The news that matter in Europe
The news that matter in Europe
European Commission Press release Brussels, 12 Aug 2020 As of today, 12 August, some of Cambodia’s typical export products such as garments, footwear and travel goods are subject to the European Union’s customs duties.
On 9 August, Presidential elections took place in the Republic of Belarus.
The EU has been following the developments leading to the presidential elections closely. During the electoral campaign, the people of Belarus have demonstrated the desire for democratic change.
However, the elections were neither free nor fair.
State authorities deployed disproportionate and unacceptable violence causing at least one death and many injuries. Thousands of people were detained and the crackdown on freedoms of assembly, media and expression intensified. We call on the Belarusian authorities to release immediately and unconditionally all detained. Furthermore, credible reports of domestic observers show that the electoral process did not meet the international standards expected of an OSCE participating State.
The people of Belarus deserve better.
Since the 2015 release of political prisoners, the relationship between the EU and Belarus had improved. But without progress on human rights and the rule of law, the EU-Belarus relationship can only get worse.
It is against this background that we will be assessing the Belarusian authorities’ actions to address the current situation and conducting an in-depth review of the EU’s relations with Belarus. This may include, inter alia, taking measures against those responsible for the observed violence, unjustified arrests, and falsification of election results.
We call on Belarusian political leadership to initiate a genuine and inclusive dialogue with broader society to avoid further violence. The EU will continue to support a democratic, independent, sovereign, prosperous and stable Belarus.
Azerbaijan should strengthen contact tracing and testing to further boost its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of WHO experts has recommended after visiting the country. The second team of WHO experts to visit Azerbaijan since the pandemic started, it also noted the country’s achievements in responding to the outbreak.
During a 10-day visit, the team found that most of the recommendations of the first team had been fully or partially implemented. The experts noted substantial investments in human resources, extensive use of digital health tools, and improvements in the care of COVID-19 patients. They suggested that data collection and analysis should also be improved.
“As the pandemic evolves, new challenges arise. Improvements in surveillance, testing strategy and thorough data analysis will help inform evidence-based decisions, including the implementation of public health measures,” said team leader, Dr David Novillo Ortiz, Unit Head of Health Information at WHO/Europe.
WHO/Europe experts in epidemiology and surveillance, data management, health facility management and risk communications visited primary health care centres and hospitals in Baku as well as in the Shamakhi and Ganja regions.
“Six months after WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency, this mission allowed us to reflect on Azerbaijan’s response from the epidemiological, clinical and communication perspectives, and to see how we can build on this valuable knowledge in the coming months,” said Dr Hande Harmanci, WHO Representative in Azerbaijan.
Besides providing technical support through two COVID-19 response missions, WHO/Europe and the Country Office in Azerbaijan have implemented the REACT-C19 initiative. The project aims to facilitate exchange of expertise among health-care workers using digital platforms and innovative solutions.
The WHO Country Office in Azerbaijan is also implementing the European Union-funded “Solidarity for Health Initiative”, which supplies personal protective equipment to frontline responders in health-care facilities and provides technical assistance to the government.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe is convening a Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics.
After identifying and reviewing the relevant evidence, the Commission will draw lessons from the ways in which different countries‘ health systems have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and will make recommendations on investments and reforms to improve the resilience of health and social care systems.
The Commission will also seek to build consensus on these recommendations and to elevate health and social care as societal and political priorities, recognized as being critical to both sustainable development and social cohesion.
The Commission will be chaired by Professor Mario Monti, President of Bocconi University and former Prime Minister of Italy and a former European Commissioner. The Commission will be composed of former heads of states and governments, distinguished life scientists and economists, heads of health and social care institutions, and leaders of the business community and financial institutions.
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, stated, “Our goal is to position health at the top of the political agenda within the Sustainable Development Goals, and to strengthen the resilience of health and social care systems in the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. We are proud that Professor Mario Monti, highly respected for his leadership shown as Prime Minister of Italy at a critical time, as European Commissioner and as President of Bocconi University, has accepted to chair the Commission. This new Pan-European Commission collectively pools the knowledge and wisdom of a continent-wide network of leaders, policy-makers, scientists and civil society to identify, formulate and address key questions about the future of health and social care systems in the WHO European Region.”
“I am honoured to chair the new Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development,” said Professor Monti. “This pandemic has compounded the inequalities and divisions that are paralysing our societies and preventing progress on sustainable development. I regard WHO‘s decision to set up this high-level independent Commission as a progressive step towards shaping a more effective, integrated approach to health and well-being, as a bedrock for sustainable development. I am delighted that the Commission will be able to count on a Scientific Coordinator of the caliber of Professor Elias Mossialos, Founder and Director of the LSE Department of Health Policy.”
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge will jointly launch the Commission when it holds its inaugural meeting on 26 August 2020. A press briefing will also be held at this time – 16:30 CEST on Wednesday 26 August 2020. The WHO Regional Office for Europe will convene and act as secretariat to the Commission and support the production of the Commission report.
Supported by a Scientific Advisory Board, the Commission will oversee and direct the collection and review of relevant evidence by a network of researchers, practitioners and scientists from across the Region. The Commission is to complete its work and present its final report by September 2021.
Dr Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, concluded, “the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development embodies the political imperative of the WHO European Programme of Work: namely, to support countries in meeting citizens’ expectations towards their health authorities. This programme of work will be put to the 53 Member States for their endorsement at WHO’s annual governance meeting, the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, in September this year.”
