The UN food security agency on Monday launched an emergency response plan to provide essential support to communities in Sudan grappling with the devastating effects of the ongoing conflict.
FAO launches emergency plan to combat hunger in Sudan
The culinary specialties of Antwerp: a taste journey in Belgium
The culinary specialties of Antwerp: a taste journey in Belgium
When we think of Belgium, we often think of the famous waffles, crispy fries and tasty beer. However, the city of Antwerp offers much more than that in terms of culinary specialties. This port city located in the Flemish region is renowned for its rich and diverse gastronomy, mixing local traditions and international influences. In this article we will take you on a taste journey through the culinary specialties of Antwerp.
Let’s start with the emblematic dish of Antwerp: waterzooi. It is a stew made with chicken or fish, accompanied by fresh vegetables and potatoes. The creamy, smooth sauce is made with vegetable or fish stock, cream and eggs. This delicious and comforting dish is typical of Flemish cuisine and is often served with bread for dipping. You can’t visit Antwerp without tasting this traditional dish.
Next, let’s talk about stoemp, a comforting dish made with potatoes and vegetables. Potatoes are mashed and mixed with vegetables such as carrots, spinach or leeks. This simple but tasty dish is often accompanied by smoked sausages or meatballs. Stoemp is a staple of Belgian cuisine and is very popular with the people of Antwerp.
Now let’s move on to seafood, an essential specialty of Antwerp thanks to its proximity to the North Sea. Gray shrimp are particularly popular in the region. These small shrimp are cooked in a mixture of butter and parsley, then served with fresh bread. Their delicate taste and melting texture make gray shrimp a real treat for the taste buds. Mussels are also very popular in Antwerp, prepared in different ways: with beer, garlic or cream. You will find many restaurants specializing in seafood in Antwerp, where you can taste these marine delicacies.
When it comes to sweets, Antwerp does not disappoint. Belgian pralines are world famous and Antwerp chocolatiers are renowned for their know-how. Pralines are chocolate candies filled with different flavors: ganache, praline, caramel, dried fruits, etc. Antwerp chocolatiers are artists in the art of creating these little treats. They use high quality ingredients and are constantly looking for new flavors and textures to surprise the taste buds of chocolate lovers.
Speaking of sweets, it’s impossible to miss waffles. Belgian waffles are famous all over the world and Antwerp is no exception. These thick, crispy waffles are often served with whipped cream, fresh fruit or melted chocolate. They are a real temptation for gourmands and are an integral part of Antwerp’s culinary culture.
Finally, how can we talk about Belgian cuisine without mentioning beer? Antwerp is home to many breweries and cafes where you can taste a wide selection of Belgian beers. From light lagers to fuller-bodied dark beers, there is something for everyone. Trappist beers, brewed by monks in abbeys, are particularly appreciated by connoisseurs. The warm and friendly atmosphere of Belgian cafés is ideal for enjoying a good beer and discovering the different flavors and aromas that Belgium offers.
In conclusion, the culinary specialties of Antwerp offer a real taste journey in Belgium. From waterzooi to stoemp, from shrimp to pralines, including waffles and beer, there is something to satisfy all palates. Whether you are a fan of traditional dishes or sweet treats, Antwerp is a culinary paradise that will satisfy your taste buds. So, indulge in a gastronomic getaway to this Flemish city and discover the culinary treasures it has to offer.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Opening: 11-14 September plenary session | News
One year after murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran
Parliament proudly stands with the brave, defiant women and men who continue to fight for equality, dignity and freedom in Iran, with 16 September marking one year since the murder of Mahsa Amini, President Metsola said. Reiterating Parliament’s strongest condemnation of the Iranian regime for taking EU and dual nationals hostage, President Metsola called for the immediate release of EU official Johan Floderus and professor Ahmad Reza Jalali. In a plenary debate tomorrow, Parliament will remember and honour the legacy of Mahsa Amini and all those who have paid the ultimate price for liberty, she concluded.
