The Life News South Africa Sept 16, 2020

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Vol. 01 Issue 06 Sep. 16, 2020

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Two charged with hacking U.S. web TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

The Justice Department said it has arraigned two men on charges associated with the hacking of many sites in reprisal for the U.S. death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

In an arraignment dated Sept. 3 however unlocked Tuesday, Iranian public Behzad Mohammadzadeh and Marwan Abusrour of Palestine have been accused of one check of plotting to submit purposeful harm to an ensured PC and one tally of deliberately harming a secured PC. Investigators said they trust Mohammadzadeh is 19 years olds and Abusrour is 25 and both at present dwell in their local nations and are needed by U.S. specialists.

“These programmers are blamed for coordinating a shameless digital attack that ruined scores of sites the nation over as a method of challenging the United States for slaughtering the pioneer of an unfamiliar fear based oppressor

association,” Joseph R. Bonavolonta, specialist accountable for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division, said in an announcement.

“Presently, they are needed by the FBI and are not, at this point allowed to go outside Iran or Palestine without danger of capture.” The FBI has recorded the two men on its Cyber’s Most Wanted rundown, encouraging anybody with data about the pair to contact the FBI or the closest U.S. international safe haven. The prosecution said

the pair was behind the destroying of 51 sites facilitated in the United States following the demise of Soleimani, the top of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a tip top arm of the Iranian military that the Trump organization assigned as a U.S. fear monger association.

President Donald Trump requested the automaton strike that murdered Soleimani following brutal fights at the U.S. Government office in Baghdad that the organization censured the progressive gatekeeper

for actuating in the midst of heightening pressures among Washington and Tehran.

Investigators said that following the U.S. Branch of Defense giving an explanation that it had murdered Soleimani on Jan. 2, Mohammadzadeh communicated PC code to the 51 sites and supplanted their substance with photos of the killed military pioneer against a scenery of the Iranian banner with the announcement “down with America.”

By Jan. 7, Abusrour had given Mohammadzadeh admittance to in any event seven additional sites, which they likewise damaged, the prosecution said. “The programmers defrauded honest outsiders in a mission to fight back for the military activity that murdered Soleimani, a man behind endless demonstrations of fear against Americans and others that the Iranian system contradicted,” said John C. Demers, collaborator lawyer general for National Security.

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Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet resigns en mass as New Apple Watches, iPads, Yoshihide Suga prepares to take power subscription bundle introduced

TL Bureau, Tokyo

TL Bureau, California

Active Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet surrendered altogether on Wednesday in anticipation of a change of intensity.

The move flagged the finish of Abe’s eight-year residency driving the nation as Yoshihide Suga, the new pioneer of the Liberal Democratic Party, is required to be officially chosen by parliament to fill in as the following PM Wednesday evening.

“I have gone through consistently placing my everything into financial recuperation and discretion to secure Japan’s inclinations,” Abe said.

Katsunobu Katu, Abe’s wellbeing pastor, has been decided to assume control over Suga’s part as boss Cabinet secretary and other Cabinet individuals including Finance

Macintosh on Tuesday uncovered new forms of its Apple Watch and iPad notwithstanding another wellness administration and a heap of its different membership contributions.

Chief Tim Cook presented the new record of items in a live streamed feature discourse. The occasion did exclude a declaration of another iPhone, which is required to be delivered at a future occasion.

Tuesday’s introduction rather positioned focal spotlight on the Apple Watch Series 6, which Apple COO Jeff Williams said has a sensor fit for estimating the measure of oxygen in the client’s blood.

The most recent adaptation of the smartwatch is likewise 20% quicker than its ancestor, utilizing the processor in the iPhone 11, has

Minister Taro Aso and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi are required to return under Suga.After choosing his own Cabinet, Suga is relied upon to be chosen by the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors to fill in as Abe’s replacement after he reported his acquiescence a month ago because of medical problems.

Suga beat out previous guard

serve Shigeru Ishiba and previous unfamiliar pastor Fumio Kishida to head the Liberal Democratic Party prior this week.At 71, he will be the most established leader to get down to business since Kiichi Miyazawa in 1991. He is relied upon to carry on Abe’s financial strategy and will steerage a $2.2 trillion exertion to react to the COVID-19 pandemic.

a more splendid presentation and will go on special starting Friday beginning at $399. Apple will likewise dispatch a more affordable variant of the gadget on Friday with the $279 Apple Watch S. Lisa Jackson, Apple’s VP of condition, strategy and social activities, said chargers for both Apple Watches won’t be incorporated and should be bought independently, as a component of a push to improve natural maintainability.

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COVID’19 IN INDIA

(Data Chart & Photo by Indian Media)

BY: KRITIKA MATHUR SPECIAL INTERN EDITORIAL The cases of Coronavirus’19 continue to rise daily in India.

Although the Government has been implementing lockdowns throughout the country yet the numbers continue to rise. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have been one of the many who have been affected by this pandemic. India reported its first confirmed positive case on 30th January 2020 in the state of Kerala, ever since then the numbers have only gone high. Indian healthcare workers and Government officials have been extremely cautious and have continued to work hard to help the country during this difficult period.

Although the country does not have a very strong infrastructure and was not prepared economically or medically for a pandemic like COVID’19 it has still managed to do better than most countries. The Modi-ledgovernment has continuously tried to spreads awareness about the virus throughout the country and has urged to the citizens to quarantine themselves and not get out of there homes unless an emergency.While addressing the virtual housewarming ceremony of 1.75 lakh houses built in rural parts of the state under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). Modi said ,“Jab takdawainahi, tab takdhilainahi. Do gajkidoori, mask haijaroori (No carelessness till a medicine is found, mask and maintaining distance of two yards is

necessary),” It is safe to say that with the lack of unemployment in the country due to the nation - wide lockdown for two months has left the economy fractured and is a red flag and a hint for the government to reopen the economy earliest possible. Due to the lockdown not just, the economy was affected by education, religion, transport, sports, entertainment and many more fields have been left affected. Unfortunately, all of these things play a vital role in building up the economy which has been disturbed.

Trade with China has also been affected during this time and it aggravated due to the strained relationship between India and China which later caused violent interactions between the two.

Migrant workers had to walk thousand kilometers in order to reach their destinations because they had no other means to reach their native villages. Seeing the unfortunate circumstance, the government decided to set up immediate relief camps for these migrants.

The lockdown triggered a panic amongst the citizens causing them to either buy food in excess or not be able to buy anything. This created a shortage in the food supply that then turned to threaten the food security.

During this pandemic misinformation and discrimination also caused a lot of discomfort to the situation. A few patients, in various isolate offices of Uttar Pradesh, wouldn’t eat food on the grounds that the cooks in these offices were

editorial

Dalits.

The Tablighi Jamaat assembly in Delhi and the subsequent hotspot set off Islamophobic responses and expanded mutual pressure.

Islamophobic hashtags started flowing soon after the news broke in late March.

Another challenge that was faced was the availability of tests and hospital beds.

Initially India was not testing enough and that was solely because we did not have enough resources. Later the Government introduced Rapid Antigen Tests in Delhi before introducing it any other state. This helped them drastically they were able to test 20,000 people and before this they could only test 6,000 people. But again due to the huge amount of population that resides in this country we still do not have enough testing kits to test these people. According to an article in the Hindu PM Narendra Modi said “While the country had only one COVID-19 testing centre in January this year, there are almost 1,300 such labs now,” he said.

In conclusion, it is imperative at this point that we protect our lives and our livelihood.

India is working very hard to do so and eventually find a cure for this virus. Until then we should all stand united and follow the guidelines of

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UK-Japan trade deal offers boost to Welsh businesses

Welsh lamb, Conwy mussels and Anglesey sea salt are among 15 iconic Welsh products that could be protected in Japan for first time as part of the UK-Japan trade deal.

