AMRITSAR: Sikhs of Austria will now be able to use Singh and Kaur after their forename, mention Sikhism as their religion, and register themselves as Sikhs after the Sikh religion was officially registered by the Austrian government.
While talking to TOI over the phone from Vienna on Monday, Jatinder Singh Bajwa, secretary Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji Parkash, 22nd District, Vienna, said now the Sikhs and their children would be able to use Singh and Kaur after their forenames which they earlier used to write in the ‘extra name’ column.
About the process of registration of Sikhism in Austria, he informed that there were seven gurdwara’s in Austria out of which three were in Vienna with one gurdwara each in Klagenfurt, Linz, Graz and Salzburg.
The gurdwara management committees of Austria then constituted a nine-member-committee of Sikh youth on November 1, 2019 who was entrusted with the task of pursing the registration process of the Sikh religion with the Austrian government.
Jatinder, the only professional Sikh chef in Vienna, informed that the committee prepared a ‘constitution’ on Sikh religion and their practices incorporating the values of Sikhism, Sikh guru’s, Akal Takht’s rehat maryada (religious code of Sikh living), significance of Sikh religious symbols, the value of 5 K’s in the life of a Sikh, their distinct identity, Sikh’s turban, etc. which was submitted with the Austrian government.
“On December 17 we received a letter informing about the registration of Sikhism in Austria and on December 23rd we held a thanksgiving prayer in the gurdwara” he said.
Reacting to the development, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Bibi Jagir Kaur said that “this is an important achievement attained with the efforts of sangat in Austria.”
“Now that Sikhism is registered in Austria, it will help in dispelling the myths of Sikh identity abroad,” said Kaur
Monday, December 28, 2020
Sikhism now an official religion in Austria
European Parliament to scrutinise deal on future EU-UK relations
Provisional implementation is to remain a unique exception, said EP leaders. Parliamentary oversight will start soon to adopt the EP position before the end of the provisional application.
On Monday 28 December, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament and President David Sassoli exchanged views with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on the deal reached on 24 December on the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
The Conference of Presidents reiterated Parliament’s thanks and congratulations to the EU negotiators for their intense efforts to reach this historic agreement that can now form the basis of a new partnership.
In the spirit of unity that prevailed throughout the negotiation process, and given the particular, unique and specific circumstances, the Conference of Presidents accepts a provisional application to mitigate the disruption for citizens and businesses and prevent the chaos of a no-deal scenario. This decision on this specific provisional application neither constitutes a precedent nor reopens established commitments made among EU institutions. It should not serve as a blueprint for future consent procedures, underlined the political groups’ leaders.
The Conference of Presidents also decided to examine with the Council presidency and the Commission a proposal to slightly extend the period of provisional application, allowing for a parliamentary ratification during the March plenary session.
The Committees on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, together with all associated committees, will now carefully examine the agreement and prepare Parliament’s consent decision to be discussed and adopted in plenary in due time and before the end of the provisional application. In parallel, the political groups will prepare a draft resolution accompanying the consent vote.
The political groups’ leaders stressed Parliament’s will to monitor closely the implementation of the EU-UK agreement in all its details. They underlined that parliamentary cooperation is a key part of the future treaty between the EU and the UK. When the right time comes, Parliament will seek to establish contact with the UK Parliament to cooperate.
On a specific note, leaders regret the UK’s choice not to include Erasmus programme in the agreement.
Can people afford to pay for health care in Moldova?
Health system reforms in the Republic of Moldova have expanded the number of people benefiting from publicly financed health care and the range of services covered. Better access has reduced unmet need for health care. However, this greater use of services has increased people’s exposure to out-of-pocket payments – for example, through co-payments for outpatient medicines. A new report released by WHO finds that around 1 in 6 households in the Republic of Moldova experiences catastrophic health spending.
Medicines – largest single driver of financial hardship
Financial hardship is heavily concentrated among poor people, pensioners and people living in rural areas. Outpatient medicines are the largest single driver of catastrophic out-of-pocket payments and their contribution to financial hardship has increased over time.
For poorer households, inpatient care is the second-largest driver of catastrophic health spending, perhaps linked to informal payments for hospital care (the use of cash or presents to secure services), which have also increased.
Financial protection undermined by gaps in coverage
The share of the population covered by the Republic of Moldova’s national health insurance fund has increased in recent years, but over 10% of the population still lacks coverage, mainly because entitlement is linked to payment of health insurance contributions. The number of people who work in the informal sector and cannot afford to pay contributions is significant.
For those who are covered by the health insurance fund, financial protection may be undermined by the limited range of publicly financed outpatient medicines, heavy co-payments for these medicines, underdeveloped strategic purchasing and the practice of informal payments.
As a result of these gaps in coverage, poorer households are at high risk of being uninsured, facing financial barriers to access and experiencing catastrophic health spending.
Pandemic demonstrates value of universal health coverage
In working to control the COVID-19 outbreak, the Republic of Moldova has used reserve funds to guarantee free hospital treatment for everyone, regardless of health insurance status. As the longer-term economic disruption caused by COVID-19 becomes more evident, this short-term measure could be turned into a permanent feature. De-linking entitlement to all health services – not just hospital care – from payment of contributions would ensure that everyone is covered.
