… hazardous plastic waste from the European Union (EU) to countries that are … in fighting plastic pollution,” said EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans … plastic waste from the EU to OECD countries and imports … in the EU will also be more …
Bethlehem inn rooms are empty for 2020 Christmas celebration
The inn rooms are empty in Bethlehem this year for the traditional Christmas celebrations as the Holy Land city battens hatches against the novel coronavirus pandemic at a time of the year it normally throngs with visitors.
Those seeking a quiet moment of contemplation in the Church of Nativity – celebrated by tradition to be the site of the birth of Jesus normally have to elbow their ways through the crowds that throng.
A surge in COVID-19 cases on the West Bank, part of the occupied Palestinian territory, means some severe lockdown conditions.
While midnight mass will take place at the Nativity Church on Christmas Eve, there will be congregation, the BBC reported.
Yet Father Rami Asakrieh told AFP that although the dearth has devastated local business, it has also offered a rare opportunity for solemn worship.
“I think that this Christmas is different because people are not busy with the external manifestations of the feast,” the priest said, referring to the gift-buying that has, for many, become synonymous with Christmas.
“Now (people) have the time, and they are obligated, to concentrate on the essential… the theological spirit of Christmas,” he said. “Less business, but more religion.”
Only a few dozen people attended the lighting of the Christmas tree in Bethlehem on Dec. 19 due to the virus restrictions compared to thousands who normally turn up, The Times of Israel reported.
A small group of residents and religious leaders participated in the tree-lighting ceremony at Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity. Others watched it virtually due to the restrictions.
Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman said Christmas is being observed this year in ways like no time before.
“We resorted to modern technology and to the virtual world to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree, wishing hope and optimism would flutter upon Palestine and the world,” Salman said, the newspaper reported.
Humanity First
Let’s Educate the World and present the Truth behind the protest & the ill treatment of Sikhs & Panjabis in India. Via CAP Liberté de Conscience Interview session with Mr PREMI SINGH and CAP’s representative Mr. THIERRY VALLE.
My name is PREMI SINGH, I am a Sikh Community representative, educator of Sikh affairs and an activist on Human Rights. I have represented Sikhs, Hindus and other community’s concerns and issues regarding Human rights violations at the United Nation in Geneva. I have also spoken about and raised issues faced by many refugees and asylum seekers, regarding their deportation, and migrations matters. I have also stood against and raised my voice against the brutality of unjustifiable wars. Apart from delegation duties, diplomacy, I and my team actively support homeless communities across Europe via our work with various Sikh Gurdwara’s (Sikh Places of worship) and different active collaboration with charities like the British Red Cross, Khalsa Aid and many other European Charities.
Through this interview session, I would like to raise my concerns via CAP LC on the Famer’s Peaceful protest taking place in India and how it is linked with Sikhs and Panjabi farmers in particular and how it will have a serious impact on their livelihood. I want to discuss what I believe to be the main aim of ‘far Right Hindu group’ and the Current BJP government which mostly consists of RSS members (Rashtriya swayamsevak Sangh- A volunteer Far right Hindu nationalist Organisation). This is a group that the current prime minister of India, PM Modi is an active member off.
How the fundamental right to go to Court on contractual disputes, under article 6 and 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), has been taken away from the farmers. This is to throw the small farmers to the ‘market’ (a designed monopoly by corporate Hindu owned companies) and remove all protections as well as the small subsidies that enables these small farmers to survive. The majority of whom are already under debts, thus pushing them further towards bankruptcy. This may result in them in losing their lands, homes and all livelihoods. These will later be purchased by the aforementioned corporate Far Right Hindu companies either by forced purchases or through opportunistic land grabbing. This is a process which is designed by India central government to gain control of historical Panjab land, territories and achieve political autonomy over Panjab. This is a systematic process to wipe out the Panjab and its Sikh identity pushing Sikh farmers to migrate to other countries.
Who is victim to these India’s 3 Farming Bills?
These bills are politically designed with a sinister agenda of the Far Right Hindu Organisations such as RSS and BJP (Current Government). In particular it is aimed at Sikh and Panjabi farmers. It is designed to slowly and systematically push the Sikh community out of the Panjab and seize their lands.
This proposed bills/Laws do not provide any guarantees or any assurances of a minimum purchased price (MSP) for individual crops. This means large corporations and monopolies can dictate prices. Whenever there are large monopolies as seen in the current markets in India, the small parties that had been protected previously, are forced to offer lower prices.
Many Ministers and MPs in India have raised their voices against PM Modi’s Farmer bills, but his reaction has been disgraceful and sycophantic. India officials have threatened the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau by releasing a statement that India ties and trade deals with Canada are at risk, should Canada continue to support the Panjabi community. Mr Trudeau, to his credit responded very strongly and said ‘Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest” in the context of the protests in India.
The Indian central government has placed under ‘House arrest Arvind Kejrewal the CM (Chief Minister of Delhi) AAP Party member. This happened as a direct results of him refusing to convert Delhi stadiums into prisons. The BJP plan was to place all Sikh protestors in these stadiums as prisoners. He responded that this would be a violation of Human rights and in fact tried to support the basic rights of the protesters by providing electricity and clean water.