TL Bureau, London Welsh lamb, Conwy mussels and Anglesey sea salt are among 15 iconic Welsh products that could be protected in Japan for first time as part of the UK-Japan trade deal.

The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was agreed in principle by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Japan Foreign Minister on a video call this morning (Friday 11 September). It is the UK’s first major trade deal outside the EU. The deal secures additional benefits beyond the EU-Japan trade deal, including a way for Welsh products to be officially recognised. By increasing geographical indications (GIs) from just seven under the terms of the EU-Japan deal to potentially over 70 under the UKJapan agreement, this would lead

Bahrain welcomes Serbia’s decision classifying Hizbollah of Lebanon as a terrorist organization TL Bureau, Manama

Bahrain welcomed Serbia’s decision classifying Hizbollah of Lebanon as a terrorist organization, describing the move as a step in the right direction to enhance international and regional efforts to confront terrorist organizations which work to destabilize international security and peace.

Jordan Government Closes Schools, Mosques for Two Weeks Due to Covid-19 TL Bureau, Amman The Jordanian government announced today the closure of all schools, for two weeks, as part of a set of procedures to control the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

It also decided to close all mosques and churches, cafes and restaurants of all kinds, and popular markets.

Rhug Estate lamb to improved recognition of key UK brands in the Japanese market.

Products that could benefit from the new arrangements are: Welsh lamb, Anglesey sea salt, Carmarthen ham, Conwy mussels, Pembrokeshire early potatoes, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly, Traditional Welsh cider, Traditional Welsh perry, Vale of Clwyd Denbigh plum, Welsh laverbread, Welsh beef, Welsh regional wine, Welsh wine, West

Wales coracle caught salmon, West Wales coracle caught sewin.

Rhug Estates is one Welsh farm keen to export its Welsh lamb to Japan. One of the biggest organic farms in Wales, its commitment to farming methods which embrace the highest animal welfare standards has led to exporting success around the world, in countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE.

Nominations for Padma Awards-2021 open till 15th September, 2020

TL Bureau, New Delhi

The last date for online nominations/ recommendations for the Padma Awards to be announced on the occasion of Republic Day, 2021 is tomorrow (15th September, 2020).

The nominations/recommendations for Padma Awards will be received online only on the Padma Awards portal https://padmaawards.gov.in.

The Padma Awards, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, are amongst the highest civilian awards of the country. Instituted in 1954, these Awards are announced on the occasion of the Republic Day every year. The award seeks to recognize ‘work of distinction’ and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields/ disciplines, such as, Art, Literature and Education, Sports, Medicine, Social Work, Science and Engineering, Public Affairs, Civil Service, Trade and Industry etc. All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these Awards.

Government servants including those

working with PSUs, except Doctors and Scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards. The Government is committed to transform Padma Awards into “People’s Padma”. All citizens are therefore requested to make nominations/ recommendations including self-nomination. The nominations/recommendations should contain all relevant details specified in the format available on the above said Padma Portal, including a citation in narrative form (maximum 800 words), clearly bringing out the distinguished and exceptional achievements/service of the person recommended in her/ his respective field/discipline. The Ministry of Home Affairs has requested all Central Ministries/Departments, States/UT Governments, Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan awardees, Institutes of Excellence that concerted efforts may be made to identify talented persons whose excellence and achievements really deserve to be recognized from amongst women, weaker sections of the society, SCs & STs, divyang persons and who are doing selfless service to the society.

world

Public Session of the Biennial Review Under the United States-Singapore Memorandum

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Office of the Spokesperson The Governments of the United States and the Republic of Singapore will hold a biennial review under the Memorandum of Intent (MOI) between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Singapore on Cooperation in Environmental Matters on September 15, 2020.

The meeting’s virtual public session will be held on September 15, 2020, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. The U.S. Department of State invites interested organizations, the press, and members of the public to attend the virtual public session and submit written comments or suggestions in advance regarding

the implementation of the 20182019 Plan of Action, the approval at the meeting of the 2020-2021 Plan of Action, and other relevant topics. Information about this public session can be found at: U.S.-Singapore Biennial Review Federal Register Notice .

This public session allows members of the public to engage with government officials on the status of cooperative environmental activities. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary John Thompson from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and Second Deputy Secretary Eugene Leong from the Singapore Ministry of Sustainability and Environment will deliver opening remarks.

Jordan Condemns Houthi Militia’s Continued Targeting of Civilians in Saudi Arabia

TL Bureau, Amman

Jordan has condemned the Houthi militia’s continued targeting of civilians in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing its stand with Saudi Arabia in all steps taken to defend its security and stability.

The spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

Expatriate Ambassador Dhaifallah Al-Fayez stressed the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and for the Houthis to response to the United Nations efforts and initiatives to reach a political solution according to approved references to end the crisis and achieve security, stability and aspirations of the Yemeni people.

CBP’s Continued Enforcement Actions to Combat Forced Labor in China TL Bureau, Washington D.C. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State The Trump Administration has led the world in calling attention to the Chinese Communist Party’s egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we’ve taken action to back up our rhetoric.

Today, we continue this record as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five new Withhold Release Orders (WRO) for certain goods produced in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

WROs prevent goods from being imported into the United States when made with forced labor.

Upon issuing these WROs, CBP will detain shipments of goods produced in whole or in part

by forced labor or prison labor, preventing those goods from being imported into the United States, in line with U.S. customs laws. These orders demonstrate that the world will not stand for the PRC’s human rights abuses against Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, which include subjecting individuals to forced labor and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work.

The recently issued WROs focus on products including cotton, apparel, computer parts, and hair products. These actions send a clear message to the PRC that it is time to end its practice of state-sponsored forced labor and to respect the human rights of all people.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs lifts advice against travel to the United Kingdom The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided today to lift the advice against non-essential travel to the United Kingdom. The decision comes into force with immediate effect.

TL Bureau, Stockholm

The easing of restrictions that have applied to Swedish travellers has been taken into account in the assessment leading to the decision.

Sweden is now part of a group of countries that the UK deems to have a reduced COVID-19 risk. This means that Sweden is no longer included in the UK’s quarantine requirements.

In recent weeks, the Ministry for

Foreign Affairs has lifted the advice against non-essential travel to the majority of countries in Europe.

This does not mean that the situation is back to normal. Local rules, restrictions and quarantine requirements affecting Swedish travellers can be re-introduced at short notice if the situation changes.

A high degree of personal responsibility must be taken by travellers regardless of where they travel. Before travelling,

every traveller should prepare thoroughly, keep well informed about the entry rules that apply and follow the advice and instructions of local authorities when abroad.

Today’s decision The advice against non-essential travel to the United Kingdom is lifted as of 14 September 2020.

(In previous decisions, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs lifted the advice against non-essential travel to: Andorra, Austria, Belgium,

Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland and the Vatican City.)

For other countries in the EU, the EEA (European Economic Area) and the Schengen area[1], the Ministry for Foreign Affairs previously issued advice against

non-essential travel up to and including 23 September 2020.

This decision still applies.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs previously issued advice against non-essential travel to countries outside the EU/the EEA/the Schengen area up to and including 15 November 2020. This decision still applies.

[1] Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia.

4 Statement by the Prime Minister on the results of the provincial election in New Brunswick TL Bureau, Ottawa

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the results of the provincial election in New Brunswick: “New Brunswickers have chosen to elect a majority government led by the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate Blaine Higgs on his re-election as Premier.

“I look forward to working closely with the provincial government as we recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we will continue to safely restart the economy and lay the groundwork to keep New Brunswick communities strong and healthy. Through investments under the Safe Restart Agreement, continued partnership in the Atlantic Growth Strategy, and ongoing work on clean energy and electrification, we will build a more resilient economy in the province, and a Canada that is healthier and safer, cleaner and more competitive, and fairer and more inclusive.”

world

COVID-19 blog, 14 September: twenty-two new positive test results have been added in the past 24 hours TL Bureau, Tallinn

The last 24 hours have seen a total of 1,365 initial tests being analysed in Estonia in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19, with twenty-two new positive test results being added.