Re-designing the coverage of outpatient medicines will also help strengthen financial protection – for example, by extending the range of outpatient medicines covered, ensuring that poor households and people with chronic conditions are exempt from co-payments and introducing a cap on co-payments for everyone.
Moving towards universal health coverage requires a commitment to steadily increasing public spending on health. This is even more important in the context of COVID-19, which demands greater public investment in health, better use of existing resources and policy responses carefully designed to reduce unmet need and financial hardship for people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
“Universal health coverage must remain a policy objective that is central to the agenda of recovery and rebuilding in the coming months,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems in the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
City diplomacy offers opportunities
Published originally on December 26th 2020 at the TaipeiTimes.
This year has been unusual on many levels. In the midst of a global health crisis ravaging the world, Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil in September led a delegation of 89 civic and political leaders to Taiwan, the only corner of the world that for more than 250 days (until Tuesday) did not register a single locally transmitted COVID-19 infection.
The visit caused quite a stir in international media and intensified already strained ties between the EU and China. Taiwan, a technologically advanced economy with a robust democracy, is a like-minded partner of the EU, but remains a highly sensitive matter within EU-China relations.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, despite never having ruled it. The EU has its own “one China” policy, but has officially committed to promoting “practical solutions regarding Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks.”
Following the Czech delegation, Brussels and Beijing engaged in a harsh exchange, with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) threatening that the senate president would pay a “heavy price,” while his German counterpart warned China against making such threats against an EU member state.
As tensions in EU-China relations remain high, and international cooperation becomes more challenging, there is good reason to return to the visit, and consider some of its less talked about contributions.
Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib, who oversaw the signing of the Prague-Taipei sister city framework in January, was also in the delegation. In a global context where cities become key players in addressing complex challenges through innovation and creativity, this aspect deserves more attention.
As the pandemic has illustrated, local governments can increase their capacity to network internationally and bring solutions, while catalyzing new political consciousness. Cities shape identities. They help celebrate connectivity, diversity and openness by warming people-to-people relations and enhancing social networks. This, in turn, facilitates government-to-government ties.
Considering Taiwan’s abnormal international status, city diplomacy provides a particularly valuable platform to circumvent its isolation, by leveraging international cooperation and information sharing on a city-to-city level. Taiwan’s cities must further invest in such diplomacy and seek to build on the momentum the “Taiwan model” has ensured.
The sister-city agreement linking Prague and Taipei includes a wide range of cooperation, including on business, science, technology, tourism, education, healthcare and culture, as well as a smart city cooperation agreement. Through this partnership, the cities can act in their own right, stress collaboration over competition, empower their citizens and contribute to making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Taiwan is already working toward meeting the 17 SDGs. As COVID-19 is taking the world further away from the goals, cities’ contributions have become all the more relevant.
As such, Taipei has sought to advance several goals, including good health and well-being (Goal 3), quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9), and sustainable cities (Goal 11).
Taiwan has a story to tell, but participating in international organizations will remain difficult. Taiwanese scientists were even excluded from participating in all UNESCO-affiliated events, which has shown that Taiwan is being excluded from international participation. It also indicates that China’s influence within UN organizations continues to increase. Yet, this should not constrain sharing science across cities. Cities are about choices and choices bring opportunities for all.
According to the Taipei City Government Web site, it has established ties with 51 sister cities across 37 countries. Four of these are in Europe: Versailles (1986), Warsaw (1995), Vilnius (1998) and Riga (2001). Since 2012, Helsinki is also a “friendship city” of Taipei.
These partnerships need a fresh approach and adjustment to address current challenges. In addition, it is evident that more similar cooperation should be built across Europe. This will require rapprochement from Europe and Taiwan. Both sides must recognize the value of using city diplomacy to leverage existing strengths and to enable new ones to flourish.
A meeting between Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony and Representative to Hungary Liu Shih-chung (劉世忠), a former Tainan deputy secretary-general, is a welcome initiative. The two exchanged ideas on smart cities, innovation and city diplomacy. The next welcome step would be to establish a sister-city agreement. This would benefit both cities, just like the Grenoble, France-Taoyuan sister-city cooperation signed in March 2018 is hoped to do, particularly in technology, innovation and circular economy.
Kaohsiung, with the largest harbor in Taiwan and among the top 50 world container ports, should also consider expanding its network in Europe, with Rotterdam, the Netherlands, or Antwerp, Belgium, adding to its only sister city in Europe, Erzgebirgskreis, Germany (1993).
In a hyper-connected world, cities across Taiwan should further embrace the practical benefits of city diplomacy. At the same time, as the EU rethinks its China policy, European cities must be more involved, and expand their international sister-city network.
Following the Czech delegation visit, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said the visit was proof that “nothing can stop Taiwan and the Czech Republic’s determination to defend freedom, democracy and protect human rights.”
Let city diplomacy take this forward into the year to come.