Why is Britain’s PM silent over this protest? Why is the British media silent on the world’s largest protest? Why are the voices and actions of 25 million being ignored by such large parts of the international community?
Current UK government is being influenced by the Indian government as it requires Indian government co-operation to achieve any sort of Post-Brexit trade deal.
The Current Secretary of State for the Home Department in the UK, Priti Patel has long standing political affiliations with the Governments of India and Israel. She was the International Development Secretary under Theresa May’s premiership but was removed from this position after it was discovered that she was having meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel’s Prime minister) that breached the ministerial code of conduct. Priti Patel background is from Gujrat and has alleged relations with ‘far-right Hindu nationalists that form a large part of the current ruling party in India. Gujarat is where PM Modi started his Political career and was the Chief Minister of Gujrat. During his tenure the now infamous Gujrat Riots took place where thousands of Muslims (the ethnic minority in the region) where killed. During this crisis the police were allegedly stopped from taking actions that could have prevented or curtailed such riots.
Whenever any organisational or individual highlights such human rights violations, the government of India labels that individual/organisation as anti-Indian, fundamentalist, hardliners, separatists or as a terrorist. These acts don’t stop at political name calling, these individuals are harassed by the local law enforcement, imprisoned on false allegations and often tortured in jail. Indian state backed media often lead attempts at discrediting such individuals. They will also attempt character assignations on live TV with baseless claims to promote the political agenda of the ruling party.
Many scientists, sports personalities, artists, celebrities (numbering in the hundreds) have returned their awards including Olympic medals back to central Indian government in response to such atrocious farming bills and the treatment the farmers are receiving from PM Modi.
Peaceful Farmers protest started on the 25th of September in Panjab after the farmers reform bills were announced and were passed without the consultation with the farmers and were pushed swiftly by PM Modi to the President of India Ram Nath Kovind (again a far right Hindu nationalist) without the right to appeal in court.
Central government started ignoring the pleas of farmer organizations and thereafter started to ignore democratically elected ministers from the Panjab region in particular. This act was seen and felt both by national and international witneses as dictatorial in nature and a direct threat to the democracy of India. This also brought together the already strong ties of PM Modi, the Far Right Hindu nationalist party BJP, RSS, and its alliance with their big corporations like Advani, Hindujas, Tata, Mittal, and Reliance Ambani. The aim of such an alliance is clear for all to see- namely an eradication of Sikh’s rights in Panjab with an aim to their eventual removal from their home state.
Sikhs are known to the world for their Kindness, Bravery, farming prowess, Economical Enterprise, Community values and Pride. For India these are all reasons to be against the Sikh community and the values they stand for. Sikh’s have been Soldiers fighting for Justice, Democracy and Human Rights across the world since their inception.
When British left India in 1947, they had plans of a three state solution, Hindustan for Hindus, Panjab (Khalistan) for Sikhs and Pakistan for Muslims. Due to short-sightedness of Sikh leadership and false promises of Mr. Gandhi to Sikhs. Sikh leaders declined the offer of the three-state solution.
Once India, got freedom in 1947, the promises made by Gandhi at the time to Sikhs did not materialise. Thereafter time after time the demands of a Free Panjab state was suppressed and ignored by successive Indian governments. There has been no official acknowledgement of the unique Sikh history and territories, no acknowledgement of the proposed Sikh constitution by The Sri Akaal Thakht Sahib (called the Sikh Rehat Maryada). Even till today’s date Sikhs are considered as Hindus under Indian constitution and even their marriage act is registered under the Hindu marriage act. How can we label an English as Irish or a Dutch as South African, a French as Canadian? Well this is exactly happening to Sikhs around the world they have been labelled as Indians even as matter of fact is they are PANJABIs.
To keep brutal pressure on Sikhs, the central government of India kept dividing the Panjabi territories to other states within India, prime example Haryana a new state was formed as a result of dissection of the territories in Panjab. This was done in to dilute the political voting power from the majority Sikhs and Panjabis.
India has historically divided the Panjab kingdom with Pakistan and India in 1947, then further divisions inside India to neighboring states to continue to diminish the Sikh voting block. They have continued by taking control of water and natural resources without the Panjab state’s consent nor the consent of its public- the SIKH community!!! Indian governments did not stop there, they placed drugs, alcohol, and prostitution into the state of Panjab to undermine younger Panjabi Sikh’s Identity.
History suggests if you take away the richness, purity of Sikh faiths, strong cultural and traditional ties, and its values from the younger generation and specially the mother tongue (Panjabi) the coming generation will cripple itself. This is exactly what is happening to Sikhs in India. A slow systematic political dilution and wipeout of their existence and the Panjab a Free Democratic state. A few years back all the road signs of Panjab were re-written in Hindi and Panjabi was wiped out. This faced serious challenges by the local Panjabi residents who may only know how to read and write in Panjabi.
