Brutal murder in France linked to terrorism - Vatican News
Brutal murder in France linked to terrorism – Vatican News

By Stefan J. Bos

Grieving relatives and residents were laying flowers Saturday at the College du Bois d’Aulne secondary school in the Paris suburb of Conflans Sainte-Honorine.

They mourn the loss of 47-year-old Samuel Paty, the much-loved history and geography teacher who was beheaded nearby. Police shot dead the suspect, who was identified as an 18-year-old of Chechen origin. 

The attacker was reportedly furious that teacher Paty had shown his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that Muslims consider blasphemous. 

The teacher used the caricatures as part of a lesson on freedom of expression. They were first published five years by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, prompting Islamic terrorists to attack its offices. 

Muslims upset 

After Friday’s beheading of the teacher, French President Emmanuel Macron rushed to the scene to express his outrage about what he views as Islamist terrorism. “One of our citizens was murdered today because he taught students about freedom of expression. The liberty to believe and not to believe,” Macron said. 

“Our compatriot was flagrantly attacked. He was a victim of an Islamist terrorist attack.” 

The teacher had reportedly upset Muslims at the school. Authorities said they detained some nine people, including parents of a child, on suspicion of involvement in Friday’s attack.  

The violence was adding to tensions in France, where people face several terror attacks in recent years, killing hundreds. The French also cope with new restrictions to halt the coronavirus pandemic. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos

Pope Francis to participate in international Prayer Meeting for Peace - Vatican News
Pope Francis to participate in international Prayer Meeting for Peace – Vatican News

By Vatican News staff writer

On Tuesday, 20 October, Pope Francis will participate in an international Prayer for Peace initiative entitled “No One Is Saved Alone – Peace and Fraternity”.

Promoted by the Rome-based Community of Saint Egidio, the Prayer meeting is an ecumenical event and will see the participation of representatives of many Christian denominations in the Basilica of Saint Mary in Aracoeli on Rome’s Capitoline Hill.

According to a statement released by the Vatican Press Office, the Prayer meeting will be followed by an interreligious ceremony in Michelangelo’s Square on the Capitoline Hill in the presence of representatives of the world’s great religions and other world leaders.

In the spirit of Assisi

The Community of Saint Egidio, that is preparing to host its 34th meeting inspired by the historic interreligious encounter wanted by St. John Paul II in 1986, said it has promoted this International Meeting of Prayer for Peace in the spirit of Assisi and Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli tutti

The event, which will take place in respect of the anti-covid norms will be live-streamed in 8 languages through the Community’s various web and social media channels. 

Quoting from Pope Francis’ third encyclical letter, Fratelli tutti, a Saint Egidio communiqué says “The different religions, based on their respect for each human person as a creature called to be a child of God, contribute significantly to building fraternity and defending justice in society”.

“In a difficult moment in history”, the communiqué continues, “because of the pandemic but also because of old and new wars in progress – such as the one that has lasted for ten years in Syria or the current one in Nagorno-Karabakh, a solemn moment of reflection, prayer and encounter will be offered to the world from the heart of Europe: a message of hope for the future in the name of the greatest good, which is that of Peace”.

Everyone is invited to participate in the online event.

A minute of silence for the victims of war and the pandemic

So, on Tuesday afternoon the religious leaders will pray separately in venues across the city: Pope Francis the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, and other Orthodox and Protestant representatives in the Basilica of Saint Mary in Aracoeli; Jews in the Synagogue of Rome; Muslims, Buddhists and representatives of other Eastern religions in the Capitoline Museums.

The interreligious ceremony in the Capitoline foresees the participation of many international names such as Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and President Sergio Mattarella of Italy. A minute of silence in memory of the victims of the pandemic and all wars will conclude the event.

Caritas Zambia urges the Zambian Government to patent local foods - Vatican News
Caritas Zambia urges the Zambian Government to patent local foods – Vatican News

Mwenya Mukuka – Lusaka, Zambia

Speaking Friday, this week, when he made a presentation at the Second National Food and Seed Festival in Lusaka, Caritas Zambia Executive Director, Eugene Kabilika said just as multinational companies have patented seeds and plants, the government of the Republic of Zambia through the relevant ministry should also patent local foods, especially those that are now being produced at a commercial level.

Mr Kabilika cited Chikanda and Chibwantu – a popular local food and drink, as some of the products that should be hastily patented. He said the royalties realised could help improve the lives of local people.

Protect the livelihoods of communities through agroecology

Meanwhile, Caritas Zambia says the global shocks the world is experiencing today highlights the urgent need to support agroecology.

Agroecology is a people-centric system of sustainable agriculture and social justice movements driven by local farmers and other food producers to retain power over their local food systems, sadi Kabilika. In so doing, locals protect livelihoods, communities and defend the right to nutritious and diverse food.

The Caritas Zambia Executive Director told the Second National Food and Seed Festival that climate change, economic downturns and widespread disease were a threat to African food systems.

“Climate change, economic downturn and widespread disease threaten African food systems. However, agroecology enables food producers to develop sustainable farms, bustling local markets, and small innovative enterprises that bring security, resilience, and prosperity to African livelihoods in the face of global or regional shocks,” said Mr Kabilika.

Food sovereignty is key to food security

He added that agroecology is the better economic and ecological alternative to the failing industrial, agricultural system.

“Food sovereignty is the solution to food security. Agroecological systems can sustainably feed more Zambians than industrial agriculture by keeping power over [local people’s] seeds, markets, diets and profits in the hands of the local community,” he said.

Need to safeguard public health

Mr Kabilika further said that agroecology protects and safeguards public health by providing nutritious foods to communities and rejecting toxic pesticides and fertilisers that poison farmers, agricultural workers and consumers. 

Mr Kabilika further noted that agroecology protects biodiversity on farm eco-systems and localises sustainable food systems. At the same time, agroecology, defends Africa and the world from future outbreaks and pandemics spurred by human exploitation of forests, industrial animal agriculture and wildlife trafficking.

Moscow Views EU’s Anti-Russia Sanctions Over Navalny Case as Unlawful Measures, Envoy Says
Moscow Views EU’s Anti-Russia Sanctions Over Navalny Case as Unlawful Measures, Envoy Says

Moscow will respond in kind to the European Union’s sanctions over the case of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, and these measures may target bilateral ties with Germany and France, Russia’s permanent envoy to the bloc, Vladimir Chizhov, told reporters on Saturday.