Professor Mario Monti, President, Bocconi University, former Prime Minister of Italy, former European Commissioner
Professor Elias Mossialos, Head, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and former Minister of State, Greece
Professor Rafael Bengoa, former Minister for Health and Consumer Affairs in the Basque Regional Government, Spain and Co-Director of the Institute for Health and Strategy (SIHealth)
Sir Suma Chakrabarti KCB, former President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Professor Louise Fresco, President of the Wageningen University & Research Executive Board
Ms Sylvie Goulard, Deputy Governor of the Bank of France, former Minister of Defence, former Member of the European Parliament
Ms Tarja Halonen, former President of the Republic of Finland
Professor Luise Hölscher, Deputy CEO, Stiftung Rehabilitation Heidelberg (SRH) Holding, former Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Mr Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former President of the Republic of Estonia
Professor Dr Beata Javorcik, Chief Economist, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Research, Past President, European Public Health Association, Director of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
Lord Jim O’Neill of Gatley, Chair of Chatham House and former UK Treasury Minister
Ms Roza Otunbayeva, Former President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Ms Guler Sabanci, Chair of Sabanci Holding and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Sabanci Foundation
Ms Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark, former CEO of Save the Children
Mr Igor Shuvalov, Chairman of VEB.RF (State Development Corporation), former First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Dr Anna Stavdal, World President-elect of WONCA (World Organization of Family Doctors)
Professor Willem Van Lerberghe, former Director for Health Systems Policies, World Health Organization
Professor Beatrice Weder di Mauro, President of the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Professor of International Economics at The Graduate Institute of Geneva, Research Professor and Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD‘s Emerging Markets Institute.
Professor Aleksandra Torbica, Director of the Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management, Bocconi University
* The content of this article was amended on 21 August 2020 because an earlier version incorrectly referred to Dr Beata Javorcik when it should have included Professor Dr Beata Javorcik.
CALI, Colombia — As the pandemic took hold in Colombia, uncertainties about many aspects of life quickly set in. FUNDAEC, a Baha’i-inspired organization in the country, recognizing that the crisis would have long-term ramifications, looked at how it could be of practical service to society at a time of dire need.
Leslie Stewart, the Executive Director of FUNDAEC, explains how the organization swiftly directed its attention to supporting local food production initiatives. “The country’s economy has been severely affected, with more than 10 million people who are now unemployed.
“Given this situation, food production, which is a component of our different educational programs aimed at development, became a central issue at the start of the pandemic. Since March, FUNDAEC has focused on four broad areas in supporting initiatives aimed at food self-sufficiency: creation of home gardens, cultivation of larger farming plots, food processing, as well as distribution and commercialization.”
FUNDAEC (Fundación para la Aplicación y Enseñanza de las Ciencias) was founded in Colombia in 1974 and has been dedicated for over 40 years to developing capacity in people to contribute to the well-being of their societies. In this most recent undertaking, it drew on its decades of experience and research in the area of food production to create online workshops, assisting people to learn about different aspects of agriculture, for example seed selection, soil health, pest and disease management, and the harvest.
Ms. Stewart describes how FUNDAEC’s approach to development is inspired by the Baha’i principles of the harmony of science and religion, oneness of humanity, and selfless service to society. “In our efforts to contribute to social progress—in its material and spiritual dimensions—we believe there needs to be a dialogue between science and religion. Agriculture plays a crucial role in the building of civilization. It is important to the processes of community life, and should benefit from insights found in both religion and science.
“However, materialism, which has been directing the development of agricultural systems, has not been able to bring prosperity to all, and the issue of food is becoming central to that discussion. So how can spiritual principles help in the way we understand development and food production? For example, we need to ensure that agricultural practices are based in fairness and cooperation, and that efforts are carried out with humility and appreciation toward the land and the environment.
“We have found that during this period people are naturally discovering a sense of common purpose—seeing that they can take an active role in transforming their adversity into an opportunity to be of service to their fellow citizens—and that our role as an organization has been to try and channel energies in a helpful way.”
In Aipe, central Colombia, a group of people collaborated with the Baha’i Local Spiritual Assembly to begin a small farm. Having developed relationships with the Mayor’s office and a local agronomist, this effort inspired some 13 families around the designated land to start their own gardens, leading to a first harvest that could be shared with over 70 people. In turn those individuals who benefited from the harvest have been drawn into the efforts and are finding great purpose in serving their community through food that is healthy, organic, and fairly distributed.
“The example that people are setting in producing food for their communities is contagious,” says Ever Rivera, a coordinator of FUNDAEC’s programs. “People who have not produced food before have the example, as well as the support and accompaniment, of those around them. Even the daily conversations between neighbors are generating local knowledge about food production.”
Arelys, a participant in the food production initiatives in Tuchín, has been struck by how people have started to connect with the land around them in a different way. She says, “Families have felt motivated realizing that they can produce food in spaces they already own, and people have seen what positivity can come from moments of crisis.”
Yesneyer from Aipe explains how in her town there is no culture of agriculture and food is generally imported from the countryside. However, FUNDAEC’s online courses have been helping people to look at their land differently. “We have realized the potential for planting seeds in virtually any piece of land where there is soil!”
In addition to the workshops, FUNDAEC has been producing and distributing a monthly bulletin that connects participants across the country to a growing body of knowledge being generated from the local initiatives.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the organization also contributes to a discourse on agriculture among government officials, academics, and civil society organizations. “It is about opening a dialogue between the farmer who has this deep traditional knowledge and the student of agronomy who brings the best practices of modern science”, says Ms. Stewart. “This dialogue avoids, on the one hand, undue romanticizing about a ‘simpler way’ in the past, and on the other hand, uncritical acceptance of modern technologies. Instead it allows for the building of an alternative system that brings together the profound traditions of the farmer and spiritual principles—being thankful to nature and understanding the impact of one’s relationship with the land for future generations—with the insights and best practices from modern agronomy.”