Killing of PM Indra Gandhi in 1984 was a direct result of Indian government’s long suppression, torture and dictatorship on Sikhs and especially the attack on Golden Temple by Indian Army on the Golden Temple (Sri Harmander Sahib) acted as a catalyst to this action.
The Military History of Sikhs and their contribution to world’s peace and democracy, is well known to World however India and its RSS lead politics and its led media, keeps labeling Sikhs as Terrorist and fundamentals.
Sikhs and their Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh proves that Sikhs promotes multiculturalism, equality, respect to all faith and beliefs, human rights for all by recognizing ‘All Human Race & mankind as ONE’! This Sikh rule and empire was so forward thinking in its ideals and practices, it is still being studied by scholars in other countries worldwide.
Sikhs were the first to give full equal rights to woman and Sikh women (Mia Bhago ji -1666 battle against Mughals) have fought on the front lines over 300 years ago. Even later Sophia Daleep Singh (1876 -1948) a Sikh princess was behind the women’s right to vote called the Suffragette Revolution/movement in Europe including UK.
Not many countries or its public are aware of the Sikh empire (also known as Sikh Khalsa Raj or Sarkar E Khalsa) was established under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was based on a secular Empire, rooted on Sikh Values as respecting and recognizing all as One.
At its peak in the 18thth (1801- to 19th) century, the Sikh empire extended from the kyber pass in the West to western Tibet in east, and from mithankot in the south to Kashmir in the north. In today’s geography, this would be land covering parts of China, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and Tibet. The language spoken in the Sikh empire was Panjabi (Script –Gurmukhi) being the main and other its dialects like Hindi, Urdu, Sarikis, Hindoowans, Pothwari also mixed with Pashto, Farsi, and Kashmiri mix. Its Generals, court judges and ministers were from not only from Sikh background but many from other faiths and from all around the world as to promote multiculturalism.
A few names of some of the Generals that served under Mahraja Ranjit Singh:
- Jean-François Allard – French
- Paolo Di Avitabile – Italian (Naples)
- Claude Auguste Court – French
- Jean-Baptiste Ventura – Italian (Modena)
- Alexander Gardner – American (Scots – Irish)
- Josiah Harlan – American general and later governor of Gujrat
Now let’s relate Sikh history to the current situation of peaceful famers protest all over India and its capital city Delhi being the center point against Modi’s suppressive government and its unethical farmer’s bills.
Panjab and Sikh territories have been changed regularly by the Central government of India with cruelty and dictatorship like tactics.
The current political stunt aims to acquire lands from the Panjabis (Sikhs in particular), by the RSS led Hindu government currently governed by PM Modi. The plan seems clear, by destroying the local economy and livelihoods of the farmers in the Panjab rejoin, they aim to buy up the land at a fraction of current prices. This is economic warfare and plain to see by all.
On the 27th of November 2020, Panjabi farmers chose to co-ordinate their protests against the radical Farmer’s bills in the capital city of Delhi. They had to overcome concrete barricades, National highways being converted into trenches to stop crossings, tear gas, stone missiles, baton charges from the Haryana and Delhi police. Nevertheless they successfully overcame all of these hurdles as the need to protest against these bills was paramount. The farmer protesters into Delhi pushed Modi to cut off the food and water supplies from the Punjab to these protestors. Already over 25 Panjabi’s have lost their lives due to the freezing local conditions in Delhi. Nevertheless, the Panjabi protests continue. They continue in spite of the challenges forced upon them by the central government. They continue in spite of the risk to their lives. They know if the current bills that have already been passed are allowed to stand, it means an end to the Panjab they know. It will mean an end to their culture and their way of living. This is why they and we must continue to protest and force these bills to be undone.
Media Blackout /spin
The Indian government is suggesting to the world’s media that they are providing the protesters with electricity, food and water. This is false. Modi has tried and is still trying to stop supplies from Panjab to the protesters on the borders of Delhi. The goverement has placed internet jamming devices and has tried to implent national and international media blackout on the protests. This extends to social media sites and accounts being blocked who are reporting on the protests. That is why it has taken over two months to reach to international news about the farmer protest. The protests took over three months to gain any sort of attention and actually started on 25th of September 2020 in the Panjab and in the other states of India like Calcutta, Karnataka, and utter pardesh. Since September 2020 the protests aren’t localized in Panjab, many states and farmers from all over India recognize this threat to their livelihoods and have been protesting locally ever since.
Sikhs are known for giving not taking, they have fought many battles for the freedom of international world and democracy. They been humanitarian leaders since day one. The easiest example of thier service to all communities is the serving free-food (Langar)/free Kitchen) to the world as Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Langar. This tradition has started since the days of Guru’s in the 1500’s and continues proudly by all Sikh all over the world.
Sikhs are peace loving, saint soldiers (universal soldiers) not fundamentalists or hardliners. They are secular and promote humanity, multiculturalism and democracy in a full and transparent manner. We believe we have a duty to protect communities and people who are unable to fight for themselves. This is why it is paramount we protest against such laws and transgressions from the government in India.