“Undoubtedly, reciprocal response measures will be taken. Since the introduced sanctions are personal, the response will obviously be personal as well”, Chizhov said.

“It is logical to assume that the retaliatory measures may affect Moscow’s bilateral relations with Berlin and Paris, because no one conceals that they were behind this step”, the diplomat added.

The envoy noted that Russia views the fresh restrictions as “unilateral, unlawful measures, just like all previous retributions”. He stressed that the UN Security Council was the only body that had the mandate to introduce sanctions.

Initiators of EU Sanctions Present No Evidence on Navalny Case to Their Allies, Chizhov Says

Chizhov also said that the initiators of fresh EU sanctions had not presented any evidence of the designated Russian officials’ alleged involvement in the Navalny case even to their own allies, “either at the time of making the relevant decisions by the European Council or before that”.

On Thursday, the EU imposed sanctions on six Russian officials, and a scientific institution over the case with Alexei Navalny. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged poisoning of the opposition figure.

There were still internal disagreements on the issue among those calling for sanctions, the diplomat stated, noting that “it is no coincidence that media first reported about nine individuals targeted by them and then their number was reduced to six”.

“The justification for these sanctions, both from a political and legal viewpoint, is very weak, and from a moral viewpoint, it is simply unacceptable”, Chizhov said.

The envoy added that these sanctions had “confirmed our worst fears that relations between Russia and the EU will be brought to their lowest level”.

The statement comes a few days after Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin regrets the EU’s move to impose sanctions against several Russian officials over the case of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, something that Peskov said indicates a “lack of logic”.
“To our deepest regret, this is a deliberate unfriendly step toward Russia. The Council of the EU has damaged relations with our country by [doing] so. Moscow will undoubtedly analyse the situation and act according to its interests”, Peskov pointed out.

EU Slaps Sanctions on Russia Over Navalny Case

This followed the EU publishing an official decree that sanctioned the head of the Russian Federal Security Service, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, and several others over the Navalny case.

The sanctions, which entered into force on 15 October, specifically target First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Director of the Federal Security Service Aleksandr Bortnikov, as well as two deputy defence ministers, Pavel Popov and Aleksei Krivoruchko.

In addition, sanctions were slapped on Chief of the Presidential Domestic Policy Directorate Andrei Yarin, the Russian President’s Plenipotentiary Representative Sergei Menyailo, and the State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT).


©
REUTERS / Courtesy of Instagram @NAVALNY/Social Media
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny goes downstairs at Charite hospital in Berlin, Germany, in this undated image obtained from social media September 19, 2020

The move was preceded by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday pledging that Moscow would retaliate against any EU sanctions over the Navalny case, also accusing the Germans of failing to “provide any facts [related to the opposition figure’s alleged poisoning], despite all their international legal obligations”.

“We will respond in kind. Yes, this is diplomatic practice, but it is also a diplomatic response”, Lavrov underscored.

Navalny Case

Navalny collapsed during a domestic flight from Tomsk to Moscow on 20 August, with his plane making an emergency landing in Omsk, where doctors worked for nearly two days straight to stabilise his condition. On 22 August, a charter flight took him to the Charite clinic in Berlin. There, he gradually recovered before being discharged late last month.

Moscow has repeatedly stressed that Berlin lacks evidence to back up its allegations of Navalny being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent from the Novichok group, noting that Russian doctors had found no toxic substances in the opposition figure’s body

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, underscored that Moscow has taken a “transparent position” on the Navalny case from the very beginning, allowing for him to be transferred to Germany for treatment at the request of his relatives.
The ministry complained that its German counterparts had refused to provide the Russian Embassy in Berlin with consular access to Navalny since he was discharged from the Charite clinic. According to Moscow, Russian prosecutors have sent the German side four requests for legal aid for their probe into Navalny’s alleged poisoning, with none of them receiving a response.
Moscow has also slammed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for quietly providing the German side with “technical assistance” on the Navalny case without informing Russia, pointing out that the alleged poisoning “took place not in Germany, but in Russia” and that Russia must be party to any objective investigation.

Moscow Sees EU’s Anti-Russian Sanctions Over Navalny Case as Unlawful Measures, Envoy Says
Moscow Sees EU’s Anti-Russian Sanctions Over Navalny Case as Unlawful Measures, Envoy Says

Moscow will respond in kind to the European Union’s sanctions over the case of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, and these measures may target bilateral ties with Germany and France, Russia’s permanent envoy to the bloc, Vladimir Chizhov, told reporters on Saturday.

“Undoubtedly, reciprocal response measures will be taken. Since the introduced sanctions are personal, the response will obviously be personal as well”, Chizhov said.

“It is logical to assume that the retaliatory measures may affect Moscow’s bilateral relations with Berlin and Paris, because no one conceals that they were behind this step”, the diplomat added.

The envoy noted that Russia views the fresh restrictions as “unilateral, unlawful measures, just like all previous retributions”. He stressed that the UN Security Council was the only body that had the mandate to introduce sanctions.

Initiators of EU Sanctions Present No Evidence on Navalny Case to Their Allies, Chizhov Says

Chizhov also said that the initiators of fresh EU sanctions had not presented any evidence of the designated Russian officials’ alleged involvement in the Navalny case even to their own allies, “either at the time of making the relevant decisions by the European Council or before that”.

On Thursday, the EU imposed sanctions on six Russian officials, and a scientific institution over the case with Alexei Navalny. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged poisoning of the opposition figure.

There were still internal disagreements on the issue among those calling for sanctions, the diplomat stated, noting that “it is no coincidence that media first reported about nine individuals targeted by them and then their number was reduced to six”.

“The justification for these sanctions, both from a political and legal viewpoint, is very weak, and from a moral viewpoint, it is simply unacceptable”, Chizhov said.

The envoy added that these sanctions had “confirmed our worst fears that relations between Russia and the EU will be brought to their lowest level”.

The statement comes a few days after Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin regrets the EU’s move to impose sanctions against several Russian officials over the case of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, something that Peskov said indicates a “lack of logic”.
“To our deepest regret, this is a deliberate unfriendly step toward Russia. The Council of the EU has damaged relations with our country by [doing] so. Moscow will undoubtedly analyse the situation and act according to its interests”, Peskov pointed out.

