quotes from Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Eva Lawler: “The Territory Labor Government is investing in the tourism sector through the Turbocharging

Tourism initiative to grow the sector and create more jobs for Territorians. “A strong, competitive tourism industry adds billions of dollars to our economy and accounts for one in eight jobs in the NT with 17,100 jobs supported. “We are focused on achieving our new goal to attract 3.03 million visitors, accounting for $3.67 billion in visitor expenditure by 2030 and creating 3,900 new tourism jobs over ten years. “The Tourism: Towards 2030 Conference is an important event to ensure our collective industry is on the same page and doing everything we can together to create a prosperous tourism industry for Territorians.”

Time to step up and save our ocean

TL Bureau, London

The UK Government is pressing for international marine protections to be trebled Environment Minster Rebecca Pow has called for governments around the world to join the UK-led 30by30 initiative to protect at least 30% of the planet’s ocean by 2030. 2020 is a critical year for ocean protection, with the UK Government pressing for higher marine protection targets, currently set at 10%, to be agreed as part of a new global biodiversity framework in October 2020. Speaking at the Greenpeace launch later today (15 January) of an animated film depicting endangered marine life, the Minister is expected to say: Climate change is ocean change. The blue lungs that cover our planet underpin all health and wealth worldwide – yet we’re on track to lose the coral reefs that support over a quarter of marine species. In my lifetime we’ve lost a shocking half the population of our marine species, half our coastal wetlands, and half our Arctic ice, imperilling hundreds of millions of people living less than 10 meters above current sea levels. So those of us who can help must step up to support the ocean to adapt to climate change. Our government is already rolling out nature-based solutions to tackle it, for example our work to maintain and enhance 20,000 hectares of mighty mangroves in Madagascar, Indonesia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. But change requires collective effort. That’s why we’re calling for at least 30% of the world’s ocean to be safeguarded by Marine Protected Areas in the course of this decade. Supporting the Minister to raise awareness of the vital importance of increased global marine protection is Sting. The musician and ocean campaigner is the narrator of a

new video launched today on the pressing need for global action on ocean protection, created in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and screened at the Greenpeace event. #30by30: for the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030. Renowned for his award winning music records, Sting is also a long standing human rights activist. In recent years, his advocacy interests have expanded to environmental issues - recently lending his voice to call for scaling up effective marine protection. Evidence shows that the current 10% global biodiversity targets do not provide adequate protection against biodiversity loss. Increasing the breadth of Marine Protected Areas is crucial to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change – not just on our marine environment, but the entire ecosystem. Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, will say: As Australian bushfires burn and with Amazonian ashes an everyday picture, we are reminded more than ever that we are in this together. We need to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty. That means acting now for our whole ocean – and leaving no one behind. I thank the outstanding musician, Sting, for lending his voice to highlight

the pressures our wonderful and vulnerable ocean is under. The UK is at the forefront of marine protection and now has more than 50% of UK waters, including that of our Overseas Territories, set to be within Marine Protected Areas by 2020. We have recently designated 41 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), spanning 12,000 square kilometres – an area almost eight times the size of Greater London – for a total of 91 MCZs. This means that over 40% of English waters designated as marine protection areas. At the United Nations General Assembly in September 2019, the UK Prime Minister announced a Global Ocean Alliance of countries in initial support of the 30by30 target. They include: Belgium, Belize, Costa Rica, Finland, Gabon, Kenya, Palau, Portugal, Seychelles, Vanuatu and Nigeria. This year, The UK Government invites all countries to sign up to this ambition, with the hope that 30by30 marine protection target will be agreed as part of a new global biodiversity framework at the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of Parties in October 2020. Today’s event marks the public launch of a Defra video on the 30by30 Global Ocean Alliance, narrated by Sting. The film is available on YouTube, or downloadable at this link (Chrome compatible).

