Anti-SLAPP – deal with member states to defend critical voices

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EuropeanTimes

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13 December 2023

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Anti-SLAPP - deal with member states to defend critical voices — European Parliament - Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Tiemo WÖLKEN, rapporteur on EU protection from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs)

The rules will address growing number of so-called “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (SLAPP) for the EU-wide protection of journalists, media organisations, activists, academics, artists and researchers against unfounded and abusive legal proceedings.

The new law will apply in cross-border cases and protect people and organisations active in areas like fundamental rights, the environment, the fight against disinformation and corruption investigations against abusive court proceedings intended to intimidate and harass. MEPs ensured that cases will be considered to be cross-border unless both parties are domiciled in the same country as the court and the case is relevant only to one member state.

SLAPP initiators to prove their case

Defendants will be able to apply for the early dismissal of manifestly unfounded claims and in such cases the SLAPP initiators will have to prove their case is well founded. Courts will be expected to deal swiftly with such applications. To prevent abusive lawsuits, courts will be able to impose dissuasive penalties on claimants, usually represented by lobby groups, corporations or politicians. The courts can oblige the claimant to pay all the costs of proceedings, including the defendant’s legal representation. Where national law does not allow these costs to be fully paid for by the claimant, EU governments will have to ensure they are covered, unless they are excessive.

Measures to support SLAPP victims

MEPs managed to include in the rules that those targeted by SLAPPs might be compensated for inflicted damage. They also ensured that SLAPP victims will have access to comprehensive information on support measures, including on financial assistance, legal aid and psychological support via an appropriate channel such as an information centre. Member states will also have to provide legal aid in cross-border civil proceedings, ensure that final SLAPP-related judgements are published in an easily accessible and electronic format and gather data on SLAPP cases.

EU protection against non-EU SLAPPs

EU countries will make sure that third-country judgments in unfounded or abusive proceedings against individuals of institutions domiciled in their territory will not be recognised. Those targeted by SLAPP will be able to claim compensation for related costs and damages in their domestic court.

Quote

Following the negotiations, lead MEP Tiemo Wölken (S&D, Germany) said: “After intense negotiations, we have a concluded a deal on the Anti-SLAPPs directive – a step towards ending the widespread practice of abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists, NGOs and civil society. Despite the Council’s attempts to significantly weaken the Commission’s proposals, Parliament secured a deal that includes a definition of cross-border cases, accelerated treatment for key procedural safeguards such as early dismissal and provisions on financial security, as well as flanking support measures on assistance, data collection and the compensation of costs.”

Next steps

Once formally approved by the plenary and the member states, the legislation will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal. Member states will have two years to transpose the legislation into national law.

Background

The European Parliament has long advocated for strengthened media freedom and improved protection of those targeted by SLAPPs. In light of the increasing number of SLAPPs in the EU, MEPs have adopted a series of resolutions since 2018 calling for EU action against legal harassment of journalists, media outlets and activists. The European Commission presented its proposal in April 2022, including many of the measures MEPs were pushing for in a 2021 resolution.

UN General Assembly votes by large majority for immediate humanitarian ceasefire during emergency session

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United Nations News

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13 December 2023

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UN General Assembly votes by large majority for immediate humanitarian ceasefire — Screenshot from video of the Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly.

Member States adopted a resolution, demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and well as “ensuring humanitarian access”.

It passed with a large majority of 153 in favour and 10 against, with 23 abstentions

The resolution also reiterated the General Assembly’s demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, “notably with regard to the protection of civilians”

Prior to the resolution, two amendments making specific reference to extremist group Hamas were voted down by members

“We have one priority
– one priority only – and
that is to save lives”. “We
have to stop this violence now”.
General Assembly
President Dennis Francis

Ahead of the vote, General Assembly President Dennis Francis said the world was witnessing an “unprecedented collapse” of a “real-time” humanitarian system, and deemed it high time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

The resolution adopted by the General Assembly on Tuesday differs significantly from the text vetoed by the United States in the Council on Friday.

The text takes note of a letter dated December 7 from the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), addressed to the President of the General Assembly. In this letter, Philippe Lazzarini warns that the agency’s ability to implement its mandate in Gaza is “severely limited”, and that the main humanitarian aid platform for over 2.2 million people in the enclave is “on the verge of collapse”.

The text also refers to previous resolutions on the question of Palestine, as well as relevant Security Council resolutions on the subject.