EU Slaps Sanctions on Russia Over Navalny Case

This followed the EU publishing an official decree that sanctioned the head of the Russian Federal Security Service, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, and several others over the Navalny case.

The sanctions, which entered into force on 15 October, specifically target First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Director of the Federal Security Service Aleksandr Bortnikov, as well as two deputy defence ministers, Pavel Popov and Aleksei Krivoruchko.

In addition, sanctions were slapped on Chief of the Presidential Domestic Policy Directorate Andrei Yarin, the Russian President’s Plenipotentiary Representative Sergei Menyailo, and the State Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT).


©
REUTERS / Courtesy of Instagram @NAVALNY/Social Media
Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny goes downstairs at Charite hospital in Berlin, Germany, in this undated image obtained from social media September 19, 2020

The move was preceded by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday pledging that Moscow would retaliate against any EU sanctions over the Navalny case, also accusing the Germans of failing to “provide any facts [related to the opposition figure’s alleged poisoning], despite all their international legal obligations”.

“We will respond in kind. Yes, this is diplomatic practice, but it is also a diplomatic response”, Lavrov underscored.

Navalny Case

Navalny collapsed during a domestic flight from Tomsk to Moscow on 20 August, with his plane making an emergency landing in Omsk, where doctors worked for nearly two days straight to stabilise his condition. On 22 August, a charter flight took him to the Charite clinic in Berlin. There, he gradually recovered before being discharged late last month.

Moscow has repeatedly stressed that Berlin lacks evidence to back up its allegations of Navalny being poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent from the Novichok group, noting that Russian doctors had found no toxic substances in the opposition figure’s body

The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, underscored that Moscow has taken a “transparent position” on the Navalny case from the very beginning, allowing for him to be transferred to Germany for treatment at the request of his relatives.
The ministry complained that its German counterparts had refused to provide the Russian Embassy in Berlin with consular access to Navalny since he was discharged from the Charite clinic. According to Moscow, Russian prosecutors have sent the German side four requests for legal aid for their probe into Navalny’s alleged poisoning, with none of them receiving a response.
Moscow has also slammed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for quietly providing the German side with “technical assistance” on the Navalny case without informing Russia, pointing out that the alleged poisoning “took place not in Germany, but in Russia” and that Russia must be party to any objective investigation.

Black Currant Oil Global Market Report (2020-2027) Segmented by Type, Application and region (NA, EU, and etc.)
Black Currant Oil Global Market Report (2020-2027) Segmented by Type, Application and region (NA, EU, and etc.)

The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.

   Oct 17, 2020 (Market Insight Reports) --

The Black Currant Oil market research in this report provided by Global Market Monitor includes historical and forecast market data, consumer demand, application segmentation details, and price trends. This report also provides a detailed overview and data analysis of major Black Currant Oil companies during the forecast period.
Get the complete sample, please click:
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/request.php?type=1&rid=594244
Leading Vendors
Revlon
Irwin Naturals
Health From The Sun
Reference of Sweden
Nature’s Life
NOW
Pure NV BKT
Mrs Meyers
Carlson Laboratories
Nature’s Plus
Just Nutritive
Garnier
Primavera Life
NYX
Standard Process
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day
Worldwide Black Currant Oil Market by Application:
Food Field
Beverage Field
Commodity Field
Other
Worldwide Black Currant Oil Market by Type:
Women
Men
Unisex
Table of Content
1 Report Overview
1.1 Product Definition and Scope
1.2 PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) Analysis of Black Currant Oil Market

2 Market Trends and Competitive Landscape
3 Segmentation of Black Currant Oil Market by Types
4 Segmentation of Black Currant Oil Market by End-Users
5 Market Analysis by Major Regions
6 Product Commodity of Black Currant Oil Market in Major Countries
7 North America Black Currant Oil Landscape Analysis
8 Europe Black Currant Oil Landscape Analysis
9 Asia Pacific Black Currant Oil Landscape Analysis
10 Latin America, Middle East & Africa Black Currant Oil Landscape Analysis
11 Major Players Profile

Ask for a Report Sample at:
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/request.php?type=3&rid=594244
Key Regions Overview
Major countries of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the rest of the world are all exhaustive analyzed in the report. Apart from this, policy mobilization, social dynamics, development trends, and economic development in these countries are also taken into consideration.
Black Currant Oil Market Intended Audience:
? Black Currant Oil manufacturers
? Black Currant Oil traders, distributors, and suppliers
? Black Currant Oil industry associations
? Product managers, Black Currant Oil industry administrator, C-level executives of the industries
? Market Research and consulting firms
Report Spotlights
Detailed overview of market
Changing market dynamics in the industry
In-depth market segmentation
Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value
Recent industry trends and developments
Competitive landscape
Strategies of key players and products offered
Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth
A neutral perspective on market performance
Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprints
About Global Market Monitor
Global Market Monitor is a professional modern consulting company, engaged in three major business categories such as market research services, business advisory, technology consulting.
We always maintain the win-win spirit, reliable quality and the vision of keeping pace with The Times, to help enterprises achieve revenue growth, cost reduction, and efficiency improvement, and significantly avoid operational risks, to achieve lean growth. Global Market Monitor has provided professional market research, investment consulting, and competitive intelligence services to thousands of organizations, including start-ups, government agencies, banks, research institutes, industry associations, consulting firms, and investment firms.
Contact
Global Market Monitor
One Pierrepont Plaza, 300 Cadman Plaza W, Brooklyn,NY 11201, USA
Name: Rebecca Hall
Phone: + 1 (347) 467 7721
Email: info@globalmarketmonitor.com
Web Site: https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com
Get More Industry Information on Global Market Monitor:
Ceramic Transducers Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/488255-ceramic-transducers-market-report.html
Water Massage Bathtubs Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/552739-water-massage-bathtubs-market-report.html
Organic Tampon Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/448706-organic-tampon-market-report.html
Industrial Touch Screen Display Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/438180-industrial-touch-screen-display-market-report.html
Talc and Pyrophyllite Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/492256-talc-and-pyrophyllite-market-report.html
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Market Report
https://www.globalmarketmonitor.com/reports/459606-carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic-market-report.html

