Tournai: a weekend of relaxation and discovery in Belgium
Located in Belgium, Tournai is a town full of charm which offers a multitude of activities for a weekend of relaxation and discovery. Whether you are a history, culture or nature lover, Tournai will seduce you with its exceptional heritage and picturesque landscapes.
The first stop on your visit to Tournai should be the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Gothic cathedral is a true architectural masterpiece. Don’t forget to admire its five bell towers, which are the emblematic symbols of the city. Inside, you’ll be amazed by the beautiful stained glass windows and detailed carvings. The cathedral is also known for housing the famous Tournai Treasure, a collection of religious objects dating from the Middle Ages.
After discovering the cathedral, stroll through the picturesque streets of the old town. You will be charmed by the medieval architecture and the half-timbered houses that line the cobbled streets. Don’t miss the Grand-Place, where you can admire the town hall, a magnificent building dating from the 17th century. Take the opportunity to stop at one of the many cafés and restaurants on the square, where you can taste local specialties, such as waffles or mussels and fries.
If you are an art lover, be sure to visit the Tournai Museum of Fine Arts. This museum houses an impressive collection of works of art, ranging from 15th century Flemish painting to contemporary art. There you can admire paintings by great masters such as Rubens, Van Dyck and Bruegel.
After exploring the city, take time to relax and enjoy the surrounding nature. Tournai is surrounded by magnificent landscapes, perfect for walks in nature. The Jardin de la Reine park is an ideal place to relax and recharge your batteries. You can admire French gardens, ponds and a wide variety of trees and plants. If you are a cycling enthusiast, you can also take one of the many cycle paths that cross the region.
If you still have time, don’t miss a visit to the Tournai belfry. This emblematic building of the city offers a panoramic view of Tournai and its surroundings. Don’t hesitate to climb the 257 steps to enjoy a breathtaking view. You can also learn more about the city’s history from the exhibitions inside the Belfry.
In conclusion, a weekend in Tournai is an unforgettable experience. Whether you are a history, culture or nature lover, this Belgian city will seduce you with its exceptional heritage and picturesque landscapes. So don’t wait any longer, plan your getaway to Tournai and let yourself be charmed by this unique destination.
On what would be her 84th birthday this November 26th, we celebrate Tina Turner, the iconic “Queen of Rock.” Born in 1939 as Anna Mae Bullock, she soared to fame with hits like “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.” Despite a challenging marriage, she made a triumphant comeback with her 1984 solo album “Private Dancer,” featuring classics such as “What’s Love Got to Do with It.”
Turner’s vibrant performances and roles in films like “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” showcased her versatility. Her biopic, “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” further cemented her status as a music and cultural icon. After a successful farewell tour in 2008-2009 and embracing Swiss citizenship in 2013, Turner retired, leaving behind a legacy of over 200 million albums sold and a lasting impact on rock music. Today, we remember her enduring spirit and groundbreaking career.
Most celebrated vocalist in modern music history
Tina Turner is one of the most celebrated vocalists in modern music history. Since first stepping into the spotlight in the late 1950s, her legendary career has spanned over 6 decades and seen the Queen of Rock n’ Roll redefine what it means to be a powerful woman in music. Though she endured incredible hardships early in her career, Tina emerged triumphant as a survivor and pioneering solo artist. Her diverse musical legacy and ability to continually evolve her sound has inspired countless artists in R&B, rock, pop and soul.
Early Days: Discovering Her Voice
Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee where her passion for singing took hold at an early age. She grew up singing in her local church choir where she discovered her booming vocal abilities. Inspired by artists like Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Smith, young Tina Turner sang wherever she could around her hometown, absorbing the blues, R&B, gospel and country that permeated the southern musical landscape. Her early singing experiences in the church gave Tina control over her impressive vocal range and laid the foundation for the raw, emotional delivery she would become renowned for.
In the mid 1950s, the teenage Tina attended a rhythm and blues concert by musician Ike Turner and was awestruck by his band’s performance. When the singer never showed up for their gig, Tina jumped onstage to belt out a B.B. King tune that caught Ike’s attention. He was instantly taken with the 16 year old’s commanding stage presence and powerful voice and soon after recruited her to front his band as a background vocalist. After Tina recorded what would become her first commercial vocal on the song “Box Top” in 1958, Ike changed her name to Tina Turner and made her lead singer of his group which later became The Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
The Ike & Tina Turner Revue: Spectacular Highs & Tragic Lows
The newly christened Ike & Tina Turner Revue began touring relentlessly throughout the southern “chitlin circuit” in the late 1950s, gaining notoriety for their electrifying stage performances. Tina’s fiery confidence, sexuality and vocal bombast perfectly complemented Ike’s funky blues arrangements and the duo were gaining a reputation as a must-see live band by 1961.