The main points in common between the two texts include an immediate humanitarian ceasefire; the demand that all parties respect their obligations under international law, particularly with regard to the protection of civilians; the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the guarantee of humanitarian access.

Text of the adopted resolution

Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations

The General Assembly,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling its resolutions regarding the question of Palestine,

Recalling also all relevant Security Council resolutions,

Taking note of the letter dated 6 December 2023 from the Secretary-General, under Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations, addressed to the President of the Security Council,

Taking note also of the letter dated 7 December 2023 from the CommissionerGeneral of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East addressed to the President of the General Assembly,

Expressing grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population, and emphasizing that the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law,

Demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire;
Reiterates its demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians;
Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access;
Decides to adjourn the tenth emergency special session temporarily and to authorize the President of the General Assembly at its most recent session to resume its meeting upon request from Member States.

The resolution does not condemn Hamas or make any specific reference to the extremist group.

The amendments

Two amendments proposed to the text of the General Assembly resolution on Tuesday were rejected in separate votes.

Austria has proposed an amendment, that inserts the phrase, “held by Hamas and other groups” in relation to the hostages still being held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, as well as inserting the word “immediate” in reference to ensuring humanitarian access.

The US amendment reflects its continued point of contention regarding Hamas, which it designates as a terrorist group, calling for wording to be inserted “unequivocally” rejecting and condemning “the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages” as the first operative paragraph.

Not binding, but influential

Resolutions by the General Assembly, though not legally binding on nations, do carry immense moral weight, representing the collective resolve of the UN membership on a matter of grave importance.

These resolutions also lead to key legal frameworks and standards, such as the over 60 human rights instruments underpinning the international rights regime, which emanate from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Declaration was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1948, and by itself is not binding.

Emergency session

General Assembly adopts resolution on Protection of Civilians and Upholding Legal and Humanitarian Obligations in Gaza.

The session today is a continuation of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly that last met on 26 October amid the present crisis in Gaza, during which it adopted a resolution on the crisis, calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.”

The General Assembly will resume the emergency session on Friday afternoon in New York starting at 3pm

Concert at the European Parliament: Omar Harfouch plays his new composition for world peace

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Newsdesk

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13 December 2023

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Event this Tuesday evening at the European Commission in Brussels. Omar Harfouch, who has been in the news in recent weeks following his acquisition of Entrevue magazine, has shown that he has several strings to his bow. Honorary President of the Organization for Dialogue and Diversity, the businessman, also a pianist-composer, played his brand new piece of music, which he specially composed for a call for world peace. A piece is also entitled “Save a life, you save humanity,” about a famous phrase mentioned in the Torah and the Holy Koran.

The concert took place in the main hall of the European Commission during a musical evening organized on the eve of the European summit, which brings together all European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, to make crucial decisions concerning the future of Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

During his performance, Omar Harfouch read Surah Al-Ma’idah 32: “The Almighty says: and he who saves a life, it is as if he had saved all humanity,” in front of European officials and decision-makers, all under the sponsorship of European Commissioner Oliviér Várhelyi.

During the reading of this surah, the audience had a surprised face as they heard the Holy Quran, which for the first time was read inside the European Commission building. Very involved in his fight for peace, Omar Harfouch asked political leaders to promise him one thing: that they would each save a life after hearing his music, composed for the occasion.

The composer’s new musical work was composed of two parts symbolizing the divisions of today’s world: the first tells of a full and happy life filled with love and tolerance. The second describes a life of sadness, destruction, fear, loss of security, and hope. This poses a crucial question: which world do we want to live in: the first or the second?

From the end of the first part, played on the piano with the orchestra, the audience warmly applauded the musicians. At the end of the second part, the audience was on its feet, and some people in the audience were unable to contain a few tears.

The success was such that Omar Harfouch and his orchestra were immediately asked by the ambassadors present in the room to play this composition in all European cities. Note that during this concert, Omar Harfouch was accompanied by his official violinist, the Ukrainian Anna Bondarenko, and an orchestra of fifteen musicians from different nationalities: French, Belgian, Syrian, Ukrainian, and Macedonian.

It was also the first time that a classical music concert took place in an official building of the European Commission in Brussels.

Short-term rentals: new EU rules for more transparency

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European Parliament

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13 December 2023

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Short-term rentals: new EU rules for more transparency

New EU rules aim to bring more transparency to short-term rentals in the EU and promote a more sustainable tourism.

