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[Column] The European Parliament has its eye on S. Korea’s National Assembly

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[Column] The European Parliament has its eye on S. Korea’s National Assembly

Hubballi: Tipu Sultan was respectful of Hindu religion, says Congress

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Hubballi: Tipu Sultan was respectful of Hindu religion, says Congress

HUBBALLI: Tipu had handed over his two children to Britishers as hostages in the interest of his state and the nation as well and was treating all religious persons equally, said Altaf Hallur, president, Hubballi-Dharwad City District Congress Committee.
Speaking at the 270th birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, Hallur said Tipu was a pioneer in adopting advanced technology in administration, particularly in the defence sector. “His life is the best lesson to teach to the next generation,” he added.
Former KPCC secretary Mohan Asundi expressed regret over the state government’s move of not celebrating Tipu’s birth anniversary. Another leader Basavaraj Malakari noted that Tipu had great respect for Hindu religion and temples. “However, BJP, a communal party, is trying to present Tipu as anti-Hindu. Chief minister BS Yediyurappa utilised Tipu to woo Muslims when he floated Karnataka Janata Party but is now terming Tipu as anti-Hindu,” he added.
Office bearers Dasharath Wali, Altafnawaz Kittur, Navid Mulla, Rafiq Dargad and others were present.

‘Don’t like offending anyone’s religion’: Cardi B apologises for goddess Durga look on magazine cover

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‘Don’t like offending anyone’s religion’: Cardi B apologises for goddess Durga look on magazine cover
By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi |

November 11, 2020 4:40:09 pm
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                                                    </span><span class="custom-caption"> <span class="ie-custom-caption">Cardi B debuted her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with the magazine cover. (Source: iamcardib/Instagram)</span></span>International rap sensation Cardi B posted an apology in an <a class="wpil_keyword_link " href="https://www.instagram.com/europeantimesnews"  title="Instagram" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Instagram</a> story for posing as Goddess Durga on the cover of a footwear magazine for its November 2020 issue. The cover features Cardi B with 10 hands, but instead of weapons, she is seen holding a shoe.

In the video, the rapper said, “When I did the shoot, the creatives told me I was going to represent a Goddess; that she represents strength, femininity and liberation, and that’s something I love and I’m all about. And though it was dope, if people think I’m offending their culture or their religion I want to say that was not my intent. I do not like offending anyone’s religion; I wouldn’t like it if someone did it to my religion.”
Cardi B posted an apology video on Instagram. (Source: iamcardib/Instagram)
She added, “When people dress as Virgin Mary and Jesus, as long as they do it in a beautiful, graceful way…. But I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful; maybe I should have done my research. I’m sorry, I can’t change the past but I will do more research for the future.”

Cardi B is seen wearing an off-shoulder red Georges Hobeika dress for the cover photo. The magazine, Footwear News, explained Cardi B’s pose and wrote on Instagram, “…she pays homage to Durga, the Hindu goddess, whose symbols of protection and inner strength resonate as much in modern times as they have through the centuries. Like Durga, Cardi B is a dominant female voice at a critical time.”

Netizens, however, were unhappy with the concept of the photoshoot and called out the rapper for hurting sentiments.

One Twitter user wrote, “Cardi B did not pay ‘homage’ to the Hindu goddess Durga by holding a shoe in her hand, this is plain disrespect and in no way cultural appreciation. She can’t get away with this without addressing and apologizing for mocking our culture.”

Another said, “Apparently this is Cardi B paying ‘homage’ to the Hindu goddess Durga…This is straight-up racist.”

“Coward Cardi B has deactivated her account. Otherwise, we could have taught Cardi B in how many ways she is different from goddess Durga (including she is a human),” wrote yet another user.

Read| Cost of engagement ring to favourite fast food: 7 interesting facts about Cardi B

With the magazine cover, the WAP star has made her first major foray into the shoe industry and debuted her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with Reebok. Here are some of her other looks featured in the magazine.

What is your opinion on the photoshoot?