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2020/12/26/2003749395
Friday, December 25, 2020
Humanitarian Charles Mully on Documentary Showcase
Los Angeles, CA—December 10, 2020—In commemoration of Universal Human Rights Month, observed each December, Scientology Network’s Documentary Showcase is proud to announce its airing of the award-winning documentary Mully. It is the unforgettable story of a man born into poverty who went on to become one of the most celebrated humanitarians in world, airing on December 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Set in Kenya, Mully is the incredible and inspiring life story of Charles Mutua Mully, who was abandoned by his parents at the age of six and went from begging in the streets to becoming a self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur. At the pinnacle of his success, he shocks friends and family alike by using all his wealth to rescue, feed, adopt and educate over 20,000 homeless children who were living in the streets.
Mully captures the emotionally charged, turbulent twists and turns of Charles Mully’s life. It includes dramatic reenactments of his youth and candid interviews with his wife and children, who were initially opposed to Charles’s determination to turn their lives upside down for the sake of helping strangers. At times, the film plays like a scripted Hollywood feature, simply because this extraordinary man follows no other path but the one his heart tells him to follow.
Mully received numerous honors and awards, including the Austin Film Festival’s Audience Award and a 2016 Hot Docs Top Ten Audience Favorite.
Executive produced by Paul Blavin and directed by filmmaker Scott Haze, Mully is one of the great stories of human rights in action.
Watch the documentary on Scientology Network, DIRECTV Channel 320 or watch live on scientology.tv.
ABOUT DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE
Fundamental to Scientology is a humanitarian mission that extends to some 200 nations with programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief. For this reason, the Scientology Network provides a platform for Independent filmmakers who embrace a vision of building a better world.
DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE debuts films weekly from award-winning Independent filmmakers whose goal is to improve society by raising awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues.
For more information, visit scientology.tv/docs.
The Scientology Network debuted on March 12, 2018. Since launching, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists; showing the Church as a global organization; and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The network also showcases documentaries by Independent filmmakers who represent a cross section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.
Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church’s global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and live streaming on scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.
Sunday, December 13, 2020
EU Favors Autocrats over Values
Rule of Law Conditionality Preserved, but Implementation Severely Delayed
It smacks of irony that on Human Rights Day, the European Union caved into pressure and granted another concession to Hungary and Poland’s rights-abusing leaders in order to reach a deal on the EU budget. Germany, in one of its last acts as rotating EU president, brokered the compromise with an “interpretative declaration” that ties the European Commission’s hands when it comes to conditioning EU funding upon respect for the rule of law.
The declaration, agreed last night, will likely have the effect of delaying for months, even years, the use of this innovative and once-promising tool. It commits the Commission to draft additional guidelines before applying the conditionality regulation, but then also says that the Commission should wait for a ruling of the EU Court of Justice before finalizing such guidelines, if Hungary or Poland decides to contest the legality of the regulation.
While the new concession won’t be a long-term victory for Hungary and Poland’s leadership, it offers them a chance to buy considerable time and consolidate their autocratic power with little consequences for years.
At the very least, the European Council should insist that any case before the EU Court be expedited to minimize delays in the effective use of rule of law conditionality. The European Commission should also make it clear that it could apply the conditionality regulation right from its entry into force – because the declaration is a non-legally-binding mechanism.
Although the German government had put the protection of fundamental values and rights in its top priorities for its presidency, it failed to propel forward the Council’s scrutiny of Hungary and Poland under Article 7 – the EU’s process to deal with governments putting the Union’s values at risk – and even declined recently to participate in a European Parliament debate on the rule of law in both countries. It is disappointing that Germany’s time in the EU rotating presidency ended with yet another concession to the bloc’s authoritarian-minded rulers.
The last weeks have shown that leaders who violate human rights have no shame in bullying and blackmailing the whole EU to shield themselves from any consequences for their actions. Now that the budget saga is over, EU leaders should urgently give Hungarian and Polish citizens fighting for their rights the attention they deserve, give full way to the new conditionality mechanism, and revive their scrutiny under Article 7.
European Union funds biodiversity conservation project in Vietnam
HCMC – The European Union is funding a biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability project in central Vietnam, which will focus on the establishment and operation of a conservation foundation and finance 21 biodiversity conservation initiatives.
With the EU’s contribution of 600,000 euros, the “Establishing a funding foundation for biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability” project is being jointly implemented by GreenViet and the Gustav-Stresemann Institute until the end of 2023.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has again shown us the importance of living in harmony with nature. We are convinced the project will bring tangible results on biodiversity conservation through the effective operation of the foundation,” Jesus Lavina, deputy head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Vietnam, said at the launch ceremony last week.
The project will help diversify financing resources for Vietnamese entities including 50 groups and organizations working in biodiversity conservation and environmental protection and fund 21 biodiversity conservation initiatives.
It will also help build capacity for raising awareness and cooperation among businesses and individuals to provide sustainable funding for conservation, communication and education, patrolling and monitoring to protect the red-shanked douc langurs, the endangered primates in the Son Tra Peninsula.
