CEC video features responses to human rights in the times of COVID-19
Jul 28 2021
CEC video features responses to human rights in the times of COVID-19

Churches and believers across Europe have experienced numerous hardships, posing challenges to the state of human rights in the times of COVID-19. To explore these issues, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) releases a new video, featuring impressions from participants of its 7th virtual Summer School on Human Rights.

The Summer School held online from 7 to 10 July 2020 in cooperation with the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), brought together church leaders, academics, experts from the international organisations and the European institutions from across the region.

The new video features comments from the Summer School participants, representing diverse backgrounds. They address questions related to democracy, human rights and rule of law obligations during COVID-19, sharing case studies related to challenges for CEC Member Churches, as well as freedom of religion or belief. The video also features impressions on the rights of minorities and experience of young people.

Among the interviewees are Tatjana Peric, Dr Ibrahim Salama, Fr. Dr Sorin Selaru, Angelita Tomaselli, Assoc. Prof. Dr Vassiliki Stathokosta, Rev. Dr Göran Gunner, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Imam Sayed Razawi, Leon Saltiel, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, Dr Ganoune Diop, Natia Tsintsadze, Hajar Al-Kaddo, Rev. Dr Daniel Topalski, Natia Tsintsadze, Fr. Dr Sorin Selaru and Bishop Petra Bosse-Huber.

Among the interviewees are Tatjana Peric, Dr Ibrahim Salama, Fr. Dr Sorin Selaru, Angelita Tomaselli, Assoc. Prof. Dr Vassiliki Stathokosta, Rev. Dr Göran Gunner, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Imam Sayed Razawi, Dr Leon Saltiel, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Dr Ganoune Diop, Natia Tsintsadze, Hajar Al-Kaddo, Rev. Dr Daniel Topalski, and Bishop Petra Bosse-Huber.

The video has been made possible with support from CEC Member Churches, the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Daniel Van Lerberghe of the InnoGage.eu Digital Agency, and Otto Per Mille.

Watch the video here:

As part of the CEC Summer School, EKD also released a video “Sacred and worthy of protection – a walk through Berlin”. This video is available at www.ekd.de/heilig-und-schuetzenswert.

Learn more about CEC’s 7th virtual Summer School on Human Rights

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Sheffield charity staff go the extra mile (or 26!) to support people with tinnitus
Jul 28 2021
Sheffield charity staff go the extra mile (or 26!) to support people with tinnitus
British Tinnitus Association staff members Colette Bunker, Angela Pollard and Jess Pollard will be completing their first ever marathon on 3 October as they take on the Virgin Money Virtual London Marathon for the charity they work for. The Sheffield-based British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is dedicated to supporting people living with tinnitus, a debilitating condition that affects 1 in 8 adults in the UK.

Barnsley resident Jess (25) shared: “I was 13 when I remember experiencing tinnitus for the first time after going to a party. I was lucky that it faded away the next day. I still experience tinnitus occasionally, but it comes and goes and is mainly at night when I’m particularly stressed. However, for many people it is constant. It is there 24/7, which can be very intrusive and debilitating.”

She added: “As the Fundraising Officer at the BTA, I work with dedicated fundraisers who are always going the extra mile to complete fundraising challenges whilst juggling work, studies and personal life. So, when we were lucky to secure 10 places for the virtual London Marathon this year, I thought ‘why not?!’ We’re now eight weeks into training and I know this will be a huge challenge but raising awareness and funds for tinnitus research and support is vital!”

Angela (55), from Barnsley, is the Membership Administrator for the BTA and has first-hand experience of living with tinnitus. “The furthest I’ve ever run is a half marathon four years ago, and at the time I couldn’t have imagined running double the distance so this will be a tough one, but this vital cause will give me all the motivation I need. There is still so much that is unknown about tinnitus, and research in this area is massively underfunded. At the BTA we continue to fund and push for more research whilst offering support and advice right now when it is needed.”

The British Tinnitus Association’s vision is “A world where no one suffers from tinnitus” which Colette, Angela and Jess are passionate about. As Head of Services for the BTA, Colette’s work focuses on developing services that improve the lives of people with tinnitus through information, advice, emotional support and peer support.

Colette (34) shared, “As Head of Services, I work closely with our helpline, support groups, events, and workshops. Every day I see first-hand how our services change people’s lives for the better so I’m taking part in the Virtual London Marathon to help us continue to deliver them and reach even more people. A motivation I need to keep reminding myself of throughout the pain of training! I’ve never run anywhere near marathon distance before so this will be a huge challenge but one that I’m excited to take on to raise funds for such a fantastic cause.”

Please help Colette, Angela and Jess reach their goal of £1,500 by donating at justgiving.com/team/btavirtuallondonmarathon, or email fundraising@tinnitus.org.uk take part in your own challenge.

-END-

Editors Notes

About the British Tinnitus Association

The British Tinnitus Association is an independent charity and the primary source of information for people with tinnitus. It helps to facilitate an improved quality of life for people with tinnitus through a range of support options including support groups, a helpline and its website, while also taking steps to bring forward the day when tinnitus is cured. The charity works to inform and educate medical professionals and the community on what tinnitus is and how to manage it. The British Tinnitus Association wants “a world where no one suffers from tinnitus”. It wants to find better ways to manage tinnitus and, ultimately, to help find a cure. In 2020, the publication of its Tinnitus Manifesto led to more than 120,000 people signing a petition for more funding for tinnitus research to find cures.

Website: www.tinnitus.org.uk

Twitter: @BritishTinnitus

Facebook and Instagram: @BritishTinnitusAssociation

LinkedIn: British Tinnitus Association

For more information

Nic Wray, Communications Manager

nic@tinnitus.org.uk

0114 250 9933

Jessica Pollard, Fundraising Officer

jessica@tinnitus.org.uk

0114 250 9933

British Tinnitus Association, Unit 5 Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield S8 0TB

The British Tinnitus Association is a registered charity. Registered charity number 1011145.

Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of British Tinnitus Association, on Wednesday 28 July, 2021. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/

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India: Release Detained Myanmar Asylum Seekers
Jul 28 2021
India: Release Detained Myanmar Asylum Seekers
Ensure Prompt Access to UN Refugee Agency for Protection

(New York, July 28, 2021) – Indian authorities should immediately free all detained Myanmar asylum seekers, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should investigate the deaths of two women who had fled Myanmar and died in custody in Manipur state from Covid-19 in June 2021.

Since Myanmar’s military coup on February 1, tens of thousands of Myanmar nationals have fled the country to escape the violent crackdown. Approximately 16,000 Myanmar nationals have crossed into India in the four bordering states – Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, the media have reported. Those fleeing include parliament members, civil servants, military and police officials, and civil society and human rights activists. Most are in hiding, afraid of being arrested.

“People from Myanmar fleeing threats to their lives and liberty should be offered a safe haven in India, not detained and deprived of their rights,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The Indian government should uphold its international legal obligations and work with the UN refugee agency to ensure prompt access to international protection mechanisms.”

In June, two women from Myanmar, Ma Myint, 46, and Mukhai, 40, died from Covid-19 in a district hospital in Manipur state. Ma Myint and Mukhai were among 29 Myanmar nationals arrested on March 31 under the Foreigners Act for entering the country without valid travel documents. They were later placed in judicial custody by the district court. On July 2, the Manipur-based group Human Rights Alert wrote to the state human rights commission alleging that government officials were not providing immigration detainees with food and adequate health care, and that detainees were dependent on the charity of local civil society groups for food.

