The Life News Singapore Oct 1, 2019

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Vol. 01 Issue 11, October 01, 2019

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North Korea, Afghanistan, Canada address U.N. on last day of UNGA

UK welcomes new sanctions against Maduro regime

A week when its temperature change Action Summit featured 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg, the 74th global organization General Assembly can conclude Monday with addresses from the leaders of a dozen nations -- as well as Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and North American nation.

Monday’s speakers are the last to deal with the overall dialogue, that began Sept. 24. the ultimate session began at nine a.m. EDT. The list of countries to talk Monday were, in order: Eritrea, Sultanate Darussalam, Togo, Thailand, Burundi, Uruguay, TimorLeste, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Afghanistan, Canada, African Country.

North Korean Ambassador to the global

The UK has welcomed new EU sanctions on seven more Venezuelan officials involved in torture and human rights violations. The individuals, who are members of the security and intelligence forces, have been added to the EU’s Venezuela Sanctions Regime, taking the total number of those targeted to 25.

There remains deep concern among the international community at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Venezuela and the increasing repression of the opposition by the Maduro regime. The death of Captain Rafael Acosta Arevalo in June whilst detained

by Venezuela’s Military Counter Intelligence organisation demonstrated this deeply disturbing trend. A UN report on Human Rights in Venezuela, published in July, described the appalling scale of violations, from extrajudicial killings to grave disregard of fundamental rights under Maduro’s rule.

TL Bureau, New York/UN Hq

U.S. Targets Russian Actors Involved in Efforts to Influence U.S. Elections TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Today, the United States continues to take action in response to Russian attempts to influence U.S. democratic processes by imposing sanctions on four entities and seven individuals associated with the Internet Research Agency and its financier, Yevgeniy Prigozhin. This action increases pressure on Prigozhin by targeting his luxury assets, including three aircraft and a vessel.

Let this serve as a warning: any actors who continue to engage with these individuals, companies, aircraft, or vessel may also be subject to future sanctions. The U.S. government will continue to work to ensure that Prigozhin and others like him find no refuge or comfort as long as they carry out destabilizing activities that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies and partners.

We have been clear: We will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections.

The United States will continue to push back against malign actors who seek to subvert our democratic processes and we will not hesitate to impose further costs on Russia for its destabilizing and unacceptable activities

organization Kim Song recommended in his address the US. isn’t upholding the terms of Associate in Nursing agreement enclosed within the Singapore Summit of 2018.

“More than one year has passed,” Kim aforementioned through Associate in Nursing interpreter. “However, the relations between North Korea and also the US. have created very little progress to this point.”

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump aforementioned a second summit between he and North Korean leader Kim Erica Jong UN “could happen before long.” At the global organization Monday, Kim attributable the North Korean leader for advancing “economic construction” in Associate in Nursing “increasingly hostile situation” In his address last week, South Korean

President Moon Jae-in concerned Associate in Nursing “international peace zone” and nuclear disarming on the Korean Peninsula. Moon pledged to “guarantee the safety of North Korea” and expressed hope that capital of North Korea can do an equivalent for the South. The Afghan representative is scheduled to talk in the future when a series of terrorist attacks noncontinuous national elections. a minimum of four folks were killed and eighty dislocated in bomb and mortar attacks at polling locations. Turnout was low attributable to worry of violence. Results from the election are proclaimed in regarding 3 weeks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was ab initio scheduled to talk for Ottawa Monday, however scandal has unsuccessful his trip to the big apple town.

TL Bureau, London

NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Berlin TL Bureau, Brussels

NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller wrapped up a two-day visit to Germany on Friday (27 September 2019).

She addressed Germany’s contributions to NATO missions and operations, and fairer burden-sharing with German members of Parliament. The meeting was arranged at the invitation of the Foreign Policy Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Groups of CDU/CSU and SPD. During her visit, she also had meetings with high level officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence.

On Thursday (26 September 2019), the Deputy Secretary General delivered a keynote address at an event hosted by RAND Europe and the German Marshall Fund of the United States entitled “Security Through Deterrence: A Need for New Vision”. Gottemoeller

discussed how changes in the security environment and new technologies can impact NATO’s defence and deterrence.

Earlier on Thursday, the Deputy Secretary General participated in a high-level roundtable discussion hosted by the German Council on Foreign Relations. The discussion focused

on strategic stability in Europe following the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty due to Russia’s deployment of SSC-8 intermediate range missiles. She stressed that NATO Allies remain firmly committed to the preservation of effective arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.

4 TONNES OF COCAINE AND €2 MILLION IN CASH SEIZED BY SPANISH AUTHORITIES

TL Bureau, The Hague

A joint investigation, coordinated by Spain and involving law enforcement authorities from Colombia, France, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom and supported by Europol, led to the dismantling of the largest organised crime group in the Spanish Levante area, involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.

Operation Beautiful started in 2018 with an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering. International

cooperation and information exchange, which Europol made possible, between the seven countries involved contributed to the success of this complex investigation.

More than €1 million found in a panic room at the ringleader’s house On 26 September, after extensive planning, the final stage of the operation took place. On the action day in Spain, more than 200 police officers carried out 13 house searches and arrested 42 individuals. The whole investigation led to the arrests of 81 individuals and

various seizures including 4 000kg of cocaine, €2 million in cash, three firearms, jewellery, precious gems, luxury watches, 42 vehicles and a 25-metre-long yacht. Properties worth €20 million and 800 bank accounts were frozen. At present, those arrested are charged with laundering over €7 million.

A well-structured and violent group The criminal group used different methods of transportation including cargo in boats, lorries, trailers and cars with hidden compartments and a clandestine laboratory.

OCLC 1101190095

2

Brexit (a portmanteau of “British” and “exit”) is that the regular withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the eu Union (EU).

Following a June 2016 vote, during which fifty one.9% voted to depart, the united kingdom government formally declared the country’s withdrawal in March 2017, beginning a biennial method that was because of conclude with the United Kingdom retreating on twenty nine March 2019. because the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland parliament thrice voted against the negotiated withdrawal agreement, that point in time has been extended double, and is presently thirty one October 2019. An Act of Parliament needs the govt to hunt a 3rd extension if no agreement is reached before nineteen October.

Withdrawal is advocated by Eurosceptics and opposed by pro-Europeanists, each of whom span the political spectrum. the united kingdom joined the eu Communities (EC) in 1973, with continuing membership supported in an exceedingly 1975 vote. within the Seventies and Eighties, withdrawal from the world organization was advocated chiefly by the political left, e.g. within the Labour Party’s 1983 election declaration.

From the Nineties, the eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party grew, and junction rectifier a rebellion over commendation of the 1992 Maastricht pact that established the EU. On twenty nine March 2017, the united kingdom government invoked Article fifty of the pact on global organization, formally beginning the withdrawal.

Could known as a snap election in June 2017, that resulted in an exceedingly Conservative minority government supported by the Democratic trade unionist Party.

UK–EU withdrawal negotiations began later that month. the united kingdom negotiated to depart the EU union and single market. This resulted within the November 2018 withdrawal agreement, however the united kingdom parliament voted against

Brexit Brexit but Nothing yet till Now ratifying it 3 times.

The EU has declined a renegotiation that omits the backstop. In March 2019, the united kingdom parliament voted for could to raise the EU to delay Brexit till October.

Having did not pass her agreement, could resigned as Prime Minister in July and was succeeded by Boris Johnson. He sought-after to interchange components of the agreement and vowed to depart the EU by the new point in time, with or while not associate agreement.

Boris Johnson says he has been “a model of restraint” once it involves language round the Brexit dialogue.

The PM was defendant of dismissing abuse fears of feminine MPs as “humbug” throughout a heated Commons dialogue in the week.

Mr Johnson aforesaid there had been a “misunderstanding” over his intention - that he apologised for.But he claimed there was a “cloud of indignation” round the use of terms like “surrender” to distract from MPs’ need to frustrate Brexit.

Labour’s Angela Rayner aforesaid mister Johnson ought to be “absolutely, completely embarrassed of himself”.

The shadow education secretary aforesaid the PM had “a direct strategy to divide our country”, that she known as “really damaging”, however additional that MPs on each side of the Commons required to “dial down that language and act responsibly”.

Mr Johnson spoke to the BBC’s Saint Andrew Marr sooner than the beginning of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

The annual gathering follows a turbulent week for the PM - facing stormy scenes in City of Westminster once a ruling by the Supreme Court that his suspension of Parliament was unlawful.

Rows later bust out over mister Johnson’s Commons conduct - which of his professional General

Geoffrey Cox - and queries are continued over his links with US bourgeois Jennifer Arcuri. But he can use the conference to do to specialise in delivering Brexit and creating funding guarantees for public services.