Short term rentals: key stats and issues

The short-term rental market has rapidly expanded in recent years. Although the variety of accommodation solutions, such as private properties rented out as guest accommodations, can have a positive effect on tourism, its exponential growth has caused issues.

Local communities have been negatively affected by the lack of available housing in popular tourist destinations, the increased rental prices and the overall impact on the liveability of some areas.

A total of 547 million nights were booked in the EU in 2022 via four large online platforms (Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group and Tripadvisor), which means more than 1.5 million guests per night stayed in short-term accommodation.

The highest number of guests in 2022 were recorded in Paris (13.5 million guests) followed by Barcelona and Lisbon with more than 8.5 million guests each and Rome with more than eight million guests.

In response to the rising number of short-term rentals, several cities and regions have introduced rules to limit access to short-term rental services.

547 million nights
booked in the EU in 2022 via four online platforms

Challenges related to short-term rentals

The increase in short-term accommodation rentals has created a number of challenges:

Need for more transparency: the lack of transparency in short-term rental operations makes it difficult for authorities to monitor and regulate these services effectively
Regulatory challenges: public authorities face challenges in ensuring that short-term rentals comply with local regulations, taxation, and safety standards due to insufficient information
Urban development concerns: some local authorities find it difficult to cope with the quick growth of short-term rentals which may transform residential areas and puts additional burden on public services such as waste collection

The EU response to rising short-term rentals

In November 2022 the European Commission put forward a proposal for providing more transparency in the field of short-term rentals and supporting public authorities to promote sustainable tourism.

Parliament and Council reached a deal on the proposal in November 2023. The measures include:

Registration of hosts: the deal sets a simple registration process online for short-term rental properties in EU countries where it is required. After completing this process, hosts will receive a registration number enabling them to rent out their property. This will facilitate the identification of hosts and the verification of their details by the authorities.
More security for users: online platforms will be required to verify the accuracy of property details and they will be equally expected to perform random checks. Authorities will be able to halt registrations, remove non-compliant listings, or impose fines on platforms if necessary.
Data sharing: in order to receive data from platforms about host activity, EU countries will set up a single digital entry point to assist local authorities in understanding rental activities and improving tourism. However, for micro and small platforms with an average of up to 4,250 listings a simpler system for data sharing will be put in place.

Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands), the MEP in charge of steering the legislative file through Parliament, said: “Previously, rental platforms didn’t share data, making it hard to enforce city rules. This new law changes that, giving cities more control.”

Next steps

Before its entry into force, the provisional agreement needs to be adopted by Council and Parliament. After that EU countries will have 24 months to implement it.

Parliament’s internal market committee will vote on the provisional agreement in January 2024.

‘Humanitarian disaster zone’: Gaza hospital capacity decimated

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United Nations News

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12 December 2023

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‘Humanitarian disaster zone’: Gaza hospital capacity decimated – WHO — © WHO - An injured Palestinian child is rushed to Al Shifa hospital in Gaza. (file)

The last barely functioning hospital in northern Gaza is a “humanitarian disaster zone”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, highlighting the disastrous consequences of ongoing Israeli bombardment for critically ill and injured civilians across the enclave.

Briefing reporters from Gaza, Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, described corridors overflowing with trauma patients at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where doctors treat people on the floor and fuel, oxygen, food and water are scarce.

In just 66 days of fighting, the Strip has been transformed from a “reasonably functioning health system” producing health indicators “on par with neighbouring countries” to a situation where more than two thirds of its 36 hospitals and over 70 per cent of primary health care facilities are out of commission, Dr. Peeperkorn said.

Meanwhile WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva that the Kamal Adwan Hospital – also in the north – was being “forcefully evacuated” on Tuesday morning, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Some 68 patients including 18 in intensive care and six newborns are reportedly at the site, alongside thousands of displaced people seeking safety. The hospital has been surrounded by Israeli troops and tanks for days, with armed clashes reported nearby, UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said. On Monday, the hospital’s maternity department was reportedly hit during shelling and two mothers were killed.

Mission fraught with ‘serious incidents’

Amid sky-high humanitarian needs in Gaza’s devastated north, Al-Ahli Hospital is severely short-staffed, Dr. Peeperkorn said, with over 200 patients but only enough resources to support 40. Unable to perform vascular operations, staff are carrying out limb amputations “as the last resort to save lives”.