This Press Release has been written with the intention of providing accurate market information which will enable our readers to make informed strategic investment decisions. If you notice any problem with this content, please feel free to reach us on editorial@themarketpublicist.com

  <div data-layout="&#10;              inline" data-layout-mobile="" class="&#10;        media-object&#10;        type-InsetMediaIllustration&#10;            full-width&#10;            &#10;    &#10;          &#10;  article__inset&#10;        article__inset--type-InsetMediaIllustration&#10;            article__inset--inline&#10;  ">


      <figure class="&#10;        media-object-image&#10;        enlarge-image&#10;        renoImageFormat-8P&#10;        img-inline&#10;        article__inset__image&#10;      " itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><div data-mobile-ratio="0.1156%" data-layout-ratio="0.1156%" data-subtype="" class="image-container  responsive-media article__inset__image__image">
     </div>


  <figcaption class="wsj-article-caption article__inset__image__caption" itemprop="caption"/></figure></div> 
   <p>COMTEX_372943130/2599/2020-10-17T03:46:41</p> <p><em>Is there a problem with this press release? Contact the source provider Comtex at <a href="mailto:editorial@comtex.com" target="_blank" class="icon none" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">editorial@comtex.com</a>. You can also contact MarketWatch Customer Service via our <a href="https://customercenter.marketwatch.com/contact" target="_blank" class="icon none" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Customer Center</a>.</em></p> 


<p class="pr-disclaimer">
  <em>The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.</em>
How religion, edu affect women’s marriage age
How religion, edu affect women’s marriage age

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the government is likely to change the minimum legal age for women to get married. Some experts have argued that the current minimum age of 18 years is not right for a woman to get married and bear children.
In his Independence Day speech, Modi had announced setting up of a committee “to deliberate on the minimum age for marriage of our daughters.”
The age of marriage of a woman in India varies by state, level of education, families’ financial status, caste and religion, according to National Family Health Survey (2015-16).
Women in central and eastern regions are likely to get married at the youngest age. On the other hand, women in northern and southern states of the country get married relatively later in life. At 25.1 years, age of marriage is highest in J&K. Tap or click on the map below to know the average age of marriage in different states.
When the age of first marriage of women between the age of 25 and 49 years was compiled based on rural and urban areas, it was found that women in villages get married a year and eight months earlier than women in cities. Most likely due to the access to education and work opportunities available in urban areas.
Education is one of the best deterrents against the early marriage of women. Women who have completed 12 years or more of education get married much later, the data revealed.
Women from financially well-off families are likely to get married at least three years later in life compared to those with limited financial means.
When analysed through the prism of religion, data shows that women in the Christian community marry later in life with a median age of 21.6. Hindus with a median age of 18.5 were the religious group that is likely to marry at the earliest.
There wasn’t much change observed in the age of marriage of woman in case of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes. The women in all these three groups married at a much younger age relative to the rest of the society.
Any change in the minimum marriage age will generate a debate on the choice between individual rights and social good enforced by law. In several countries, the minimal legal age of marriage varies depending on whether parental consent is granted or not. In the US, for example, with parental consent, the minimum age of marriage falls to 13 and 14 for women and men. Full list of global minimum age of marriage is here.
Also to be kept in mind is the social practice of child marriage, which is still widespread (but not restricted to) in Rajasthan. These marriages are generally not consummated until the man and the woman attain adulthood. A case could also be made of letting states legislate the minimum age with central government’s law being a model or advisory in nature.

A Real Opportunity for Religion Law Reform in Uzbekistan
A Real Opportunity for Religion Law Reform in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is undertaking a significant reform effort with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s leadership. Very soon, Uzbekistan will have a unique opportunity to make lasting legal reforms on freedom of religion or belief. Hopefully, the country will not miss this opportunity to chart a new course and break conclusively from its authoritarian past. 

While serving in a special envoy role at the U.S. State Department on religious minorities in the Middle East and South and Central Asia, I made several trips to the region to encourage reforms to open more space for freedom of religion or belief. Uzbekistan, the linchpin to Central Asia, was central to those efforts. The country has come a long way since the death of Islam Karimov. Working at a breakneck pace, the Mirziyoyev government ushered in a range of reforms, including on religious freedom. 

The Uzbek government welcomed advice from the United States on reform, and we built a productive partnership. The government was especially interested in being removed from the State Department’s “Country of Particular Concern” list for severe religious freedom violators.  From that dialogue, the government invited the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to make a country visit in 2017, the first special mandate holder to visit in over a decade. Dr. Ahmed Shaheed issued an exhaustive report outlining 12 areas needing reform.   

In a move unprecedented in my 20 years of work in this field, the Uzbek parliament passed a resolution committing to a roadmap of reforms based on Shaheed’s recommendations. In addition to promises, we observed an end to police raids on unregistered churches and the registration of new religious groups. In recognition of these steps, in 2018, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo removed Uzbekistan from the “Country of Particular Concern” list and moved it to the Special Watch List, shifting the country from the black list of worst violators to the grey list of countries closely monitored by the United States.

From my visits to Tashkent and multiple meetings in Washington, it is clear these reforms are at Mirziyoyev’s behest. And they continue. Recent actions now allow children to attend mosques with their parents and the government released some prisoners jailed for “religious” crimes. These are very welcomed actions.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

The last hurdle is legal reform. A draft religion law is before the parliament, soon to be passed into law. They have sought international assistance, including holding events in Uzbekistan with the OSCE mission. But to ensure an end to abuses, Uzbekistan’s legal system should reorient away from a Soviet approach toward a Western, rights-based framework. 

Toward this goal, Uzbekistan wisely submitted the draft religion law to the OSCE and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission for technical assessment. The overall grade was mixed.  On the positive side, the critique notes the draft law “brings some improvements,” such as lowering the numerical requirement for registration of religious organizations and the “removal of the ban to wear religious attire in public.” The authors called these steps “commendable.”

At the same time, the reviewers state, “the Draft Law also maintains major restrictions and suffers from deficiencies that are incompatible with international human rights standards.” These include “bans of unregistered religious or belief activities and communities,” registration requirements still deemed “stringent and burdensome,” limits on religious education and the “import and distribution of religious materials,” and the complete ban on missionary work and proselytism. While the penalties are less severe, the grounds for dissolving a religious group are “vague and broad, and give too wide a discretion to public authorities, without providing an effective remedy.”