On the gap day, ministers have secure to pay billions on hospital comes across European nation within the next decade.

I cannot recall a additional important week in British politics. it’ll decide whether or not parliament, the law and vox populi will hold the prime minister, Boris Johnson, to account, or whether or not a replacement poison has entered public life. we’d like perpetually to recollect that GB faces no menace to its security or prosperity. It may by currently be outside the EU with in agreement terms of trade. This crisis is entirely the result of 1 man’s device to seize management of his party.

From the instant Johnson began his final climb to power, his charm has been artlessly advocate. He has discarded the core Tory tradition of commercial enterprise integrity with a welter of paying pledges and tax cuts, and plans for immigration management and toughness on crime. On Brexit, he has distorted a close to trivial “freedom to trade with the remainder of the world” with rant concerning slavery, sovereignty and nationalism. the thought that Brexit can

editorial

bring a replacement dawn of national wealth is absurd. it’s merely however Johnson became prime minister.

Currently i’m wondering if maybe Johnson’s gift could also be simply a nasty dream, a sick and costly Bullingdon brawl So far, therefore acquainted. what’s novel concerning this upheaval is that the tried disruption of political convention. This has very little to try to to with Johnson however together with his flaky aide, saint e. e. cummings, whose management over his on the face of it disoriented boss seems total. Cummings’ plan of action is brittle, dissentious and unforgiving, although its effectiveness can’t be underrated. Polls showed scant support for Johnson over his supreme court defeat, however his party remains a full thirteen points sooner than Labour.

Michael Gove has raised the prospect of Boris Johnson being toppled if he fails to strike a Brexit deal, to get replaced by “a new Labour or different prime minister”.

Asked concerning the weakening prospects for associate agreement, with an important EU summit simply seventeen days away, the cupboard workplace minister argued the EU should recognise “this method can involve compromise for everyone”.

He then added: “I can’t believe that the EU would desire a scenario wherever we tend to are frequently negotiating a deal, with a replacement Labour or different prime minister, and this method is endlessly delayed.”

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3

world

UK supports military transparency by hosting visit of 22 countries

Bahraini foreign minister meets Turkmen, This week representatives from 22 countries - including from France, Yemeni counterparts Russia and the USA – have visited military sites in the UK as part of steps TL Bureau, New York Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs commended the growing bilateral relations in all fields.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also met Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Yemen Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hadhrami.

Shaikh Khalid expressed pride in the solid brotherly relations with the Republic of Yemen, affirming its keenness to enhance these relations in all fields

to increase transparency and to reduce the risk of misunderstanding or miscalculation regarding the UK’s military activity.

TL Bureau, London

An Army colonel delivers a presentation to an international delegation of military inspectors. The British Army has shown its transparency and commitment to international arms control agreements by hosting an international delegation of inspectors at 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Representatives – from participating states of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – have been to 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester and RAF Marham in in Norfolk. The programme also included a day at RAF Lakenheath, hosted by the USA. The visitors, largely arms control experts, were given the opportunity to see front line units operating the latest equipment and platforms including air assault demonstrations and the F35 Lightning.

The visit is intended to promote mutual trust and transparency, and allows participating states to verify that there are no undeclared military capabilities or activities of concern.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said: We can reduce the risk of mistakes and strengthen Euro-Atlantic security by increasing military transparency. In so doing we reinforce the European security order which has benefited the UK – and kept our country safe and prosperous – for decades.

The UK is unequivocally committed to the rules based international system, of which the OSCE is an important part, and that of course means always meeting our international obligations – whether it is hosting or visiting other countries.

The UK hosts such visits every five years, in accordance with the requirements of the

GCC and ASEAN hold Talks TL Bureau, New York

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) led by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Chairman of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) led by, Dato Erywan Yusof, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, held a session of talks on Saturday, 28 September 2019, at UN headquarters in New York, on the margins of the meetings

of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and delegations from the GCC Member States.

The meeting issued a joint statement clarifying that the two sides discussed regional and international issues of common interest such as terrorism, violent extremism, regional conflicts, sustainable development and climate change. The statement noted that the two sides stressed the need to

strengthen joint cooperation to face common challenges, as well as strongly condemned the attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia on 14 September 2019, as it’s an attack not only on the Kingdom, but on international peace and security, and the stability of international oil markets.

The statement pointed out that the two sides are studying close relations between the GCC and ASEAN countries based on historical and cultural ties and decades of friendship between the Middle East and Southeast Asia

Missing But Not Forgotten:

Vienna Document – a political agreement between the 57 countries that make up the OSCE. The Vienna Document contains a set of confidence-building measures designed to provide assurances on military activities and facilitates dialogue between the militaries of those 57 countries. OSCE participating states are obliged to accept a number of visits and inspections by other members each year: the UK regularly conducts its own visits to military sites of fellow member states.

The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organisation - with its genesis in the Cold War – and which includes the entirety of Europe, Russia, and North America. Representatives from the Joint Arms Control Implementation Group (JACIG) escorted the visitors throughout their time in the UK.

Houthi terrorist militia fired a ballistic missile from Sana’a Governorate using civilian facilities for launching

TL Bureau, Riyadh Spokesman of the Coalition Forces “Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen” Colonel Turki Al-Maliki stated that the Houthi militia fired a ballistic missile from Sana’a Governorate on Sunday morning 29/9/2019, using civilian facilities for the launch, but it fell afterwards in Saada Governorate, inside the Yemeni territory. Colonel Al-Malki explained that the Houthi militia continued to violate the international humanitarian law by firing ballistic missiles which fall indiscriminately on civilians and civilian facilities, directly affect housing complexes and threaten the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians inside Yemen.

Five Years After the Kidnapping of the Chibok Girls, Communities Continue to Heal TL Bureau, Abuja

At the age of 14, Hajja* and 275 of her classmates were kidnapped from her all-girls secondary boarding school in Chibok, Borno State in north-east Nigeria on 14 April 2014. Eventually she and 163 other girls were released or managed to escape, but the aftermath of the abduction left a trail of uncertainty and despair among the families of the abductees and the entire Chibok community.

Around the world, the tragedy caught the attention of prominent personalities including Michelle Obama who joined the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ movement advocating for the release of all the girls.

Five years later, little is known of the whereabouts or living conditions of the other 111 girls. Despite international efforts, their parents still wonder if their daughters are alive while other families now strive to support their rescued daughters’ return to normalcy.

According to a UNICEF report, since 2013, more than 3,500 children have been recruited and used by non-

state armed groups in north-east Nigeria, warning that the exact figures are likely to be higher. In addition to these children, in 2018, 432 children were killed and maimed, 180 were abducted and 43 girls were sexually

abused in the region, the report reads. The tragedy in Chibok prompted the start of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programme in May 2014.

4

world

Guinea-Bissau spotlights threats of organized crime, Sahel terrorism in speech to UN Assembly

US message on Passing of Former French President Jacques Chirac TL Bureau, Washington DC

On behalf of the American people, I wish to offer my deepest condolences to the Chirac family and the people of France on the passing of former French President Jacques Chirac.

Having dedicated his life to public service, former President Chirac worked tirelessly to uphold the values and ideals that we share with France.

President Chirac studied and worked in the United States as a young man. He called the United States “a country that I love, that I admire, that I respect, and that I know rather well.” We will never forget that President Chirac was the first head of state to travel to the United States after the horrible attacks of September 11, 2001. The United States and France have stood side-by-side to promote democracy and peace around the globe, an enduring relationship that continues today.

TL Bureau, Ma’reb, Yemen

Support counter-terrorism in the Sahel Turning to the wider region, Ms. Barbosa appealed for international financing for the G5 Sahel to ensure its operational readiness.

The joint force brings together five countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad – committed to combating jihadist groups in the region.

“The Sahel region is a perfect illustration of the devastating danger that terrorism poses to the world,” she said. “More than a regional threat, it affects the whole continent and may adversely impact world peace.”

Appeal for African representation in the UN Security Council Ms. Barbosa joined other speakers who advocated for greater African representation in the UN Security Council.

Currently, only five countries – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members of the body, possessing the right to veto.

Ten countries are also appointed as nonpermanent members, serving two-year terms.

Ms. Barbosa called for the Council to be expanded so that Africa would have two permanent seats “with veto power” as well as five non-permanent seats.

Yemeni Defense Minister General Mohammed Al-Magdashi today lauded the efforts and positions of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen in assisting the Yemeni people and standing by the side of the Yemeni national army in the battle for joint interests to repulse dangers and ward off plots being designed by enemies to destroy Yemen’s security and stability as well as that of the region.