Last Saturday a WHO-led UN and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) convoy encountered “serious incidents” during a mission to deliver trauma and surgical supplies for 1,500 patients to the hospital and transfer 19 critical patients and their companions to Nasser Medical Complex in south Gaza, the UN health agency said.

Detention at gunpoint

Dr. Peeperkorn described the numerous obstacles faced by this mission, including inspections at the Israeli military checkpoint at Wadi Gaza on the way north, where two PRCS staff were detained for over an hour. According to a statement released by the UN health agency on Tuesday, “WHO staff saw one of them being made to kneel at gunpoint and then taken out of sight, where he was reportedly harassed, beaten, stripped and searched”.

The WHO medic stressed that “nobody can be detained when they are part of a medical mission” and emphasized the fact that such vital humanitarian missions “cannot afford any delays”.

Dr. Peeperkorn said that arriving in north Gaza, which now “looks like a wasteland”, the humanitarians saw many people in the street surprised at the sight of the convoy, as there had been very little aid access to the north of the enclave for months now.

Deadly delays

Upon entering Gaza City the aid truck with the medical supplies and one of the ambulances which were part of the convoy were hit by bullets, WHO said, and on the way back towards southern Gaza, with the patients from Al-Ahli Hospital on board, “the convoy was again stopped at the same checkpoint, where PRCS staff and most of the patients had to leave the ambulances for security checks”.

Critical patients remaining in the ambulances were searched by armed soldiers, and one of the same two PRCS staff temporarily detained earlier on the way in was taken for interrogation a second time. Significant delays ensued and “PRCS reported afterwards that during the transfer process, one of the injured patients died, as a result of his untreated wounds”, WHO said.

After his release later that night “after joint UN efforts” the PRCS staff member said that he had been beaten and humiliated, then “left to walk towards the south with his hands still tied behind his back, and without clothes or shoes”.

Health system ‘must be protected’

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed on social platform X on Tuesday his concern about “prolonged checks and detention of health workers that put lives of already fragile patients at risk”.

“The people of Gaza have the right to access health care,” he insisted. “The health system must be protected. Even in war.”

Disease on the rise

The scale of displacement in the Strip, where some 1.9 million people, the vast majority of Gaza’s population, have been forced to flee their homes, and conditions in overcrowded shelters including the lack of proper sanitation, have led to a massive increase in diseases, Dr. Peeperkorn said. There were already some 60,000 cases of diarrhoea in children under five and more than 160,000 cases of acute respiratory infections. Scabies, skin rashes, chicken pox and even meningitis are on the rise, alongside severe trauma and spinal injuries.

Meanwhile health workers lack basic essentials and are “completely preoccupied by the safety of their families”.

The UN health agency official stressed that it was imperative to make the primary healthcare system functional again and bring back maternal and child health, obstetric care, treatment for non-communicable diseases, oncology and mental health support among others.

More hospital beds in Rafah

In the south, which Dr. Peeperkorn called the “backbone” of Gaza’s health system, on Monday the Palestine Red Crescent Society began preparations for establishing a field hospital in collaboration with the Qatari Red Crescent Society, in Rafah governorate. WHO said that the hospital is set to have 50 beds, including an operating room, intensive care unit, reception and radiology.

The UN health agency stressed the importance of adding hospital capacity in the enclave. According to Gaza’s health authorities only one per cent of Palestinians injured in hostilities, or some 400 people, have so far been evacuated outside of Gaza for hospitalization through the Rafah border crossing.

Close to 50,000 people have been injured in Gaza since 7 October and some 8,000 of them require “urgent and immediate medical intervention”, WHO said.

MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections

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European Parliament

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12 December 2023

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MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections — Parliament has proposed ways to maximise the impact of people’s choice and voter turnout © European Union 2019 - Source: EP

On Tuesday, Parliament adopted its proposals to strengthen the democratic dimension of the 2024 elections, and for the lead candidate system.

The report, which received 365 votes for, 178 against, and 71 abstentions, calls for measures to boost voter turnout during the 6-9 June 2024 elections beyond the increased figures recorded in 2019. Parliament’s focus is on maximising the impact of electoral campaigns, the post-electoral procedure for the establishment of the next European Commission and the election of its President, and ensuring all citizens can exercise their right to vote.