Over 1,500 people across the country have now become engaged in almost 800 agricultural initiatives facilitated by FUNDAEC since the pandemic. Reflecting on the initial harvests from these initiatives, Ms. Stewart states:
“Harvest time is a very special time. It invites reflection and allows people to appreciate that, just as the plants grow, we also grow in our capacities as people and as a community. Participants are seeing how certain spiritual qualities are essential in this effort. Unity is needed for a quick collective response to a need in times of crisis. Faith is needed to trust that the seeds planted will germinate. Patience is necessary to wait for plants to grow and develop, and to face the small setbacks along the way. Love, perseverance, and diligence are required in order to carry out the daily tasks.
“This period has been a time to be thankful for the ‘generosity’ of the Earth, by caring for it and protecting it.”
EFSA has assessed the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of glycoalkaloids in food and feed, particularly in potatoes and products derived from potatoes.
Glycoalkaloids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Solanaceae family of plants, which includes potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines.
Experts identified a health concern for infants and toddlers, considering both mean and high consumers. Among adults, there is a health concern for high consumers only. Glycoalkaloids poisoning can cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Based on the latest available knowledge, EFSA derived a lowest observed adverse effect level of 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day. This equates to the lowest dose at which undesired effects are observed.
Peeling, boiling and frying can reduce the content of glycoalkaloids in food. For example, peeling potatoes can reduce their content by between 25 and 75%, boiling in water between 5 and 65%, and frying in oil between 20 and 90%.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 11 Aug 2020 As of today, the Commission, on behalf of the EU, has agreed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on macro-financial assistance (MFA) programmes with eight partners.
Protests broke out overnight in the capital, Minsk, and other cities, ahead of preliminary results announced on Monday, which showed longtime President Alexander Lukashenko had won 80 per cent of the vote, thus securing a sixth term in office.
Thousands were arrested in the protests, which continued for a second night, international media reported on Monday.
Speaking later in the day in New York, UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General continues to follow the situation “with great concern”.
UN chief António Guterres has urged all relevant parties to avoid actions that would further enflame tensions, and to approach the issues in the spirit of dialogue.
“The Secretary-General calls on the Belarusian authorities to show maximum restraint and to ensure full respect for the rights of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association”, Mr Dujarric told journalists.
“He emphasizes the importance of its citizens exercising their rights peacefully in accordance with the law. The Secretary-General urges all relevant actors to avoid actions that would further enflame tensions and to approach the issues in the spirit of dialogue.”
President Lukashenko, 65, has been in power since 1994 and is Europe’s longest-serving leader.
His main challenger, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, accused the vote of being rigged, and has called on the President to step down, according to media reports.
The 37-year-old teacher and interpreter had no prior political experience before the election. She entered the race in July after her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger, was arrested before being able to register as a candidate.
Pope Francis’s appointment of six women among the new members to the Vatican’s Council for the Economy, has drawn praise for expanding the role of women into a previously all male body.
The historic move means there are more senior female officials serving the Vatican than ever before, CBS News reported
The six female appointees are: Charlotte Kreuter-Kirchhof, of Germany; Eva Castillo Sanz, of Spain; Leslie Jane Ferrar, of Great Britain; Marija Kolak, of Germany; María Concepción Osákar Garaicoechea, of Spain; and Ruth Maria Kelly, of Great Britain. Alberto Minali is the only layperson from Italy that was appointed.
Kelly having served as a minister in the government of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Ferrar is a former treasurer for Britain’s Prince of Wales, Christian Today reported.
The Council for the Economy was created in 2014 by Pope Francis, comprised of eight cardinals or bishops and seven lay people who have strong professional financial experience.
“I feel honored to have been appointed to the Council for the Economy. It is wonderful to see the Pope’s commitment to promoting women to decision-making posts in the Vatican,” Kelly told The Tablet, a weekly Catholic newspaper in the UK.
Kelly currently serves as pro-vice chancellor of St. Mary’s University in London heading research.
Prof. Alibrandi is a professor at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, located in Milan, Italy, Vatican News reported.
She is also a member of the Milan Bar Association, President of the Association of Economics and Law Professors, and a member of the Union of Catholic Jurists.
Only two of the council’s previous 14 members will continue on: German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who serves as its leader, and South African Cardinal Wilfred Napier.
Along with the six women appointed, the council’s membership will include one male lay leader and eight cardinals, among them U.S. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey.
“I see their nomination as an effort by Pope Francis to ensure greater opportunities for women to offer their gifts in service to the church,” Tobin said told National Catholic Reporter.
“He clearly considers the academic formation and vast experience of these colleagues as crucial contributions to one of his cherished priorities, the ongoing reform of the financial administration of the Holy See.”
While stopping short of supporting female ordination, Francis has had a record of appointing women to prominent leadership roles within the Catholic Church, said Christian Today.
“I know many of you are grieving and that this is a difficult moment for the world”, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday, in his latest briefing to journalists.
“But I want to be clear, there are green shoots of hope and no matter where a country, a region, a city or a town is – it’s never too late to turn the outbreak around.”
Tedros underlined two elements for addressing the pandemic effectively, namely that “leaders must step up to take action and citizens need to embrace new measures.”
He praised New Zealand as a “global exemplar” in the pandemic. This weekend the country celebrated 100 days with no community transmission of the virus, while Prime Minister Jacinda Adern has also stressed the need to remain cautious.
“Rwanda’s progress is due to a similar combination of strong leadership, universal health coverage, well-supported health workers and clear public health communications”, he added.
The UN’s top official also commended nations in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, which took early action to suppress the virus.
Countries such as France, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom, which faced major outbreaks, also were able to suppress the virus to a significant extent, after taking action.
Throughout the pandemic, WHO has been recommending measures such as rapid case identification, contact tracing, physical distancing, mask wearing, and frequent hand washing.
Tedros said countries facing new spikes of the disease “are now using all the tools at their disposal”.