Based on the data in the population register, the highest number of new positive test results came from Harju County, where twelve further individuals were found to have been infected. Three new positive coronavirus test results were added from Ida-Viru County, three from Võru County, and one from Tartu County. On three occasions, the places of residence of the individuals who tested positive were not specified in the population register.

One of the twelve new cases from Harju County (eleven of which were from Tallinn) which were added in the past 24 hours was brought in from Poland. In two cases, the individuals who tested positive were close contacts of previous cases. The circumstances surrounding the remaining cases are still being investigated.

Four of the new cases which were added in the period between 1213 September were brought in from abroad (from Hungary, Italy,

Meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

and Moldova). In four cases the individuals who tested positive were close contacts of people who had already fallen ill, and on further two occasions, the infection may have been caught on public transport.

Yesterday’s new cases included a pupil from the Tallinn Central Russian Gymnasium. The Health Board has advised the school, and close contacts of the pupil who fell ill are now self-isolating.

The Health Board’s northern regional department is monitoring six active outbreaks, of which the Nõmme Kalju outbreak involves seventeen infection cases (one further player has been added to the count who was not included in previous totals), while the ‘Viimsepäeva katedraal’ club event which took place on 21 August involves ten cases, the Gourmet Coffee outbreak twenty-two cases, and the music event outbreak seven cases. A further eight cases in total are connected to an outbreak that involved catching the virus in the workplace. The Tallinn Männi kindergarten outbreak involves eight cases in total, of whom four are children and four are adults.

The Health Board’s northern regional department is monitoring 1,062 people in connection with the spread of coronavirus, of whom

191 have fallen ill.

Three new cases were added from Ida-Viru County. In one case, infection took place at work. The circumstances surrounding the remaining cases are still being investigated. There are six active outbreaks in total within the regional department’s area of operations, of which the largest is what is being termed the Estonia Mine outbreak with fifty-seven cases (involving thirty-one employees and twenty-six close contacts of those employees).

There are sixteen cases that are connected to the coronavirus outbreak which originated in the United Kingdom, nine that can be linked to the Ojamaa Mine outbreak, and five to the Viru Prison outbreak.

As of this morning, the Kohtla-Järve workplace outbreak covers nine cases (involving six employees and three family members of those employees). The Sillamäe workplace outbreak involves eleven cases (involving six employees and five family members). The Health Board’s eastern regional department is monitoring a total of 367 people, of whom sixty-nine have fallen ill.

The new cases from Võru County and Tartu County were family members and work-related contacts of individuals who had already tested positive. As of this

morning, there are six outbreaks in total in the southern region, of which one involves an outbreak within the family circle (covering six individuals), another a birthday party in Võru (involving twenty individuals, of whom one is being monitored by the western regional department), and then there is the Italian trip outbreak (involving nine individuals, of whom five are being monitored by the western regional department), the student outbreak (involving five individuals), and the Orava outbreak (involving six individuals from Võru County and Tartu County). The Health Board’s southern regional department is monitoring 354 people in connection with the spread of SARS-CoV-2, of whom forty-three have fallen ill.

The western regional department is monitoring thirty-seven individuals, of whom eight have fallen ill. The Health Board would like to caution people of the fact that, as ‘close contact’ refers to a situation in which individuals remain within two metres of one another for a period of at least fifteen minutes, attending a gathering when you are ill is a certain way of infecting your friends. At gatherings people often spend several hours together in an enclosed space, speaking loudly at each other.

cases. Nearly 60% of the total cases are being contributed by five States viz. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. 1,136 deaths have been logged in the past 24 hours. Of the new deaths, nearly

53% are concentrated in three States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. These are followed by Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. More than 36% of deaths reported yesterday are from Maharashtra (416 deaths).

On a steep rising curve, India’s Recovery Rate touches 78%

TL Bureau, New Delhi

TL Bureau, Moscow Vladimir Putin met with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, who arrived in Russia on a working visit, at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi.

High temperatures forecast for parts of England prompts heat-health warning TL Bureau, London

With high temperatures forecast for London, the Southeast of England and the East of England, Public Health England (PHE) has asked people to remember to check up on those who are vulnerable in hot weather. Over the next few days, temperatures in parts of the affected regions could reach close

to 31°C. Older people who live alone, those self-isolating and people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk in spells of hot weather.

India’s journey of a fast growing Recovery Rate has crossed a milestone today. On a continuous upward trajectory, the Recovery Rate has touched 78.00% reflecting the increasing number of high recoveries per day.

77,512 patients have been discharged in the last 24 hours. The total recovered cases are 37,80,107.

The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases is consistently increasing. This has touched nearly 28 lakh today (27,93,509).

The total number of active cases in the country stands at 9,86,598 as on date.

More than 60% of the Active Cases are concentrated in 5 States viz Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These States are also reporting 60% of the total recovered cases. 92,071 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. Maharashtra continues to contribute a high number. In the last 24 hours it has reported more than 22,000 new cases. Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 9,800 new

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SOUTH AFRICA

Health focuses on immunity,

seroprevalence as COVID-19 cases decline

TL Bureau, Cape Town

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, says the department is currently conducting a national seroprevalence study, which should unveil the actual seroprevalence of Coronavirus antibodies and status of national immunity.

“South Africa has seen the surge receding and thus raises the question of the level of immunity that may already be existing in society,” Mkhize said in a statement on Monday.

According to the model of COVID-19, the initial seroprevalence studies from convenience samples have shown seroprevalence of between 29% and 40%.

“Interestingly, the revised models currently predict that there are probably about 12 million South Africans in total - detected and undetected - infected with Coronavirus. This translates to about 20% of the population,” said Mkhize.

There are now 650 749 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 15 499 deaths since the outbreak in March 2020, after 52 more people lost their lives on Monday. However, Mkhize said the number of detected cases countrywide continues to be on a downward spiral since 22 August 2020, when the country reported under 3 000 cases. This was down from between 10 000 and 15 000 cases a day at the peak of the pandemic in July. Patients under investigation, general ward admissions, ICU admissions, deaths and excess deaths are on the decline, the department said. “Consistency across these indicators reassures us that indeed, we are in the midst of a trough in the pandemic.”

The latest report released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) also indicated that the discharge rate from the hospital was 75%, while the in-hospital case fatality ratio was 17.5%. “At the height of the epidemic, these sample hospitals were reporting between

President Ramaphosa to chair PCC, NEDLAC meetings

TL Bureau, Cape Town

President Cyril Ramaphosa will today chair two virtual meetings that will deliberate on the country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the economic recovery plan.The first virtual meeting the President will chair is the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC). The council is co-chaired by the President and the Deputy President, and brings together Ministers, Premiers and leadership of the South African Local Government Association.

The meeting is expected to deliberate on a report from the National Coronavirus Command

Council on the country’s response to the pandemic.

The second virtual meeting that the President will chair is the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) meeting.

The meeting will discuss progress towards the finalisation of a national economic recovery plan.

This is a follow-up to a meeting convened by the President on 13 August 2020, where social partners tabled proposals. The social partners - government, business, labour and community - have been meeting over the last few weeks to develop a common approach to rebuilding the economy in the wake of the pandemic.

UK government donates to SA’s Solidarity Fund

TL Bureau, Cape Town

The South African government has received a donation of R50 million from the United Kingdom (UK), which will be channelled towards projects supporting and promoting women’s empowerment.

International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Alvin Botes received the monetary donation and participated in a signing ceremony with the UK government on Monday. The donation is aimed at extending the Solidarity Fund’s ongoing efforts to counter the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

in South Africa, with a particular focus on women’s empowerment.