According to Bui Thi Minh Chau, representative of the Gustav-Stresemann Institute, the project offers a unique initiative that researches and develops feasible mechanisms for businesses, the local community and domestic and international tourists to participate in the conservation of nature and environmental protection in the central region.
The project is carried out in collaboration with the Vietnam Nature Conservation Fund, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Danang City, the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Danang Tourism Beaches and Danang City’s departments of Tourism, Natural Resources and Environment and Agriculture and Rural Development.
Saturday, December 12, 2020
EU condemns execution of Iran opposition figure Zam
The European Union on Saturday condemned in the “strongest terms” Iran’s execution of Ruhollah Zam, a former opposition figure convicted of involvement in 2017 protests.
“The European Union condemns this act in the strongest terms and recalls once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances,” said a statement from the EU’s External Action Service.
“It is also imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.”
Zam was charged with “corruption on earth” — one of the most serious offences under Iranian law — and sentenced to death in June.
State TV aired an “interview” with him in July, in which he is seen saying he believed in reformism until he was detained in 2009 during protests against the disputed re-election of ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
READ ALSO: Students abduction despite Buhari’s presence in Katsina baffling —PDP
The EU said the death penalty was “a cruel and inhumane punishment” that did nothing to deter crime.
“The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any future executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty.”
(AFP)
Friday, December 11, 2020
New volunteering programme for young people in Europe and beyond agreed
News | European Parliament
- Higher quality of activities and better conditions for volunteers
- Mandatory plans to include people with fewer opportunities
- Higher age limit for those volunteering in humanitarian aid
On Friday, Parliament and Council reached a political agreement on the European Solidarity Corps for 2021-2027, worth more than one billion EUR.
“Today’s agreement is excellent news for young people in the EU and beyond. The programme will start in January 2021 and Parliament managed to secure many gains for volunteers. Volunteering will the main activity of the programme, which has been our priority from the very beginning. We are now able to guarantee a higher quality of volunteering activities, by obliging hosts to offer new, useful skills and competences. Similarly, from now on we will be able to include many more people with fewer opportunities”, said Michaela Šojdrova (EPP,CZ), rapporteur on the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).
More value and better conditions for volunteers and target groups
MEPs ensured that host organisations will need to prove the quality of the volunteering activities on offer, with a focus on learning, and gaining skills and competences. Similarly, the organisations will need to prove they comply with occupational health and safety regulations.
Parliament also succeeded in better protecting target groups. Special clearance will be needed for volunteers working with children and people with disabilities. Programmes will also be required to prove that they contribute to positive societal changes in local communities.
Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities
Thanks to MEPs, the Commission and member states will have to present how they plan to include people with fewer opportunities. Young people will be able to volunteer in their own country, in particular those with fewer opportunities.
Higher age limit for humanitarian aid volunteers
Since humanitarian action poses specific challenges, MEPs insisted that the age limit of humanitarian aid volunteers be extended to 35 with a possibility to hire experts and coaches without the age limit.
Greener volunteering
In line with the European Green Deal, volunteering activities will have to respect the “do no harm” principle and the programmes will later be evaluated taking into account their contribution to the EU’s climate objectives, such as choosing climate-neutral means of transportation.
Next steps
The agreement reached today still needs to be formally approved by both Parliament and Council.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Tai Ji Men and the Fiscal Justice against a spiritual movement in Taiwan
As European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and myself as a human rights lawyer have witnessed and have been dealing with cases of discrimination against religious and spiritual minorities and their members too.
More than once fiscal and tax issues have been used by governments to the detriment of some groups in order to stop their activities, for instance, when the groups where growing too fast or when they were disliked by the authorities.
At times these groups are denied the tax exempt status, if such a system is implemented in the country, or the status is revoked after being enjoyed for some time.
This has happened also in Western countries, not only outside Europe as someone may think.
Taiwan is now a full democracy whose present status stems from a complicate past; but after all, the times of martial law have gone since long.
Taiwan is a great country that I was glad to visit more than once, and where I had also the pleasure to teach a course on Human Rights, Minority Law and Freedom of Religion and Belief at Soochow University, back in 2012.
I was impressed by the cultural, religious and spiritual diversity of Taiwan where, in the same building, worship places of different religions can be found. One next to the other. Literally.
The tax case involving the Tai Ji Men community has lasted for far too long. In fact even though all the tax claims have been erased in Court, and no claim should exist anymore, however a tax claim for year 1992 is still maintained by the Tax Office despite the Court judgments in favour of Tai Ji Men, and which risks to damage Tai Ji Men, after having cost them millions Taiwanese dollars in trials costs.
The ongoing TJM case is unacceptable generally speaking, and also very difficult to understand from a legal point-of-view.
Basing on the legal principle of “Estoppel”, it cannot be argued or asserted that Tai Ji Men have to pay taxes for the disputed year 1992 as there should be no dispute at all, being this a clear contradiction, especially, if we take into account the other principle of “legitimate expectation” (or legal certainty) according to which those who act in good faith on the basis of law as it is or seems to be, should not be frustrated in their expectations.
