The High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell said in a statement that settlement expansion in Givat Hamatos is illegal under international law.
Borrell added: “I am deeply worried by the Israeli authorities’ decision to open the bidding process for the construction of housing units for an entirely new settlement at Givat Hamatos”.
This is a key location between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Any settlement construction will cause serious damage to the prospects for a viable and contiguous Palestinian state and, more broadly, to the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution in line with the internationally agreed parameters and with Jerusalem as the future capital of two states, Borrell said.
The EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. It remains the EU’s firm position that settlements are illegal under international law.
The announced settlement activity will lead to the continuing weakening of efforts to rebuild trust and confidence between the parties which is necessary for an eventual resumption of meaningful negotiations.
The Government of Israel should instead show vision and responsibility and reverse these negative decisions at this critical and sensitive time Borrell end his settlement.
European Union Heads of Mission and like-minded countries visit Giva’t Hamatos in East Jerusalem
Also, the European Union Heads of mission, together with like-minded countries, are visiting Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem. Yesterday morning, the Israeli Ministry of Housing and Israel Land Authority opened the tender (bidding process) for 1,257 housing units to be built in Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem
The construction in Givat Hamatos will block the possibility of territorial contiguity between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
[Bridgetown, Barbados] –Agrowing taste for Caribbean food in Europe could be lucrative for regional manufacturers, according to research from The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export).
Thetrend for exotic foodsauces and condimentsand natural, plant-based ingredients is highlighted in a new report commissioned ahead of Caribbean Export’s Absolutely Caribbean virtual expo on 17and 18 November.
“We are seeing great potential for Caribbean food products across Europe at the moment”, says Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.
“It seems that consumers are looking for different flavours and playing more with spices but there is much promise amongst natural foods such a chocolate, teas and gluten–free flours. We are really excited about the range of quality, artisanal producers that we have at our expo this year which will help to support trade between the Caribbean and Europe.”
In the UK, the Caribbeanfood market is now worth almost £100m and foodservice wholesale giant Bidfood singled out Caribbean food as a Top 10 cuisine trend. In 2019, UK retailer Tesco also highlightedCaribbean fare as an ‘emerging trend’. Sauces and condiments in particular are worth £1.12bn and grew by 16.8% in the last year.
Craig & Shaun McAnuff at Caribbean food & lifestyle platform ‘Original Flava’, state: “We’ve seen a huge rise in the popularity of Caribbean foods in the UK in recent years which is really exciting. The likes of Ainsley Harriott and Levi Roots paving the way for Caribbean food; seeing staple Caribbean ingredients more widely available; but also seeing our cookbook as a bestseller on numerous charts and receiving TV & mediarecognition nationally. There is such a variety and so many flavours in Caribbean cooking which the British public are loving.”
In Spain, the ‘foods from other countries’ category has grown by 105.9% since 2012. Spicy tastes have seen strong growth with Caribbean flavours named as an emerging trend in sauces and spices, increasing around 55% to three million kilograms and over 29% in value to nearly €19m.
Almost a third (32%) of German consumers have said they like Caribbean food (1) which has led to an increase in heat and spice on the table during family dinners (2).
People in the Netherlands are also increasingly open to incorporating greater variation into their cooking, including flavour combinations and the use of fresh and natural ingredients, with the value of chilli saucesclimbing 125% in value since 2016.
Europe’s love for wholesome plant-based ingredients, combined with the region’s efforts to promote sustainability,have also led to an increased interestin natural and organic products such as chocolate, tea and gluten–free flour.
In the UK, chocolate is a £4.3bn category and according to Kantar, plain and dark chocolate is growing by 14.5% year-on-year. In Spain, it is worth €1.5bn, and increased by 3.6% in 2019. Meanwhile, the Netherlands was the largest importer of cocoa beans in 2018 and is home to the largest cocoa grinding industry in the world.
The tea category in the UK is worth £561.3m which is not surprising given the nation’s love of the hot beverage. In Germany, 129million cups of tea are consumed every day and in the Netherlands 71% of consumers drink tea at least once a week.
TheUK’s gluten–free flour food category grewby 19.9% in 2019 compared to the year before and in Germany the market is worth £174m.
Caribbean food suppliers will be given the chance to showcase their unique food products to European buyers at Caribbean Export’s first virtual expo event: Absolutely Caribbean – unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean on 17 and 18November.
For more information about the event and to register, please visit –Click here
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BRUSSELS: The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator has said that a trade deal with the EU may not succeed but he is still hopeful of a resolution as the talks go down to the wire this week.