Extreme weather in Europe
Dangerous weather conditions have affected huge parts of Europe, said the President, with major wildfires and floods having a severe impact on member states such as Spain, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. Greece has been particularly devastated by the floods and wild fires and the EU has already provided crucial assistance and will continue to do whatever is necessary, she added. The President announced that she will welcome Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday to reiterate the EU’s solidarity to Greece and to discuss EU assistance. “Our hearts go out to all those who have had their lives and livelihoods destroyed over this summer; the EU institutions will keep supporting those countries that need it”, she concluded.
Earthquake in Morocco
Following the terrible earthquake in Morocco where thousands were killed and injured, President Metsola expressed solidarity with the people of Morocco and said that Europe stands ready to provide assistance.
Death of Véronique Trillet-Lenoir
President Metsola expressed her condolences to the family of MEP Véronique Trillet-Lenoir who died in August. A medical doctor, teacher and MEP, she was known for her devotion to the health of Europeans and contributed to establishing the foundations of the European Health Union.
President Metsola led MEPs in a minute of silence to remember Véronique Trillet-Lenoir and all those who lost their lives this summer.
Changes to the agenda
Tuesday
A report on the Draft European Council decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament is added as the first point in the morning. The debate will be followed by a round of political group speakers. As a consequence, the sitting will start at 08:30.
A High Representative statement on 50 years since the murder of Allende and the Coup in Chile: democracy and sovereignty (no resolution), followed by a round of political group speakers, is added as forth point in the afternoon, after the VPC/HR statement on EU-CELAC.
Request by several committees to start negotiations with Council and Commission
Decisions by committees to enter into inter-institutional negotiations (Rule 71) are published on the plenary website.
If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made by Tuesday 12.00 midnight, the committees may start negotiations.
Information concerning the distribution of votes is available under the section “Priority information”.
Outgoing MEPs
Peter van Dalen (EPP, Netherlands) as of 3 September 2023
Esteban González Pons (EPP, Spain) as of 16 August 2023
Adriana Maldonado López (S&D, Spain) as of 16 August 2023
Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew, France) as of 9 August 2023
Incoming MEPs
Laura Ballarín Cereza (S&D, Spain) as of 6 September 2023
Ana Collado Jiménez (EPP, Spain) as of 6 September 2023
Anja Haga (NI, Netherlands) as of 5 September 2023
Catherine Almaric (Renew, France) as of 10 August 2023
Türk blasts ‘politics of repression and division’, stresses freedom and development link
Addressing the opening of the Council’s 54th session, Mr. Türk strongly condemned the “old, blunt, brutal politics of repression” as exemplified by a rise in military coups and the crushing of dissent – “in short, the fist”.
Following military takeovers in Niger and Gabon, he insisted that the “unconstitutional changes in government” such as the ones seen recently in the Sahel are “not the solution”.
“We need instead an urgent reversal to civilian governance, and open spaces where people can participate, influence, accompany and criticise government actions – or lack of action,” he said.
Interlinked rights and development challenges
Mr. Türk said that the challenges faced by countries in the Sahel, which leave their populations “struggling for daily survival”, are interlinked.
The devastating impacts of climate change, lack of investment in essential services and weak governance “are the sources that violent extremism draws from”, he warned.
He also sounded the alarm over mass-produced “lies and disinformation” aided by new technologies and emphasized that “people everywhere want – and have the right to… objective information, not propaganda.”
‘Leave no one behind’
The UN rights chief underscored that over his years of service with the UN it had become clear to him that development issues “underlie almost every challenge we face”.
“Leaving no-one behind is not an empty slogan. It is a human rights action plan that reaches across the whole spectrum of human rights”, he said.
He deplored the fact that the world was “betraying [its] promise” to end hunger and poverty by 2030.
‘Collective human rights failure’
Some 600 million people are projected to be chronically undernourished at the end of the decade according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) despite the massive financial and technological resources at our disposal, Mr. Türk said.
He also stressed that 1.2 billion people, nearly half of them children, now live in “acute multidimensional poverty” and risk being joined by millions more as a result of climate change, as projected by the World Bank.
“This is a terrible collective human rights failure,” he stated.
Fight against inequalities
The High Commissioner detailed steps to address the “abyss between rich and poor” and the inequalities preventing humanity from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He spoke about the need for a reform of the international financial architecture offering “fairer deals on debt relief”, urgent funding for developing countries in the form of an SDG Stimulus, a push towards international tax cooperation and a reinvigorated global fight against corruption and illicit financial flows.