The day after the elections

MEPs demand a clear and credible link between the choice made by voters and the election of the Commission President. The process should depend on securing a majority in Parliament in line with the Lisbon Treaty, they say, and that backroom deals at the European Council should stop. MEPs want a binding agreement between Parliament and the European Council to ensure that European political parties and parliamentary groups begin negotiations on a common candidate immediately after the elections and before the European Council makes a proposal.

The lead candidate of the party with the most seats in Parliament should lead the process in the first round of negotiations, with Parliament’s President steering the process if needed. MEPs also expect that a ‘legislature agreement’ should be made between the political parties and groups, as a way of securing a majority in Parliament, as a basis for the Commission’s work programme, and as a guarantee, to European voters, of a coherent follow-up to the elections.

Increasing participation and safeguarding the right to vote

Parliament is also urging the Council to swiftly adopt the new European electoral law and new rules for European political parties and foundations, so that at least the latter are applicable for the 2024 campaign. National and European political parties should carry out their campaigns in line with EU values and with enhanced visibility for the European dimension of the election.

To ensure all EU citizens can exercise their right to vote, member states should introduce measures for easier access to information and voting centres for people with disabilities. MEPs also want to encourage the engagement of European citizens from specific categories, such as those living in another EU member state or a third country, and the homeless. Other recommendations seek to shield the elections from foreign and internal interference via more robust safeguards and measures against disinformation. MEPs welcome the deal reached by the co-legislators on rules on the transparency and on targeting of political advertising, and acknowledge the important role that Parliament’s institutional information campaign has, in liaison with civil society organisations, in contributing to the debate on European policy issues and complementing the parties’ campaigns.

Quotes

Co-rapporteur Sven Simon (EPP, DE) commented: “Voters need clarity on how their vote will affect the choice of the people and policies of the EU. Unlike in 2019, we must not make promises we cannot keep. The lead candidate process needs to become credible again. Whoever is elected President of the newly formed Commission requires a clear mandate from the voters and a majority in Parliament.”

Co-rapporteur Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D, ES) said: “We have paved the way for recommendations to the European political parties to strengthen the European dimension of electoral campaigns ahead of the 2024 elections. We need to make the European political parties’ logos and their public messages more visible. We would also like to see concrete post-electoral procedures to increase the visibility of the role played by the European political parties in electing the Commission President and strengthen the electoral rights of all European citizens.”

In adopting this report, Parliament is responding to citizens’ expectations expressed in the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe – namely, proposals 38(3), 38(4), 27(3), and 37(4) on enhancing the link between citizens and their elected representatives, , and tackling disinformation and foreign interference.

Several women have accused a Georgian metropolitan of sexual assault

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Newsroom

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12 December 2023

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An investigation by “Free Europe” gathered the testimonies of five women who were victims of sexual assault by a high-ranking Georgian cleric over the past ten years.

One of the women was fifteen years old at the time. It is about the Metropolitan of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo Nikolay (Pachuashvili). This is the first time that several women have publicly accused a high-ranking member of the Georgian Orthodox Church of sexual harassment.

Four sexual assaults described in the investigation took place during youth sports expeditions in Javakheti, for which Metropolitan Nikolay was responsible. The camp was advertised as an opportunity for a two-week vacation when young people could help the churches and monasteries of the Akhalkalak Diocese. “Participants get to know the local culture, architectural monuments, go on excursions, film screenings are held… Participation in the expedition is free!”, says the camp’s advertisement.

Only one of the women, Lela Kurtanidze, has told her story with her name, because she decided to file a lawsuit against the senior cleric for sexual assault and abuse of office despite the passage of time. She claims: “I owe it to the dozens of women who may find themselves in this situation.” The other four women in the investigation have told their stories, but anonymously, and will not press charges.

The girl, who was then nineteen years old, claimed that she had several sexual relations with the clergyman, who was then forty-eight years old. He was able to convince her that it was “another kind of spiritual connection that the others should not know about.” After ten years, the young woman managed to overcome the shock of what happened and stated that, despite the expired statute of limitations, she wanted to file a lawsuit against the senior cleric. Today, she assesses his behavior as a gross manipulation of his spiritual authority and power in the diocese. The woman suggests that what happened to her happened to many other women.

