News, Jobs, Scholarship and Business Tips: Sep 12, 2018

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Job Vacancy For Fixed Income Securities Dealer at Citibank Nigeria Limited

Citibank Nigeria Limited, the leading global financial services company, provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Fixed Income Securities Dealer

Ref No: 18059541
Location: Lagos
Job Category: Trading
Schedule: Full-time

Job Purpose

To actively trade in the inter-bank Treasury Bills and Bonds market on behalf of the Bank with the primary objective of enhancing revenues accruing to the Bank from trading and positioning in the Treasury Bills and Bonds market whilst adhering to limits.
To coordinate trading activities and strategies in trading securities, bonds, treasury bills and repos.

Job Background/Context

Daily risk taking and accurate position taking considering micro and macro-economic issues, interest rates and inflation. Look to expand customer business in conjunction with the Sales Team while using market information to ensure the set revenue target is met.
Responsibilities also include ensuring that all regulatory requirements as a Primary Dealer Market Maker (PDMM) are met, market share on both primary and secondary markets and other qualitative regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Primary responsibility for risk taking on Bonds and Treasury Bills, maintaining the trading blotter and managing positions.
Daily position management and seeking for opportunities in the interbank market for outright and repos.
Daily monitoring of trading limits, DV01, aggregate volume limits, tenor limits, value at risk limits and management action triggers.
Point of contact with the key regulators, Debt Management office, Central Bank of Nigeria and associated settlement agencies, CSCS.
Expected to track and collate fixed income securities data to support research and analytics as required by the bank.
Coordinate fixed income securities trade with sales team.
Support any mark to market trading initiative that may arise from time to time.

Qualifications
Knowledge/Experience:

Prior work experience in Treasury and/or knowledge of fixed income securities
Minimum of 4 to 5 years post qualification experience

Skills:

Candidates must be confident, articulate, quick thinking and numeric.
Must display high energy levels and drive
Must display an affinity for risk taking
Must be highly motivated and have a very competitive nature.
Must be versatile enough to trade other products e.g. FX, money markets etc.

Qualifications:

A B.Sc/ BA degree.
An MBA will be an added advantage.
Added advantage for candidates possessing relevant professional qualification e.g. CFA (Certified Financial Analyst)

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

Short listed candidates will be contacted for interview on a date to be advised.
Should the Business Head and HR deem there to be high potential candidates who do not fully meet the inherent requirements of the role the candidate may be considered for the position, provided they have certain skills and experience which are closely related to the role.
In the exceptional cases where we hire a more junior candidate, HR may require to bring in the candidate at the appropriate grade than the one advertised to maintain internal equity.
In these cases the Business and HR will work together to determine a formal developments plan for the candidate to get them up to the appropriate grade.

Job Vacancy For Laboratory Engineer at CGC Nigeria Limited (CGC)

CGC Nigeria Limited (China Geo-engineering Company), a Chinese company with its headquarter in Abuja is a subsidiary of CGCOC GROUP CO., LTD. in mainland China. Our company CGC Nigeria Limited is a reputable Engineering Management and construction company at the forefront of construction of roads, bridges and other civil infrastructures in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Laboratory Engineer

Location: Nationwide

Job Requirements

Familiar with the laboratory work on road and bridge construction
Familiar with laboratory management, instrument operation and test document interpretation.
Two Years work experience
Diploma or Bachelor Degree

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Job Vacancy FOR Subgrade Site Engineer at CGC Nigeria Limited (CGC)

CGC Nigeria Limited (CGC), a Chinese company with its headquarter in Abuja is a subsidiary of CGCOC GROUP CO., LTD. in mainland China. Our company CGC Nigeria Limited is a reputable Engineering Management and construction company at the forefront of construction of roads, bridges and other civil infrastructures in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Subgrade Site Engineer

Location: Abuja

Job Description

Responsible for site construction and internal work of subgrade works in road and bridge project

Job Requirements

Familiar with related professional knowledge of subgrade engineering
Bachelor degree and above
0 - 2 Years experience.

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Job Vacancy For Graduate Pavement Engineer at CGC Nigeria Limited

CGC Nigeria Limited, a Chinese company with its headquarter in Abuja is a subsidiary of CGCOC GROUP CO., LTD. in mainland China. Our company CGC Nigeria Limited is a reputable Engineering Management and construction company at the forefront of construction of roads, bridges and other civil infrastructures in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Pavement Engineer

Location: Abuja

Job Description

Responsible for site construction and internal work of pavement works in road and bridge project.

Job Requirements

Use relevant software for review verification and cosy analysis
Familiar with the pavement construction process and all relevant equipmentss .
Having a certain level of on-site management skills
Bachelor degree and above in Mechanical / Electrical Engineering
0 - 2 Years experience.

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Job Vacancy For Secretary (Male & Female) at CGC Nigeria Limited (CGC)

CGC Nigeria Limited (China Geo-engineering Company), a Chinese company with its headquarter in Abuja is a subsidiary of CGCOC GROUP CO., LTD. in mainland China. Our company CGC Nigeria Limited is a reputable Engineering Management and construction company at the forefront of construction of roads, bridges and other civil infrastructures in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Secretary (Male & Female)

Location: Kano

Job Description

A suitable person for this role will be someone who possesses knowledge of corporate issues and who understands the protocols of meetings, record keeping, documentation and correspondence. Further, an understanding of regulatory issues involved in running a company will be a plus.

Job Responsibilities
The duties of the secretary will include but are not limited to the following;

Attend company meetings, board of directors meetings and board committee meetings.
Render all necessary secretarial services and advising the company on regulatory issues;
Attend company meetings;
Order supplies for the office
Maintain statutory registers and other records of the company;
Render proper and timely returns as required under CAMA;
Make hotel reservations and other travel arrangements
Carry out such administrative and other secretarial duties as directed by his/her manager or supervisor

Job Requirements
Education:

Bachelor degree and above

Working Experience:

2years and above work experience in a similar role.

Professional Qualification:

Any related professional qualification such as The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria will be an added advantage
Ideal Candidate should reside in Kano.

Required Skills:

Good organisation skills.
Good time management.
Good communications skills, written and verbal.
Discretion.
Confidence with IT and computer packages.
Accuracy and good attention to detail.
An ability to stay calm and tactful under pressure.
Self motivation.

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job Vacancy For Electro Technical Officers at Orion Marine Limited

Orion Marine Limited - A leading Manning Agency in Nigeria committed to developing Nigerian Content is looking for suitably qualified Engineering Officers to join their fleet of modern Oil & Chemical Tankers trading within Nigerian waters. Our Seafarers enjoy rewarding career opportunities in addition to benefiting from the latest training programs ashore and onboard.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Electro Technical Officer

Location: Lagos

Requirements

Candidates should have completed all mandatory STCW 2010 courses and posses valid Tanker endorsements appropriate for the Rank.
Only candidates having a minimum 12 months Sea Service onboard actively Trading Oil Tankers of 10,000 GRT and above for the ranks may apply.
All applicants must be registered with Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Application Closing Date
25th September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's to: manning@orion-ng.com
Or at:
Orion Marine Limited,
41 Creek Road,
Apapa, Lagos State.

Job Vacancy For 2nd Officers at Orion Marine Limited

Candidates should have completed all mandatory STCW 2010 courses and posses valid Tanker endorsements appropriate for the Rank.
Only candidates having a minimum 12 months Sea Service onboard actively Trading Oil Tankers of 10,000 GRT and above for the ranks may apply.
All applicants must be registered with Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Job Vacancy For 3rd Engineers at Orion Marine Limited

Candidates should have completed all mandatory STCW 2010 courses and posses valid Tanker endorsements appropriate for the Rank.
Only candidates having a minimum 12 months Sea Service onboard actively Trading Oil Tankers of 10,000 GRT and above for the ranks may apply.
All applicants must be registered with Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Job Vacancy For 4th Engineers at Orion Marine Limited

Candidates should have completed all mandatory STCW 2010 courses and posses valid Tanker endorsements appropriate for the Rank.
Only candidates having a minimum 12 months Sea Service onboard actively Trading Oil Tankers of 10,000 GRT and above for the ranks may apply.
All applicants must be registered with Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Job Vacancy For Graduate Administrative Officer at Landover Company Limited

Landover Company is a leading Aviation service provider with Headquarters in Lagos. We are desirous of engaging highly competent, resourceful and talented individuals to join our Flight Service team.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Administrative Officer

Location: Lagos

Job Description

Successful candidates will be responsible for general administrative tasks.

