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Mental health care ‘barriers’ must end, urges Guterres

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United Nations News
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Mental health care ‘barriers’ must end, urges Guterres

Three in four people suffering from a mental health condition receive inadequate treatment – or none at all – UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, as he urged countries to “break down the barriers that prevent people from seeking support”. 

In his message marking World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October, the UN chief underlined that mental health is vital to humanity, allowing us to lead fulfilling lives and contribute positively to our communities.

One in eight people globally lives with a mental health condition, with women and young people impacted the most.  Many face stigma and discrimination.

No good approach to mental health without human rights

Echoing that message of support, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN human rights office, (OHCHR) released a joint guidance on mental health, human rights and legislation. Their guide -“Mental health, human rights and legislation: guidance and practice” – aims to support countries to reform legislation in order to end human rights abuses and increase access to quality mental health care.

Key elements of this new approach include respecting people’s dignity and “empowering” them to lead full and healthy lives, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. The ambition must also be to transform mental health services by taking a rights-based approach, said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

Inequality

Echoing the need for radical change, the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, called for new and innovative models of mental health policy where holistic support was the focus, along with tackling inequality of care.

While individuals can be genetically predisposed to mental health problems, the UN-appointed independent rights expert also noted that the persecution of individuals because of their gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, class position, migration status or disability negatively affected mental health “as a result of discrimination, social exclusion, marginalisation, criminalisation and exploitation”.

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right’ to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a basic human right.

A person’s sense of smell can be compared to a genetic signature

By
Gaston de Persigny
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We all encounter odors every day; they are ubiquitous and integral – from the smell of morning coffee to the scent of rain. But we also emit our own scent, unique to each person. That’s right: our bodies produce an odor that is influenced by our genes, the food we eat, and even our health. This interesting topic has attracted the attention of science, and its work in this area affects a wide range of fields – from forensic medicine to public health.

The smell you emit is comparable to your own biological signature, writes ScienceAlert. It is caused by a combination of a number of factors, including genetics, which play a large role. Certain genes in your body help make the proteins and chemicals that make up that unique scent.

However, smell is not something uniform and unchanging. Once the body has developed a smell, it still undergoes many changes. Sweat, oils and other substances released by the body interact with bacteria on the skin. As a result of the activity of bacteria, the initial smell changes, forming a more complex aroma that is unique to you. By this changed smell, you can identify a person and even determine whether he is healthy or not.

Researchers seek to understand human smell by studying certain gaseous chemicals released by the skin. These are called volatile organic compounds and they make up the scent you give off. Your body heat helps these compounds evaporate and spread into the air around you. This means anyone close enough can sniff you out.

One of the most intriguing things about fragrance is its ability to serve as a marker of your personality. It’s so clear that specially trained dogs can follow the tracks you leave. Experiments have shown that dogs can distinguish identical twins by smell alone – even a DNA test cannot cope with this task.

Subsequent studies went further and showed that race, ethnicity and even gender could be determined by smell. A 2017 study found that a specific set of 15 volatile organic compounds can determine a person’s race and ethnicity with surprising accuracy. He also showed that smell can determine a person’s gender with about 80% accuracy.

But even this is not all, because the smell can determine not only the person’s personality. There are specially trained medical dogs that can detect by smell if a person has diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Research shows that dogs can even detect COVID-19 with 90% accuracy. Similarly, laboratory tests of human smell have been shown to be able to identify people positive for COVID-19 with 75% accuracy.

The unique smell you emit also has practical uses. In forensics, odor samples can be collected at a crime scene, providing another layer of evidence. In healthcare, understanding a person’s sense of smell can provide a non-invasive way to monitor or diagnose health conditions.

The study of human smell is a field that continues to evolve. Researchers are working to improve our understanding of what makes each person’s scent unique and how this information can be used in practical applications such as health care and criminal investigations.

So the next time you smell someone, remember that your nose is entering a complex and incredibly diverse world that scientists are just beginning to understand. Perhaps in the future, the scent you leave behind will say more about you than any ID card. We can only hope that this information will be used in the future for humane purposes, far from the George Orwellian dystopia known to many.

