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At Supreme Court, Justices Consider Religion, LGBTQ Rights
Opinion—Books you should read this spooky season
Spooky season is upon us and this year the scariest entity is not a ghost in the basement, but a virus preventing further in-person scares. While those Halloween party invites are flooding your DMs, it may be worth considering sitting out this season and staying inside with a scary book or two.
For all those trick-or-treat and fight or flight triggers you want in one package, the nostalgic series “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” by Alvin Schwartz is exactly what students need to relive their childhoods. These books always found their way into grade school scholastic book fairs and libraries, and into the hands of children likely far too young to read them.
For more existential scares H.P. Lovecraft’s work may be more well suited. Those who enjoy anthologies, consider picking up “The Thing on the Doorstep” by Lovecraft. If the pages gilded in black are not enough, the short stories inside offer psychological, paranormal and existential terrors grand enough to darken anyone’s night. Lovecraft’s writing offers a glimpse into older horror story structures and origins of many classic horror tropes with hideous monsters and eldritch abominations. His work often dwells in the fantastical, unlike the writings of arguably the most prominent horror and thriller writer of present, Stephen King.
King has a plethora of horror stories to read and digest, but for halloween night, “The Shining” is an excellent choice. It brings readers through the horrors of reality by use of its depictions of addiction and abuse. The later parts of the novel leaks into the paranormal as the many deaths within the hotel where the story is set become uncovered by the central character, Jack Torrance, who descends into his own madness. The movie has an altered depiction of the story, so there are still many surprise spooks to be had while reading, even if you’ve already seen the film adaptation.
I have a massive soft spot for fantasy and sci-fi writing, having read through the collection “A Song of Ice and Fire” twice. I cannot recommend more strongly the short novel by George R.R. Martin, “Nightflyers.” The story follows a ship ostensibly with no captain that picks up several travelers and sets off into space. The occupants soon realize there is something haunting the ship and they must survive the evil entity. The illustrated edition is less than 200 pages and could be finished in a single sitting, perfect for a quiet night in.
Many have heard of “Fahrenheit 451,” but the author Ray Bradbury wrote several darker tales that differ largely from his famous dystopian novel. “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and “The October Country” offer a look into older settings of horror. “The Illustrated Man” is another collection of short stories that are not so horror based, but leave readers with a frightening dystopian feeling of what the world is becoming. The collection was published in 1951, yet it is able to convey concerns over technology becoming increasingly relevant to modern day life, with its portrayals of things like entire walls able to project images and scenes, or autonomic homes.
The temptation to escape the confines of an apartment or dorm room and not miss the scariest holiday of the year is high, but we must consider the health and safety of others as well as ourselves. Staying indoors and reading is not the most exciting option to many people, but it is a safe alternative that can also feel rewarding. There is a unique experience waiting in the pages of all of the aforementioned books, and each one which will leave readers questioning those inconspicuous sounds in the middle of the night.
Editor’s Note: The North Wind is committed to offering a free and open public forum of ideas, publishing a wide range of viewpoints to accurately represent the NMU student body. This is a staff column, written by an employee of the North Wind. As such, it expresses the personal opinions of the individual writer, and does not necessarily reflect the position of the North Wind Editorial Board.
European Union digital tax proposal may be delayed
European Union proposals for a digital tax may be delayed to allow for more time to reach a worldwide agreement on the issue, German finance minister Olaf Scholz has indicated.