The Revue finally achieved breakthrough pop chart success in 1962 when Tina’s soulful vocals turned their version of the song “A Fool In Love” into a Grammy-nominated hit and a staple on black radio stations across America. More R&B hits penned by Ike cemented Tina Turner as a star and pushed the Revue’s popularity to new heights throughout the 60s. Tina’s diversity as a vocalist shone through on soulful ballads like “I Idolize You” then on funk-rock tracks like “Bold Soul Sister.”
Tina’s mammoth voice and dazzling stage presence pushed the Revue into the mainstream spotlight when their high-octane version of “Proud Mary” peaked at #4 in 1971 and won the duo their first and only Grammy. They became a sensation touring across the country, even opening for the Rolling Stones in 1969 at the peak of the British band’s fame. Over 20 years, Ike and Tina Turner churned out hit after gritty R&B hit including classics like “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Nutbush City Limits” that still sound as fiery today thanks largely to Tina’s gale-force vocals.
Behind the scenes, however, Tina endured over a decade of horrific abuse at the hands of her husband and musical partner Ike. Though likely unbeknownst to fans enraptured by their immaculate onstage chemistry at the time, Tina endured regular beatings, humiliation and control by Ike who targeted both her and backup singers in his band.
After years of living under Ike’s domineering shadow, Tina Turner finally found the resolve to break free from her toxic musical partnership and marriage. On July 2, 1976, Tina fled with only 36 cents and a gas station credit card, embarking on her second act as a solo artist. When the Revue’s popularity rapidly declined without Tina’s show-stopping presence, it only reinforced that her iconic voice and stage magnetism were the true engines behind their success.
Queen of Rock Tina Turner: Her Triumphant Solo Comeback
After separating from Ike, Tina worked tirelessly to rebuild her musical career from scratch, determined never to be under a man’s control again. Though she struggled through lawsuits and finances, Tina Turner channelled her newfound independence into rebranding her sound. Moving beyond her R&B roots, her distinctive vocals now evoked a resilient woman harnessing the full power of rock’s repetitive rhythms and searing guitar solos in a cathartic fashion.
Tina memorably announced she was back by opening for bands like The Rolling Stones and AC/DC in front of massive crowds. After years out of the spotlight however, music executives remained skeptical that the aging singer could make her own comeback. After one record company dropped her, Tina signed to Capitol Records in 1983, determined to redefine her image through music and companion music videos.
Her solo breakthrough arrived in 1984 with the release of her fifth album, Private Dancer. Bolstered by MTV-ready music videos that dramatized her comeback story, the album spawned endless pop and rock hits globalizing Tina’s unique sound. The assertive female empowerment anthem, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” became Tina’s first and only #1 single and won Record of the Year. “Better Be Good To Me” peaked at #5 while her sultry take on “Let’s Stay Together” cracked the Top 10 a decade after she first recorded the song.
At 45 years old, the Private Dancer album scored Tina 4 Grammys and remains her masterpiece – a seamless fusion of rock guitars and synth pop production with gritty R&B vocals chronicling a resilient woman emerging from life’s wreckage. Almost overnight, her astronomical success turned Tina into an international icon at the forefront of 1980s pop.
Tina rode her hot streak into 1985’s Grammy-nominated album Break Every Rule then found herself in demand from Hollywood, recording movie soundtrack hits like “We Don’t Need Another Hero” from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and the James Bond theme song “Goldeneye” in 1995. She filled massive stadium tours with elaborate productions through the late 1990s before executing her final triumphant world tour at 68 years old in 2008.
Over 50 years, Tina Turner’s legendary catalog of music demonstrated rare staying power that reflected her own evolution from R&B starlet to resilient Queen of Rock. Though her iconic vocal abilities were centered around baring pain and vulnerability, Tina’s diverse music radiated empowerment and perseverance that has inspired generations.