He cited recent stay-at-home measures implemented in the UK, as well France’s decision on the compulsory use of masks in busy outdoor spaces in Paris.
“Strong and precise measures like these, in combination with utilising every tool at our disposal are key to preventing any resurgence in disease and allowing societies to be reopened safely”, he said. “And even in countries where transmission is intense, it can be brought under control by applying an all of government, all of society response.”
The WHO chief stressed that virus suppression is crucial for societies to re-open safely, including for students to return to school.
“My message is crystal clear: suppress, suppress, suppress the virus. If we suppress the virus effectively, we can safely open up societies,” he said.
WHO has underlined its support to Lebanon following the devastating explosion last week that destroyed large parts of the capital, Beirut, leaving more than 200 dead according to news reports on Monday, more than 6,000 injured, and hundreds of thousands homeless.
WHO has issued a $76 million appeal for Lebanon, while staff are on the ground working alongside Lebanese and other UN partners to assess the impact on the health sector.
The agency is shipping $1.7 million-worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) items to supplement COVID-19 and humanitarian supplies destroyed by the blast.
“We are also working closely with national health authorities to enhance trauma care, including through the deployment and coordination of qualified emergency medical teams,” Tedros told journalists.
“We’re also mitigating the COVID-19 impact, addressing psychosocial needs and facilitating the rapid restoration of damaged health facilities.”
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“We Can Lift This World While Quarantined”: Scientology and the 2020 Pandemic, Soryte chose this quoted part from a Scientology song that was done specifically for the time of the pandemic as a positive hint towards recovering through the assistance of all.
New religious movements are rarely given credit for their humanitarian work. A case in point is the Church of Scientology during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents used the epidemic as an opportunity to accuse Scientology of spreading conspiracy theories and not respecting anti-virus precautions. [The book can be ordered HERE]
In fact, while interpreting the epidemic through L. Ron Hubbard’s theory of “dangerous environments,” Scientologists rapidly adopted state-of-the-art precautions and distributed millions of booklets teaching how to effectively protect hygiene and use masks, gloves, and disinfectants. Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers organized massive humanitarian activities, which were praised by majors and other authorities in several countries. By doing this, they were persuaded that they were not only helping fellow human beings but moving decisively towards a better, “restored” planet.
Rosita Šorytė, who has a long experience on the problems of humanitarian aid delivered in time of crisis by both governments and international organizations, and NGOs, and has studied in particular how religion-based NGOs operate, explores Scientology’s response to COVID-19 through volunteer services, distribution of literature, disinfection, and the production of musical shows that reached millions, aimed at providing a commodity not less essential than masks or disinfectants, hope.
She criticizes the anti-cult interpretation of these efforts as propaganda or proselytization and shows how they are deeply rooted both in L. Ron Hubbard’s theology and the lifestyle adopted by Scientologists throughout the world.
Rosita Šorytė joined in 1992 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and worked for 25 years as a diplomat, inter alia at the UNESCO in Paris and the United Nations in New York. In 2011, she served as the representative of the Lithuanian Chairmanship of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) at the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (Warsaw). In 2012-2013, she chaired the European Union Working Group on Humanitarian Aid on behalf of the Lithuanian pro tempore presidency of the European Union.
She takes a special interest in religious liberty and on refugees escaping their countries due to religious persecution and is co-founder and President of ORLIR, the International Observatory of Religious Liberty of Refugees, as well as a member of the Scientific Committee of FOB, the European Federation for Freedom of Belief. She is also the author of several articles and book chapters on religious liberty and religion-based humanitarian initiatives.
The Congress on Sunday said if the need arises the government should drag China to international dispute resolution fora over the formation of a “very dangerous” artificial lake in Tibet which poses a risk to Arunachal Pradesh.
The opposition party hit out at the government over its response on strategic issues, saying all its talk of nationalism, “56 inch chest” and “red eye”, when it comes to specifics, sounds like “empty slogans and hollow claims”.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi cited the danger from the lake on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, the “high number of Chinese troops” in Depsang area in Ladakh and Nepal’s move to claim certain Indian territories, and said the government should come clean on such serious issues and resolve them.
“There is a very dangerous artificial lake which has come into existence in the area above of Arunachal Pradesh, in Tibet, on the Yarlung Tsangpo river,” he said, adding it would not be an exaggeration to call it a potential “water bomb”.
“The slightest crack, fisher or a deliberate sabotage would inundate and flood to the great misery of Arunachal and the entire Siang basin,” Singhvi said.
According to officials, an alert has been sounded all along the Siang river basin in Arunachal Pradesh after the Union Home Ministry in a report informed about the formation of the artificial lake in Tibet.
However, Singhvi said the government needs to do much more on the international diplomatic level.
“If necessary, needs to drag China into international dispute resolution fora. You cannot do things in the upstream part, which will endanger the downstream entities, this is a basic principle of international law, but, nothing is spoken, shared or disclosed by this government,” he claimed.
On Depsang area, he said that while military and dilplomatic talks are being held, “the ground reality is that a minimum of 12,000 and more accurately 17,000, it is believed, Chinese troops, additional and fresh, remain there.”
“There is no pull back. They are apparently of the fourth motorised infantry division of China. Again, what are you (government) doing…. No answer, silence, no conversation, no dialogue, complete trust deficit,” he alleged.
Singhvi said the third example was of Nepal which clearly under the malafide influence of China, at its wrongful bidding, had claimed areas like Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura and in drawn them into its own map.
There is a “huge failure” of diplomacy, communication and trust deficit, he said, attacking the Modi government.
“As Indians, as a responsible party, we don’t care except that we care for India. In which manner you can negotiate, talk, scare, pressurise or otherwise solve is something, which you have to work out, but, solve you must, otherwise these are very serious impending and potentially disastrous national security issues,” Singhvi said.
source – news 18
Col Vinayak Bhat for India Today. Read the original article here.