Requirements

B.Sc/HND in Business Administration, Public Administration or any related discipline with a minimum of Second Class lower/ Lower Credit.
Minimum of 1 year post NYSC experience in Office Administration.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Able to multitask, prioritize, and manage time efficiently
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, database management and record keeping
Good interpersonal skills

Application Closing Date
21st September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Massive Management Trainee Program (SMTP) At Sahel Capital 2018

Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers Limited is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the Nigerian agribusiness sector. We adopt an integrated approach to deliver tailored capital solutions that meet the unique needs of companies and our investment partners. Partnership with Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers delivers significant benefits including quality financial and operational experience, strong developmental impact and access to a powerful network of global relationships.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Sahel Management Trainee Program (SMTP)

Location: Nationwide
General Role: Financial Reporting & Company Accounts Operations
Reporting To: Chief Operating Officer

Description

In 2013, Sahel Capital was selected as fund manager for the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN). FAFIN is an agriculture-focused investment fund initiated by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the German development bank, KfW. The mission of the fund is to catalyze agriculture-led inclusive economic growth in Nigeria by increasing the amount of commercial capital available for agricultural enterprises in the country providing competitive returns to investors.
In August 2015, Sahel launched the Sahel Management Trainee Programme (“SMTP”), and as part of this initiative, Sahel will select high performing early career accounting/finance professionals (2–4 years’ work experience) that it can place within FAFIN portfolio companies. Selected individuals will spend 2-years rotating across three portfolio companies in different functional areas.

Why would this appeal to candidates?

Candidates get exposure to three sectors over a 2-year period that builds their knowledge base and functional experience; and
SMTP prepares candidates for a mid-management level role post the 2-year programme. Sahel would also pick the top performers to head the accounting departments of new investee companies.

Job Attributes

First degree in Accounting, Administration or Social Sciences
Two to Four years working experience in an accounting role
ACA, ACCA, CPA, CIMA or equivalent.
Good Communication Skills
Ability to co-ordinate team members into achieving unit and organizational objectives
Public/external bodies liaising skills
Willingness and ability to live and work in different geographical regions within Nigeria
Ability to co-ordinate, review & monitor all accounting related transactions.

Application Closing Date
28th September, 2018.

How to Apply"
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's to: recruiting@sahelcp.com with "SMTP" as subject.

Job Vacancy For Business Development Japanese Desk Officer At United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA)

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) is one of Africa's leading financial institutions, with operations in 19 African countries and 3 global financial centres: London, Paris and New York. From a single country organisation founded in 1949 in Nigeria, UBA has grown to become a Pan-African provider of financial services with over 11 million customers, through close to 1000 business offices and touch points globally.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Business Development Japanese Desk

Reference No: UBA_DB_JD
Location: Lagos Island, Lagos
Contract Type: Permanent
Job Functions: Analytics,Banking,Marketing
Industries: Banking / Finance & Investment

Introduction

To develop business strategies to increase the bank’s customer base in the sector towards being a market leading financial institution, on-boarding/converting prospective customers in identified sector(Japan Businesses) and managing existing customer account portfolio.

Role and Responsibilities

Identify and profile key prospect among Japanese businesses.
Initiate and maintain relationships with clients and key personnel of these companies.
Prepare marketing plans and strategies to achieve the objective to grow the Japanese business.
Develop and retain relationships with Japanese Organisations by active management of portfolios and ensures solutions meet their needs.
Work to identify partnership opportunities and manage all stakeholders within the sector.
Proffer innovative solutions and work closely to deliver successful projects for the Japanese clients/business in Nigeria and across Rest of Africa
Coordinate the execution of business initiatives by identifying business opportunities and developing financing solutions to meet the needs of Japanese customers/clients
Analyze Japanese business opportunities through comprehensive industry, client and prospect research.
Responsible for review of customers’ financials and making recommendations for credit to be granted under various facilities for customers’ satisfaction.
Undertake activities/engagements that will position the bank as the industry reference/Go-To bank for the clientele sector - Japanese businesses
Any other duties assigned to serve the Japanese businesses.

Education and Experience

University Degrees in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Banking and/or related professional qualifications.
Additional Professional Qualification - ICAN, CFA, Masters would be an advantage
5 years and above banking experience, preferably in finance; relationship banking; Marketing,
Language Proficiency with preference for understanding of Japanese Language & Culture

Requirements:

Design and implementation of business development strategy
Customer Relationship management
Interpersonal skill
Networking and Effective communication skills
Data gathering & analysis
Proven ability to Negotiate

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Massive Graduate Trainee Recruitment 2018 at United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA)

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) is one of Africa's leading financial institutions, with operations in 19 African countries and 3 global financial centres: London, Paris and New York. From a single country organisation founded in 1949 in Nigeria, UBA has grown to become a Pan-African provider of financial services with over 11 million customers, through close to 1000 business offices and touch points globally.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Graduate Trainee

Reference #: GTLAG001
Location: Lagos
Contract Type: Permanent
Job Functions: Banking
Industries: Banking / Finance & Investment

Specification

Are you a graduate? completed NYSC and below 27 years?
Are you looking to start a career with the best financial institution to work in Nigeria?
If yes, we are on the hunt for customer oriented, detailed, result driven and technology savvy young minds who are dynamic and passionate about learning from field experts, to be part of the UBA tribe.
There is a space for you in the UBA Tribe, Join us now!!

Requirements
Educational Qualification:

Minimum Educational level - B.Sc. in any related discipline

Competences:

Excellent customer service orientation
High level of integrity
Good verbal & written communication skills
Selling skills
Focused, Motivated & Results Oriented
Paying attention to details
Good interpersonal skills
Fast and error-free processing
Strong problem resolution skills
Selling & Marketing Skills

Application Closing Date
1st October, 2018.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Job Vacancy For CFO - UBA Pension at United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA)

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) is one of Africa's leading financial institutions, with operations in 19 African countries and 3 global financial centres: London, Paris and New York. From a single country organisation founded in 1949 in Nigeria, UBA has grown to become a Pan-African provider of financial services with over 11 million customers, through close to 1000 business offices and touch points globally.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: CFO - UBA Pension

Reference No: CFO_UBAP_01
Location: Lagos Island, Lagos
Contract Type: Permanent
Job Functions: Accounting,Analytics,Auditing,Banking,Finance
Industries: Accounting, Banking / Finance & Investment, Financial Services

Introduction

As a brand with Africa as the center of its business operations, UBA strongly believes in Africa and its people with emphasis on being global. We are driving the renaissance of the African economy through innovation in Banking, having successfully built a strong domestic and international brand with footprints in 20 African countries, London, Paris and New York.
Our strong presence on the African continent is deliberate and it reflects our love for diversity and a multicultural system. We have about 15,000 multilingual, ethnically varying and highly diverse people who reflect the richness, multiplicity and uniqueness of the twenty (20) African countries we operate. Here at UBA, each person’s contribution is valued and is important to the overall vision of the company. Your career growth is of utmost importance to us, that’s why you deserve more than a job. You deserve a tribe. Working in UBA admits you into our tribe. You will do the work that you love, one that matters to you and will be involved in cross functional projects across all our geographies. You become a part of the culture built and nurtured on values, resilience and dedication, a culture that make us a role model for African businesses.

Specification

Accomplishes finance human resource strategies by determining accountabilities; communicating and enforcing values, policies, and procedures; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions; planning and reviewing compensation strategies.
Develops finance organizational strategies by contributing financial and accounting information, analysis, and recommendations to strategic thinking and direction; establishing functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
Establishes finance operational strategies by evaluating trends; establishing critical measurements; determining production, productivity, quality, and customer-service strategies; designing systems; accumulating resources; resolving problems; implementing change.
Develops organization prospects by studying economic trends and revenue opportunities; projecting acquisition and expansion prospects; analyzing organization operations; identifying opportunities for improvement, cost reduction, and systems enhancement; accumulating capital to fund expansion.
Develops financial strategies by forecasting capital, facilities, and staff requirements; identifying monetary resources; developing action plans in conjunction with Head Resources.
Monitors financial performance by measuring and analyzing results; initiating corrective actions; minimizing the impact of variances.
Maximizes return on invested funds by identifying investment opportunities; maintaining relationships with the investment community.
Reports financial status by developing forecasts; reporting results; analyzing variances; developing improvements.
Updates job knowledge by remaining aware of new regulations; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
Accomplishes finance and organization mission by completing related results as needed.