Ahead of renewed negotiations as the clock ticks down to Britain exiting the EU withdrawal transition period at the end of December, Lord David Frost said his team was working hard to get an agreement.
He tweeted: “Arriving once again in Brussels shortly for another round of negotiations with EU and @MichelBarnier this afternoon. I and our British team have been in talks almost every day since 22 October.
“We are working to get a deal, but the only one that’s possible is one that is compatible with our sovereignty and takes back control of our laws, our trade, and our waters. That has been our consistent position from the start and I will not be changing it.
“There has been some progress in a positive direction in recent days. We also now largely have common draft treaty texts, though significant elements are of course not yet agreed. We will work to build on these and get an overall agreement if we can.
“But we may not succeed. Either way, as the Prime Minister @BorisJohnson made clear on 16 October, people and businesses must prepare for the change that is coming on 31 December, most of which happens whether there is a deal or not.”
The comments came after Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney warned there will be no EU-UK trade agreement if Boris Johnson pushes ahead with legislation that would allow Britain to break international law. Coveney again expressed concern at the Internal Market Bill being championed by the Prime Minister in Parliament.
Downing Street has insisted it will press on in the Commons with elements of the proposed legislation that would allow the government to break international law despite the House of Lords voting against them in recent days. The move comes as London and Brussels are set to continue talks this week.
Coveney, who said things need to “move” this week, told Sky News: “Even if we do get a new trade deal negotiated by both sides, if the British government is determined to continue with their Internal Market Bill – to reintroduce parts of that Bill that were removed by the House of Lords this week – then, I think this is a deal that won’t be ratified by the EU.
“Because there is no way the EU will agree to ratify a new agreement if the British government is breaking the existing agreement that is not even 12 months old, and breaking international law by doing that.”
Coveney also called for a cooling of rhetoric in trade talks, especially in the contentious area of fishing rights. “We really have to try and find a way of coming up with a compromise on fish that both sides can live with,” he said.“And we need to try and dial down the language on this because it is very easy to become emotive.”
Coveney insisted a deal was “doable”. “I think I would sum it up by saying this is very difficult, but, it’s also very doable. And I think the consequences of not getting a trade deal and a future relationship deal… before the end of the year, I think is very significant.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice said next week is “a week when things need to move” for the UK and EU to agree to a trade deal. “Both sides recognise that time is very, very short. It’s not long ago we were saying we needed to get some kind of conclusion by the middle of October,” he said.
“People have persevered with these talks. There does come a point frankly where businesses need to know what they are preparing for.“You can always squeeze out extra time if you need to, if you’re nearly there.
“But, I agree with Simon Coveney, perhaps we can agree on this much… this needs to be a week when things move, when we break through some of these difficult issues and get resolution and at least have some sort of headlines – if you like – of an agreement. Otherwise, it gets quite difficult and we do start to run out of time to implement it.”
Most schools are not complying with legal requirements which require them to detail arrangements for students who do not wish to attend religious instruction, according to a new survey.
<p class="no_name">Children have a constitutional right not to attend religious instruction and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 obliges schools to detail how they will facilitate this in their admissions policies.</p>
<p class="no_name">However, a survey of a sample of 100 school admission policies by the campaign group Atheist <a href="/news">Ireland</a> shows most schools are failing to comply with these legal obligations.</p>
<p class="no_name">For example, out of 40 Catholic primary schools surveyed, it found that 30 said parents must seek a meeting with the principal to discuss the request to opt out.</p>
<p class="no_name">Some of these schools asked parents to give reasons for wanting their children to not attend religion classes, while others said written requests by parents “will be considered on a case-by-case basis”.</p>
<p class="no_name">Similarly, 23 out of 25 Catholic secondary schools surveyed had similar requirements.</p>
<p class="no_name">About 90 per cent of primary schools are under Catholic ownership and spend up to 2½ hours teaching religion – or faith formation – each week.</p>
<aside class="related-articles--instream has-3">
</aside>
<p class="no_name">A recent OECD report shows that Irish primary schools are second only to <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_location=Israel" rel="nofollow">Israel</a> in the amount of time spent on compulsory religious instruction.</p>
<p class="no_name">Speaking during the enactment of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, the then minister for education <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Richard+Bruton" rel="nofollow">Richard Bruton</a> said the new law was aimed at “strengthening the provision to meet the constitutional right of every child not to have to attend religious instruction. </p>
<p class="no_name">“This will be enforced by requiring it to be explicitly stated in the admissions policy of religious schools as to how they propose to honour that,” he said.</p>