Environmental accountability
Mr. Türk also called for “effectively financed human rights-based climate action” to help developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change, to which they contributed so little, and offset the damage done.
He stressed the need for a “rapid, equitable phase-out of fossil fuels” and welcomed the consideration of measures to ensure “accountability for environmental damage”, such as the proposed inclusion of the international crime of “ecocide” in the Rome Statute of the UN-backed International Criminal Court.
‘Politics of indifference’
In his address the UN rights chief highlighted a wide range of human rights crises around the world. He said that he was shocked by the “nonchalance” and the “politics of indifference” in the face of more than 2,300 people reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean this year, “including the loss of more than 600 lives in a single shipwreck off Greece in June”.
He strongly condemned the fact that many more migrants and refugees were dying “unnoticed” in Europe, in the Bay of Bengal, on the border between the United States and Mexico and beyond.
Russia’s warfare in Ukraine ‘horrific’
Mr. Türk also spoke about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the “horrific warfare” which has ravaged the country.
“The Russian Federation’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July, and attacks on grain facilities in Odesa and elsewhere, have again forced prices sky-high in many developing countries – taking the right to food far out of reach for many people,” he said.
He reiterated his “deep concerns” regarding restrictions on fundamental rights in Russia and “particularly severe oppression” of the anti-war movement and human rights activists, as exemplified by the harsh prison sentences handed down to opponents Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Palestine and Iran
The High Commissioner expressed his “profound shock” at the escalating violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as concern over the “continuing civic space restrictions” by the Palestinian Authorities and de facto authorities in Gaza.
He also deplored the “inadequate” accountability for the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran one year on and reiterated his concerns over restriction on the rights of women and girls, as well as the renewed deployment of the morality police, a force “almost exclusively aimed” at controlling them.
‘Repugnant’ Quran burnings
The “fabrication of artificial disputes over gender” was part of what Mr. Türk called “the politics of division and distraction”. In this context he brought up the “repugnant” series of some 30 recent incidents of burning the Quran to “create divisions, both within societies, and between countries”.
He announced that he would discuss this topic in detail on 6 October, as mandated by a resolution adopted during an urgent debate at the Council’s previous session.
Minute of silence
Monday’s meeting opened with a minute of silence honouring the victims of the devastating earthquake in Morocco on 8 September, which has so far claimed at least 2,100 lives.
The Vice-President of the Council, Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the UN in Geneva Muhammadou M.O. Kah, urged solidarity with the victims, stressing to delegations present that they were “not just representatives of nations or organisations” but “part of a global community, humanity”. Morocco’s ambassador Omar Zniber thanked delegates for the gesture and the Geneva-based organisations for their support.
Marathon session
The Human Rights Council’s 54th session will run until 13 October at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. During the marathon five-week session, the Council will focus on the human rights situations in Afghanistan, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Ukraine among others.
First Person: Family death ‘turning point’ in South Sudanese humanitarian’s life
She is currently deployed with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, to the north of her country, supporting refugees who are fleeing conflict in Sudan.
She has been speaking to UN News ahead of World Humanitarian Day which is commemorated annually on 19 August.
“Saving lives became a passion of mine when I was 15. One of my cousins was staying with us for the holidays. We were so close that she would come directly to my place after boarding school, instead of her parents. We did everything together.
One morning, it was time for her to go back to school and I accompanied her to her bus stop. Little did I know that this would be the last time I would see her. At about 4am, news got to us that the bus had been in a terrible accident. It fell off a bridge, killing 21 passengers, including my cousin.
So many mothers
and fathers cried
around me, and yet,
I couldn’t shed a tear.
I immediately went to the police station to enquire about her – at that time I didn’t know she was one of the victims. Information was reaching families very late as many had to reach the police station by bike, and it was a long ride.
They clearly needed help with the rescue, and I volunteered. There weren’t enough ambulances, so we were fishing bodies out of the water and piling them on the shore. I don’t know how I kept my composure, but I did.