Her Monumental Musical Influence
Tina Turner made an indelible impact across the musical landscape starting from her days as Ike’s female foil in the 1960s through her rebirth as rock royalty in the 1980s. Her fiery brand of rhythm & blues laid the groundwork for 60’s soul while her liberating comeback atop MTV-pop epitomized the boundless potential of black female artists.
Early in her career, Tina’s soulful dynamism on tour made her a role model for a generation of young black vocalists including Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston who marveled at her resilience against unimaginable adversity. Tina carried herself with a brash confidence that flew in the face of social conventions and inspired bold new artists like Janet Jackson and Beyonce to channel their inner divas.
As she transitioned to rock in her solo work, Tina opened the door for black women to conquer the mainstream music industry on their own terms. She paved the way for successive generations of biracial artists like Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Halle Bailey who fused R&B excellence with pop dominance. Even today, artists like Jazmine Sullivan and H.E.R. look to Tina’s silver-lined vocal delivery as they bare their souls against moody production.
Now in her 80s, Tina Turner’s brilliance and influence across the musical spectrum is unimpeachable. Though known for her melancholy love songs, Tina’s career epitomized perseverance that inspired women everywhere. Whether belting out soulful laments from her days with Ike or roaring over pop-synths in the 1980s, her legendary voice conjures a resilient woman overcoming unimaginable adversity – and doing so while setting the standard across multiple genres. Even today, she remains The Queen of Rock n’ Roll.
In early November, a Czech archaeological expedition from Charles University in Prague has discovered the tomb of the royal scribe Jheuti Em Hat during excavations at the Abu Sir necropolis outside Cairo, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Monuments announced.
The Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri, explained that this part of the burial complex houses the memorials of high dignitaries and generals from the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Dynasties of Ancient Egypt.
According to him, the significance of the discovery comes from the fact that the life of this royal scribe was completely unknown until now. Abu Sir’s study sheds light on historical changes during the turbulent 5th and 6th centuries BCE.
The director of the Czech mission, Marcel Barta, explained that the tomb was built in the shape of a well ending in the burial chamber of royal scribe Jheuti Em Hat.
He said that although the upper part of the tomb was not found intact, the burial chamber contains many rich hieroglyphic scenes and writings. The ceiling shows the journey of the sun across the firmament in its morning and evening boats, accompanied by hymns about sunrise and sunset. The burial chamber can be accessed via a small horizontal passage below the well, which is about three meters long, he noted.
The religious texts and images on the walls of the stone sarcophagus were intended to ensure Jheuti Em Hat’s smooth transition to eternal life.
The deputy director of the Czech mission Mohamed Majed, uncovered the sarcophagus of royal scribe, adding that its is made of stone and decorated with hieroglyphic texts and depictions of gods from outside and inside.
The upper side of the coffin cover and its longer sides are decorated with different texts from the Book of the Dead, including images of gods that protect the deceased.
The shorter sides of the cover bear images of the goddesses “Isis and Nephthys” accompanied by texts of protection for the deceased.
“As for the external sides of the coffin, they are decorated with excerpts from the coffin and pyramid texts, which are a partial repetition of the spells that already appeared on the walls of the burial chamber,” he said, adding, “At the bottom of the inner wall of the coffin, the goddess “Immutet” is depicted, the goddess of the West, and the inner sides contain what are called the Canopic spells, recited by this goddess and the god of the earth (Geb).”
“All of these religious and magical texts were intended to ensure the smooth entry of the deceased into eternal life.”
Anthropological studies of his mummy indicate that he died young, around 25 years old. Signs of deformities that may be related to his work were found, such as wear and tear on the spine from prolonged sitting and severe bone fragility.
The Abu Sir complex is located 4.5 kilometers from the Saqqara Necropolis. The largest collection of papyri to date has been discovered there. Archaeologists have not found any burial objects as the tomb was looted, probably in the 5th century AD.
fine gold ingots and nuggets on a wet golden background
National Bank of Romania (NBR) Governor Mugur Icerescu recalled this week that 107 years have passed since Romania’s First World War gold treasure was sent for safekeeping to Moscow, which Bucharest claims it has not yet fully recovered. Moscow, for its part, denies having any obligations to Bucharest.
The issue of the “hijacked” treasure has been a sensitive topic in the relations between Romania and Russia for years, and since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the issue has effectively been “frozen”, Romanian media note.
