The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the interactive session Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath has lauded the efforts of Senior Citizens of India for giving up subsidy for travel in Indian Railways.  While interacting at the event in London, PM recounted his days spent at Railway Station & the enriching experience he gathered there from.

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Kowloon City yesterday evening (April 19) in which a 50-year-old man died.

     At about 9.05pm, a private car driven by the 50-year-old man was travelling along Argyle Street towards Mong Kok, while a taxi driven by a 60-year-old man was travelling along Argyle Street towards Kwun Tong. When approaching near Waterloo Road, the private car and the taxi reportedly collided. At the same time, a private car driven by a 29-year-old man and a motorcycle driven by a 39-year-old man were following the taxi in sequence. The motorcycle failed to brake and collided with the private car driven by the 29-year-old man.

     The 50-year-old private car driver was trapped inside the car and was rescued by fireman. He was rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital in unconscious state and certified dead at 9.57pm. A 39-year-old female passenger on his car, the 60-year-old taxi driver and a 32-year-old female taxi passenger were also trapped inside the vehicles and were rescued by fireman. The motorcyclist was injured in the accident. The taxi driver and his female passenger were rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in unconscious state while the female passenger of the private car and the motorcyclist were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in conscious state.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, Kowloon West is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 9000 or 3661 9058.

​The European Committee of the Regions is drafting an opinion on “Clean Ports, Clean Seas – Port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships” on the European Commission’s legislative proposal to revise the port reception facilities Directive (COM(2018)33).

The topic is of high relevance to the CoR: Local and regional authorities are important stakeholders for the management of their ports and the reduction of waste in the various regional sea basins is also in the interest of maritime regions.

If you have any position papers relevant to the subject or any valuable input based on the rapporteur’s questions below, you are welcome to send them to us before the 1st of May at coter@cor.europa.eu.

Questions of CoR rapporteur Spyridon to the stakeholders on the revision of the port reception facilities Directive (COM (2018)33).

 

1. It is important to examine the consequences of the proposed directive to small ports. The costs generated may be too high for the Port authorities and, when transferred to the users, this may result to higher prices, with a possible effect on port competitiveness. This is particularly important for regions closer to non-EU member states, where the Directive will not be applied. Could the ships thus prefer the non-EU ports, where the costs may be lower?
2. The IMO has no definition of the “Green ship”, and the Commission is proposing to define it, according to international certification standards that are used privately. Wouldn’t it be preferable to coordinate with other international stakeholders, in order to define an international definition?
3. Wouldn’t it be preferable to further align the regulation with international standards, and define the obligation to deliver in accordance with the storage capacity of a vessel, and not conditioned on it approaching in a port?
4. The obligation for delivery at every EU port of call, even is Short Sea Shipping, is maintained in the new directive. That means that, short sea cargo with frequent calls (ie. Ro-Ro) will have to deliver waste, even if, by IMO/MARPOL standards, the generated waste between the two port calls is very limited. Such an obligation is increasing the costs for these ships, which, according to the proposed definition, may not be covered by the exemptions that are given to regular traffic (it will be at the port’s discretion).
5. Concerning the application of the indirect fee, mainly in ships engaged in regular traffic, the cost may be too high in periods of reduced traffic, especially during the winter. Therefore, wouldn’t it be preferable to see a clearer definition of the Cost Recovery System, mainly the formal interdiction of profit from the activity? This is also combined with more transparency and consultation.Simultaneously, would setting a limit in how much waste is included in the “No Special Fee” be an option in order to reduce costs for regular traffic?
6. The Parliament is proposing to extend the period for revision of the Port Reception Programmes from three to five years. The necessary adjustments should be sufficient in-between. What is your opinion on this?

He criticised the effective monopolies enjoyed by the likes of Google, Facebook, and Amazon – comparing their market dominance to that of big oil companies in the past – and suggested ways they could be broken up.

Your M​ajesty, Your R​oyal Hi​ghnesses, Secretary-General, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. ​​ I am extremely proud to be welcoming you all to London – the first full Heads of Government meeting here in almost forty years.

I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to ​Prime Minister Muscat and his team: ​thank you for your incredible hard work. You represent a Commonwealth truth, that the size of a country does not limit its ambition and impact.

I hope that over the coming days and ​months we can ​build on the work you have begun as we forge a future for our common good.

Over many decades this organisation has brought together nations young and old, large and small, to celebrate our common bonds and to work to our mutual benefit.

There have been difficulties, successes, controversies. But I believe wholeheartedly in the good that the Commonwealth can do.

And this week as young people from our many nations gather and contribute their views, our responsibility as leaders is to ensure their voices are heard, and to build a Commonwealth that we can be proud to hand on to the next generation.

For in the Commonwealth we have an incredible opportunity.

An opportunity to show just what can be achieved through co-ordinated action and co-operation, to seize the possibilities open to us as member countries, and together, to take on some of the 21st century’s biggest questions.

How we support our most vulnerable member states as we tackle climate change and improve the health of our oceans, creating a more sustainable Commonwealth?

How we develop through trade, pushing back against protectionism, for a more prosperous Commonwealth?

How we respond to threats to the rules based international order and from cyber-attacks, creating a more secure Commonwealth?

And how, in all this, we advance those common values which our organisation has always stood for – democracy, human rights, tolerance, and the rule of law – so that we establish a fairer Commonwealth?

These are problems nations cannot solve alone. But by working together, we can make a real difference.

Over the past three​ days, we have seen the power of the Commonwealth in action at the Forums for ​business leaders, young people, women​, and civil society.

These discussions have demonstrated the vibrancy and creativity of our organisation – focusing on issues such as improving trade, youth unemployment, education and health – all of which have the potential to transform people’s lives.

And I am looking forward to taking these issues further with the heads of government over the next two days.

Finally, on behalf of all of you assembled here in Buckingham Palace, I want to offer ​my heartfelt thanks to​ Your Majesty,​ Head of the Commonwealth.

T​his week you have opened your homes to us – here in London and in Windsor. Over many years you have been the Commonwealth’s most steadfast and fervent champion.

You have been true to the deepest values of the Commonwealth – that the voice of the smallest member country is worth precisely as much as that of the largest; that the wealthiest and the most vulnerable stand shoulder to shoulder​.

You have seen us through some of our most serious challenges.

And we commit to sustaining this Commonwealth, which you have so carefully nurtured.

For your service, for your dedication, for your constancy – we thank you.