The Life News, September 1, 2018

KOFI ANNAN,

‘CHARISMATIC LEADER’, IS NO MORE

NEWS Vol. 01 Issue 03 September 1, 2018 thelifenews.com.au

Sweden Launches new research collaboration for climate and security

TL Bureau.

Stockholm. The Stockholm Climate Security Hub comprises four world-class organisations in the area of climate and security: the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC). The initiative is financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. “To address climate change and its effects, political decisions need to be based on facts.

Security around the world will be affected, and greater knowledge is needed about exactly what forms these climate-related security risks will take.

Zimbabwe got their new President as Emmerson Mnangagwa TL Correspondent.

Harare. President Mnangagwa was on Sunday Aug 26, 2018 sworn in as the third President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Second Executive President since the Constitutional amendments of 1987. Mr Canaan Banana was the first ceremonial President from 1980 until 1987 when former President, Mr Robert Mugabe took over as the first Executive President after the Constitution was amended. Taking oath of office, President Mnangagwa promised a new Zimbabwe in the Second Republic underpinned by servant leadership where corruption and unnecessary bureaucracy in service delivery will not be tolerated.

TL Bureau.

New York.Officials from across the UN system and the whole world paid tribute to the man who led the global body for a decade, starting in January 1997. He was Secretary-General during what has been described as one of the darkest days in the Organization’s history: the 19 August 2003 bombing of the UN premises in Baghdad, Iraq.

Yes you all are right, we can say that we have lost one of the greatest man of this earth. “Kofi was humanity’s best example, the epitome, of human decency and grace. In a world now filled with leaders who are anything but that, our

loss, the world’s loss becomes even more painful,” Zeid said in a statement.

Mr. Annan was the seventh of nine men appointed Secretary-General since the UN was established in 1945. He was the first to emerge from the ranks of UN staff and the second to come from the African continent.

MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES ACHIEVE UNDERSTANDING ON NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT TL Correspondent.

Mexico City. The bilateral negotiations between Mexico and the United States regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) reached an understanding on the main issues of importance for both countries.

After receiving a report from their teams, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and US President Donald J. Trump held a telephone call this morning in which they agreed on the importance of the understandings achieved, and welcomed

Australia got new 30th Prime Minister as Scott Morrison

Photo: Wikipedia

the fact that they will promote employment, competitiveness and trade in the region. They also expressed their interest in Canada rejoining the negotiation process to review bilateral issues with the United States and Mexico, with the aim of concluding a trilateral negotiation this week. As part of the conversation, President Peña Nieto reiterated the importance of Canada’s participation in the Agreement, as he told Prime Minister Trudeau in a telephone call yesterday.

Ukraine President: We are ready for the termination of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia

TL Bureau.

Ukraine and Russia, which has long been Kyiv. President Petro Poroshenko em- an anachronism because of Moscow,” the phasizes that Ukraine is ready Photo: Ukraine President Office President noted during a for the termination of the meeting with Ukrainian Treaty of Friendship, Coopambassadors. eration and Partnership beThe President expects tween Ukraine and Russia. the necessary package of “Today, we are prepared documents from the Minisenough and legally secured try of Foreign Affairs of for the next step - termination Ukraine in the near future of the Treaty of Friendship, to begin the implementaCooperation and Partnership between tion of this process.

TL Bureau.

Canberra. After a weeks turmoil into leadership and fighting in party and cabinet, Australia’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was ousted by his tenure treasurer, Scott Morrison, a new Prime Minister in a surprise twist. So ultimately Australia got new PM as Scott Morrison on Aug 24 this year. And after becoming PM he visited the drought affected areas and liaison with some farmers and their families and discussed with them. He announced his new ministers for his cabinet and gave each of his Ministers a lapel pin with the Australian flag on it.

Soweto looting: 27 arrests, 3 dead, police on high alert in SA TL Bureau.

Soweto. SA Police remain on high alert this morning monitoring the incidents of looting, violence and general lawlessness that have left three people dead and 27 arrested in some parts of Soweto.

Police have intensified deployments and will remain on the ground monitoring the situation closely to ensure that law and order are maintained, said Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Lebeoana Jacob Tsumane, who condemned the incidents on Thursday.

“Taking the law into your own hands is tantamount to anarchy and as the police, we will not stand by and let lawlessness to reign.

ASIA | OCEANIA | MIDDLE EAST | AMERICA | AFRICA | EUROPE

“I am calling on the community leaders and the community at large to reclaim their streets by partnering with the police in the fight against any criminality,” said Tsumane.

On Wednesday, multiple shops belonging to foreign nationals were looted by residents during sporadic attacks in White City, Jabulani, Dobsonville, Naledi, Protea and Protea Glen.

Goods, including groceries worth thousands of rands, were reported stolen after the first incident broke out in White City over expired food being sold in foreign-owned shops.

Most foreign shop owners have packed up and left Soweto, while some victims have sought refuge at Moroka police station. @thelifenews1

@thelifenews.australia

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EDITORIAL GLOBAL ISSUES

AIDS

REVERSING THE AIDS EPIDEMIC

In June 1981, scientists in the United States reported the first clinical evidence of a disease that would later become known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Its cause, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), was identified in 1983.

Since the start of the epidemic around 78 million (71 million–87 million) have become infected with HIV and around 35 million (29.6 million–40.8 million) people have died of AIDS-related illnesses. In 2015, there were 36.7 million (34.0 million–39.8 million) people living with HIV.

year. In 2015, around 2.1 million people were newly infected with HIV and 1.1 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

New HIV infections have fallen by 6% since 2010 (by 50% among children) and AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 45% since the peak in 2005. The global response to HIV has averted 30 million new HIV infections and nearly 8 million (7.8 million) AIDS-related deaths since 2000, when the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set.

UNAIDS

The UN family has been in the vanguard of this progress. Since 1996, its efforts have been coordinated by UNAIDS — the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS. UNAIDS is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, which brings together the efforts and resources of 11 UN system organizations to unite the world against AIDS. These are: UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, the ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank.

Goals to end AIDS

HIV is found in the bodily fluids of a person who has been infected - blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. It can be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. It is also spread among people who inject drugs with non-sterile injecting needles, as well as through unscreened blood products. It can spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast feeding when the mother is HIV-positive.

Antiretroviral treatment

Over the ensuing decades, the rate of infection soared dramatically, as did the rate of fatalities. In 2015, 36.7 million people were living with HIV. But eventually, new antiretroviral treatment began to extend the lives of those who were infected. As of December 2015, 17 million people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy, up from 15.8 million in June 2015 and 7.5 million in 2010. At the same time, even though new HIV infections have declined, there are still an unacceptably high number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths occurring each

Millennium Development Goals In 2000, at the General Assembly’s Millennium Summit world leaders set specific goals to stop and reverse the spread of HIV. Heads of State and Representatives of Governments issued the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS which set out a series of national targets and global actions to reverse the epidemic.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created in 2002.

And in 2006, the Assembly held a highlevel review of progress made since its special session, adopting a 53-point Political Declaration on the way towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.

World leaders gathered in New York in June 2011 for the General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS. The promises they made defined the next steps in the global AIDS response.

In 2015, the world delivered on the AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal 6—halting and reversing the AIDS epidemic. This remarkable achievement marks the first time a global health target has been met and exceeded. By mid-2015, the number of people accessing antiretroviral therapy reached nearly 16 million—double the number just five years earlier.

Resources: 2016 UNAIDS Fact Sheet AIDS by the numbers 2016 High-level meeting on ending AIDS Fast-Track - Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030

Kofi Annan, true leader of love, peace and mercy

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ofi Annan, one of the top ex-official of United Nation dies in Bern, Switzerland on Aug 18, 2018 at the age of 80. Born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938, Annan joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva.

Kofi, a Ghanaian diplomat was one of the great personalities round the world. He was United Nation Secretary General from Jan 1997 to Dec 2006 and because of his greatest achievement and accomplishments in his life he was Co recipient of the Nobel prize in year 2001. He tightened the strings of United Nation when the world was full of joys and sorrow at all the corners. After his death BBC use the news headline that Kofi was the only black African to served in UN at the top position. So itself shows that he was the genius man and became on the top so that even World couldn’t think about it regardless other creeds or community or black or white. Annan was chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace and human rights founded by Nelson Mandela.