Requirements
Education Requirements:

First degree in Accounting, Economics Additional professional qualification – ACA, ACCA

Experience:

7-10 years work experience in financial control in the banking industry or financial industry.

Key Skills:

Good written Communication
Good Oral Communication Skills
Attention to Details.
Strong Leadership qualities
Good analytical skills
Good problem solving skills

Application Closing Date
30th September, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

THE NEWS: Rashford gets England back to winning ways over Switzerland

Rashford gets England back to winning ways over Switzerland

AFP / Paul ELLIS Marcus Rashford scored the only goal as England beat Switzerland on Tuesday

England manager Gareth Southgate recognised his side have vast room for improvement despite bouncing back from three consecutive defeats as a much-changed team edged past Switzerland for a 1-0 friendly win thanks to Marcus Rashford's winner.

However, the Three Lions again failed to hit the heights from their World Cup campaign, particularly in a poor first 45 minutes that provoked strong words between the players at half-time.

Southgate, though, did at least stave off an unwanted record of becoming the first England boss to oversee four straight defeats and further puncture the feel-good factor of a run to the World Cup semi-finals.

"It's not been a perfect week by any means but we finish with a win, which is important moving forward," said Southgate.

"We had a tactical problem to sort out and so many lads playing their first 45 minutes of the season," he added of the first-half display.

"It was a tall order to ask them to play against an excellent Switzerland side, they kept the ball well and we had to chase too much. There was plenty of room for improvement."

The two teams could have met in the quarter-finals in Russia had the Swiss not limped out of the competition with a whimper to Sweden in the last 16.

England proved far too strong for the Swedes before falling short against Croatia in the last four, but it is Switzerland who have so far bounced back from their World Cup disappointment the stronger.

Vladimir Petkovic's side thrashed Iceland 6-0 to kickstart their Nations League campaign and were the better side for the first 45 minutes at the King Power.

"We could have been two or three nil down at half-time," said England full-back Danny Rose. "It's great we can all shout at each other and tell each other to improve like we did."

AFP / Paul ELLIS The first-half was uncomfortable viewing for England boss Gareth Southgate

Southgate insisted after being outplayed for the majority of a 2-1 defeat by Spain in his side's inaugural Nations League encounter on Saturday that England must persist with his intention to improve on playing out from the back under pressure.

However, it nearly cost the hosts the opening goal twice in a matter of seconds inside the first 10 minutes.

Jack Butland misplaced a pass which rolled dangerously close to his own goal, and when the goalkeeper's next clearance to James Tarkowski was cut out by the Swiss high press, Xherdan Shaqiri should have scored rather than striking the post on his weaker right foot.

Southgate has lamented England's failure to produce midfielders of the calibre that Croatia and Spain possess.

But his side, containing nine changes from the weekend, was struggling even to cope with the Swiss' passing and movement as the visitors enjoyed nearly 65 percent possession before the break.

A more positive start to the second period for the hosts was rewarded with the only goal on 54 minutes when Kyle Walker's hanging cross to the back post was swept home by Rashford for his fifth international goal.

The importance of holding on for a morale-boosting win for Southgate was shown as he introduced a host of regular starters, including captain Harry Kane off the bench for the final quarter.

Shaqiri came closest to an equaliser, but saw his fierce strike bravely blocked by John Stones as England held out for victory.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/rashford-gets-england-back-winning-ways-over-switzerland-doc-1911rw7

THE NEWS: Pro-hunting nations block whale sanctuary bid

Pro-hunting nations block whale sanctuary bid

AFP/File / JUAN MABROMATA The South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary failed to get backing from a two-thirds majority of the International Whale Commission meeting in Florianopolis, Brazil

Pro-whaling nations on Tuesday blocked a near two-decade effort to create a South Atlantic haven for the endangered marine mammals, deepening divisions at an already fractious International Whaling Commission meeting in Brazil.

The South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary was backed by 39 countries with 25 voting against and several countries not casting a ballot, and so failed to get the required two-thirds majority from the 89-member body.

Brazil's Environment Minister Edson Duarte, whose country has been proposing the creation of the sanctuary since a 2001 IWC meeting, said he was disappointed but would continue to enlist support worldwide.

"As minister for the environment in a country with 20 percent of the world's biodiversity in its forests, we feel highly responsible for the stewardship of our wealth, for the whole world, and this goes for cetaceans as well," Duarte said, to applause from delegates.

Environmental groups attending the meeting expressed bitter disappointment at the outcome.

Co-sponsored by Argentina, Gabon, South Africa and Uruguay, it was first discussed in 1998 and voted on since the 2001 meeting of the IWC.

The IWC recognizes two other sanctuaries, the Indian Ocean Sanctuary created in 1979 and another in 1994, in the waters of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

- 'Bad faith' -

Pro-whaling Japan voted against the project, backed by commercial whaling states Iceland and Norway, as well as Russia. The Japanese delegation has pushed for a rule change at the biennial meetings that would allow decisions to be made by simple majority instead of the current three quarters minimum.

This would make it easier for Japan to push through its proposal to end a 32-year moratorium on commercial whaling and re-introduce "sustainable whaling," much to the ire of nations that oppose the practice.

It would also, as Japanese foreign ministry officials pointed out at the Brazil meet, have enabled the creation of the long-envisioned sanctuary.

New Zealand's Commissioner Amy Laurenson, speaking in favor of the sanctuary, told the meeting it was about protecting whales, "not about determining the outcome for other areas of the world."

Grettel Delgadillo of Humane Society International (HSI), said the vote was a "bitter disappointment" and "a genuine sign of bad faith and continuing intrigue by the Japan bloc, and it bodes very poorly for the crucial votes that will come later this week."

Australia won a case against Japan at the International Court of Justice in 2014 for disregarding the Southern Ocean sanctuary and hunting around Antarctica as part of its "scientific program."

In the wake of the ruling, Japan continues to hunt in the Southern Ocean but with a reduced catch quota.

- No pay, no say -

Six member nations did not send delegations, while seven countries that did -- most of them African -- have not paid their fees and were barred from voting.

Observers said that for some of these smaller countries, not voting on a highly-sensitive issue is a diplomatic gesture, and it is unlikely they would want to be seen in either camp.

However, some anti-whaling delegates said it showed the lack of preparation by proposing countries to let potential votes leak away due to a procedural matter, adding that Japan was altogether more efficient in preparing the political ground.

The result perpetuates a decades-old deadlock between pro- and anti-whaling sides at the IWC.

Nicolas Entrup, of Swiss-based NGO OceanCare, pointed to an action plan to protect whales in the South Atlantic adopted unanimously by parties to the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) last year.

Railing against "the destructive blockade of some countries," he said CMS states should go ahead without IWC approval to form the sanctuary.

Patrick Ramage of the International Fund for Animal Welfare said "a sanctuary in this region would have provided strong protection to a wide range of whale and dolphin species."

"Non-lethal whale research in this area has already provided valuable data on whales and a sanctuary would have built on this further, giving us far more useful and precise information than has ever been gained from so-called scientific whaling," he added.

Delgadillo of the HSI added: "The nations of the region want to create -– and they have every right to create -- a safe haven for whales under continued threats from commercial whaling, death from entanglement in fishing gear, marine pollution and injury from ship strikes."

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/pro-hunting-nations-block-whale-sanctuary-bid-doc-1908dg4

THE NEWS: Cancer in Europe: more cases but fewer deaths

Cancer in Europe: more cases but fewer deaths

AFP/File / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT New breast cancer cases increased by 30 percent in Europe between 2000 and 2014, when 110 new cases were reported per every 100,000 women

The number of cancer cases has continued to rise across Europe, however mortality rates from the disease have fallen, according to the World Health Organization's "European Health Report", published Wednesday.

Some 2.4 percent of people living in the 53 countries constituting the WHO's "Europe region" had cancer in 2014, a 50 percent increase since 2000, although the figure conceals significant disparities in cancer type and region.

In the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, the prevalence of cancer is twice as high at five percent, while it is only 1.8 percent in the 10 post-Soviet states that comprise the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), which includes Belarus, Georgia and Russia.

The 2013 figure in the European Union was 2.8 percent, with a slightly higher prevalence for women (2.9 percent) than for men (2.7 percent).

New breast cancer cases increased by 30 percent between 2000 and 2014, when 110 new cases were reported per every 100,000 women.

The rise is constant throughout the region, with the Nordic countries recording the most new cases with 175 per 100,000 women in 2014.