Australian Diamonds to take on Suncorp Super Netball All Stars in Bushfire Relief Match

TL Bureau, Fitzroy

Netball Australia has today announced a bushfire relief fundraising showcase match between the Australian Diamonds and a Suncorp Super Netball All Stars team at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday 1 March. The Australian Diamonds will come together outside of official scheduled duties to take on the Suncorp Super Netball All Stars and raise funds to support those affected by the Australian bushfires. Further information on this match including match time, how to purchase tickets and how the All Stars team will be selected will be made available in the coming weeks. In addition to the match, and in partnership with its state and territorybased member organisations, the Suncorp Super Netball league and clubs, the Australian Netball Players Association, corporate partners and NetFit, Netball Australia will utilise a range of initiatives to support fundraising for bushfire relief and recovery including: The Suncorp Super Netball preseason competition, the Suncorp Team Girls Cup, will be dedicated to raising funds to support the rebuilding efforts. More details on this event will be announced in coming days. Netball’s elite athletes will donate a “volunteer day” outside of their contracted requirements to work with Netball Australia, member

organisations and/or Suncorp Super Netball clubs on relief and recovery initiatives. Netball Australia staff will also donate two days. The annual Give for a Goal initiative, coordinated by the Confident Girls Foundation, will run throughout 2020 and will raise funds through a range of netball events and competitions including Suncorp Super Netball and this year’s International Test Series. Netball Australia’s member organisations will continue to work closely with communities to understand the full impact of the disaster and how Netball Australia can support recovery efforts. Netball Australia CEO Marne Fechner has acknowledged that the entire Australian netball community has rallied to support those in need. “The bushfires that have ravaged large parts of Australia over the past few months have been truly devastating, and netball is committed to providing both immediate and sustained relief for bushfire-affected communities,” she said. “The Australian netball community has a wonderful resilience and determination. We’ll do everything we can to assist both the broader Australian community and also grassroots netball-specific recovery efforts around the country.” Australian Diamonds captain Caitlin Bassett has been moved by the devastating events and is excited to be bringing her team together for such a good cause.

SPORTS

MALCOLM ARNOLD FROM TEAM GB AND ULLA KOCH FROM TEAM GERMANY WIN IOC COACHES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

TL Bureau, Geneva

The 2019 winners are athletics coach Malcolm Arnold from Great Britain and artistic gymnastic coach Ulla Koch from Germany. They will receive the award this Friday, 17 January 2020, during a ceremony to be held at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, in the presence of IOC President Thomas Bach and members of the IOC Athletes’ and Athletes’ Entourage Commissions. The IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards is an annual event honouring and recognising the work of coaches who have gone above and beyond to develop and nurture athletes in the spirit of Olympism. The award is being

delivered by the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission to celebrate one male and one female coach, active or retired, who harbour the qualities of a great coach, have participated in at least one edition of the Olympic Games and supported athletes on the road to their sporting dreams. “Congratulations to the two winners on this prestigious award,” said IOC President

Thomas Bach, Olympic champion in fencing, 1976, commenting on the announcement. “This is a recognition of the fundamental role that these coaches had on generations of athletes, inspiring them with the Olympic values and helping them realise their dreams. I know from my own experience the fundamental role coaches play in a career of an athlete.” Malcolm Arnold trained athletes from all around the world over a career that spanned almost 60 years, until he retired in 2016. He trained three Olympic champions, from Uganda, Canada and Great Britain, and his athletes held world records in the 60m hurdles, the 110m hurdles, the 200m hurdles and the 400m hurdles.

GAISF EXTEND INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE OBSERVER STATUS