Illustrative Photo by Tetyana Kovyrina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/girl-sitting-on-grass-smelling-white-petaled-flower-1879288/

Unity does not shy away from controversy

By
Thomas Paul Schirrmacher
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Thomas Schirrmacher discussing with the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Churches Bartholomew I.
Thomas Schirrmacher discussing with the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Churches Bartholomew I. Courtesy: Esther Schirrmacher/WEA

On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis hosted an ecumenical prayer vigil in advance of the synod of Roman Catholic bishops that would begin on October 4. He invited church leaders from various denominations to join him in prayer. Billy Wilson of the Pentecostal World Fellowship, Elijah Brown of the World Baptist Alliance, and I prayed together with 17 other global Christian leaders from non-Catholic churches for the future of the world, the future of the church of Jesus Christ, and the upcoming synod of the Catholic Church. Of the Christian leaders present, roughly half represented the wider Protestant and Evangelical wing of Christianity, the other half the Orthodox and the Old-Oriental churches. Each of us prayed in our mother tongue.

Often, when I attend events like these, controversy arises. As a worldwide network of Evangelicals, our purpose is to represent our global community, to give voice to the Evangelicals we represent. This is true regardless of who offers the invitation. Evangelicals are seen as part of the global Christian community in the eyes of the wider world. This includes Muslim or secular states and organizations, which know all of us simply as “Christians.” To give any of them the impression that we are not part of world Christianity by distancing ourselves from other churches, and by refusing even personal friendship with their leaders, as some sects and cults do, might have devastating effects on our work for Christians suffering discrimination and persecution. On the other hand, we don’t treat this grouping of Christian communities as synonymous with what we understand as the true body of believers. We continue to have a distinct understanding of the gospel. Church membership is not to be confused with being saved.

Our understanding of the body of Christ goes beyond a church denomination or network. For example, there are millions of evangelicals who are not institutionally connected with WEA, for example because in some countries, the government does not allow them to start a national alliance. Moreover, many Evangelicals are within churches that do not belong to a national alliance. Also, in some countries, historic Protestant churches are members of our alliances; in other countries, where these denominations tend to be theologically more liberal, there continue to be large numbers of Bible-believing members within these churches. In my home country of Germany, roughly half of the evangelical believers belong to what we call “free churches“; the other half are active in a wide range of organizations within the Lutheran and Reformed churches.

I am also mindful that God’s spirit continues to be at work. While charismatic or “Spirit-empowered” movements play a vital part within the WEA, yet they transcend all denominational and confessional borders. They engage with non-Protestant churches and connect large numbers of believers in our camp with those in other churches. As we try to understand the ways of God and the movements of the Spirit, we would be wise to avoid trying to decide who is “us” and who is “them.”

Coming back to the event as discussed in the introduction, one might wonder why Evangelicals should be praying for the synod of the Catholic Church. Firstly, praying does not mean that I necessarily agree on any of their particular views or positions. At the same time, the outcomes of these two synods (2023 and 2024) might have a great influence on Christians worldwide. That in itself is good reason to pray. We all have a vital interest in changes the bishops will discuss, and we should pray that the deliberations will help to bring the Catholic Church more in line with the Scriptures. Before participating in the September 30 ecumenical prayer vigil, as we always do on such occasions, we checked the liturgy for joint public prayer to ensure that it was in line with our core beliefs and did not contain any specific confessional elements that we would find objectionable. We have not papered over our differences with the Catholic Church. On the contrary, we have described them openly and in great detail.

Our core desire is to see Christians everywhere unified in Jesus Christ. As we pray and work for unity for the whole church, unity will only come when we are centered in Jesus as described and witnessed by the Bible. Our vision and calling are clear: we speak for Evangelicals and seek to bless the world through our many national alliances by our witness, our public defense of the gospel, our solidarity in prayer and evangelism, and lifting up Jesus, in whose name alone is our salvation, to the world.

In Europe are strengthening the security of Jewish sites

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Newsroom
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Several European international locations, most notably France and Germany, have introduced that they’ll take steps to extend police safety of Jewish sites on their territory following the Hamas assault on Israel and the subsequent declaration of martial legislation by the Israeli authorities and Prime Minister Benjamin’s assertion. Netanyahu that his nation is virtually in a full-scale conflict. The fears of a quantity of European governments are that each one this might result in a rise in anti-Semitic manifestations, writes Politico. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanen stated he had requested prefects in France to extend security at synagogues and Jewish colleges and would convene consultations to evaluate the state of affairs, though there have been no experiences of “any danger” in France at the second. for the Jewish group.