China’s rapid pace of dam constructions that includes at least eight new ones on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet has sparked concerns about the Chinese attempting to tame India’s water supply. The proposed dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet are close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
In this region, the Chinese have managed to construct three dams within a distance of 24 km on the Brahmaputra River over a period of 10 years. This construction of dams at an unprecedented pace and scale has taken place in Tibet’s Sangri Lokha. Construction of a similar ‘triplet dam’ has been observed on the Nyang river near the town of Nyingchi in Tibet’s Nyingchi county.
Lokha, also known as Shanan lies in the northeast of Bhutan and south of Lhasa while Nyingchi is further east, both bordering Arunachal Pradesh.
In order to find out the aim of these massive construction projects, India Today OSINT team investigated them using Google Earth images.
The ability to control India’s water supply in the hands of the Chinese has always been a legitimate concern. China can use this to cause flash flooding or to divert water that could dry up rivers across India.
Zangmo Dam
A comparative analysis of satellite images of the Zangmo dam shows how its width has increased fourfold from 100 m in 2012 when the construction began to 400 m as seen on August 4, 2020, while the water levels have risen almost 150 m.
Thus, the reservoir which spans across almost 10 km can hold more than 600 mn cubic meters of water, an indication that a massive amount of water is under Chinese control in Tibet.
However, government sources say these dam constructions are being monitored closely. “It is something that has always been discussed between the two governments closely,” a government official tracking developments in this regard asserted. While claiming that the threat of China using these dams to cause flash flooding or block water to Indian territory is not visible, sources said, “For flash flooding, water has to be accumulated but there has not been anything abnormal that has been noticed.”
Amid the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh, Chinese activities including dam constructions along the Indian border are under the scanner once again.
New dams proposed on the Brahmaputra
China has proposed to build at least eight more dams on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. These dams are to be built within the next 10 years at Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo, Namcha and Metok towns that do not have more than a hundred households each. This has sparked speculation that the aim of these dams is only to build reservoirs and export electric energy from Tibet to mainland China.
Need for shared data on dam construction, water flow
Satellite images very clearly indicate that China is not building a large number of dams on the Brahmaputra River for the benefit of the people of Tibet. The area is scantly populated and electricity demands in the region could be met with a single hydroelectricity project like the Zangmo dam.
The Chinese could also aim to use these dam reservoirs such as the Dagu dam to divert Brahmaputra’s water to dry areas in Xinjiang or Central China. Evidence for such diversions is yet to come to light. However, reports have cited locals talking about it in recent years.
The third and perhaps the most worrying explanation for China storing water at eleven dams on the Brahmaputra River could be to control the water flowing into India.
Experts feel China’s dam construction is a key concern and the Chinese dispensation must be more transparent over the issue. Director of the Kubernein Initiative, Ambika Vishwanath tracks water diplomacy and security across the globe. She feels it is not just the quantity but also the quality of water that should be a matter of concern in the long run.
“There needs to be a closer study on not just the quantity of water flow but also the quality which can be extremely detrimental in the long run. It can have an impact on people’s lives in downstream regions. There are very little information and an understanding of the region. The entire Himalayas is a black hole of data,” Ambika says. She further added, “Scientists, researchers need more access to the areas and require more data to understand short and long term impact to aid in better policymaking.”
Ambika also says that one way of ensuring more transparency is joint initiatives, such as data sharing or construction of dams within joint management of river basins, but that does not seem likely anytime soon. “If there are joint constructions, responsibilities are also shared to safeguard installations on either side,” she points out.
Use of water supply as a weapon against India?
Blocking India’s water supply even for a few days can lead to rivers drying up across the country.
On the other hand, many feel low lying areas in India will be completely inundated if China suddenly releases all this stored up water, as seen in the case of the Three Gorges dam in Hubei province. A purposeful release of water from all the dams on the Brahmaputra can wreak havoc in India, many feel.
As per Indo-Sino bilateral agreements, China is expected to share data with India during the monsoon in order for the latter to keep track of water levels and prepare for floods.
After Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, the Brahmaputra River expands to almost 10 km in width. Its width varies from 8 to 10 km in Assam. Bridges in these states are surprisingly smaller than the width of the river. During monsoon every year, the bridges get flooded with their abutments almost always underwater.
Careful monitoring of these dams will provide a 15-day early warning since this is the time it takes for river water to travel from Tibet’s Lokha county to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
Zangmo, Gyatsa, and Dagu
There are three dams on the main Brahmaputra River built in unusually close proximity to each other. These dams are located within a very short distance of 24 km. With only the single village of Gyatsa and its population of barely 150 households, having three dams is unprecedented.
While the Zangmo dam has been commissioned, the Gyatsa dam is complete and awaiting commissioning. The third and largest of the trio, the Dagu dam has been under construction since 2017.
Dagu surprisingly has two inlets and two outlets for water to pass through the mountain despite it being a run of the river hydroelectricity dam. Such dams have electricity generators underground, in an area below the dam, and do not require additional tunnels for water flow.
This has led to doubts supported by rumors that Brahmaputra’s water may be diverted to the dry Xinjiang deserts through underground tunnels using the Dagu dam. Once all three are complete, the triplet dams will be able to collect almost a billion cubic meters of water in their reservoirs.
Pagsum, Langsai and Nyang
The three dams in Nyingchi county are being constructed on a tributary called Nyang that feeds Brahmaputra River. The dams at Pagsum, Langsai, and Nyang are much smaller in size but hold enough water to add to the Brahmaputra River flow.
Land barrier dam
Around October and November of 2018, rumor had it that China had clamped down on the Brahmaputra river and water flow had almost come to a halt. Reports of water being unusually muddy at the time had also come to light.