TL Bureau, Manchester

The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) has extended International Rugby League’s (IRL) observer status for a further two years in a sign of rugby league’s continuing growth within the international sporting community. IRL Global Operations Manager, Danny Kazandjian, has welcomed the extension and commented: “Our membership of GAISF is really important, an integral part of the organisation’s conversion into a high capacity international federation. “During the first twoyear observer period the number

of government recognised members increased by one third, the IRL undertook significant governance reform, modernised the organisation’s brand, agreed the first pillars of a ten-year international calendar and began assuming core international federation competencies for the first time, such as anti-doping and technical development. “We recognise the importance of GAISF membership for the sport of rugby league and for the wider IRL membership. It also allows other sports and agencies to interact with rugby league in a way that previously wouldn’t have happened, given the recognition of

our standards that GAISF provides. “We are working closely with GAISF and our members to achieve full membership. This involves managing the different and often complex government requirements in place in every one of our member nations, as well as in those nations aspiring to become members. “The process requires each member nation to satisfy the criteria of their own government and whilst that is sometimes arduous for some members, it is certainly a good discipline and is strengthening both their individual governance and access to resources, including all-important facilities to play and grow rugby league.”

Track facts and key factors: the BMW i Andretti Motorsport preview for the Santiago E-Prix.

TL Bureau, Munich.

The Santiago E-Prix (CHI) this coming weekend sees the first race of 2020 in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Alexander Sims (GBR) heads to Chile at the top of the driver’s standings after his win and two pole positions in Diriyah (KSA). Our preview provides you with the most important facts about the new circuit and the key factors for a successful Santiago E-Prix. Quotes ahead of the Santiago E-Prix: Roger Griffiths (Team Principal BMW i Andretti Motorsport): “The year ended on an obvious positive note with the win in Diriyah for Alexander and so the whole team is keen to show that this was not just a one off and is looking for more success as we head to South America. While we are returning to the same venue as last season, the track itself has undergone many changes; from a comprehensive resurfacing to address the tarmac issues from last year, to a change in the layout to accommodate the new pit lane, all of which will mean more challenges for the engineering team and the drivers alike. While everyone enjoyed a well-deserved break, it didn’t mean that the work stopped after the last round. Not only did we all take a long hard look at what led to the success in Diriyah, we also

looked at areas we could improve upon as we fully expect our competition to come back strong in the New Year. Alexander is on a roll with his pole position sequence and will be looking to show his pace once more, although having to qualify in group 1 will be a special challenge for him. Max will be hoping to put the disappointment of the last race behind him and be aiming for a strong finish in his own right.” Alexander Sims (#27 BMW iFE.20): “The break after Diriyah did me a lot of good and I feel refreshed going into the race in Santiago and ready for the challenge.

Obviously I am not heading to Santiago thinking that I will automatically get pole position and the win again, but I am ambitious enough to set my sights on getting another win. The BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team was strong in both Diriyah and Santiago in Season 5. I hope we manage the same again this time. All of the drivers will have to internalise the new track layout first. The training in the simulator has already helped me a lot with this. The fact that I will have to compete in qualifying group 1 for the first time is a challenge, but I hope that we will cope well and will be able to get another

strong result.” Maximilian Günther (#28 BMW iFE.20): “After the long break I have more than just recharged my batteries, and I can hardly wait to get back on the track. I had a lot of fun in Santiago last season and I hope that the new layout of the track will be just as cool to drive on. I was very pleased with my performance in the second race in Diriyah in particular. My pace was promising, even if we didn’t pick up any points in the end. This gives us all even more motivation to be even better in Santiago. The chemistry in the team is brilliant. I feel very at home.” The FANBOOST vote. FANBOOST gives Formula E fans the opportunity to vote for their favourite driver and award them an extra boost of power during the race. The five drivers with the most FANBOOST votes receive an extra 100 kJ of power, which they can make use of during a brief time frame in the second half of the race. Fans can vote for their favourite driver in the six days prior to, and leading up to 15 minutes into, each race. Each fan can vote once per day. There are three ways to vote: Online at https://fanboost.fiaformulae. com/, via the official Formula E App or on Twitter using the hashtag #FANBOOST plus the drivers first and last name as a one-word hashtag.

Consistently sustainable: Media presentation of the new MINI Electric is designed to be CO2 neutral.

tech/auto

Automobili Lamborghini continues its global growth and marks new historic highs: 8,205 cars delivered in 2019

TL Bureau, Munich.