The Yemeni news agency quoted Al-Magdashi as saying while chairing a meeting of military senior officers in Ma’reb that proceeding with the battle against the Houthi militias is inevitable, adding that Yemenis would never accept any kind of retreat or revolt against the gains of the Yemeni revolution, the republic, national fundamentals and consensus.He vowed that the military institution is committed to protect the country’s security and stability, restore its legitimacy and usurped rights and continue the liberation battle against the Houthi militias and fight extremism, terrorism and subversive plots

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla painted a grim picture of the foreign trade obstacles, banking and financial restrictions, and travel limitations which he said are part of Washington’s “steady and qualitative” increase in hostilities against Havana.

Meanwhile, he stressed that the USimposed economic, commercial and financial blockade continued to be the main obstacle to the country’s development.

With companies transporting fuel, flag States, States of registration, as well as shipping and insurance companies all being “threatened and persecuted” by the US, Cuba has been “facing severe difficulties” and forced to adopt temporary emergency measures. He rejected all such target measures, saying the US itself is “drowning in a sea of corruption, lies and immorality.”

He also denounced the country for allocating tens of millions of dollars toward political subversion and denying the First Secretary of Cuba’s Communist Party an entry visa on the basis of “gross slanders”.

The Americas Moreover, Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla pointed out that earlier this week, in its “anti-Cuban obsession”, the US

had blamed Cuba for “the failed plan to overthrow the Venezuelan Government.”

“Bilateral relations between Cuba and Venezuela are based on mutual respect and true solidarity”, he stressed, affirming his country’s support for “the legitimate Government headed by comrade Nicolas Maduro Moros”.

The Foreign Minister condemned the US for “the encouragement of coup d’etats, assassination of the country’s leaders, economic warfare and sabotage to power generation plants”. Noting that the US and a few other countries recently decided to activate the “obsolete” Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, which he said “envisages the use of the military force”, Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla criticized the “absurd decision” as jeopardizing regional peace and security while justifying interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs.

in the EU. It is also necessary to intensify cooperation between the Member States, the different EU institutions, the private sector and the civil society. The new Commission is well placed to do this,” says Thomas Blomqvist, the Minister responsible for equality issues.

Under the leadership of Finland, the Council is also preparing conclusions on the EU’s future gender equality policy and equitable economies. The Council’s conclusions are to be adopted by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and

Consumer Affairs Council in December.

Gender impacts to be part of the EU’s economic and budgetary policy According to international studies, gender equality and women’s employment contribute to sustainable economic growth.

Economic and budgetary policies should be further developed to take gender impacts into account. In practice, this would mean mainstreaming of gender perspective in different policy areas, strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation and developing investments and budgeting to support

equality objectives, for example.

Gender equality is an integral part of the EU’s fundamental values and policies.

However, the impact of the EU’s decisions on gender equality should be assessed in more detail. Examples of advances and challenges in equality in the EU are analysed in the fifth evaluation report on the implementation of the UN Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the EU. The Beijing Platform for Action was adopted at the World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.

TL Bureau, New York/UN Hq

Although criminal gangs have used the country as a transit point for illicit drugs, she reported that recent police operations have resulted in record seizures.

“This demonstration of our Government’s political will and determination to combat this scourge has deeply affected the political structures that sustain these businesses,” she said.

“It is clear that organized crime takes advantage of the fragility of our State with respect to entrenched local interests. In this regard, it is essential that we strengthen the mechanisms that our main partners use to monitor the political process in Guinea-Bissau.”

Following legislative elections held in March, a new Government was inaugurated in July under Prime Minister Aristides Gomes.

Prior to the vote, Guinea-Bissau had been caught in a constitutional crisis which began in 2015 when President José Mário Vaz replaced the Government of Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira. As a result, there had been seven different Heads of Government.

Ms. Barbosa outlined the current administration’s priorities, which include promoting inclusive dialogue to consolidate political stability and

Yemeni Defense Minister lauds Efforts and Positions of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen

consensus around key issues such as institutional reform and revision of the Constitution.

“In addition to strengthening the democratic legitimacy of our political institutions, we intend to build the foundations for a better structured and more united society,” she said.

Guinea-Bissau will hold a Presidential election in November, and the Foreign Minister underlined the need for technical and financial assistance.

The UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) is working to ensure the smooth completion of the electoral process.

At UN, Cuba slams US ‘criminal’ practices undermining country’s development

TL Bureau, New York/UN Hq

Stronger connection needed between gender equality policy and economic policy in the EU TL Bureau, Helsinki

Finland’s objective as President of the Council of the European Union is to strengthen gender equality in the EU’s decision-making and make the links between economic issues and gender equality more visible.

“We need stronger political commitment in the EU so that gender equality can be taken forward with ambition in all EU decision-making. For this reason, a highlevel gender equality strategy is needed

5

Singapore

Water Level at Linggiu Reservoir falls below 50 percent due to Dry Weather TL Bureau, Singapore

With the ongoing dry weather, the water level at Linggiu Reservoir has fallen from 72 percent capacity at the start of the year to less than 50 percent.

The water level last dropped below 50 percent in 2015 to reach a historic low of 20 percent in 2016. It has not fully recovered to the healthy level of 80 - 90 percent, which had been the case for almost 20 years when Linggiu Reservoir began operations in 1995.

Linggiu has been slow to recover because more water is being drawn from the Johor River than is sustainable.

Singapore built the Linggiu Reservoir at a cost of more than $300 million to enable reliable abstraction of water at PUB’s Johor River Waterworks (JRWW).

However, Malaysia has built water plants upstream of the JRWW, which have further added to the abstraction of water from the Johor River.

This challenging situation is exacerbated during dry weather, as PUB needs to discharge more water from Linggiu Reservoir to support water abstraction.

In the event of a prolonged drought, a depleted Linggiu Reservoir will compromise Singapore’s right to abstract our full 250 million gallons per day (mgd) entitlement of water under the 1962 Water Agreement.

As mentioned by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in April 2019, both countries have an interest to work together to ensure a sustainable water supply for both sides. This includes the identification of appropriate and timely measures, including schemes, to increase the yield of the Johor River.

On the ground, PUB enjoys long-standing cooperation with its counterpart in Johor. Recently, the Johor state water agency (BAKAJ) made a request to PUB for additional supply of treated water,

as a result of disruption in production at Johor’s water plant in Scudai. PUB readily acceded to the request and has been doing so from 23 September 2019 to 27 September 2019.

Under the 1962 Water Agreement, Singapore is required to supply Johor with 5 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated water. In practice, PUB has been supplying 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at their request. This latest request for an additional 6 mgd of treated water is on top of the 16 mgd that Singapore already supplies to Johor. Johor made similar requests this year in January and August. Last year, Singapore supplied additional water in excess of the usual 16 mgd for 20 days. In the spirit of good neighbourliness, PUB has supplied all the additional treated water above 5 mgd on a goodwill basis at the same price as under the 1962 Water Agreement, i.e. 50 sen per 1,000 gallons, which is a fraction of the cost of

treating the water. This has been done without prejudice to our rights under the 1962 Water Agreement.

With climate change, Singapore has and will experience more extreme weather patterns, and prolonged dry spells will affect our water stocks.

Thanks to our early and consistent investments in water reclamation and desalination, Singapore’s water supply is more resilient today. However, the production of NEWater and desalinated water is energy intensive. We call on Singaporeans to continue to take steps to use water prudently and avoid wastage. To ensure a resilient supply of water for all Singaporeans, PUB has planned ahead and invested heavily over the past few decades to develop our four national taps. Likewise, Singapore must continue to plan and implement the infrastructure needed to meet the present and future challenges of climate change.

HSA Alert: ‘S Gold Coffee’ sold online SINGAPORE RE-ELECTED TO THE found to contain banned substance COUNCIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL TL Bureau, Singapore

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is alerting members of the public not to purchase or consume ‘S Gold Coffee’ sold online as they have been tested to contain sibutramine, a banned substance. Please refer to Annex A of the pdf version for photos of the product.

Banned substance sibutramine detected in the product HSA was alerted to the online sale of ‘S Gold Coffee’ by a member of the public, who became suspicious when her appetite was suppressed significantly after consuming ‘S Gold Coffee’. The product is sold on social media platforms and local e-commerce websites for slimming. HSA has directed the respective local website administrators to remove the postings.