Although breast cancer has become more common, it has also been better treated.

Death rates from the disease have steadily decreased in the region since the late 1990s, reaching 20 deaths per 100,000 women in 2015 (21.4 in the EU), compared to 23.8 in 2000 (26.8 in the EU).

Cases of cervical cancer have varied from country to country over time.

Rates declined slowly in the EU (12 per 100,000 women in 2014, a 12.5 percent fall since 2000), while steadily increasing in the CIS (17.8 per 100,000 in 2014, a 23 percent rise since 2000).

Cervical cancer death rates have halved in the EU since the 1970s, with three deaths per 100,000 women in 2015.

Mortality rates in the CIS are more than twice as high, with 6.9 deaths per 100,000 women in 2014, which is unchanged since 1990.

Incidences of tracheal, bronchial and lung cancers have also varied across the region.

Rates increased by almost 50 percent in France between 2000 and 2015 (from 47 to 70 cases per 100,000 people), much faster than the 11 percent rise recorded across the rest of the EU.

The average for the whole of the "Europe region" stood at 49 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2014.

Mortality rates from these cancers are decreasing across the region, with a 13 percent fall since 2000, although there are several exceptions.

The rate in France fell only two percent since 2000, with 34.6 deaths recorded per 100,000 inhabitants in 2014, and increased in Portugal by 10 percent over the same period.
SOURCE: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/cancer-europe-more-cases-fewer-deaths-doc-1912a42

THE NEWS: Pope to meet US Church leaders after abuse cover-up claim

Pope to meet US Church leaders after abuse cover-up claim

AFP/File / Alberto PIZZOLI Pope Francis will meet the leaders of the US Catholic Church on Thursday

Pope Francis will meet leaders of the US Catholic Church on Thursday, the Vatican announced, after a high profile accusation that the pontiff covered up sexual abuse allegations against an American cardinal.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, will attend the meeting after saying last month he was eager to meet the pope following the scandal.

Two other conference officials will be at the meeting, as will Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said on Tuesday.

Conservative Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano sparked a firestorm last month when he claimed Francis had personally ignored abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick for five years.

Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, also called on the pope to step down.

Francis has so far refused to respond to the allegations.

The Vatican did not detail what the topic would be for the Thursday meeting, however DiNardo said on August 27 that the questions raised by Vigano "deserve answers that are conclusive and based on evidence".

The affair has exposed a rift in the Church between some ultra-conservative Catholics and a pope they see as a dangerous progressive more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters.

The church was also rocked in August by a devastating US report into child sex abuse accusing more than 300 "predator" priests of abusing more than 1,000 children over seven decades in the state of Pennsylvania.

On Sunday, O'Malley said the fight against child abuse must be the priority of the Church, otherwise "all of our other activities of evangelisation, works of mercy, education, are all going to suffer".

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/pope-meet-us-church-leaders-after-abuse-cover-claim-doc-19110q2

THE NEWS: Rising European life expectancy undermined by obesity: WHO

Rising European life expectancy undermined by obesity: WHO

AFP/File / JOEL SAGET The World Health Organization's director for Europe warned that "lifestyle-related risk factors" could slow or even reverse gains the continent has made in life expectancy

Life expectancy in Europe continues to increase but obesity and the growing proportion of people who are overweight risks reversing this trend, the World Health Organization warned Wednesday.

In its European Health Report, covering 53 countries in a vast geographical area from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the UN agency found well-being is the highest in the world but varies widely within the region.

Average life expectancy from birth has increased from 76.7 years in 2010 to 77.8 years in 2015. Women continue to live longer than men -- 81.1 years compared to 74.6 years for men, although the gap has slightly narrowed.

There are also major differences between countries. Men live almost 16 years longer in Iceland (81.4 years) than in Kazakhstan (65.7 years).

"Progress is uneven, both within and between countries, between sexes, and across generations," said Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO's director for Europe.

But she warned: "Lifestyle-related risk factors give cause for concern, as they may slow, or even reverse the great gains in life expectancy if left unchecked."

- Four in 10 Turks obese -

"Overweight and obesity are on an upward trend in almost all member states," said the report, which was launched in London.

In 2016, 23.3 percent of people in the region were obese, up 2.5 percentage points in six years, and 58.7 percent were overweight, up 2.8 points.

The trend is particularly marked in Turkey, where almost four in 10 women -- 39.2 percent -- are obese.

The WHO definition of obesity is someone with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30, meaning more than 87 kilogrammes (192 pounds) for someone measuring 1.7 metres (5.5 feet).

Two other countries with a particular problem are Malta, where 29.8 percent of the population is obese, and Britain, where the figure is 27.8 percent.

The report also notes Europe has some of the highest rates of smoking and alcohol consumption in the world.

Some 29 percent of people over the age of 15 smoke, compared with 16.9 percent in the Americas region and 24.8 percent in southeast Asia.

The smokers' figure rises to 43.4 percent in Greece, 39.5 percent in Russia and 28.1 percent in France, according to WHO figures from 2013.

However, the proportion of daily smokers across all the countries has dropped, from 28.1 percent in 2002 to 24.4 percent in 2014.

Alcohol consumption has fallen from the highs of the 1990s and 2000s, but at 8.6 litres per person in 2014, Europeans still drink more than other regions.

"While alcohol use is declining overall, adult consumption is still the highest in the world," the report noted.

Among European Union nations in 2014, Lithuania had the highest average alcohol consumption at 15.2 litres per person, followed by the Czech Republic (12.7) and Belgium (12.6).

- Cancer deaths fall -

Premature deaths from cancer, diabetes, respiratory and cardio-vascular illnesses are falling, and the region is on course to reach its objective of a 1.5 percent annual reduction up to 2020.

Such deaths fell by nine percent between 2010 and 2015, down to 715 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.

This is despite a growing number of cases -- in the EU, new cancer diagnoses increased by five percent between 2010 and 2014, to 569 cases per 100,000 people.

Total average health spending across the region meanwhile remained "almost unchanged" at 8.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 compared with 2010.

But there are wide variations in health coverage.

In 2014, private household payments represented 16.7 percent of total health spending in the EU, compared with 45.8 percent in Russia and 9.7 percent in Britain.

The report noted the growth in countries with strategies in place to reduce inequality, which have helped reduce infant mortality and vaccine coverage.

However, the WHO warned there was more to do on measles vaccinations in certain countries, including Ukraine and Montenegro.

In the UN health agency's report, which is published every three years, it added a subjective factor -- life satisfaction.

Asked how satisfied people were with life these days, the average across the region reported 5.9 out of 10.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/rising-european-life-expectancy-undermined-obesity-who-doc-1912a32

THE NEWS: US to take longer to mull Sprint merger with T-Mobile

US to take longer to mull Sprint merger with T-Mobile

AFP/File / John MACDOUGALL T-Mobile is one of the biggest earners for its parent Deutsche Telekom of Germany and in 2017, it added 5.7 million net new customers compared with 8.2 million the previous year

The US Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday told Sprint and T-Mobile it will take more time than first expected to review a proposed merger of the telecommunications firms.

"We are pausing the commission's informal 180-day transaction shot clock in this proceeding," the FCC said in a letter to the companies.

The FCC said the extra time is needed to assess updated engineering and economic modeling information submitted in connection with the merger.

"The clock will remain stopped until the applicants have completed the record on which they intend to rely and a reasonable period of time has passed for.staff and third-party review," the FCC letter stated.

Sprint and T-Mobile in April announced a deal to form a new company and push development of a super-fast 5G network.

The two firms had previously called off merger talks after failing to clinch mutually agreeable terms.

5G or fifth-generation wireless communications networks would enable services such as remote surgery or driverless cars and allow customers to experience video and virtual reality with greater ease.

T-Mobile is one of the biggest earners for its parent Deutsche Telekom of Germany.

In 2017, it added 5.7 million net new customers compared with 8.2 million the previous year, but the hoped-for merger with Sprint fell through in November.

T-Mobile and Sprint -- a subsidiary of Japan's SoftBank -- are at present the third and fourth largest US wireless operators, respectively.

Together they have about 131 million subscribers, virtually matching second-ranked AT&T and posing stiff competition to market leader Verizon Communications.
source:
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/us-take-longer-mull-sprint-merger-t-mobile-doc-1912hv1

THE NEWS: US rights group wades into yoga pants school dress code row

US rights group wades into yoga pants school dress code row

GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / JOE RAEDLE Yoga pants and leggings have become standard casual attire in the US even outside the gym

Yoga pants and leggings have become a staple in the wardrobes of many Americans -- but one US school district is under fire for allegedly punishing young girls who wear them to class.

