oris Johnson is said to be leaving “no stone unturned” in his quest to get a deal with the European Union.
The terms offered by the European Union on a trade deal continue to be “unacceptable” to the UK, according to a Government source – with time running out to strike an agreement.
Talks between chief negotiators Lord Frost and Michel Barnier are expected to last late into the night in Brussels as officials stressed there had been no breakthrough in the latest discussions that started just before midday on Saturday.
A Government source said: “Talks are continuing overnight, but as things stand the offer on the table from the EU remains unacceptable.
“The Prime Minister will leave no stone unturned in this process, but he is absolutely clear: any agreement must be fair and respect the fundamental position that the UK will be a sovereign nation in three weeks’ time.”
With the UK teetering on the brink of a no-deal exit, the Government has stepped up preparations for crashing out of the single market when transition arrangements end on December 31.
Reports have also suggested that ministers are considering beefing-up Navy powers in legislation to authorise them to board and arrest fishermen found to be contravening post-Brexit rules.
Tobias Ellwood, Conservative chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, called the threat “irresponsible” while former European commissioner Lord Patten said the Prime Minister’s no-deal rhetoric was based on the “runaway train of English exceptionalism”.
But Admiral Lord West, a former chief of naval staff, said it was “absolutely appropriate” for the Royal Navy to protect UK waters from foreign fishing vessels if asked to do so in a no-deal Brexit scenario.
“The Royal Navy should protect our waters if the position is that we are a sovereign state and our Government has said we don’t want other nations there,” Lord West told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
When asked about the UK’s decision to ready Royal Navy patrol ships, an Elysee Palace official in Paris reportedly replied using the British wartime slogan, telling journalists: “Keep calm and carry on.”
The trade talks continue to be deadlocked over the thorny issues of fishing rights and the so-called level playing field “ratchet” that would tie the UK to future EU standards.
Mr Johnson, in a speech at a climate change summit on Saturday, appeared to take a dig at French president Emmanuel Macron over the fishing row.
Brexit: UK’s relationship with Europe – In pictures
Mr Macron is said to have threatened to veto a UK-EU deal after expressing dissatisfaction at the new quota terms being thrashed out for French fishermen.
In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister thanked summit co-host Mr Macron, adding that he knew the En Marche! leader “shares my keen interest in protecting the ecosystems of our seas”.
The latest impasse comes as farmers warned there will be “significant disruption” to the sector if the UK fails to reach a Brexit trade deal with the EU.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) said it was “critically important” that a free trade agreement was reached between both sides, with a priority on securing a tariff and quota-free deal.
More than 60% of the UK’s agricultural food and drink production – worth £14.5 billion to economy – is exported to the EU, making it the largest trading partner for British farmers.
But without a deal at the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, farmers could lose free access to the EU “overnight”, the NFU warned.
FARGO — Fargo Public Library children’s librarians are offering a free service, “What’s Next? Kids’ Personalized Reading Recommendations,” to help children decide what books to read and find resources for homework assignments.
<div class="p402_premium" readability="21.291201982652">
<p>The service is available for children, parents/caregivers, grandparents and teachers. Those wishing to get started are instructed to fill out the "What's Next?" online form at <a href="https://fargond.gov/city-government/departments/library/kids/what-s-next-kids-book-recommendations" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">fargolibrary.org/whatsnext</a>. Based on the preferences provided, librarians will suggest and pick out books and materials, and will either send a list or place the books on hold for pickup at any Fargo Public Library location.</p> <p>Those accessing the service will receive reading recommendations in about three to five days (one week for curriculum requests). The new reading recommendation service can also provide suggested collections of materials according to specific themes or lesson plan needs.</p> <p>For more information, contact the Children's Services Department at 701-241-1495 or email [email protected].</p>
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Three Nominations for new LUX European Audience Film Award
During the virtual European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on Saturday, Another Round, Corpus Christi, and Collective were shortlisted for the LUX Audience Award.
“Congratulations to the teams behind the three films that were just nominated in Berlin for the LUX award! All the nominations are fantastic and all would be worthy winners. Each film is very different, yet each is of outstanding artistic quality and bears a clear social message that deserves to be heard throughout the EU and beyond”, said Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE), chair of the EP Culture and Education committee, on Saturday evening.
She also invited all Europeans to watch the films and vote for them. “We want European citizens to be a part of the award, especially now that the sector has been so affected by the pandemic. For the European Parliament, LUX Award is an important contribution to promote European culture and common values, which define our identity and our way of life. Culture can touch the hearts and minds of people in ways that politics will never be able to”, she added.