HSA’s tests revealed that the product contained sibutramine, which used to be a prescription medicine for weight loss but has been banned in Singapore since 2010 due to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The product marketing materials had advised

Minister for Education Attended Prize Ceremony of 2nd Singapore- India Joint Hackathon in Chennai

TL Bureau, Singapore Minister for Education, Mr Ong Ye Kung, attended the Prize Ceremony of the 2nd Singapore-India Joint Hackathon in Chennai, India as the Guest-of-Honour on 30 September 2019. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had mooted the idea of the Hackathon and graced the inaugural edition in Singapore last year, will also be in attendance.

Besides Prime Minister Modi, Minister Ong engaged other Indian political, government, and business leaders during the visit.

that insomnia is a common reaction when taking this product, and that experiencing headache and heart palpitations showed that “the product is working towards internal detoxing and helps to improve blood circulation”. In fact, these are known side effects of the banned sibutramine, which the sellers are misleading consumers into believing, are beneficial effects of the product.

Advisory to consumers Consumers are advised to stop taking ‘S Gold Coffee’ immediately and see a doctor if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health.

Consumers are also advised to be wary of products that make exaggerated claims such as “inhibition of cancer cell growth” and “reducing the risk of developing colon cancer” Advisory to sellers and suppliers All sellers and suppliers must stop selling ‘S Gold Coffee’ immediately. It is illegal to sell and supply such products, which contain potent medicinal ingredients or banned substances.

Sellers and suppliers are liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to 2 years and/or fined up to $5,000.

CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

TL Bureau, Singapore

Singapore was successfully re-elected to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),[1] on 28 September 2019, at the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly in Montréal, Canada.

Co-ordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Mr Khaw Boon Wan, who led the Singapore delegation to the ICAO Assembly, said, ‘We are honoured to be re-elected to the Council of ICAO and by the support of our fellow ICAO Member States. We will continue to contribute actively to the advancement of the ICAO’s mission.’

Singapore was first elected to the Council of the ICAO in 2003, at an extraordinary Assembly session convened to fill three new Council seats, and was re-elected in 2004 and in subsequent elections at the Assembly Sessions held every three years.

Singapore contributes as a member of over 100 ICAO expert groups to

help shape international standards in areas such as civil aviation training and human resource development; air traffic management; aviation safety; aviation security and facilitation, and holds leadership positions in around 20 of them. In addition, the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA), the training arm of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS),[2] provides a wide range of specialised aviation training programmes for civil aviation professionals worldwide, to promote human capital development.

The Singapore Government offers a significant number of fellowships jointly with the ICAO to civil aviation officials to attend these courses. Singapore has created numerous platforms for aviation leaders and experts to exchange views and formulate new ideas to advance international civil aviation, through the SAA and its partnerships with other leading international aviation organizations and academic institutions.

58-member Citizens’ Panel convenes to create new solutions for work-life harmony TL Bureau, Singapore

58 Singaporeans from all walks of life came together for the first time today to form the Citizens’ Panel on Work-Life Harmony. The Panel will meet between September and November 2019 to propose new ways to strengthen work-life harmony in Singapore, including a more supportive societal and workplace culture. Employers, employees, the self-employed and retirees have volunteered to join the Panel to design solutions that would better enable Singaporeans to work in a manner that matches their personal goals for a fulfilling life. First announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr

Heng Swee Keat in June 2019, the Citizens’ Panel on Work-Life Harmony is part of the SG Together movement for the Government to partner Singaporeans to co-create and co- deliver solutions across a wide range of policy areas. The Panel is also part of a series of engagements with Singaporeans led by Manpower Minister Mrs Josephine Teo, who also assists Senior Minister Mr Teo Chee Hean on Population matters, to help make starting families more achievable, enjoyable, and celebrated.

More than 300 members of the public responded to the call in July 2019 to participate in the Citizens’ Panel. The Panel comprises members with diverse experiences,

backgrounds, and perspectives, and includes employers from different industries, workers in different forms of employment, and individuals with different marital status, and family responsibilities.

The Citizens’ Panel represents a new way of involving the community in collective thinking and action. Panel members will have access to a wide range of information and subject-matter experts, and the time to deliberate on the issues at hand. The Panel’s recommendations will be submitted to the relevant stakeholders (e.g. tripartite partners, community groups, Government) at the last session. Panel members are also encouraged to help test out the ideas they propose.

6

Malaysia &

nearby

DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT’S TOTAL DEBT AND LIABILITIES BEING REDUCED FROM 79.3% OF GDP IN 2017 TO 75.4% IN 2018, DIRECT DEBT INCREASED FROM 50.1% OF GDP IN 2017 TO 51.2% IN 2018 TL Bureau, Kuala Lampur

Despite the Government’s total debt and liabilities being reduced from 79.3% of GDP in 2017 to 75.4% in 2018, direct debt increased from 50.1% of GDP in 2017 to 51.2% in 2018 because the Pakatan Harapan government refused to resort to off-balance sheet financing to cover-up dubious debts.

Since Pakatan Harapan took over the Government in May 2018, we have carried out a comprehensive review of the Government’s financial obligations, which confirmed that we had accumulated RM1.087 trillion of debt and liabilities as at the end of 2017.

This figure has been confirmed by the bi-partisan Special Parliamentary Select Committee

on the Budget in their report dated 17 July 2019.

A substantial portion of this figure comprises of hidden debt and liabilities that the previous Government had deceitfully kept under wraps or disguised as offbalance sheet items. This would include RM38.3 billion worth of 1MDB debt which we discovered that the then BN government was secretly servicing. The other liabilities amounting to RM260.1 billion involved off-balance sheet government expenditure masked as “Public Private Partnership (PPP)” or “Private Finance Initiatives (PFI)”.

However, the financial cost, risks and obligations of these projects lie entirely with the Federal Government. Hence, the PPPs and PFIs were abused by the then BN government to give the

false perception of low budget deficits, and a corresponding lower level of perceived debt.

The new Government has been praised by international rating agencies and investment analysts for the marked improvement in transparency as well as the standards of good governance.

Their repeated affirmation of our sovereign ratings at A-/A3 since then, despite the increased transparency in the state of our balance sheet, demonstrates their conviction that this Government is taking concrete measures to address the weaknesses. However, cognizant of the fact that these projects will substantially increase our committed government guarantees in future years, the new Government has successfully renegotiated the

cost of these mega-projects. The overall cost of LRT3 was reduced from RM31.6 billion to RM16.6 billion, the MRT2 construction cost reduced from RM39.4 billion to RM30.5 billion while the ECRL construction contract with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) was reduced from RM66.5 billion to RM44 billion. The reduction in cost for these 3 projects alone would reduce our future committed government guarantees by at least RM46 billion compared to if all projects had continued without any rationalisation.

For SSER’s TSGP and MPP projects, RM8.3 billion or 88% of the RM9.4 billion worth of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contract has been paid

by SSER despite only 13% of the

work has been purportedly done.

To date, there is no evidence of any work done. This scandalous project has been terminated.

The previous government’s leaders have failed to explain why the RM8.3 billion or 88% of the contract cost has been paid when practically no work has been done.

Divestment and Recovery of Assets The Prime Minister’s Office is completely in charge of divesting various non-core and non-critical assets to rebalance the Government’s portfolio and realign the role of the public sector. The proceeds from these divestments, when returned to the treasury in the form of dividends, will be allocated towards further reduction of our debt and liabilities.

Hong Kong Customs seizes live turtles “Pleasure and Leisure: roving exhibition and talk suspected to be endangered species to be held at the Sha Tin Public Library in October TL Bureau, Hong Kong

TL Bureau, Hong Kong Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 28) seized 57 live turtles suspected to be endangered species with an estimated market value of about $340,000 at Hong Kong International Airport. The case also involved suspected act of cruelty to animals.

Customs officers at the airport intercepted a male passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Moroni, Comoros via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday afternoon. During Customs clearance, the batch of live turtles suspected to be endangered species

were found inside his check-in suitcase.

The 47-year-old man was then arrested.

Suspected act of cruelty to animals was also detected since the turtles’ trunks and four limbs were being wrapped by plastic tapes.

The case has been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action.

Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and an imprisonment for 10 years.

The roving exhibition “Pleasure and Leisure: A Glimpse of Children’s Pastimes in Hong Kong” will be held at the Sha Tin Public Library from October 1 to 30. Through the exhibition, one can learn more about the transformation of Hong Kong’s society and livelihoods from the 1950s to the 1980s, and relive the joyful childhood moments in those years. This is the third roving exhibition under the same theme organised by the Public Records Office (PRO) of the Government Records Service.

“During the roving exhibition, we will also organise a talk titled ‘Pleasure and Leisure: A Glimpse of Children’s Pastimes in Hong Kong - Our Archives, Our Stories’ on October

19 at the Sha Tin Public Library. The talk, to be conducted in Cantonese, will cover the functions and services of the PRO, some highlighted holdings and the current exhibition.