The British High Commission has identified programmes responding to gender-based violence and women’s economic empowerment, small and medium enterprises. The funding will be deployed to support two existing humanitarian pillar projects, namely the second intervention in genderbased violence support and farming input vouchers.

“We are elated the Solidarity Fund recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has bestowed an additional burden on the marginalised women of South Africa.

6 400 and 6 8 00 admissions per week,” said Mkhize.

Critical needs demands drop South Africa has benefited significantly from the contributions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) surge team.

The WHO surge team’s situational report confirms the decline as reported by NICD. The report showed a 42% decline of detected cases in the preceding two weeks and a 28.9% decline in deaths in the same period.

“Admission to critical care wards increased by 13.9% during this epidemic week but conversely, admissions into general wards decreased by 43% in the same period,” the department said.

Bed occupancy and oxygen demand are also falling.

Mkhize said the percentage of beds currently occupied by COVID-19 patients nationally is under 10% for non-ICU beds and under 30% for ICU beds.

The department has also increased the acquisition of ventilators, with 5 444 procured (some having been

received through donations).

Mkhize said 2 848 ventilators are currently awaiting delivery.

Meanwhile, 20 000 ventilators are still expected to be produced through the National Ventilator Project. “We also have reports from Afrox indicating that oxygen demand has decreased nationally in the past few weeks,” said the Minister.

Healthcare workers Mkhize said his department is determined to protect frontline workers, who remain of paramount importance.

“We reiterate: no personal protective equipment (PPE), no work!” As of 11 September, 32 429 healthcare workers had contracted Coronavirus, while 257 succumbed to the deadly virus. KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of deaths at 69, followed by the Eastern Cape with 66, Gauteng 37 and Free State 23. The Minister said he was pleased that Occupational Health and Safety Committees (OHS) are now established in

3 849 public health facilities, where union members will also be represented. “This will assist in constant monitoring of issues affecting health workers, including where there is a shortage of PPE,” said Mkhize.

Auditor-General report The Minister noted with concern the findings of the AuditorGeneral (AG), which cast the spotlight on the deficiencies and non-compliance with PPE procurement processes, insufficient controls to ensure receipt and payments of PPE, and the level of quality of PPE. The AG also highlighted the delays in the delivery of the protective gear, as well as evidence of price gouging and failure to procure them at market value.

“This cannot be accepted. This must be condemned. Once all the investigations have been concluded, there must be consequence management for any officials that may be implicated in wrongdoing and/or irregularity,” Mkhize said.

TL Bureau, Cape Town

The four males and three females were arrested in a joint operation by the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch in Gauteng together with the South African Police Services (SAPS), Home Affairs and the Hawks Unit.

The seven accused first filed for bail in November last year following their arrest. The bail was initially was denied on 20 March 2020. The defence then decided to lodge a second bail attempt on new facts, and on 25 May 2020, the Magistrate ruled that there were grounds for the defence to apply for second bail.

The prosecution had earlier dismissed the submission by defence of a second bail attempt as the “reshuffling of old arguments as new facts”.

On 24 June 2020, the court granted bail with strict endorsements to the seven in the long-drawn bail hearing.

Tsao, a naturalised South African was on Monday granted R70 000 bail with conditions to leave his place of resident only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Hui, who is the second accused and has a previous conviction was granted R55 000 bail,

while the rest of the accused were granted R30 000 bail each with strict conditions attached to their movements.

Accused two to seven are expected to stay at the place of resident of Tsao and they are not allowed any movement beyond their complex.

They are only allowed movement out of their premises only to sign at the Cleveland Police Station between 6am and 6pm, and when they attend to court proceedings.

The accused will face charges ranging from human trafficking, violation of Immigration Act, debt bondage, kidnapping and the pointing of a firearm.

“The Department of Employment and Labour has since joined in the matter to press for the prosecution of the accused for violating South Africa’s labour laws.

“Prosecutor Advocate Dube [on Monday] served the accused with an indictment.

Magistrate Molwana has transferred the matter to be heard at the Johannesburg High Court,” said the Department of Employment and Labour in a statement.

The accused are expected to reappear in court on 16 October 2020.

Human trafficking accused appear in court The Johannesburg Magistrates Court has granted amendments to bail conditions to accused number one and denied bail amendments to accused number six of seven Chinese nationals arrested for alleged human trafficking and the violation of South Africa’s labour laws.

Delivering a ruling in the application for amendments of bail conditions on Monday, Magistrate Basimane Molwana granted Kevin Tsao the right to fulfil his business obligations during the week.

The magistrate also granted him permission to leave his residential complex without hindrance save for signing at a police station three times a week.

However, the other accused Dai Junying was denied amendments to her bail conditions because she failed to submit corroborative evidence.

Tsao and Junying were part of a septet of Chinese nationals arrested on 12 November 2019 for alleged human trafficking and violation of South Africa’s labour laws.

The other accused are Chen Hui, Qin Li, Jiaqing Zhou, Ma Biao, and Zhang Zhilian.

6

7

BUSINESS

IFC Updates CAFI Platform to Help Financial Institutions Measure Climate Impact

TL Bureau, Washington D.C

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has updated its first-ofa-kind online climate impact measurement platform to make it easier for financial institutions to assess the climate eligibility of their investments and estimate the development impact of their climate-related activities.

Version 2.1 of the Climate Assessment for Financial Institutions (CAFI) platform provides users with new insights through rich graphics, enhanced climate metrics, and improved key performance indicators.

Users in low-bandwidth countries will benefit from a new “CAFI Lite” feature. The platform incorporates feedback from IFC’s industry experts and the broader community of financial institutions.

Today, 120 financial institutions have access to CAFI, with $5.8 billion of climate disbursed loans reported through the platform. The resulting impact captured through CAFI is an annual reduction of 12.1 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, 26.2 GWh of

renewable energy generated, 1.1 million square meters of green area built, and 1.7 million cubic meters of water saved.

“Impact investing can grow when investors seek companies that apply best-practice impact measurement platforms like CAFI,” said Paulo de Bolle, Global Director of IFC’s Financial Institutions Group. “By providing CAFI to market players within the financial services industry, IFC is able to set new standards and educate stakeholders on impact disclosure.”

CAFI will continue to grow and evolve with the climate finance sector. It will be updated to ensure its climate metrics and eligibility criteria stay in line with IFC’s Definitions for ClimateRelated Activities and IFC’s GHG Reduction Accounting Guidance for Climate-Related Projects.

CAFI is available beyond IFC’s client base. Anyone who invests at scale in climate friendly projects— multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, banks, fund managers—may access the platform, which is available here.

UK increases Export Finance country limit for Pakistan The UK’s credit financing agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has increased its financing limit for UK businesses looking to export to and invest in Pakistan to £1.5 billion.

TL Bureau, London

This announcement will boost trade partnerships between the two countries and unleash Pakistan’s growth potential. UKEF helps secure large contracts by providing attractive financing terms to buyers and supporting working capital loans.

The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner met with the Federal Minister of Commerce for Pakistan Razaq Dawood today to discuss trade ties and business potential between the two countries. The Commerce Minister welcomed the UKEF’s announcement of an increase of £500 million in the credit limit for business investment in Pakistan, especially at a time when Pakistan is looking to expand its trade potential to mitigate the impacts of COVID19.

The British High Commissioner,

Dr Christian Turner said; UK credit financing for Pakistan has tripled in the last two years, and is key to achieving my ambition to double the trade between the UK and Pakistan.

It is a sign of our confidence in Pakistan and the strength of the unique relationship between the two countries. I encourage all Pakistan businesses to look

for opportunities to partner with the UK on their journey towards economic prosperity.

The UK is Pakistan’s third largest export partner. Between July 2019 and March 2020 Pakistan exported 7% of its total exports to the UK, and the increase in the credit financing limit will help turbocharge trade relations between the two countries.