“We have set ourselves the goal of organizing a number of events to confirm, especially internationally, that Romania has a fully valid historical and legal claim to its gold deposit evacuated to Moscow in 1916-1917 “, the governor of the central bank said during a symposium on Monday, as quoted by the Hotnews site.
Digi 24 TV stated on this occasion that “the NBR launched an international lobby for the treasure stolen by the Russians”.
This is Romania’s oldest legal dispute and truly unique in the world, Hotnews commented, noting that no other country had appropriated another country’s property entrusted to it for safekeeping.
Entering the First World War on the side of the Entente in August 1916, Romania soon faced an extremely difficult situation as a result of the battles on two fronts – both in Transylvania and on the Danube, Hotnews reminds.
Therefore, already in September 1916, the National Bank of Romania took the first measures to evacuate its gold treasure to a safe place. The Russian Empire, which at that time was an ally of the Kingdom of Romania, was considered such a safe place.
The Romanian government and the representatives of the National Bank of Romania sign with a representative of the Russian Empire in Iași (where, due to the advance of the Central Powers troops, all the institutions of the Romanian state have been temporarily relocated) a convention specifying the conditions for the first transport of Romanian gold to Moscow .
According to the document, the Romanian valuables are “under the guarantee of the Russian government regarding the security of the transport, the security of the deposit, as well as the return to Romania,” the news site said.
“This year, in December, marks the 107th anniversary of the evacuation to Moscow of the treasure of Romania. Since 1991, the National Bank of Romania has consistently implemented a strategy to present to public opinion at home and abroad the problem of the treasure sent to Moscow and then confiscated by the Soviet Union,” Mugur Icerescu also stated.
He said the first step would be to support Romanian MEP Eugene Tomac’s efforts to educate MEPs and bring international attention to the gold reserve issue.
In April of this year, the leader of the People’s Movement (PND) party stated during a debate in the European Parliament that “the entire treasure of Romania continues to be in Russia, and Moscow has repeatedly refused to return it to Romania”, reports the website News.ro .
“The entire treasure of Romania has been held illegally in Moscow for more than a century. Transported in 41 wagons, it contains over 91 tons of gold, the majority of which is jewelry and rare coins, as well as 2.4 tons of gold bullion from the NBR reserve. The total value is over 5 billion euros,” he said at a plenary session of the EP.
The value of the entire deposit made by the National Bank of Romania in Moscow amounts to 321,580,456 golden lei, Digi 24 TV noted.
The treasure also includes Queen Maria’s jewels valued at 7,000,000 gold lei, valuable works of art including paintings by famous Romanian artists such as Nicolae Grigorescu, jewelry, old books and miniatures, icons and other religious objects.
In information on this topic, the TASS agency writes that during the October Revolution of 1917 and the civil war, some of the treasures kept in the Kremlin, including the Romanian ones, were taken out of Moscow.
Various hypotheses have been presented in the historical literature about their further fate, but none of them has been definitively confirmed, the agency said.
Later, after the end of World War II and Romania’s entry into the socialist bloc, some of the confiscated gold was returned. The Soviet Union also agrees not to demand from Romania reparations in the amount of 300 million dollars, which Romania must pay to the USSR under the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, reminds Lenta.ru.
The Romanian edition of “Newsweek” indicates that Romania is getting back part of the treasure in two tranches. The first was on June 16, 1935, when 17 freight cars loaded with 1,443 crates arrived at the Bucharest station. They came from Moscow by order of the USSR government, which decided to return part of the valuables stored in the Kremlin. A second such transport was carried out in 1956 as a “gesture of goodwill on the part of the Russian comrades”, the publication states. In both cases, however, the returned values did not include the gold deposited by the NBR, the central bank’s official website noted.
In February 2022, shortly before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the then Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, said that Romania wanted to resume negotiations with Moscow to return the gold treasure, which has been the cause of friction between the two countries for decades, writes the edition “Balkan Insight”.
“A right of claim of Romania more than a century old. This is not our first action along these lines. (…) Therefore, our main concern, at the National Bank of Romania, is to make public the documents we have on this matter. I am referring to the original documents collected in the special file that has been kept in the NBR governor’s safe since 1922. The “Treasure” file was passed from hand to hand from one governor to another since 1922, including during the communist period. So I also received it – as proof of the determination of the National Bank of Romania to get back the property that belongs to it”, stated the governor of the central bank, Mugur Isrescu.