Ma Myint and Mukhai were only taken to a hospital once their illness was critical, according to Human Rights Alert and both died within three days of being admitted. At least 13 other asylum seekers also contracted Covid-19 in detention in Manipur.

Since February, the Myanmar junta and security forces have responded with increasing violence and repression to the nationwide anti-coup movement. Security forces have killed over 920 people and arbitrarily detained an estimated 5,300 activists, journalists, civil servants, and politicians. In March, the Indian government condemned the violence in Myanmar at the UN Security Council and called for the release of detained leaders, but at the same time the government ordered northeast border states to check the flow of “illegal immigrants from Myanmar.”

The chief minister of Mizoram state, which has had the greatest influx since February, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying this directive was unacceptable and urged the national government to instead provide asylum to the refugees.

While Indian border guards have not pushed back any arrivals from Myanmar since the coup and several village councilors in northeast states have expressed a willingness to accommodate the refugees, the Modi government has provided no clarity regarding their status, local rights groups said. In addition, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in India requires asylum seekers to travel to one of the agency’s designated centers, none of which are in the northeast, to apply for refugee status. As a result, thousands of Myanmar nationals in India fleeing persecution remain vulnerable to arrest, detention, and possible return to Myanmar.

UNHCR Detention Guidelines, which draw on international law, say that government authorities may detain adult asylum seekers only “as a last resort” as a strictly necessary and proportionate measure to achieve a legitimate legal purpose based on an individual assessment. Legitimate justifications for detention should be clearly defined in law, and conform to reasons clearly recognized in international law, such as concerns about danger to the public, a likelihood of absconding, or an inability to confirm an individual’s identity. Victims of torture and other serious physical, psychological, or sexual violence should, as a general rule, not be detained.

Refugees in the border states are largely dependent on civil society groups, who are providing support. Several groups have written to the national government asking it to provide humanitarian aid to the asylum seekers and ensure that specialized humanitarian agencies, including UNHCR, have unhindered access to them.

On May 3, the High Court of Manipur ordered safe passage for seven Myanmar nationals, including three journalists, to Delhi so that they could seek protection from UNHCR. “They fled the country of their origin under imminent threat to their lives and liberty,” the court stated, adding “They aspire for relief under International Conventions that were put in place to offer protection and rehabilitation to refugees/asylum seekers. In such a situation, insisting that they first answer for admitted violations of our domestic laws, as a condition precedent for seeking ‘refugee’ status, would be palpably inhuman.”

Although India is not a party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, the international legal principle of nonrefoulement is recognized as customary international law binding on all countries. Nonrefoulement prohibits countries from returning anyone to a country where they may face persecution, torture, or other serious harm.

Since 2017, Indian authorities have repeatedly sought to return ethnic Rohingya to Myanmar despite serious allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide by the military. In March, Indian authorities in Delhi, Jammu, and Kashmir detained dozens of Rohingya with plans to deport them to Myanmar. In April, the Supreme Court rejected a plea to stop their deportation.

Many of the detained Rohingya say they hold identity documents issued by UNHCR and that they feared for their safety in Myanmar. Over a million Rohingya have fled Myanmar, primarily to Bangladesh, most of them since the military’s campaign of ethnic cleansing that began in August 2017. The 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Myanmar’s Rakhine State face severe repression and violence, with no freedom of movement, no access to citizenship, or other basic rights. Abuses against the Rohingya in Rakhine State amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution, Human Rights Watch said.

Indian authorities say that they will deport irregular immigrants from Myanmar if they do not hold valid travel documents required under the Foreigners Act. But any forcible returns to Myanmar would violate the principle of nonrefoulement.

India’s failure to provide fair asylum procedures or to allow UNHCR to make refugee determinations for those fleeing Myanmar because of the threat to their lives violates the government’s international legal obligations, Human Rights Watch said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to ensure that the Indian government meets its obligations under international refugee law,” Ganguly said. “Indian authorities should treat those from Myanmar seeking refuge in India with dignity and provide them protection from further abuse.”

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on India, please visit:
https://www.hrw.org/asia/india

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Myanmar, please visit:
https://www.hrw.org/asia/myanmar-burma

For more information, please contact:
In Boston, Phil Robertson (English, Thai): +1-917-378-4097 (mobile); or robertp@hrw.org. Twitter: @Reaproy
In London, Meenakshi Ganguly (English, Bengali, Hindi): +91-9820-036032 (mobile); or gangulm@hrw.org. Twitter: @mg2411

Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Pressat Wire, on Wednesday 28 July, 2021. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/

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SYLVE & Julia Alfrida releases the international Pride song LEGACY
Jul 28 2021
SYLVE & Julia Alfrida releases the international Pride song LEGACY

Photographer: Maria Östlin

LEGACY - SYLVE & Julia Alfrida

Photographer: Maria Östlin

LEGACY - SYLVE & Julia Alfrida

Photographer: Maria Östlin

The new international Pride song “LEGACY” by the Swedish artists SYLVE and Julia Alfrida is about feeling proud about who we are and what we believe in.

With this worldwide song, we want to inspire young LGBTQIA+ people and upcoming generations to be themselves. Hold your head high and ignore what other people think about you.”
— SYLVE & Julia Alfrida

STOCKHOLM, STOCKHOLMS LäN, SVERIGE, July 28, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — LEGACY premieres this weekend on Spotify and Apple Music and is about feeling proud about who we are and what we believe in, regardless of what other people think, and to pass that on to upcoming generations. The record labels behind the song is TGR Music Group and Sony Music Sweden.– When many countries are implementing laws that forbid “the spreading of information regarding gender-identity anomalies, sex-change and further information that can be seen as promoting homosexuality amongst young people”, our human rights and our democracy are both truly threatened. That is why the message in LEGACY is both current and important, says SYLVE and Julia.

– With this new worldwide song LEGACY, we want to inspire young LGBTQIA+ people and upcoming generations to be themselves, even if you don´t fit the norm. Hold your head high and ignore what other people think about you, says SYLVE and Julia.

– Usually people that define themselves within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum have at one point in their life felt the need to dull down or hide their identity, sexuality or expression. This song is about embracing everything that we are. Once you get the courage to show who you really are and open up to people, you will feel so much better, says SYLVE and Julia.

The Swedish popstar, singer and songwriter SYLVE streak of musical hits started last summer and just some week ago he released his autobiographical debut-EP, “Dö Lycklig”. The Swedish popstar, singer and songwriter Julia Alfrida competed in the “Swedish Eurovision song contest” Melodifestivalen with the song “Rich” earlier this year and has released several singles, the latest being GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS. SYLVE and Julia Alfrida have performances booked for LEGACY at venues such as Stockholm Pride on August 7th and West Pride in Gothenburg on October 2nd.

SYLVE and Julia first met at the music club “First Time” in Stockholm, where they both performed live for an exclusive audience, fall 2020, and later on at a livestream arranged by Stockholm Pride that was held spring 2020. It was then and there that they decided to collaborate and to write a pride-song together.

– LEGACY is the first and only song we have written together, but not the last! We have really found each other, both as friends and colleagues. We are going to perform at Stockholm Pride and at West Pride in Gothenburg, and we are really looking forward to being able to meet our wonderful audience. We are hoping that this song will find its way outside the Swedish borders, so that the important message about LGBTQIA+ will reach more countries, especially to countries where human rights are at stake, says SYLVE and Julia.

