US President, Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he would be signing a “Born Alive” executive order “to ensure that all precious babies born alive, no matter their circumstances, receive the medical care that they deserve.”
Trump made this announcement in a video message during the 16th Annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, which was held virtually in observance of coronavirus precautionary norms.
He also announced an increase in federal funding for neonatal research “to ensure that every child has the very best chance to thrive and to grow.”
“We believe in the joy of family, the blessing of freedom, the dignity of work and the eternal truth that every child born and unborn is made in the holy image of God,” Trump said.
He also stated his commitment to protecting the vital role of religion, prayer and the right to life, calling the protection of children a “sacrosanct moral duty.”
The Church in service of society
The US president recalled growing up next to a Catholic Church in Queens, New York and seeing the impact of the Catholic Church in his community.
“Catholic schools give many underserved children the chance to reach their God-given potential,” he said. Catholics of all backgrounds share the love of Christ with the most vulnerable as they care for the elderly, the homeless and neighbors in need.”
“Our nation is strong because of Catholics and all people of faith,” the president added.
Trump recalled Pope St. John Paul II’s first visit to the US, repeating his words to a parish in Harlem: “let the Good News of Christ radiate from your hearts and the peace that He alone gives remain forever in your souls.”
He also expressed his gratitude to Catholics across America who live by the Polish saint’s words and who bring “hope and joy and light and grace to the world.”
WHO deploys help to refugees and migrants in Lesvos’s fire-burned camp in the midst of COVID19
WHO deploys help to refugees and migrants in Lesvos’s fire-burned camp in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak
In a catastrophic fire that broke out on 8 September 2020, the Moria reception and identification centre for asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, Greece, was burned to the ground. The world turned its attention towards the Greek island as some 12 000 refugees and migrants were left without shelter, food or access to health-care services. With 35 refugees and migrants having tested positive to COVID-19 a few days prior to the fire, the situation was particularly urgent, calling for immediate action and coordination.
WHO answered the urgent call for support. A few hours after the incident, a team from the WHO Country Office in Greece arrived on the island and started working at the forefront of the response, joining efforts with government and other health actors.
WHO visited the site of the fire to evaluate immediate health needs and set up the initial public health response. A new health working group was soon established, led by the National Public Health Organization (EODY) in close collaboration with WHO. Its immediate priority was to map existing resources and make the best use of them.
Supporting critical response activities
Over the following hours and days, Greek authorities established a new temporary accommodation site in the area of Kara Tepe, and initiated a relocation process for refugees and migrants shortly after.
On 11 September, the WHO team on the ground was joined by an expert from WHO/Europe. Together they began supporting the site planning for a central medical area. WHO then established a coordination cell to help with critical public health response activities. Preparations for the provision of essential health services to refugees and migrants started immediately. In coordination with the Greek Ministry of Health through EODY, WHO began to facilitate the deployment of an emergency medical team (EMT).
Working hand in hand with frontline health professionals
On 14 September, Norway’s EMT arrived on Lesvos. A few days later, they had established their presence in a tented structure at the entrance of the new site and begun to operate.
A total of 22 team members, including medical doctors, nurses and paramedics of diverse specializations, worked with local authorities and health professionals to triage, test, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients at the new site and to provide medical support to people in need.
The presence of the EMT was a game changer for the provision of health care on the ground. The EMT staff supported EODY health workers to address the needs of over 9000 refugees and migrants who had been relocated to the site by the evening of 20 September.
WHO’s background work to make this happen ranged from customs clearance for shipments of medical supplies and equipment, organization of their transportation and storage, coordination of initial briefings on security and public health, and provision of Farsi and Arabic interpreters.
Coordinating an ecosystem of partners
As numerous health actors were mobilizing on the ground, coordination remained key to maximizing the impact of their efforts. WHO has been meeting with several stakeholders, providing them with updates on the evolving epidemiological situation and helping to streamline access to essential health services for refugees and migrants.
The team has worked closely with the Greek Government, meeting regularly with the Greek Minister of Citizen Protection, the General Secretariat of Migration and Asylum, and the leadership of EODY while constantly briefing United Nations agencies, key nongovernmental organizations and donor agencies to help establish an ecosystem of collaboration.