In Germany, the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, additionally warned of doable assaults on Jewish establishments, saying it was a “real danger, not a gray theory,” Spiegel quoted him as saying. “We know from our experience in the recent past that when the anti-Semitic terrorist organization Hamas attacks Israel, the danger to Jews in Germany increases,” Klein stated.

Regarding the normal threats of terrorist exercise in Bulgaria, there isn’t any elevated threat and the degree stays the lowest – third, which implies that one needs to be cautious. Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov instructed journalists at a briefing in the Council of Ministers.

Until now, two conferences of the National Counter-Terrorist Center, which is underneath the coordination of the National Security State Agency, have been held. Based on these two conferences, a report was drawn up and despatched to the Minister of the Interior.

In relation to establishments that are usually at elevated threat – airports, synagogues, railway stations, embassies, and many others., the threat degree of consideration has been elevated – yellow degree, and measures have been taken by the establishments in order to scale back the risks of terrorist acts.

In relation to all different establishments – state, and many others. the degree stays the lowest inexperienced, i.e. no elevated threat.

“With colleagues from the services, we discussed that there is a serious danger of the development of the conflict and its escalation, which could lead in the medium term to an increase in refugee flows, to risks with the supply of raw materials. There are more general risks at the global level,” Denkov added.

Similar measures to guard the Jewish group had been taken in Spain and Italy, native media reported.

Photo: Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov / Screen Shot bTV

The presidential dog was kicked out of the White House for attacking security guards

By
Gaston de Persigny
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At least 11 cases of bites have been recorded

The US President’s pet German shepherd Commander was kicked out of the White House after repeatedly biting his owner’s security guard. Exactly what fate awaits the dog is still being decided, as the president’s wife’s spokesperson told the public.

Commander last bit a Secret Service agent last week, which landed the agent in the hospital. The most unpleasant thing for both the president and his guards was that this was already the 11th such case.

Another problem is that Commander is not the first dog in the presidential family to show aggression towards security. For exactly the same transgressions, his predecessor Major was also kicked out of his official residence and sent to Biden’s relatives.

Why are both dogs too aggressive?

It’s hard to say, but dog behavior experts say it’s possible that something in the guard reminded them of an unpleasant experience when they were puppies, and that intolerance of Secret Service personnel took root in their minds.

However, it is possible that some medical problem or genetic feature is to blame. In any case, the behavior of dogs is usually determined by a number of factors that will be carefully considered.

Whatever the reasons for ousting Commander from the White House, the safety of those responsible for the President’s security must come first.

  “The president and first lady are serious about ensuring the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day,” Elizabeth Alexander, a spokeswoman for the first lady, said Wednesday.

“They are grateful for the patience and support of the Secret Service and all parties involved. The commander is no longer in the White House and is still deciding what lies ahead for him,” she added.

True, Alexander did not say exactly where the offending dog is now and whether he will return to the White House. The statement about the biting dog’s fate came after CNN reported that it had bitten the president’s security guard at least 11 times, and possibly more.

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said the reason for this was the stress associated with living in the presidential residence.

“As you all know, life in the White House is like no other. It can be stressful for all of us. Now imagine what that does to a pet,” she said in July.

Canine psychology experts say the dog’s behavior may indeed be caused by the stressful situation in the White House. Erin Hecht, an assistant professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University who directs the Dog Brain Project, agrees.

“Dogs have personalities, just like people. And like people, they have different reasons to react aggressively or fearfully in different circumstances,” she said.

According to Hecht, those who encounter persistent behavioral problems in dogs, such as in the family of the President of the United States, should first take the animal to a veterinarian to rule out purely physiological problems, and then do a thorough investigation of the causes aggressive behavior to start fighting it.

Why do we treat people as property of their tyrants?

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Guest Author
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By Hasanboy Burhanov – Founder of the political opposition movement Erkin O’zbekiston (Free Uzbekistan)

On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist, was killed by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. He was aware that Mohammad bin Salman, the ruler of Saudi Arabia, wants his death. So why then did Jamal willingly walk into the Saudi consulate, stepping into a house of his mortal enemy?