The Music Video LEGACY
– Last week we were filming a lavish and spectacular music video for LEGACY at Högberga Gård set at Lidingö, just outside of Stockholm. We are hoping that a lot of LGBTQIA+ will identify themselves with this video that premieres 5 august. Several of our friends are participating in the video, which is meant to be showing love, joy and compassion, says SYLVE and Julia Alfrida.

The music video has been made possible with the support and sponsorship of the main sponsor True Colours Cava and the sponsors; Högberga Gård (Luxury Hotel & Conference), LH Cosmetics, Högberga, Flygbussarna, Flying Tiger, Volkswagen, ZAEK STUDIO, Supreme Events, Heyparty, Swedish Wolf Nails and Yearwood PR & Productions Ltd. The music video will be released during Stockholm Pride on August 5th and is distributed by the record company TGR Music Group.

The location of the press photos and the music video is Högberga Gård – Luxury Hotel & Conference at Lidingö, Stockholm, Sweden. The make up for the press photos and music video is made of the well-known influencer and make-up artist Linda Hallberg, who has just over 970,000 followers on Instagram. In the set design we used ballons from Heyparty and decorations from Flying Tiger Copenhagen. The jewellery is from ZAEK STUDIO and IAOKU. The nail artist Lina Söderquist, Swedish Wolf Nails made SYLVE and Julias nails. Supreme events provided us with lights, sounds and effects. The photos where taken by the famous swedish photographer Maria Östlin. Production and set design by Marcus Årskog, Yearwood PR & Productions Ltd. The car in the music video is the new fully electric Volkswagen ID.4 – World Car of the Year 2021.

Companies interested in sponsoring the making of the music video LEGACY, please contact Yearwood PR & Productions Ltd. As a sponsor your company name will be featured in the credits of the music video, and also added to all press material.

<

p class=”contact c9″ dir=”auto”>Marcus Årskog
Yearwood PR & Productions Inc.
+46 70 758 57 78
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter

LEGACY

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Hatchery highlights for August: Notable fish stockings around the state
Jul 28 2021
Hatchery highlights for August: Notable fish stockings around the state

Idaho Fish and Game is stocking almost 90,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout throughout the state in August.

With so many fish stocked in so many places, it can be hard for anglers to sift through the stocking forecasts and records to identify noteworthy stocking events. To make it easier, we asked Fish and Game hatchery staff to highlight some stocking events for the month.

Many of the waters highlighted below are easy to access, family-friendly fishing destinations. All you need to get started is a fishing license and some basic tackle. Annual adult fishing licenses cost around $30, junior licenses (ages 14-17) cost $16, and youth under 14 fish for free. Click here to buy a license.

Fishing for stocked rainbow trout, particularly in community ponds, is a great way to introduce new anglers to the sport by using simple (and relatively thrifty) set-ups like worm/marshmallow combinations or commercial baits like Power Bait or Crave, either near the bottom or below a bobber. The Learn to Fish webpage offers diagrams for basic bait rigs.

Most Idaho waters are open to fishing year-round, but some may have slightly different rules. Be sure to pick up a 2019-21 Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules Booklet, which outlines season dates, special regulations and bag limits at any Idaho Fish and Game offices or most sporting goods stores statewide.

Need a little help reading Idaho’s fishing regulations? Click here to view a short video on how to use the fishing season and rules book.

Panhandle Region

Day Rock Pond –  500 Rainbow Trout. This is a small pond in the Silver Valley where anglers can easily fish from the shore. From Coeur d’Alene, go east on Interstate 90 to the Wallace exit, then under the interstate. Continue northeast up Nine Mile Creek about 3.5 miles.

Gene Day Pond – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Located in the west end of Gene Day Park in Osburn, this easy access pond offers good fishing opportunity.

Lower Glidden Lake – 900 Rainbow Trout. This is a beautiful drive-to alpine lake. It’s a great spot for anglers of all levels and a scenic choice for small watercraft (electric motors only).

Clearwater Region

Karolyns Pond – 800 Rainbow Trout. This pretty pond has grassy banks and a dock for fishing. It’s small enough that an angler can cast to any part of the pond from shore. Rainbow trout stocking from spring through summer means high catch rates!

Southwest Region (Nampa)

Boise River (Strawberry Glen to Barber Dam) – 2,160 Rainbow Trout

Boise River (Middleton to Eagle Road) – 2,160 Rainbow Trout

The Boise River offers miles of fishing in one of the finest urban trout rivers in the country!

Marsing Pond – 450 Rainbow Trout. This pond is located within a city park. Take the whole family, your fishing gear, some lunch, and enjoy shady picnic areas alongside the Snake River.

Middle Fork Payette River – 2,375 Rainbow Trout. Access is great along a well-traveled road with good camping areas nearby. Redband Trout, Brook Trout, and hatchery Rainbows support this fine fishery.

North Fork Boise River – 3,500 Rainbow Trout. This is a popular mountain river where anglers can target a variety of fish (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, and Whitefish). Catch rates are generally very good!

South Fork Payette River – 3,500 Rainbow Trout. Stocking locations include: Mountain View Campground, near the fire station at Jolene Drive, Helende Campground, 10 mile Bridge (immediately adjacent to Lowman Ponds), and near Grandjean.

Southwest Region (McCall)

Browns Pond (Airport Pond) – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. This small pond offers easy access to fishing on the southern edge of the McCall airport and is hidden from the road.

Rowlands Pond (Scout Pond) – 750 Rainbow Trout. This is a small but pretty pond in the woods close to McCall. Anglers will find good bank fishing in this peaceful setting.

Magic Valley Region

Freedom Park Pond – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Located in Burley, this trout pond was built with young anglers in mind. Take the kids fishing!

Hagerman WMA Oster Lake #1 – 900 Rainbow Trout. Hagerman Wildlife Management Area provides a variety of fishing opportunities and open space to explore. Oster Lake #1 is located to the southeast via Hagerman National Hatchery Road and offers ADA access piers.

Lake Cleveland – 5,000 Rainbow Trout. This is a very popular summer recreation area. The lake sits at over 8,000 feet in elevation below Mount Harrison. There are numerous campsites located around the lake.

Southeast Region

Cub River – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Fish are stocked in and around the Willow Flat Campground (50+ sites available), so make a fishing trip here an overnight adventure.

Montpelier Creek – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Enjoy good creek fishing and a variety of camping options.

Montpelier Rearing Pond – 500 Rainbow Trout. This little fishing spot is tucked into a scenic high desert canyon at 6500 feet in the hills east of Montpelier.

Upper Snake Region

Birch Creek – 1,350 Rainbow Trout. A productive spring creek in a high desert basin, this small stream is ideal for kids and less experienced anglers. Rainbow trout are stocked heavily around access areas.

Henrys Fork – 6,250 Rainbow Trout. World Famous for trout fishing! The river is suitable for wade fishing, bank fishing and fishing from a boat.

Horseshoe Lake – 1,000 Rainbow Trout. This is a great place to take newer anglers to catch Rainbow Trout. More experienced anglers may try to catch some of the Arctic Grayling that are stocked annually.

Mill Pond (Stoddard Mill Pond) – 500 Rainbow Trout. Located in Island Park, this small pond offers exciting fishing opportunity for all ages.