Viewers can vote from 13 December 2020 to 11 April 2021
Another Round by Thomas Vinterberg, Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa, and Collective by Alexander Nanau are the films shortlisted to win the LUX Audience Award. EU viewers can now be part of the jury and help determine the winner by rating the films via the platform luxaward.eu, to be launched on 13 December. Voting ends on 11 April 2021.
The three nominated films will be subtitled in the 24 official EU languages. Screenings in EU cinemas will be promoted – insofar as present health conditions permit – and be supported to increase visibility in all member states and in the UK.
From 1 March 2021, MEPs will start to cast their votes via a dedicated internal platform. The winner will be announced in the European Parliament plenary sitting on 28 April 2021.
Discovering the films
Another Round – the Danish-Swedish-Dutch co-production directed by Thomas Vinterberg is the story of a group of high-school teachers who decide to follow the theory inspired by Norwegian psychologist Finn Skårderud who believes humans are born with a 0.05% alcohol deficit in their blood. The group of friends decide to experiment in order to explain this conundrum.
Corpus Christi – the Polish-French co-production directed by Jan Komasa is the story a 20-year-old man who experiences a spiritual calling while detained in a youth centre. Due to his criminal record, he cannot become a priest. However, he accidentally takes over a local parish and brings the local community a novel approach to life and religion.
Collective – Romanian-Luxembourg co-production directed by Alexander Nanau is the gripping story of the joint efforts of doctors, government officials, and particularly investigative journalists who face corruption while uncovering a vast health-care fraud in Bucharest after a fire at the Colectiv night club.
Background
The winner of the LUX Audience Award – jointly awarded by Parliament and the European Film Academy and in partnership with the European Commission and the Europa Cinemas network – will be selected by MEPs and the audience (each accounting for 50% of the final decision).
The nominees will be screened across the EU during the LUX Film Days or LUX Audience Week until 11 April 2021. Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, cinema screenings have been postponed to the spring.
The award strives to promote creativity and diversity in European cinema, by supporting films produced in Europe and helping them to overcome language and distribution barriers.
EU offer remains ‘unacceptable’ as negotiators prepare for all-night talks
Brexit PM
The terms offered by the European Union on a trade deal continue to be “unacceptable” to the UK, according to a Government source – with time running out to strike an agreement.
Talks between chief negotiators Lord Frost and Michel Barnier are expected to last late into the night in Brussels as officials stressed there had been no breakthrough in the latest discussions that started just before midday on Saturday.
The Prime Minister will again speak with the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, following a dinner meeting in Brussels during the week in which both agreed a firm decision on the future of negotiations was needed by the end of the weekend.
Boris Johnson is scheduled to give a press conference or issue a recorded statement to update the nation once he is off the phone with Europe’s top official.
A Government source said: “Talks are continuing overnight, but as things stand the offer on the table from the EU remains unacceptable.
“The Prime Minister will leave no stone unturned in this process, but he is absolutely clear: any agreement must be fair and respect the fundamental position that the UK will be a sovereign nation in three weeks’ time.”
Mr Johnson and Ms von der Leyen have both warned that a no-deal outcome looks more likely than an agreement in the trade negotiations.
With the UK teetering on the brink of a no-deal exit, the Government has stepped up preparations for crashing out of the single market when transition arrangements end on December 31.
UK chief Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost is expected to continue talking to his EU counterpart late into the night on Saturday (Aaron Chown/PA)
The confirmation from the Ministry of Defence that four Royal Navy gunboats have been placed on standby to guard British waters from EU trawlers if there is no agreement has been greeted with anger by some senior Tories.
Reports have also suggested that ministers are considering beefing-up Navy powers in legislation to authorise them to board and arrest fishermen found to be contravening post-Brexit rules.
Tobias Ellwood, Conservative chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, called the threat “irresponsible” while former European commissioner Lord Patten said the Prime Minister’s no-deal rhetoric was based on the “runaway train of English exceptionalism”.
But Admiral Lord West, a former chief of naval staff, said it was “absolutely appropriate” for the Royal Navy to protect UK waters from foreign fishing vessels if asked to do so in a no-deal Brexit scenario.
Admiral Lord West, a former chief of naval staff, said the Royal Navy should protect UK waters from foreign fishing vessels if asked to do so in a no-deal Brexit scenario (Jonathan Brady/PA)
“The Royal Navy should protect our waters if the position is that we are a sovereign state and our Government has said we don’t want other nations there,” Lord West told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
When asked about the UK’s decision to ready Royal Navy patrol ships, an Elysee Palace official in Paris reportedly replied using the British wartime slogan, telling journalists: “Keep calm and carry on.”