Local health actors have also been part of this collaborative effort. During a visit to the general hospital of Mytilene on Lesvos, the WHO team was able to map health capacities to address the needs of the refugees and migrants in the new camp and of the resident population.
In a catastrophic fire that broke out on 8 September 2020, the Moria reception and identification centre for asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, Greece, was burned to the ground. The world turned its attention towards the Greek island as some 12 000 refugees and migrants were left without shelter, food or access to health-care services. With 35 refugees and migrants having tested positive to COVID-19 a few days prior to the fire, the situation was particularly urgent, calling for immediate action and coordination.
Joining efforts on the ground in no time
WHO answered the urgent call for support. A few hours after the incident, a team from the WHO Country Office in Greece arrived on the island and started working at the forefront of the response, joining efforts with government and other health actors.
WHO visited the site of the fire to evaluate immediate health needs and set up the initial public health response. A new health working group was soon established, led by the National Public Health Organization (EODY) in close collaboration with WHO. Its immediate priority was to map existing resources and make the best use of them.
Supporting critical response activities
Over the following hours and days, Greek authorities established a new temporary accommodation site in the area of Kara Tepe, and initiated a relocation process for refugees and migrants shortly after.
On 11 September, the WHO team on the ground was joined by an expert from WHO/Europe. Together they began supporting the site planning for a central medical area. WHO then established a coordination cell to help with critical public health response activities. Preparations for the provision of essential health services to refugees and migrants started immediately. In coordination with the Greek Ministry of Health through EODY, WHO began to facilitate the deployment of an emergency medical team (EMT).
Working hand in hand with frontline health professionals
On 14 September, Norway’s EMT arrived on Lesvos. A few days later, they had established their presence in a tented structure at the entrance of the new site and begun to operate.
A total of 22 team members, including medical doctors, nurses and paramedics of diverse specializations, worked with local authorities and health professionals to triage, test, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients at the new site and to provide medical support to people in need.
The presence of the EMT was a game changer for the provision of health care on the ground. The EMT staff supported EODY health workers to address the needs of over 9000 refugees and migrants who had been relocated to the site by the evening of 20 September.
WHO’s background work to make this happen ranged from customs clearance for shipments of medical supplies and equipment, organization of their transportation and storage, coordination of initial briefings on security and public health, and provision of Farsi and Arabic interpreters.
Coordinating an ecosystem of partners
As numerous health actors were mobilizing on the ground, coordination remained key to maximizing the impact of their efforts. WHO has been meeting with several stakeholders, providing them with updates on the evolving epidemiological situation and helping to streamline access to essential health services for refugees and migrants.
The team has worked closely with the Greek Government, meeting regularly with the Greek Minister of Citizen Protection, the General Secretariat of Migration and Asylum, and the leadership of EODY while constantly briefing United Nations agencies, key nongovernmental organizations and donor agencies to help establish an ecosystem of collaboration.
Local health actors have also been part of this collaborative effort. During a visit to the general hospital of Mytilene on Lesvos, the WHO team was able to map health capacities to address the needs of the refugees and migrants in the new camp and of the resident population.
High level of partnership exists between Azerbaijan and the European Union, President Ilham Aliyev said while receiving credentials of the newly-appointed Ambassador of Sweden Christian Kamill on September 24, Azertag reported .
“Sweden has always actively participated in cooperation between the European Union and the region. There is now a very high level partnership between the European Union and Azerbaijan and this partnerhship covers many areas. I hope the negotiations on the new agreement will continue successfully,” the president said.
The president said that the cooperation with the EU continues, despite disruption of some plans due to COVID-19.
Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has signed documents on strategic partnership with one third of EU member states, which demonstrates the high level of cooperation. In addition, he stated that two years ago Azerbaijan and EU also signed a document on partnership priorities, which is very important for further development of cooperation.
“We are very grateful that the European Union supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty of its borders in this document. It is a very important sign of a fair and just approach to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the president emphasized.
“As for our bilateral relations, we want them to become more intense. I am confident that such opportunity will appear through the ambassadors’ activity,” Aliyev said.