As European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and I personally hope and wish that this case can be concluded in the best possible way, honouring Tai Ji Men and also honouring Taiwan’s democratic achievements and commitments for the safeguard of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Our expectation is that Taiwan will honour these principles and by complying with them will finally fully meet all legal expectations of Tai Ji Men in this matter.
Mount Everest is now 8,848.86 metres tall after measurement
By — Shyamal Sinha
Mount Everest Nepali: Sagarmāthā; T
In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society, as recommended by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India, who chose the name of his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest, despite Everest’s objections.
Mount Everest attracts many climbers, some of them highly experienced mountaineers. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal (known as the “standard route”) and the other from the north in Tibet.
In the backdrop of a long-running conflict over Mount Everest’s height, Nepal and China have jointly announced the revised height of the world’s highest peak as 8,848.86 metres €” 86 cm higher than what was recognised since 1954.
The announcement was made via a joint video conference by Nepalese and Chinese officials based in Kathmandu and Beijing respectively.
The Nepal government decided to measure the exact height of the mountain amid debates that there might have been a change in its height due to various reasons, including the devastating earthquake of 2015.
Nepal recalculated the height of Mount Everest at 8,848.86 metres, the country’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali announced.
As per The Indian Express, this common declaration by both countries means that the two have shed their long-standing difference in opinion about the mountain’s height €” 29,017 feet (8,844 m) claimed by China and 29,028 ft (8,848 m) by Nepal. In feet, the new elevation is about 29,031 ft, or about 3 ft higher than Nepal’s previous claim.
According to the measurement done in 1954 by Survey of India, the height of Mount Everest is 8,848 metres, which as per The Wire report is the most commonly accepted height.
The exact height of Mount Everest had been contested ever since a group of British surveyors in India declared the height of Peak XV to be 8,778 metres in 1847, according to Business Standard.
Chinese authorities had said previously Mount Everest should be measured to its rock height, while Nepalese authorities argued the snow on top of the summit should be included.
In 2005, China’s measurement of 8,844.43 metres had put the mountain about 3.57 metres lower than Nepal’s (which followed the measurement given by Survey of India).
This is the first time Nepal conducted its own measurement of the summit.
Nepal government officials had told the BBC in 2012 that they were under pressure from China to accept the Chinese height and therefore they had decided to go for a fresh measurement to “set the record straight once and for all”.
The 2015 earthquake triggered a debate among scientists on whether it had affected the height of the mountain.
The government subsequently declared that it would measure the mountain on its own, instead of continuing to follow the Survey of India findings of 1954.
According to The Indian Express, there was also a third estimate. In 1999, a US team put the elevation at 29,035 feet (nearly 8,850 m). This survey was sponsored by the National Geographic Society, US. The Society uses this measurement, while the rest of the world, except China, had accepted 8,848 metres so far.
Tuesday’s announcement came after Kathmandu and Beijing sent an expedition of surveyors to the summit to calculate Everest’s precise height above sea level. Gyawali declared the findings of their surveys on a video call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. “Everest is an eternal symbol of friendship between Nepal and China,” Gyawali said.
Meanwhile, Susheel Dangol, Nepal’s chief survey officer, head of the measurement project, said they were confident that this is the “most accurate height” of Everest, according to The Washington Post. “It was a huge responsibility on our part. It is a moment of great pride for us.”
A team of Chinese surveyors climbed Mt. Everest from the North side, becoming the only climbers to summit the world’s highest peak during the coronavirus pandemic. The team was there to re-measure the height of Mount Everest.
Mount Everest has been host to other winter sports and adventuring besides mountaineering, including snowboarding, skiing, paragliding, and BASE jumping.
EU supports Ukraine on way to transform coal regions – EU representative
09:01
09.12.2020
The European Union is ready to help Ukraine in the transformation of coal regions, Minister Counselor of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Torsten Wöllert said.
“The EU is ready to help at this start together with the EU member states Germany, Poland. We will accompany Ukraine in this,” he said during the First German-Ukrainian Energy Day on Tuesday.
“We will try to ensure that the structural changes in coal regions are included in the European green deal. Since such a transformation is an important subject not only for the Ukrainian-German partnership, but also an important component of the ‘green’ course,” Wöllert said.
According to him, within the assistance to Ukraine, the European Commission in the near future, in particular, plans to come up with an initiative to support the coal regions of Ukraine and the Western Balkans, which consisted in the examination of transformation projects.
“The purpose of this is for the region to receive certain expertise and, on its basis, to carry out certain pilot projects,” said the EU representative, adding: “This is a joint initiative of the European Commission, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Polish partners.”
Wöllert believes to see the start of the first transformation projects soon.
As reported with reference to First Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Olha Buslavets, according to the draft concept for the transformation of the coal industry, all unprofitable mines in the country will be closed within ten years. In addition, in the coming years, subsidies to coal enterprises from the budget will be minimized.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
PSG, Basaksehir teams walk off after alleged racial slur
The Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain and Basaksehir was interrupted when players walked off the field on Tuesday after alleging fourth official Sebastian Coltescu of Romania used a racial slur against an assistant coach.