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EASO holds its 37th Management Board

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EASO holds its 37th Management Board

At its 37th meeting which took place on 10 November 2020 by videoconference, members of the EASO Management Board discussed a range of issues in relation to the Governance areas, such as the implementation of the EASO Work Programme and Budget 2020, staff recruitment and audit reports.

Members of the EASO Management Board also considered updates on EASO’s operations in the field, in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta and looked at the situation of asylum in the EU+ with a special focus on EASO’s recent analytical work related to the asylum situation in 2020 as well as the emergency measures in place in asylum and reception authorities as a result of the COVID-19 situation.

Members also continued the discussion on identified new alternative options for the deployment of experts across the European Union Member States where EASO provides operational support.

At the end of the meeting, the European Commission gave a presentation on the recently published Pact on Migration and Asylum.

EU Council adopts conclusions on future EU intellectual property policy

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EU Council adopts conclusions on future EU intellectual property policy

The FINANCIAL — The European Council adopted a set of … key elements of a future EU intellectual property policy. These … within the Commission on an EU intellectual property action plan, … Indications protection systems in the EU. It stands ready to …

Pope renews Church’s commitment to eradicate clerical sex abuse – Vatican News

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Pope renews Church’s commitment to eradicate clerical sex abuse - Vatican News

By Vatican News staff writer

Pope Francis on Wednesday referred to the release of the McCarrick Report the day before, and expressed his closeness to all victims of abuse.

Speaking during the weekly General Audience in the Vatican’s Apostolic Library, the Pope also said that following “the Report on the painful case of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick” he renews “the commitment of the Church to eradicate this evil”.

After pronouncing these words, he paused for a moment of silent prayer.  

The McCarrick Report, composed of 461 pages of documents and testimonies, is an exhaustive investigation into the knowledge and decision-making regarding Theodore McCarrick during his career as a priest, bishop and cardinal.

The Report, published by the Secretariat of State on the mandate of Pope Francis, is the result of a two-year investigative process.

Speaking upon its release on Tuesday, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said the Report “will also have an effect in this respect: in making all those involved in such choices more aware of the weight of their decisions or omissions. These are pages that encourage us to reflect deeply and ask ourselves what more we can do in the future, learning from the painful experiences of the past.”

Romania and the Republic of Moldova stand together to tackle COVID-19

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Romania and the Republic of Moldova stand together to tackle COVID-19

Since the onset of COVID-19, Romania and the Republic of Moldova have been working together to find ways to protect the health of their citizens.

Solidarity in action

The cooperation which already existed between the health authorities and health systems of the two countries intensified as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In early spring, with WHO assistance, Romania sent medical supplies and equipment to support the medical system of its neighbour.

“Romania’s relationship with the Republic of Moldova is unique. Adding a robust health response to our partnership only strengthens the existing tie between our countries,” said Dr Andrei Baciu, Deputy Minister of Health of Romania.

In addition to the donation of equipment, a team of 42 doctors and nurses was deployed from Romania to support their colleagues in the Republic of Moldova. The team carried out a 2-week mission, providing medical assistance and care for COVID-19 patients, and training for medical staff in the health facilities of Bălți, Chișinău and Cahul.

“This is only one of many examples of our cooperation, which dates back to long before COVID-19,” explains Dr Miljana Grbic, WHO Representative in Romania. “Working together will ensure the best possible protection and care for citizens in both countries.”

Overcoming obstacles

Common challenges have also been discussed and solutions found through virtual platforms. In August, an online session on disease management was arranged, with leading physicians sharing experiences of treatment of COVID-19 patients, as well as of preparedness plans, treatment protocols and how to optimize human resources to respond to the pandemic. The session was hosted by the Ministry of Health of Romania and supported by WHO.

“This webinar was arranged in order to optimize our health response, exchange best practices and also share concerns,” said Dr Igor Pokanevych, WHO Representative in the Republic of Moldova. “Leading experts from both countries took part, and we were able to discuss both challenges and successes.”

Continued response

Both the Republic of Moldova and Romania are currently facing an increase in cases of COVID-19.