The new MINI Cooper SE is all about locally emission-free mobility. And at the media presentation of the new MINI Cooper SE (fuel consumption combined: 0.0 l/100 km; combined power consumption: 16.8 – 14.8 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) everything is geared towards sustainability. The international press presentation of the purely electrically powered production model of the British premium brand will be carried out in a CO2 neutral manner. Test drives with 100 percent green electricity, consistently resource-saving event design and compensation payments for certified climate protection projects make it possible to reduce the ecological footprint of the new MINI Cooper SE to zero when it makes its first appearance before media representatives from all over the world. The international media launch of the new MINI Cooper SE will take place in January 2020 in Miami, Florida. Here the entire test car fleet can be supplied exclusively with electricity from renewable sources. This gives media representatives the opportunity to complete their test drives and the round trips for film and photo shoots completely emission-free. The CO2 emissions generated by the arrival and departure of the MINI Team and journalists from

all regions of the world are offset by the purchase of environmental certificates. Compensation will also be paid for all other greenhouse gases that cannot be avoided in connection with the event. The certificates acquired for this purpose will benefit a wind energy project in South America selected according to the highest international standards. The proceeds from the acquisition of the environmental certificates will be used to expand the Peralta wind farm in Uruguay. There, 25 turbines will cover the electricity needs of around 50,000 households. The wind farm has been recognized as a pioneering project by the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University. It helps to further increase the share of renewable energy in Uruguay’s electricity mix and thus supports the country’s plan to achieve complete climate neutrality by

2030. In addition, a project for the use of wind energy in the south of Argentina is being supported. In the Patagonia region, the country’s largest plant of its kind, covering an area of around 1500 hectares and using 43 wind turbines, supplies climate-neutral electricity to the national grid. The new MINI Cooper SE is powered by a 135 kW/184 hp electric motor that accelerates it from zero to 60 km/h in 3.9 seconds and from zero to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. Its spacesaving high-voltage lithiumion battery, which is located in the vehicle floor, enables a range of 235 to 270 kilometres. A conventional household socket outlet is sufficient for charging, alternatively the MINI ELECTRIC Wallbox is available. To make charging up really quick, rapid charging stations with a capacity of up to 50 kW can be used.

TL Bureau, Sant’Agata Bolognese In Fiscal Year 2019 (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. continued its strong global growth. With an increase of 43% from 5,750 to 8,205 cars delivered to customers around the world, the Italian super sports car brand achieved sales growth for nine years in a row and set another historic sales record. Stefano Domenicali, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini comments: “The year 2019 was the most successful in our history. The team delivered another substantial sales increase, taking us to unprecedented historic highs. In only two years we more than doubled our sales numbers, a success that cannot be overrated. This clearly proves the power of our brand and the quality and sustainability of our product and commercial strategy. Our Super SUV Urus sold almost 5,000 units,

a number that comes close to our total sales volume in 2018. With new content and new technologies our V10 and V12 super sports cars models retained their market success. Simultaneously we further increased our high brand awareness, especially with the younger generations, having multiplied our following on social media channels to more than 40 million. All this is a real team achievement and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single Lamborghini team member for their inspiration and dedication to our brand, as well as our shareholder and group for their continued support.” Lamborghini is a global brand and sales volumes are well distributed among the three major regions. With 165 dealers serving 51 countries, all regions set a new sales benchmark in 2019 and contributed to the total sales growth compared to the previous year: EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa): 3,206/+28%, America: 2,837/+45% and Asia Pacific: 2,162/+66%.

2020 Audi A4: Brand’s bestselling sedan with sharpened design, enhanced technology

TL Bureau, HERNDON, Va.