Satellite images revealed much later that a large landslide from the southeastern face of Sodong Ri Mountain had blocked the Brahmaputra almost completely.
International obligations dictate that China must seek permission from downstream countries before constructing any dam upstream on the Brahmaputra river. Despite its bilateral agreements with India, China still does not share any data in this regard.
Although New Delhi is paying a hefty sum of Rs 80 lakhs to Beijing for this data each year, the response India gets from the Chinese every time is the same- water in the Brahmaputra river washed the measuring instruments away.
European Commission Press release Paris, 09 Aug 2020 At the international conference on assistance and support to Beirut and the Lebanese people, the European Commission has pledged a new funding worth €30 million to help address the immediate needs of those affected by the deadly explosion in Beirut on 4 August.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, travelled to Beirut on 8 August 2020 to convey EU solidarity with the people in Lebanon after the devastating explosions on 4 August.
The President visited the Port of Beirut to witness the scale of the disaster. He called for an independent enquiry to shed light on the causes of this catastrophe and offered European expertise. During his visit, President Michel met with representatives of the Lebanese Red Cross and paid his respect to the rescue teams, including Europeans, working around the clock and showing tremendous courage.
I’m touched by the bravery of the Lebanese people who have been hit by this tragedy in an already difficult context. The EU is a long-standing friend and partner. We are in full solidarity with Lebanon more than ever in these difficult times.
Charles Michel
President Michel repeated the EU readiness to continue the provision of urgent assistance to help the people in Lebanon. The EU has already activated its emergency mechanisms. It has mobilised EUR 33 million for emergency needs and more than 250 rescuers from European Member States are on the ground. Tons of emergency supplies have been made available and more will follow. Together with the President of the European Commission, President Michel urged all EU Member States to intensify their support to Lebanon both for the immediate needs and for the longer-term reconstruction. It is key that assistance reaches those who need it.
During his visit, the President of the European Council met with President Michel Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri and President of the Council of Ministers Hassan Diab. The unity and stability of Lebanon are all the more crucial today, both internally, and also for the whole region. President Michel also underlined the importance of structural reforms in line with the government’s reform plan and Lebanon’s international commitments and as called by the Lebanese people. An agreement with the International Monetary Fund is urgently needed. He therefore called for concrete steps to reform the financial system and to adopt anti-corruption measures.
Local political forces should seize the opportunity and unite around a national effort to respond to the immediate needs but also more long term challenges the country is facing. It’s of critical importance for Lebanon to implement the fundamental structural reforms. The Lebanese can count on the European Union in this effort – but internal unity is key.
Charles Michel
Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted. As stipulated in the Council recommendation, this list will continue to be reviewed regularly and, as the case may be, updated.
Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 8 August member states should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries:
Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican should be considered as EU residents for the purpose of this recommendation.
The criteria to determine the third countries for which the current travel restriction should be lifted cover in particular the epidemiological situation and containment measures, including physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations. They are applied cumulatively.
Regarding the epidemiological situation, third countries listed should meet the following criteria, in particular:
Reciprocity should also be taken into account regularly and on a case-by-case basis.
For countries where travel restrictions continue to apply, the following categories of people should be exempted from the restrictions:
Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) also take part in this recommendation.
The Council recommendation is not a legally binding instrument. The authorities of the member states remain responsible for implementing the content of the recommendation. They may, in full transparency, lift only progressively travel restrictions towards countries listed.
A Member State should not decide to lift the travel restrictions for non-listed third countries before this has been decided in a coordinated manner.
This list of third countries should continue to be reviewed regularly and may be further updated by the Council, as the case may be, after close consultations with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services following an overall assessment based on the criteria above.
Travel restrictions may be totally or partially lifted or reintroduced for a specific third country already listed according to changes in some of the conditions and, as a consequence, in the assessment of the epidemiological situation. If the situation in a listed third country worsens quickly, rapid decision-making should be applied.
On 16 March 2020, the Commission adopted a communication recommending a temporary restriction of all non-essential travel from third countries into the EU for one month. EU heads of state or government agreed to implement this restriction on 17 March. The travel restriction was extended for a further month respectively on 8 April 2020 and 8 May 2020.
On 11 June the Commission adopted a communication recommending the further extension of the restriction until 30 June 2020 and setting out an approach for a gradual lifting of the restriction on non-essential travel into the EU as of 1 July 2020.
On 30 June the Council adopted a recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, including an initial list of countries for which member states should start lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders. This list was updated on 16 July and 30 July.
A Spanish consumers association Atty Luis de Miguel Ortega, with a coalition of other associations, has written the President of the European Commission requesting urgent response and adjustment to the law in different health issues related to the current situation of pandemic, saying that:
This institutional behavior, together with the evident collusion with philanthropic-looking pharmaceutical research, production and distribution entities, not only affects the freedom of the market but also the essential rights of citizens and consumers who are left out of the slightest decision.
At the end of the letter (which can be found below the article) request Von der Leyen the following.
1) Have associations by persons in the procedure of the Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL relative to the performance of clinical trials and the supply of medicines for human use that contain genetically modified organisms or are composed of these organisms, intended to treat or prevent coronavirus disease.
2) These associations are considered an interested party and their legitimacy and direct interest are recognized.
3) The file or, where appropriate, all the information related to said modification that is legitimately accessible to interested persons is transferred to us.
4) It is considered announced that if this claim is not answered within the deadline, a claim will be filed with the Court of Justice of the EU, as established in the provisions that regulate access to said jurisdiction. However, the European Commission requires acknowledgment of receipt stating the corresponding deadlines and resources.