In turn, Ambassador Kamill stressed that Sweden is ready to support the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is expected to sign a 30 million euro financing agreement with the European Commission envisaged for supporting Armenia’s judicial reforms.
The project is directed at supporting Armenia’s reforms in the justice sector in conformity with its obligations under the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU.
In addition, the Armenian Government is expected to sign a financing agreement with the European Union as part of the Armenia-EU 2020 annual action plan which will provide Armenia with 30 million Euros in support for the COVID-19 response and mitigation of the negative consequences in the healthcare and socio-economic areas.
The agreements are expected to be formally approved by the Armenian government at the September 24 Cabinet meeting.
The agenda of the Cabinet meeting also includes the signing of a grant agreement with the Asian Development Bank envisaging a 2 million dollar grant to Armenia for the COVID-19 response.
The first issue of Publishers Weekly en Españolwas published this week in Spain. The magazine, a creation of PW and Seville-based Lantia, will be published 26 times a year.
The inaugural edition features an interview with Jesús Badenes, CEO of Grupo Planeta; a profile of author Arturo Pérez-Reverte, where he discusses his his new book, La Línea de Fuego (Alfaguara, November); and articles covering audiobooks, bookselling, and children’s books in the Spanish-language market, among other topics. The magazine also offers more than fifty book reviews of Spanish-language titles.
The cover of the magazine was designed by artist Marta Bustos, and echoes a famous photo of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, albeit updated for the times: he is holding a book, but using it as a mask.
“It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Publishers Weekly en Español to the Spanish-speaking book world,” said Lantia CEO Enrique Parrilla said from his office in Seville. “With its lively mix of news, interviews, feature articles and book reviews, Publishers Weekly en Español is a long-awaited resource that Spanish-speaking booksellers, publishers, authors, agents and librarians can use every day in their professional lives.”
Cevin Bryerman, executive v-p and publisher of Publishers Weekly, added: “The debut of Publishers Weekly en Español brings publishing and bookselling news and reviews to Spanish speakers in Spain, the U.S., Mexico and beyond. With original and translated feature articles, author interviews and book reviews, Publishers Weekly en Español expands and enriches the book world to encompass the wider realm of Spanish-language publishing.”
Initially, the magazine will be available in Spain, as well as through El Sótano bookstores in Mexico. Distribution to the rest of the Americas is expected to follow shortly.
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Violette Haake, a former member of the International Teaching Centre, passed away on 24 September 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. She was 92 years old.
The Universal House of Justice has sent the following message to all National Spiritual Assemblies.
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Our hearts sorrow at the passing of dearly loved Violette Haake. Reared in a distinguished family tracing its roots to the early history of the Faith, she served the Cause of God with utter dedication over many decades, first in her native Iran, and later in the United States and Australia. Whether when pioneering, or during her time as an Auxiliary Board member, or as a Continental Counsellor in Australasia, and most especially in the ten years she served as a member of the International Teaching Centre, her intrepid spirit and radiant enthusiasm for teaching were ever in evidence as she rallied the friends, particularly the youth; poured out encouragement; and fanned the flame of love for Bahá’u’lláh in the hearts. Violette possessed a character that blended extraordinary resilience, steadfastness, and inner strength with unfailing kindness, a nurturing instinct, and true joy. To the last, hers was a life devoted to the service of the Lord.
To her husband, Roderic, and her daughter, Susanne, we extend our heartfelt condolences, with an assurance of our supplications at the Sacred Threshold for the progress of Violette’s luminous soul as it plunges into the sea of light in the world of mysteries. The believers in every land are asked to arrange memorials in her honour, including in all Houses of Worship, as circumstances permit.
NEW DELHI: A group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) — Anna Bonfrisco, Matteo Adinolfi, Valentino Grant, Marco Dreosto, Luisa Regimenti, Alessandro Panza, Stefania Zambelli, Simona Baldassarre, Gianna Gancia and Francesca Donato of the Identity and Democracy Group have asked for reshaping the EU-China relations framework.
Back in February 2020, when China needed help the most, the EU sent tons of goods/equipment to China, spending millions of euros on the process. Germany, France and Italy were major contributors to the aid relief.