The international diplomat who had strong ties with Switzerland, in particular Geneva. He called Geneva as his second home because Annan studied his graduation at the Graduate Institute of International Studies from 1961-62 and where he began his UN career at the World Health Organization. It was also where he met his wife, Nane, a Swedish lawyer.

The Ghanaian national lived in Geneva from 2006 after the end of his second term as the UN chief. A year later he established the Kofi Annan Foundation in the Swiss city.

During his tenure, at the U.N. peacekeeping operation faced two of its greatest failures during his tenure: the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and the massacre in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995. In both cases, the U.N. had deployed troops under Annan’s command, but they failed to save the lives of the civilians they were mandated to protect. Annan offered apologies, but ignored calls to resign by U.S. Republican lawmakers. After became secretary-general, he called for U.N. reports on those two debacles — and they were highly critical of his management. But failures won’t let you down if you really think out it seriously, and that’s what Kofi did. He did many operations during his terms regardless of thinking about results in positive ways and he was successful. The biggest specially and uniqueness about Kofi is that he never completely retired from UN. Even out of office, Annan never completely left the U.N. orbit. He returned in special roles, including as the U.N.-Arab League’s special envoy to Syria in 2012. He remained a powerful advocate for global causes through his eponymous foundation.

Annan took on the top U.N. post six years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and presided during a decade when the world united against terrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks — then divided deeply over the U.S.-led war against Iraq. The U.S. relationship tested him as a world diplomatic leader.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Annan was “a friend to thousands and a leader of millions”.

“Kofi was humanity’s best example, the epitome, of human decency and grace,” he said. The United Nations said it would fly flags at half mast at all of its locations around the world. Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a week of mourning for “one of our greatest compatriots”.

So there are lot of example like this about Kofi that the whole world mourn and remembrance about him and his contributions to the world which cannot be forgotten.

Merely a colour of the human body won’t decide that what king if outside or inside person you are. Only and only the output or the performance from heart to the outer hearts of world will decide your presence, and that’s what the Kofi did.

So we all will never forget the Kofi Annan, the greatest leader in history.

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WORLD Japan will “spare no effort to support the UK” in joining the CPTPP.

‘ENVIRONMENT CRIME SPECIAL”

GERMANY ACCEPTS FORMER NAZI SLAVE-LABOR CAMP GUARD JAKIW PALIJ O

RHINO POACHERS SENTENCED IN SOUTH AFRICA

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TL Bureau. apanese Cabinet Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has welcomed the UK’s recent announcement that it is looking to seek potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), saying Japan would “spare no efforts to support the UK” in a meeting with Dr Liam Fox, international trade secretary, this morning.

Dr Liam Fox met Motegi, who is responsible for CPTPP, as part of a visit to Japan, the UK’s closest partner in Asia.

The UK and Japan are like-minded advocates for global free trade, and building on our existing relationship with Japan is a key element of delivering the UK’s first independent trade policy for over 40 years as we leave the European Union.

This is Dr Fox’s first visit to Asia following his launch of a consultation on potentially joining CPTPP, and his welcoming this month’s signature of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Japan accounts for nearly half of the CPTPP’s GDP, and is the UK’s fifth largest trading partner with total trade worth £28 billion, up by nearly 15% in 2017.

7 ARRESTED IN SPAIN FOR SMUGGLING SOME 300 MIGRANTS TO FRANCE

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TL Bureau. ith the support of Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre (EMSC) , the Spanish National Police has dismantled an organised crime group suspected of facilitating large-scale migrant smuggling between French-speaking African countries and France. It is estimated that this criminal network has facilitated the entry into Spain of almost 300 irregular migrants, before arranging for their subsequent smuggling to France.

During an action day end of July, six suspects were arrested in Guipuzcoa (Northern Spain) and one in Madrid. Eight migrants awaiting to be smuggled to France were also rescued from a safe house in Guipuzcoa. Europol supported the investigation with analytical capabilities in-house and the deployment of an expert to San Sebastian (Spain) with a mobile office and UFED (Universal Forensic Extraction Device). The organised crime group, made up of individuals of Sub-Saharan origin, arranged for migrants to be smuggled from French-speaking African countries (Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal) to Spain by boat, usually providing them with fake documents. Upon their arrival at the Spanish coast, the migrants were contacted by members of the criminal organisation who would arrange for their transfer to safe houses in Northern Spain, and from there on to France.

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TL Bureau. he United States expresses its deep appreciation to the Federal Republic of Germany for re-admitting former Nazi slave-labor camp guard Jakiw Palij, who was removed from the United States on August 20.

During World War II, Palij served as an armed guard at the Trawniki slavelabor camp for Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland. He concealed his Nazi service when he immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1949. A federal court stripped Palij of his citizenship in 2003 and a U.S. immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States in 2004 based on his wartime activities and postwar immigration fraud.

TL Bureau. ver 360 suspected rhino poachers have, in the past six months, been handed ranging sentences as authorities continue to combat the scourge.

The arrests were a culmination of investigations by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure’s Operation Rhino 9 Task Team responsible for prevention, combatting and investigating the crime. An additional 15 suspects, aged between 33 and 50 years, were arrested last week during intelligence-driven operations in Mpumalanga. Four unlicensed firearms and ammunition were seized during the arrests, national police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said in a statement. “Between January and June 2018, the Rhino 9 Task Team secured various convictions, the maximum nine years’ imprisonment and the least being three months’ imprisonment with the option of paying a R1500 fine,” Naidoo said.

Indian Ocean perfume islands threatened by climate change

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TL Bureau. ith heavenly beaches, an active volcano with an impressive crater, and the everpresent scents of ylang-ylang, vanilla and clove, the Comoros is an island archipelago located in the Indian Ocean between Africa and Madagascar, known as the “Perfume Islands.”

This is paradise. But climate change is threatening lives and livelihoods, upending traditional agricultural practices, and putting paradise at risk. This small island developing state is one of the smallest and poorest countries in Africa. Agriculture remains an integral part of Comorian life, with more than 30 percent of the labour force finding their livelihoods on the farm. Around 200,000 Comorians rely solely on agriculture to make a living and the vast

majority have no training in this area.

At a time when traditional knowledge is disappearing, farmers need more than ever to be mentored, and receive new information and tools to adapt to a changing climate. A lack of modernization has also created profitability problems for many farmers, perpetuating hard-to-break poverty traps, and limiting the country’s ability to reach goals for poverty reduc-

tion, food security and other targets outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the climate changes – with prolonged droughts, heavy rains in January through March, increasing risks from pests and other plant diseases, high winds, floods, stronger cyclones, and sea-level rise that threatens important public infrastructure Comoros must adapt.

OVER 2 MILLION PIECES OF CHILD ABUSE MATERIAL SEIZED IN SPAIN

TL Bureau.

The Spanish National Police with the support of Europol and INTERPOL arrested 19 members of one of the biggest child abuse networks in Spain. The gang, operating across Europe and America, used 14 different groups in an instant messaging service to share the illicit content.

The individuals hide their identities by using specific anonymisation software.

On the action day, 19 house

searches were carried out in several Spanish cities on the occasion of which police officers seized 11 laptops, 23 mobile phones, 4 tablets, 11 hard drive disks, 7 memory sticks and 5 memory cards. The investigation revealed that all of these devices - 16 terabytes in total, contained some 2 400 000 pieces of footage of children between the age of 0 and 8 years old being abused.

Due to the net-

work which operated in different countries, making it an international cross-border case, Europol supported the Spanish authorities by facilitating the information exchange and crosschecking the data contributed

by Spain. These images and videos were processed for victim identification. Europol is supporting the involved European Member States to fight against child abuse on an international level.

WORLD 4 Prime Minister Sipilä and French President Macron announced initiatives on EU defence and AI TL Bureau.

Helsinki Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipilä and President of France Emmanuel Macron met in Helsinki on 30 August.