At the moment, any discussion about the Romanian treasure is closed, and Russia and Romania have stopped all dialogue after the war in Ukraine, notes “Newsweek”. The last discussions on the topic were four years ago.
“Since November 2019, we have not met with the Russian side, the last meeting was in Moscow according to the principle of alternating seats. The meeting scheduled for 2020 in Romania did not take place due to the pandemic,” Prof. d- r Ioan Bolovan, Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy, who is leading the negotiations with Russia.
“I have not received any response to my proposal in 2021 to resume meetings,” says the professor.
They reiterated calls for access to all parts of the war-shattered enclave where the death toll inched towards 15,000 and many displaced people were sleeping in the streets.
UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva that the hope regarding the agreement between Israel and Hamas announced earlier this week is “that the pause is respected, that it enables us to reach the people who need us and that it will be extended into an actual humanitarian ceasefire in the long run”.
Besides the 96-hour humanitarian pause in fighting, the agreement, which was facilitated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, stipulates the release of hostages taken during the Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October as well as of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons.
“We hope the agreement… will bring respite to the people of Gaza and Israel and some relief to the hostages and detainees who will be released, and to their families,” Mr. Laerke said.
The OCHA spokesperson underscored the “volatile, intense situation” unfolding in the first hours of the truce, stressing that “the pipeline is quite long for relief and parts of it – a lot of it in fact – is beyond our control and has to do with verification of the consignments”.
Speaking of the urgency to reach people in need “wherever they are”, he highlighted the pressing need for access to northern Gaza “where the damage and humanitarian needs are the greatest” and which has long been cut off from the south of the enclave and from aid by Israeli military operations.
More hospital evacuations planned
Joining his voice to hopes for the pause to extend into a sustained ceasefire, UN health agency (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier highlighted the plight of patients and health workers trapped in north Gaza’s hospitals and said that planning and efforts towards further evacuations, notably from the Indonesia and Al-Ahli hospitals, are under way.
On Wednesday, in a joint effort between UN agencies and humanitarian partner organisation the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) 151 wounded and sick people, their family members and medical workers were evacuated from Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City and transported in an ambulance and bus convoy to the south.
Mr. Lindmeier said that WHO is “extremely concerned about the safety of the estimated 100 patients and health workers” remaining at the hospital.
Out of 24 hospitals operating in the north prior to the war, 22 are either out of service or unable to admit new patients, while of the 11 medical facilities in the south, eight are functional. WHO said that of those, only one has the capacity to treat critical trauma cases or perform complex surgery.
Fuel for rescue operations
In the run-up to the Friday 7 am truce start time OCHA noted an increase in bombardments and violent clashes, saying that Israeli strikes from air, land and sea intensified across most of Gaza, “alongside ground battles with Palestinian armed groups in the north, Jabalia in particular”, and that many casualties were reported.
As the death toll in the enclave passed 14,800 as of Thursday evening, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office quoted by OCHA, thousands of people are estimated to be trapped under the ruins of their houses.
As part of the humanitarian scale-up OCHA’s Jens Laerke insisted on the need to get more fuel into the Strip to “operate machinery to get people out of the rubble”, given massive infrastructure damage and building collapse.
OCHA reported that 68,383 litres of fuel entered Gaza from Egypt on Thursday, following an Israeli decision from 18 November to “allow the daily entry of small amounts of fuel for essential humanitarian operations”. The UN Office said last week that some 200,000 litres of fuel per day were needed.
Mr. Laerke stressed that the fuel that goes into Gaza is “in UN custody at all times” and is being distributed by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
‘Bare minimum’
Over 1.7 million people in Gaza are estimated to be internally displaced and about one million of them are staying in more than 150 UNRWA shelters across the Strip.
Shelters in the south, where people were forced to flee by Israeli military operations, are many times over capacity and OCHA said that most displaced men and older boys are sleeping in the open, in school yards or in the streets nearby.
In a statement on Thursday, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini stressed that people in Gaza “deserve to sleep without being anxious about whether they will make it through the night”.
“This is the bare minimum anyone should be able to have,” he insisted.
If you have noticed that while eating, your dog spills a large part of the contents of its bowl on the floor around it, then you are probably wondering what is the cause of this behavior in the animal? And, more importantly, what can you do to help your pet eat a little more cleanly and tidily?