Trail Creek Pond – 800 Rainbow Trout. Also known as Victor Kids Pond, this small pond is located in the Teton Basin. One of the most consistent kids fisheries in the area; it is easily fished from the bank, with trails and picnic tables around the perimeter.

Salmon Region

Meadow Lake – 2,000 Rainbow Trout. At over 9,100 feet in elevation, this is the highest mountain lake you can drive to in this region. The snow-melt lake is a beautiful setting for a fishing and camping weekend with unique wildlife viewing opportunities. A Forest Service campground next to the lake offers a stunning view of the surrounding Lemhi Mountains.

Sawtooth Kids Pond – 400 Rainbow Trout. This public fishing pond located at Sawtooth Fish Hatchery has both fish and fishing tackle! If needed, inquire with hatchery staff about loaner tackle to catch Rainbows from this well stocked pond.

Valley Creek – 500 Rainbow Trout. Take a break from the Salmon River and try out your casting skills fishing this creek that offers astonishing views in every direction!

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Former President Barack Obama Joins NBA Africa as Strategic Partner
Jul 28 2021
Former President Barack Obama Joins NBA Africa as Strategic Partner

National Basketball Association (NBA)Download logo
The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) today announced that former President Barack Obama has joined NBA Africa (https://on.nba.com/3eZjcuX) as a strategic partner.

President Obama will help advance the league’s social responsibility efforts across the continent, including programs and partnerships that support greater gender equality and economic inclusion.  In this capacity, President Obama will have a minority equity stake in the new venture, which over time he intends to use to fund Obama Foundation youth and leadership programs across Africa.

NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL) (www.theBAL.com), which held its inaugural season (https://on.nba.com/3rBynjl) in May featuring 12 of the top club teams from 12 African countries.  NBA Africa is focused on expanding the NBA’s presence in priority African markets, deepening the league’s engagement with players and fans across the continent, and continuing to grow Africa’s basketball ecosystem through programs like the Jr. NBA, Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa and NBA Academy Africa.  In addition, NBA Africa has launched several social responsibility initiatives (https://on.nba.com/2UMLuCp) aimed at raising awareness of gender-based violence, supporting girls’ education, and improving the livelihoods of African youth and families.

“The NBA has always been a great ambassador for the United States—using the game to create deeper connections around the world, and in Africa, basketball has the power to promote opportunity, wellness, equality, and empowerment across the continent,” said President Barack Obama.  “By investing in communities, promoting gender equality, and cultivating the love of the game of basketball, I believe that NBA Africa can make a difference for so many of Africa’s young people.  I’ve been impressed by the league’s commitment to Africa, including the leadership shown by so many African players who want to give back to their own countries and communities.  That’s why I’m proud to join the team at NBA Africa and look forward to a partnership that benefits the youth of so many countries.”

“We are honored that President Obama has become a strategic partner in NBA Africa and will support our wide-ranging efforts to grow the game of basketball on the continent,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “In addition to his well-documented love for basketball, President Obama has a firm belief in Africa’s potential and the enormous growth opportunities that exist through sports.  NBA Africa will benefit tremendously from his engagement.”

“We have ambitious growth plans for NBA Africa and having President Obama join our efforts is a recognition that through sport, Africa can take its rightful place on the world stage,” said NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams.  “We look forward to working with President Obama and our strategic investors to use basketball as an economic growth engine across the continent and as a platform to improve the health and wellness of one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing populations.”

Strategic investors in NBA Africa include a consortium led by Babatunde “Tunde” Folawiyo, Chairman and CEO of Yinka Folawiyo Group, and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (HFP), led by Co-CEO Tope Lawani.  Additional investors in NBA Africa include NBA Legends Junior Bridgeman, Luol Deng (South Sudan), Grant Hill, Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin), Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Joakim Noah (ties to Cameroon).

The NBA has a decades-long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg in 2010.  Since then, the league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through social responsibility, grassroots and elite development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, the launch of the BAL, and more.

The inaugural BAL season was broadcast to fans in 215 countries and territories in 15 languages.  On Sunday, May 30, Zamalek (Egypt) defeated US Monastir (Tunisia) 76-63 to win the first BAL Championship.  Fans can follow @NBA_Africa and @theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Please see this video (https://on.nba.com/3yd99Kv) from President Barack Obama on NBA.com
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Media Contacts: Hannah Hankins Office of President Barack Obama +1 (320) 841-0467 hhankins@obamaoffice44.org

Elliot Steinbaum NBA +1 (212) 407-8657 esteinbaum@nba.com

Pawel Weszka NBA Africa +27 (10) 007 2666 pweszka@nba.com

About the NBA: The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League.  The NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) also jointly operate the Basketball Africa League (BAL).  The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2020-21 season featured 107 international players from 41 countries.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.9 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
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EIN Presswire’s priority is source transparency. We do not allow opaque clients, and our editors try to be careful about weeding out false and misleading content. As a user, if you see something we have missed, please do bring it to our attention. Your help is welcome. EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire™, tries to define some of the boundaries that are reasonable in today’s world. Please see our Editorial Guidelines for more information.
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Religions for Peace and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum Hold Symposium on Youth Engagement with Religion
Jul 28 2021
Religions for Peace and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum Hold Symposium on Youth Engagement with Religion

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, July 27, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) and Religions for Peace (RfP) (in collaboration with the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC); the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA); the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA); the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas; Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University; Office of Religious Life, Princeton University; and the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University) are pleased to hold a symposium on “Youth Engagement with Religion and Faith in the 21st Century,” 28-29 July 2021, followed by a publication of research and presentations to be launched in October 2021.Countless studies and research initiatives, ranging from national to global efforts, delve into the complex relationship between youth (and youth engagement) and religion in the modern world.

The objective of symposium is to bring together youth leaders, faith leaders, and top research and education institutions to explore the novel notions of youth engagement with religion and faith emerging in the 21st century. This symposium asks participants to consider to what extent youth activism (on climate, conflict, economics, racial justice, etc.) is fuelled by the moral and ethical systems presented through their religious institutions. They are further queried on the ways their own religious worldviews (whether their own or distinct) form youth understanding of their own place in the world and inform their interactions with it. The symposium will also explore whether spiritual or religious expressions have become central to youth ‘religiosity’ that hitherto has been considered distinct from traditional religious engagement

Twenty-one participants from over 15 nations were selected to make presentations among the recommended youth, experts, scholars, researchers, academics and practitioners. Participants hail from the USA, Indonesia, India. Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Argentina, Mozambique, Malaysia, Albania, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Germany and Brazil.

Participant presentations focus on the extent religious and spiritual dimensions inform, motivate, and activate youth within their communities, particularly on issues such as peacebuilding, environment and humanitarianism and in what ways do religious worldviews form youth understanding of their own place in the world and inform their interactions with it.

This symposium will be organized as a 4-hour virtual convening. It includes a welcome address by Dr. Azza Karam, Secretary General of Religions for Peace, keynote remarks by Prof. Ibrahim Kalin, Advisor to the President of Turkey and Dr. Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University, among others along with workshops with breakout sessions.

Contributors/participants and general attendees will be awarded a certificate issued by ICYF and Religions for Peace.