Prime Minister Sipilä and President Macron discussed topical EU matters, such as trade policy, multiannual financial framework negotiations, migration and the development of the Economic and Monetary Union, EMU, and single market. In connection with the meeting, declarations were issued on the development of the EU defence cooperation and on utilisation of artificial intelligence, AI. “The declaration on developing defence cooperation continues the active collaboration between Finland and France in this sector. While I visited Paris in June 2016, then President of France François Hollande and I adopted a declaration in which we encouraged EU Member States to intensify their defence cooperation,” Prime Minister

Sipilä said.

After that, rapid and important steps have been taken in EU defence cooperation, including the creation of the permanent structured cooperation (PESCO). It means European acquisi-

Gen. Wei Fenghe, State Councillor and Defence Minister of China calls on Indian PM

TL Foreign Correspondent.

Gen. Wei Fenghe, State Councillor and Defence Minister of China, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Aug. Prime Minister Modi appreciated the increased momentum of high-level contacts between India and China in all spheres, including in the areas of defence and military exchanges.

Terming India-China relations as a factor of stability in the world, the Prime Minister said that maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is indicative of the sensitivity and maturity with which India and China handle their differences, not allowing them to become disputes.

Prime Minister Modi also warmly recalled his recent meetings with President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, Qingdao and Johannesburg.

US Department of State designated Abdul Rehman al-Dakhil as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

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TL Bureau. he Department of State has designated Abdul Rehman al-Dakhil as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. Today’s designations seek to deny Dakhil the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of his property and interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him.

tion projects and harmonisation of the capability requirements, for example.

“The ambition of developing European defence means first and foremost responsibility for our citizens. We are now taking determined steps in the

right direction. Finland, like France, has been active in each stage of the development. And we will continue our joint efforts,” Prime Minister Sipilä said.

Today’s declaration provides support to the increase in appropriations for EU defence cooperation and to the strengthening of PESCO and industrial participation. It is the view of both countries that besides crisis management, EU defence cooperation must also strengthen the protection of the Union and its citizens.

The declaration also refers to the European intervention initiative introduced by France that aims to strengthen Europe’s ability to respond, alongside the actions of the EU and NATO, to crises affecting its own security. The intervention initiative is intergovernmental cooperation aiming to intensify, for its part, the structural cooperation of the EU. Finland has expressed its interest to join the initiative.

100% of UK employers publish gender pay gap data

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TL Bureau. or the first time ever 100% of UK employers identified as being in scope of gender pay gap regulations have published their data.

The UK is one of the few countries in the world to require employers to publish such comprehensive gender pay gap data.

Under new regulations that came into force in April 2017, all employers with over 250 employees are required to report their gender pay gap data. All 10,000 UK employ-

ers that the Government has identified as having over 250 workers have now published their data.

The data has shown that more

than three out of four in scope UK companies pay their male staff more on average than their female staff, more than half give higher bonuses to men, on average, than women, and over 80% have more women in their lowest paid positions than in their highest paid positions.

The Government Equalities Office has also published today [Wednesday 1 August] a new ‘What Works’ guidance for companies to help them improve the recruitment and progression of women and close their gender pay gap.

In Australia three arrested and $500k seized in drug-related Adelaide operation

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Australia Resident Bureau. uthorities have uncovered more than $500,000 alleged to be proceeds of crime during multiple police searches across Adelaide this week. The operation has also seen three men with alleged links to the Descendants Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang (OMCG) arrested and charged with drug trafficking offences.

The arrests follow a joint operation involving the Australian Federal Police (AFP), South Australia Police (SAPOL), the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Search warrants carried out in Adelaide between Wednesday and Thursday (8-9 August), resulted in the seizure of more than $500,000 in al-

leged proceeds of crime and about 1kg of methamphetamine. Also seized during the searches were four vehicles, prohibited weapons and modified machinery parts. Some items were hidden inside specially-designed cavities in properties and vehicles.

In another side of another operation A multi-million dollar shipment of methamphetamine has been seized and two people arrested following a joint agency operation in Sydney.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force

(ABF), New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF), NSW Crime Commission and Department of Home Affairs began investigations following the importation of a shipment of noodles and Asian spices from California, USA. The consignment arrived into Sydney via air freight in late July and was subject to examination by ABF officers.

ABF officers located a substance which returned a positive result for methamphetamine concealed within the shipment.

The methamphetamine will undergo further forensic testing to determine the exact weight, purity and potential street value, but it is estimated the total weight of this substance could be up to 300 kilograms.

One kilogram of methamphetamine has an estimated street value of approximately $100,000.

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AUSTRALIA Petrol prices hit fouryear high in Australia’s largest cities

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TL Correspondent. verage petrol prices increased by seven per cent in the past three months, hitting a four-year high in real terms of around 145 cents per litre (cpl) in Australia’s largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth), according to the ACCC’s latest petrol monitoring report.

Annual average prices in the five largest cities in real terms steadily fell between the 2013-14 and 2016-17 financial years. However, in 2017-18 the average price of petrol increased overall by nearly 10 per cent compared with the previous year.

“The major factors driving higher prices were an increase in international crude oil and refined petrol prices, and a lower AUD-USD exchange rate,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

CBA CUSTOMERS RALLY $1M DIGITAL DONATIONS FOR DROUGHT-AFFECTED FARMERS IN 40 HOURS

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TL Correspondent.

BA customers have rallied together to show their support for droughtaffected farmers and farming communities who are doing it tough by donating over $1 million in just 40 hours through CBA’s CommBank app. An additional $750,000 has been donated through CBA branches.

With a severe drought gripping the nation, its farmers and communities, CBA launched CANGive, a new digital tool in the CommBank app which gives customers the opportunity to make donations to Australian Red Cross’ Disaster Relief and Recovery Appeal.

It is the first time customers have been able to donate digitally to a fundraising appeal via their mobile phone and tablet.

Commonwealth Bank’s Executive General Manager of Digital, Pete Steel, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers who recognise the growing need to get behind the Australian farmers, their families and communities who are affected by severe drought.

Navy continues training contract with ASC

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Australia Resident Bureau. he Department of Defence has reengaged ASC Pty Ltd to continue to deliver Royal Australian Navy’s training services for the Collins class submarine program.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said the contract ensures all submarine crews will have the skills and knowledge to operate the Collins Class submarines safely and effectively. “ASC has been a trusted partner for over 25 years in delivering submariner training at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre at HMAS Stirling,” Minister Payne said.

“This important training continuum ensures Australia’s submarine capability is fully supported by a steady supply of highly qualified personnel. “ASC has proven their ability to deliver the required services and continue to innovate with Navy to develop and implement the latest in learnercentred training technologies.

AUSTRALIAN PM SCOTT MORRISON ANNOUNCES NEW MINISTRY

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Prime Minister : Scott Morrison Minister for indigenous affairs: Nigel Scullion Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development: Michael McCormack Minister for regional services, sports, local government and decentralisation: Bridget McKenzie Treasurer: Josh Frydenberg Minister for finance and the public service: Mathias Cormann Minister for defence: Christopher Pyne Minister for defence industry: Steven Ciobo Minister for foreign affairs: Marise Payne Minister for trade, tourism and investment: Simon Birmingham Attorney General: Christian Porter Minister for home affairs: Peter Dutton Minister for communication and the arts: Mitch Fifield Minister for jobs, industrial relations and women: Kelly O’Dwyer

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Minister for small and family business, skills and vocational education: Michaelia Cash • Minister for resources and northern Australia: Matthew Canavan • Minister for industry, science and technology: Karen Andrews • Minister for education: Dan Tehan • Minister for health: Greg Hunt • Minister for families and social services: Paul Fletcher • Minister for Agriculture and water resources: David Littleproud • Minister for the Environment: Melissa Price • Minister for Energy: Angus Taylor OUTER MINISTRY • Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population - Alan Tudge • Assistant Treasurer - Stuart Robert • Special Minister of State - Alex Hawke • Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel - Darren Chester • Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs - David Cole-

Women Have A Seat At The Treasury Board Tables

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Australia Resident Bureau. he Andrews Labor Government has achieved gender equality targets on treasury boards, with women now making up 63 per cent of current board positions in the Treasurer’s portfolio.