The trade talks continue to be deadlocked over the thorny issues of fishing rights and the so-called level playing field “ratchet” that would tie the UK to future EU standards.
Mr Johnson, in a speech at a climate change summit on Saturday, appeared to take a dig at French president Emmanuel Macron over the fishing row.
Mr Macron is said to have threatened to veto a UK-EU deal after expressing dissatisfaction at the new quota terms being thrashed out for French fishermen.
In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister thanked summit co-host Mr Macron, adding that he knew the En Marche! leader “shares my keen interest in protecting the ecosystems of our seas”.
The British government is deploying the Royal Navy to protect Britain’s fishing waters and preparing legislation which will empower them to board EU fishing vessels and arrest crew if they try to carry on plundering British waters illegally.
The move comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that a so-called ‘no deal’ break with the bloc looks “very, very likely”, with the European Union in general and Emmanuel Macron’s France in particular unwilling to countenance a trade deal which does not see Britain agree to continue surrendering most of its national fishing stocks to EU vessels, among other anti-sovereignty concessions.
Technically the United Kingdom left the bloc at the beginning of 2020, but for all practical purposes it has remained a full member — minus its voting rights — throughout this year’s so-called “transition” period, which was supposed to be used to agree a mutually beneficial free trade agreement.
With such an agreement not forthcoming with mere weeks to go until the end of the year, the British government is preparing to deploy four River-class offshore patrol boats to protect what should become Britain’s rightful and exclusive economic zone in January, according to The Times.
French fishermen have already proven willing to physically attack British fishermen attempting to access what little share of the EU’s marine resources Brussels has assigned to them, and whether they will actually accept losing their right to exploit Britain’s waters in the event of a no-deal is questionable.
“I’m not asking to have my cake and eat it, no,” Emmanuel Macron had insisted on the subject of British fisheries at a recent meeting.
“All I want is a cake that’s worth its weight because I won’t give up my share either,” he said, suggesting that the French government feels it has some sort of entitlement to the marine resources of Britain’s territorial waters, in or out of the EU, after long years in which the bloc has doled out the lion’s share of Britain’s fish to foreigners.
The European Economic Community, as the EU then was, changed its rules to make national fisheries a so-called “common resource” right before Britain, with the richest stocks in Western Europe, joined in the 1970s.
Tens of thousands of fishing industry jobs and over half the vessels in the British fishing fleet have been lost over the years as Brussels has assigned quotas for British fish to fishermen from other EU countries.
Scottish Fishermen: EU Acting ‘Like Bully Who Steals Your Lunch and Expects You to Be Grateful for a Few Crumbs Back’ https://t.co/WeR31CSZv8
The European Union on Saturday condemned in the “strongest terms” Iran’s execution of Ruhollah Zam, a former opposition figure convicted of involvement in 2017 protests.
“The European Union condemns this act in the strongest terms and recalls once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances,” said a statement from the EU’s External Action Service.
“It is also imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.”
Zam was charged with “corruption on earth” — one of the most serious offences under Iranian law — and sentenced to death in June.
State TV aired an “interview” with him in July, in which he is seen saying he believed in reformism until he was detained in 2009 during protests against the disputed re-election of ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
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Over the past month, the EU’s budget plans have been held up by Poland and Hungary, who have protested against the bloc’s attempt to make access to funds contingent on the observance of democratic values and respect for the rule of law.
Warsaw and Budapest are believed to be the targets of this so-called rule of law mechanism, although a compromise was found in Brussels on Thursday evening, allowing the Polish and Hungarian governments to take the matter to the European Court of Justice further down the line, in exchange for their approval of the budget.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a news conference at the end of a EU leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 11, 2020. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/Pool
Along with the budget agreement, the European Union’s member states also came to a deal on ambitious new emissions targets as part of the bloc’s attempts to reach “climate neutrality” by 2050.
“After several hours of very intense discussions, we have taken a big step forward for the European Union in various areas,” European Council President Charles Michel said at a press conference on Friday.
For EU leaders, getting a consensus on the 1.074 trillion euro seven-year budget and 750 billion euro NextGenerationEU COVID-19 recovery fund was of paramount importance at the two-day summit. Polish and Hungarian leaders had refused to make concessions prior to Thursday’s meeting, meaning that a new tactic was required.