Mr. Luis de Miguel Ortega, as Attorney and in the name and representation of the associations indicated above [Association SCABELUM of Consumers], appears in a timely manner and respectfully SAYS:
FIRST:
That the associations mentioned in this writing, watch over the interests of consumers, especially their health rights and are concerned about the consequences that any reduction in guarantees for human health and the environment may have for the citizens they represent.
Proposing the release and use of genetically modified organisms without guaranteeing the safety of the environment and citizens, seems a crazy idea when not directly terrifying in a context of biological risk that may not only not obtain the adequate response, but may also further aggravate the situation.
The precautionary principle is established to avoid unnecessary risks and has been a doctrinal constant over the years, and in this sense it should be remembered that the seriousness of a situation, by itself, cannot be a reason for a reduction in guarantees and caution as proposed by the Commission.
It is also proposed in a confusing way, without explaining the true object of such modification, which is none other than experimentation with vaccines resulting from genetic engineering, as an experiment for use in the population, without guaranteeing safety -without causing harm-, efficacy – achieving a concrete and measurable objective- and efficiency -at a reasonable cost-.
Throughout the health crisis, there has been a lack of data transparency and an obsession to conduct experiments on human beings, avoid possible responses and treatments, and insist on a vaccine for which there is no prior experience or guarantee.
Real and effective treatments such as artemisia, hydroxychloroquine, chlorine dioxide or vitamin C in high doses, have been banned, reviled, censored and even persecuted, pretending that the objective of the institutions and states was not life, the health and safety of its citizens, but a strange business that we fail to understand.
This institutional behavior, together with the evident collusion with philanthropic-looking pharmaceutical research, production and distribution entities, not only affects the freedom of the market but also the essential rights of citizens and consumers who are left out of the slightest decision.
SECOND:
That this part has studied in detail the Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL relating to the performance of clinical trials and the supply of medicinal products for human use that contain genetically modified organisms or are composed of these organisms, intended to treat or prevent coronavirus disease (Text with EEA relevance).
That said modification affects the following Directives that we have studied:
Directive 2009/41 / CE, relative to the contained use of genetically modified microorganisms.
Directive 2001/18 / CE, on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms.
Directive 2001/20 / CE, on clinical trials (Directive 2001/18 / CE and Directive 2009/41 / CE).
Directive 2001/83 / EC (Article 83 of Regulation (EC) No. 726/2004).
REGULATION (EU) No 536/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 16, 2014 on clinical trials of medicinal products for human use, and by which Directive 2001/20 / EC is repealed (Text relevant to the purposes of the EEA )
THIRD:
What we have studied in detail:
“ Coordinated EU action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. European Parliament resolution of 17 April 2020 on coordinated action by the Union to combat the COVID – 19 pandemic and its consequences (2020/2616 (RSP)). “
” COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, TO THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS The time for Europe to repair the damage and prepare the future for the next generation {SWD (2020) 98 final}”
” European Parliament resolution on the European Union’s public health strategy after COVID-19 (2020/2691 (RSP))”
FIFTH:
Having regard to the TFEU, the Commission’s Internal Regulations [C (2000) 3614], the CODE OF GOOD ADMINISTRATIVE CONDUCT FOR THE STAFF OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC, the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union ( 1-5-2019) and the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice (1-1-2020), we understand that there are reasons to appear before that commission.
SIXTH:
That the Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL regarding the performance of clinical trials and the supply of medicinal products for human use that contain genetically modified organisms or are composed of these organisms, intended to treat or prevent coronavirus disease, affects:
1) DIRECTIVE 2011/83 / EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of October 25, 2011 on consumer rights, amending Council Directive 93/13 / EEC and Directive 1999/44 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 85/577 / EEC of the Council and Directive 97/7 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) are repealed.
2) DIRECTIVE 2004/35 / CE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of April 21, 2004 on environmental liability in relation to the prevention and repair of environmental damage.
3) The TFEU, in its articles:
Article 11 (ex Article 6 TEC) The requirements of environmental protection must be integrated into the definition and implementation of Union policies and actions, in particular with a view to promoting sustainable development.
Article 12 (ex Article 153 (2) TEC) When defining and implementing other Union policies and actions, consumer protection requirements shall be taken into account.
Article 15 (ex Article 255 TEC) 1. In order to promote good governance and to guarantee the participation of civil society, the institutions, bodies and agencies of the Union shall act with the greatest possible respect for the principle of openness.
3. Every citizen of the Union, as well as every natural or legal person who resides or has its registered office in a Member State, shall have the right to access the documents of the institutions, bodies and agencies of the Union, whatever their support. , in accordance with the principles and conditions to be established in accordance with this section.
Article 101 (former Article 81 TEC) 1. All agreements between companies, decisions of associations of companies and concerted practices that may affect trade between Member States and that have as their object or purpose shall be prohibited. The effect of preventing, restricting or distorting the game of competition within the internal market.
Article 102 (former Article 82 TEC) It shall be incompatible with the internal market and, insofar as it may affect trade between Member States, the abusive exploitation, by one or more companies, of a dominant position in the internal market or a substantial part of it.
Article 107 (former Article 87 TEC) 1. Unless the Treaties provide otherwise, the aid granted by the States or through State funds shall be incompatible with the internal market, insofar as they affect trade between Member States. in any way, that distort or threaten to distort competition, favoring certain companies or productions.
Article 191 (ex Article 174 TEC) 1. Union policy in the field of the environment shall contribute to achieving the following objectives: – the conservation, protection and improvement of the quality of the environment.
– the protection of people’s health,
– the prudent and rational use of natural resources, – the promotion of measures at international level to deal with regional or global environmental problems. and in particular to fight against climate change.