Suzanne Toma
Religions for Peace International
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New AVIATE with Shaesta Podcast Features Dr. Sima Samar - Afghan Women’s and Human Rights Advocate
Jul 27 2021
New AVIATE with Shaesta Podcast Features Dr. Sima Samar – Afghan Women’s and Human Rights Advocate

Special Bonus Episode from New Podcast AVIATE with Shaesta Featuring Dr. Sima Samar – Afghan Women’s and Human Rights Advocate

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, USA, July 27, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft, announced her new podcast platform earlier this week, AVIATE with Shaesta. As an exclusive bonus episode just released, Shaesta talks with Dr. Sima Samar, human rights activist, and former Minister of Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan, to discuss what the US military exit after 20-years will mean for the women of Afghanistan.

In addition to being a doctor, Dr. Sima’s career path has taken her to become an educator, government official for women affairs, an advocate for women and education, a human rights activist, and above all, a beacon of hope for the Afghan people. In 2009, she was the runner up for the Nobel Peace Prize. Hear what Dr. Sima has to say about how the US exit will impact Afghani women, the Taliban’s most recent act against education, her views on how we can support and her advice to the Afghani women. What will happen to the Afghan women, especially all the hard work and progress from the last two decades? Join Shaesta, the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan, in this special conversation, as she speaks with the notable, Dr. Sima Samar.

Designed for women in aviation to simply express themselves, AVIATE with Shaesta foundational themes, Acknowledge, Vocalize, Inclusion, Act, Travel, Evolve (AVIATE) shape her conversations with some of the most leading women in aviation and aerospace, across various media outlets.

Season one of the podcasts are available across all podcast platforms on July 30, 2021 and sponsored by Atlantic Aviation. The exclusive bonus episode with Dr. Sima is available now at https://www.aviatewithshaesta.com/episodes/introduction-8j3jp.

About Shaesta Waiz:
The youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft, Shaesta was also the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan. She founded Dreams Soar, Inc. in 2014 to share her story and encourage women to follow their dreams, regardless of the challenges. After 145 days, 22 countries, 32 outreach events inspiring more than 3000 young girls and boys, Shaesta completed her global solo journey for STEM and aviation education in October 2017. Born in a refugee camp, Shaesta and her family traveled from Afghanistan to California to escape the Afghan-Soviet war. Shaesta’s fascination with flying led her to pursue an education in the non-traditional field of aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In 2020, she was named FAA Ambassador. Today, Shaesta is focused on the new podcast platform, Aviate with Shaesta where she has captivating dialogue with the most interesting female aviators focusing on the themes Acknowledge, Vocalize, Inclusion, Act, Travel, and Evolve (AVIATE).

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Rose
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Downing’s Landing Boat Ramp Closure Rescheduled to August 9
Jul 27 2021
Downing’s Landing Boat Ramp Closure Rescheduled to August 9
CONTACT: Garret Graaskamp: (603) 271-1748 Jay Martin: (603) 271-3211 July 27, 2021

Concord, NH – Supply issues have delayed the start of work at the Downing’s Landing boat ramp in Alton, NH. The new work start date is Monday, August 9, at which time the property will be closed to all public access. During the closure, significant improvements will be made by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department to the parking lot, shorebank protection, and stormwater management structures. The ramp and facility will remain closed for the remainder of the boating season, likely into November.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department purchased the former private marina at the southern tip of Alton Bay in November of 2012, creating the first public boat access facility on Lake Winnipesaukee. From August 9, and until further notice, the entire facility will be closed to the public to ensure a safe and effective work site. The ramp will be closed and there will be no opportunity to launch or retrieve motorized boats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or other self-propelled watercraft. The parking area for the ramp will also be closed to the public and there will be no fishing from the shore.

Please check project status updates by visiting the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Statewide Public Boat Access Program’s webpage at https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/access/index.html. The program is funded through boat registration fees, which are combined as match dollars with federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration funds to facilitate boat access opportunities in the state. Fish and Game’s Facilities Construction and Lands Division acquires land for public water access sites, refurbishes existing sites, and builds new public boat access areas.

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Attorneys Educated on New Changes to the Baker Acting of Children and Parental Rights
Jul 27 2021
Attorneys Educated on New Changes to the Baker Acting of Children and Parental Rights

CCHR Florida presents the Baker Act Defense Attorney Symposium & Summit

CCHR Florida presents the Baker Act Defense Attorney Symposium & Summit

CCHR Florida presents the Baker Act Defense Attorney Symposium & Summit

Attorney Justin Drach stated that he feels like the group is moving in the right direction and that events such as this one will help bring about much needed change to the mental health law.

Attorney Justin Drach stated that he feels like the group is moving in the right direction and that events such as this one will help bring about much needed change to the mental health law.

The headquarters for CCHR Florida are located in downtown Clearwater.

The headquarters for CCHR Florida are located in downtown Clearwater.

CCHR Florida presents the Baker Act Defense Attorney Symposium & Summit

CCHR Florida presents the Baker Act Defense Attorney Symposium & Summit

Recent changes to the Florida laws governing involuntary psychiatric examination and parental rights were featured topics at this virtual event.

CCHR lives up to its mission – it is a watch dog for mental health and this is sorely needed. That is an important impact.”
— Justin Drach, attorney

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, July 27, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Florida chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) hosted a virtual continuing legal education course for private practice attorneys on July 23rd for the purpose of covering changes made in 2021 that affect the involuntary psychiatric examination of children, called a Baker Act, as well as parental rights.The course was the seventh such event hosted by CCHR, a non-profit watchdog organization dedicated to restoring dignity and human rights to the field of mental health. As the authority on mental health human rights, CCHR began hosting these events as part of a campaign to protect individuals from human rights violations committed through the abusive use of the Florida mental health law, commonly called the Baker Act.

Key topics at the conference included strategies to effectively serve families and to eradicate violations of the law, changes to the law, successful actions for defending the rights of citizens being held under a Baker Act as well as key points of the recently passed Florida Parents’ Bill of Rights.

The event was led by attorney Justin Drach of Theole Drach Law. A successful attorney practicing in Jacksonville, Mr. Drach was the 2017 recipient of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights Humanitarian Award for his tireless fight to end mental health abuse in Florida. Also speaking will be attorney Kendra Parris from Orlando and the president for the Florida chapter of CCHR, Diane Stein.

While the original stated intention of the Baker Act was to protect the rights of citizens sent for involuntary psychiatric examination, it has become a source of abuse, prompting CCHR Florida to not only host this event but to launch a public information campaign to educate Floridians on their rights under this law. As part of this campaign, CCHR hosts a seminar regularly delivered online for the general public by attorney Carmen Miller who, as a former Assistant Public Defender in the Thirteenth Circuit in Tampa, has a great deal of experience on the mental health law. Now in the private sector, Ms. Miller specializes in cases of those who have been Baker Acted.
To learn more about the Baker Act or to reserve a spot at the next complimentary virtual seminar please email execdir@cchrflorida.org.

About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR’s mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: “Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the ‘free world’ tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of ‘mental health,’” he wrote in March 1969. For more information, please visit www.cchrflorida.org.

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p class=”contact c9″ dir=”auto”>Diane Stein
Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida
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CCHR FL – The Right to Help in Times of Crisis

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Progress on tobacco fight, but new nicotine products pose increasing threat
Jul 27 2021
Progress on tobacco fight, but new nicotine products pose increasing threat
While many countries are making progress in the fight against tobacco use, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report shows some are failing to address the problem of emerging nicotine and tobacco products.
Compared with 2007, more than four times as many people — some 5.3 billion — are now covered by at least one WHO-recommended tobacco control measure.