Overall, the reviewers conclude that the draft law “should be substantially revised in order to ensure its full compliance with international human rights standards and OSCE human dimension commitments.” While the prognosis is unfavorable, there is still time to make amendments. Uzbek officials should accept this friendly advice and address the legal shortcomings. Doing so, along with maintaining previous positive steps, could result in Uzbekistan’s removal from the State Department’s Special Watch List.

I recently heard Akmal Saidov, the director of Uzbekistan’s National Human Rights Centre, highlight the country’s reforms at Brigham Young University’s International Law and Religion Symposium. He was a regular interlocutor of mine and is deeply involved in the reform efforts. Saidov spoke about the importance of the state protecting the rights of believers to practice their faith and the rights of individuals not to believe. However, he also shared his concerns about youth radicalization and Afghanistan’s violent ideologies. Saidov said, “We must look at our area [Central Asia] differently,” considering historical differences. The government must consider concerns about religious freedom alongside national security, and it “cannot be kept in isolation from overlapping topics that bring a lot of concern.” 

Saidov’s concerns are legitimate. Uzbekistan’s neighbors to the south are rife with violent ideologies and terrorism. However, the religion law is not the vehicle to address these issues. The reforms recommended by the OSCE and Venice Commission will help Uzbeks abide by the law. For instance, burdensome registration schemes only penalize groups wanting to operate legally and above ground. Neither the Islamic State nor the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is going to apply for registration, no matter how low the barrier.

Moreover, concerns about missionary activity and proselytization disrupting society are overstated. Uzbekistan’s multiethnic and multireligious culture is an example of harmony and stability to the world. While religious conversions may cause friction at the family level, trying to block new ideas in our interconnected world is like trying to stop the wind. Legal prohibitions will only result in human rights violations and sully reform efforts. 

Uzbekistan has a real opportunity to cement its significant gains, turn away from its authoritarian past, and reclaim its place as a Central Asian leader. But if Uzbekistan misses this last reform opportunity and passes a flawed religion law, life will remain difficult for non-threatening religious groups while any security gains will be a mirage. Mirziyoyev and his government would be wise to accept all the OSCE/Venice Commission recommendations.   

Knox Thames served as the U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in both the Obama and Trump administrations. He is currently a senior fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, thanks to a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust. The views expressed are his own.

UK ready to walk away from EU without major change
UK ready to walk away from EU without major change

LONDON: Britain said on Friday there was no point in holding any more Brexit talks without a dramatic softening of the EU’s position, bringing a potentially nasty divorce at the end of the year a step closer.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded after a European Union summit on Thursday proposed a fresh round of talks next week in London, while demanding Britain give ground on key stumbling blocks.

“As far as we’re concerned the trade talks are over,” Johnson’s official spokesman told reporters.

“The EU have effectively ended them, and only if the EU fundamentally changes its position will it be worth talking.”

Johnson, accusing the 27-nation bloc of failing “to negotiate seriously” in recent months, said the summit outcome had ruled out a comprehensive, Canada-style free trade agreement between the EU and Britain.

The trade talks are largely over, says Johnson’s aide

“They want the continued ability to control our legislative freedom, our fisheries, in a way that is obviously unacceptable to an independent country,” he said.

“And so with high hearts and complete confidence we will prepare to embrace the alternative,” Johnson added.

He said Britain should “get ready” to operate on stripped-down World Trade Organisation rules from January akin to Australia’s relationship with the EU, pointing to sector-by-sector arrangements in areas such as social security, aviation and nuclear cooperation.

“And we will prosper mightily as an independent free-trading nation, controlling our own borders, our fisheries, and setting our own laws.”

The comments depressed the British pound on currency markets.

After nearly five decades of British integration with Europe, a “no deal” outcome will mean tariffs and potential chaos for companies trading across the Channel, especially for goods transportation.

It could also arrive in the middle of a winter surge of the coronavirus pandemic, which has already been worsening since last month across Britain and the rest of Europe.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said every hour spent preparing for a no deal Brexit was an hour lost to the fight against Covid-19.

“So I feel deeply depressed about the Brexit situation,” she said.

Johnson had set the EU summit as a deadline for a deal but he is under pressure after fresh warnings that British companies are far from ready for the consequences of a cliff-edge divorce, when a post-Brexit transition period ends on December 31.

The prime minister has repeatedly refused to extend the transition period, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged a change of mind.

“The last thing London needs is the chaos and uncertainty of a no-deal Brexit. With businesses already facing huge challenges due to coronavirus restrictions, now is the worst time to put more jobs and livelihoods at risk,” he said.

Britain wants to reassert sovereignty over its waters and refuses EU legal oversight over any deal, insisting it wants an overarching trade deal of the kind the EU adopted with Canada in 2017.

Brussels in turn stresses that Britain’s economy is far more integrated with the EU’s than Canada’s, and that its single market must be protected from backsliding on regulation or state aid in Britain.

At their Brussels summit, EU leaders demanded Britain compromise on fair trade rules to unblock the stalled post-Brexit talks.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2020

Maine's poets tackle the times in new book, 'ENOUGH!'
Maine’s poets tackle the times in new book, ‘ENOUGH!’

Bob Dylan wrote in the turmoil of the 1960s, “Come writers and critics, Who prophesize with your pen, And keep your eyes wide, The chance won’t come again…”

Times of struggle and protest have come again, and here in Maine, 27 poets and a documentary photographer have answered the call to capture the moment in a new book, “ENOUGH!” published by Littoral Books in Portland. The volume takes on the issue of racism in America, the Black Lives Matter protests and the feeling of life in the pandemic of 2020. It includes photographs of Portland protests by documentary photographer Nicholas Gervin.

Among the poets featured in this book are some of our own Midcoast neighbors.

Laura Bonazzoli, of Rockport, contributed “At the George Floyd Memorial Protest, June 19, 2020, Rockland, Maine.”

In the poem she describes the sensation of lying down in the street, something she had never done before this protest, and the emotions it stirs.

“It feels like fear, feels like humiliation, like being a child when your father takes off his belt…”

During this event, the participants spent eight minutes and 46 seconds face-down in the street, remembering the amount of time a police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck, killing him, in Minneapolis. The murder sparked protests across the country and even in other parts of the world.