2. Union policy in the field of the environment shall aim to achieve a high level of protection, bearing in mind the diversity of situations existing in the different regions of the Union. It will be based on the principles of precaution and preventive action, on the principle of correcting attacks on the environment, preferably at the source itself, and on the principle that the polluter pays. In this context, the harmonization measures necessary to meet environmental protection requirements will include, where appropriate, a safeguard clause authorizing Member States to adopt, for non-economic environmental reasons, provisional measures subject to a Union control procedure.
3. In drawing up its policy in the area of the environment, the Union shall take into account:
– the scientific and technical data available,
– environmental conditions in the various regions.
– the benefits and burdens that may result from action or lack of action,
– the economic and social development of the Union as a whole and the balanced development of its regions.
4. Within the framework of their respective competences, the Union and the Member States shall cooperate with third countries and competent international organizations. The modalities of the Union’s cooperation may be the subject of agreements between the latter and interested third parties. The preceding paragraph shall be understood without prejudice to the competence of the member states to negotiate in international institutions and to conclude international agreements.
4) It also affects the rights included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU (2000 / C 364/01)
CHAPTER I on dignity, arts 1, 2 and 3
CHAPTER III on equality, arts. 24, 25 and 26
CHAPTER IV on solidarity, arts. 35, 37 and 38
CHAPTER V on citizenship, arts. 41 and 42
SEVENTH:
The Court of Justice of the European Union shall control the legality of legislative acts, of acts of the Council, of the Commission and of the European Central Bank that are not recommendations or opinions, and of acts of the European Parliament and of the European Council intended to produce legal effects against third parties. It will also control the legality of the acts of the organs or agencies of the Union intended to produce legal effects against third parties.
Any natural or legal person may file an appeal, under the conditions set forth in the first and second paragraphs, against the acts of which it is the recipient or that affect it directly and individually and against the regulatory acts that affect it directly and that do not include measures of execution.
The appeals provided for in this article must be filed within a period of two months from, depending on the case, of the publication of the act, of its notification to the appellant or, in the absence thereof, from the day the appellant had knowledge of the same.
In the event that, in violation of the Treaties, the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the Commission or the European Central Bank abstain from acting, the Member States and the other institutions of the Union may appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to declare such violation. This article shall apply, under the same conditions, to the organs and agencies of the Union that refrain from making a pronouncement.
Any natural or legal person may appeal a complaint to the Court, under the conditions indicated in the preceding paragraphs, because one of the institutions, or one of the organs or agencies of the Union, has not directed an act other than a recommendation or an opinion.
Based on all the above, the signatory associations request:
1) Have associations by persons in the procedure of the Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL relative to the performance of clinical trials and the supply of medicines for human use that contain genetically modified organisms or are composed of these organisms, intended to treat or prevent coronavirus disease.
2) These associations are considered an interested party and their legitimacy and direct interest are recognized.
3) The file or, where appropriate, all the information related to said modification that is legitimately accessible to interested persons is transferred to us.
4) It is considered announced that if this claim is not answered within the deadline, a claim will be filed with the Court of Justice of the EU, as established in the provisions that regulate access to said jurisdiction. However, the European Commission requires acknowledgment of receipt stating the corresponding deadlines and resources.
In Burgos on July 25, 2020
Original publication can be found at: https://www.scabelum.com/post/letter-to-president-of-european-commision
In his statement on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Tibetan spiritual leader and peace icon, His Holiness the Dalai Lama urged governments, organizations and individuals to “rededicate themselves to making the achievement of peace the centrepiece of our lives”.
Japan on Thursday remembered the victims of the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world’s first atomic bomb attack.
“Despite many great developments that also took place, the 20th century was an era of violence in which some 200 million people were killed, including the horrific use of nuclear weapons,” His Holiness said. “Now, in our increasingly interdependent world, we have a chance to make this a more peaceful century.”
Reiterating his call for global peace and demilitarisation, His Holiness said: “When conflicts arise they should be settled through dialogue, not the use of force. We need to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons, with the ultimate aim of a demilitarized world. War means killing. Violence leads to counter violence. We need to put an end to combat and the production of weapons and construct a more peaceful world.”
“We human beings have created many of the problems in today’s world. As long as we have strong negative emotions and we view our fellow beings in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’, there will be a tendency to try to destroy them. We must recognise the oneness of humanity, and understand that we will not achieve peace merely through prayer; we need to take action.”
On August 6, 2020, a Turkmen court sentenced Brothers Eldor and Sanjarbek Saburov to two years in prison for their conscientious objection to military service. The siblings are 21 and 25 years old, respectively. The court refused the brothers’ request to appeal. This is the second time both were convicted for their neutrality.
In 2016, Brother Sanjarbek Saburov respectfully refused to be drafted into the army. Subsequently, he was convicted and sentenced to two years of probation.
The following year, Sanjarbek’s younger brother, Eldor, also refused to participate in military service. He was sentenced to two years of correctional labor with 20 percent of his wages garnished by the State.
According to Turkmen law, conscientious objectors can be criminally charged a second time if they continue to refuse military service. In April 2020, the military recruiting office again summoned the brothers to enlist. Both brothers refused to be drafted. They were criminally prosecuted, which resulted in their imprisonment.
Beyond the emotional toll, imprisonment will cause acute hardship for the brothers’ parents. Their father suffers from chronic back pain, which impairs his ability to work. His sons support the family by growing cotton. Now that they have been imprisoned, their parents will no longer have the financial support they need. Instead, the parents will now have to care for their sons’ needs in prison.
Turkmenistan does not offer alternative civilian service. Consequently, young brothers who refuse military service on the grounds of conscientious objection face one to four years in prison. Including the Saburov brothers, there are ten young Witnesses in prison in Turkmenistan for their neutrality.
We know Jehovah will bless our young brothers in Turkmenistan for their courageous stand. May each of them recall Jehovah’s promise to King Asa: “You, be strong and do not become discouraged, for your activity will be rewarded.”