Public schools in the Wisconsin lakeside city of Kenosha were defending themselves Tuesday against accusations of discriminating against female students who have embraced the "athleisure" style of wearing clothes designed for the gym in other casual settings.

In March, the district rescinded a ban on yoga pants, leggings and tank tops amid outcry that the rules disproportionately targeted girls.

But according to the Wisconsin branch of the American Civil Liberties Union -- a top US rights group -- the overturned ban is still being "selectively" enforced.

In one case, a girl was sent home from summer school twice over her attire, according to local media.

"The ACLU received reports that the dress code was still selectively enforced against female students in a manner that reinforced discriminatory sex stereotypes," the organization said in a statement, saying that unclear guidelines were threatening students' rights.

On Monday, the civil liberties group sent a list of recommendations to the district to "ensure students are protected from discrimination, harassment and degrading treatment."

"Without these changes, female students will continue to disproportionately miss out on classroom time because of minor dress code infractions," the ACLU's Emma Roth said.

The school district disputed the ACLU's account, saying its rollout of the new policy had gone "very well."

"We have taken reasonable steps in order to ensure that the student dress code policy is fair on its face and in its enforcement," the district told a local television station.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/us-rights-group-wades-yoga-pants-school-dress-code-row-doc-19126p2

THE NEWS: Luis Enrique hails the perfect start as Spain boss

Luis Enrique hails the perfect start as Spain boss

AFP / JOSE JORDAN Isco scored the final goal as Croatia were humbled by an impressive Spain

Luis Enrique described it as the perfect start after Spain backed up their win over England with a 6-0 demolition of Croatia on Tuesday.

Spain were three up at half-time against the World Cup runners-up thanks to Marco Asensio's two long-range strikes, the second going in off goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, and an early header from Saul Niguez.

Asensio then laid on three more goals in the second half as Rodrigo Moreno, Sergio Ramos and Isco completed a statement victory in Elche.

Luis Enrique took charge after the humiliating exit to Russia at the World Cup had left Spain doubting the possession game that won them three consecutive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012.

He promised evolution, not revolution, and while his team still dominated possession, they were faster, more direct and less predictable in the final third.

Beating two of the World Cup's semi-finalists in four days leaves Spain top of League A's Group Two in the Nations League.

But, perhaps more importantly, it should also give the players belief in Luis Enrique's methods.

"It would be very easy to say that this is my Spain, generating many chances and conceding few goals, but the truth is that I am changing things very fast," Luis Enrique said.

"This week everything was perfect."

Asensio was the star of the show but Saul, so impressive against England, shone again, alongside the talented 23-year-old Dani Ceballos in midfield.

Spain were barely recognisable from the team that failed to break down Russia in the last 16 but it should also be said they put six past Argentina, under Julen Lopetegui, in March. There is work still to do.

"Comparisons with the World Cup and tonight do not make sense," Luis Enrique said. "Today we were very effective and everything went wonderfully well. They had an early chance, they didn't take it and then we played brilliantly and scored some great goals."

Croatia's Ivan Santini was guilty of missing early on but once Spain pulled ahead, the visitors crumbled.

Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, so dominant at the World Cup, never took control while defensively, without Dejan Lovren, the mistakes kept coming.

"We cannot cry about it, we have to improve," coach Zlatko Dalic said.

"What happened has happened, all their chances have gone in and it is better that it happened today than later.

"After the first goal we were not so focused, we tried to do things too fast and started to abandon the system.

"That is not a solution against Spain, who plays well at home, who likes to dominate the ball. After the second goal, the match was over for us."
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/luis-enrique-hails-perfect-start-spain-boss-doc-1912265

THE NEWS: US-China trade spat looms over regional WEF meeting

US-China trade spat looms over regional WEF meeting

AFP / YE AUNG THU The trade row looms over a regional World Economic Forum (WEF) kicking off in the Vietnamese capital Wednesday morning

Threats by US President Donald Trump to slap more punishing tariffs on Chinese goods are set to dominate a meeting of Asian business bigwigs and leaders that opens Wednesday in Hanoi.

The escalating trade spat between Washington and Beijing has caused global ripples -- and is being closely watched in Southeast Asia where many export-focused economies are set to gain from the fallout.

Trump has already imposed 25 percent customs duties on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods -- triggering a tit-for-tat response from Beijing -- and vowed last week to increase tariffs to hit $200 billion in Chinese imports "very soon".

The mounting dispute looms over a regional World Economic Forum (WEF) kicking off in the Vietnamese capital Wednesday morning where leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and business executives are meeting.

"ASEAN countries don't want to count their chickens before they hatch, but I think they see it on a net basis as a gain for them because it means shifting manufacturing into Southeast Asia that was...(earlier) in China," Fred Burke, managing partner at Baker McKenzie in Vietnam, told AFP.

Rising labour costs in the world's second largest economy have already precipitated a push into countries like Vietnam and Cambodia where Adidas shoes, H&M T-shirts and Samsung phones are made on the cheap.

But the trade war has accelerated that process, with several Chinese firms turning to the region to produce items from bike parts to mattresses in a bid to avoid the new US tariffs.

- Protectionist woes -

Although the spat is likely to boost foreign investment in Southeast Asia, some analysts warned the long-term impact may be less rosy.

"There are concerns that protectionism is not good for Asia as a region because it's a very export-driven region, so any shift toward more trade barriers... is not good," Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit, told AFP.

ASEAN trade increased by a value of nearly $1 trillion between 2007 and 2014, according to WEF, as the bloc has enthusiastically embraced trade liberalisation -- in contrast to the policies promoted by Trump.

In one of his first post-election moves, the US president pulled out of the sprawling 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), calling it a job killer.

The current edition of the WEF, which closes Thursday, is officially themed 'Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution', with a focus on how economies should adapt to so-called 'disruptive technologies' like automation and artificial intelligence that threaten to replace human jobs.

Several regional leaders are slated to attend the forum, including Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Cambodia's newly re-elected strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen and Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who faces fresh global scrutiny over the Rohingya crisis.

She is scheduled to speak at the forum Thursday, though organisers have not said whether she will discuss last week's ruling by the International Criminal Court that allows its chief prosecutor to investigate the forced deportation of 700,000 Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar's military as a possible crime against humanity.

Myanmar has also faced international censure over the decision to jail two Reuters journalists for seven years for their coverage of a Muslim massacre, under a draconian state secrets law.

South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers will also host a session touching on tensions with North Korea and regional security issues Thursday.
AFP

THE NEWS: Defiant Australian paper reprints 'racist' Serena cartoon

Defiant Australian paper reprints 'racist' Serena cartoon

AFP/File / kena betancur The caricature of Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, attracted widespread global condemnation

An Australian newspaper defiantly republished a controversial cartoon of tennis star Serena Williams on its front-page Wednesday, slapping aside "politically correct" accusations that the drawing was racist and sexist.

Melbourne's Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight's caricature of Williams throwing a tantrum at the US Open, was originally printed on Monday, attracting widespread condemnation from across the world.

Under the front-page headline "WELCOME TO PC WORLD", the newspaper wrote Wednesday that "if the self-appointed censors of Mark Knight get their way on his Serena Williams cartoon, our new politically correct life will be very dull indeed".

The cover included caricatures of other Australian and foreign political leaders drawn by Knight.

The veteran cartoonist added Wednesday he had suspended his Twitter account to protect his family and friends.

Prior to disabling his account, his tweet of the cartoon had attracted more than 22,000 comments, most of them critical.

Knight labelled the outcry against his cartoon as a sign that the "world has just gone crazy".

"I drew this cartoon Sunday night after seeing the US Open final, and seeing the world’s best tennis player have a tantrum and thought that was interesting," he said in quotes published on the News Corp Australia paper's website Wednesday.

"The cartoon about Serena is about her poor behaviour on the day, not about race."

The caricature has also sparked renewed debate in Australia about racist and sexist discourse in the highly multicultural nation.

Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, smashed her racquet and called the umpire a "thief" and a "liar" while she was losing Saturday's final to Haitian-Japanese Naomi Osaka.

She was she given three code violations by Carlos Ramos, which cost her a point penalty and then a game penalty.

That sparked a debate about whether she was treated more harshly than male tennis stars like John McEnroe, who was famous for his angry outbursts.

Knight's caricature showed a butch and fat-lipped Williams jumping up and down on her broken racquet, having spat out a dummy.