These six MPOWER measures are:

  1. Monitoring tobacco use and preventive measures
  2. Protecting people from tobacco smoke; offering help to quit
  3. Warning about the dangers of tobacco
  4. Enforcing bans on advertising
  5. Promotion and sponsorship
  6. Raising taxes on tobacco

More than half of all countries and half the world’s population are now covered by at least two MPOWER measures – an increase of 14 countries – and almost one billion more people since the last report in 2019.

Whilst half of the world’s population are exposed to tobacco products with graphic health warnings, progress has not been even across all MPOWER measures.

Raising tobacco taxes has been slow to have an impact and 49 countries remain without any MPOWER measures adopted.

New nicotine threats

Of particular concern, new data shows that children who use electronic nicotine delivery systems, such as ‘e-cigarettes’ are up to three times more likely to use tobacco products in the future.

WHO is concerned that these products are often being marketed to children and adolescents by the tobacco and related industries that manufacture them, using thousands of appealing flavours and misleading claims about the products.

The Organization recommends governments do more to implement regulations to stop non-smokers from getting addicted in the first place, to prevent renormalisation of smoking in the community, and protect future generations.

Highly addictive

“Nicotine is highly addictive. Electronic nicotine delivery systems are harmful, and must be better regulated,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“Where they are not banned, governments should adopt appropriate policies to protect their populations from the harms of electronic nicotine delivery systems, and to prevent their uptake by children, adolescents and other vulnerable groups.”                               

Currently, 32 countries have banned the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

A further 79, have adopted at least one partial measure to prohibit the use of these products in public places, prohibit their advertising, promotion and sponsorship or require the display of health warnings on packaging.

This still leaves 84 countries where they are not regulated or restricted in any way.

‘Aggressive’ marketing

“More than one billion people around the world still smoke. And as cigarette sales have fallen, tobacco companies have been aggressively marketing new products – like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products – and lobbied governments to limit their regulation.

Their goal is simple: to hook another generation on nicotine. We can’t let that happen,” said former New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Currently, of the estimated one billion smokers globally, around 80% live in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Tobacco is responsible for the death of eight million people a year, including a million from second-hand smoke.

Rapidly evolving

Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director of the Health Promotion Department at WHO, highlighted the challenges associated with their regulation. “These products are hugely diverse and are evolving rapidly.

“Some are modifiable by the user so that nicotine concentration and risk levels are difficult to regulate. Others are marketed as ‘nicotine-free’ but, when tested, are often found to contain the addictive ingredient.

“Distinguishing the nicotine-containing products from the non-nicotine, or even from some tobacco-containing products, can be almost impossible. This is just one way the industry subverts and undermines tobacco control measures.”

The report argues that while delivery systems, or ENDS, should be regulated to maximise the protection of public health, tobacco control must remain focused on reducing tobacco use globally.

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Viral hepatitis can be eliminated in the WHO European Region by 2030 – here’s how
Jul 27 2021
Viral hepatitis can be eliminated in the WHO European Region by 2030 – here’s how

It is possible to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 if leaders, particularly in highly affected countries, take action now.

Globally, one person dies every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness, so even in the current COVID-19 crisis, we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis. This year’s World Hepatitis Day campaign, with its message of ‘Hepatitis can’t wait’, urges leaders and policy-makers to accelerate the hepatitis response, encouraging people to get advice on hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment.

“Countries in the WHO European Region have pledged to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public threat by 2030,” says WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge. “This is possible even if COVID-19 may have set us back. We know the science and we have the tools – with renewed political commitment, clear targets and funding, we can prevent hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths.”

Below are some of the important steps to take if we are to reach the goal in the next 9 years.

1. Improve access to diagnosis and treatment

There are 14 million people in the Region living with chronic hepatitis B and 12 million with hepatitis C, and a majority are unaware of their infection. Chronic hepatitis infections are often asymptomatic, slowly leading to advanced liver disease – cirrhosis and liver cancer. When symptoms of these conditions appear, it is often too late. People living with hepatitis should not have to wait for testing and treatment until their chronic liver disease reaches an advanced stage. Diagnostics for hepatitis need to be accessible now, so people can be linked to care in a timely manner and receive life-saving treatment.

Although many countries in the Region have made considerable progress in the last 5 years in improving access to treatment, challenges remain with finding those who are infected but asymptomatic and linking them to care.

2. Provide vaccination against hepatitis B to all children and prevent mother-to-child transmission

In countries where hepatitis B is not very common, new infections often occur among sexually active adults. However, the global burden of chronic hepatitis B is largely associated with infections acquired in early childhood, especially from an infected mother to her children, before the introduction of the hepatitis B vaccine.

If infected in the first years of life, hepatitis B usually becomes chronic and may cause cirrhosis or liver cancer later in life.

There are effective measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B: vaccination of the child with the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine in the first 24 hours of life, followed by 2 or 3 doses; testing of pregnant women – now recommended for all pregnant women; and targeted prevention that may include treating infected pregnant women to further decrease the risk of transmitting the infection to the newborn, which is also an important measure.

3. End stigma and discrimination

Hepatitis infections carry different types of stigma. Hepatitis C is often associated with intravenous drug use, although everyone is at risk because they may have been exposed due to unsafe health care. People from marginalized populations are doubly stigmatized, both because they are part of a risk group and because they may have hepatitis C.
In some countries, medical workers and other professionals may be fired from work if they have hepatitis B or C. Instead, they should be offered treatment and allowed to work.

Stigma and discrimination, including self-stigma and shame, create barriers preventing people from seeking testing and treatment. Stigmatizing and marginalizing people who are vulnerable to hepatitis, such as people in prisons and people who use drugs, often leads to their exclusion from prevention, testing and treatment services.

Experience from countries that are pioneers in hepatitis response demonstrate that hepatitis elimination is only possible by ensuring that no-one is left behind.

4. Set national hepatitis targets for elimination and fund hepatitis services

Since 2016, many countries have adopted national hepatitis elimination plans and many also have dedicated specific funding for hepatitis services, especially for treatment. However, there are still a number of countries lagging behind mainly because of a lack of political commitment.

There is often a perception that the rollout of hepatitis testing and treatment programmes is very costly, but in reality the costs can be brought down considerably through reducing the price of drugs and simplifying the delivery of hepatitis services.

Eliminating hepatitis is cost-effective. Prevention of viral hepatitis can be integrated with other country health programmes, including universal infant immunization, improving blood safety and infection prevention and control in the healthcare setting, and harm reduction for people who use drugs. Simple tools allow for testing and treating people with chronic hepatitis, thus preventing liver cirrhosis and cancer, the treatment of which costs much more – both financially and in terms of human lives.

Experiences of countries in the WHO European Region

Many countries in the Region have: demonstrated political will; increased access to hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment; and made progress towards eliminating viral hepatitis. Below are links to stories that illustrate their efforts.

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Belarus: modern technology provides a lifeline to deaf people during the pandemic
Jul 27 2021
Belarus: modern technology provides a lifeline to deaf people during the pandemic

During the pandemic, the wearing of masks has introduced a new, unexpected challenge for the estimated 10 000 hearing-impaired people in Belarus: the inability to read lips. With this key means of understanding the world suddenly denied to them, many deaf people have found themselves both frustrated and isolated.