Women now comprise 50 per cent of all Chair positions in the Treasurer’s portfolio.

Between March 2015 and June 2018, 52 per cent of all new Victorian Government board appointments were women. This increases the representation of women overall from 39 per cent to 53 per cent on all Victorian Government boards. Beyond the boardroom, Victoria’s economy has also seen rising female participation rate in the labour market – contributing 74 per cent of the overall rise in Victoria’s participation rate since June 2014.

Increased educational attainment among women has been a particularly important contributor to the higher levels of workforce participation. The proportion of Victorian women with a post-school qualification has increased to 64 per cent in 2016, from 51 per cent in 2006.

man Senior Australians, Aged Care and Indigenous Health - Ken Wyatt • Human Services and Digital Transformation - Michael Keenan ASSISTANT MINISTERS • Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister - Steve Irons • Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister - Andrew Broad • Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance - Zed Seselja • Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Sussan Ley • Assistant Minister for Roads and Transport - Scott Buchholz • Assistant Minister for Defence David Fawcett • Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific - Anne Ruston • Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment - Mark Coulton • Assistant Minister for Home Affairs - Linda Reynolds • Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services - Sarah Henderson •

IPE18 completes its final port visit

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Australian Resident Bureau. he Australian Defence Force (ADF) has completed its final two port visits as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) 2018, marking the conclusion of a three month journey across the Pacific, working with Pacific Island partners in support of regional prosperity and security.

HMA Ships Adelaide and Toowoomba visited the Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara, while HMAS Success visited Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. ​​​​A DF personnel worked alongside partner security forces and local communities to conduct women in leadership and medical workshops, as well as carrying out repair and maintenance work to local schools, health and community facilities, and historic sites.

Australia’s First Gender Equality Bill: Have Your Say

TL Correspondent.

The Andrews Labor Government is enshrining gender equality in law for the first time in Australian history.

The draft Gender Equality Bill (2018) proposes that Victorian Government departments, the public sector and local governments achieve gender equality through quotas, action plans and reporting.

According to the International

Gender Gap Index, the top three ranking countries – Iceland, Finland and Norway – have gender equality legislation. Targets, action plans and reporting need to be enshrined in law.

While Victoria does have laws that prevent discrimination based on gender, there is currently no law to proactively progress gender equality.

The evidence is clear: when public bodies

are compelled to promote gender equality by law, gender equality improves. That’s why gender equality legislation is a critical part of Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy. Face-to-face consultation with stakeholders on the legislation will commence later this month. A Citizens’ Jury on the Bill will be held in September.

6 NZ Prime Minister stands Minister aside

TL Correspondent.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today accepted Meka Whaitiri’s offer to stand aside from her portfolios while an investigation is carried out into a staffing matter in her ministerial office.

Jacinda Ardern was advised of the staffing matter last night.

While the matter is being investigated Kris Faafoi will be the Acting Minister of Customs. Meka Whaitiri’s Associate Minister responsibilities will revert to the lead portfolio Ministers.

“Meka Whaitiri has told me she will be fully cooperating with the investigation, which will be thorough and conducted as quickly as possible,” said Jacinda Ardern. Because of privacy concerns Jacinda Ardern and Meka Whaitiri will not comment further on this matter while Ministerial Services is carrying out the investigation.

Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location

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TL Bureau. he announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees represents an important step for New Zealand’s ambitions to increase the refugee quota, and is a milestone for the city’s post-earthquake recovery, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.

“It’s great news for refugees, New Zealand and Christchurch itself to be reestablished as a refugee settlement location. It shows the city is once again able to welcome some of the world’s vulnerable people and let them be part of a fantastic place to live.

“There is an extraordinary number of people around the world who need refuge and New Zealand is determined to play its part. Today will go some way to help us achieve lifting our refugee quota to 1500 per year in this term of Government. “Except for a limited number of family-linked cases, the settlement of Quota refugees in Christchurch was suspended following the September 2010 earthquake, due to the impact on services such as health and housing.

Court support pilot to reduce trauma for survivors of sexual violence In NZ

A TL Bureau.

service is being piloted to reduce the trauma experienced by sexual violence survivors going through the criminal justice system, says Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni.

“Sexual violence survivors in Auckland will be provided with psycho-social support leading up to, during and after the criminal justice process,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“The trauma experienced by these people can be exacerbated if there is insensitive treatment within the justice system resulting in secondary victimisation.

The pilot service will be provided by the Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation Charitable Trust (HELP) for the next 12 months.

NZ AND OTHER OCEANIA

NZ CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL SECURITY WITH FIVE COUNTRY MINISTERIAL AND QUINTET

TL Correspondent.

Wellington inister Responsible for the NZSIS and GCSB, Hon Andrew Little, and Minister of Immigration Iain Lees-Galloway attended the annual Five Country Ministerial, held in the Gold Coast, Australia on 28-29 August.

The Five Country Ministerial brings to one place the interior Ministers and immigration Ministers from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States to discuss common national security issues.

This year’s focus included counter-terrorism, countering violent ex-

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tremism, cyber security, countering foreign interference, protecting critical infrastructure, migration, border management and law enforcement.

“We have a long, shared partnership with our Five Country colleagues and this is a valuable opportunity to discuss our shared challenges,” Mr Little says.

“Finding collaborative ways to address national security issues will help to better ensure the safety and security of New Zealanders.”

The Quintet of Attorneys-General, including Attorney-General Hon David Parker, joined the second day of the meeting to discuss national security issues from a legal

dimension.

“National security issues are complex and global by nature and we are committed to working together to address our current and emerging national security challenges,” Mr Parker says.

Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway discussed ways that New Zealand’s immigration policy supports foreign relations and our international and humanitarian commitments.

“New Zealand supports a rulesbased international system and is committed to protecting the wellbeing of New Zealanders,” says Mr Lees-Galloway.

Environmental watchdog’s methane emissions research welcomed TL Bureau.

Wellington. The Government welcomes the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s research into the impact on global warming from New Zealand’s livestock methane emissions which has been released today. “This is a timely and useful contribution to the ongoing

process of developing New Zealand’s response to climate change,” Acting Minister for Climate Change Eugenie Sage said. “The research addresses two important questions: Firstly, what further global warming would take place if methane emissions from livestock were to be stabilised at today’s level rather than a reduction to zero?

Secondly, what level would methane emissions need to reduce to in order to contribute no additional global warming? “These questions have been the subject of debate during recent consultation on the Zero Carbon Bill and we are working through views and feedback expressed in the consultations at the moment.

Single-use plastic bags to be phased out in Newzealand TL Bureau.

Single-use plastic shopping bags will be phased out over the next year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced here.

“We’re phasing-out single-use plastic bags so we can better look after our environment and safeguard New Zealand’s clean, green reputation,” said Jacinda Ardern.

“We’re listening to New Zealanders who want us to take action on this problem. This year 65,000 Kiwis signed a petition calling for an outright ban. It’s also the biggest single subject school children write to me about.

“Every year in New Zealand we use hundreds of millions of singleuse plastic bags – a mountain of bags, many of which end up polluting our precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to all kinds of marine life, and all of this when there are viable al-

ternatives for consumers and business.

“It’s great that many people are already changing the way they shop.

But it’s important we take the time now to get this right so we can help all New Zealanders adjust their shopping habits.

“We need to be far smarter in the way we manage waste and this is a good start. “We are a Government determined to face up to New Zealand’s environmental challenges.

Just like climate change, we’re taking meaningful steps to reduce plastics pollution so we don’t pass this problem to future generations,” said Jacinda Ardern.

U.S. Delegation Attends the 30th Pacific Islands Forum

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TL Bureau. high-level U.S. government delegation comprised of senior officials from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Agency for International Development will attend the 30th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Session with Forum Dialogue Partners on September 4, 2018 in Nauru. The delegation will be led by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. This visit will underscore our close partnership

with the Pacific Islands in promoting sustainable growth and prosperity, ensuring regional stability, and addressing global concerns.

The U.S. delegation will host a roundtable with Pacific Islands leaders on September 4, 2018.