<p class="no_name">It comes after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=United+Nations" rel="nofollow">United Nations</a> outlined plans for a global pact on digital taxation, a high-stakes issue for <a href="/news">Ireland</a> because of the large tech multinationals such as Apple and <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_company=Facebook" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> that are based in the State. </p>
<p class="no_name">Speaking after a video conference of finance ministers, Mr Scholz said it was clear there would not be a global agreement on digital taxation by the end of the year, but that it was important to give the process enough time.</p>
<p class="no_name">“By mid-2021, we want to reach an international consensus . . . this is clearly the path we are following, we’ve never achieved this much before,” Mr Scholz said. “The European Union supports this process and will continue to advocate a global solution.”</p>
<p class="no_name">But he added: “It’s clear that we won’t be able to get consensus by the end of the year.” </p>
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<p class="no_name">EU countries had previously agreed to lay out their own plan for digital taxation at the start of 2021, a timetable that now looks to be delayed if more time is to be given for the international negotiations.</p>
<p class="no_name">The bloc believes an international agreement is preferable, as if only part of the world implements a digital tax, companies could simply relocate to avoid it. But the European Commission has said it will push ahead with plans for an EU-only tax if global talks do not make progress.</p>
<p class="no_name">Progress in the OECD negotiations on a digital tax stalled in June when the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_location=United+States" rel="nofollow">United States</a> pulled out, a move that prompted <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_location=France" rel="nofollow">France</a> to push ahead with a national digital tax, angering the US.</p>
<p class="no_name">The outcome of the US presidential election is seen as crucial for prospects of an international agreement on digital taxation. The Democratic Party’s <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Joe+Biden" rel="nofollow">Joe Biden</a> is seen as more friendly towards international co-operation.</p>
<p class="no_name">The finance ministers also agreed to support proposals to reform the legal framework and surveillance structure in Europe to combat <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_event=money+laundering" rel="nofollow">money laundering</a>. </p>
<p class="no_name">This could involve bringing rules into line across the bloc, while setting up an EU supervisory body with surveillance powers over parts of the financial sector.</p>
<h4 class="crosshead">Non-performing loans </h4><p class="no_name">Ministers will also speed up implementing measures to reduce <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_event=non-performing+loans" rel="nofollow">non-performing loans</a> in the banking sector. This relates to loans on which repayments are 90 days or more late or that are unlikely to be repaid in full without foreclosure. These are expected to rise due to the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.</p>
<p class="no_name">There have been proposals to set up an EU-wide “bad bank” to take on bad loans but, due to different national law enforcement practices on loans, this “requires more discussion”, Mr Scholz said.</p>
‘No religion supports killing’
Bangladesh has reaffirmed its commitment to show respect for everyone’s religious and cultural sensitivity, conveying to the France government that no religion supports killings.
“It’s our long-standing policy to have respect for each other,” said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday, adding that he wrote a letter to his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.
“Everyone has sensitivity. We’re very aware of it,” said the minister.
He said they do not interrupt anyone’s freedom of opinion and expression as Bangladesh believes in freedom.
Momen, however, said there is an obligation with freedom and Bangladesh does not instigate anything negative.
The minister also said religion and business should not be mixed up.
On Tuesday, Bangladesh urged all sides to exercise the freedom of expression responsibly and not to hurt anybody’s religious sentiment in the name of freedom of expression.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen encouraged all to have patience instead of mixing up religious issues with economic issues.
He said Bangladesh does not support violence in the name of religion.
Three people died in a knife attack recently at a church in Nice, in what French President Emmanuel Macron said was an “Islamist terrorist attack”.
He said France would not surrender its core values after visiting the Notre-Dame basilica in the southern city.
In Nice, one elderly victim was “virtually beheaded”, officials said.
Another woman and a man also died.
Bangladesh also condemned the attack on innocent people and expressed heartfelt condolence and deep sympathy to the members of the bereaved families.
How will the US election impact climate change? – Vatican News
By Alessandro Di Bussolo & Linda Bordoni
No matter who wins the US presidential election, the United States officially pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement today, 4 November 2020.
The landmark deal, struck in 2016 and adopted by 197 countries, aims to limit global warming to below 2° Celsius and strive to hold it at 1.5 degrees, by garnering increasingly ambitious voluntary commitments from governments.
But in June 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the US would withdraw from the agreement and has since put in motion a process to remove his country, the world’s No. 2 emitter of greenhouse gases behind China, from the agreement saying it was too costly.
Climate change has been one of the battlefields of the just-ended presidential campaign with Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, promising not only to recommit to the Paris Agreement but to make the US a global leader on climate action.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis has repeatedly urged nations to care for creation and fight global warming. He has expressed support to the Paris Agreement and said that modern society has “pushed the planet beyond its limits and the time to fix a climate emergency is running out.”
His encyclical Laudato sì calls on humanity to take action for climate justice and on this year’s World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in September, he said “forests are leached, topsoil erodes, fields fail, deserts advance, seas acidify and storms intensify. Creation is groaning!”
Global Catholic Climate Movement
We spoke to Tomás Insua, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, an independent movement that aims to help the Catholic Church turn the Laudato sì’ call into action, about the impact of the US’s withdrawal from the Climate Accord.
Insua explained that today’s deadline is really a formality “that is pretty irrelevant because the United States already exited the Agreement four years ago, on the first day of the Trump Administration.”
“Trump has consistently dismantled all environmental regulations, boosting pollution in the United States, which means that de facto they already left a long time ago,” he said.
Insua said that huge damage has been done in the past four years, but it remains to be seen as a result of this election, expressing his belief that: “The result of the elections will determine the severity of the climate crisis for centuries to come.”