In return, when Europe faced the pandemic, the EU Member States received help from China, but China sold for a purchase and did not donate the PPE to Italy, and charged for the very PPE Italy had previously donated to China – Such practice is discouraging and alarming. Spain was forced to return faulty test kits to China, and the Netherlands had to recall 600 000 faulty coronavirus face masks imported from China.
In April, the Italian Identity and Democracy Group MEPs raised a parliamentary question to the European Commission asking that considering the EU-China investment agreement should be signed this year, is the Commission willing “to reshape the EU-China relations framework?” and “to launch a public consultation on the future of EU-China relations?”
In July, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell responded that “the European Commission is working with the Member States and international partners on all fronts to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak” and that “the first priority is to guarantee the health and safety of all EU citizens: protecting people from the spread of the virus, supporting the health systems and health workers while maintaining the flow of goods, mitigating the effects on the economy and helping people get back to their homes”.
High Representative/Vice-President Borrell confirmed that “the COVID-19 website was set up to keep all citizens updated about the evolution of the disease in the EU and informed of the comprehensive response by the Commission”. He further clarified that “following wide consultation, the EU adopted its China strategy in 2016, updated with the Strategic Outlook of March 2019” and that “both remain valid”. He said “as outlined in the Strategic Outlook, the European Union pursues a realist and multi-faceted and differentiated approach to the implementation of its strategic partnership with China”.
High Representative/Vice-President Borrell went on to emphasize that “China is simultaneously a partner with whom the EU has closely aligned objectives, a negotiating partner, with whom the EU needs to find a balance of interests, an economic competitor in pursuit of technological leadership, and a systemic rival promoting alternative models of governance” and that “the EU will continue to engage with China on all aspects of the relationship — the opportunities and the challenges — on issues on which it agrees and on which it does not”.
In closing, the High Representative/Vice-President reported that “the EU will also continue to adapt to changing economic realities by strengthening its autonomy, reinforcing its industrial base and diversifying its supply chains” and that “the EU is working for a more balanced and reciprocal economic relationship with China, including through the negotiation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment and the Agenda 2025”. He also reassured the MEPs that “launching a public consultation on the future of EU-China relations is not currently in the plans of the Commission”.
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown up an interesting paradox in European countries that have banned the full-face veil.
In some French cities, for example, failure to cover your face and protect against COVID-19 can land you a €135 fine.
Yet, officially at least, you could also be fined as much as €150 for covering your face in public places if the covering is a full-face veil.
In 2011, France became the first European country to ban the full-face veil in public. Other European countries have followed by introducing total or partial bans of the burqa, including Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Latvia and Norway.
Now, with many Europeans told they must wear face masks to combat the spread of COVID-19, some are highlighting the apparent contradiction.
“What’s the difference when you cover your face for religious reasons or when you cover your face for health reasons?” said Moana Genevey, gender policy officer at Equinet. “And when is it acceptable?”
In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) dismissed France’s arguments to ban the wearing of the full-face veil in public on the grounds of public security and protection of gender equality.
However, it upheld the ban by accepting it constitutes an infringement of the French principle of “living together” (‘le vivre ensemble’).
Three years later, two Belgian women also took their case to the ECHR, arguing the so-called burqa ban was breaching human-rights law. Samia Belcacemi had stopped wearing the veil in public, fearing jail or a fine, while Yamina Oussar chose to stay at home.
Likewise, the ECHR ruled that Belgium did not violate any right to freedom of religion or discrimination law as it had the right to impose restrictions to ensure the principle of “living together”.
In the French case, the violation of the concept of “le vivre ensemble” was defined as “a denial of fraternity, constituting the negation of contact with others”.
However, the pre-COVID “living together” has little to do with the current coexistence in European countries based on safety distance.
“The discourse has completely changed and people are asked to cover their faces to be able to live together in a democratic society,” said Dr Jone Elizondo Urrestarazu, legal and policy officer at Equinet. “Living together doesn’t mean what it used to, so maybe it’s time to rethink the volatility of this argument.”