Osaka was portrayed as petite and feminine with jet blonde straight hair -- in real life she has dark curly hair with blonde streaks and is taller than Williams.

Knight's detractors included author JK Rowling, who said: "Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop."

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/defiant-australian-paper-reprints-racist-serena-cartoon-doc-1912lm1

THE NEWS: Operation Tsukiji: Tokyo battles rats as iconic market shuts

Operation Tsukiji: Tokyo battles rats as iconic market shuts

AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI A rat near Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market, which is soon to close after 83 years -- an event expected to unleash a mass exodus of tens of thousands of the rodents

The operation must be ruthless, thorough and silent. Without alerting the watchful enemy, a unit of highly trained Japanese agents will throw up a ring of steel to block any escape from the vast battleground.

Despite being vastly outnumbered, the unit's chief commander is confident of total victory against the enemy army -- tens of thousands of rats expected to scurry loose when the world-famous Tsukiji fish market closes next month.

The 23-hectare (57-acre) market near Tokyo's swanky Ginza district is home to "not thousands but tens of thousands" of rats, attracted by fish offcuts and the market's maze of sewers, according to Tatsuo Yabe, a rat expert.

AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI Tsukiji fish market has long been a tourist magnet for its pre-dawn tuna auctions

After a fabled 83-year history, the world's biggest fish market, which is also a huge tourist magnet for its pre-dawn tuna auctions, will move to a brand-new facility in Toyosu, about 2.3 kilometres (1.4 miles) away on the waterfront.

The moving operation is unprecedented. Some 900 businesses handling 480 kinds of seafood worth $14 million daily -- as well as 270 types of fruits and vegetables -- will relocate over a period of five days.

Thousands of trucks and forklifts will take part in the move, with tonnes of waste produced in the process -- manna from heaven for the furry denizens of the sewers.

"They will likely start moving en masse once they notice something unusual... The week after the market closes on October 10 will be the major battle," a Tokyo government official who commands the Tsukiji anti-rat operation told AFP.

AFP / Toshifumi KITAMURA Pest control workers will use hundreds of kilos of poison as part of their extermination plan

To prevent a mass exodus from Tsukiji, Tokyo officials -- helped by veteran rat exterminators -- are busy blocking pipe and sewer exits and plugging holes in fences with corrugated sheets.

Before the market is torn down, they will erect an impregnable three-metre (10-foot) steel wall around the site and slowly move in through the perimeter to "corner and catch" the rodents, said the operation's commander, who asked not to be named.

In addition, they will instal 40,000 sticky sheets to catch rodents, along with traps and use 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of rat poison.

- 'It's frightening' -

Restaurants and bar managers in the area surrounding the market are on red alert for a possible influx of unwelcome rodent visitors.

"It's frightening," said the owner of one restaurant in Ginza, one of Tokyo's most fancy wining and dining districts just a stone's throw from the market.

AFP / Gal ROMA Japan's Tsukiji market

"We heard rats scrabbling around when an old theatre building was torn down in this neighbourhood," said the 56-year-old restaurateur, who wished to remain anonymous.

"Some of our neighbours are even feeding stray cats now. That is how defensive we are getting."

The Ginza Street Association, which brings together local businesses, even created a special anti-rat taskforce last year.

Tokyo exterminator GP Corporation is telling clients in the area to keep their eyes peeled.

"We are calling on them to stay vigilant and not even keep the doors open because sewer rats may come right in once the moving starts," said Kazuya Takahashi from the company.

- Hardly any food poisoning -

Hiroyasu Ito, a veteran fish trader as old as the Tsukiji market itself, has known Tsukiji since the days when buyers and sellers communicated via telegram.

Now chairman of the Seafood Wholesalers' Association, Ito is aware of the venerable market's issues.

AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI The sparkling new Toyosu fish market features sensor-controlled doors and shutters and 'air curtains' blasted down from the ceiling that keep cool air inside and should keep dust and bugs -- and rats -- out

"We have many problems. Birds fly in, and many things like rats come in and out freely," he said about the open-air facility.

But he stresses that the market has an impressive food hygiene record. In recent decades, market players have made the utmost sanitary efforts, with special inspectors in white jackets checking on food safety every day.

"We've hardly had any food poisoning incidents in this market. We are proud of it," Ito told AFP.

Nevertheless, he has high expectations for the new Toyosu facility, equipped with state-of-art refrigeration.

The gigantic complex stands on reclaimed land nearly twice as large as Tsukiji, and it is fully air-conditioned and prepared to welcome its new tenants.

"The biggest difference is that Toyosu is an enclosed market, so all buying and selling will be done in this building," said Masataka Miyake, a Tokyo official preparing for the new facility.

Originally planned in 2016, Tsukiji's relocation has been postponed several times, held up by revelations of heavy soil contamination at Toyosu, a former gas plant.

"I hope the new Toyosu brand will soon become a global household name," Miyake said, describing Tsukiji as "very popular and lively".

Doors and shutters at the new facility are sensor-controlled, and when they are open, air is blasted down from the ceiling -- like an invisible screen.

"The air curtain prevents the cool air from escaping outside," said Miyake, as well as fending off unwanted intruders like dust and bugs -- and rats.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/operation-tsukiji-tokyo-battles-rats-iconic-market-shuts-doc-18n6us1

THE NEWS: US-Canada trade deal 'eminently possible,' Freeland says

US-Canada trade deal 'eminently possible,' Freeland says

AFP/File / Brendan Smialowski Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland is calling for close cooperation with the US

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a breakthrough Tuesday in tense talks with the United States on a revamped continental trade pact, saying a new deal was now "eminently possible."

US President Donald Trump also said earlier that the talks, which both countries ramped up in recent weeks, were coming along well.

After a year of effort, Washington and Mexico City announced an agreement in late August and Trump's administration has informed Congress it plans to sign a new treaty by November 30, including Canada if possible.

"Achieving that deal is going to require good will, good faith and flexibility on both sides, and we think that's eminently possible," Freeland said after the latest set of bilateral meetings in Washington with her American counterpart, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

"It is very important to inform" Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in person about the latest developments, she added.

US President Donald Trump also said the talks, which both countries intensified in recent weeks, were coming along well.

After a year of effort, Washington and Mexico City announced an agreement in late August and Trump's administration has informed Congress it plans to sign a new treaty by November 30, including Canada if possible.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned, however, that potential US auto tariffs could be "devastating" for industry in both countries.

Trump has raised pressure on Ottawa, threatening to impose duties on Canadian auto imports, which Trudeau said would be "devastating" for the Canadian auto sector.

"But it would also be devastating to the American auto industry. It would cause a massive disruption and I think lots of layoffs in the United States," Trudeau said on Canadian radio.

"I think it's something that we obviously have to be aware the president is contemplating."

In reaching a new NAFTA, Canada is protecting its interests but also "looking to be flexible because it's time to update this deal after 25 years," he said.

At the White House, Trump told reporters Canada wanted a deal "very much" and that talks were "coming along well."

"We have all been dealing in good faith," he said.

Freeland returned to Washington on Tuesday to continue meeting with her US counterpart.

She pointed to the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks as a reminder of the need for close cooperation between Ottawa and Washington.

"I think that remembering today, and what happened today, maybe that helps us all to put into perspective the negotiations that we're having," Freeland told reporters, noting the "importance and significance" of US-Canadian ties.

"At the end of the day, we're neighbors," Freeland said. "At the end of the day, neighbors help each other when they need help."

- 'Still some distance' -

Freeland emerged after meeting with Lighthizer, saying talks were occurring in a "good" atmosphere.

"The atmosphere is absolutely professional," she said.

Major stumbling blocks for Ottawa and Washington remain: an international system for resolving disputes, Canada's protected dairy industry and Canadian cultural subsidies.

"We're negotiating all this at once. These are complicated subjects and there's still some distance" separating the two sides, said one source close to the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe pending negotiations.

Still, "with a bit of flexibility, things could move quickly," the source added.

After her stop in Washington, Freeland is due to attend this week's meetings of the governing Liberal Party of Canada in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

US Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft meanwhile delivered an address in Gander, Newfoundland, where dozens of in-bound flights were diverted in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

"Forget what you read about NAFTA negotiations and Twitter wars. That's not who we are," Craft said in prepared remarks.

"Sure, it's business and it's important, but Gander is the place that -- in a snapshot -- illustrates the Canada/US relationship."

Trudeau, for his part, added that: "we're just going to stay working constructively to get to that win-win-win that we know is there."