The A4 represents the bestselling sedan in Audi history and now for 2020, Audi has made the full model line – including the A4 sedan, A4 allroad and S4 – even sportier and more cutting edge than its predecessors. Exterior design The midsize model looks more dynamic and sophisticated thanks to the new design language updates. Almost every piece of sheet metal on the exterior of the A4 has been transformed. The Singleframe grille is now broader and flatter and underneath the headlights are larger air inlets that point narrowly inward. From the front, the shoulder line starts at the corner of the headlight and intentionally runs together with the edge of the hood. It begins again over the rear door handle and draws toward the rear lights. From the side, the pronounced wheel arches pay homage to the brand’s quattro DNA and the lower set shoulder line

First model to feature the brand’s all-new MIB 3 infotainment system Striking exterior design gives compact model more dynamic presence On sale now, 2020 A4 models highlight benchmark infotainment, driver assistance systems

visually lowers the vehicle’s center

of gravity. At the rear, the broadened

rear side window makes the cabin seem longer and the C-pillar more slender. A4 quattro models feature a standard S line exterior, which includes titanium black honeycomb structure in the Singleframe grille, aluminum silver matte inserts in the large front air inlets and tailpipe trim, and 18” 5-double-spoke design wheels with all-season tires.

For the A4 allroad, standard structured gray matte body cladding helps to highlight the vehicle’s adventurous spirit. The allroad also features a unique Q-design Singleframe® grille with vertical chrome slats to emphasize the vehicle’s increased ground clearance and ride height over the A4 sedan.Sporty design-cues differentiate the S4 sedan, including a double-slat alu-optic Singleframe® grille, alu-optic exterior side mirror housings, body-color door handles, S model specific quad exhaust outlets in chrome and a trunk lid lip spoiler. An available black optic package adds black exterior trim with black exterior mirror housings and 19” 5-V-spoke-star design wheels in titanium finish with summer tires. Lighting New for 2020, all A4 models come standard equipped with LED headlights. The full LED headlights on Premium Plus models include a unique daytime running light (DRL) signature, giving an unmistakable presence on the road.

Nearly 1,000 Migrants Returned to Libya in the First Two Weeks of 2020: IOM

TL Bureau, Geneva

At least 953 migrants, among them 136 women and 85 children, have been returned to Libyan shores in the first two weeks of 2020. Most were disembarked in Tripoli and all were taken to detention centres. NGO search and rescue vessels reported having rescued 237 others. These returned migrants are among the more than 1,000 who have left Libya by sea since 1 January, driven in part by the heaviest clashes Tripoli has seen since hostilities began nine months ago. Migrants who spoke to International Organization for Migration (IOM) staff at disembarkation points in Libya said that the escalation in hostilities in and around the capital, and the deteriorating humanitarian situation are the main reasons behind this increase in departures. During the same period last year, 23 bodies were recovered by the coast guard and no migrants were returned to Libya. The current sudden increase in departures is especially alarming given the very limited search and rescue capacity in the Mediterranean. IOM has consistently called for the dismantling of the detention

EU renews its terrorist list of persons and organisations subject to sanctions TL Bureau, Brussels The Council today renewed the socalled EU terrorist list, which sets out persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures with a view to combating terrorism. Persons, groups and entities on the list are subject to the freezing of their funds and other financial assets in the EU. It is also prohibited for EU operators to make funds and economic resources available to them. The Council is empowered to establish a EU list and impose related restrictive measures under Council Common Position 2001/931/ CFSP, and Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001. The Council first set up the list as implementation of UNSC Resolution 1373/2001 that followed the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. It reviews the list at regular intervals, and at least every six months, on the basis of a regular exchange of information between member states on any new facts and developments relating to the listings. This sanctions regime is separate from the EU regime implementing UN Security Council resolutions 1267 (2011), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015 and targeting Al-Qaida and ISIL/ Da’esh. The EU also has its own sanction regime which allows the EU to apply sanctions autonomously to ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaida and persons and entities.

world

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Justin Trudeau agreed on further joint actions as regards the air crash in Iran TL Bureau, Kyiv

system, and the orderly release of migrants. Alternative solutions that safeguard lives must be found to alleviate the suffering of thousands of men, women, and children who are held in inhumane conditions. While IOM teams are present at disembarkation points to provide emergency assistance to migrants,

including basic health assistance and screenings, the Organization reiterates that measures to protect lives and guarantee the safety of these people are not in place. Over 1,000 other migrants who have registered for IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme are still trapped in Libya due to the

security situation. The challenging and unsafe environment in the country’s capital has disrupted aviation activities thus hindering an important lifeline for stranded migrants. assist 500 people scheduled to return home in the coming days,” says IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda.