Genevey said COVID has raised the issue: “Some women were asking whether or not the ban would apply to them in the context of the pandemic. Now the question is: will we go back to normal afterwards?”
COVID-19 and public safety
Belgium is one of the European countries where covering one’s face with a piece of cloth is banned, but wearing a face mask is now mandatory.
The so-called “burqa ban” was first implemented in Belgium in 2011, forbidding any face-covering clothing in public that could conceal someone’s identity.
One of the main justifications was that “people in public spaces should be ‘recognisable’ and ‘identifiable’ on the grounds of public security”. Exceptions are allowed for labour regulations or festivities, but not for health reasons.
But because of the health emergency, this public safety principle seems to have been put to one side.
“In the short term, we might experience an increase in common criminality, as they go unrecognised wearing face masks,” said Professor Kenneth Lasoen, an intelligence and security expert.
“To offset the situation, municipalities are investing in CCTV cameras to monitor those wearing a face mask in the streets.”
But, in the longer term, there are concerns the coronavirus pandemic has weakened the argument against banning full-face veils.
“We are very likely to face a constitutional challenge, as the current situation sets a precedent for people who want to wear any kind of face-covering in public,” added Prof Lasoen.
But on the streets of Brussels, some people question the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the ban on other types of face-covering, including the burqa.
“I see why some would say that, but we are talking about two different levels,” says Vanessa, a 21-year-old student. “Wearing a mask now has nothing to do with the fact that people could cover their faces with a burqa”.
Her friend Victoria, 20, agrees.
“It is different, we are experiencing a world health crisis and face masks are for everybody’s health, it’s not just about someone’s religion,” she said.
Stephanie, a 40-year-old teacher, thinks “some people might find it disturbing, or even scary if they do not see a face”.
”Back in Tunisia I used to feel a bit unsettled when I saw women wearing a burqa, as I couldn’t see their features,” said Samia, a Brussels expat.
“I also had a sense of guilt, because maybe they felt unsettled by the fact that I didn’t wear a veil at all.”
Samia doesn’t think the comparison between masks and full-face veils is fully valid, because “with a mask, you can still see the features, and whether the person is female or male”.
“The [main] principle should be not to repress people’s rights on [the] grounds of public security,” she said.
“European countries should find ways to minimise the security issues without stigmatising part of the population and prevent them from wearing whatever they want.”
A question of women’s rights?
“If the burqa ban is only justified on religious grounds, it is a discriminatory law,” said Genevey.
“And we cannot ignore that this is something that is affecting an intersectional group, which is women of a certain religion,” said Dr Elizondo.
The ban affects a minority in Europe: less than 1% of Muslim women wear a burqa or a niqab.
“It’s ironic how these measures were supposed to liberate and empower Muslim women who chose to wear a niqab yet it ended up limiting them,” said Dr Sanja Bilic, operations and policy manager at the European Forum of Muslim Women.
“Some women are still going out and paying fines. Others decided to stay home. Prior to the ban, they were active citizens, participating in the life of their community and they had to stop doing that after the niqab ban was implemented”.
For Dr Bilic, the issue is not the niqab or the hijab per se, but the fact that these bans “criminalise a piece of clothing and no other piece of clothing is criminalised in Europe. This is problematic and it leads to Islamophobia, a gendered Islamophobia because it only targets Muslim women”.
She also sees that the ban leads to the growing intolerance towards women wearing a hijab, as was the case of French MP Anne-Christine Lang who walked out of an inquiry meeting because a student union leader wore a hijab.
Some argue these women are pressured to wear a niqab or a burqa by their families or communities. And that the decision to stay at home because they cannot wear a burqa it’s not theirs.
“There is always a component of societal pressure, even if not driven by religion” argues Dr Bilic. “We would have to interview each woman to know their motives, but I believe that here in Europe if they were to be forced to wear a burqa or niqab, they have the tools and freedom to seek help”.
“In the European context, no other group of women, particularly those coming from the minority and non-Christian background, would be questioned on their ability and capacity to choose yet Muslim women’s choices are always treated as suspicious.”
Genevey argues the burqa ban is the opposite of feminism: “Pretending to free women by not allowing them access to the public space is a fundamental contradiction.”
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