… accept an invitation from the European Union to attend a meeting of … accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a …
EU Must Counter US Unilateralism: President
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the European Union, as an important player in the world arena, must play an appropriate role in countering US unilateralism.
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<!-- content -->Speaking in a Thursday telephone conversation with President of the European Council Charles Michel, President Rouhani called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) an important achievement for multilateral diplomacy and stressed that we should not allow this great achievement to be easily destroyed.
“The EU foreign policy chief, as the coordinator of the JCPOA, should play a better role in planning the steps,” he noted.
President Rouhani stressed the need to combat terrorism and extremism as two important problems in the region and the world, noting, “We are ready to work with the European Union to combat terrorism and extremism, and we welcome regional interaction and cooperation in this regard.”
Expressing concern over the resurgence of ISIS in the region after the martyrdom of General Soleimani, the President said that the presence of foreign forces in the region has increased tensions.
He also stressed the need to ensure security, peace and stability in the region.
Rouhani underlined the need to develop relations with the European Union, especially in the fields of trade and economy, adding, “With regard to the recent international developments and the new conditions for development of relations between countries, we should attempt to return the level of relations between Iran and the European Union to its original state.”
The President also referred to the problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic for countries in the world and expressed hope that the problem would be resolved in the near future.
“Resolving this problem requires a comprehensive and global effort, and countries can share their successful experiences in fighting coronavirus to help solve this global problem,” he said.
Rouhani concluded his remarks by referring to the high-level talks between Iran and the European Union in various fields, including the fight against drug trafficking, environment, health, tourism and transportation, and welcomed the continuation of talks with the European Commission for developing cooperation.
In turn, the President of the European Council referred to Europe’s position in support of the JCPOA after the US unilateral withdrawal, and stressed the need to maintain the JCPOA as an international agreement and its full implementation by all parties.
Charles Michel added, “Given the new conditions in the international arena and the change of government in the United States, we must seize the opportunity to maintain and fully implement the JCPOA by all parties, and the European Union will play its role in this regard.”
Referring to the problems created for Iran due to US economic sanctions, the President of the European Council stressed, “It is natural that Iran should enjoy the economic benefits of the JCPOA.”
EU asylum claims fall to 8-year low amid pandemic
BRUSSELS: Asylum requests in the EU dropped 31 per cent in 2020, to their lowest level in eight years, as would-be refugees ran up against coronavirus travel restrictions, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) said on Thursday.
The EU agency said that the number of requests made to the 27 member countries plus affiliated nations Norway and Switzerland last year came to 461,300, compared to 671,200 in 2019.
That was “down to the lowest levels since 2013, largely as a result of emergency travel restrictions” imposed by governments to slow the spread of the coronavirus across borders, it said. The European Union has severely restricted arrivals from outside the bloc, and several member states have also ordered filtering measures along borders with fellow EU countries, cutting off or reducing several refugee immigration channels.
That has had an effect on asylum-seekers entering the bloc, most of whom come from Syria, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Colombia and Iraq. Almost all nationalities lodged fewer applications. Only those from Comoros, Belarus, Cuba and Brazil showed increases over 2019.
EASO said four per cent of the requests received last year were in the names of unaccompanied minors, an increase of one percentage point over the previous year. Despite the pandemic, national authorities processing new asylum requests have done so at roughly “the same level” as in 2019, allowing them to partly clear around 17 per cent of a backlog—though 412,600 cases were still pending.
Overall, EU member states recognised 32 per cent of requests as genuine refugee cases, a proportion that has remained stable over previous years.
Syrians, Eritreans and Yemenis overwhelmingly had their asylum requests approved, while only a tiny proportion—three percent or less—of those lodged by Colombians and Venezuelans succeeded.
EU Gives Hungary Two Months To Change Law On ‘Foreign-Funded’ NGOs Or Face Penalties
The European Union has given Hungary a two- … Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled last year that … which the commission takes on EU countries violating the bloc… influence on public debate.
The EU has taken Hungary to court …
Overcoming COVID-19 and its collateral effects
Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
Copenhagen, 18 February 2021
With more than 37 million cases and nearly 830 000 deaths, the trend in the WHO European Region shows decreasing cases for a fifth week in a row. For the first time since September last year, the number of new cases reported in a week is less than a million. Although still high, new deaths also declined for the third consecutive week.
Transmission in most of the Region has begun to slow. Europe now accounts for a decreasing proportion of the global burden of disease and mortality, currently at 28% of new cases and 21% of new deaths.