Players from the Turkish team were furious after assistant coach Pierre Webo was shown a red card by referee Ovidiu Hategan of Romania at Parc des Princes, saying Coltescu had used a racial term against Webo, who is from Cameroon, before he was sent off.
Basaksehir substitute Demba Ba demanded that the fourth official explain himself, while PSG players Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also demanded an explanation. Basaksehir coach Okan Buruk said “you are racist” to Coltescu.
The scored was 0-0 when the incident took place about 15 minutes into the match.
Webo was enraged and was heard to repeat at least six times “Why you say negro?” as he sought an explanation from Coltescu.
Moments later, Ba came off the bench and stood in front of Coltescu and said: “Why when you mention a black guy, you have to say ‘This black guy?’”
UEFA replaced Coltescu and pledged to investigate.
“Following an alleged incident involving the 4th official, the match was temporarily suspended. After consultation with both teams, it was agreed that the match would restart with a different 4th official,” UEFA said in a statement.
“UEFA will thoroughly investigate the matter and further communication will be made in due course.”
During the interruption, Basaksehir posted a message on Twitter against a UEFA backdrop with the message “NO TO RACISM.”
Seven years ago, Hategan was in charge of a match between CSKA Moscow and Manchester City when City’s black players were racially abused.
City captain Yaya Toure directed referee Hategan toward fans making monkey noises at the English club’s black players.
Michel Platini, UEFA’s president at the time, requested an internal inquiry involving the referee to examine why guidelines were not followed to respond to discrimination incidents during matches.
Monday, December 7, 2020
France: is it all about so-called Political Islam?
The Proposed Anti-Separatism Law and the International Obligations of France: is it all about so-called Political Islam?
France is a member of International organisations and indeed a country where the rule of law, democracy and the respect of human rights are fundamental principles of the “République”.
Likewise France is a country with a very diverse population from several backgrounds and belonging to several different linguistic, ethnic and indeed religious or spiritual traditions or none.
President Macron and the Premiere Dame and a number of French politicians have defended the, arguable to say the least, right of Charlie Hebdo to insult the religion of Islam repeatedly by depicting the Prophet of Islam Mohammed, and by insulting the Turkish President Erdogan, and by insulting the religious sentiments of many religious and spiritual groups as such in a number of occasions. All of this in the name of the sacrosanct right to Freedom of Expression.
Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental freedom enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights of 1950 and in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, which inspired the ECHR, and in most international human rights instruments and most national Constitutions as well.
Just like the Freedom of Expression is a fundamental human right, also the Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion, or in a single expression the Freedom of Belief, is a fundamental human right protected by art. 18 of the UDHR and by art. 9 of the ECHR whose extent can only be limited in compliance with the ECHR provisions not basing on assumed national values or needs in contrast with the spirit of the Human Rights legislation.
Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights – Freedom of thought, conscience and religion “1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. 2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”
Art. 9 ECHR should be read in conjunction with art. 2 Protocol 1 to the Convention which reads as follows:
Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 – Right to education “No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.”
Arguing that some groups and specifically “Political Islam” tend to isolate within the society and from the society and that a legislation is needed to prevent that from happening, and such legislation causes also to prevent private entities from setting up or to carrying out their activities, or prohibiting home-schooling, is probably not the best answer to problems that may exist from a democratic country like France, considering that France has a set of laws, including also criminal laws, to prevent and tackle extremism, terrorism and any other forms of delinquency whatsoever.
So the wonder is: what is the real agenda behind this proposed legislation? and who is behind such?
Where does it come from? Have we seen anything like this in the past in France?
Well there’s an organisation called FECRIS in France which is funded by the French Government and that advocates, all over the world, the fight against minority groups, derogatorily called cults (sectes in French). FECRIS doesn’t care about the International Human Rights obligations of France and regularly requests the International Organisations to ban Human Rights Organisations advocating Freedom of Religion and Belief from their premises and to stop interacting with them, e.g. FECRIS at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw.
The belief that behind this legislation there may be both the FECRIS and those sharing the same views, may be a legitimate possibility, at least, if we consider that very often the fight against Islam, whether the so-called Political or non Political one, goes hand by hand with the fight against cults.
The proposed legislation may just be a Trojan horse aimed at fighting against extremism but with the real intention to fight against minorities considered as cults – this could be just my own personal opinion and speculation if the Minister Madame Marlène Schiappa had not stated, in an interview she gave to the newspaper Le Parisien, as follows:
“we will use the same measures against the cults and against radical Islam”.
The United States bipartisan organisation USCIRF, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, has warned that FECRIS is an organisation that threats the human rights of minorities and recommended, inter alia, as follows:
“Counter propaganda against new religious movements by the European Federation of Research and Information Centers on Sectarianism (FECRIS) at the annual OSCE Human Dimensions Conference with information about the ongoing involvement of individuals and entities within the anti-cult movement in the suppression of religious freedom.”
To me it is clear that the proposed legislation if passed would mean a serious drift from the International legal obligations of France, first and foremost the ECHR and its fundamental freedoms and human rights.