Yet, he stressed that "if we sign the deal it'll be... for Canada and Canadians. And if we don't sign the deal, it's because no deal is actually better than a bad deal for Canada."

AFP

THE NEWS: German strike plunges Ryanair into fresh turmoil

German strike plunges Ryanair into fresh turmoil

AFP/File / Odd ANDERSEN Ryanair pilots walked off the job last month to obtain better pay and working conditions from the no-frills Irish airline

Thousands of Ryanair passengers faced travel disruption Wednesday as German pilots and cabin crew walked off the job, in the latest flare-up of a bitter Europe-wide battle for better pay and conditions.

The Irish budget carrier said it was cancelling 150 out of 400 scheduled flights to and from Germany because of the walkout, which it slammed as "unacceptable" and "unnecessary".

It also said it may have to close some bases and slash jobs if the stoppages drag on.

Germany's Cockpit pilots' federation and the Verdi service workers' union called the 24-hour strike, which started at 03:00 am (0100 GMT), after they said talks with Ryanair management were deadlocked.

The strike comes as Ryanair is already bracing for a mass coordinated walkout by cabin crew in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Union leaders are expected to announce details of the stoppage in Brussels on Thursday.

They have vowed to stage "the biggest strike action the company has ever seen".

Ryanair has been clashing with worker representatives ever since it took the unprecedented step last year to start recognising trade unions in a bid to avert widespread Christmas strikes.

Last month, Ryanair pilots in five European countries including Germany held their first-ever simultaneous walkout, causing some 400 flight cancellations and travel chaos for 55,000 passengers.

- Job threats -

Ryanair has however made some progress in clinching collective labour agreements since then.

The 33-year-old company managed to strike a deal with Italian pilots over working conditions in late August, its first-ever union agreement.

dpa/AFP/File / Silas Stein Ryanair has reached deals with unions representing pilots based in Ireland and Italy, but has yet to reach agreements with its other employees

In Ireland, pilots voted to accept an agreement on improved working conditions last week.

The breakthrough prompted Ryanair to back down from an earlier threat that it would move several aircraft and 300 jobs from Ireland to Poland.

Germany's Cockpit and Verdi unions, which represent some 400 Germany-based Ryanair pilots and 1,000 flight personnel, condemned the airline's attempt to squeeze them with a similar threat.

"This is how Ryanair deals with its employees: putting pressure on them, scaring them and threatening job losses," Cockpit's vice president Markus Wahl told AFP.

Ryanair's chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said on Tuesday that further strikes would damage Ryanair's business in Germany and "lead to base cuts and job cuts".

"We are not making a threat," he told a Frankfurt press conference.

"If you have ongoing strikes, that's the economic impact."

- '190,000 euros a year' -

The no-frills airline boasts lower costs per passenger than its competitors and is eyeing profits of around 1.25 billion euros ($1.45 billion) this year.

But staff have long complained that they earn less than counterparts at rival airlines.

Another key gripe of workers based in countries other than Ireland is the fact that Ryanair employs them under Irish legislation.

They say this creates huge insecurity for them, blocking their access to state benefits in their country.

Unions also want the airline to give contractors the same work conditions as staff employees.

Ryanair counters that it has already offered significant pay increases and steadier contracts.

It said German pilots can make "up to 190,000 euros a year".

But Cockpit's Wahl said that only applies to "a handful" of people.

The basic starting salary for Ryanair pilots is closer to 39,000 euros a year, he said, while the most experienced pilots can take home around 110,000 euros a year in fixed pay. That can then be topped up depending on flight hours.

Wahl said pilots were fighting for more pay overall, and specifically a higher fixed-rate salary.

The Verdi union said Ryanair cabin crew earn a basic gross salary of 800 to 1,200 euros a month on average, far below what rival EasyJet pays.

"The wages are so low that they are insufficient to ensure a decent living standard," Verdi board member Christine Behle said.

source: AFP

THE NEWS: Brazil's Lula quits presidential race, Haddad to run instead

Brazil's Lula quits presidential race, Haddad to run instead

AFP/File / Heuler Andrey Fernando Haddad, shown here, will run in place of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the Workers Party candidate in Brazil's presidential election

Brazil's jailed ex-leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva tapped his runningmate Fernando Haddad on Tuesday to replace him on the ballot in next month's presidential election, bowing out of the race after he was barred from seeking a new term.

The switch was approved at a meeting of the Workers Party in the southern city of Curitiba -- where Lula has been held since April for corruption -- as the clock ticked down on a court-ordered deadline for him to name a stand-in.

"The decision has been made," a party official told AFP.

Hundreds of Lula supporters were gathered near the jail where he is being held. Haddad read a letter there from his mentor anointing him as his political heir.

"It is time to get out on the streets, with heads high, and win this election!" Haddad told supporters.

The decision came less than two weeks after Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal ruled that the popular but polarizing former president cannot run while serving his 12-year prison sentence.

Though jailed, the 72-year-old Lula was the frontrunner in polls, and his removal from the race has scrambled the field, catapulting right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro to the fore.

Bolsonaro, a polarizing figure who has been criticized for outbursts deemed racist, misogynist and homophobic, was stabbed while on the campaign trail last week.

He is not expected to appear at any rallies before the October 7 polls, but remains on the ballot.

Haddad, a former mayor of Sao Paulo who also served as Lula's education minister, faces a race against time with the first round of voting less than a month away.

His ability to hold on to Lula's base will be key if he and his expected runningmate, youthful communist Manuela d'Avila, are to reach the second round, set for October 28.

- Clean slate rules -

AFP/File / NELSON ALMEIDA Though jailed, Lula was the frontrunner in Brazil's presidential race, and his removal from the contest has scrambled the field, catapulting right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro to the fore

Haddad's political career put him at the center of the Workers Party, but without ever emerging from Lula's shadow -- and the 55-year-old has displayed little of the star power of his mentor.

A poll released Monday by Datafolha shows Haddad with nine percent support, up five points from a month ago.

That places him in a mix of candidates aspiring to go to a second round of voting against Bolsonaro, who currently is out front at 26 percent.

Lula's supporters have been camped out outside the federal police headquarters in Curitiba since he was incarcerated.

The city is the epicenter of a sprawling corruption investigation that has brought to justice dozens of politicians and business leaders, including Lula, who was president from 2003 to 2011.

He was convicted in July 2017 of taking a bribe from a Brazilian construction company in the form of a luxury seaside apartment in return for contracts with state oil giant Petrobras.

Numerous appeals of the conviction and sentence have failed, and his lawyers also have been unable to get around rules that have kept Lula off the ballot.

He faces trial in five other cases, but insists he is the innocent victim of politically motivated prosecutions to keep him out of office.

A former metalworker, Lula rose as a union leader during Brazil's military dictatorship, co-founding the Workers Party in 1980.

His presidency was credited with lifting millions out of poverty through generous social programs, transforming his party into a political powerhouse.

It has won the last four presidential elections, the last two by Dilma Rousseff, Lula's handpicked successor who was ousted from power by Congress in 2016 over accusations of manipulating federal budgets.

Current President Michel Temer, Rousseff's vice president, replaced her.

source: AFP

THE NEWS: Champagne in space: Zero-G bottle lets tourists drink bubbly

Champagne in space: Zero-G bottle lets tourists drink bubbly

AFP / FRANCOIS GUILLOT Champagne supernova: A high-tech bottle of Mumm that can be drunk in zero gravity

Future space tourists may be able to toast the view from orbit with fine champagne, after designers came up with a high-tech bottle made for knocking back bubbly in zero gravity.

The Mumm champagne house teamed up with designer Octave de Gaulle, who has specialised in conceiving of everyday objects for the final frontier, to develop the space-age bottles.

Journalists from several countries will try the champagne on Wednesday during a flight taking off from the French city of Reims, in the heart of champagne country.

The specially equipped Airbus Zero-G plane will make a series of parabolic manoeuvres, climbing steeply before plunging down to create 20-second spurts of weightlessness.

The target audience is not astronauts, who are not allowed to drink alcohol on the International Space Station.

But the coming wave of sub-orbital and orbital space tourism promoted by private operators such as Virgin Galactic and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin could prove an ebullient audience for cosmic connoisseurs.

AFP / FRANCOIS GUILLOT French designer Octave de Gaulle with a bottle of Mumm Grand Cordon Stellar champagne, intended to be drunk in zero-gravity by space tourists

"They won't have to be performing any professional tasks onboard, so they'll probably be able to drink a bit of alcohol," said astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy, who heads the company which operates the Airbus Zero-G.