“I had such an unexpected response to it that I felt compelled to try to capture the experience,” Bonazzoli said. “…The transformation that seemed to occur to us, as a group, the way the experience of lying in the street transcended our individuality and, I believe, enabled us to experience for 8 minutes and 46 seconds our shared humanity – including our shared grief, love, and resolve.”

In August, she read the poem in a virtual event sponsored by the Poet’s Corner, and Claire Millikin, one of the editors of the book, sent her an email, inviting her to submit.

“I was one of those naive Americans who believed that the election of Barack Obama meant we were entering a post-racial era,” she said. “But the disparities in health, income, housing, education, etc. continued, and so did the killings: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice… just a few of so many we must never allow ourselves to forget.”

Ellen Goldsmith of Cushing contributed multiple poems. In one, she talks about a time when she did not speak out when ordered as a teacher not to present a “rabble-rousing” essay to her students. In another, “Changing the Metaphors,” she addresses the reasons for toppling confederate statues.

“It is shocking that it hasn’t been shocking, the treatment of black people in America,” she said. “Let’s hope this wake-up call spurs poetry and action.”

Former Rockland Poet Laureate Carol Bachofner also submitted poems to the book including, “We’ve been too long asleep in the graveyards of our history.”

“The world is at the window,” she wrote, “watching, ear cupped to the sound drowning out the lies at last.”

The poem continues, “What I sought on the bridge in Selma, chained to the fence at Seabrook Nuclear Plant, what I sought from my small town in Maine and what I seek still is the absence of absence.”

“What I hope people will take away from this collection – an understanding of why protests for racial justice and economic equality are necessary,” said ENOUGH! editor Agnes Bushell, “what it feels like to participate in such a protest, what it feels like to be a Black or Brown or Indigenous person living in Maine, what it feels like to live through a pandemic, what living here has been feeling like for these 27 poets since the pandemic and protests began in the spring.”

“I actually hope that the world will change so much for the better soon that another book of protest poems inspired by the murder of a Black man by the police and a pandemic won’t actually be necessary,” Bushell said. “…Our other important book focusing on social and economic justice is ‘A Dangerous New World: Maine Voices on the Climate Crisis,’ which we published last December.”

Learn more about “ENOUGH!” and the work of Maine’s poets at littoralbooks.com.

Religion is not the problem: Brooklyn bishop blasts New York COVID measures
Religion is not the problem: Brooklyn bishop blasts New York COVID measures

.- Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn warned on Friday that New York’s most recent coronavirus measures were “not reasonable.” Speaking one day after his diocese argued in court against new state restrictions on religious assembly, the bishop said religion was being treated as a second class part of society. 

“We are relegated to the sidelines, religion,” DiMarzio of Brooklyn told CNA on Oct. 16. “‘Religion is the problem of society,’ the way people think today.”

“In the past, you would think the non-profit sector, religion, was a pillar of the society along with the business community and with the government. This was what held society together. Now, that kind of a thesis of how society works is long since gone, unfortunately,” he said.

Bishop DiMarzio spoke with CNA after the diocese had a hearing in federal court on Thursday in its case against New York’s new public health restrictions.

The state order, announced last week, targeted geographic “hot spots” around the state where the number of cases of the new coronavirus is reportedly surging and put, among other limits, caps on attendance at indoor religious services to slow the spread of the virus.

Under the state order, some churches in Brooklyn and Queens are limited to either 25% capacity or 10 people at indoor Masses, baptism, weddings, and funerals—whichever amount is less—or to 33% capacity or 25 people in other areas, whichever amount is less.

As churches in the diocese are “very large,” the bishop said, liturgies would be effectively limited to either 10 people or 25 people.

DiMarzio said that the diocese worked with public health officials over the summer to implement safety measures in reopening churches, and has been successful in doing so.

“Everything that we know possible to avoid this virus is being done,” he said, noting that churches are requiring Mass attendees to wear masks, limiting attendance to 25% capacity, and requiring families to sit six feet apart inside.

“We’re not asking for full capacity,” he said, noting that churches in the diocese “are very large” and can safely accommodate far more than the 10-or-25-person limit the state is effectively ordering.

But, the bishop told CNA, the diocese’s legal challenge to the state is not about logistics, it is about “religious freedom,” and the unacceptability of classing churches as “non-essential” businesses. 

“We have a different place in society than businesses,” the bishop said, noting that some “essential” stores in the area are open and do not count the number of people going inside.  

“This is all part of the problem. There are two standards, where everybody’s being lumped together, no matter how they deal with the issue,” he said, calling the restrictions “not reasonable.”

The diocesan parishes are not reporting outbreaks of the virus traced to Masses, he said.

“Today, people are very wont to complain to the Church if they don’t like what’s happening,” DiMarzio observed. “If there was a problem, we would know about it.”

“Other religions,” he said, are “packing 400 people into small places” without a mask requirement “and expecting it to be fine.”

“That’s the difference,” he said. “We just have acted differently, and I think we should be treated differently.”

But, the bishop said that he was not arguing for houses of worship to be allowed to flaut basic health rules or  or ignore safety requirements.

“Houses of worship should follow the guidelines that are put in by the state for the safety of everyone. We are following them. That’s our point,” he said, calling the new restrictions “a little bit of an overreach.”

In March and April, the diocese lost two priests to the virus. Bishop DiMarzio acknowledged that it has been a “challenge” leading the diocese through the pandemic, and has focused on maintaining communication with everyone. “We don’t want them to be isolated,” he said.

The priests’ deaths highlighted the seriousness of the pandemic for the diocese, and the need to take all reasonable measures, he said.

“We have to be careful. I’m not trying to be cavalier,” DiMarzio said.

Hong Kong Catholic millionaire won't surrender fight for democracy
Hong Kong Catholic millionaire won’t surrender fight for democracy
(Image by Studio Incendo via Wikimedia Commons)Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protest, August 18, 2019.

Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai said police raided his private offices on Oct. 15, months after he was arrested on suspicion of violating the city’s national security law and this will not deter him from his faith.

Lai is a British-Hong Kong citizen and is accused of “colluding” with foreign forces under the sweeping national security law for supporting the pro-democracy movement, ucanews reported on Oct 10.