The reason is: having divorced his wife, he went to the Consulate to obtain a document certifying that he was no longer married, so he could marry his Turkish fiancée. Any Western democratic country would demand the same document from him to allow him to remarry, and the only way to obtain it is to kindly ask the tyrant to oblige.

The situation Jamal Khashoggi found himself in is daily reality for millions of people who fled their countries. They may have fled years ago, built a new life for themselves in Germany or France, but they are not off the hook. One day their passports would expire – they would need new ones; if not passports, then a certificate of criminal record, or a birth certificate or some other document. And the only way to get it would be to ask the tyrants they had fled from to provide it.

Legal documents required by Western democracies become a leverage tyrants employ to control and silence their opposition abroad. Every emigrant fleeing the regime knows that if they become too vocal in their criticism they may regret it when their host country requests to provide a document of paper, for which they would need to travel back to their homeland – right into dictator’s embrace.

The case of criminal record certificates, required by many EU countries for obtaining residence permits, is especially telling. Many Russian prisoners, including paedophiles and murderers, were drafted into the Wagner mercenary group to fight in Ukraine. Those who survived get their criminal record wiped – from now on they would be able to present a clean slate, properly supported by Russia-issued papers, to any EU inquiry. At the same time, Alexey Navalny – the most famous political prisoner in Russia – will not get such a luxury: his criminal record is extensive, and it includes convictions for terrorism. If the EU judges potential immigrants by their paper records, a convicted paedophile with Ukrainian blood on their hands will look much more preferable to them than a civil activist, whose real crime was to voice their dissent.

Sometimes dictators use this power quite directly. Lukashenko, the Belorussian dictator that lost elections to Svietlana Tikhanovskaya, had ceased to issue Belorussian passports abroad. So by the current EU law, Svietlana Tikhanovskaya – once her passport expires – is expected to return to Belarus and ask Lukashenko to issue a new one for her.

We recommend to stop the practices sending citizens of countries under dictatorships back to their countries, when they need to obtain some the documents from their homeland. These documents are not trustworthy, obtaining them carries risk, and requiring them gives dictatorships undue leverage over their citizens abroad.

We recommend:

  1. In all democratic countries, amendments should be adopted to regulations that require foreigners, when interacting with government and civil organizations, to present documents with a limited validity period from their country of origin. This includes police clearance certificates, civil status certificates, newly issued birth certificates, and others. If the foreigner’s country of origin is on the list of non-democratic countries, these documents may be substituted with an affidavit signed by the applicant.
  • A regulation should be adopted for all passport-related procedures, including border crossings and travel, for citizens of nations on the list of non-democratic countries. This regulation would permit the use of an expired passport and/or a valid ID issued by the country of residence, such as a residence permit or another form of identification.

We should not urge emigrants who fled their countries escaping tyranny to go back to their oppressors to ask for necessary papers putting their lives and freedom at risk.

Earthquake kills at least 100 in Herat, Afghanistan

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United Nations News
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Earthquake kills at least 100 in Herat, Afghanistan

A major earthquake struck Herat, Afghanistan early Saturday killing at least 100 people and triggering a spate of rescue and assessment missions by UN agencies, partners, and the de facto authorities.

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Afghanistan: Aid efforts rapidly expand as post-quake death toll rises

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United Nations News
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Afghanistan: Aid efforts rapidly expand as post-quake death toll rises

The death toll from the major earthquake that pummelled western Afghanistan soared over 1,000 overnight as rescue operations continued to fan out over affected villages, UN agencies said on Sunday.

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Namur by bike: explore the city and its surroundings on two wheels

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NewsdeskTET
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Namur by bike: explore the city and its surroundings on two wheels

Namur, located in the heart of Wallonia in Belgium, is a city full of charm and history. With its rich architectural heritage, green parks and picturesque landscapes, Namur is an ideal destination for cycling enthusiasts. Whether you are a resident of the city or a visitor passing through, exploring Namur by bike is an unforgettable experience that will allow you to discover all the hidden treasures of this magnificent region.