It is crucial for the world to understand Sikhs are only asking for their human rights, farming rights, freedom to use their mother tongue, and share their culture with the world. Sikhs are hoping to establish an Independent state in future. This is the same land they were born on and have lived on for generation. It is their right to govern themselves according to their own laws and values. The international community and India shouldn’t have an objection to this. They are not asking someone else’s land or property. This is land that has passed down through the generations. Sikhs are asking for the right to govern themselves without fear of religious persecution. The same persecution they have been fighting against since the creation of the Khalsa.
This peaceful farmer’s protest to Delhi is not even about an Independent state, Khalistan (or Sarkar I Khalsa). It is solely about the farmer’s rights and against the astrocious farmer’s bills. The bill is clearly designed to benefit already rich companies like Hindujas, Mittal’s, Ambani’s, Reliance, Tata etc. All of which are unsurprisingly owned by Hindu’s. This is why other states have joined with Sikhs and Panjabi farmers to protest against the brutal bill where farmers lands will be taken away in a slow and systematic way. This bill will impact millions of farmers lives and livelihoods. The Sikhs community is being the targeted by the current Indian administration.
Indian government tried its hardest to stop Sikh farmers entering Delhi but failed. Delhi Haryana police, BSF soldiers, and Raw agents tried infiltrating the protests with their agents. State hired goons turned the initially peaceful protest march to Delhi into a violent one. They used stone projectiles, tear gas canisters, heavy water-guns, dug trenches on the national high ways and roads, built over 7ft high concrete barricades and even fired live ammunition against the protesters resulting in injury to many.
Nevertheless the peace loving Sikh and Panjabi farmers kept the peaceful march moving forward. Indian government tried to place false Covid restriction on them but nothing withstood the farmers’ energy, passion and strength for justice and righteousness. It is surprising that a few weeks ago other states farmers managed to enter Delhi to protest and there was no Covid restrictions placed on them. Even Bihar state ran its full elections and election rallies prior and there was no mention of Covid that included currently running party of Modi BJP and PM and his advisor Amit Sha themselves being present in the rallies.
India government has been trying to buy and influence Western main channels like BBC, SKY, CNN, France TV, Arab TV to not broadcast or provide coverage to Farmer’s protests around the world. (BBC has kept it quiet till 06Dec2020 and after severe pressure has been given the topic minimal coverage).
Indian media is deliberately broadcasting negativity about the protest, and farmers have boycotted the Indian media owned by Modi interests.
Still there is much more needed to be done by the International community and politicians! Western media has a duty to report human right violations by the Indian goverment on these peaceful farmer protesters.
Even when the protests are covered in the media of some foriegn nations they have a distinct pro-government bias in their reporting. This is a direct result of the pressure the Indian government is applying to its trading partners around the world.
Modi’s RSS and BJP’s aim is to convert India from secularism country to Hindu/ism only!! Prime example by changing city name from Bombay to Mumbai, Madras to Chennai and now even Delhi roads names are being changed to Hindu prominent memebers and far right Hindu leaders. Yet the international media is keeping quiet about it.
The main point of farmer bills should be to limit climate change measures/reforms, lower pollution, achieve cleaner air, promote better use of safe insecticides and fertilizer, however there is no subsidy for environment or sustainable development.
It shows clearly that Modi government is doing, what the few wealthy Hindu cooperate companies have asked him to. Only to gain them ever increasing profits at the expense of poor farmers and smaller land owners. This situation is so dire some of the affected farmers have committed suicide.
The farmer’s suicide has become a recurring trend in Panjab. We have seen over 1200 suicides in last year alone. In the Panjab, selling your land is like selling their mother. There is deep shame and regret in even thinking of selling your land. The Sikh community are proud to be farmers and to be able to grow crops on their own land. The inability to do so is a shameful thought for many and some have chosen to take their lives rather then live with such regret. This issue is seen throughout india with over 32000 suicide cases registered all over India in the last year. Due to the social stigma of suicide, there is gross under reporting of such actions and the true number is probably well over 50000 in the past year.
The Sikh voice and the plight of the panjab cannot be silenced. Attempts to curry favor with Western world through offering preferential trade terms are already being made by the Indian government. This was the same tactic used post the 1984 Sikh genocide during the attack on Sri Harmandar Sahib .
The trade deals of India silenced the world (especially Western countries), blindfolded them and made them deaf to the cruelty and torture of Sikhs in Delhi and all over India. This has been happening ever since where, especially in the 1970’s, and later in 1980’s resulting in assassination of Indira Gandhi whom once was a supporter of Sant Jarnail Singh Bindrawale. Sant Bindrawale was a Sikh Leader and Social Human Right activist. He was not a terrorist which is what the Indian government is trying to label him till today. It is clear whenever India is in violation of Human rights, it tries to buy international silence with ‘trade deals’.
Current update is that India government has placed hardline far Right Hindu goons into police uniforms and army uniforms and are planning to attack on protesters turning peaceful protest into violence. They will then blame Sikhs and Panjabis for disturbing the peace of the city.