The rule of law requires attention and intervention and indeed the extremist activities of any group must be prevented and fought against with all necessary means – but erasing the International obligations that ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms belonging to everyone is not the answer but only an excuse for other ends. The present law is the natural consequence of law no. 504 of 2001 on the prevention and suppression of cultic movements and of her sister law no. 228 of 2004 aimed at suppressing the right to show religious symbols in public places, both of which are a serious concern for a European democracy.
We hope that, while we are fighting against two viruses, the Covid-19 and the virus of intolerance, the actions recommended by the USCIRF Report may be implemented very soon and also be only the beginning of a series of further actions to contrast these hate experts, and finally guarantee everyone their right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief.
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Marvel releases a new comic book about real-life superheroes: nurses
The Avengers, Iron Man, Black Panther, Spider-Man — those and many more are members of the Marvel Universe. But Marvel is now releasing a comic book that will celebrate some real-life superheroes: nurses.
In coordination with the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and the advertising agency Doner, Marvel has created a comic book, called The Vitals: True Nurse Stories, based on an amalgamation of experiences had by nurses in 13 hospital facilities in Western Pennsylvania.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been in awe of the courage and resourcefulness of our nurses, who put their own health at risk to care for these vulnerable patients,” said AHN chief nurse executive Claire Zangerle in a statement. “We are so proud of them, and we want to make sure they know how much we appreciate their exceptional work. We hope that in seeing themselves as real Marvel Comics Super Heroes, they can take a moment to look back in pride on their exceptional work and compassion during an exceptionally difficult time for our communities.”
In a video made in conjunction with the comic book, the children of AHN nurses talked about their parents and the tireless work they’ve done throughout the pandemic. “We didn’t see her for like two months,” says one little boy of his mother, a nurse. “It makes me feel good that she’s being able to help,” says another.
In the video the children and their parents are given the comic book, which results in no shortage of tears. “That one looks like my mommy,” says one little girl as she points to a nurse on the cover of the comic. “You’re a hero,” says a little boy as he tearfully embraces his mother.
The comic books will be distributed at AHN hospitals and recruiting events, and are also available digitally on Marvel.com.
“At Marvel, we tell stories about heroes every day. But this story is special. It tells a story about our everyday heroes — the nurses and health care professionals working tirelessly and courageously to save lives,” said Dan Buckley, president of Marvel Entertainment, said in a statement. “Along with AHN, we are honored to help tell these stories, which we dedicate to the real heroes who are saving the world.”
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.
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Saturday, December 5, 2020
Contribution of life in soil ‘remains largely underestimated’, says UN agriculture agency
Ahead of World Soil Day, marked on 5 December, FAO launched its first ever report on “The State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity“. The report examines the potential of soil organisms in ensuring sustainable agri-food systems and mitigating climate change.
“Soil biodiversity and sustainable soil management is a prerequisite for the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals“, said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo. “Therefore, data and information on soil biodiversity, from the national to the global level, are necessary in order to efficiently plan management strategies on a subject that is still poorly known”, she added.
Biodiversity below
According to the report, despite the fact biodiversity loss is at the forefront of global concerns, biodiversity below ground is not being given the prominence it deserves and needs to be fully considered when planning how best to boost sustainable development.
“We hope that the knowledge contained in this report will facilitate the assessment of the state of soil biodiversity as an integral part of national- and regional-level biodiversity reporting and any soil surveys”, Ms. Semedo advanced.
Being one of the main ‘global reservoirs’ of biodiversity, soils host more than 25 percent of the world’s biological diversity. In addition, more than 40 percent of living organisms in terrestrial ecosystems are associated with soils during their life cycle.
The report defines soil biodiversity as the variety of life belowground, from genes and animal species, to the communities they form, as well as the ecological complexes to which they contribute and to which they belong; from soil micro-habitats to landscapes.
These include a wide range of organisms, from unicellular and microscopic forms, to invertebrates such as nematodes, earthworms, arthropods and their larval stages, as well as mammals, reptiles, and amphibians that spend a large part of their life belowground, and a great diversity of algae and fungi.
Keep soil alive, protect biodiversity
Plants nurture a whole world of creatures in the soil, FAO notes, that in return feed and protect the plants. It is this diverse community of living organisms that keeps the soil healthy and fertile, which constitutes soil biodiversity, and determines the main biogeochemical processes that make life possible on Earth.
This year, by addressing the increasing challenges of soil management, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) campaign “Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being. By encouraging people around the world to engage in proactively improving soil health, the campaign also aims to fight soil biodiversity loss.
Threats to soil biodiversity
Although soils are essential for human well-being and the sustainability of life on the planet, they are threatened by human activity, climate change and natural disasters.
The overuse and misuse of agrochemicals remains one of the major drivers to soil biodiversity loss, thus reducing the potential of soil biodiversity for a sustainable agriculture and food security.
Other threats include deforestation, urbanization, soil structure degradation, soil acidification, pollution, wildfires, erosion, and landslides, among other issues, the agency alerts.