Here are a few things you can try to limit the amount of dog food you spill on the floor of your home.
• Check that you are giving your dog the correct amount of food
If you fill his bowl too much, your dog may not be hungry enough to eat it all. Check the food package for suggested serving sizes based on your pet’s specific weight.
• Eating in private
Some dogs may become distracted or defensive during feeding. If you have other pets at home, your four-legged friend may become anxious when it’s time to eat. This may cause him to take a bite of the contents of his pan and carry it elsewhere to eat it. Dropping some of the granules along the way, of course.
• Maintain regular mealtimes
And clean your dog’s litter box between meals. This way, the animal will be hungrier when it’s time for dinner. This will also prevent him from rummaging through his bowl every day, leaving food on the floor.
• Change of food
Your dog may just be picky and doesn’t like the type of food you currently have. Trying something new can change that. Also, make sure the formula is appropriate for your pet’s breed, age, and size.
• Make sure the food has not spoiled
If your dog’s food is moldy and rancid, he will not want to eat it and may leave it on the floor. Be sure to store the granules in their original bag and airtight container to keep them fresh. Use within six weeks after opening the package.
• Change the food bowl
It may not be the food, but the litter box that is causing your dog’s behavior. Try changing it up by choosing a container of a different material or size.
• Point out your dog’s dropped bites
It is possible that your pet simply did not notice that he left uneaten food.
Photo by Summer Stock: https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-german-shepherd-lying-on-ground-333083/
European Parliament - Press conference on Sustainable use of pesticides
The European Parliament has outright rejected a proposal on the EU’s pesticide reduction plan, effectively killing off the regulation in a move lamented by green groups but celebrated by EU farmer associations.
The contentious sustainable use of pesticides regulation (SUR) proposal aimed to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half by 2030, as set out in the EU’s flagship food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy.
After months of back and forth, the European Parliament attempted to hammer out its final position on the file but came up empty-handed after lawmakers ultimately voted to reject the text entirely thanks to a series of amendments – many of which were put forward by the conservative right wing of the Parliament – which scrapped the core elements of the SUR.
This included, for example, the procedure for setting national reduction targets and monitoring their implementation, as well as a weakening of restrictions on the use of pesticides in sensitive areas.
For Green MEP Sarah Wiener, who led the work on the file, the rejection was a “bitter blow” for the protection of the environment and public health, calling out an “unholy alliance of the far-right, conservatives and liberals” which managed to “kill the entire position of the Parliament”.
However, she defended the decision to vote down the “amputated” final text, saying that the resulting text was “not one we could in good conscience vote for”.
Likewise, liberal MEP Pascal Canfin, chair of the Parliament’s environmental committee (ENVI), said the bar was “so low” on the end compromise that it would have “backtracked the [2009] sustainable use directive”.
With this vote, Parliament has effectively rejected the Commission proposal and closed its first reading. The Council still has to decide on its own position on the proposal to determine whether it is definitively rejected or returns to Parliament for a second reading.
Violent clashes between non-state armed groups and government forces have displaced 450 000 people in the last six weeks in Rutshuru and Masisi territories in North Kivu province.
People arriving in the town of Sake, located near the provincial capital Goma, spoke of having to make harrowing choices, with men risking death to feed starving children and women risking rape to collect firewood.
‘Concerning pattern of abuse’
More than 450,000 people have been displaced in the last six weeks in eastern DR Congo – as violence intensifies.
Humanitarian needs are growing drastically, and children are facing serious violations of their rights, warn UNICEF and @Refugees.
UNHCRsaid its monitoring in the region has showed over 3,000 reported human rights violations in October, nearly double the figure from the previous month.
“Rape and arbitrary killings feature prominently in these results, along with kidnappings, extortion, and the destruction of property, illustrating a deeply concerning pattern of abuse inflicted upon civilian populations,” the agency said.
The intensification of violence is also having a devastating impact on the lives of children, with protection partners reporting a sharp increase in the number of overall violations against them.
Major roads obstructed
The UN agencies said the severity of the crisis is further exacerbated by the limited humanitarian access to those in dire need, mainly due to the obstruction of major routes, with some 200,000 displaced people cut off from aid.
The disruption also increases the vulnerability of displaced populations, leaving them without essential resources and protection.