But he said he would not leave Hong Kong for the United Kingdom.

The 71 year-old Lai has been a supporter of Cardinal Joseph Zen, who baptized him in 1997.

The cardinal who retired in 2009 has been outspoken for human rights, political freedom and religious liberty.

“If I go away, I not only give up my destiny, I give up God, I give up my religion, I give up what I believe in,” he said in a video conversation with the U.S.-based Napa Institute on Oct. 5.

“I am what I am. I am what I believe. I cannot change it. And if I can’t change it, I have to accept my fate with praise.

“When you lift yourself above your own self-interest, you find the meaning of life. You find you’re doing the right thing, which is so wonderful. It changed my life into a different thing.”

Lai told the Catholic institute that the Chinese Communist Party is eager to supplant religion with government control and guidelines.

He said he had supported the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong for the past 30 years because of “the Lord’s teaching that your life is not about yourself.”

Lai told the Catholic institute that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is eager to supplant religion with government control and guidelines.

He said he had supported the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong for the past 30 years because of “the Lord’s teaching that your life is not about yourself.”

“The way I look at it, if I suffer for the right cause, it only defines the person I am becoming. It can only be good for me to become a better person. If you believe in the Lord, if you believe that all suffering has a reason, and the Lord is suffering with me … I’m at peace with it.”

When police conducted an Aug. 10 raid on the office of Apple Daily, the newspaper Lai started in 1995, he was arrested along with at least nine others for their role in the pro-democracy movement in the former British colony.

Though Lai is out on bail, he is charged under the draconian national security law, which China imposed on July 1, bypassing the Hong Kong legislature.

The drama comes as Cardinal Zen returned to Hong Kong after a visit to the Vatican during which he tried in vain to meet Pope Francis, Hong Kong Free Press reported Oct. 5.

Zen, 88, said he had journeyed to Rome in the hopes of persuading the Pope to appoint a new bishop for Hong Kong, who “can be trusted by the people” and not be mired in political considerations related to a desire to appease Beijing.

Lai came to Hong Kong when he was 12 years old from mainland China. He launched a chain of clothing stores under the brand name Giordano’s, which fetched rich dividends and allowed him to launch pro-democracy magazines and newspapers in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

He financially supported Cardinal Zen’s programs, which included sponsoring mainland Catholic priests in studies and training.

European Parliamentarian suggests international community to hold Pak responsible for Kashmir turmoil & its genesis
European Parliamentarian suggests international community to hold Pak responsible for Kashmir turmoil & its genesis

New Delhi: A Member of European Parliament (MEP) Fulvio Martusciello has urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for the ongoing turmoil in the Kashmir valley and its genesis.
In an opinion piece for EU-Chronicle on Wednesday, Martusciello called out Pakistan’s attempt to distort history by observing October 26 as a “Black Day” to commemorate the war fought in Kashmir in 1947-48.

“Under directions of the political leadership, Pakistan’s military invaded and illegally occupied Kashmir and dethroned ruler Hari Singh in order to annex Kashmir. The move was part of its grand design to enhance its power, territory, and influence in the region – Pakistan’s political leadership and Pakistan’s military failed.”He urged the international community to recognise that the Jammu and Kashmir issue has been concocted by Pakistan for its own gains. “Islamabad must be held accountable for the ongoing turmoil inflicted in Kashmir,” the MEP wrote.

He even questioned the citizens of Pakistan who “do not deplore the rape of Kashmiri women and girls, nor the horrors and atrocities inflicted by the Pakistani military and its tribesman on innocent Kashmiri citizens”. “And Pakistanis do not regret the illegal activities of their government or military…, nor the nihilism they imposed in (Pakistan-occupied) Kashmir,” Martusciello went on to write.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been mired in campaigns of disinformation and deception by Pakistan for decades, and now the youth need to know the truth to be empowered to follow their own destinies…”

Martusciello also talked about a former Pakistani Army General who made some revelation in a book regarding the Kashmir strategy. “Akbar Khan confirms how intimidation and threats of the Pakistan regime forced the ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, to be left with no option but to ask for protection and support from the Indian government – this request then led to the accession of Kashmir to become a part of India under the internationally recognised agreement, The Instrument of Accession, which was accepted under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947,” the MEP claimed.

European Parliamentarian suggests international community to hold Pak responsible for Kashmir turmoil & its genesis
European Parliamentarian suggests international community to hold Pak responsible for Kashmir turmoil & its genesis

New Delhi: A Member of European Parliament (MEP) Fulvio Martusciello has urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for the ongoing turmoil in the Kashmir valley and its genesis.
In an opinion piece for EU-Chronicle on Wednesday, Martusciello called out Pakistan’s attempt to distort history by observing October 26 as a “Black Day” to commemorate the war fought in Kashmir in 1947-48.

“Under directions of the political leadership, Pakistan’s military invaded and illegally occupied Kashmir and dethroned ruler Hari Singh in order to annex Kashmir. The move was part of its grand design to enhance its power, territory, and influence in the region – Pakistan’s political leadership and Pakistan’s military failed.”He urged the international community to recognise that the Jammu and Kashmir issue has been concocted by Pakistan for its own gains. “Islamabad must be held accountable for the ongoing turmoil inflicted in Kashmir,” the MEP wrote.

He even questioned the citizens of Pakistan who “do not deplore the rape of Kashmiri women and girls, nor the horrors and atrocities inflicted by the Pakistani military and its tribesman on innocent Kashmiri citizens”. “And Pakistanis do not regret the illegal activities of their government or military…, nor the nihilism they imposed in (Pakistan-occupied) Kashmir,” Martusciello went on to write.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been mired in campaigns of disinformation and deception by Pakistan for decades, and now the youth need to know the truth to be empowered to follow their own destinies…”

Martusciello also talked about a former Pakistani Army General who made some revelation in a book regarding the Kashmir strategy. “Akbar Khan confirms how intimidation and threats of the Pakistan regime forced the ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, to be left with no option but to ask for protection and support from the Indian government – this request then led to the accession of Kashmir to become a part of India under the internationally recognised agreement, The Instrument of Accession, which was accepted under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947,” the MEP claimed.