Limited seats will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis,” a spokesman for the PRO said.

“Furthermore, we would like to express our gratitude to members of the public who have actively responded to our public engagement programmes starting from February as part of our exhibition. Our exhibition is enriched by the toys lent and photographs provided by them.

Police strongly condemn continued violent protests TL Bureau, Hong Kong

Radical protests took place in various districts on Hong Kong Island yesterday (September 29). A large number of violent protestors participated in unlawful assemblies on Hong Kong Island, in which they blocked roads illegally, hurled petrol bombs at police officers and set fire at multiple locations.

Police strongly condemn such continued

violent acts which seriously threatened the safety of Police officers and other members of the public.

Some people earlier called on protestors on the Internet to participate in an unauthorized public possession on the Hong Kong Island yesterday. Without complying with the law by notifying the Police, a large number of protestors gathered illegally in Causeway Bay, blocking Hennessy Road, East Point Road,

Great George Street and Yee Wo Street starting from around 1pm yesterday.

Later on, radical protestors escalated their violence. Starting from around 3pm, radical protestors blocked roads and committed destructive acts extensively in Admiralty and Wan Chai, and charged Police cordon lines.

Radical protestors vandalised facilities at various MTR stations. They set fires at the entrances and exits of Causeway

Bay and Wan Chai MTR Stations and nearby streets. They also set fire on banners and miscellaneous objects on Queenway, threw hard objects at police vehicles and Government buildings, and hurled numerous petrol bombs at police officers. Having given repeated warnings but in vain, officers conducted dispersal operations with appropriate force, including tear gases, rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and 40mm react rounds.

7

BUSINESS

Developing the future of flight: take part in the challenge Businesses are invited to join the workshop, find partners and apply for funding - to help revolutionise aviation as part of a £125 million challenge.

TL Bureau, London

Saul Goldblatt, Computer Vision Engineer, and Dimitris Nikolaidis, COO, of Perceptual Robotics New technologies including electrification, digital services and autonomy could revolutionise aviation.

They could help to power a new generation of flying taxis, drones delivering goods and services and small, all-electric aircraft.

The UK has played a leading role in aviation over the last 100 years and is well-placed to take advantage of a new generation of aircraft that could help to ease congestion and reduce the carbon footprint of the industry.

Individuals from businesses and research organisations with an interest in this field are invited to apply to attend a workshop to develop ideas to meet the challenges posed by future flight.

The invitation is the first phase of a £125 million government investment in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Future Flight Challenge. It will be matched by a £175 million investment from industry.

Find out more about the Future Flight Challenge.

Demonstrate green flight and new services The aim of the Future Flight Challenge is to demonstrate innovative ways to achieve greener flight, new services and ways to travel, increased mobility,

better connectivity and reduced congestion.

Individuals applying to attend the 2-day workshop in February 2020 can come from a wide range of disciplines.

They must show how they would attempt to solve one or more of 6 problem statements: the full range of drone applications is stifled by the absence of the physical and data infrastructures needed to exploit the potential of the global market current air traffic management systems are not scalable there is a need to develop autonomy

while maintaining high levels of safety there is a need to move towards more electric flight by moving technology between urban, sub-regional vehicles and larger aircraft there is a need to develop use cases and operational frameworks for the adoption of autonomous air vehicles there is no aviation innovation or development environment that will allow real-life demonstration and evaluation of the issues presented in the first 5 problem statements The aim of the discovery workshop is to help participants form consortia that will apply for funding in future phases

of the competition.

Competition information Phase one discovery workshop the workshop will be held in Birmingham, 4-5 February 2020 no grant funding is available at this stage but costs will be covered the application process is open and closes on 13 November 2019 it is open to UK businesses and research and technology organisations a briefing event will be held on 7 October 2019 Phases 2 and 3 we expect future projects to range in size between £5 million and £20 million

Crucial final agreements signed as Tina River Hydropower Project moves closer to construction in Solomon Islands

TL Bureau, SYDNEY

A series of crucial final agreements have been signed today to bring the start of construction closer on the long-awaited Tina River Hydropower Development Project in Solomon Islands.

Key commercial agreements signed today in Sydney included the Onlending Agreement between the Tina River Hydropower project company and Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Finance & Treasury, as well as agreements related to the funding support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), who yesterday confirmed a commitment of US$30m to the project. The ADB now joins the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the Australian Government (DFAT), Green Climate Fund and the Korea-EX-IM Economic Development Cooperation Fund, all of whom, alongside World Bank Group, have all committed to supporting this key nation-building project in Solomon Islands.

Solomon Islands has a near-total reliance on expensive diesel petrol for electricity generation and has among the highest electricity costs in the world – at

US$0.82/kW, almost double the average for Pacific Island countries – placing a huge burden on families, communities, businesses and government services.

Only 16 percent of Solomon Islanders have access to the country’s electricity grid.

The planned Tina River Hydropower Project, when up and running, is expected to significantly reduce the cost of electricity for Solomon Islanders. It is also expected to dramatically reduce Solomon Islands’ greenhouse gas emissions – and cut Solomon Islands’ reliance on expensive diesel petrol for energy in favor of clean, renewable sources. It is expected to shift Honiara’s grid from 3% renewable in 2017 to 68% at the time the project is commissioned; expected in 2024.

Solomon Islands Minister for Finance & Treasury, the Hon. Harry Kuma, was joined for the signing in Sydney by officials from K-water and Hyundai Engineering Company, a major shareholder in Tina Hydropower Limited, together with the World Bank and its sister organization, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – both members of the World Bank Group – and the Asian Development

Bank.

“Tina River Hydro is a project rooted in our history and with branches that will grow into our future,” said Minister Kuma. “The signing of these agreements today will further enhance the Public Private Partnership that the Solomon Islands government is adapting for the financing of the Tina River Hydro Project; the first such arrangement for infrastructure in the Solomon Islands.”

“For over 10 years, we have been supporting Solomon Islands to address one of its key development challenges – a near total reliance on diesel fuel for power. From detailed environmental and feasibility assessments, to supporting the Solomon Islands build momentum and funding support for this major nation-building project, we’re proud to have been a vital partner along this journey,” said World Bank Country Director for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, Michel Kerf. “In addition to our $20m investment in solar power and increasing electricity access across the country, we’re proud that when it is up and running, Tina River Hydropower will help Solomon Islanders access cheaper, greener power that will provide

massive benefits for education, health and daily life.”

“This is a project yielding multiple benefits for Solomon Islanders from more jobs to lower prices for power through the dramatic shift from virtually 100 percent reliance on diesel to majority renewable energy,” said IFC’s Country Manager for the Pacific, Thomas Jacobs. “With the support of Australia, New Zealand and the multidonor facility, DevCo, IFC has been proud to play a role as the government’s transaction advisor in spurring private sector investment and showing what’s possible in small island nations.”

“This transformational project will deliver clean, reliable, affordable electricity to the capital, Honiara,” said Director General of ADB’s Pacific Department, Carmela Locsin. “We look forward to working with our partners on this project which features a large capital investment, a public private partnership structure and multi-partner co-financing which together will underpin a paradigm shift in the country’s power generation.

We are pleased that ADB’s Office of Public Private Partnership will assist the government in managing the project.

8

Feature

Stanford researchers discuss changes to Endangered Species Act

America’s signature legislation for saving species faces a major overhaul. Conservation and legal experts examine likely impacts of the new rules and legal options for challenging them.

TL Bureau BY ROB JORDAN, California

On Sept. 26, the most powerful tool for protecting animals and plants in the U.S. will lose some teeth. That’s when new rules will alter the Endangered Species Act – credited with rescuing iconic creatures, such as the bald eagle and the Florida manatee – to make it easier to remove species from the list, and weaken protections for species classified one step below endangered, among other changes.

Proponents of the changes say they will bring greater transparency to the rules, and ease the regulatory burden on mining companies, oil and gas drilling outfits and others in areas where protected species live. Opponents say the changes will make it significantly harder for endangered species to recover.

A bald eagle perched on a tree branch in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

The Endangered Species Act helped bring the bald eagle back from the brink of extinction in the continental U.S. (Image credit: pxhere.com) A number of environmental groups have filed a lawsuit to stop the changes, and several state attorneys general have done the same.

Stanford biologist Elizabeth Hadly and legal expert Michael Wara discuss likely impacts of the new rules and legal options below. Why are these revisions to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) a priority for the Trump administration?