Members of the U.S. delegation will also conduct bilateral consultations with heads of state of Pacific Islands Forum members and other senior foreign officials to discuss issues of regional and global importance, including regional secu-

rity, responding to the threat posed by the activities of the DPRK, combatting illegal fishing, and sustainable development.

The Pacific Islands region is an enduring foreign policy priority for the United States. Through 17 of our departments and agencies – the United States committed more than $350 million in FY 2016 to our engagement with the Pacific Islands via projects, assistance, and operations that directly benefit the 9 million people of the region.

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BUSINESS Oman Implements International Monetary Fund’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System

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TL Bureau. man has launched a National Summary Data Page (NSDP), becoming one of the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to implement the recommendations of the enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS). The NSDP is a national data page that serves as a one-stop vehicle for publishing essential macroeconomic data in both human and machine-readable formats. The NSDP is hosted by the Oman National Centre for Statistics and Information on its website, and is available on the IMF’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board at: https://dsbb.imf.org/egdds/ country/OMN/category.

Publication of essential macroeconomic data through the NSDP will provide national policy makers and a broad range of domestic and international stakeholders, including investors and rating agencies, with easy access to information that the IMF’s Executive Board has identified as critical for monitoring economic conditions and policies. Making this information simultaneously available to all users will bring greater data transparency.

ACCC takes action against Trivago over hotel price advertisements

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TL Correspondent. he ACCC has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against trivago N.V. (Trivago) alleging it made misleading hotel pricing representations in its television advertising and website, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. The ACCC alleges that from at least December 2013, Trivago ran TV advertisements presenting its website as an impartial and objective price comparison service that would help consumers identify the cheapest prices for hotel rooms when, in fact, Trivago’s website prioritised advertisers who were willing to pay the highest cost per click fee to Trivago.

SBERBANK INFORMS ABOUT STRUCTURAL REORGANISATION IN ITS CORPORATE BANKING BUSINESS TL Bureau.

Moscow — Sberbank today reports about its decision to merge two of its business divisions working with corporate customers, Corporate Banking and Corporate Investment Division, known as Sberbank CIB. The integration is planned to be completed by the end of 2018. The reorganisation will help to create a unified technological, managerial and banking product platform for serving corporate clients, providing significant synergies and opening the way for further streamlining of the bank’s corporate client-facing operations.

Sberbank CIB business will be reporting to Anatoly Popov, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank and Head of the Corporate Business Division.

Top managers of Sberbank CIB and Senior Vice Presidents of the bank Igor Bulantsev and Alexander Bazarov will retain their current positions and continue their managerial roles under the supervision of Anatoly Popov.

Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board will continue to oversee the general operation of the bank’s corporate business.

Herman Gref, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board: “The decision to integrate our corporate business divisions under the leadership of Anatoly Popov is a major step towards the bank’s technological transformation. It will open the way for implementing the most advanced technological solutions and practices in serving our clients, considerably improving customer experience and integrating product portfolios of both divisions. I am confident that this upgraded management structure will help to ensure seamless delivery of banking services for all segments of our corporate clients, which is unique on the Russian market”.

Anatoly Popov joined Sberbank in 2011 as Vice President of Sales.

In January 2016, he was appointedSenior Vice-President of Sberbank

and Head of the Corporate Business Division. Since June 2018, he has been a member of the Executive Board and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank. The Corporate Business Division of Sberbank provides services for legal entities in the segments of small and micro business, medium and large businesses, as well as clients of the regional public sector. The services include banking, loans, cash deposits and partner services for business development.

Sberbank CIB - corporate and investment business of Sberbank.

The key activities include corporate lending (including trade finance), documentary business, investment banking, trading in securities, proprietary investments. Corporate and investment business of Sberbank provides integrated financial solutions and financial advisor services to the largest corporations, financial institutions, states, federal and subfederal authorities and organizations.

Australian former managing director of mining company found guilty of insider trading

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Australia Resident Bureau. r Darren James Lind, aged 47 of Brighton, South Australia, has been found guilty of two charges of insider trading in shares of ASX listed mining exploration company Minotaur Exploration Ltd (Minotaur).

The verdict follows a two week trial before Judge Tracey in the District Court of South Australia. On 17 August 2018, a jury of 12 found Mr

Lind guilty of two charges of procuring another to purchase financial products whilst in possession of inside information.

The charges relate to two share purchases of Minotaur shares by Mr Lind through the company Longer View Pty Ltd (as trustee for the Longer View Superannuation Fund) on 28 July 2014, while he was in possession of inside information.

Mr Lind was a former managing

director of the company Golden Fields Resources Pty Ltd, which had a joint venture partnership with Minotaur to explore for copper-gold at its ‘Eloise Project’ site in Cloncurry, Queensland.

ASIC’s case was that Mr Lind came into possession of inside information regarding the copper-gold discovery at Cloncurry during a meeting with Minotaur personnel on 25 July 2014.

CBA CHOSEN BY WORLD BANK TO DELIVER WORLD’S FIRST BLOCKCHAIN BOND

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Australia Resident Bureau ommonwealth Bank (CBA) has been mandated by the World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD rated Aaa/ AAA), to be the sole arranger of the first bond globally to be created, allocated, transferred and managed using blockchain technology.

The $AUD Kangaroo bond, termed ‘bond-i’ - Blockchain Offered New Debt Instrument – has been developed with the support and input of the investor community including Northern Trust, QBE and Treasury Corporation of Victoria. Once launched the bond will be issued and distributed on a blockchain platform operated by the World Bank and CBA in Washington and Sydney, respectively.

This collaboration built on the longstanding partnership between the two organisations, with the World Bank’s 70year track record of innovation in the

Photo courtesy: CBA

capital markets and CBA’s globally recognised Blockchain Centre of Excellence combining to deliver the project successfully.

James Wall, Executive General Manager of Institutional Banking & Markets International, CBA said: “We take a collaborative approach to innovating and have a track record of partnering with other leading financial institutions, government bodies and corporates to innovate through blockchain. We believe that this transaction will be groundbreaking as a

demonstration of how blockchain technology can act as a facilitating platform for different participants.”

“We are delighted to have partnered with the World Bank and fully support its vision of making innovative use of technology such as blockchain to increase the efficiency of financing solutions to better achieve their goal to end extreme poverty.”

As part of its mandate to reduce poverty and promote lasting development, the World Bank issues between US$50-US$60 billion annually in bonds for sustainable development. It is increasing its focus on helping countries transition to sustainable economies that are technology-led, while exploring the benefits of disruptive technologies, such as blockchain, across all its operations to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

European Commission adopts support package for Iran, with a focus on the private sector

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TL Bureau he Commission today adopted a first package of €18 million for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including €8 million assistance to the private sector.

Today’s projects are the first of a wider package of €50 million for Iran, aiming to support the country to address key economic and social challenges. They are part of the renewed cooperation and engagement between the European Union and Iran following the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

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FEATURE

ACUTE STRESS IN UTERO HAS NEGATIVE EFFECTS LATER IN LIFE AMONG

POOR CHILDREN E

By- Melissa De Witte xposure to an acute stress in utero can have longterm consequences extending into childhood – but only among children in poor households, according to a new Stanford study that looked at the long-term impact of acute, parental stress.

Because stress is often confounded with other factors, the study used a natural disaster – a strong earthquake in Chile – to explore the impact on children’s development of an acutely stressful event occurring during their mothers’ pregnancy. This data could then be compared with similar children who did not experience the catastrophe in utero.

The results from the study, led by Florencia Torche, a sociology professor in the Stanford

School of Humanities and Sciences, showed that among poor families, children prenatally exposed to the earthquake had lower levels of cognitive ability than children in a comparable control group.

“These children performed worse on a diverse set of skills critical for educational success, including arithmetic reasoning, verbal fluency, spatial analysis, logical thinking and problemsolving skills,” said Torche.

Torche also found that while middle- and upper-class families have the resources to mitigate the effects from the event, disadvantaged children without extra help can fall up to half a year behind, according to research published August 13 in Demography.