To blindfold the world and they are using old tactics. They will prevent independent media from providing coverage of their attacks on Sikhs, just like it did in 1984 Sikh Genocide. It has already placed Internet jammers, social media blockade (Facebook). they are further planning to even turn the street-lights off. I.e. full electricity cut off, so their sinister operations can be covered by darkness. Same happened in Gujrat riots where thousands of Muslims were killed and many were burned alive.
Till today’s date there has been more than 25 deaths/causalities of farmer protesters in Delhi and many injured due to the brutality of Indian leadership.
The silence from European leaders continues as they do not values Sikhs lives. This is despite Sikhs being critical in both world wars. Sikhs fought alongside British and French troops in the trenches of the second wold war against the Hitler. Sikhs choose to be part of that war to protect civil liberties and fight for human rights for all.
This is the decision for the United Nation and the rest of the world and its ordinary public, If you want to be dictated, governed, controlled or ruled by 1% richest population of the world, then be silent! If you want the big cooperates to decide what is good and bad for you then be silent. Whenever any Sikhs have raised issues with regards to India they have be labeled as hardliners, or traitors or even terrorist funded by America, Europe or Arab world. They are forced to be silent or face India’s tyranny by being arrest on false allegation and made up charges or even killed in false accidents, like Jaswant Singh Karla DOB: 02nd Nov 1952). Today the ordinary people like YOU and ME are letting this happened because we do nothing! The readers and watcher-bys are as much guilty on moral grounds.
We are not placing our pen on papers nor raising our voices to condemn it strongly, that this is wrong and your elected government should place pressure on such governments. If there is humanity, compassion, kindness and righteousness left on this world then I humbly urge the International world and the United Nations to strongly condemn the hardliner, harsh tactics of PM Modi. They should place pressure on the Central government of India to undo the farmer’s bill back with immediate effect. This will help all farmers in India and allow them to continue enjoying their livelihoods in India.
EU and UK edge closer on fish as they race to seal Brexit deal before Christmas
The European Union and United Kingdom are racing to finish a deal on trade before breaking for Christmas, with the two sides moving closer on the outstanding issue of fish.
<p class="no_name">Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has remained in headquarters in the Berlaymont to try to bring the agreement over the line by Christmas Eve, tic-tacking in phone calls between British prime minister Boris Johnson and EU member states.</p>
<p class="no_name">Taoiseach Micheál Martin told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that fish was the final hurdle in the negotiations, and that if a deal was reached today or tomorrow officials would be working on the text on Christmas Day.</p>
<p class="no_name">“We’re all on standby,” Mr Martin said. “On balance, given the progress that has been made, there should be a deal, and no-deal would be an appalling shock to the economic system.”</p>
<p class="no_name">The EU has offered to cede 25 per cent of the roughly €650 million worth of fish stocks its boats catch in British waters, an increase of a previous bid position that 18 per cent was the maximum that could be considered.</p>
<p class="no_name">But British negotiators have countered with a demand for 35 per cent, with pelagic fish being treated separately, which would raise fears that Irish fleets that catch mackerel and herring could be disproportionately at risk of losing out.</p>
<p class="no_name">Officials warn that such percentages are fluid, and intense talks are continuing to try to eke out a landing ground that would allow the negotiators to return home for Christmas Day.</p>
<p class="no_name">The fact that the two sides are still locked in negotiations just hours before the Commission buildings should in theory be shut down and locked for the holiday is seen as a sign that both sides believe a deal may be close.</p>
<p class="no_name">“They are still talking so things are moving,” an EU diplomat said.</p>
<p class="no_name">The legal drafting and scrutiny of any deal by member states would also take time and is an additional pressure on the talks.</p>
<p class="no_name">All hopes of ratifying the deal through the European Parliament have now been abandoned as not enough time remains, meaning that member states would have to agree to ‘provisionally’ apply the terms from January 1st to avoid having to impose tariffs on trade. The parliament could vote at the end of the month to give its stamp of approval to the deal.</p>
<p class="no_name">A deal would avoid the worst damage of a shift to default World Trade Organisation terms, but would still mean barriers to trade between the UK and EU that did not exist before. </p>
<p class="no_name">Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has warned businesses to expect “some weeks” of disruption to trade passing through Britain and has urged hauliers to opt for direct ferry routes to the continent instead, as the end of the transition period coincides with disruption due to Covid-19.</p>
New deadline of 7 February 21 for regions initiative
The rule of law stands strong, despite global challenges society has to face due to the pandemic. A European Citizens’ Initiative: Sign It Europe, proposed in defence of minority rights, got off to a challenging start, coinciding with the advent of COVID-19. However, it may actually prove to be just as successful as its recent ideological predecessor: The Minority Safepack Initiative. Thanks to the extension granted by the European Union, a new deadline of 7 February 2021 was agreed on. The coming year and the new legislative period hold great promise of further advancements in the field of minority rights.