TL Bureau, Parramatta

A firm Australian dollar underpinned by the high price of iron ore means Australia is no longer one of the cheapest countries in the world to buy an Apple iPhone 11 64GB, according to the latest CommSec iPhone Index.

Sberbank obtains approval from regulator Australia ranks 18th on ‘cheapest tech’ list ralia ranks in Russia and from Abu Dhabi Global 18th on ‘cheapest tech’ list Market to open office in Abu Dhabi

TL Bureau, Moscow

Sberbank has received regulatory approval in Russia and in-principle approval from Abu Dhabi Global Market to open an office in the United Arab Emirates. Before the end of the year, Sberinvest Middle East Limited expects to obtain its final authorisation from the Financial Servcies Regulatory Authority, the ADGM regulator and open an office in Abu Dhabi.

The company will continue its strategy of strengthening ties between Russia and the Middle East and will serve as another link between Russian businesses and investors from the region.

The primary objective of Sberbank’s subsidiary in Abu Dhabi is to become a key partner in investment deals between Russian and Middle Eastern investors.

The company is also set to have a fully licensed Islamic window, which will allow the structuring of investment products in accordance with the principles of Shariah. The bank already uses Islamic banking instruments in structuring trade and project finance deals.

On top of that, Sberinvest

Middle East Limited expects to engage in trade finance of Russian exports to Middle Eastern countries, and also to promote the services of Sberbank ecosystem companies in these countries.

Oleg Ganeev, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank, Chairman of the Board of Sberinvest Middle East: “ Last week we obtained an in-principle approval from the local regulator to open Sberinvest Middle East Limited, which followed an approval from the Russian watchdog. We have been closely monitoring how the UAE has been evolving and transforming into an international business hub connecting the East and the West. The result of this is a new office of the Sberbank Group in Abu Dhabi. A physical presence in the region will position us to directly promote partnerships with Middle Eastern investors for their projects in Russia, as well as the export of Russian products to the Middle Eastern countries. We also have big plans toexport Russian food products to the Gulf states and to develop traditional Islamic finance products through the

expertise of the Sberinvest Middle East team.”

Andrei Ugarov has been appointed as the CEO of Sberinvest Middle East Limited. He has extensive entrepreneurial and business development experience in the Middle East and Africa in multiple disciplines, including equity capital raisings, mergers & acquisitions and principal investments. Andrei is fluent in six languages including Arabic and Russian. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from the Wharton School.

Chief Islamic Finance Officer of at Sberinvest Middle East Limited will be Behnam Gurbanzada who established from scratch and currently heads Sberbank’s Islamic Financing business in Russia. Behnam is fluent in four languages, including Turkish. He graduated from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and holds an MBA from the Moscow International Business school MIRBIS. Sberinvest Middle East Limited is a subsidiary of Sberbank Investments LLC, which is part of Sberbank’s Corporate and Investment Business Unit.

With Apple about to release new models of the iPhone, as well as new versions of the iPad and Apple Watch, all eyes are on local pricing of technology and must-have devices. The CommSec iPhone Index released today ranks Australia as the 18th cheapest place to buy an iPhone 11 64GB in US dollar terms. The Index, which looks at 51 nations across the globe, also found that Australia is the 16th cheapest country in the world to buy an iPad Pro 11 inch 128GB in US dollar terms.

In 2019, Australia ranked as the fourth cheapest place to buy an iPhone and the third cheapest country in the world to purchase an iPad. “Last year the Aussie

dollar was near US68-69 cents and today it is closer to US72-73 cents.

That has meant that Australia has slipped down the global leaderboard of US dollar pricing of the latest Apple devices,” CommSec Chief Economist Craig James said.

IFC and MBA work to improve access to funding for micro, small and medium enterprises through developing value chain finance in Mongolia TL Bureau, Ulaanbaatar

A new agreement between IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA) will help improve access to funding for 200,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) cumulatively over the next 5 years by developing a vibrant market for value chain finance in Mongolia. Access to

finance is a challenge faced by many Mongolian MSMEs, which struggle to obtain bank loans to sustain and expand their operations, as they do not own land or buildings that financial institutions generally seek as collateral. Value chain financing (VCF) is an innovative way to unlock additional funding for MSMEs as it allows them to leverage the higher credit standing of a larger buyer or seller to borrow from financial institutions.

8

FEATURE

Medical Teams Bring Tuberculosis Treatment to Patients’ Doors in Aftermath of Beirut Explosions

TL Bureau, Beirut

When two explosions rocked the Port of Beirut on 4 August, Hamido had one immediate concern: what had happened to the medicine that was helping him defeat his tuberculosis (TB) infection and would he be able to continue his treatment at the clinic?

The health centre in the Beirut neighbourhood of Karantina that he relied on for treatment and the warehouse that stored his medicine were heavily damaged by the blast. Glass was shattered throughout the building, doors flew off and equipment was destroyed.

Any interruption to his treatment, he knew, would compromise his body’s ability to fight off the bacteria and overcome tuberculosis, which had left him sick for the past two months.

Staff of the clinic – run through a joint initiative between the International Organization for Migration and Lebanon’s Ministry of Health – quickly came together to save and transport the medicine from the warehouse.

In the following days, staff and other volunteers came from as far as Bekaa Valley to help clean up the damaged centre. They then came together to find new ways to adapt the clinic-based services and outreach into a more mobile response. “The first thing we did after cleaning up the centre was to meet with all the staff on the premises and figure out a way to continue serving our patients.

This was a relief for all of us, we could remind ourselves that life continues,” said Dr Nada Najem, an IOM doctor who

oversees the joint programme.

Established in 2015, the Middle East Response (MER) provides Lebanese people, migrants and refugees free testing and treatment for TB and HIV in nine health centres across the country. Currently, 750 people are receiving support for TB services.

Staff have started referring those needing tests to the nearest health facility for a chest X-ray. Teams then go to the patient’s home to

take a sputum sample and deliver it to a laboratory for analysis.

For patients who need to start or continue their treatment, health teams scaled up home-based care plans – a modality that began months before the explosion to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. All patients who used to have to go frequently to the health centre for their TB treatment started receiving the medicine directly at home.

“We should not forget that the

blast happened in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Already our medical and health partners were becoming more concerned about the impact of the disease on TB patients. If they get infected, it is much worse for them,” said Dr. Najem.

“Ensuring people can continue their treatment is crucial so that the bacteria does not develop resistance to the medicine, weaken people’s immune system and disrupt the body’s ability to overcome the disease,” she added.

The approach was appreciated by patients like Hamido.

“I was so relieved to learn that people would be coming to my home to bring me my medicine,” he said.

Health workers are accompanied by community health volunteers – members of diverse communities who are attuned to the cultural backgrounds and sensitivities of each patient. Most of the volunteers have themselves recovered from TB through the programme. Yacoub is one of dozens of community health volunteers working with Syrian and Sudanese patients. Originally from Sudan, he came to Lebanon to work as a cleaner. A few years ago, he contracted TB and was treated at the clinic. “I’m able to help them because I understand their culture and I understand what it means to be sick with TB. When I tell them why they need to take their medication and listen to the doctor, they trust us.

It’s easier for us to communicate with patients who are migrants and refugees,” said Yacoub.

“I went on medication for two months while I stayed isolated away from others. My sister and

in Lesvos, more sustainable solutions are needed,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. This can be achieved through a stronger relocation system and a concrete show of solidarity from European States. We need more relocation commitments in these trying times while the EU establishes a more predictable and effective system based on responsibility sharing,” the IOM Director General added. IOM has reinforced its presence on Lesvos to respond to the needs of thousands of people left on the streets, including an estimated 4,000 children.