The ability to catch up depends on the family’s socioeco-

nomic resources, found the sociologist.

“This is a troubling finding because it shows that acute stress exacerbates disadvantages that poor children already face,” Torche said.

Studying acute stress

While previous research has examined the effects of chronic stress, little is known about the long-term consequences of an acutely stressful event during pregnancy, said Torche. An acute stress a pregnant woman could experience include witnessing a vio-

lent event, falling victim to a crime, almost being seriously injured or losing a job. But because stress is often correlated with other challenging situations – like family turmoil, relationship difficulties or financial problems – it can be difficult to study, said Toche.

That’s why she used a disaster event to create a natural experiment: a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred June 13, 2005, in Tarapaca, Chile. “If we want to disentangle the effect of stress from these other common correlates, we need to isolate it,” Torche said.

7 WAYS TO HELP REFUGEE GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL (Girls Education is very important contribution to our world and society)

1. Schools must make space for girls.

It is girls who most often lose out in the competition for a place in the classroom. More school places for refugee girls – and for their peers in the communities that host them – are desperately needed. Refugee children around the world are affected by a shortage of school places, particularly at secondary level, where the shortfall is acute. Donors and agencies alike need to support policies that ensure inclusive and equitable access as the way to redress the balance.

2. No girl should miss school because the journey to school is too far or too dangerous.

Refugee girls need better protection from harassment, sexual assault and kidnap on the way to school.

Community action to protect refugee children with support from local authorities should be a priority. “School

trains,” when groups of pupils travel together with a regular adult escort, are a solution when the school is within walking distance.

3. Schools must be adapted to girls’ needs.

No girl should have to miss school because they lack menstrual hygiene products, access to clean water or private and safe toilets. When separate toilet facilities are not provided for girls, they are less likely to go to school. Schools need support to provide these basic facilities and products.

4. There can be no room for gender-based bullying, harassment and violence in schools.

Male and female teachers require ongoing training to ensure they promote best practice and guard against behaviour that will deter girls from setting foot in the classroom. Teachers are in the perfect position to promote and instil ideas of gender equality and mutual re-

spect among girls and boys.

5. Refugee families need incentives and encouragement to keep girls in school.

If refugee adults are able to work and support their families, they are more likely to let their children stay in school. Frequent parent-teacher meetings can help parents understand their role in facilitating effective schooling. The provision of light and sustainable energy to refugee homes can also enable many girls to go to school because they don’t need to spend hours collecting firewood.

6. Refugee pupils need more female teachers.

There is an urgent need to recruit and train more female teachers from within both host and refugee communities. Girls and boys need female role models, but girls in particular are likely to be encouraged and motivated by the presence of an educated woman in the classroom.

7. With some extra help, girls

Photo Courtesy : UN

can catch up and power on.

Extracurricular activities provide remedial, enrichment or mentoring services to enable girls to catch up (where necessary), boost their studies and thrive both academically and emotionally. While these should not be seen as an alternative to regular school, they can help to improve academic performance and, as a result, self-confidence.

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LIFE & REAL ESTTE

Top environmental award given to Jordan River peacemakers (Image Courtesy: EcoPeace)

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BY TAYLOR KUBOTA n 2013, the Israeli Water Authority permitted the release of fresh water into the Jordan River for the first time in 49 years. This significant event was a poignant victory for EcoPeace Middle East, a nonprofit organization of Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli environmentalists who are leading the effort to rehabilitate the historic river. EcoPeace Middle East is a unique organization that provides an outlet for civilians to step up to protect their shared environment, even in the face of regional conflict from divided communities.

Alumni of the Youth Water Trustee program, which brings together young people from across borders in the Jordan Valley to learn about the environment and environmental

peacemaking, campaign for

river rehabilitation.

In recognition of the work

they have done to combine environmentalism and peacemaking, Stanford University is awarding Gidon Bromberg and Munqeth Mehyar, co-founders of EcoPeace Middle East, with the 2018 Bright Award. This annual $100,000 award recognizes exceptional contributions to global sustainability and is given to an organization in one of 10 rotating regions each year. “The Bright Award was created by Raymond E. Bright Jr., an alumnus of the law school, who was a lifelong conservationist,” said M. Elizabeth Magill, the Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and Dean of Stanford Law School.

“Ray’s vision was to recognize impotant contributions to sustainability around the world and provide an international platform to showcase smart environmental solutions.”

TELEVISION’S #1 COMEDY, “THE BIG BANG THEORY,” TO END IN 2019 AS THE LONGEST-RUNNING MULTI-CAMERA COMEDY SERIES IN TV HISTORY OF US TL Bureau.

Burbank, CA he number one comedy in the world, “The Big Bang Theory,” will end its successful run in May 2019 as the longest-running multicamera series in television history. Warner Bros.

Television and Chuck Lorre Productions will bring the Emmy-nominated comedy series to a close at the end of season 12 with a record-breaking 279 episodes.

In a joint statement, Warner Bros. Television, CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions said, “We are forever grateful to our fans for their support of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ during the past twelve seasons.

We, along with the cast, writers and crew, are extremely appreciative of the show’s success and aim to deliver a final season, and series finale, that will bring ‘The Big Bang Theory’ to an epic creative close.”

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The final season of “The Big Bang Theory” will debut Monday, September 24 (8/7c) on CBS before moving to its regular time period on Thursday, September 27 (8/7c).

The series, which debuted in 2007 and airs in syndication around the world, has received 52 Emmy nominations and 10 wins to date (though has never won for Outstanding Comedy Series), and 7 Golden Globe nominations.

In addition to centering many of its episodes in the worlds of science and technology, “The Big Bang Theory” enjoys a healthy appreciation and support from the scientific community at large, including having a bee species (Euglossa bazinga), a jellyfish species (Bazinga Rieki) and a monkey at the Columbus Zoo

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REAL ESTATE AGENTS SUPPORT RONALD McDONALD HOUSE

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TL Correspondent. irst National Real Estate has confirmed its sponsorship of Ronald McDonald House Charities’ 2018 Ride for Sick Kids in South Australia as part of its overall national community support programme.

The ride fundraises in support of Ronald McDonald Houses in Adelaide as well as the Ronald McDonald Learning Program.

‘First National Real Estate is proud to have contributed more than $300,000 to the Ride for Sick Kids nationally over the past four years, and we’re delighted to continue this sup-

port’ said First National Real Estate Lewis Prior principal Brett Lewis.

‘Our SA members are rallying behind the 2018 ride and looking forward to building upon community awareness of this vital programme that supports kids and their families during the most difficult of health challenges’.

The South Australian ride starts in Port Lincoln on 18 November before traveling over 1,000 kilometres to Adelaide where it finishes on the 24th.

Ronald McDonald House provides accommodation and support services to seriously ill

children and their families nationally. Its services lift the burden of accommodation costs from families when they most need to provide their children with love and support.

‘When children are seriously ill and need medical care a long way from home, regional families can struggle with access to long-term accommodation and its costs’ said Brett Lewis.

‘By sponsoring the Ride for Sick Kids and helping raise awareness of the excellent work done by Ronald McDonald House, we’re helping secure this important accommodation resource’.

(Dr. Sheldon Cooper) named in the show’s honor.

In 2015, the first-ever UCLA scholarship created by and named for a television series, “The Big Bang Theory” Scholarship support undergraduate students in need of financial aid who are pursuing their higher education Endowment, was established to in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

“The Big Bang Theory” is executive produced by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland. The series stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch. “The Big Bang Theory” is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Smartphone use may affect loneliness in mothers of young children

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TL Bureau. others who spend an average of 1-2 hours per day on their smartphones may feel less lonely than those who use their phones for shorter or longer periods of time, according to a study involving 523 Japanese mothers published in the open access journal BMC Woman’s Health. Researchers at Kyoto University, Japan found that mothers who used their smartphones less than one hour per day, or not at all, reported higher levels of loneliness, as did mothers who used their smartphones 2-3 hours per day or longer. No association was found between smartphone use of

1-2 hours and higher levels of loneliness, which suggests that 1-2 hours per day may be the optimal time for young mothers to spend on their smartphones.