Although UNHCR has built shelters in recent months for more than 40,000 people near Goma, and distributed more than 30,000 kits containing tarps, cooking pots, and blankets, the partners more action is needed to ensure that the nearly seven million people affected by conflict receive urgent help.
Humanitarian funding shortfall
UN partners and humanitarian groups are urgently ramping up efforts to tackle urgent needs stemming from overcrowding and inadequate shelter in spontaneous sites, with limited access to food and clean water.
Since June 2023, UNICEF has reached nearly 700,000 people with lifesaving assistance, including clean water and sanitation, child protection, non-food items, health, nutrition and education.
Together with UNHCR, the agency urgently appealed for an end to the violence and underlined their commitment to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the crisis.
However, they stressed that the international community must act swiftly and generously, noting that a $2.3 billion humanitarian response plan for the DRC this year is only 37 per cent funded.
A recent investigation has uncovered over 600 previously unreported workplace accidents at Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX.
These undocumented injuries were severe in their nature. They range from crushed limbs and amputations to burns and electrocutions. Those familiar with this matter say the grave trend reflects the toll of Elon Musk’s aggressive pursuit of space colonization.
The report authors said this investigation revealed a pattern of SpaceX neglecting worker-safety regulations and established practices, and the fact that this negative and dangerous trend is present at its rocket and satellite facilities nationwide.
The investigation primarily covered the time period since 2014 and was based on a number of interviews and government records. Among at least 600 documented injuries, the severity varies, with over 100 cases of cuts or lacerations, 29 instances of broken bones, and 17 cases of crushed hands or fingers, among others.
The report underscores the challenges posed by Elon Musk’s ambitious goals in the space exploration industry and raises concerns about worker safety within SpaceX.
Present and former employees have revealed that these injuries are indicative of a disorderly work environment where often inadequately trained and fatigued staff frequently overlooked basic safety procedures to meet Musk’s ambitious deadlines for space missions.
SpaceX, established by Elon Musk over two decades ago, reportedly maintains a stance that places the responsibility for self-protection on workers, as indicated by numerous current and former employees, including a former senior executive.
Musk himself has, on occasion, displayed a nonchalant attitude towards safety during visits to SpaceX sites. According to four employees, he occasionally engaged in playful activities with a novelty flamethrower and discouraged workers from wearing safety yellow due to his aversion to bright colors.
“Elon’s concept that SpaceX is on this mission to go to Mars as fast as possible and save humanity permeates every part of the company,” commented Tom Moline, a former SpaceX senior avionics engineer. “The company justifies casting aside anything that could stand in the way of accomplishing that goal, including worker safety.”
In total, Reuters conducted interviews with over three dozen individuals knowledgeable about safety practices at Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a majority of whom were current or former employees. Many of these sources chose to remain anonymous due to concerns about potential career or legal consequences.
It’s important to note that the documented injuries, exceeding 600, represent only a fraction of the total case count, a figure not publicly disclosed. Since 2016, OSHA has mandated companies to annually report their overall injury figures; however, SpaceX facilities neglected to submit reports for most of those years.
Notably, approximately two-thirds of the injuries brought to light by this recent Reuters investigation occurred in years when SpaceX did not report this annual data.
The details about the 600-plus injuries were uncovered by analyzing court documents from worker lawsuits, employee medical records, state workers’ compensation claims, public records requests, and emergency-call records.
Residents of Belarus who wish to settle and live in another country must send an application to the migration authorities in Minsk, according to a government decree promulgated today, DPA reported, citing BTA.
The office will then review the case and issue a decision within 35 days based on information about tax obligations, mandatory military service and previous convictions. Previously, citizens only had to inform the Belarusian consulate in a given country about the residence permit received there.
The authoritarian former Soviet republic is tightening controls on people living abroad, DPA notes. Recently, citizens were informed that their personal documents will be able to be issued only in Belarus and not abroad. This means that residents of the country will have to return to Belarus at least once every ten years to renew their documents.
Belarusian citizens living abroad number about 1.5 million people, and some of them have fled because of the repression of the country’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko, DPA notes. The population of Belarus is just over 9 million inhabitants.
The number of political refugees from Belarus in Europe has increased significantly especially since the disputed presidential elections in 2020, after which Lukashenko remained in power and ordered the police and judiciary to apply brutal measures against the protesters.
Illustrative Photo by Natallia Rak: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-gathering-in-a-rally-5235341/