The authors of the Free Europe investigation met with Metropolitan Nikolay (Pachuashvili) when three of the women’s interviews were completed. He stated that “an accusation which has not been lawfully examined is defamatory and contains the indicia of a crime, therefore it cannot participate in the discussion of such defamation.” In the end, however, he agreed to talk to the journalists on the condition that they did not record the conversation. He admits that he knew one of the women and actually taught her to swim during a summer camp ten years ago. He emphasizes that his engagement with this youth camp is with the “blessing of the Patriarch of Georgia”: “With the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, His Holiness Ilia II, since 2001 student expeditions have been held in Javakheti, in which several thousands of young people. Many of them are successful and famous people today. I still remember many of them, especially those who participated in the first ten to fifteen years, when I directly led the expeditions.

Metropolitan Nicholas states that he selflessly helps many people and this is his duty as a clergyman, and he will let his actions speak for his words. In fact, a number of people, including one of his victims, confirmed to journalists that the senior cleric in question helped people inside and outside the country for training and treatment. “However, this cannot be an indulgence for the harm he has also inflicted on dozens of women and young girls,” said one of the women.

The day before the publication of the article, the publication notified the Metropolitan Nikolay also said that journalists “participate in something bad and that it seems that a wave has risen again against the Church, but may God judge the liar and the unrighteous.”

Specialists in criminal law and church canonists commented to the media that there will be no church sanctions against the accused hierarch. The Georgian Church has had a commission since 2011 to investigate such moral issues, but it does not actually meet. In 2021, a large number of materials collected by the services and compromising a number of senior clerics were leaked, but they remained without consequences and not a single church case was filed on leaked information.

Kindergarten in Germany removes Christmas tree and sparks debate

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Guest Author

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12 December 2023

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tajna elha — The management does not want to plant a tree “in a spirit of religious freedom”, headlines the regional newspaper BILD. Secretly set up in the middle of the night: A Christmas tree and presents stand in front of the Mobi daycare center in the Lokstedt district of Hamburg - where there is actually nothing

The management does not want to put up a Christmas tree “in a spirit of religious freedom”, headlines the regional newspaper BILD

By Ivan Dimitrov

A decision by a kindergarten in the Lockstedt district of the large northern German city of Hamburg not to put up a Christmas tree this year “so that no child feels left out” was reported in a major German daily and quickly became a national topic of comments. It caused a wave of protests and negative comments towards the management of the children’s center, which was forced to defend itself. According to the private school, they have only put up a Christmas tree three times in the past ten years because they “don’t want to be confined to one religious tradition”, but this didn’t cause any backlash until this year, when there was a “wave of backlash” against them. of hatred’, as they put it.

As a sign of protest, near the kindergarten in Lokstedt district, unknown persons have secretly placed a Christmas tree in a place accessible to people. Although the management of the neighborhood kindergarten decided that, out of “respect for religious freedom”, the traditional Christmas tree would not be placed in a prominent place, some Christians violated the order and put up the Christmas tree at night, decorated it and even put presents under it. Also as a protest, shopping centers for Christmas decorations have sent Christmas trees to the children’s institution.

The case was also commented on by public figures and politicians. The former Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner wrote that the children’s institution in question should be consistent in its policy and continue to work during the Christmas holidays. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder also commented on the scandal: “This is absurd! Don’t we have other problems? There should be a Christmas tree at Christmas!”.

It is noted that this and similar decisions are part of the so-called “cancel culture”, that they are unacceptable for a multicultural city like Hamburg, which claims to include and represent the most diverse cultural traditions. “The Christmas tree is part of the secular Christmas, not so much a religious symbol,” says one of the comments. “Religious people will celebrate Christmas without Christmas decorations, but the secular Christmas that is part of our culture is unthinkable without this symbolism.”

There is no information whether the city authorities will leave the Christmas tree or remove it so as not to annoy other believers and non-believers. According to some media, the matter would be discussed in the municipal council.

Short address of the original publication: https://dveri.bg/d84ua, December 11, 2023.

Javier Milei and Victoria Eugenia Villarruel were sworn in as President and Vice-President of Argentina

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Newsdesk

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11 December 2023

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47824 — Photo credit: Senado de Argentina

The presidents were sworn in at the Congress of the Nation where the oath and ceremony of transfer of power to Milei took place, with the presentation of the Presidential Sash and Baton by the former President, Alberto Fernández.