Dual-track approach
When cases of COVID-19 are at lower levels in many countries, as they are now, health authorities are presented an opportunity to focus on evaluating and improving the performance of their response. To that end, I have written to all health ministers in the European Region, providing an assessment of the current situation and a checklist of additional actions that Member States should consider.
But this is also a time to prepare our health services to get back on track, strategize, and deliver health services beyond the COVID-19 response.
Globally, 9 out of 10 countries report disrupted essential health services. Cancer patients have been hugely impacted. They are more vulnerable due to their weakened immune systems, and their treatments have been postponed or halted. For some countries, sending cancer patients abroad for treatment has become impossible.
COVID-19 wards have not been the only ones reaching a breaking point in past months. Several psychiatry wards have too. Some feel guilty for speaking about their fatigue while others are literally fighting for their lives. Many of us are trying to deal with a roller coaster of emotions: anxiety, grief and depression.
Antimicrobial resistance is another growing peril, threatening the effective prevention and treatment of infections. Research conducted in 9 countries and areas where treatment guidelines are not available or followed, where people can buy antibiotics over the counter, shows a concerning rise in the use of antibiotics based on the misconception that antibiotics can prevent COVID-19.
One study, based on global data, estimated that in a period of 12 weeks in 2020, some 28.5 million surgeries that had been scheduled had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
Childhood immunization programmes have been disrupted in almost all countries, with temporary suspension of vaccination programmes in some countries.
These are only a few of the many issues that need attention.
Immunizing health workers
In the coming weeks, as more and more health workers get immunized, the capacity to address the backlog of postponed surgeries, cancelled chemotherapy and halted vaccination campaigns also grows. This is where our focus needs to gradually shift, while suppressing COVID-19 transmission.
A resilient health system requires adequate human resources to ensure everyone, everywhere, receives services. To date, between 1% and 46% of health workers, or 19% on average, have completed a COVID-19 immunization series, based on available information from 20 countries in the Region.
A stronger, vaccinated health workforce, fewer COVID-19 hospital admissions, and fewer deaths as older population groups get vaccinated should give us space and time to recalibrate – in itself a monumental task.
Waging a war on numerous fronts requires resources and vigilance, and once again, those carrying the heaviest burden are health workers.
In the past year, health workers have put their own lives on the line every single day, and shown extraordinary resilience and compassion. For their sacrifice and commitment, I have nothing but respect – particularly as it is they who are now called upon to deliver vaccination programmes.
It is they who will be tasked with getting our routine and essential health services back on track to tackle the collateral effects and fallout of this pandemic. They have gone to extreme lengths, and are now required to go further.
To allow them to do this, those of us who do not work on the frontline must continue to act responsibly and follow protective public health and social measures so that our health systems can strive to save not only COVID-19 patients, but also those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer or tuberculosis.
No time to drop our guard
What matters now is how we respond to positive epidemiological trends.
Despite an overall encouraging picture, improving epidemiology can prompt a sense of security that results in hasty decision-making that in turn leads to a resurgence of cases.
This slowing spread of the virus, for the most part, is driven by public health and social measures. We as individuals have the power to undermine the positive trend we see today or support it on its course. We have the tools. Let’s continue using them to full effect.
Although new variants pose additional challenges, all of them are SARS-CoV-2 and all can be controlled with the tools we have at hand. Several countries have significantly decreased transmission of these variants.
Some 40 countries in the European Region have started vaccinating against COVID-19. Nonetheless, in the 30 countries that have provided data, only 1.8% of the population has received a complete vaccine series. Vaccines are certainly a game changer, but since supply is limited, our most effective tools remain public health and social measures.
Faced with reports on new variants, confusion and fatigue are understandable. But let me assure you that the circumstances are temporary. Yes, we will still need to take precautionary measures for months to come, but if we all play a role and shoulder the responsibility to keep transmission rates low, the restrictive measures that have been put in place will be lifted.
Now is the time to minimize the damage inflicted by severe disruption of health services, to counteract the collateral effects of COVID-19 while simultaneously keeping it under control.
Stay safe. Thank you.
Confusion over free speech protection on religion in hate crime bill
New proposals from the Scottish government could substantially weaken the protection for freedom of expression on religion in its current hate crime bill – even though this appeared to be settled.
The bill, which was introduced last year, would create new offences of ‘stirring up hatred’, including on the grounds of religion.
Earlier this week the Scottish parliament’s Justice Committee approved several amendments to it, one of which would provide greater protection for freedom of expression on religion.