A solution appears to have been found by allowing Poland and Hungary to refer the bloc’s rule of law mechanism to the European Court of Justice, a process that is likely to take several years. In return, Hungary and Poland finally gave their consent to the budget and recovery fund proposals, which are set to come into force in 2021.
European Union heads of state stand for a moment to remember late French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing during a round table meeting at a face-to-face EU summit amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Brussels, Belgium December 10, 2020.
“We have had the capacity to reach an agreement, to get together in order to implement the multiannual financial framework and recovery fund that we talked about in July. I would like to pay tribute to Chancellor Angela Merkel on this topic, in particular, because she really rolled up her sleeves, she got down to work with a great deal of commitment to do this for Europe“, Michel said at a press conference.
According to the European Council president, the European Union will now be able to fund many of its ambitious plans to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
EU Increases Emissions Cut Targets
Climate change once again took centre stage in Brussels, and the heads of the 27 EU member states agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent of 1990 levels by 2030. The previous target envisioned a reduction of 40 percent by 2030.
“To meet the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050 in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, the EU needs to increase its ambition for the coming decade and update its climate and energy policy framework. To that end, the European Council endorses a binding EU target of a net domestic reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990”, a European Council document published after the summit read.
Since becoming president of the European Commission one year ago, Ursula von der Leyen has pushed European Union member states to back her so-called Green Deal, although Jean-Louis Butre, from the French Federation for a Sustainable Environment, told Sputnik that meeting the ambitious emissions goals is likely to be difficult.
“Everybody knows that it is so much easier at the beginning of a specific effort to get results; it is called ‘picking the low-hanging fruit’. Governments, industries can adopt new rules, close evident loopholes, take easy measures that enabled, in our case, Europe to reduce its emissions or at least the expected growth of emissions by 20 percent in comparison with the level of emissions of 1990. But to do the extra 80 percent is a daunting task, and the decisions that are taken are often not bearing any result,” Butre commented.
A photo taken on August 20, 2014 shows a nuclear power plant, in Tihange, Belgium.
According to the French expert, many of the bloc’s attempts at moving to sustainable sources of energy, such as wind or solar power, have in fact led to an increase in emissions.
“Deciding to invest massively and above all in intermittent ‘renewable’ sources of electricity like Germany or Denmark have done, increasing their solar and wind ‘farms’ has imposed the construction, in parallel, of the same capacity in coal and gas power plants to compensate for the absence or excess of wind and sun. The result is evident: Merkel’s Germany has increased its emissions of CO2 in place of reducing them. Not only does the German policy lead to negative growth of the economy and stagnation, but it does not reduce emissions of CO2”, Butre stated.
Turkey Sanctions Potentially Forthcoming
Turkey has been at the centre of many high-level European Union discussions this passing year. Greece and Cyprus have raised multiple complaints about the presence of Turkish seismic exploration vessels in waters both Athens and Nicosia claim to be part of their countries’ respective exclusive economic zones.
At this week’s European Council summit, the bloc stopped short of implementing sanctions on Ankara, although the leaders of the 27 member states noted Turkey’s “unilateral” actions in the eastern Mediterranean region.
“Regrettably, Turkey has engaged in unilateral actions and provocations and escalated its rhetoric against the EU, EU Member States and European leaders. Turkish unilateral and provocative activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are still taking place, including in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone”, the conclusions of the European Council summit read.
FILE PHOTO: Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis sails in the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, October 3, 2018. Picture taken October 3, 2018
Despite the pressure from Athens and Nicosia, the European Union will first consult with the United States, most notably the incoming Biden administration, before taking action against Turkey.
“The EU will seek to coordinate on matters relating to Turkey and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean with the United States”, the conclusions read.
Sunday Deadline for Brexit Deal
While the leaders of the European Union’s member states met for the European Council summit, UK and EU negotiators continued their talks in the hope of concluding a free trade deal before a self-imposed Sunday deadline.
“We will decide on Sunday whether we have the conditions for an agreement or not”, von der Leyen said at Friday’s joint press conference alongside Michel and Merkel.
The European Commission president had dinner with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, although the meeting failed to resolve the long-standing issues on fisheries, governance, and the level playing field.
EU Commission President von der Leyen meets British PM Johnson in Brussels
“We understand that the UK aspires to control its waters. The UK must, on the other hand, understand the legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleets built on decades and sometimes centuries of access”, the European Commission president remarked.
On Thursday, the European Commission published a range of contingency measures in preparation for a “no-deal” scenario.