<p class="no_name">Among State or Education and Training Board schools, the survey found most drew a distinction between “religious instruction” – which they said amounted to faith formation – and “religious education” which they said was education about religion and beliefs generally.</p>
<p class="no_name">On foot of this, many ETB schools said the legal requirement to “advise of the option to opt out of religious instruction does not arise.”</p>
<p class="no_name">This, however, is disputed by Atheist Ireland which says its legal opinion is that this is a “spurious distinction” with no legal basis.</p>
<p class="no_name">The Atheist Ireland report states that the purpose of new legislation was to provide transparency from the outset so parents know these details before they choose a school for their children. “However, it has failed to do this,” it states.</p>
<p class="no_name">In response to a request for comment, the Department of Education said the manner in which any school ensures that the right to opt out of religion classes is upheld “is a matter for the school concerned”. </p>
<p class="no_name">A spokesman said each individual school must determine arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances, having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school organises classes.</p>
<p class="no_name">“The right of parents to have their child opt out of religious instruction and worship applies in all schools regardless of the denomination or ethos of the school concerned,” he added.</p>
<p class="no_name">The department did not comment on whether it would monitor school admission policies to ensure they comply with its legislation, or if it had any plans to do so.</p>
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MUMBAI: Post-lockdown guidelines will be firmly in place Monday as the state permits religious places to reopen to the public. Shirdi Sai temple and Siddhivinayak trust have instructed devotees to book online darshan before visiting. Churches will not resume public attendance at mass as yet, although devotees can visit for personal prayer from 10am to noon, and 4-7pm. In a letter to parish priests on Sunday, the Archbishop of Bombay Oswald Cardinal Gracias advised a watch-and-wait approach. He will evaluate the situation on Wednesday and then take a call. Till then, he has urged priests to enforce the use of masks, sanitiser and social distancing every step of the way. For the last eight months, devotees keen to enter places of worship were thwarted by locked gates. They often halted outside, said a silent prayer and went on their way. Monday will bring an end to this separation. The post-lockdown protocol calls upon devotees to arm themselves with masks, prayer mats and avoid physical contact with the idol and one another. Universally, children below 10 years and the elderly and sick patients will be turned back. The Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi has mandated visitors to make online bookings and obtain a time slot for darshan. People will have to show their booking receipts at the entrance. Up to 6,000 people will be allowed daily, in contrast to the average footfall of 20,000-30,000. While 50% will be paid darshan, the remainder will be free. There will be no distribution of sweets, although devotees will receive prasad in the halls built for the purpose. Mumbai’s nodal Siddhivinayak shrine has instructed devotees to download its app to book darshan, or get a QR code. Here, 100 people will be allowed every hour, and a maximum of 1,000 per day. Wadala’s Ram Mandir, which wore a forlorn look through Ram Navami and Dussehra, will reopen with ‘kakad aarti’ at 6am, said trust general secretary Ulhas Kamat. After eight months, the muezzin will call Muslims to prayer from the local mosque. On Sunday, the long prayer carpet was removed from the Andheri Muslim Qabrastan Masjid at Four Bungalows. Trustee Atik Babar Kashmiri said, “We will follow all government guidelines and request namazis to bring their own prayer mats. We have requisitioned a foot-operated sanitiser dispenser as well.” The Archdiocese of Bombay is treading cautiously under its shepherd, Cardinal Gracias. “He has said that people can pay a visit to the blessed sacrament or come for personal prayer but not attend mass just yet. He will evaluate the situation on Wednesday. Masses are in any case being streamed live,” said Fr Vincent Vaz, parish priest of Holy Family Church, Chakala. Nasha R Jassawalla, managing trustee of the Rustomfaramna Agiary or fire temple at Dadar Parsi Colony, cautioned behdins (worshippers) against bringing flowers and offerings, maintain physical distance at celebrations or ceremonies, and use masks and sanitisers. The agiary has removed its prayer books for the public. (Inputs by Ranjan Dasgupta from Nashik)
Since the completion of the foundations for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the first vertical elements are now being raised.
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Since the completion of the foundations for the central structure of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in September, work continues apace on the construction of the first vertical elements. The subterranean portion of the structure, which will lie beneath the central plaza, is beginning to take shape.
Work is rapidly advancing to lay the concrete bases that will provide stability to the landscaping and gardens on either side of the concrete
The selection of photos below provides a view into the work currently underway.
With the completion of the foundation for the central structure, work is progressing on the first vertical elements of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
The subterranean portion of the structure, which will lie beneath the central plaza, is beginning to take shape as walls and columns rise.
A construction worker prepares for construction of further elements of the structure.
Work continues in parallel on the lower level of the central structure and the base for each of the two berms that will enclose the central plaza.