“So if Trump wins, it is ‘Game-Over’ for the climate crisis. The climate cannot deal with four more years of this destruction. If Biden wins instead, we will see what happens, but he has to quickly bring the United States back into the Paris Agreement,“ he said.
In either case, Insua continued, the emergency couldn’t be greater. He said the Paris Agreement requires urgent implementation at all levels, in all countries, “especially in the US given that is the greatest carbon emitter in historical terms,” and therefore has the biggest responsibility to tackle this crisis.
But of course, he concluded, it is not up to the United States alone: it’s the whole of humanity that needs to act together and “respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor which are as intense as ever.”
South Sudan: church leaders appeal for humanitarian assistance amid floods – Vatican News
By Vatican News staff writer
Leaders of the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) are appealing to faith communities, international donors and people in the private sector to extend a helping hand in support of a scaled-up response to rescue people in areas hard-hit by floods that continue to cause destruction across the country.
“We, the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) leaders working within these communities appeal for assistance to be expedited to communities currently without humanitarian assistance,” read a jointly signed letter by several religious leaders, including Archbishop Stephen Mulla of Juba.
In recent months, several counties located along the Nile River have been flooded after the river banks overflowed due to heavy rainfall in catchment areas. An estimated 700,000 people have been displaced due to the resulting floods which have also destroyed livestock, farms, homes and other property.
South Sudan’s many challenges
The Church leaders estimate that about five hundred thousand dollars (USD $500,000) is required to respond to the immediate needs of about 100,000 people in Jonglei, Lakes, Upper Nile, Equatoria and Unity – areas which are most affected by the crises.
This money, SSCC says, will go towards providing basic humanitarian needs including water, sanitation, health, shelter, food security, livelihoods and psychosocial support.
South Sudan, – the world’s youngest nation – is currently trying to end years of ongoing conflict and inter-communal violence which began in 2013, barely two years after its independence.
In the wake of the long-running conflict, 1.6 million of the nation’s estimated 11.1 million people are internally displaced, with 7.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. About half of the population is food insecure with famine threatening some areas and nearly 300,000 children facing severe to acute malnutrition.
The country’s already existing challenges have been further exacerbated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which “has decimated supply chains leading to escalating prices for staple foods and basic commodities,” the church leaders said. The conflicts and the pandemic have also adversely affected aid delivery efforts while poor roads have made it hard for humanitarian organizations to reach flooded areas.
In partnership with Caritas and other humanitarian organizations, the SSCC is collaborating in the hope they can “jointly deliver support to affected populations currently without assistance if adequate funds are available.”
Currently, the UN says that an estimated US $80 million is required for overall flood response, including US $46 million in immediate assistance to 360,000 people until the end of this year.
WHO and EU help migrants access COVID-19 protective equipment in Turkey
Turkey provides universal access to health services to all refugees and migrants, including irregular migrants. Hosted in dedicated centres for short periods of time before repatriating to their respective countries, irregular migrants are in need of equipment to protect themselves against COVID-19.
Thanks to contingency funding from European Union (EU) financial support, the WHO Country Office in Turkey was able to distribute 100 000 surgical masks, 8000 FFP2 masks, 3000 pairs of goggles, 4500 coveralls and 250 thermometers to the 28 centres in the country. Collaboration with the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM) was instrumental in procuring these supplies.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, commented: “The EU has been mobilizing its resources to fight the pandemic and this is one of many actions that we have taken in this regard. These centres are high-risk settings, and the EU is pleased to work with WHO to make protective equipment available here, through the DGMM”.
These centres have a very high need for COVID-19 protective supplies, as they can harbour the COVID-19 virus if proper measures for infection prevention and control are not taken. The centres’ normal capacity is 20 000 people, but 2019 figures show that 450 000 irregular migrants arrived in Turkey in 1 year alone.
Gokhan Alma, DGMM Focal Point for the centres said: “DGMM and the centres are at the forefront of migrant health and the COVID-19 response. Those we are serving in these facilities can be at higher risk of COVID-19 infection, unless protection is provided. We sincerely appreciate the generous support from the WHO Turkey office, and will make sure these protective materials reach the centres and the people who need them”.
This initiative is aligned with WHO/Europe’s European Programme of Work (EPW), “United Action for Better Health”. It also supports WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW 13), by setting out a vision for how WHO/Europe can better support countries in meeting expectations on health for the future.
Covid-19: UK faith leaders, public worship is secure – Vatican News
By Vatican News staff writer
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has joined UK faith leaders in writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying there is “no scientific justification for the wholesale suspension of public worship” due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
A national lockdown is due to come into effect on 5 November.
Public worship is secure
In a letter, faith representatives say, “We strongly disagree with the decision to suspend public worship during this time.”