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in telephone call with Iraq’s acting Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi

TL Bureau, Stockholm

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven spoke with Iraq’s acting Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi about the latest developments in the region. Prime Minster Löfven conveyed Sweden’s full support for Iraq’s sovereignty and stability. Prime Minister

Löfven underscored the importance of the Global Coalition against Daesh and the common fight against terrorism. He particularly emphasised the importance of the Global Coalition’s efforts to prevent Daesh regaining strength and to ensure international peace and security. Prime Minister Löfven expressed his deep concern

over the missile attacks against military bases in Iraq, where Swedish military personnel are also based, and underscored that all attacks against international troops must be condemned. Lastly, Prime Minster Löfven emphasised the need for regional dialogue to support de-escalation and political solutions.

sanctions against current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. It demonstrates the United States’ continued commitment to the Venezuelan people in their struggle to restore democracy and prosperity to Venezuela. Maduro’s repressive and illegal attempts to stifle the democratic will of the Venezuelan people reveals once more his desperation. We call on Venezuelan security forces to protect the Venezuelan constitution, allow entry of all deputies into the Federal Legislative Palace, and refrain from the use of violence, including against their democratically

elected representatives. Venezuela’s security forces owe their ultimate allegiance to the Venezuelan people, not to Maduro. We call on them to recognize their legitimate source of authority. The United States, along with most Venezuelans and many other countries, continues to recognize Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of the National Assembly and Interim President of Venezuela. We call on all nations to join us in supporting Interim President Guaido and the National Assembly as they work peacefully to restore democracy on behalf of the Venezuelan people.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau had a third phone conversation discussing the crash of the Ukrainian plane in Iran. The Prime Minister of Canada thanked the President of Ukraine for his efforts to ensure access to the scene of the tragedy for Canadian experts. Justin Trudeau asked for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s assistance in dialogue with the Iranian authorities as regards the identification of the bodies of the victims, including Canadian citizens. The Head of State commended the involvement of Canada’s representatives in the investigation. “Ukrainian experts and diplomats are ready to fully assist Canadian counterparts in Tehran,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed and reiterated willingness to provide logistical assistance in returning the remnants of the bodies of Canadian citizens to Canada after the completion of the necessary formal procedures in Iran. The interlocutors stand for further coordination of efforts to ensure proper international legal liability of those responsible for the plane crash. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Justin Trudeau look forward to the constructive work of a coordination and response group led by foreign ministers of countries whose citizens were killed in a disaster. The group will meet on January 16 in London. In this context, the parties stressed the importance of developing an algorithm to prevent such tragedies in the future.

FC - Greater The United States Takes Action against Officials efficiency in the fight against of the Former Maduro Regime Involved in Obstructing the Venezuelan National Assembly counterfeiting TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

On January 13, the United States sanctioned seven current or former officials of the former Maduro regime involved in attempting to circumvent the Venezuelan National Assembly’s democratic process. These Maduro-associated individuals attempted to siege the National Assembly palace and hold a nonconstitutionally sanctioned election to prevent a majority of legitimate Venezuelan legislators from voting. This U.S. action is taken pursuant to E.O. 13692, as amended, which authorizes

TL Bureau, Bern

Whether it is counterfeit watches or handbags, it should soon be easier for the Federal Customs Administration (FCA) to destroy fake products in small consignments. A new procedure aims to reduce the administrative effort by giving the authorities more leeway for their checks. These checks are essential – the importation of small consignments from Asia into Switzerland increased sixfold between 2014 and 2018. Swiss companies are particularly affected by counterfeiting. The Federal Council opened the consultation on the introduction of the simplified procedure on 15 January 2020. The consultation procedure will run until 30 April 2020.