In this year, which we are slowly leaving behind, the peoples of Europe need success more than ever before. The pandemic has certainly put the peoples of the continent to the test – divisions and chaos can be seen in almost every country in Europe – but at the same time the values on which our continent’s policies are based, which have guaranteed peace for eight decades, have been pushed into the background. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that, after the coronavirus pandemic, we will face new and unprecedented challenges that will require these values much more than ever before. Without tolerance, unity in diversity, responsibility for each other, and solidarity with the poor and disadvantaged, even the most ingenious economic programs are doomed to fail.
What is the citizens’ initiative for the creation of national regions about?
We all know the name of Count Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi well. What we know now, as the European Union began with his dream, Count Kalergi began to plan a project based on lasting peace, development, and respect for each other. In many ways this is very similar to the situation we find ourselves in today. After the tragedy of the First World War, Kalergi wondered how to create public policies and operate them validly throughout Europe to guarantee that its peoples would not start another war. Kalergi’s plan was welcomed throughout Europe, but the decision-makers of the nation-states failed to recognize its potential, which led, of course, to another cataclysmic conflict. The European Union that followed was built on Kalergi’s ideas, although many of his plans were left unimplemented. Such is the dilemma outlined by Kalergi: no matter how progressive, forward-looking and peaceful the EU legal system is, nation-states can always block changes.
The initiators of the creation of national regions recognized this: one of the big problems in Europe today is that development and growth are not even. Some regions are developing at a dizzying pace, while others are in almost the same situation as before they joined the EU. For an example of this, it is enough to think only of the most populous, stateless European minority: the Roma.
However, the situation applies to more or less all nation-states with a significant number of minorities. The distribution of EU funds does not always take into account the perspectives of the regions in which these minorities form a majority or live in significant numbers, which would enable the people living in these areas to settle the issues of their region using their own public policies. The problem also poses a danger because these regions will sooner or later become poor ghettos, which will only increase social tensions. And in times of crisis, these regions will also suffer the most from the unequal distribution of resources. Again, I must cite the Roma as an example: the devastation caused by the coronavirus was higher than average among Roma people, while nation-state health policies – keeping the big picture in mind – did not notice the deep danger, and governments did not allocate (or only sparingly allocated) resources to these regions.
Sign it Europe – The solution to prosperity
The Sign It Europe petition, which focuses on the citizens’ initiative to create national regions, seeks to introduce a new approach to European public discourse based on the ideas above. This could help move decision-makers towards the pursuit of public policies that guarantee social peace and prosperity. The goal is an EU regulation that would give a possibility to the areas inhabited by a minority in majority or in larger numbers access to EU funding independently of their nation-state governments, provided, of course, that their application meets EU standards, which could make a major contribution to Europe’s development, prosperity, and peace.
The success of a citizens’ initiative rests on two conditions. One is the geographical quantity: The required quantity must be collected in at least seven EU Member States. The other condition is the quantitative criterion: at least one million signatures are required.
The Sign It Europe team has so far managed to reach the quota in five countries: Romania, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovakia and Hungary. And the number of signatures has exceeded one million altogether. As you can see, we have reached the gates of a success together, which helps give a new view to a Europe plagued by a pandemic. However, it is not enough just to reach the gate. We know that success means meeting the required quota in at least two more countries, but also wanting to maximize the number of signatures. The deadline is 7 February 2021.
We trust that the content of this likable European Citizens’ Initiative has also made you think and encouraged you to support it, please spread the information of our initiative in your own country as much as possible.
Let’s work together to keep the good going in post-pandemic Europe and to make it even better than it was before. Thank you and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of luck and health!
EU disburses additional € 24 million in grants to support Armenia’s fight against COVID-19
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. The European Union (EU) informed the Government of Armenia about the disbursement of additional € 24 million in grants to support Armenia’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The EU’s decision follows a positive assessment on progress in development of a Mid-Term Recovery Plan (MTRP), macroeconomic stability, public financial management and state budget transparency, in the frame of the COVID-19 Resilience Contract signed between the EU and the Government of Armenia, the EU Delegation to Armenia told Armenpress.
As part of the European Union’s € 92 million response package to the COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia, this new disbursement of € 24 million is meant to help Armenia in its fight against the COVID-19 crisis and in strengthening the economic and financial resilience in the country. This EU assistance announced today is an extra support to the recently disbursed Euro 35.6 million of last month and creates additional fiscal space to implement Government healthcare and anti-crisis measures for vulnerable groups and businesses affected by COVID-19.
H.E. Mher Grigoryan, Deputy Prime Minister, said: “We highly appreciate the EU’s support in these difficult times and extend our gratitude for the EU’s constructive and quick response in addition to the last month’s allocation of € 35.6 million. This new allocation is made within the scope of the budget support program signed between the Government of Armenia and the EU in 2020 to fight the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We firmly believe that it will greatly contribute to Armenia’s recovery from the pandemic, supporting the Government in overcoming the socio-economic hardships resulted by the crisis.”