Through EU-funded projects, IOM is also supporting efforts

by Greek authorities to provide temporary accommodation facilities as well as mobile storage units and other technical equipment.

Due to the exceptional coordination efforts of IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF—and with the financial support of the EU--over 400 unaccompanied children were moved from the island to the mainland within 24 hours of the blaze in anticipation of their relocation to other European States. IOM, in coordination with the Greek government, receiving EU Member States, the European Commission, UNHCR, UNICEF and the European Asylum Support

Office, has also facilitated the relocation of over 600 unaccompanied children and other vulnerable people to six other EU countries this year.

“There are many other children and families in need of this lifeline, and we urge more states to come forward and support ongoing efforts to decongest the islands and assist Greece,” added Mr Vitorino “The situation on the island remains tense. We understand the frustration of migrants and refugees who found themselves on the street overnight, as well as the challenges faced by local communities and the Greek Government.”

Over the weekend, thousands

children also tested positive for TB but theirs is latent. We are all thankfully now on medication.

Now I must be very careful not to go out or spread it to others,” said Hamido.

This is no small challenge. He shares a bedroom with two children and his sister who lives with a disability.

“Most TB patients come from less privileged backgrounds.

They live in overcrowded homes – sometimes with two or three families in one room – where the hygiene situation is inadequate. Some are living in unfinished buildings. These conditions put people at a really high risk of contracting and spreading diseases like TB and COVID-19,” said Dr Najem.

These living conditions are far too common for migrants in Lebanon. The economic crisis exacerbated by COVID-19, and now the blast, have left thousands of migrants without jobs or homes.

Many have no choice but to live in closed quarters with others.

Those who recently came from countries with higher TB rates are at an even higher risk.

Bizualme, a 21-year-old Ethiopian migrant, had been working as a cleaner in Lebanon until the economic crisis took hold last October. Since then, she’s been unable to find stable work. “A nice woman found me sleeping on the streets when I didn’t have a place to live and knew no one in Beirut,” said Bizualme who currently shares a bedroom with a friend and her friend’s child.

“She took me in and now sometimes I stay with her or I move to stay with other friends.”

of migrants and refugees took to the streets protesting the current situation, which was met with a strong response from the Greek authorities.

“We appeal to all parties to show restraint to protect people from harm and avoid further complicating an already difficult situation,” said the Director General.

The Moria center was built to host some 3,000 people but was overwhelmed by the number of migrants and refugees reaching four times its intended capacity.

The facility suffered fires and unrest in the past before it was placed under quarantine after at least 35 migrants tested positive for COVID-19.

More Solidarity from European States Needed to Address the Situation in Lesvos, Greece You are here

TL Bureau, Lesvos

Over 12,000 migrants and refugees were left homeless by the tragic fire at the Moria Reception and Identification Center (RIC) in Lesvos last week (8/09)).

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling on European states and the EU to take a twin track approach, urgently supporting the immediate shelter and care for the displaced migrants and refugees while setting up longer-term solutions rooted in European solidarity.

“While the priority right now is to address the immediate needs of migrants and refugees

9

life and real estate

225 projects for a sustainable future by young architects and designers

TL Bureau, Copenhagen Climate. Health. Democracy.

Sustainability. 225 recent graduates of KADK present their vision for how architects and designers can address the challenges facing the world focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Architects and designers play a key role in terms of reducing the carbon emissions generated by construction processes and our consumption of clothing, for example. KADK’s graduate show, with its proud traditions, has just opened. We have developed a brand-new exhibition format to overcome the obstacles posed by the COVID-19 situation.

“The projects show that our students are adept designers, as well as radically creative and concrete thinkers when it comes to taking on the biggest challenges facing society. Since 2016, KADK has been deeply involved in determining how design and architecture can help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and, while major challenges still exist at the global level, we are really proud of all the creativity and innovation that is awakened here at our institution. In addition to their high artistic calibre, this year’s projects are far-sighted and responsible,” says Lene Dammand Lund, the Rector of KADK. How do we cool our cities sustainably? How can we incorporate carbon-neutral materials into our construction processes? And how is it possible for design solutions to improve public health for the benefit of individuals and society in general? More than ever before, this year’s graduates have embraced the challenge of creating innovative, specific proposals for construction and design in a future of scarce resources.

Through her project ‘Bioscaffolds for Urban Greening’, architect Ruxandra-Stefania Chiujdea tackles the problem of rising temperatures in our cities. When buildings become unbearably hot to be in, we will start using lots of energy to cool them. This is a costly, polluting solution. With this in

The leading Academy of architecture and design in Scandinavia - The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK) demonstrates how architecture and design can contribute with huge innovation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. More than 225 projects are on display in the digital graduate show SOLUTIONS.

mind, the architect has created individually adapted facades of vegetation to keep heat away from the city’s multi-storey buildings. The facades are frames that have been 3D printed in a biodegradable material and serve as the plants’ growth medium. She is just one of many graduates who are innovatively addressing the climate crisis. Architect Agnes Josefin Hekla imagined a future of food shortages in

urban areas and developed the project ‘Green Structures of Copenhagen’, in which she proposes a horticulture landscape built across city rooftops and car parks. As it is based on data on the size of urban areas and consumption statistics, the technically wellthought-through project has the potential to turn Copenhagen into a self-sufficient agricultural region. Designer Monica Louise Hartvigsen is

responsible for the project ‘Bacterial Dye – the pigment of the future’. She demonstrates how it is possible use bacteria (rather than chemicals) to dye textiles in deep, bright colours equivalent to the synthetic dyes we know today.

The source of inspiration for developing the technology was bacteria research conducted at the Technical University of Denmark. Her method uses less water than conventional

dyeing and can be scaled up for industrial use. Several other design school graduates have created health-promoting projects, such as Alexandra Rendtorff and Amalie Gielov’s ‘Healing Product Design in a Neonatal Context’, a piece of nurturing and caring furniture that enables a premature infant to bond with its mother, rather than having to spend its first weeks or months in an incubator.

10

SPORTS

THE NFL CELEBRATES ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY THURSDAY NIGHT PREVIEW: CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS

TL Bureau, California

Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season gets underway on Thursday, September 17 (8:20 PM ET, NFL Network) as the Cleveland Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals in a celebration of the league’s 100th birthday.

On August 20, 1920, RALPH HAY, the owner of the Canton Bulldogs, hosted a meeting at his Canton auto showroom to discuss the formation of a league – originally called the American Professional Football Association – with three other Ohio teams: the Dayton Triangles, Cleveland Indians and Akron Pros. At a second meeting held at the showroom on September 17, 1920, Pro Football Hall of Famer GEORGE HALAS, representing the Decatur Staleys

(who became the CHICAGO BE​ARS in 1922), modeled a league-above-team perspective that shaped the genesis and longevity of the NFL for years to come.​​The Week 2 matchup features the NFL’s two current Ohio teams, a tribute to the birthplace of the NFL in nearby Canton. Thursday’s game will be number 15,771 since the first kickoff in 1920, with the league featuring 78 franchises and 60 cities through its first century.

Specifically, this will be the 94th meeting between Cleveland and Cincinnati, with the Bengals holding a 51-42 advantage in the series. Last week, Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, became the second rookie quarterback in franchise history to start Week 1 (ANDY DALTON

in 2011). At least one rookie quarterback has started in Week 1 in 13 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950. In his debut, Burrow passed for 193 yards and rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati’s Week 1 loss, becoming the second quarterback to rush for at least 40 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut since 1970 (KEVIN HOGAN in 2016).

Running back JOE MIXON totaled at least 175 yards and a rushing touchdown in both games against Cleveland last season and has 592 scrimmage yards (148 per game) in his past four games against the division.

Wide receiver A.J. GREEN led the team with five catches for 51 yards last week after missing the 2019 season due to injury.