The city of Namur offers numerous cycle paths which will allow you to move around in complete safety and fully enjoy your bike ride. Along the Meuse, you can admire the boats sailing peacefully on the river and enjoy the breathtaking view of the citadel which overlooks the city. You can also go to the foot of the citadel by taking the cycle path which runs along the Sambre. Once at the top, you can visit this magnificent fortified castle which offers a panoramic view of the entire region.

Outside the city, the surroundings of Namur are full of picturesque landscapes and charming villages to discover by bike. For example, you can go to the Molignée valley, known for its hilly landscapes and its old railway tracks transformed into cycle paths. This region is also famous for its caves, castles and abbeys that you can discover during your bike ride.

If you are a nature lover, don’t miss the Flemish Ardennes Natural Park. Located a few kilometers from Namur, this park offers numerous opportunities for cycling through rural and wooded landscapes. You can also take a break in one of the many typical villages of the region and taste the local specialties.

Namur is also a cultural city full of museums and historical sites to visit. By traveling by bike, you can easily get from one place to another and fully enjoy your visit. Don’t miss the Félicien Rops museum, dedicated to this famous Namur artist, nor the Saint-Aubin cathedral which is one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the region.

For those who wish to extend their stay in Namur, it is possible to rent electric bikes which will allow you to cover longer distances without getting tired. This will give you the opportunity to discover more remote places such as the Eau d’Heure lakes, where you can practice water activities and enjoy the surrounding nature.

In conclusion, Namur by bike is an experience not to be missed. Whether you are a nature lover, a history buff or simply looking for new discoveries, the city and its surroundings offer many opportunities for bike rides. So, get on your bike, put on your helmet and set off to discover Namur and its hidden treasures.

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Israeli-Palestinian conflict – UN engages parties ahead of Security Council meeting

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United Nations News
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- UN engages parties ahead of Security Council meeting

Top UN officials engaged key actors amid the spiraling Israeli-Palestinian conflict while UN peacekeepers detected rocket and artillery fire exchanged across the Israel-Lebanon border ahead of Sunday’s Security Council emergency meeting on the unfolding crisis.

As the 15-member Council prepared to meet at 3 pm in New York, UN agencies were reporting that hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured following the early Saturday morning rocket fire into Israel by Palestinian militants.

The ensuing Israeli response to the Hamas attacks included airstrikes in Gaza, where the UN agency operating there, UNRWA, had reported massive damages alongside rising death tolls.

New reports emerged of alarming food scarcity and clashes across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Israel-Lebanon border: Rocket, artillery fire

Early Sunday, the UN peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, UNIFIL, “detected several rockets fired from southeast Lebanon toward Israeli-occupied territory in the general area of Kafr Chouba and artillery fire from Israel to Lebanon in response”, according to the mission.

The UN Security Council-mandated mission, operating along an area known as the “Blue Line”, was deployed in 1978 to restore peace between Israel and Lebanon.

“We are in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, at all levels, to contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation,” UNIFIL said in a statement. “Our peacekeepers remain in their positions and on task.”

UNIFIL said peacekeepers continued to work, “some from shelters, for their safety”.

“We urge everyone to exercise restraint and make use of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to de-escalate to prevent a fast deterioration of the security situation,” the mission said.

In ‘close contact’ with key actors

At the same time, the UN chief of the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, “is in close contact” with the United States, European Union, Qatar, Egypt, and Lebanon “to discuss the ongoing war” in Israel and Gaza, according to a social media post by his office, UNSCO.

“Priority now is to avoid further loss of civilian life and deliver much needed humanitarian aid to the Strip,” the UNSCO post said, adding that the “UN remains actively engaged to advance these efforts”.

Calls to protect civilians

Top UN officials have called for an immediate cessation of violence.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned “in the strongest terms” the attack by Hamas against Israeli towns, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, urging “maximum restraint” and that “all diplomatic efforts” are made “to avoid a wider conflagration”.

“Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times,” the UN chief said in a statement.

UN agency raises alarm over food scarcity

As the conflict intensifies, civilians, including vulnerable children and families, face mounting challenges in accessing essential food supplies, with distribution networks disrupted and production severely hampered by hostilities, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

“WFP urges safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected areas, calling on all parties to uphold the principles of humanitarian law, taking every necessary measure to safeguard the lives and well-being of civilians, including ensuring access to food,” the agency said.

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