European Commission Speech Brussels, 24 Nov 2020 Thank you Melinda, and good morning everyone.
It is a privilege to be speaking at such an important event, especially as we find ourselves on the cusp of someth…
Speech by Vice-President Šefčovič at the European Conference on Batteries
How Parliament wants to end homelessness in the EU | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20201119STO92006/
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, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201120IPR92116/
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Frank Elderson recommended as member of European Central Bank Executive Board | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201120IPR92125/
Father Anselm Adodo: “Confusion about traditional medicine comes from religion; Christianity in particular…”
Father Anselm Adodo on Public Eye: “Confusion about traditional medicine comes from religion; Christianity in particular…” | WATCH
On Sunday, November 22, 2020, Funmi Iyanda had conversations about what should comprise primary healthcare in Nigeria, and the implications of a fusion of traditional and modern medicine with the founder of Pax Herbals Clinic and Research Laboratories, Father Anselm Adodo, The CEO of Quincy Herbals, Mrs Tobi Ayodele-Keeney, and The Head of the Centre for Research Complimentary Traditions & Alternative Medicine (CRTCAM), Dr O.O. Aina.
We were taken on a journey to Ibadan – the traditional medicine markets, Bode and Oopo-yeosa precisely. The bustle of the markets implied that many have begun to favour traditional medicine over synthetic medicine. At the markets, the Public Eye team interviewed three women who have practised traditional pharmacology and healing for decades.
Father Anslem Adodo, a Benedictine monk with a passion for pharmacology, in a discussion about why traditional medicine has been painted black by Nigerians stated, “The confusion comes from religion, Christianity in particular. Religion makes us throw away everything in our culture.”
He also criticised the current system of medicine practised in the country. “The current high-tech medical system is focused on waiting for people to fall sick so they can use high-tech machines to diagnose and treat them.”
Funmi Iyanda agreed wholeheartedly. “We live in a world that has to have an answer for COVID-19 and needs to develop alternative systems for these complex situations going on in the world.”
Tobi Ayodele-Keeney and Dr O.O. Aina dropped their two cents on the current COVID-19 pandemic. According to Mrs Ayodele-Keeney, “Drug-resistant malaria is more of a problem than COVID-19.” Dr Aina believes that a majority of Nigerians have the coronavirus but are asymptomatic.
In a follow-up conversation about the challenges of integrating traditional and modern medicine, Mrs Ayodele-Keeney revealed, “There needs to be research and development of African traditional medicine. We need to standardize the process and the people in the practice.”
You can watch the full episode here:
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Author Elaine Pagels Discusses ‘Why Religion?’
On Saturday, December 5, at 4 p.m., St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton will host an event with Elaine Pagels, author of numerous best-selling books about religion, such as “The Gnostic Gospels,” “Adam, Eve and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity,” “The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Heretics, and Pagans” and “Beyond Belief.” Her most recent book, “Why Religion? A Personal Memoir,” is a departure from the others and one in which she tells her own story, and why she loves investigating the history of religion. Pagels will be interviewed by writer Jeffrey Sussman and the program available to all registrants via Zoom. To register for the discussion visit stlukeseasthamtpon.org
Pagels is a critically acclaimed historian of religion and the Harrington Spear Paine Professor at Princeton University and an Aspen Institute Trustee. She joined the Princeton faculty in 1982, shortly after receiving a MacArthur Fellowship. She is a recipient of the Howard T. Behrman Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities for “her ability to show readers that the ancient texts she studies are concerned with the great questions of human existence though they may discuss them in mythological or theological language very different from our own.” In 2013, she received an honorary law degree from her alumni, Harvard University and, in 2016, the National Medal for the Arts from President Barack Obama.
European Parliament Members on November 21 Runoffs
Leading MEPs on EU-Georgia relations said in their statement regarding Georgia’s November 21 runoffs that “all the political forces represented in the newly elected Parliament must work now in a constructive fashion, keeping in mind the greater interest of Georgia’s chosen European path.”
The signatories of the November 23 statement – Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Chair of EP’s delegation for relations with the South Caucasus Marina Kaljurand (S&D, Estonia), standing rapporteur on Georgia Sven Mikser (S&D, Estonia), and Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (The Greens/EFA, Germany), EP’s lead member for democracy support activities in Georgia – called on Georgian parties “to show responsibility, restraint and maturity, to respect the democratic choice of the electorate.”
Regretting that the opposition candidates withdrew contests from the runoffs, lawmakers called on political actors “to find the necessary compromises, notably through the new dialogue facilitated jointly by the EU and U.S. Ambassadors to Georgia, in order to enable the smooth functioning of Parliament, an institution vital for democracy.”
The MEPs highlighted that they endorse evaluation by the international electoral observation missions following the first round of October 31, and added that after the runoffs too they “expect a fair, transparent and thorough handling of all substantiated appeals and complaints.”
The four MEPs expressed the European Parliament’s readiness to assist Georgian political parties “to further improve relevant legislation ahead of future elections.”
Opposition candidates boycotted the majoritarian runoffs for all 17 single-mandate constituencies, as all major opposition parties are rejecting the outcome of the “rigged” October 31 parliamentary elections and refusing to enter the new parliament. They are demanding snap elections, the resignation of Central Election Commission chair Tamar Zhvania and the release of alleged political prisoners.
The U.S. and EU Ambassador facilitated two rounds of talks between the ruling Georgian Dream and opposition parties to end the political impasse, but with no success so far.
BJP cries foul over ‘religion’ in Agency survey
– VISAKHAPATNAM: BJP MLC PVN Madhav on Monday took exception to inclusion of religion column in the household survey being conducted by ward volunteers in Agency areas of the district. Speaking to mediapersons here, he said in the column, an option was given to choose ‘tribal religion’. He questioned the rationale behind inclusion of the religion column in the survey. “It is against the Constitution to include religion. Tribals belong to Hindu religion and there is no religion called tribal religion. It is an attempt to divide Hindus by showing SCs and STs as people of separate religions,” the MLC said.
Stating that there is no such survey in any other State in the country, he demanded that the State government immediately suspend it. Meanwhile, BJP State vice-president and former MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju said courts should function on Saturday and Sunday also.
He said the authorities were serving notices on Friday evening and demolishing the structures on Saturday and Sunday. Hence, the victims are unable to seek any relief from the courts. In view of this, a court bench should function on Saturday and Sunday, he demanded.