This may also be linked to social media use. The corresponding author Marie Mandai said: “In Japan, women with children are generally considered to be surrounded by friends and family and therefore less likely to experience loneliness. However, recently there have been concerns about loneliness in mothers raising young children. This is the first study to report on use of communication devices and social media as factors affecting loneliness among mothers raising children.

10 Broad found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct

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TL Bureau. ngland fast bowler Stuart Broad has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second day of the third Test against India at Trent Bridge.

Broad was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of the fast bowler, for whom it was the first offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

The incident occurred in the 92nd over of India’s first innings on Sunday, when following the dismissal of Rishabh Pant, Broad walked towards the batsman and spoke in an aggressive manner, which had the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dismissed batsman.

Broad admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Chris Gaffaney and third umpire Aleem Dar. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Cricket Australia Statement

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TL Correspondent. hilst the matter didn’t resolve today, we will continue to work collaboratively towards a resolution and comply with the legal process initiated by Ms Williamson.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “We have reflected on Angela’s dismissal and been empathetic to her personal circumstances and the sensitivity of the underlying issues.

“Over recent weeks, I have personally been involved in discussions with Angela about a return to CA in the role of Communications Manager – Community Cricket. She has informed CA that she will not be taking up the new opportunity, and whilst we are disappointed we fully respect Angela’s decision.

“In our reflections we have also reaffirmed the necessity to administer social media policy while respecting people’s rights to publish personal views. The need to be bipartisan in our government engagement has also been acknowledged.

“While this is a difficult matter with many aspects and layers, it’s important that in our leadership of cricket in this country, we continue to be guided and influenced by our values.

Our values focus heavily on demonstrating appropriate behaviours and showing respect to members and stakeholders of our diverse community all the time.”

SPORTS

VIRAT KOHLI ON TOP OF THE WORLD

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TL Bureau. irat Kohli jumps past Steve Smith to become the seventh Indian to become the No.1 Test batsman in the world. Player of the match Sam Curran on the charge in batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders’ rankings. Virat Kohli has achieved another personal milestone by becoming the seventh India bats-

man and first since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011, to top the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, which were released on Sunday morning following the conclusion of the Edgbaston Test. Kohli scored 149 and 51 in India’s 31-run defeat and has gone up by 31 points, which have helped him to end Steve Smith’s 32-month reign as the top-

ranked batsman and reach the top of the summit for the first time in his 67-Test career.

Kohli now leads Smith (who had held the top spot since December 2015) by five points, but will have to maintain the form in the remaining four Tests to finish the series as the world’s highest-ranked batsman.

WBSC launches new baseball rules to make game faster and boost global/Olympic appeal.

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TL Bureau. he World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today announced new baseball rules to accelerate game tempo and make the sport of baseball more action-dense, targeting younger audiences and new generations of players and fans worldwide.

The WBSC approved the review of a strict 12-second time limit between pitches, with testing and implementation to start at the youth (U-12 to U-18) and Women’s Baseball World Cups.

The WBSC also approved an automatic intentional walk rule across all Baseball World Cups.

Managers will now only have to signal to the umpires for an intentional walk to be issued.

In addition, the WBSC will

Photo: WBSC

test a time limit of 90 seconds between (half) innings. The new 90-second rule will be under review at the upcoming Women’s Baseball World Cup 2018 in Viera, Florida, USA (22-31 August).

All pending changes to the international regulations would be included in forthcoming Base-

ball World Cup hosting agreements. WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “Today marks a clear and modern direction for baseball and softball to modernise and evolve into not only a major global sport but also a permanent Olympic sport following our historic return at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Australia claim the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2018

Photo: by FIBA

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TL Bureau. ustralia holds off pesky New Zealand, 7263, and wins the FIBA U18 Asian Championship crown in their debut, while China secures third place with a 76-57 win over the Philippines.

New Zealand never allowed Australia to hold on to a big lead for very long and continuously rallied back to make it close, but could never get over the hump. A devastating 19-0 run to end the first quarter built a big enough lead for Australia to close out for the win and claim their first ever FIBA U18 Asian Championship title. Kody Stattmann was the leading

scorer for Australia with 17 points, but the champions got contributions from all around the roster en route to their win.

In the battle for 3rd place, China exacted their revenge on the Philippines with a 76-57 win that saw them lead from start to finish. Wang Quanze had his best game of the tournament with 27 points and 14 rebounds.

The big man also displayed great shooting range, going 4/10 from downtown.

In the classification games, Japan edged out Iran with a 6058 entertaining bout to claim 5th place and Bahrain claimed a historic 7th place on a 100-93 win over Korea.

The final standing of the FIBA U18 Asian Championship: 1. Australia 2. New Zealand 3. China 4. Philippines 5. Japan 6. Iran 7. Bahrain

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TECH/AUTO

Stanford engineers create new AI camera for faster, more efficient image classification T

BY ANDREW MYERS he image recognition technology that underlies today’s autonomous cars and aerial drones depends on artificial intelligence: the computers essentially teach themselves to recognize objects like a dog, a pedestrian crossing the street or a stopped car. The problem is that the computers running the artificial intelligence algorithms are currently too large and slow for future applications like handheld medical devices.

Now, researchers at Stanford University have devised a new type of artificially intelligent camera system that can classify images faster and more energy efficiently, and that could one day be built small enough to be embedded in the devices themselves, something that is not possible today. The

Photo courtesy: Andrey Suslov / Getty Images

work was published in the August 17 Nature Scientific Reports.

That autonomous car you just passed has a relatively huge, relatively slow, energy

intensive computer in its trunk,” said Gordon Wetzstein, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Stanford, who led the research. Future applications will need some-

THIS BOSCH APP MAKES CAR KEYS A THING OF THE PAST

Safe and stress-free key management by smartphone Stuttgart, Germany TL Bureau. he key of the future is digital, and offers more features than its analog predecessors: impossible to lose or steal, there is never a need to search for it. That is because it is stored securely and specifically for each user in a smartphone app. “Our Perfectly Keyless app is making conventional vehicle keys a thing of the past. Bosch is taking the car key into the digital realm and making it available anywhere, anytime,” says Harald Kröger, president of the Bosch Automotive Electronics division. With Perfectly Keyless, the smartphone replaces the analog vehicle key. This concept can offer owners of private vehicles increased convenience, but where it really shines is in vehicle fleets with multiple drivers. No more key handovers: fleet managers and logistics providers simply use the app to give drivers access to the vehicles. “Bosch’s digital vehicle key gives fleets a boost towards greater connectivity,” Kröger says. The company believes there is a huge market for its solution, which is making its world debut at the IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hannover: potential customers include some 15,000 logistics providers in Germany alone.

Most of them manage at least a dozen vehicles and drivers.

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Digital, not analog: with Perfectly Keyless, Bosch puts car keys onto smartphones.

World first: the first keyless access system for trucks.

For fleet operators: they can now flexibly manage which drivers have vehicle access and when.

No more hunting for keys: a digital key is always where it is needed.

A keyless journey Row upon row of hundreds of keys hanging on large boards – logistics providers still often use this method to organize the keys to their fleet vehicles. A missing key triggers a massive search operation. But every minute counts, especially with commercial vehicles. After all, if a truck isn’t moving, it’s not making any money. At the core of the new system is an app that dispatchers and truck drivers both have on their phones. This makes it possible to grant vehicle access with just a few clicks. In the future, the Bosch solution will also allow logistics providers to completely integrate digital key management into their dispatch and scheduling systems. As soon as dispatch has assigned drivers and trucks to a route, the system automatically generates digital keys for the vehicles and sends them to the drivers’ smartphones. If the

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4 route scheduling changes, the software adjusts the keys accordingly. “Thanks to Bosch’s fully digital key management, logistics providers enjoy both security and flexibility in their planning. This is the only way the logistics of the future will be able to function efficiently,” Kröger says.

thing much faster and smaller to process the stream of images, he said.

Wetzstein and Julie Chang, a graduate student and first author on the paper, took a step

toward that technology by marrying two types of computers into one, creating a hybrid optical-electrical computer designed specifically for image analysis.