H.E. Andrea Wiktorin, EU Head of Delegation, said: “The EU and its Member States stand firm in supporting Armenia’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering grant assistance to contribute to Armenia’s efforts to health and socio-economic recovery and build resilience. We have already disbursed around Euro 60 million this year in direct grant-based budget support to Armenia to tackle COVID-19 and more is yet to come. Our assistance is expected to help implement important economic reforms, preserve jobs & small businesses and promote inclusive growth in Armenia. The fight against pandemic is definitely not over but we can overcome it only by standing together as one”.
The EU’s response follows a Team Europe approach, aimed at saving lives by providing quick and targeted support to our partners to face this pandemic. It combines resources from the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions to support partner countries and address their short-term needs, as well as the longer-term structural impacts on societies and the economy.
UNICEF and the European Union launch major child protection initiative in Bangladesh
**Dhaka, 20 December 2020 – **In a landmark announcement, the European Union has committed US$ 25.7 million to support UNICEF’s child protection programme in Bangladesh over the next four years. The project will give over 10 million children access to social services, and will empower children to claim their rights. The initiative has a special focus on adolescents and on children living with disabilities.
“This is an unprecedented investment in the realization of child rights in Bangladesh. Children have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this generous contribution from the European Union comes at such a critical juncture. It will help ensure that children whose needs are the greatest have equal opportunities and equal access to critical services,” said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has developed inclusive policies and programmes for marginalized children. At the same time, crucial equity gaps remain, particularly for children living with disabilities. In Bangladesh, children living with disabilities are the least likely to receive healthcare or go to school. They face disadvantages and deprivation at home and in their communities.
“As families struggle to overcome challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, we must invest now to build the safety nets needed for children and adolescents to reach their full potential and to contribute to their society in the future,” said Maurizio Cian, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh.
In the World Disability Report published in 2011, WHO and the World Bank estimate that 1 billion people or 15 per cent of the world’s population experience some form of disability. About 80 percent of people with disability live in developing countries.
The initiative will strengthen protection systems, policies and legislation in support of children and adolescents, including those living with disabilities, living in hard-to-reach, disaster-prone and disadvantaged areas, and those living on the streets. UNICEF will work closely with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Ministry of Social Welfare and other partners to strengthen basic social services for marginalized children. At the same time, disadvantaged children and adolescents will be given opportunities to become change agents in their own communities, with skills to challenge harmful social norms and discriminatory practices.
Media contacts
Faria Selim
UNICEF Bangladesh
Tel: +8809604107077
Email: [email protected]
Anjum AZIZ
Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh
Tel: +৮৮০-২-৫৫৬৬৮০৫৭
Email: [email protected]
Brexit Trade Talks Difficult as EU and UK Still Split on Key Issues
Britain and the European Union remained divided over competition and fishing on Wednesday as they tried to clinch a Brexit trade deal in time to avoid a turbulent split at the end of the year.
Ireland said a deal was still possible before Britain leaves the EU’s orbit on Dec. 31, 11 months after it formally quit the bloc and entered a transition period keeping it in the bloc’s customs union and single market until the year ends.
But with a dizzying array of conflicting signals coming from the two sides, Britain has not yet managed to agree a deal that would ease the pain of its departure by keeping in place zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the single market.
British Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News that “at the moment there isn’t sufficient progress” at the talks.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the gap on how much fish EU boats could catch in British waters was still wide, but that he believed there should be a deal given the economic shock that failure would trigger.
“On balance, I think given the progress that has been made that there should be a deal,” Martin told national broadcaster RTE. “A no-deal would be an appalling shock to the economic system on top of COVID-19.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are in close contact and were expected to hold another call on Wednesday.
British sources said talks remained “difficult” and underscored the differences. EU sources were more upbeat.
The British pound rose, as did midcap stocks. Investors expect swings in the currency as overnight volatility was holding above 25%.
Johnson, who is also grappling with a deepening COVID-19 outbreak and a border crisis at Europe‘s busiest truck port, has said he will not sign up to any deal that undermines British sovereignty.
Walking away from the talks might win applause from many Brexit supporters in Britain but could cause severe disruptions to goods trade which makes up half of annual EU-UK commerce, worth nearly a trillion dollars in all.
DEAL TIME?
Britain, which joined the EU’s precursor in 1973, has often had stormy relations with the countries in the Franco-German led project which sought to bind the ruined nations of post-World War Two Europe into a global power.
The scale of possible Brexit disruption has been laid bare by France closing its borders to Britain for 48 hours, citing a new coronavirus variant. This left thousands of European truckers stranded in southern England and disrupted food supplies.
The EU is making a “final push” to strike a trade deal though rifts over fishing rights remain, EU negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday.
Ireland’s Martin said that if there was a breakthrough on Wednesday or Thursday, officials in Europe could be working on the text on Christmas Day.
“I’m still reasonably optimistic but there’s no news to report to you this morning,” Britain’s Jenrick said. “There’s still the same serious areas of disagreement whether that’s on fisheries or the level playing field.”
Level playing field is trade jargon for ensuring fair competition. EU leaders fear that after Brexit the United Kingdom could ease regulation to undercut others and gouge EU market share. Enforcement is an important issue.