This problem has proven to be particularly acute when deaf people have needed to visit health centres, where it has been difficult – and sometimes impossible – for them to understand what doctors and nursing staff are saying, and to explain their health issues. Many deaf people only read lips and use sign language, and under normal circumstances might be accompanied by an interpreter, who would speak on their behalf. However, with the pandemic, most of these interpreters are now having to work remotely, due to the risks of catching COVID-19.

To help overcome this communication obstacle, the WHO Country Office in Belarus trialled the use of a tablet computer in a Minsk translation office, giving deaf patients in the city a central “hub” through which they could quickly get a sign-to-speech translation service. By placing a video call to interpreters from their own mobile phones, deaf patients can have their health problem explained to doctors, while doctors can ensure that necessary treatments are understood by the patient – all without interpreters needing to travel unnecessary distances and put themselves at risk of COVID-19 infection.

Following the successful trial, 25 tablets were purchased for translation offices across Belarus, thanks to funding from the European Union’s Eastern Partnership COVID-19 Solidarity Programme.

Dr Masoud Dara, Special Representative of the WHO Regional Director to Belarus/Head of the WHO Country Office in Belarus said of the initiative: “Technical means allow us to hold various consultations and events remotely, and we should use these opportunities as much as possible. Nobody should be left out of the pandemic response – and that also applies to people in the deaf community”.

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Tunisia: Human Rights Must be Upheld Following Suspension of Parliament
Jul 27 2021
Tunisia: Human Rights Must be Upheld Following Suspension of Parliament

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Tunisian President Kais Saied should publicly commit to respecting and protecting human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, after he suspended parliament and assumed some judicial powers, said Amnesty International.

Concerns that human rights are at risk have heightened following an alarming raid by security forces on Al Jazeera’s office in Tunis today and the president’s threats during his speech of resorting to heavy-handed force against “those threatening state security”. 

“The hard-won freedoms and human rights gains of Tunisia’s 2011 uprising are at risk, particularly in the absence of a Constitutional Court to protect the rights of everyone in the country. President Kais Saied must ensure that any acts he orders are strictly in line with Tunisia’s obligations under international human rights law and most importantly must refrain from political purges,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. 

“The raid on Al Jazeera’s offices is an outrageous assault on the right to freedom of expression and deeply worrying precedent signalling that human rights are in danger during this period.” 

In a televised speech late on 25 July after a day of protests, President Kais Saied, who presides over the armed forces, announced plans to temporarily suspend the parliament for 30 days, to lift immunity for its members, and stated that he will personally preside over the public prosecution of parliamentarians. After his announcement, the army moved to block access to the Parliament.

During his speech, the Tunisian President also warned that anyone who “would use a bullet” against the security forces will be met with “a hail of bullets”. Under international law and standards, lethal force can only be used lawfully by security forces when strictly necessary to protect life and must be used proportionately. Tunisian security forces have a dire track record of resorting to unnecessary or excessive force for which they are hardly ever held to account. 

President Kais Said also dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, whose government was responsible for a sharp deterioration of human rights in Tunisia. During demonstrations in January 2021, thousands of young people were arrested and protests were violently dispersed by security forces, who also tortured protesters in custody. His government also targeted human rights defenders and activists who voiced critical opinions or participated in peaceful demonstrations. Discontent with the government’s Covid-19 response and vaccine rollout, with the second highest daily deaths per million people rate in the world, led to high participation in the 25 July protests.

On 26 July, Al Jazeera reported that 20 heavily armed plainclothes police officers raided its office in Tunis, expelling all staff, confiscating their telephones and other equipment. Closing television stations or imposing similar arbitrary restrictions on media purely on the basis of their perceived political or other affiliations is a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression.

Kais Saied invoked Article 80 of the 2014 Constitution, which according to some interpretations, gives him the right to take exceptional measures in the case of an “imminent threat against the country’s security and independence”. The article requires the president to ensure that the measures will “guarantee, as soon as possible, a return to the normal functioning of state institutions and services,” and assumes the existence of a Constitutional Court to protect human rights. However, successive parliaments have failed to elect the required members to form the Constitutional Court, which is now seven years overdue. 

Amnesty International is particularly concerned by the President’s announcement that he will preside over the prosecution office in judicial affairs related to parliamentarians, after lifting their immunity. 

“Judicial independence is one of the cornerstones of a rights-respecting society and should not be trampled on. The concentration of powers in the hands of the executive branch is alarming. Tunisia’s president must uphold all fair trial guarantees for everyone and must not use his judicial powers to settle political scores or to conduct purges of critical voices,” said Heba Morayef.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Tunisia is a party, prohibits states from suspending certain human rights, even during a state of emergency, including fundamental requirements of fair trials. 

Tunisia has been undergoing a shaky democratic transition since it toppled its longtime ruler Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. The country held its second parliamentary and presidential elections since the 2011 Revolution in October and November 2019, which brought President Kais Saied to power and yielded a fragmented parliament, with no party capturing more than 25% of the seats. The Islamist Ennahda party came in first, with 52 out of 217 seats, closely followed by Qalb Tounes party. Since the elections, three heads of government were appointed. For several months, the country has been embroiled in a political crisis and disagreements over power sharing between the President and the head of government, who both exercise executive powers under the 2014 Constitution.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

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REPX and EPIPOLI join forces to sell prepaid cards of Italy's Football Teams in retail outlets
Jul 27 2021
REPX and EPIPOLI join forces to sell prepaid cards of Italy’s Football Teams in retail outlets

New strategic agreement by REPX to launch its payment products in Italy in the store network of Epipoli

The Reputation Exchange Plc (CY-CSE:REPX)

MILAN, ITALY, July 27, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — REPX, the London-based fintech with solid Italian roots, management and creativity, has entered into a new operating agreement, choosing EPIPOLI SpA as its exclusive partner for the Italian market, for the production and distribution of branded, non-reloadable Prepaid Cards for large-scale retail channels. REPX has achieved undisputed leadership in the market niche referring to co-branded payment cards destined for the world of football and its supporters, which has seen it enter into agreements with the most important teams in Italy, among others Milan and Rome, just to name a few, and in the world with the most iconic football team of all, Real Madrid, as well as English, German and, shortly, French teams. According to a research recently published by Sponsor United, an industry benchmark for brand analysis in sport and visibility, REPX is ranked ninth in the world among 109 fintech brands surveyed for level of visibility in sport, behind unicorns but ahead of very important competitors.

This escalation of agreements and results has aroused the interest of several big players in the sector and it is in this context that the strategic collaboration and distribution agreements signed in the last period are inserted, among which, last in chronological order, that with a reality of absolute importance such as EPIPOLI, which marks REPX’s entry into the world of non-rechargeable Prepaid Cards destined for large organised distribution.

“EPIPOLI – REPX management comments on the terms of the agreement – is a perfect partner for us with its network of 50 thousand physical points of sale and its presence and technology in e-commerce. It is an international company that, through non-rechargeable prepaid cards, that can also be found at supermarket checkouts and other sales points, allows people to make purchases online and in shops even without having a current account.

EPIPOLI also promotes the sale of these products through its own e-commerce platforms (such as mygiftcard.it or groupalia.it) in addition to the Business to Business channel. EPIPOLI is therefore a fundamental partner for REPX to bring its payment tools within the reach of all fans of the teams contracted by REPX.