Prisoner swap takes place in Yemen - Vatican News
Prisoner swap takes place in Yemen – Vatican News

By Nathan Morley

On Thursday, the two opposing sides in Yemen’s ongoing civil war exchanged prisoners in the largest swap of its kind during the conflict

“This operation that means so much to so many families is under way,” Fabrizio Carboni, International Committee of the Red Cross said regional director for the Middle East told the media.

Over 1,000 prisoners departed three airports in the operation which was designed to build trust to enable new talks to end a devastating war which is now in its fifth year.

The swap was included as part of a UN peace deal brokered in Sweden several years ago.

Yemen’s government, supported militarily by a Saudi Arabian-led coalition, and Houthi rebels have conducted sporadic prisoner exchanges in the past.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi spokesman said the swap “brings hope for peace-building”.

In a related development, two American hostages held by Houthi rebels were released earlier this week. The remains of a third American captive were repatriated at the same time.

The conflict in Yemen has been raging since 2014, when, working with forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Houtis seized much of the nation including the capital Sanaa.

Yemen today is the home of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. It is estimated that more than 22.2 million people – or 75 percent of the population – is in need of humanitarian assistance.  The conflict has left 2 million people displaced from their homes.

Listen to the report by Nathan Morley

European Council President calls Turkish gas exploration a “provocation”
European Council President calls Turkish gas exploration a “provocation”


European Council President Charles Michel today criticised Turkey’s latest gas exploration acts in the eastern Mediterranean, calling it a “provocation”.

“We deplore Turkey’s unilateral actions and provocations,” Michel said, noting that the EU planned to assess the situation in December with a view to possible sanctions.

Referring to Boris Johnson’s comments on the impending Brexit with or without an agreement, Michel said the European Union is “fully united and fully determined to work to make an agreement possible. However, he will not do it at any cost … We are ready to negotiate, we are ready to continue the negotiations and I hope that we will make progress in the future “.

also read

Turkish F-16 jets infringes Athens FIR

Visit Greece’s own “Loch Ness”, Lake Stymphalia (video)

UK ready to walk away without 'fundamental change' from European Union
UK ready to walk away without ‘fundamental change’ from European Union

Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded after a European Union summit Thursday proposed a fresh round of talks next week in London, while demanding Britain give ground on key stumbling blocks.

“As far as we’re concerned the trade talks are over,” Johnson’s official spokesman told reporters.

“The EU have effectively ended them, and only if the EU fundamentally changes its position will it be worth talking.”

Johnson, accusing the 27-nation bloc of failing “to negotiate seriously” in recent months, said the summit outcome had ruled out a comprehensive, Canada-style free trade agreement between the EU and Britain.

“They want the continued ability to control our legislative freedom, our fisheries, in a way that is obviously unacceptable to an independent country,” he said in a broadcast interview.

“And so with high hearts and complete confidence we will prepare to embrace the alternative,” Johnson said.

He said Britain should “get ready” to operate on stripped-down World Trade Organization rules from January akin to Australia’s relationship with the EU, pointing to sector-by-sector arrangements in areas such as social security, aviation and nuclear cooperation.

“And we will prosper mightily as an independent free-trading nation, controlling our own borders, our fisheries, and setting our own laws.”

More talks?

The comments depressed the British pound on currency markets.

After nearly five decades of British integration with Europe, a “no deal” outcome will mean tariffs and potential chaos for companies trading across the Channel, especially for goods transportation.

It could also arrive in the middle of a winter surge of the coronavirus pandemic, which has already been worsening since last month across Britain and the rest of Europe.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said every hour spent preparing for a no deal Brexit was an hour lost to the fight against Covid-19.

“So I feel deeply depressed about the Brexit situation,” she said.

Johnson had set the EU summit as a deadline for a deal but he is under pressure after fresh warnings that British companies are far from ready for the consequences of a cliff-edge divorce, when a post-Brexit transition period ends on December 31.

The prime minister has repeatedly refused to extend the transition period, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged a change of mind.

“The last thing London needs is the chaos and uncertainty of a no-deal Brexit. With businesses already facing huge challenges due to coronavirus restrictions, now is the worst time to put more jobs and livelihoods at risk,” he said.

Britain wants to reassert sovereignty over its waters and refuse EU legal oversight over any deal, insisting it wants an overarching trade deal of the kind the EU adopted with Canada in 2017.

Brussels in turn stresses that Britain’s economy is far more integrated with the EU’s than Canada’s, and that its single market must be protected from backsliding on regulation or state aid in Britain.

At their Brussels summit, EU leaders demanded Britain compromise on fair trade rules to unblock the stalled post-Brexit talks.

Chief negotiator Michel Barnier also proposed the meetings in London next week and the EU confirmed it would be in the British capital to intensify negotiations from Monday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday both sides should compromise to break open the stalled talks.

But Johnson’s spokesman indicated there was “no point” in Barnier coming as things stand.

“It’s over to the EU now,” he said, demanding Barnier only visit if the EU is willing to negotiate “on the basis of legal texts in an accelerated way without the UK being required to make all the moves”.

The insistence of France and other northern EU fishing nations on maintaining access to British waters has been one major hurdle in the talks so far.

“We are ready to continue to talk, in good faith, to advance, but I will also be very clear: we will not sacrifice any position, any interest and we will not sacrifice our fishermen,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters

* Enter a valid email
* Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Statement of the Secretary General of COMECE on the eve of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day
Statement of the Secretary General of COMECE on the eve of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day

Statement of the Secretary General of COMECE on the eve of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day

Trafficking in persons and other contemporary forms of enslavement are a worldwide problem that needs to be taken seriously by the international community. It represents one of the most dramatic manifestations of the commercialization of the other, a crime that disfigures both the victims as well as those who carry it out, and a source of shame for humanity that our authorities and societies must no longer tolerate, as Pope Francis has emphasized.

On the eve of the EU Anti-Trafficking Day (18 October), I would like to make a call to the EU and its members states to continue their work and prioritize their fight against trafficking in human beings in order to prevent the crime, prosecute and punish their perpetrators and protect and support the victims, in particular women and children.

The engagement of all layers and actors in society in this fight is needed, too. In this regard, the Catholic Church adopted in 2018 its Pastoral Orientation on Human Trafficking, which draw also from the longstanding practical experience of many international Catholic NGOs working in the field. Engagement in structured collaborations with public institutions and civil society organizations will guarantee more effective and longer-lasting results.