The Legislative Assembly began at 11:14 a.m., with the customary ringing of the bell, and was presided over by the outgoing Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who, accompanied by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, and the outgoing Parliamentary Secretary of the Senate, Marcelo Fuentes, welcomed the presidents and former presidents of Argentina, legislators, governors, foreign delegations and guests to the Chamber of Deputies.

At the beginning, the interior and exterior reception committees were formed to receive the president-elect on his arrival in Parliament, and a fourth intermission was held until Milei and Villarruel entered the chamber.

The Foreign Affairs Commission was composed of the following senators: José Emilio Neder, Alfredo Luis De Angeli, Gabriela Valenzuela, Ezequiel Atauche, Enrique De Vedia and deputies: María Graciela Parola, Julio Pereyra, Marcela Pagano, Gabriel Bornoroni, and Francisco Monti.

The Interior Committee was made up of the following senators: Marcelo Lewandowski, Eugenia Duré, Victor Zimmermann, Lucila Crexell, Juliana Di Tullio, and deputies: Gladys Medina, Andrea Freites, Javier Santurio Rodríguez, Lorena Villaverde and Cristian Ritondo.

Javier Milei arrived at Congress at 11:46 a.m. and was received by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the President of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem together with the legislators of the commissions.

Milei and Villarruel proceeded to sign the Books of Honour of the Honourable Senate of the Nation and the Chamber of Deputies of the Nation, in the “Salón Azul”.

Then, Milei and Villarruel looked at the original copy of the National Constitution and went to the Chamber of Deputies to take the oath, as is customary, before the Legislative Assembly.

The outgoing vice-president invited Milei to take his oath in front of the senators and deputies of the Nation. From the centre of the podium, he read out his oath. The President did it for God, the Fatherland and the Holy Gospels”.

Subsequently, the outgoing President Alberto Fernández entered and proceeded to hand over to his successor the presidential attributes, the sash and the baton. He then left the room.

Afterwards, Fernández and Milei signed the corresponding act together with the Notary General of the Nation.

The Vice-President of the Nation was then sworn in “by God, the Fatherland, the Holy Gospels”, and ended by saying that “God, the Fatherland, demand it of me”.

Finally, the new vice-president Victoria Eugenia Villarruel took the floor and expressed that “on behalf of the president Javier Milei and myself, I would like to thank each one of you for your presence, for accompanying us on this historic day. It is a moment that will remain in our hearts and we want to thank you for this gesture of accompanying us from all countries and provinces”. And he closed the Assembly.

After the swearing-in, Milei, who became the eighth elected president since the restoration of democracy in 1983, went to the steps of Congress to deliver his first speech.

National and international leaders and former leaders took part. Among those present were Felipe VI (King of Spain); Jair Bolsonaro (former President of Brazil); Viktor Orbán (Prime Minister of Hungary); Volodímir Zelensky (President of Ukraine); Gabriel Boric (President of Chile); Luis Lacalle Pou (President of Uruguay); Daniel Noboa (President of Ecuador); Santiago Peña (President of Paraguay); Luis Arce Catacora (President of Bolivia); Vahagn Kachaturyan (President of Armenia); Santiago Abascal (leader of VOX, Spanish political party); Jennifer M. Granholm (Secretary of the US Department of Energy); Weihua Wu (Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China) and David Rutley (British Minister in charge of the Americas).

Also in attendance were the head of the Buenos Aires government, Jorge Macri; the governors of Entre Ríos, Rogelio Frigerio; of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo; and of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof; former presidents Eduardo Duhalde and Mauricio Macri. Also, the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Horacio Rosatti, together with his colleagues Ricardo Lorenzetti and Juan Carlos Maqueda.

First published at the Senado de Argentina.

Leonardo Pereznieto, Maestro of Realism, Mentor to over 1 Million

By

Juan Sanchez Gil

-

11 December 2023

0

In a world where abstract art often dominates gallery walls and news headlines, the hyperrealist visions of Leonardo Pereznieto stand out for their technical mastery and emotional resonance. Since picking up his first pencil as a child in Spain, Pereznieto has dedicated his life to perfectly capturing the beauty of the world around him and sharing his craft with budding artists across the globe.

Table of Contents

Born To Draw

Pereznieto showed artistic talent from a very young age, filling sketchbooks with observational drawings of people and places. As a teenager, he began formal art training, honing his skills in drawing, painting, and sculpture at Madrid’s prestigious Art Center. Pereznieto then continued his studies at the Florence Academy of Art, widely considered one of the world’s top programs for representational fine art.