Beside competition, the sides are haggling over how much EU fishermen can catch in Britain’s waters: essentially how many sole, sand eels and mackerel EU boats can fish per year, where and how to renew such agreements.
Barnier told EU envoys on Tuesday that Britain’s latest offer on sharing out the fish catch from British waters from 2021 was “totally unacceptable,” according to EU diplomats.
Only Belgium & Slovakia On Track To Meet EU Air Pollution Targets
December 23rd, 2020 by Guest Contributor
Originally published on website of European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Europe’s largest network of environmental citizens’ organizations.
Electric delivery van in Slovakia. Image courtesy of Voltia.
All of the EU’s member states but two have failed to show how they will slash air pollution to comply with the emissions limits set out in the EU’s National Emission Ceilings Directive, a troubling new report finds. This puts in peril public health and Europe’s efforts to combat air pollution.
Released on 18 December 2020, the EEB report sheds light on progress by member states towards compliance with the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive, which aims to halve the impact of air pollution on people health by 2030.
Under the directive, EU governments are obliged to develop national air pollution control programmes which outline how the member state will reduce emissions of five major pollutants by 2020 and 2030.
The first programme was due by 1 April 2019. However, only eight countries submitted it by the deadline (Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom), while some other governments submitted theirs more than a year later. Greece, Luxembourg and Romania have still not delivered their programme and Italy has only submitted a draft.
Airy promises
Moreover, our analysis shows that only two member states (Belgium and Slovakia) are on track to meet the targets for the decade between 2020 and 2029, while only Belgium is on course to satisfy its 2030 commitments.
“With our health and our environment at stake, it is a scandal that all but two member states have fallen so short of their commitments to reduce air pollution over this critical decade,” said the EEB’s Senior Policy Officer for Air and Noise Margherita Tolotto. “We call on the European Commission to start infringement procedures against all the member states which have failed to submit a credible Programme, and to ensure that all plans are fit for purpose.”
Tolotto also urged member states to get their houses in order:
“We ask national governments to tackle air pollution with the urgency it deserves, by putting in place the necessary national programmes and sticking to them. As many of them prepare their National Recovery and Resilience Plans, air quality must be a priority.”
Background
Despite improvements in air quality, air pollution remains the biggest environmental health risk in Europe, causing around 400,000 premature deaths per year in the European Union.
When adopting the NEC Directive, member states agreed to reduce their emissions of five pollutants by 2020 and 2030. EU legislation requires them to prepare a national air pollution control programme outlining how they will meet their emissions reduction targets in all sectors, including domestic heating and agriculture.
When preparing these programmes, national governments also have the obligation to consult with and inform the public.
Our report explores what went wrong and provides tools and recommendations to rectify the dire situation, including the steps to be taken and measures to be included to prepare a good national programme.
The EEB is Europe’s largest network of environmental citizens’ groups with 150 members in more than 30 countries. Together with DUH, FNE and the Lake Constance Foundation, the EEB has launched the “Clean Air Farming” project to help reduce ammonia and methane emissions from agriculture.
The Project Clean Air Farming (LIFE17 GIE/DE/610 Air & Agriculture) is co-financed by the LIFE-Programme of the European Commission.
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16 Month Tesla Model 3 SR+ Review
Buddhist Times News – Bhutan PM announces 7-day nationwide lockdown amid new Covid-19 cases
By — Shyamal Sinha
Bhutan will go on lockdown for seven days starting from Tuesday amid rising case of Covid-19 cases, announced Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering.
In a statement, Tshering announced that a nationwide lockdown will be enforced for seven days, starting December 23, adding that the lockdown will enable the government to control the spread of the disease and also discern the extent of transmission in the communities.
“In continuation to the inter-district movement restriction imposed this morning, the national COVID-19 Taskforce decided the need for a more stringent action after detection of sporadic cases in flu clinics in Thimphu and Paro, and also in Lhamoizingkha, which is evident of local transmission,” the statement read.
As per a bulletin by Ministry of Health of the Himalayan Kingdom on December 22, the total number of COVID-19 cases stood at 479 out of which 430 have recovered. Bhutan is yet to record a COVID-19 fatality.
While only designated shops within the zones and essential services will be available, all schools, institutions, offices and business establishments should remain closed.
Similarly, movement of individuals with the card within the zones and delivery of essentials will start in Thimphu tomorrow, as it completes the third day of lockdown. However, zone relaxation will not apply to houses under isolation, the statement noted.
Recently, Bhutan’s ambassador to India Vetsop Namgyel stated that India’s vaccines will be the ‘easiest to administer and transport’ as the country is ‘known to produce in bulk quantities’.
Hailing India, the Bhutan Ambassador said, “Vaccines in India are the ones which will be easiest to administer and transport. Most countries will benefit from it. India is known to produce in bulk quantities, once approved it can be rolled out quickly.”
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India. Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the pre-clinical stage of which one of the Coronavirus vaccine candidates is in the pre-development stage being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, the official said.
source — ANI