But on Thursday the committee issued a call for views on four new options for freedom of expression protections, which have been proposed by the justice secretary.
Only two of the options contain the agreed amendment on free speech on religion. The other two substantially dilute protection for freedom of expression on religion in comparison.
The committee has requested that views on the proposals be submitted by 10:00 this coming Monday (22 February).
The National Secular Society has been among those warning that the ‘stirring up hatred’ offences within the bill pose a threat to freedom of expression, and has criticised the latest confusion.
How the new options differ from the agreed amendment
A conviction for ‘stirring up hatred’ on religious grounds would require the prosecution to demonstrate that the accused had behaved in a manner which is “threatening or abusive” and intended to stir up hatred.
One of the amendments would have provided greater protection to expressions of “antipathy”, “ridicule”, “dislike” or “insult” of religion or belief.
The Scottish government previously agreed to the amendment, and the committee approved it unanimously this week.
But two of the four options now proposed only say behaviour would not reach the threshold for prosecution “solely on the basis that it involves or includes discussion or criticism” of religion.
The NSS previously argued that the original amendment should be toughened further, to bring it in line with an equivalent clause in England and Wales’s Racial and Religious Hatred Act.
NSS comment
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said the Scottish government’s position was “perplexing and farcical”.
“The level of protection for freedom of expression on religion in this bill appeared settled. The agreed amendment was a significant step in the right direction and the Scottish government shouldn’t be reopening this.
“This episode simply reinforces legitimate concerns that the bill will unacceptably intrude on freedom of speech. With this in mind, and amid a deeply confused and rushed process, MSPs should press pause on the relevant section of this bill.”
NSS lobbying
The NSS has warned that the ‘stirring up hatred’ offences in the bill pose a threat to freedom of expression since it was introduced last year.
The NSS has lobbied for substantial changes, including a robust protection for free speech on religion.
The society has also joined the Free to Disagree campaign, which is warning of the threat the bill poses to free speech.
Last week the NSS was among civil society groups who signed a joint letter urging ministers to defer scrutiny of the ‘stirring up hatred’ proposals until after the May election.
Amendments since introduction of bill
The Scottish government has previously announced several amendments to the bill.
These have included the introduction of a “reasonable person” test, to apply when charges are brought on the basis that behaviour was “abusive”, and a requirement to demonstrate intent to secure a conviction for ‘stirring up hatred’.
The bill as initially drafted would have also enabled convictions in circumstances where it was “likely” that hatred would be stirred up.
We originally published a separate story on Tuesday 16 February, which led with the Justice Committee’s approval of the free speech amendment. We have replaced that story with this one to reflect new developments.
Image: Humza Yousaf, the justice secretary, speaking to the Justice Committee this week.
WHO seeks $1.96 billion for 2021 Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Response
The strategy follows the initial plan last year that outlined the path countries should take to suppress transmission of the new coronavirus.
“Fully funding the SPRP is not just an investment in responding to COVID-19, it’s an investment in the global recovery and in building the architecture to prepare for, prevent and mitigate future health emergencies”, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking during his routine press conference.
Six main objectives
The 2021 plan will have six objectives: suppressing transmission, reducing exposure, countering misinformation and disinformation, protecting vulnerable people, reducing death and illness, and accelerating equitable access to new tools against COVID-19 such as vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
WHO is looking to raise $1.96 billion to fund the SPRP.
Tedros said $1.2 billion will go to the agency’s component of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a landmark global collaboration to make these medicines accessible to people everywhere.
Another $643 million will go towards supporting people who require humanitarian assistance due to conflict, insecurity or other crises.
Report on 2020 plan
The WHO chief also provided details about the first SPRP, which raised $1.58 million. Some 90 per cent of the funding was allocated to countries and regions, supporting those on the frontlines of the pandemic.
“It also enabled WHO and our partners to ship millions of tests and items of personal protective equipment, and to support thousands of ICU beds around the world”, Tedros said.
The funding was also used to deploy some 191 Emergency Medical Teams, support sero-epidemiological studies in 58 countries, and provide online training that reached nearly five million people.
Declaration on vaccine equity
Tedros also announced that WHO will launch a new declaration on Friday focused on the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, which calls for action from several groups, such as political leaders, manufacturers and governments.
“Vaccine equity is especially important for fragile and vulnerable groups, and for small island states like those in the Pacific and Caribbean with small populations who can miss out on vaccines because they have less bargaining power than big countries”, he said, stressing that no country should be left behind.
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