Once “void former” blocks are put in place, reinforcement bars are laid for the concrete pour.
As one segment of the platform is completed, preparation continues on the next. The construction of concrete platforms for the berms is nearing completion.
Step by step, the construction of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continues.
The News Service will continue to cover developments of the project through articles and brief notices, which may be viewed in a special section of the website.
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The 140 raft-borne men, women and children from different times in history, different religions and different homelands – sculpted by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz – are a stark reminder of the reality of so many of our brothers and sisters on the move.
At a time in which many other rafts, rubber dinghies and old boats don’t even complete their journey, resulting in innumerable tragic deaths at sea, that bronze raft is afloat and will be crossing the United States for the year to come, awakening awareness and empathy in those who come across it, and helping us all look at immigration in a more Christian way.
The sculpture is entitled “Angels Unawares” and it is the exact replica of the work installed in St. Peter’s Square in September 2019 to mark the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
For the month of November, the artwork that gets its name from the New Testament’s Hebrews 13:2 “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”, is on show in the grounds of Boston College.
As Jesuit Father James Keenan, a moral theologian, bioethicist, writer, and the Canisius Professor of theology at the College told Vatican Radio, it’s getting a great reception:
Listen to the interview with James Keenan, SJ
“It’s terrific. It’s a wonderful experience,” Fr Keenan said, explaining that it is located in a lovely plaza between the old Boston College hall and the library, a place of passage.
It invites people to stop in their tracks, he said, as they encounter it on their way: “You see people constantly walking around and taking pictures of it, trying to identify different people. The 140 figures… the Holy Family, the Rabbi, the slave… there is a real sense of people on the move, and as an artwork, it’s getting a great reception.”
It has also, he added, created great interest and appreciation for the work of Timothy Schmalz.
Fr Keenan said the presence of the sculpture on the grounds of Boston College goes hand-in-hand with an intense November programme of lectures and events on topics related to immigration.
“This is a 3.6-ton statue that with the angels’ wings hits 14 feet and has 140 figures on the boat,” he notes, so its large and compelling, and at the heart of it “we have a robust programme.”
Among the speakers on Boston College’s panel is Cardinal Michael Czerny, President of the Vatican’s Migrants and Refugees Section, and incidentally, the person who commissioned the work.
Fr Keenan went on to list other members of the panel and of the series of multidisciplinary events, including prayer requests and worship ceremonies, all of which, he said, aim to offer the opportunity for discussion and engagement on topics related to immigration, refugees, migrants and call to action.
Thanksgiving
Recalling that November is also the month in which Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States, Fr Keenan said, “we’re wrapping it into being thankful and praying for blessings as well,” and Angels Unawares is serving “as a clarion call for our University to acknowledge and recognize immigration,” as well “as tapping us as a University.”
Noting that the two of the figures on the raft represent Cardinal Michael Czerny’s parents – migrants from Czechoslovakia – Fr Keenan said when Angels Unawares arrived in Boston he wrote to the Cardinal to tell him. “Good,” Czerny said, “And my parents are on it…!”
The month of Thanksgiving
“There is a certain way in which Thanksgiving calls us all to faith,” he said, explaining that throughout the month the College has programmed events to celebrate Thanksgiving and the diversity that is at the foundation of the country. Like the one entitled “Agape Latte” with Fr Quang Tran SJ, who will share his story of faith, family and gratitude that began with his family’s journey from Vietnam.
What’s more, he added, every week on Wednesday evenings, the College organizes a Candlelight Mass in which “people will be offering for a celebration of immigration itself.”
“I hope, in light of our election, it will be a way of maybe looking at immigration in a more Christian way, then perhaps the discussion has been in my country for the past couple of years,” he said, adding that “2020 has been a rough year, but maybe for us, November is turning out to be a good month.”
A journey throughout the country
Fr Keenan said Angels Unawares has about a year’s run in the United States: “It eventually will settle at the Catholic University of America, where will be installed permanently.”
Its itinerary, he added, is still in the making, but it will definitely be shown at Notre Dame University, at the Catholic University in San Antonio, in Washington and at other stops in between.
Fr Keenan concluded recalling another work by Timothy Schmalz, which is installed near the Community of Saint Egidio in Rome. It is entitled Homeless Jesus and he said“itportrays a covered Jesus sleeping on a bench, and you can see that it is Jesus by the wounds on His feet”.
It is clear, he said that “Schmaltz’s works of mercy, are very much beloved by Pope Francis and by the Church, and it’s really wonderful to see how his work is developing and how deeply connected it is to the papacy of Pope Francis.”