“Each country has had to gradually adapt its measures and actions to control the COVID-19 pandemic, depending on the epidemiological situation. And each country’s experience in detecting, treating and monitoring cases is very important at this stage,” said Alexandru Holostenco, State Secretary, Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova. “As we move into autumn and flu season, sharing available resources, information and experiences is essential,” added Mr Holostenco. “I thank my colleagues from Romania for all the support provided during this period and going forward.”

Gov’t restrictions on religion reach highest level globally in 10 years – report

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In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion such as laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.
In its 11th report, Pew Research showed that even if the increase in government restrictions from 2017 to 2018 was relatively modest, it still contributed to a substantial rise in government restrictions on religion over more than a decade, as well as a rise in the number of governments using force, such as detentions and physical abuse, to coerce religious groups.
In this report, for the first time, Pew Research Center combined its data on government restrictions and social hostilities involving religion with a classification of regime types, to discern whether there is a link between different models of government and levels of restrictions on religion. In other words, whether restrictions on religion tend to be more or less common in countries with full or partial democracies than in those with authoritarian regimes.
The analysis found a strong link between authoritarianism and government restrictions on religion. While there are many exceptions to this pattern, authoritarian regimes are much more common among the countries with very high government restrictions on religion. Among countries with low government restrictions on religion, meanwhile, just 7% are authoritarian.
The total number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions has been mounting. Most recently, that number climbed from 52 countries in 2017 to 56 countries in 2018, according to the report.
As of 2018, most of the 56 countries with high or very high levels of government restrictions on religion are in the Asia-Pacific region, with 25 countries which represent half of all countries in that region, or in the Middle East-North Africa region with 18 countries, which represent 90% of all countries in the region. While Asia and the Pacific had the largest increases in their Government Restrictions Index scores, the Middle East and North Africa region still had the highest median level of government restrictions, and at its highest point since the aftermath of the Arab Spring in 2012, according to the Pew Research report.
Aside from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East-North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa was the only other region to experience an increase in its median level of government restrictions in 2018 (from 2.6 to 2.7), reaching a new high following a steady rise in recent years.
While government use of force against religious groups decreased in the region, both harassment of religious groups and physical violence against minority groups went up.
More than eight-in-10 countries in the sub-Saharan region experienced some form of government harassment of religious groups, and 14 countries (29%) had reports of governments using physical coercion against religious minorities.
Europe experienced a small decline in its median level of government restrictions, although government use of force increased slightly. The median level of government restrictions in the Americas, meanwhile, remained stable between 2017 and 2018, as the region continued to experience the lowest levels of government restrictions compared with all other regions.
In terms of social hostilities involving religion, the picture is more mixed – which makes sense given that social hostilities look at actions by private individuals or social groups and do not directly originate from government actions.
The five countries categorized as full democracies with high levels of social hostilities are all in Europe, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and all had reports of anti-Muslim and antisemitic incidents

To measure global restrictions on religion in 2018 – the most recent year for which data is available – the study rates 198 countries and territories by their levels of government restrictions on religion, based on their GRI, and social hostilities involving religion based on their SHI. The new study is based on the same 10-point indexes used in the previous studies.
The Government Restrictions Index (GRI) measures government laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices, while the Social Hostilities Index (SHI) measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups in society.

EU parliament, governments reach deal on EU 2021-2027 budget

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EU parliament, governments reach deal on EU 2021-2027 budget


Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU governments agreed the details … endorsed by EU governments and the European Parliament.
This may … because they are under EU scrutiny for undermining … and government negotiators raises EU spending on health, …

The European Union analyzes the consequences of the war in Nagorno Karabakh

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The European Union analyzes the consequences of the war in Nagorno Karabakh

“The European Union welcomes the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh,” the Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano told at a briefing on Tuesday in Brussels, according to TASS news agency.

“We have been calling for this since the beginning of military actions. We are now analyzing the consequences of the war and the situation in the region, after which we will make a separate statement,” he said, as quoted by the source.

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