Wara: The ESA is viewed by many rural western landowners as a significant limitation on the use of their land. Their view is that the law unfairly levies costs on them or even expropriated their property. This revision of the ESA has long been a priority for conservative Republicans in rural states – a core component of Trump’s base.

What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the act, as it was originally written?

Hadly: The Endangered Species Act, passed by bipartisan votes in both the Senate and House and put into place by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1973, is a powerful and important piece of legislation. It has balanced the needs of species against the local, regional, national and international drivers of development and

resource extraction. It is imperfect in that it puts the onus of protection onto individual species, not the ecosystems on which they depend.

However, the ESA has served to educate the public, and scientists as well, about how ecosystems work and how they can come unraveled by removal of particular species and why. Over the past 46 years, the ESA has protected more than 200 species, yet many more need its protection now, more than ever.

How will the changes affect the way that regulators make decisions about listings, delisting, reclassifications and critical habitat designations?

Wara: The final rules enact a diverse set of changes to all of the activities required by the endangered species act. In general, the rules require tighter causal links between protections and threats to the listed species. This may mean that it is harder to protect species that are imperiled by our changing climate – although precisely how this impact is incorporated into decisions remains to be seen. In addition, the changes seek to accelerate the consultation process that other federal agencies must engage in before they take actions that may jeopardize a listed species.

Hadly: The most critical changes are that regulators will now be able

to weigh the economic costs of protecting species, and that climate change will be a less important consideration. The latter will make it harder to list species that increasingly face anthropogenic threats such as degraded habitats and barriers to migration just as a changing climate forces them to seek new habitats. The revision will make it more difficult for regulators to factor in the effects of climate change on wildlife. What animals stand to lose the most from this change (e.g., birds whose migration patterns are shifting because of temperature changes)?

Hadly: Particularly salient examples include the northward movements of species such as the grizzly bear, which is moving into Arctic environments occupied by the polar bears, who cannot move further north. Or the forest species now threatened by the eradication of vast swaths of our coniferous forests in the Sierras and Rocky Mountains because of the increased reproduction and survival of pine and bark beetles made possible by warmer winters.

The revision allows regulators to factor economic assessments into species protection decisions.

Is there a precedent for that in environmental regulations? What is

the likely impact?

Wara: Regulations have long forbid consideration of cost, consistent with both the statute and its interpretation by the courts. Now, the implementing agencies will “compile” and “present” costs of a listing, but will not use these as a factor in evaluating whether to list. Courts will likely scrutinize this approach closely. The reality is that economic impacts already enter into many listing decisions, just not explicitly. A recent example is the decision not to list the Sage Grouse because of its impact on western oil and gas extraction. It remains to be seen how this change will modify the practice (as opposed to the theory) of listing under the ESA. What legal and legislative avenues might opponents of the changes pursue?

Wara: The most promising avenue for challenging the regulatory changes will be the courts. In order to prevail, the Trump administration will have to provide a reasoned basis for the changes and show that they are consistent with the underlying law. Particularly on costs, this will require a court to overrule longstanding Supreme Court precedent forbidding consideration of costs under the Endangered Species Act.

9

life and real estate

Technical Extravaganza and Mind-Blowing Theatrics to Cruise Month Debut in New Video Gamine-Themed 5-SKIES Production heralds a busy Show Onboard Sky Princess & Enchanted Princess summer season TL Bureau, Chatswood

Guests Drawn Into Virtual Reality World as the Show Comes to Life Through Technology, Acrobatics & Music in Original Production Show Princess Cruises, a cruise industry innovator in offering guests original production shows, today announced yet another new theatrical experience with the debut of 5-SKIES onboard Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess. This technologically enhanced production show features a virtual gaming world, spectacular digital effects and acrobatics, intricate sets and contemporary music for one of the cruise line’s most visually advanced shows ever. Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess guests enter the greatest virtual reality game of all-time with main character “Gamer 1” attempting to complete a series of five increasingly difficult levels, meeting different personalities along the way in an attempt to reach the highest level where the Sky Princess character resides. Performed in cadence with a contemporary song list, 5-SKIES is set amongst digital effects, spectacular acrobatics, dazzling costume designs and complex backdrops.

“Our team of creators and collaborators have once again pushed the boundaries

of theatrical entertainment design at sea and 5-SKIES will take our guests on a musical journey through a digital universe of spectacle, sight and sound,” said Denise Saviss, Princess Cruises Vice President of Entertainment Experience. “Our dedicated team is passionate about connecting new experiences to our guests and with the advance of technology and spectacular visual effects, 5-SKIES will surely wow our audiences.”

5-SKIES is scheduled to debut onboard Sky Princess November 2019.

The 5-SKIES creative team includes:

Director and Choreographer Danny Teeson – choreographed for Grammy Award-winning artists Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and Paula Abdul and Brit Award winners Robbie Williams and Tom Jones, with whom he won the VH1 Best Video Award for Sex Bomb. Teeson has acted as Carrie Underwood’s creative director, conceptualising and directing her Carnival Ride Tour, ACM Awards performance and was seen on Oxygen Networks hit show Dance Your Ass Off as a resident judge. Teeson also created and choreographed the award-winning show for

Princess Cruises - Fantastic Journey which won a Themed Entertainment Association award for Outstanding Achievement.

Musical Arranger Nelson Kole – began his career on the Las Vegas strip where he accompanied headliners such as Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and the Pips and soon became musical director/arranger for Don Rickles and Ben Vereen.

As arranger and musical director of the 2009 Academy Awards, Kole worked with Beyoncé, Hugh Jackman, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron and Queen Latifah.

Scenic Designer John Iacovelli – won the Emmy Award for his production design of the A&E presentation of Peter Pan, staring Cathy Rigby, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival.

His television production design credits include The Old Settler, The Gin Game, Ed, Babylon and Resurrection Blvd. He’s received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for Lifetime Achievement in Scenic Design and is a member of The Art Directors Guild. Costume Designer Jackson Lowell – has designed costumes for many celebrities and concert tours including Katy Perry, Pink, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Aniston, Cate Blanchett, Cindy Crawford, Elton John, Brad Pitt, Barbra Streisand and Usher.

TL Bureau, Sydney

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) launches its annual Cruise Month this week, heralding the start of a busy season of summer cruising in Australasian waters.

Over coming weeks CLIA and its cruise line members will mount a packed program of marketing initiatives that showcase the best that cruise has to offer Australian and New Zealand travellers.

This year’s Cruise Month will help reinforce the benefits of booking through a CLIA-accredited travel agent, telling consumers about the additional skills and education that dedicated cruise specialists have invested in.

This message will also feature in new resources available in CLIA’s Cruise Month toolkit, which offers travel agents a wealth of downloadable materials that can be used in their own marketing and social media efforts.

Taking place throughout October, Cruise Month with involve weekly themes based on ocean cruising, river cruising, luxury cruising and expedition cruising.

It will also celebrate the world’s wider cruise community as part of CLIA’s #WeAreCruise campaign, highlighting some of the many social and economic benefits that cruising brings to communities globally.

CLIA travel agents will be able to share their own #WeAreCruise stories in a competition that gives them a chance to win a seven-day Alaska cruise for two thanks to Holland America Line.

To take part, CLIA members need to create a short #WeAreCruise video that explains their inspirational or lifechanging cruise story, then post it on Facebook or Instagram during October with the hashtag #WeAreCruise, tagging @CLIAAustralasia.

World Tourism Day 2019 Celebrates “Tourism and Jobs: A Better Future For All”

TL Bureau, New Delhi

Tourism’s potential to build a “better future for all” is the central message of World Tourism Day 2019, which has been officially celebrated at a high-level summit in New Delhi. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, was joined by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili to mark the global observation day aimed at raising awareness of the tourism sector’s social, cultural and economic value and its unique contribution to the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Held as UNWTO recognizes 2019 as its year of “Employment, Skills and Jobs”, representatives of more than 100 countries came together in New Delhi to recognize and celebrate the sector’s ability to create more and better jobs, including for women, youth and minorities. At present, tourism accounts for 10% of global GDP and provides around one in 10 jobs worldwide. Given this, India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, was identified as the ideal host for World Tourism Day 2019, and the presence of Vice

President highlighted the country’s commitment to UNWTO’s mandate to guide the sector’s growth in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Opening the event, Mr Pololikashvili said: “The true potential of tourism, both as a creator of jobs and as a driver of equality and sustainable development, is only just being realized. Providing decent work opportunities and contributing to developing professional skills are at the heart of this, and so on World Tourism Day 2019, we call on nations and public and private sector stakeholders around the world to ensure the many benefits that come with rising tourist arrivals are shared as widely as possible.”

M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India, added: “India is committed to culture and tourism.