In zero gravity, the challenge is quite simply to get the wine out of the bottle.

"You could imagine drinking it with a straw," said physicist Gerard Liger-Belair, who consulted on the project -- though it's unlikely you'd ever find a champagne fan stooping to such an indignity.

In search of a more elegant solution, around three years ago the Mumm team turned to De Gaulle -- a great-grand-nephew of the French wartime leader Charles de Gaulle -- who came up with a bottle divided into two chambers.

The champagne is in the upper portion, while below is a finger-controlled valve which uses the champagne's own carbon dioxide to eject small amounts of wine which emerges as foam.

- Catching your champagne foam -

The next trick was to stop the wine from streaming across the cabin, for which De Gaulle created an aluminium strip that forms a ring over the top of the bottle to capture a bubbly sphere.

AFP / FRANCOIS GUILLOT In space, the two-chamber Mumm bottles will eject spheres of champagne foam which can be scooped up in specially made glasses

"Then you rotate the bottle and the foam sphere is released," he told AFP in his Paris workshop.

Drinkers can then scoop the wine out of the air using a tiny yet long-stemmed glass which resembles an egg cup.

Clervoy said the moment the foam turns to liquid in the mouth is a sensation that can't be matched on Earth.

"It's really magical because the champagne lands not just on your tongue but on the palate, the cheeks -- the gastronomic sensations are magnified," he said.

Mumm is now looking for a partner, either a public space agency or one of the private upstarts.

In the meantime, De Gaulle plans to refine his prototype, and who knows, one day astronauts might be able to ring in a new year while on a mission.

"There has always been a bit of alcohol in space, even if it's officially prohibited," he said.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/champagne-space-zero-g-bottle-lets-tourists-drink-bubbly-doc-1908o41

THE NEWS: Gay sex ruling to free India's 'pink economy'

Gay sex ruling to free India's 'pink economy'

AFP / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE The lifting of the 157-year-old ban on homosexuality will see businesses lining up to offer a range of products, providing a massive boost to the Indian economy

From LGBT nightclubs to "gaycations" and more, a court ruling legalising homosexuality in India is set to unlock one of the world's largest "pink economies", experts say.

The Supreme Court's historic decision last week to scrap a colonial-era ban on gay sex sparked joy as activists held rainbow-coloured celebrations across the country.

Now the community can expect to see businesses lining up to offer a range of tailored products, in fashion, health and other industries, providing a massive boost to Asia's third-biggest economy.

"It can bring billions of dollars to the Indian economy if they can activate the spending of gay people in India," Keshav Suri, a hotelier and petitioner in the landmark case, told AFP.

"There is business to be done, real estate to be bought and sold, holidays and all the services that go with that.

"The value of the pink economy and the social aspects of the LGBT community are too large now for us to ignore," added Suri, executive director of the Lalit hotel group.

India is home to more than 55 million LGBT adults, according to Out Now Consulting, a marketing agency that helps businesses target gay and lesbian consumers.

Their nominal income is around $113 billion annually, the firm estimates. LGBT couples have fewer children than other groups and higher-than-average salaries, meaning plenty of disposable cash.

"They represent one of the world's largest LGBT markets," Ian Johnson, the founder of the Australia-based Out Now Consulting, told AFP.

He predicts that drinks brands and travel companies will be the first to target the LGBT community following the scrapping of Section 377, which was introduced 157 years ago.

LGBT bars, clubs and cafes will provide new employment and boost sales in the food and alcohol industries while people will be able to attend holidays designed specifically for the gay market without fear of legal reprisal.

Nakshatra Bagwe, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, runs The BackPack Travels, a company specialising in organising trips for LGBT tourists.

He says it has been profitable since it was set up in October 2016 but he expects to see an increase in revenue following the law change.

"With legality and freedom on our side businesses will invest in the community and opportunities will increase in the coming years," he told AFP.

- Legal and free -

Inder Vhatwar, another businessman based in India's financial capital, also hopes to profit from the ruling by judges who said members of the gay community deserve an apology for the treatment they have suffered.

Shortly after gay sex was briefly decriminalised before by the Delhi High Court in 2009, Vhatwar opened a store called D'Kloset in Mumbai's trendy neighbourhood of Bandra, where several Bollywood stars live.

He sold glitzy clothes, handbags and party masks but after the ban was reinstated in 2013 Vhatwar was evicted by his landlord.

"I faced a lot of challenges due to Section 377 and had to shut down but with this recent judgement I am planning to start the store again," the 37-year-old told AFP.

AFP / DIPTENDU DUTTA Gay sex has long been taboo in socially conservative India, with religious groups in particular fiercely opposing any liberalisation of sexual morality

Gay sex has long been a taboo subject for many in socially conservative India, with religious groups in particular fiercely opposing any liberalisation of sexual morality.

The World Bank said in a 2014 report that homophobic attitudes and a reluctance to hire LGBT people hampered India's economic growth by up to 1.7 percent annually.

Research shows that LGBT-friendly policies in the workplace, such as equality training and non-discriminatory hiring practices, can boost profitability.

Activists hope the court ruling will help shift attitudes and boost the LGBT community's economic engagement as the commercial benefits are realised.

"The LGBT community is definitely an untapped market. The business potential is huge and set to grow," Parmesh Shahani, who heads up the cultural arm of India's Godrej conglomerate, told AFP.

"The verdict will catalyse change and more companies will invest in products and services catering to the community. I hope the judgment creates more jobs and companies vie for LGBTQ talent," he added.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/gay-sex-ruling-free-indias-pink-economy-doc-19045g1

THE NEWS: Vettel takes aim at Hamilton with Singapore sling

Vettel takes aim at Hamilton with Singapore sling

AFP / ATTILA KISBENEDEK Sebastian Vettel trails Lewis Hamilton by 30 points in the standings.

Sebastian Vettel is under growing pressure to slash Lewis Hamilton's championship lead at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix -- and erase Ferrari's painful memories from last year in the process.

Mercedes normally struggle at the steamy Marina Bay Circuit, but in 2017 Hamilton won from fifth on a rain-soaked grid after a first-lap shunt scuppered both Ferraris and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

Ferrari and Vettel are still smarting after Hamilton won at Italy's Monza 10 days ago, despite the Marinello team locking out the front row at their home grand prix.

Vettel's first-lap spin after contact with Hamilton enabled the Englishman to extend his lead in the drivers' standings to 30 points and the German vowed to bounce straight back in Singapore, where he has won a record four times.

"For sure it's a disappointment right now," Vettel said after the race. "But I am turning the page and focusing on Singapore -- I like the place and I am happy to go there."

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff warned this week that Ferrari and Red Bull would have the edge on Mercedes on the tight, twisting street circuit. But with rain forecast again this week, anything could happen.

"Singapore has features that we've struggled with in the past," said Wolff.

"The short straights, the slow, tight corners and the bumpy surface all make the Marina Bay Street Circuit one of the trickiest for us.

"On paper, the track should favour the Ferraris, but the championship fight is so close that predictions are almost meaningless."

- 'Win the damn thing' -

Vettel said he was not worried about the gap to Hamilton growing to 30 points with seven races remaining, and is relishing the chance to pounce on one of his favourite tracks.

"I think we have the pace," the four-time world champion said. "The points sound a lot, but actually it doesn't take a long time to get them down."

Red Bull have suffered a lean season but will fancy their chances of picking up a second 2018 win to follow Daniel Ricciardo's triumph at Monaco's similarly twisty street circuit.

The Austrian team have not won in hot, humid Singapore since 2013, when Vettel was behind the wheel, but Ricciardo has remarkably finished second in each of the past three years.

"It's a place where I have good races and finish pretty strong," said Ricciardo. "I've had four podiums and three second places in a row there, so it's about time I win the damn thing."

Verstappen echoed his team-mate's optimism. "I think the whole team is looking forward to Singapore because we know we have a real chance to have a good result there," said the Dutchman, who turns 21 at the end of the month.

"The race has been a strong one for us in the past and I think we should be able to challenge for a podium."

Off the track, much attention will focus on Kimi Raikkonen after Ferrari announced that the former world champion would be replaced by Monaco's Charles Leclerc, 20, next year.

More than 20,000 fans had signed an online petition urging Ferrari to stick with the veteran Finn, who will now join Sauber, for one more season at least.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/vettel-takes-aim-hamilton-singapore-sling-doc-1904a72

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