His 8,958 career receiving yards

FIBA and Schelde Sports net four year partnership agreement

TL Bureau, MIES

FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has announced Schelde Sports has been appointed a FIBA Global Supplier for backstop units until 2024. This global long term, multi-event partnership will cover FIBA’s top-level international competitions, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, FIBA Eurobasket 2022, and the Paris 2024 Basketball Olympic Tournaments.

ABEO-owned Schelde Sports has had a long-standing and highly successful collaboration with FIBA since 2014, having provided the backstop units for leading competitions such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 and the FIBA EuroBasket 2015, the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and most recently, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. Schelde Sports will be supplying the backstops for the Tokyo Olympic Games, which now will take place in 2021. Furthermore, Schelde Sports has served as the official global backstop supplier for FIBA’s 3x3 since 2013.

During the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, Schelde Sports supplied, installed and maintained 48 Super Sam 325 PRO backstop units, divided over the eight host cities for both competition and training courts. Each basketball unit was branded in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 colors with a unique design.

Andreas Zagklis, FIBA Secretary General said: “FIBA places great importance on long-term partnerships and we are pleased

rank as the fourth-most in the league since 2011. Defensive end CARLOS DUNLAP had 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble against Cleveland in their Week 17 meeting last season and his 12.5 career sacks against the Browns are his most vs. any opponent. Dunlap (81.5 career sacks) and defensive tackle GENO ATKINS (75.5) are the only pair of active teammates in the NFL each with at least 75 career sacks.

In four career games against the Bengals, Cleveland quarterback BAKER MAYFIELD has a 100.5 rating and 11 touchdowns (ten passing, one rushing), his most touchdown passes vs. any opponent. Running back NICK CHUBB, who led the AFC with 1,772 scrimmage yards in 2019, has recorded at least 115 scrimmage yards in three of four

career games vs. the Bengals.

Running back KAREEM HUNT led the team with 72 rushing yards in the Browns’ Week 1 loss and he has four touchdowns in three career games against Cincinnati. In three career games onThursday Night Football, Hunt has 421 scrimmage yards (140.3 per game) and three touchdowns. Wide receivers JARVIS LANDRY (1,174 receiving yards) and ODELL BECHHAM JR. (1,035) were one of six pairs of teammates each with at least 1,000 receiving yards last season. Thursday’s contest marks the first of seven games exclusively televised on NFL Network this season and will be produced by FOX. The game will feature Joe Buck, Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink on the call.

Netball Queensland partners with Brisbane City Council

Brisbane to host 2020 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final

TL Bureau, Brisbane

to announce a new agreement with Schelde Sports, particularly after the great collaboration we had with them at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019. Schelde Sports is globally renowned for its

distribution excellence and we are delighted to continue to provide our players with these state of the art backstop units at numerous FIBA flagship events, as well as the Olympic Games.”

Netball Queensland is proud to announce a new partnership with the Brisbane City Council, which will see the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final staged in Brisbane.

The partnership has helped transform Brisbane’s Nissan Arena into the new home of the world’s premier netball competition, Suncorp Super Netball, assisting in the delivery of more than 30 games this season.

The support of Brisbane City Council has also helped secure hosting rights for the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final at Nissan Arena, with details to be announced by the League today.

Netball Queensland CEO, Catherine Clark, said the partnership was a shining example of the collaborative thinking necessary in the current environment.

“This season has been unlike any we’ve experienced and Brisbane’s ability to adapt and establish itself as a safe and engaging epicentre for netball is testament to innovative partnerships like this,” Clark

said.

“To bring all six interstate clubs into the hub and maintain their wellbeing, while also showcasing our beautiful city, would not have been possible without the support of Brisbane City Council.”

“We look forward to continuing our work with Council in order to ensure the legacy of this season continues to inspire generations of netballers to come.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, said hosting the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season and Grand Final cemented Brisbane as the nation’s sporting capital.

“In what has been a historic year, our city has secured the AFL Grand Final and now we’ve been treated to more than 30 Super Netball games, which is great for the local economy and for fans who have missed watching live sport during the coronavirus lockdown,” Cr Schrinner said.

“These events are an opportunity to support our economic recovery but also boost community spirits and promotes women’s sport.”

Details for the Suncorp Super Netball finals series will be announced by the league in the coming hours.

11

tech/auto

BUGATTI CAMPOGALLIANO – 30 YEARS OF FABBRICA BLU

A torch hung in front of the radiator of the first car. A symbol of rebirth. When on 15 September 1990 exactly 77 pre-war Bugatti cars drove from Molsheim to Campogalliano, it was more than just an excursion. It marked a new beginning for the legendary brand – as well as the 109th birthday of Ettore Bugatti. With the opening of the Fabbrica Blu (Blue Factory) in the Italian town of Campogalliano, the first Bugatti in 30 years was produced once more, the EB 110. On Sunday, Bugatti enthusiasts gathered near Modena to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary.

TL Bureau, Molsheim Also in attendance was Romano Artioli, former owner, designer of the factory and creator of the EB 110.

It was he who in 1987 acquired the Bugatti name rights and developed the car in Campogalliano after a considerable amount of planning.

With the aim of being able to acquire qualified employees more easily, he set out to find a site in the vicinity of Italy’s super sports car brands – and found what he was looking for in the area west of Modena.

Architect Giampaolo Benedini designed an elegant production site, as technologically state-of-the-art, modern and avant-garde as Bugatti cars themselves. The car factory, at that time the most modern in the world, was built for around 200 employees on a site covering 240,000 square metres. The site comprised the headquarters building with a design studio, the engine and test development area, production halls, a test track, a restaurant for hosting guests and a showroom for displaying the cars.

To this day, the blue building of the development department continues to symbolise the beating heart of the factory. Architect Giampaolo Benedini created light-flooded rooms inside a large hall with radii instead of edges. When the employees moved in, the walls gleamed in bright Bugatti blue and blossom white, some rooms featured Carrara marble floors, and the foyer floor was laid with mosaics. The engineers and developers worked in fully glazed buildings. The blinds of the round building with its glass facade adjusted automatically to the daylight. EB emblems adorned many of the buildings both inside and out. Giampaolo Benedini had designed a lasting monument to the automobile.

Factory sets standards “The Blue Factory set standards in the automotive industry at that time; it was more of a manufactory than an industrial plant. Romano Artioli had a feel for innovation, but was always conscious of the French history and significance of Bugatti,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. Artioli incorporated an antique wooden door from the earlier factory in Molsheim into the new building. This was the door that Ettore Bugatti once walked through.

The foyer featured original drawings

by Ettore Bugatti, French flags and

a Type 35. The hall ceiling of one of the rooms was based on the wheel of the Type 59.

After three years of construction, the factory was officially opened on 15 September 1990. One year later, in 1991, the first EB 110 super sports car left the factory as one of just 128 vehicles. EB are the initials of Ettore Bugatti, while 110 stood for his 110th birthday. The sports car with the carbon-fibre monocoque was a sensation: 3.5-litre V12 engine, four turbochargers, all-wheel drive, sixspeed gearbox and a power output of between 560 and 610 PS. The

EB 110 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in up to 3.3 seconds and had a top speed of 351 km/h – making it the fastest series production car of its time. However, in 1995 the brand’s renaissance came to an abrupt end: the market for super sports cars collapsed and demand fell dramatically. The factory was forced to close. The site with its buildings are still there today. The former Facility Manager Ezio Pavesi and his son Enrico continue to look after the complex, and organised the celebration with over 200 invited guests in compliance with current

coronavirus regulations. The spirit of Bugatti is everywhere, even the Bugatti emblem still shimmers on the blue building of the development department.

Bugatti’s star rises once more The Bugatti brand and its current models have long since risen to prominence once more. Following a brief hiatus, the Bugatti legend was revived in 1998. Since 2005, exclusive hyper sports cars like the Chiron1and Divo2 have been produced by hand at the site in Molsheim, where Ettore Bugatti founded his company 111 years

ago. Thanks to his dedication, Artioli breathed new life into Bugatti, making the EB 110 a brand milestone.