Tourism means transformation. It can benefit people and is a tool for the empowerment of communities. Progress, harmony and peace: this is our shared goal, and tourism can help us reach it.”

The opening ceremony, which saw the best of the sector recognized through the Indian National Tourism Awards, was followed by a special

workshop on Tourism Jobs of the Future, with a special focus on helping small enterprises and entrepreneurs scale-up their ideas to disrupt the sector and promote sustainability and inclusivity.

The importance of innovation was further emphasized during the World Tourism Day 2019 Plenary event. With the theme of “Maximizing Tourism’s Potential to Create More and Better Jobs”, this featured contributions from public and private sector leaders and was moderated CNN International anchor Andrew Stevens.

Also within the framework of World Tourism Day, UNWTO’s Affiliate Members – an international network comprising civil society organisations, private sector stakeholders, NGOs and academia held the “Outlook Responsible Tourism Initiative”, a workshop aimed at helping the private sector work more closely with the UN agency to enhance sustainable and responsible tourism practices.

This workshop in New Delhi was the first time UNWTO’s Affiliate Members have participated in an official World Tourism Day event, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to building closer ties with its private sector partners.

10

Sports

Difficult Sunday for the BMW Motorrad Lamborghini keep historic WorldSBK Team at Magny-Cours.

Triple Crown of Blancpain GT Series at the season

TL Bureau, Magny-Cours.

Following the podium finish for Tom Sykes (GBR) on Saturday, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team endured a difficult Sunday at Magny-Cours (FRA).

Sykes finished eighth on his BMW S 1000 RR in both the Superpole Race and the second main race. Team-mate Markus Reiterberger (GER) came home 17th and 15th. Magny-Cours was the venue for round eleven of this season’s FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).

Sykes started the morning’s Superpole race from sixth place. As in the opening race on Saturday, he soon worked his way into fourth place. This time, however, he was unable to mix it with the frontrunners and eventually had to settle for eighth place. Consequently, Sykes started the second main race on Saturday afternoon from eighth place. He initially climbed to sixth place, but then dropped back through the field over the course of the race, eventually crossing the finish line eighth after 21 laps of racing.

Reiterberger started the Superpole race and race two from 19th place. He was 17th in the morning, before finishing 15th to score one point in the afternoon race.

The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team now travels to San Juan in Argentina, where the penultimate round of the season will take place in two weeks’ time (11th to 13th October). The finale will be held in Qatar at the end of October.

Quotes after race two at Magny-Cours.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Sunday was disappointing for us. The set-up changes we tried out in the warm-up did not have the desired effect for Tom. We were unable to back up the performance we showed on Saturday. The track temperatures were significantly higher, even in the earlier Superpole race. After

TL Bureau, Sant’ Agata Bolognese/ Barcelona

a strong start, we fell back through the field. We also started strongly in race two, but then lost roughly a second per lap to our rivals, which meant we had no chance of challenging for a spot on the podium. We are lacking mechanical grip when accelerating in the lean position.

This becomes all the more important as soon as the track temperature starts to rise. We must now see whether we can react in time for the next races, in order to learn as much as possible and to end the season strongly.”

Shaun Muir, Team Principal BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “The Superpole race was quite difficult for all of us. Tom struggled a bit on the faster parts of the circuit. He settled into a position we had to be happy with although it was a bit disappointing after yesterday. Markus really struggled and overall it has been a difficult event for him. In the main race, Tom got a really good start and was with the front guys but sadly he could not find the confidence and performance he had yesterday. He was a second per lap slower

and finished way off the top-3 or top-4.

The whole team needs to have a look at the data and the information and try to understand why this happened. After such a great Saturday it was disappointing to take a step backwards and we need to try to rectify this for Argentina.”

Tom Sykes: “I am obviously a bit disappointed with today but we were struggling in certain areas with the bike and I really tried to ride around some of the issues. But we certainly made some progress in terms of a couple of things and feel quite confident in some areas and just need to work again now on another part of the chassis to enable us to be stronger over the distance. So it was a slightly disappointing day given the result on paper but also a day where we got a lot of information so hopefully we can build on this and move forward.

There are a couple of difficult rounds coming up for us but we keep our head down, keep trying to progress and just keep the information coming before we go into the winter break.”

Lamborghini secured an historic triple crown of Blancpain GT Series titles at the final round of the season at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, as Andrea Caldarelli and Marco Mapelli added both the Endurance Cup and Overall series titles to their World Challenge Europe triumphs.

The Orange1 FFF Racing duo took victory in the last Endurance race of the season alongside stand-in team-mate Albert Costa in the #563 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo, beating the #4 Black Falcon MercedesAMG of Maro Engel and Luca Stolz. Dubbed

by Orange 1 FFF Racing team owner Fu Sanyong as “the most important race of the season”, the Barcelona weekend began strongly for the #563 crew as International GT Open regular Costa qualified an impressive third on the grid, just onethousandth of a second behind the points leading Black Falcon.

Costa started the race and briefly held the lead after leapfrogging both the #4 and the polesitting #98 Porsche before the first corner. The #563 was however requested to hand back these two places after gaining an advantage on the grass at the start. Costa then held station in third on the other side of a lengthy safety car period, following a big crash for another Porsche on the opening lap.

All three leaders made their first stops towards the end of the first hour, with Costa handing over to Mapelli.

WBSC announces softball field of teams for Tokyo 2020 as Australia qualifies for Olympic Games

Australia joins host Japan, USA, Italy, Mexico and Canada as the qualified nations for the six-team Tokyo 2020 Olympic Softball event TL Bureau, SHANGHAI, China

The Australian Softball National Team earned a place in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, defeating host China, 9-3, in the final game of the WBSC Women’s Softball Asia/ Oceania Qualification Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020, and completed the field of teams for Tokyo 2020.

Australia joins host nation Japan; the 2018 WBSC Softball World Champions, USA; the winner of the Europe/ Africa Qualifier, Italy; and the top two teams of the Americas Qualifier, Mexico and Canada, to compete in the six-team Tokyo 2020 Olympic softball competition.

It will be the fifth time that Australia will participate in an Olympic softball event, the pinnacle of the sport.

Australia has won a softball medal in all the previous four Olympic events.

“Congratulations to the Australian National Team, Softball Australia, and the Australian National Olympic Committee for earning the right to compete in the Olympic softball event at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Finally the world knows the six partic-

ipating teams in the Olympic softball event, that promise to be the most exciting softball tournament in history,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “I want also to congratulate the local organizing committee, who did a great job hosting this tourna-

ment.”

The qualifier in Shanghai included the top softball nations across Asia and Oceania, including Australia, China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Korea, New Zealand, Philippines and Chinese Taipei.

Softball will have the honour of kicking off next year’s Olympic Games on 22 July with special opening games at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium.

Two-time Olympic Medallist and Australian National Team Captain, Stacey Porter, said: “I waited for 12 years to return to the Olympics and it is so rewarding to be back at the Tokyo Olympics. It was not an easy path but the girls stuck in there and we worked hard to qualify. They fully deserve the slot.

“Having won a silver at the Athens Olympics and the bronze in Beijing, I am looking forward to the gold medal in Tokyo. It is not going to be easy, but we are determined to emerge tops this time around.

“I may be 38, but I am far from quitting the game. I simply love the game too much. I will be around as long as I can contribute”.

11

tech/auto

QUT students’ dream designs for social impact

Designers of the building site fence mesh, students Aella MacDonald, Allegra Nobilio, Upekha Gamage, Daniel Fisher and Nick Laxto at the Fishburners pitch night.

TL Bureau, Brisbane More than 650 students, operating in groups, were connected with six state capital community and charitable partners and tasked to return up with style ideas to support them and their add a variety of areas, from fundraising to service delivery.

“It’s a social entrepreneurship program to showcase however style are often wont to build a positive social impact through providing real-word solutions,” same faculty of style educational program Director Dean Brough.

“Designers ought to be ready to communicate with purchasers, to be sympathetic to their wants, and perceive the briefs that they’re provided, therefore it’s conjointly concerning militarisation students right from the beginning of their degrees with those skills, and conjointly different skills, like cooperation.

“We were excited to partner with such terrific state capital community teams that embraced the project, and one amongst the adscititious bonuses has been students expressing interest in changing into volunteers for the organisations.”

The community partners were TradeMutt (men’s mental health), Red Frogs Australia (supporting and safeguarding young people), youngsters Helpline (phone counselling), third area (homeless support), Multicap (high-needs incapacity support), and A Brave Life (helping young and young mothers).