About REPX
REPX is a fintech company that is revolutionising traditional banking by combining payment technology and the passion of billions of fans around the world with social media. REPX gives celebrities, influencers, sports teams, brands, iconic cities, the opportunity to connect with their fan base in innovative ways through exclusive co-branded prepaid cards: debit cards and digital products that are patent-protected and designed to cater to their loyal legions of followers and fans. From the beginning, REPX’s goal has been to connect celebrities, influencers, sports teams, brands and iconic cities with its project. Today, just over a year later, REPX has developed a significant portfolio of partners and brands, with several hundred million social media followers worldwide. REPX is relentlessly creating new partnerships in order to steadily grow its contract pipeline, with the aim of continuing to innovate while generating – through its patented cards – maximum engagement with the social generation in the electronic payment market.

About EPIPOLI
Epipoli is the Italian FinTech Group leader in payment systems and the first to introduce Gift Cards in Italy. In 2020 it closed with a consolidated turnover of 140 million euros. Epipoli is not only a market leader in prepaid products but also a leader in engagement programmes with the development of effective and innovative customer loyalty strategies. In this context, Epipoli has distinguished itself for successful collaboration projects: it was in fact chosen by Samsung Pay to create the section of the App dedicated to Gift Cards and by Flowe (Mediolanum Group), to develop the store dedicated to its users. Today, the prepaid payment network that Epipoli has built – which includes 250 partners in over 70,000 points of sale in Europe and more than 4 million consumers – represents the link between the digital world and the physical points of sale.

Antonio Matta
The Reputation Exchange PLC
marketing@therepx.com
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Construction calling
Jul 27 2021
Construction calling
Cornish landlord Coastline Housing is beginning a series of work placements on its new affordable housing developments to give people a taste of a career in construction.

The housing charity is currently working with Mi-space, Cornwall College and VW Carpenters to provide an all-round work and training experience under its Coastline Construct back to work scheme at Quintrell Downs.

The scheme enables both Coastline customers and members of the wider community to gain experience of working on-site to help them kick-start a career in the construction industry.

Justin Ricks, Community Navigator at Coastline Housing, explains: “Participants on the scheme benefit from five days of live site experience in a range of trades and support to seek work or training moving forwards. We are so pleased to be offering these opportunities once more now that some Covid restrictions have been lifted, allowing us to invite placements back onto site again.”

Ben Mortimer-Crann, aged 17 of St Austell, has started his placement at the Quintrell Downs site where Mi-space, part of the Midas Group, is delivering 140 new homes for Coastline. It’s been so successful that contractor VW Carpenters has since offered Ben permanent employment with the company.

David Pengelly, Operations Director at Mi-space, said: “Ben came to us with a keen interest in carpentry and specifically timber frame construction, so we’ve been delighted to arrange tailored training and experience for him. It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch his skills and confidence develop on site, and for him to be offered an apprenticeship position as a result of his work placement.”

“Mi-space has built up a strong and lasting relationship with Coastline by supporting its Coastline Construct scheme. We’re very pleased to be able to continue contributing towards the success of this trailblazing programme at Quintrell Downs, enabling people to gain hands-on experience on a live site, boost their career prospects and aspirations, and create a lasting positive impact within the local community.”

Dave Rid, Contracts Manager at VW Carpenters said: ‘It’s always a pleasure to meet young people who are interested in carpentry, and a site based work experience placement is the perfect environment for that to happen. We’ve been very impressed with Ben, so much so that we are delighted to have made him an offer to join our team as an apprentice.”

“We are proud to be involved with this exciting project alongside Coastline Housing,” adds Laura Tellam, Business Manager for the Work Skills Training Academy. “Experience in a live workplace is invaluable. Coastline Construct is a great opportunity for people to try different skills and gain qualifications that will enable them enter employment in the sector.”

Coastline will be offering future work placement opportunities in construction at sites in Bodmin, Redruth and Penzance. If you are currently out of employment and would like to consider working in this industry, email backtowork@coastlinehousing.co.uk for details.

Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Coastline Housing Ltd, on Tuesday 27 July, 2021. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/

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CAR must Impartially Investigate Bongboto Killings and bring Killers to Justice - UN Expert
Jul 27 2021
CAR must Impartially Investigate Bongboto Killings and bring Killers to Justice – UN Expert

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A UN expert called on authorities in the Central African Republic to thoroughly investigate the killing of 13 individuals whose bodies were found by UN peacekeepers north of the capital, Bangui, last week.

“I deplore the killing of these individuals, and call for justice to be served for the victims and their families,” said Yao Agbetse, UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic.

The 13 people were killed on 21 July in the vicinity of Bongboto village, 12 km from Bossangoa (Ouham Prefecture – Bossangoa Sub-Prefecture) on the Bossangoa-Nana-Bakassa axis, some 300 kilometres north of the capital.

The UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, sent a joint patrol of UN Police (UNPOL) and MINUSCA Force to the Bossangoa-Nana-Bakassa axis and dispatched a joint mission composed of UNPOL and its Human Rights Section to investigate and establish the facts.

“I appeal to the Central African authorities to shed light on this alarming incident as soon as possible,” said Agbetse. “Impartial and diligent investigations must be carried out, the facts established, the perpetrators and all their accomplices must be identified.

“The CAR Government must keep on its promise – made in a statement issued the same day the bodies were found – to open a judicial investigation to identify the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and their accomplices and bring them to justice. The victims and their families deserve no less.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

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Indian Embassy marks the first sermon of Lord Buddha
Jul 27 2021
Indian Embassy marks the first sermon of Lord Buddha

Thinley Namgay

To celebrate the first sermon of Lord Buddha, the Indian Embassy in Thimphu organised a dialogue on the “relevance of the teachings of Lord Buddha in the age of technology” on July 24.

Her Royal Highness Princess Kesang Wangmo Wangchuck graced the event.

President of Centre for Bhutan Studies and Gross National Happiness Research, Dasho Karma Ura and the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bhutan, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye shared their views on the subject. The discussion was moderated by the Executive Director of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation, Dr Tashi Zangmo.

Dasho Karma Ura said that the whole essence of the Buddha’s teachings were consciousness, ethics, and bodhicitta, which were still applicable in the age of technology. He said that a calm and contented state of mind was critical.

The four noble truths of the Buddha during the first sermon are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye said that some of the essential teachings of Buddha were four noble truths, the law of Dharma and Dharma chakra (wheel of the dharma of truth), which are relevant in all walks of life.

Lyonpo also said that he used to refer kanjur (collection of sacred texts) while enacting laws.  Quoting Albert Einstein, Lyonpo said that if any religion could survive in the age of science and technology, it is Buddhism.

With support from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the International Buddhist Confederation organised the Asadha Poornima – Dharma Chakra global celebrations on July 24 to commemorate the Dharma Chakra Parvattana, the first sermon of Lord Buddha.

Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering also took part in the event, virtually. Lyonchhen said that the life and teachings of Lord Buddha have always given a great source of inspiration. “Celebrating the first ceremony of Buddha amid the pandemic gives us the spiritual reinforcement and to remember those who lost their beloved ones to the pandemic.”

The Prime Minister said: “Material wealth as we know has taken a central stage in most of the globalisation efforts. Is it in line with Lord Buddha’s timeless teaching on contentment and loving-kindness?”

Lyonchhen said that Bhutan was fortunate to have a Dharma King who considers well-being as his secret duty and regards problems and sufferings as his.

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