As a homage to this era and a tribute to the super sports car EB 110, the Centodieci3, Italian for 110, will soon be built. The special model is a modern interpretation of the previous very flat, wedge-shaped car. The small, hand-built series, limited to just 10 vehicles, is due to be delivered next year and has already sold out – priced from 8 million euros (net). The car is being built in Molsheim, France.

12

world

UK’s creaking COVID-19 test system puts health services at risk

TL Bureau, London

Britain’s testing system for COVID-19 was creaking on Tuesday as a bottleneck prevented people including medics from getting a test, with the government saying it may take weeks to resolve the problem, Reuters reported today. In an attempt to slow one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the West, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised in May to create a “world beating” system to test and trace people exposed to the virus. Phil Sands, a medical engineer, who builds and repairs medical equipment at University College Hospital in London, said he had been off work for the last two days after one of his daughters developed a cold over the weekend.

Sands said he had tried more than 50 times to log on to the government’s website to book a test, but each time it either said there are none available or the system crashes.

“It is frustrating that I can’t work, I have no symptoms, there is nothing with me, but following the guidelines I have to stay home until I can prove that I don’t have COVID-19 or the (quarantine) time has passed,” he told Reuters.

Attempts by Reuters reporters to get a COVID-19 test on Tuesday were greeted with a notice on the government’s website saying: “This service is currently very busy. More tests should be available later.”

Britain advises those showing symptoms to get a test though it says the system has been burdened by people with no symptoms asking for tests. Some schools have demanded any ill students get a test or stay away for 14 days.

Britain’s health minister said the government was working hard to fix what he said were “operational challenges” in the testing system caused by a surge in demand and that it may take weeks to resolve the shortages.

Statement by the Prime Minister on the International Day of Democracy

TL Bureau, Ottawa, Ontario

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the International Day of Democracy: “Today, we join our international partners to celebrate the International Day of Democracy.

We recognize that the respect for freedoms, human rights, and the rule of law are essential for democracies to thrive. We also take this opportunity to remind ourselves of our shared responsibility to protect and promote democratic values.

“This year’s theme – COVID-19: A Spotlight on Democracy – highlights the impacts of the pandemic on the state of democracy around the world. From enabling the free flow of information to ensuring transparency and accountability, democracy has an important role to play in helping us confront the global pandemic.

“To continue the fight against disinformation and hate speech, the Government of Canada is

Addressing the use of chemical weapons in Syria

Statement by Ambassador Jonathan Allen and right of reply by Political Counsellor Sonia Farrey at the Security Council briefing on Syria chemical weapons TL Bureau, London Thank you very much, Mr President, and I want to thank Undersecretary-General Nakamitsu again for another of her briefings.

Mr President, in August 2013, when hundreds of people were killed in a UN-verified Sarin attack on Ghouta, the use of chemical weapons in Syria was regrettably added to the list of violations in an already brutal war. Following that Ghouta attack, this Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2118. In that resolution, we – all of us – condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

We endorsed the procedures for destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. We decided that Syria should not produce or use chemical weapons ever again.

We decided that they should comply fully with the OPCW and

the United Nations. And we noted Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Now, Mr President, some Council members would have you believe that this was the end of it, that Syria’s chemical weapons programme was entirely

destroyed, that the Syrian regime never used or produced them again, and that any use was by non-state actors or that attacks were staged.

They maintained that Syria has and continues to comply fully with the OPCW. Mr President, however inconvenient they may find the truth, unfortunately their interpretation is not borne out by the facts. Independent United Nations and OPCW fact-finding missions have concluded that chemical weapons have been used in Syria on over 40 occasions since 2014, including the Sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun on the 4th of April 2017, which killed hundreds, and the chlorine attack on Douma on the 7th of April 2018, which killed dozens of people. These technical missions comprise different experts from many countries who, over many years, all independently came to the same conclusion.

is a Sudanese businessman previously designated for his role in corruption connected to the South Sudanese government.

Al-Cardinal was designated for engaging in corruption, including participating in bribery, kickbacks, and procurement fraud

involving senior South Sudanese government officials. He and his companies act as intermediaries for depositing and holding large amounts of funds for senior-level South Sudanese officials outside of South Sudan in an attempt to avoid sanctions.

Ambassador Jonathan Allen at virtual UNSC briefing on Syria

Sanctions on Nabah Ltd. Owned or Controlled

by Corrupt Businessman Ashraf Al-Cardinal

TL Bureau, Washington D.C.

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State. Today, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Nabah Ltd., a company owned or controlled by Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal. Al-Cardinal

harnessing the tools at its disposal to mitigate these actions online, including through the Digital Citizen Initiative, which was launched in 2019. This initiative supports democracy and social cohesion in Canada by promoting an information ecosystem that is trusted, diverse, safe, and free from disinformation and illegal content.

The initiative also builds citizen resilience to online disinformation through third-party civic, news, and digital media literacy activities and programming to equip Canadians with the tools, and skills they need to critically assess information online.

“Canada also recognizes democracy’s place at the heart of our international system, and the need to strengthen democratic institutions around the world to promote peace and stability. That is why we are committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to help create a more equitable, prosperous, and secure world for future generations. We are investing to

promote and protect democracy as well as media and press freedoms worldwide by supporting electoral processes, reinforcing democratic practices, and strengthening civic engagement. Canada stands with people around the world protesting peacefully, including recently in Belarus, Hong Kong, Venezuela, and Lebanon, as they seek to advance democratic principles.

“Today, we also celebrate a milestone in the history of Canadian democracy, by marking 100 years since the creation of Elections Canada, the longest standing non-partisan electoral commission in the world. Today, Elections Canada continues to ensure that the federal electoral process in Canada remains transparent.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I invite Canadians to reflect on our democratic traditions and the values that bring us together. By being engaged in the democratic process, we can help safeguard our institutions and help protect democracy worldwide.”

Health Ministry: 51,453 Tests Conducted while 1,092 New Cases Recovered in the Kingdom

TL Bureau, Riyadh

The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 672 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 326,930 cases, including 17,570 active cases undergoing treatment. Of these,

there are 1,286 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.

It added that 33 new deaths have been reported; putting the tally of fatalities, at 4,338. Meanwhile, as many as 1,092 cases have recovered, raising recoveries’ toll to 305,022. On the other hand, 51,453 new laboratory tests were conducted, during the last 24-hour.

Pakistan Condemns Houthi Militia’s Launch of Missiles towards Saudi Arabia TL Bureau, Islamabad

Pakistan has strongly condemned recent missile and drone strikes

by Houthis on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which are a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement issued today, Pakistan commended how Saudi Arabia’s successful defensive actions prevented loss of many innocent civilian lives.

It expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for the Kingdom’s right to defend itself against aggression.

The statement added that Pakistan has consistently urged all parties to the conflict in Yemen to engage in a meaningful and peaceful dialogue to end the hostilities, in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2216. In this regard, we appreciate the positive step taken by the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, when it unilaterally declared

ceasefire earlier this year. It is, however, regrettable that this step was not reciprocated positively.

Pakistan expressed deep concern at the recent escalation of conflict in Yemen, as the city of Marib is threatened by the Houthi militias.

Pakistan believes that if military conflict engulfs Marib, it will result in a serious humanitarian catastrophe. This will further compound the existing precarious humanitarian situation in the country that has already seen countless deaths and injuries, and millions displaced.

The statement also said that Pakistan urges all parties to the conflict in Yemen, in particular the Houthis, to cease military actions, engage in a serious dialogue to end the conflict on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and respond positively to the proposals made by Martin Griffith, the United Nation’s Special Envoy to Yemen.

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