Soils and climate action
Nature-based solutions involving soil microorganisms have a significant potential to mitigate climate change. They play a key role in carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The report also found that farming activities are the biggest source of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide gases emitted by soils, which derive from the overuse or misuse of nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Future steps
Generally, there is a lack of detailed data, policies and actions on soil biodiversity at local, national, regional, and global levels.
The report highlighted the need to promote the necessary shift to include biological indicators of soil health along with physical and chemical ones.
According to the report, the adoption of sustainable soil management practices by farmers, as a basic premise for preserving soil biodiversity, remains low due to the lack of technical support, provision of incentives and enabling environments, and needs to be scaled up.
Friday, December 4, 2020
Buddhist Times News – 100 monks participate in robe offering event at Mahabodhi Mahavihara
100 monks participate in robe offering event at Mahabodhi Mahavihara
<p class="post-meta"> <span class="date"><i class="icon-calendar"/> Dec 04, 2020</span> <span class="meta-user"><i class="icon-user"/> <a href="https://www.buddhisttimes.news/author/shyamal/" title="Posts by Shyamal Sinha" rel="author" rel="nofollow">Shyamal Sinha</a></span> <span class="meta-cat"><i class="icon-book"/> <a href="https://www.buddhisttimes.news/category/breakingnews/" rel="category tag" rel="nofollow">BREAKING NEWS</a>, <a href="https://www.buddhisttimes.news/category/topnews/" rel="category tag" rel="nofollow">TOP NEWS</a></span> <span class="meta-comment last-meta"><span>Comments Off<span class="screen-reader-text"> on 100 monks participate in robe offering event at Mahabodhi Mahavihara</span></span></span> </p> <hr class="none"/>Monks worship Lord Buddha under the Bodhi Tree at Mahabodhi Temple during Maha Kathina Civara Dana ceremony in…Read More
Earlier, around 500 monks from countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Sri Lanka used to attend the robe offering event, but no outsider was part of the function this year.
BTMC secretary Nangzey Dorjee welcomed the monks to the function that was also attended by committee members Mahashweta Maharathi and Krishna Manjhi.
Chief monk Bhikkhu Chalinda, who led the participants offering prayers under the Bodhi Tree, told this newspaper, “After the three-month ‘varsha vaas’ or rainy retreat of the monks, devotees offer them robes and other items. During the period from July to September, they stay indoors and meditate in their monasteries.”
According to Buddhism, offering robes (‘civara’) to the monks is the highest form of donation.
The chief monk added, “The ‘civara’ is offered to one of the 10 monks of the BTMC every year. It was given to Bhante Manoj this year because he followed the ‘varsha vaas’ tradition properly.”
There is an equally strong Buddhist belief that a month after receiving his ‘enlightenment’, Buddha delivered his first sermon – called the Dhamma-Cakkappavattana
After the Maha Kathina Civara Dana function, the monks were offered ‘sanghdana’ (meal).
The four months of Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashvina and Kartika could even be trimmed to three months depending on the regional character of the rains and local needs.
<hr class="none"/>Thursday, December 3, 2020
The role of the elderly in times of demographic change
COMECE-FAFCE reflection on the role of the elderly in times of demographic change
COMECE-FAFCE reflection on the role of the elderly in times of demographic change
“Elderly people are a gift and a resource, […] they cannot be seen as separated from communities”, states the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) together with FAFCE in the reflection paper “The Elderly and the Future of Europe”, jointly published on Thursday 3 December 2020. COMECE-FAFCE General Secretaries: “Let’s transform the Covid-19 crisis into an opportunity for a shift of paradigm and for regenerating our way of thinking on the elderly”.
Entitled “The Elderly and the Future of Europe: Intergenerational solidarity and care in times of demographic change”, the document calls on EU and national policy makers to develop a change of paradigm and for regenerating our way of thinking in times of demographic change and in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The COMECE-FAFCE reflection paper comes following the publication of European Commission’s “Report on the Impact of Demographic Change” and as a contribution to the upcoming “Green Paper on Aging”, whose publication is foreseen for 2021.
“The elderly are an integral part of the family, a source of support and encouragement for the younger generations. They cannot be separated from society and relational networks” – reads the COMECE-FAFCE document, highlighting that elderly people are not only vulnerable persons, but also dynamic actors of social life.
The current Covid-19 pandemic revealed hidden vulnerabilities in our societies, with the elderly often in the periphery of daily life. According to COMECE and FAFCE, it is time to recognize the crucial role of the elderly, protecting, promoting and including them, ensuring their full participation in our communities.
The reflection paper recommends national governments to make use of the resources of the proposed EU Recovery Plan for investing in intergenerational relations and in new structures of solidarity – including informal care, volunteering and age-friendly urban environments – and in demographic and family policies.
The publication has been elaborated in collaboration with the COMECE-FAFCE ad-hoc working group of experts on the situation of the elderly in EU societies. The document serves as a starting point for a deeper discussion on the topic, which will also include a webinar to be held in 2021.
COMECE Communication Officer
Alessandro Di Maio
+32 (0) 2 235 05 15
Scientology Volunteer Ministers offer free course on drug education to offset the rising tide of drug abuse
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