The measures would ensure uninterrupted road and air connectivity between the United Kingdom and the European Union for a period of six months starting on 1 January, upon the conclusion of the Brexit transition period.
Euro Summit Notes EU’s “Strong” Response to COVID-19
The eurozone heads of state also held a meeting on Friday to discuss the bloc’s response to the coronavirus disease pandemic. In a statement, the leaders praised the EU’s “strong” response to the pandemic.
“The strong, swift and coordinated economic policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented but integral in mitigating its socio-economic impact. The crisis will require ongoing support to ensure a robust and well-balanced economic recovery while safeguarding sound public finances”, the statement read.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron speaks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a round table meeting at a face-to-face EU summit amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Brussels, Belgium December 10, 2020.
At the same time, the EU must create the “financial architecture” necessary to support sustainable growth and job creation, as well as to finance the bloc’s green and digital transformations, according to the statement.
After a year of internal and external disputes, the approval of the seven-year budget, COVID-19 recovery fund, and climate change goals means that the European Union can now look to the future as von der Leyen and Michel seek to implement their ambitious plans.
Further clarity may be achieved on Sunday, should the UK and EU finally decide if a trade deal can be reached or not.
By Jackson Elliott, Christian Post Reporter Follow
Protesters gather to condemn the killing of university student Mashal Khan, after he was accused of blasphemy, during a protest in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 20, 2017. | REUTERS/FAYAZ AZIZ
Blasphemy laws in nearly half the world’s countries encourage violence to be inflicted on religious minorities, said researchers at a virtual hearing presented by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The hearing on Wednesday announced the release of a new report titled, “Violating Rights: Enforcing the World’s Blasphemy Laws,” which examined the impact of blasphemy laws worldwide. Well-natured politicians in those countries often believe forbidding insults to religion will lead to less violence, researchers said. But in reality, forced conformity creates more oppression.
In many nations with blasphemy laws, mobs attack and kill people who have been accused of blasphemy, said University of California School of Law lecturer Amjad Khan.
“Nations that criminalize blasphemy tend to foster an environment where terrorism is more legitimized, prevalent and insidious. Most notably, nation-states that enforce blasphemy laws are indeed statistically more likely to experience terrorist attacks,” said Khan.
Of the 84 nations with blasphemy laws, 43 do not enforce the blasphemy laws in their legal code. Most blasphemy laws are poorly designed, vaguely worded and have unclear penalties, USCIRF chair Gayle Manchin said to The Christian Post.
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“Blasphemy is defined as insulting or showing contempt for God, but of course that pertains to your own beliefs or expression of beliefs,” she said. “Freedom of expression totally invalidates blasphemy laws.”
Even when governments don’t enforce blasphemy laws, they can still threaten religious liberty. Often, mobs violently attack people accused of blasphemy and say they were enforcing the law to escape punishment, said Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, an associate professor of clinical law at Cardozo School of Law.
“There is an issue of mob driven violence at the hands of non-state perpetrators. One hundred and thirty-six incidents of mob violence were reported from 2014 to 2018,” she said. “Sometimes thousands of victims were involved in mob action.”
The hearing included Shaan Taseer, the son of the late Pakistan Gov. Salman Taseer. A bodyguard killed the governor in 2011 because of his plan to reform the country’s strict blasphemy law. Though he was accused of blasphemy, courts posthumously found Taseer’s father innocent of the charge.
Salman Taseer had been accused by hardline groups of committing blasphemy by criticizing Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which is supposed to protect Muslim sentiments, but according to human rights groups is often used to settle personal scores and oppress Christians and other religious minorities.
He was also known for standing up for Christians who were being punished by the country’s blasphemy laws, including Asia Bibi, who was on death row for eight years after being accused of insulting Islam. Bibi was acquitted by a court in 2018 and granted asylum in Canada. She’s been seeking asylum in France since the beginning of this year.
“Being accused of Pakistan is in itself a death sentence with no judge, no jury, straight to the executioner. People are beaten to death, shot on the spot for only an accusation,” Taseer said. “I, too, have been accused of blasphemy and have a fatwa on my head. A mob believes that anyone who kills me will get a ticket to Heaven.”
In Pakistan, people accused of blasphemy tend to come from poor, minority groups and are often illiterate. People almost always get accused by a neighbor after a previous disagreement, and they never get a fair trial, Taseer said. Blasphemy accusations are legal murder.
Surprisingly, countries including Germany, Scotland, Denmark, Canada and Italy still have blasphemy laws, said Manchin. Germany plans to apply its blasphemy law to internet content. In strongly religious countries where authoritarian governments rule, blasphemy laws are the strictest. In Brunei, Pakistan and Iran, blasphemy bears the death penalty.