They also highlight “the contribution made by the UK’s faith communities in responding to the pandemic.”
The letter states that “public worship is secure” and that in the last six months faith communities have “collaborated closely with Ministers and officials to keep people safe.”
The faith leaders note that during the first period of restrictions, they ceased public worship in buildings and moved to an online approach.
Commitment of faith communities
They also underline that they have “provided significant resources to support our communities and our nation, from practical support such as foodbanks and volunteering, to promoting social cohesion, mental health and coping during these months.”
The letter stresses that “common worship is constitutive of our identity, and essential for our self-understanding. Without the worshipping community, our social action and support cannot be energised and sustained indefinitely.”
Common worship for health and well being
It adds, “Common worship is also necessary to sustain the health and wellbeing of faith community members engaged in caring for others whether paid or voluntary.”
“The health benefits of attending worship are well known, and the burden of psychological and physical ill-health from isolation and during the pandemic are increasingly well understood. This is especially so for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people. Public Health England’s own review found that faith communities were an important connect for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic people during this period,” the letter states.
Moreover, it reads, “it is a well-known and well-studied phenomenon that people turn to faith communities as a way of coping with trauma and grief.”
United States awaits results of presidential election – Vatican News
By Vatican News staff writer
Americans went to the polls on Tuesday for national and local elections.
The election for president was still undecided early Wednesday morning, with vote counting continuing throughout the country. In the United States, the president is not elected by popular vote; rather voters in each state choose a number of electors based in part on the population of the state. With 538 electoral votes at stake, a candidate needs 270 to be elected president.
As each state tallies votes separately, it is possible that preliminary results of the election may not be known for several days. Legal challenges could delay a final result even longer.
Incumbent Donald Trump, the Republican party candidate, claimed victory in key states early on Wednesday, prompting widespread criticism as the final results in those states were still uncertain. The incumbent president also threatened legal action, saying his opponents were trying to “disenfranchise voters.” Democratic party candidate Joe Biden also spoke on Wednesday morning, urging patience as results came in. “I’m optimistic about this outcome,” said the former US vice president.
Tuesday’s election will also determine the composition of the United States Congress. Despite several close races, Republicans are expected to retain control of the Senate, while Democrats will continue to hold the House of Representatives.
Prakash Jha’s Aashram faces legal notice for ‘degrading Hindu religion’
Filmmaker Prakash Jha‘s web series, Aashram, was served a legal notice on Wednesday for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments.
The legal notice was sent to the OTT platform MX Player, which streams the show, as well as producer-director Jha, on the ground of “directly targeting the ancient tradition, custom, culture of Hindu, Ashramas Dharma”. The notice was sent by Surjeet Singh, Pradesh Sangathan Mahamantri of Karni Sena.
The notice reads : “At the outset, my client states that the web series named “AASHRAM- Chapter-2 the Dark Side”, Official Trailer, which was released on MX player and the same was Produced and directed by you no. 1 Mr. Prakash Jha, under Prakash Jha Production Creation and the said web series have deeply hurt the sentiments of the people at large and it is also going to spread negative goodwill about Hindu religion on future generation to come. The Character’s shown in official trailer is not targeting individual personality but directly targeting the Ancient tradition, custom, culture of Hindu, Ashramas Dharma which disturbs people at large.
“Further, The ashrama dharma, recognizes four ashramas in the life of a human being. They are brahmacharya (stage of studentship), grihasta (the stage of a householder), vanaprastha (stage of a forest dweller) and sanyasa (stage of renunciation), Also Ashram concept in India is hope, faith and belief of young aspirants, who were willing to let go of everything and pursue their education and spiritual ideals with single-minded devotion.
“Further states that, the first season of Ashram web series shown lots of objectionable scene degrading the image of Aashram in Hindu customs and Now Aashram-2 web series official trailer continued degrading the image Aashram in hindu religion, My client condemn such repeated attempt to degrading Hindu religion and ask you to remove official web series trailer and stop full web series release with immediate effect.”
The series stars Bobby Deol, Aaditi Pohankar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Darshan Kumaar, Anupriya Goenka, Adhyayan Suman, Tridha Choudhury, Vikram Kochhar, Tushar Pandey, Sachin Shroff, Anuritta K Jha, Rajeev Siddhartha, Parinitaa Seth, Tanmaay Ranjan, Preeti Sood, Jahangir Khan, Kanupriya Gupta and Navdeep Tomar in pivotal roles.
After a successful run of the first season recently, the second season of the show, titled Aashram: Chapter 2 – The Dark Side, is slated to release on November 11.