The first layer of the prototype camera is a type of optical computer, which does not require the power-intensive mathematics of digital computing.

The second layer is a traditional digital electronic computer. The optical computer layer operates by physically preprocessing image data, filtering it in multiple ways that an electronic computer would otherwise have to do mathematically. Since the filtering happens naturally as light passes through the custom optics, this layer operates with zero input power. This saves the hybrid system a lot of time and energy that would otherwise be consumed by computation.

HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY BEGINS HONDAJET ELITE DELIVERIES

H TL Bureau.

onda Aircraft Company announced today that it has begun deliveries of its new advanced aircraft, the HondaJet Elite, at its headquarters in Greensboro, NC. Deliveries of the HondaJet Elite begin as the HondaJet marks the first half of 2018 as the most delivered aircraft in its class, based on information provided by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). “We are proud to announce that deliveries of the HondaJet Elite have begun,” said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. “This milestone showcases Honda Aircraft’s steadfast commitment to setting new standards in business aviation and enthusiasm for remaining at the forefront of an evolving industry.”

He added, “We are excited about the very positive worldwide reaction to the HondaJet Elite’s market entrance and are pleased to announce that, most recently, more than 10 orders in Japan were placed following our expansion to the region in June. Deliveries in Japan will begin following receiving type certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau early next year.” During the first half of 2018, Honda Aircraft delivered 17 HondaJets to cus-

tomers, making it the most delivered aircraft in it its class.

When discussing the HondaJet ranking as most delivered, Mr. Fujino stated, “When creating the HondaJet, my priority was to enhance the lives of business jet users by designing an aircraft that offered unrivaled performance, value and comfort. As the HondaJet remains the most delivered very light jet, we would like to thank our customers for choosing the aircraft for its best-in-class attributes. We are looking forward to continuing to deliver the HondaJet and HondaJet Elite around the globe.” Honda Aircraft Company has established a worldwide dealer and authorized sales network to provide unsurpassed service and support for HondaJet Elite customers that spans territories in North America, Europe, Middle and South America, Southeast Asia, China, India, the Middle East and Japan. Manufactured at Honda Aircraft Company’s world headquarters in Greensboro, NC, the HondaJet Elite is type certified by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

12 The UK. Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Erdogan of Turkey TL Bureau.

London. A Downing Street spokesperson said: “This morning the Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Erdogan of Turkey.

“They discussed a number of their shared priorities. They both expressed their concerns about the escalating military action by the Syrian regime in north-west Syria putting millions of civilians at risk, and the potential for further – illegal – use of chemical weapons. “They discussed the importance of stability in the region, the need to protect civilians and to avoid a deterioration in the humanitarian situation.

The Prime Minister reiterated her strong belief that the long-term stability of Syria can only be secured through a political settlement. “They also discussed the Turkish economy and the Prime Minister noted the UK is a major investor and trading partner with Turkey, and wants to see the Turkish economy flourish. The Prime Minister said the UK would wecome a visit from Turkey’s Treasury and Finance Minister to discuss ways to enhance the trade relationship between Turkey and the UK.”

Further steps to intensify relations between Switzerland and Lebanon

TL Bureau.

Beirut - Switzerland and Lebanon have reaffirmed the wish to further deepen their traditionally strong ties. On Aug 27 in Beirut, President Alain Berset expressed Switzerland’s solidarity with Lebanon, which has been severely affected by the Syrian crisis. In talks with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, Mr Berset discussed how cooperation on migration, humanitarian aid and on economic affairs could be improved.

Toyota and Uber Extend Collaboration to Automated Vehicle Technologies

TL Bureau.

TOKYO- Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber) today announced that they have agreed to expand their collaboration with the aim of advancing and bringing to market autonomous ride-sharing as a mobility service at scale. To accomplish this, technology from each company will be integrated into purpose-built Toyota vehicles to be deployed on Uber’s ride-sharing network.

Separately, Toyota is investing $500 million in Uber. “Combining efforts with Uber, one of the predominant global ride-sharing and automated driving R&D companies, could further advance future mobility,” said Shigeki Tomoyama, executive vice president, TMC, and president, Toyota Connected Company.

“This agreement and investment marks an important milestone in our transformation to a mobility company as we help provide a path for safe and secure expansion of mobility services like ride-sharing that includes Toyota vehicles and technologies.”

As Uber and Toyota look ahead to a self-driving future, this partnership will be critical in realizing self-driving technology at scale. Uber and Toyota anticipate that the mass-produced autonomous vehicles will be owned and operated by mutually agreed upon third party autonomous fleet operators. “The deal is the first of its kind for Uber, and signals our commitment to bringing world-class technologies to the Uber network,” said Dara Khosrowshahi.

WORLD

PRESIDENT TAKES PART IN SUCCESSFUL TESTS OF A 32 MW ENGINE FOR ENERGY SECTOR IN MYKOLAIV REGION

Photo: President Office Ukraine.

TL Bureau.

Mykolaiv. President Petro Poroshenko arrived in Mykolaiv region where he took part in the testing of a new 32 MW engine for civilian use in the energy sector.

The President stressed: “Today, tests of a new 32 MW unit, which has no analogues in the world, have taken place. Look who our competitors in the world are - General Electric, Siemens, and RollsRoyce. Although not. Rolls-Royce is not a competitor, because it has no 32 MW, its largest capacity is 25 MW. I can congratulate you - the tests have been successful”. According to him, it once again shows the quality of products of “ZoryaMashproekt”, the potential of the company. “This once again firmly convinces us that, as a state, we have to pave the way for the products of such enterprises to the new markets - Asian markets, markets all over the world,” the Head of State emphasized.

The President stressed that the engine has been created for years, and therefore it is very important that today there is already a result that most countries of the world cannot boast of and that clearly demonstrates the potential of Ukraine.

“Already more than 300 million, with installation it seems to

me that it is 360 million - this is the first contracts that came to “Zorya”.

But this is only the beginning ... I think that the total volume of orders in two or three years will reach more than 2.5 billion UAH. This is the funds of a Ukrainian customer, which finances a Ukrainian manufacturer,” the Head of State emphasized.

India’s first biofuel powered flight undertakes maiden voyage

TL Correspondent New Delhi. A historic flight powered by indigenously produced aviation biofuel based on patented technology of CSIR-IIP Dehradun was flagged off today from Dehradun airport by Uttarakhand CM Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat. The Spicejet flight, featuring a latest generation Q400 aircraft powered by ,was received at Delhi airport by Union Ministers Shri Nitin Gadkari, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri Jayant Sinha.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister, S&T and Vice President, CSIR on the occasion said that it is a historic day and the biofuel technology is going to be a game changer as the Biojet fuel is greenhouse gas neutral, carbon neutral, reduces air pollution and to cap it ,it would bring down import bill on crude oil.“Commercialization of biofuel promises large-scale employment avenues both in formal and informal sector”, said Dr. Vardhan.

The situation for Chechens in Russia

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TL Bureau. he European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has published a Country of Origin Information (COI) Report entitled ‘The situation for Chechens in Russia’. The report provides an overview of the situation of Chechens living in Russia, outside of the North Caucasus.

The report examines a variety of sources and focuses on different topics such as legal requirements, the criminal justice system, socioeconomic circumstances, and the role of the authorities, together with closer examination of the situation for a number of specific groups of people, the report presents an up-to-date account of the current situation for Chechens living in Russia.

The report gives an overview of the main topics relevant for asylum authorities in Europe. A general overview of the Chechen communities in Russia outside of the North Caucasus region is provided, including the size and location of

the communities and specific information on the largest communities.

Legal requirements relating to procedures for renewing internal passports, obtaining external passports, and registering for residence is included in the report from both a procedural and a practical perspective, in order to highlight potential disparities between legislation and practice.

The housing, education, work, and health care situation for Chechens is also examined. Each topic is

intersected with residence registration, how the system works in practice in Russia, and how specifically the access for Chechens is in each area.

A number of sub-demographic profiles are also presented in the report, namely on women, LGBT persons, children, Chechens eligible for military service, and human rights activists and dissidents. The reception of Chechens returnees is also examined in a separate chapter.