“In countries that are governed by authoritarians and where there is a majority religion, there infiltrates an idea that everybody needs to believe the same thing. If you don’t, you’re a threat to the majority,” Manchin said. “Countries that have the strictest blasphemy laws also have the greatest extent of mob violence. They’re turning a blind eye and allowing these hate groups to enforce laws they have on the books.”
At the hearing, Sen. James Langford, R-Okla., called attention to a recent congressional resolution against blasphemy laws which he sponsored.
The resolution would make the repeal of other countries’ blasphemy laws a priority for the United States, designate countries with blasphemy laws as countries of particular concern, and oppose the U.N.’s efforts to create international blasphemy norms.
The resolution has already in the House, but Senate leaders are blocking it from getting a vote, he said.
“Many countries don’t want to be able to discuss blasphemy and apostate laws, and they choose to hide these things,” Langford said. “We cannot turn a blind eye to this because it has been exposed.”
From 2014 to 2018, more countries have made new blasphemy laws than have repealed them, Manchin said. In some countries, laws on blasphemy have improved considerably. Iceland, Norway, France, Malta, Denmark, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Greece, Scotland and Uzbekistan all removed their blasphemy laws. A key factor in their decisions was pressure from the U.S. to change the laws.
“We have found that what the U.S. thinks of other countries makes a difference. Most countries care what they look like to the rest of the world,” said Manchin. “In many cases, they try to do better. Sudan is a case where they’re winding down and slowly working away from it.”
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“For Universal Health Coverage Day, let us commit to ending this crisis and build a safer and healthier future by investing in health systems that protect us all — now”, declared the UN chief, adding that: “This year’s pandemic has shown us that no one is safe until everyone is safe.”
In his message on the Day, marked annually on 12 December, Mr. Guterres underscored that in 2020, the world had witnessed the tragedy that strikes when health facilities are overwhelmed by a new, highly infectious and often deadly disease.
And further, the coronavirus outbreak had painfully illustrated what can happen when the effort to address an emergency so overstretches healthcare systems that they can no longer provide other essential services such as cancer screening, routine immunization and care for mothers and babies.
“We must do far more if we are to reach our goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030,” the Secretary-General said, referring to an agreement reached by UN Member States in September 2019, just months before the pandemic struck.
Reaching this goal would mean not just spending more on health, he said, but spending better, from protecting health workers and strengthening infrastructure to preventing diseases and providing healthcare close to home, in the community.
“Investments in health systems also improve countries’ preparedness and response to future health emergencies,” the UN chief explained.
Marginalized and vulnerable, worst hit
Health emergencies have disproportionate impacts on marginalized and vulnerable populations, Mr. Guterres continued, underscoring that as new COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments become available, they must reach all those who need them.
“In responding to the pandemic, we have seen rapid innovative approaches to health service delivery and models of care, and advances in preparedness. We must learn from this experience”, he said.
Right to health
During his regular briefing on Friday on the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Director-GeneralTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that world had just recently marked Human Rights Day, and these two days, “coming so close together at the end of this very difficult year, are a reminder that as we rebuild from this crisis, we must do so on the foundation of human rights – including the right to health.”
This is precisely the moment for investing in health — WHO chief Tedros
Mr. Tedros said: “2020 has reminded us that health is the most precious commodity on earth. In the face of the pandemic, many countries have offered free testing and treatment for COVID-19 and promised free vaccination for their populations. They have recognized that the ability to pay should not be the difference between sickness and health, between life and death.”
For its part, WHO is launching two initiatives to support and rapidly accelerate countries’ journey towards universal coverage.
The first, explained Mr. Tedros, is a global programme to strengthen primary healthcare, better equipping countries to prevent and respond to emergencies of all kinds, from the personal crisis of a heart attack, to an outbreak of a new and deadly virus.
The second is a new “UHC Compendium” designed to help countries develop the packages of services they need to meet their people’s health needs.
Spending patterns
“WHO is also launching a new report that provides the first analysis of how global health spending has changed during 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, noting that among other things, the new report warns that higher debt servicing could make it more difficult to maintain public spending on health.
“But this is precisely the moment for investing in health. The pandemic has demonstrated that health is not a luxury; it is the foundation of social, economic and political stability. Indeed, today’s report highlights that the COVID-19 crisis provides an opportunity for a ‘reset’ in countries with weak health financing systems”, explained the WHO chief.