Throughout his student years, Leonardo Pereznieto challenged himself to translate three-dimensional reality onto the two-dimensional picture plane with exacting realism. His tireless studies of human anatomy, plant life, landscapes, still lifes, and architecture all furthered his ability to recreate visual phenomena down to the most precise detail. Light, shadow, texture, movement — every component had to be perfect.

Flickr channel of Leonardo Pereznieto : https://www.flickr.com/photos/leopereznieto/

Pereznieto’s diligence soon paid off with illustrations and paintings that seem to leap off the page, depicting their subjects with a level of realism bordering on photographic. And yet, his work moves beyond technical precision to activate the imagination and touch the soul. Subtle symbols and provocative themes inspire viewers to forge their own connections and interpretations.

Global Exhibitions of Leonardo Pereznieto

Since completing his studies, Pereznieto’s hauntingly lifelike drawings, paintings and sculptures have been displayed in exhibitions across Europe and the Americas. Last year, his solo show at the ABLE Fine Art Gallery in New York was met with critical acclaim, solidifying his status as one of today’s preeminent hyperrealist artists.

Highlights of Leonardo Pereznieto’s body of work include monumental graphite drawings like “The Journey,” depicting refugees in a boat gazing ahead with hope; emotionally charged paintings such as “Young Harmony,” featuring children of diverse backgrounds playing music together; and imaginative bronzes including “Window of Hope,” in which a young girl looks longingly through a stone aperture.

While varied in subject matter, Leonardo Pereznieto’s art uniformly marries technical excellence with symbolic resonance. He often incorporates themes of human rights, environmentalism and social justice, allowing the viewer to extract deeper meaning from the breathtaking aesthetics of his work.

Master Mentor

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In addition to creating award-worthy drawings, paintings and sculptures, Pereznieto strives to pass on his skills to new generations of artists. He teaches in-person workshops around the world and also shares his expertise in bestselling books and popular YouTube tutorials.

Published in 2020, Pereznieto’s book You Can Draw! takes artists through key techniques via step-by-step demonstrations.

Enthusiastic readers praise the text for unlocking realistic renderings in graphite, colored pencil and charcoal through straightforward explanations of lighting, proportion, texture and more.

His 2022 follow up, Basics of Drawing, cements core competencies like sketching frameworks, geometric forms and one-point perspective for absolute beginners.

Meanwhile, over 1 million subscribers tune in to Pereznieto’s eponymous YouTube channel to pick up tips for recreating metals, glass, water, gemstones and other tricky substances. Pereznieto breaks down each element in digestible videos aimed at self-learners.

Through these varied learning tools, the soft-spoken Pereznieto acts as a nurturing mentor rather than strict taskmaster. Aspiring artists around the globe consider him an inspiring guide into the foundations of classical representational technique as well as contemporary hyperrealism.

In his own words

Art is my life, and creating for me is like breathing.
I express myself through drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media. I seek to capture the splendor of the human spirit, the beauty, and the sensuality of the female figure and nature in a way that mirrors and, at the same time, idealizes visual reality. I strive to capture unforgettable moments and dreams in many of my works.
I create contrast by combining different types of mark-making. I finish the faces, hands, and subjects I want to emphasize with great detail, color, and contrast. At the same time, the rest of the figures and the background are often made with bolder strokes, making them subdued or blurry, inviting the viewer to spend more time on the key areas.
I intend to preserve the best of visual tradition by emphasizing technical skill, beauty, and passion while keeping up with the times by using new media, being sensitive to our contemporary public, and creating original forms.

Continuing to Inspire

Now entering his mid-40s, Pereznieto continues to perfect his craft while uplifting the next wave of artistic talent.

Fans can gain insight into his creative process and view new works in progress via Instagram updates from his home studio in Madrid. He engages with commenters and offers words of wisdom to those seeking feedback.

As accolades and auction prices continue rising for Pereznieto’s drawings, paintings and sculpture, he remains committed to keeping excellence in representational art accessible through open discourse with his devoted followers.

Standing apart from fleeting fads, Pereznieto’s sublime illusions have cemented his legacy as a contemporary master. And through his far-reaching educational initiatives, realism itself now looks more durable than ever.

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Born To Draw

Global Exhibitions of Leonardo Pereznieto

Master Mentor

In his own words

Continuing to Inspire

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