With the scholars from all of the college of Design’s study areas – design, interior design, architecture, fashion, communication, industrial style and interaction design – their inventive solutions were numerous. ideas enclosed apps, games, promotional merchandise, moveable structures made of canvas and

shipping containers, a solar-powered phone charging station, interactive donation and academic billboards, and ideas for face-to-face workshops and online coaching modules.

From 124 ideas given, the community partners selected twenty three to be pitched to them once more at a night event at Fishburners start-up hub in Brisbane’s CBD. TradeMutt founders, carpenters Dan Allen and male erecticle dysfunction Ross, same they were blown away by the students’ initiatives to assist them get a lot of men, notably tradies, to open up concerning mental state.

They started TradeMutt once an in depth mate of Dan’s took his own life in 2015.

Profits from the colorful, attention-

grabbing workwear they manufacture visit support mental state and suicide bar programs. Students broached into the TradeMutt vogue and came up with promotional collateral, from coasters and a tradie esky to a conveyable canvas MuttHut to use at events, and fence mesh to wrap around building sites (pictured).

They conjointly advised apps for creating social connections, and adding mandatory on-line mental state coaching for construction staff as a part of the protection white card.

“Our transient to the scholars was pretty broad,” Dan said. “How will we have a tendency to extend our work, begin a lot of conversations, and build a lot of of a bearing within the mental state area we have a tendency to are in?

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world

Guterres welcomes conduct of Afghan elections, commends ‘all who braved security concerns to uphold their right to vote’ TL Bureau, New York

“[The Secretary-General] congratulates them on their commitment to selecting their leaders through the ballot box,” according to a statement issue by a UN spokesperson on Sunday.

The UN chief encouraged all stakeholders to enable the electoral institutions to exercise their responsibilities in full, “including by addressing any complaints through the appropriate channels and procedures.”

In a similar vein, as the polls closed on Saturday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted: “Patience and level-headedness now required for Afghanistan electoral bodies necessary time to conduct their work counting votes, reviewing complaints and announcing results. Parties must

Radical protests took place in various districts on Hong Kong Island yesterday (September 29). A large number of violent protestors participated in unlawful assemblies on Hong Kong Island, in which they blocked roads illegally, hurled petrol bombs at police officers and set fire at multiple locations. Police strongly condemn such continued violent acts which seriously threatened the safety of Police officers and other members of the public.

Some people earlier called on protestors on the Internet to participate in an unauthorized public possession on the Hong Kong Island yesterday. Without complying with the law by notifying the Police, a large number of protestors gathered illegally in Causeway Bay, blocking Hennessy Road, East Point Road, Great George Street and Yee Wo Street starting from around 1pm yesterday.

Later on, radical protestors escalated their violence. Starting from around

TL Bureau, Jeddah

A fire at the roof of Al-Haramain train station in Sulaimaniyah neighborhood in Jeddah on Sunday was brought fully under control. Eleven injured people were taken to hospitals, where some cases were treated and 8 cases remained under medical care.

Investigations are underway to find out the fire’s causes.

TL Bureau, Hong Kong

meet their obligations, respecting codes of conduct and helping ensure stability in period ahead.

“UNAMA commends all voters who cast their ballots … and all the Afghan

actors who helped make it possible. The mission condemns those who resorted to intimidation and violence to try and derail democracy,” the mission said earlier on Twitter.

Police strongly condemn continued violent protests TL Bureau, Hong Kong

Fire at Al-Haramain Train Station in Jeddah under control

3pm, radical protestors blocked roads and committed destructive acts extensively in Admiralty and Wan Chai, and charged Police cordon lines.

Radical protestors vandalised facilities at various MTR stations. They set fires at the entrances and exits of Causeway Bay and Wan Chai MTR Stations and nearby streets. They also set fire on banners and miscellaneous objects on Queenway, threw hard objects at police vehicles and Government buildings, and hurled numerous petrol bombs at police officers. Having given repeated warnings but in vain, officers conducted dispersal operations with appropriate force, including tear gases, rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and 40mm react rounds. The specialised crowd management vehicle was deployed to stop the violent acts of the protestors. At about 5.30pm, while executing duties near Wan Chai MTR Station, some police officers were surrounded and attacked by a large group of violent protestors. With their lives under serious threat, an officer

fired one warning shot into the sky to protect their own safety.

Radical protestors continued to gather in the vicinity of Causeway Bay at night. A number of dispute, assault and fighting incidents ensued after people expressed different views. As a result, a number of people were assaulted causing serious injuries.

At night, many protestors gathered outside Mong Kok Police Station and hurled petrol bombs at the police station. After giving warnings, police used appropriate force to stop the acts.

Radical protestors set fire at nearby streets afterwards. Therefore, police conducted dispersal operation.

In the past months, radical protestors escalated their violent acts and their illegal acts have no regard to the laws of Hong Kong. Police reiterate that no violent acts will be tolerated. Police strongly condemn radical protestors for their violent acts. Police will continue to take resolute enforcement action so as to safeguard the city’s public safety and bring all lawbreakers to justice.

Multiple protesters assembled and blocked the roads in Causeway Bay, Wan Chai and Admiralty today, paralysing traffic in various districts and seriously affecting people’s lives. A number of radical protesters had gone on a rampage since the afternoon, vandalising numerous public property and the facilities of several MTR stations. They set fires at various places, which were fierce at one point, and hurled petrol bombs on the streets as well as into a MTR station and at the Mong Kok police station, posing a grave threat to police officers, MTR staff and members of the public at the scene. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government severely condemns the radical protesters who completely disregard law and order and whose acts seriously undermine social order. The police will continue to take law enforcement actions resolutely to protect the safety of members of the public and restore public order.

FSO - Record number of lists, affiliations and partial lists for the 2019 National Council elections

TL Bureau, Neuchâtel A total of 511 lists have been registered in the cantons with a proportional system in preparation for the 2019 National council elections. This is 21% more than four years ago. There are still many lists grouping candidates by age, and those of older people have almost doubled since the previous elections. These are some of the results of the latest publication from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

PNG special envoy At UN, Yemen Foreign Minister demands appointed in Australia end to ‘Iranian-Houthi coup d’etat’ TL Bureau, Brisbane.

TL Bureau, New York/UN Hq

Renowned educationist, philanthropist, and businessman, Dr. Bernard Malik, has been appointed as the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Trade, Investment, and Education.

The office of the PNG PM, Hon James Marape, made the appointment on September 17, saying it was in recognition of Dr. Malik’s longstanding relationship with PNG and his strong interest in promoting trade, investment, and education in the country.

In his appointment letter, Mr. Marape said: “My Government is endeavoring to attract genuine private investors to partner in developing Papua New Guinea and you have shown interest

“My heart is full of sorrow” considering the ongoing crisis in his country. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hadhrami, Minister for Foreign Affairs, told the General Assembly.

Yemen had a long proud history as a cradle of Arab civilization, but in just a few years, it had been all but destroyed.

“My country has been deeply wounded by sectarians and terrorists trying to achieve their own ends,” he said, adding that the Houthi militias, supported by Iran, have proved to be “capable of untold destruction.”

Condemning Iran as “the main sponsor of terrorism throughout the world,” Mr. Al-Hadhrami said Tehran’s “expansionist agenda” led it to wage proxy wars through militias like the Houthis “who have destroyed everything that was

in this area.”

Dr Malik said he was honoured by the appointment and would be soon holding investment seminars around the world to promote PNG as an attractive business and investment destination.

Dr. Malik, who is also known as Reverend Malik, is a pathbreaking innovator in the field of education and a warrior for noble causes. After a successful career in the United States of America, Dr. Malik moved to Australia in 2009.

beautiful in my country: homes, places of worship, hospitals, and [they have] asphyxiated all forms of descent.” “In just a few years [militias] had been able to destroy all the dreams of Yemen and its people,” he said, demanding an end to the “Iranian-Houthi coup d’etat in Yemen.” Denouncing Iran as a “rogue State that does not respect international law” or its obligations as a UN Member State, he said Iran and its “military

arms in the Arab region, including Houthis and Hezbollah, pose a serious threat to our national security.”

Yet, he said that despite the difficulties, and the sacrifices of the Yemeni armed forces, Yemen had been able to put up a resistance to the Iran-backed threat, thanks largely to Saudi Arabia “a fraternal Kingdom” that had helped Yemen to contain the untold violence of the militias.

Saudi Arabia’s support; UN push for peace The Yemeni Government, Mr. AlHadrami continued, has endeavored to improve the economic situation and jumpstart development, with the implementation of an economic strategy. Indeed, it was sparing no effort to alleviate the suffering of all its people, who were “facing a humanitarian disaster on a daily basis.”