At the hospital, so many families anxiously waited for answers. So many mothers and fathers cried around me, and yet, I couldn’t shed a tear.
It was only when I stepped away from all this chaos and went back home that I felt the weight of my own emotions. This is the moment I realized that I wanted to become a humanitarian worker and dedicate my life to helping others and saving lives; a moment of incredible pain became a turning point in my life.
South Sudan violence
In 2016, I was working in South Sudan when violence broke out following the collapse of the peace agreement that put an end to the civil war. All humanitarians involved in the response were suddenly told to evacuate, however, the military wouldn’t let us go through and were blocking the roads. They were shooting at those trying to flee, including us.
I don’t know where I got the courage to stay calm. I did my best not to panic, I stood strong and demanded answers from the authorities. All I could think of is that we had a responsibility towards the community, and we simply couldn’t let them down.
Sudan crisis
The current crisis in Sudan, our northern neighbour, is now worse than ever. I was deployed to Renk, a town in South Sudan, to monitor and report on the humanitarian situation.
People fleeing Sudan face numerous challenges while on the move. Thousands of tired, dehydrated, and sick people continue to register at the point of entry each day. Many of them have experienced brutality, exploitation, extortion, and looting.
Women and children are often victims of sexual violence, and children are more vulnerable than ever with many out of school, scared, and hungry.
While at the border point, I saw a woman, her two children, and her brother-in-law arrive exhausted. The woman’s husband was shot and died in front of them. They buried the body and ran away.
On their way towards safety, the car they were in was involved in an accident. Several people died and many more were injured, including her nine-year-old son whose leg got fractured.
She told me they couldn’t let that stop them, so they continued their way to the border using a donkey cart.
As they got to the border, her two-year-old child passed away as health personnel watched on helplessly. Eventually she was rushed to the nearest health facility in Renk with her nine-year-old, while her brother-in-law remained behind at the border to bury her baby.
I am a mother myself; I can only imagine the pain she went through. She wasn’t even able to bury her own child.
Infrastructure challenges
One of the main issues we are facing is poor infrastructure. The transportation of returnees has become a huge problem. The runways are not made to accommodate large aircraft, meaning only small planes can land. When it rains heavily, flights are canceled or remain stuck on the ground.
To ease the congestion in Renk, the Government and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) is transporting returnees to Malakal by boat, which takes over two days.
Passengers get to their destination exhausted, dehydrated, and often sick, and health workers are overwhelmed by the huge number of patients.
Passion and dignity
To my fellow national colleagues who aspire for more, I say this: we shouldn’t lose hope. Let us continue to push for opportunities and let’s make sure we do things the right way – with passion and dignity – as we continue to serve our countries.
The most important thing to me is love for our people, for the humanity we serve, and for what we do.”
23 Spanish-speaking Jewish communities worldwide demand the deletion of a derogatory definition
All representative institutions of the Spanish-speaking Jewish communities support the initiative. The removal of the definition of “Jew” as “avaricious or usurious person” is requested, as well as the definition of “judiada” as “a dirty trick.”
Madrid, September 6, 2023. More than 20 Jewish communities worldwide have formally
requested the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) to eliminate the definition of “Jew” as
“avaricious or usurious person.” They consider it an offensive definition that portrays a
community in derogatory and discriminatory terms, not reflecting the current usage of the
Spanish language in the Spanish-speaking community, where respect and the promotion
of diversity and multiculturalism are paramount.
The European Times wrote today to the Real Academia de la Lengua Española, who responded that:
“the mentioned request has been received and will be processed following the usual procedures for its study [la solicitud que menciona ha sido recibida y se tramitará siguiendo los cauces habituales para su estudio]”.
Real Academia de la Lengua Española
Inappropriately Defining “Jew” as an Insult
“Dictionaries have the task of reflecting language use and evolution, and their content is based on linguistic and academic criteria. In a context where Spanish and Ibero-American society is increasingly sensitive to diverse identities, and disrespect in defining groups is widely rejected, we believe that these definitions should be updated to accurately reflect the language’s usage in our times,” says lawyer Borja Luján Lago, who is representing the Jewish community in this initiative.
The initiative, promoted by the Jewish Community of Panama, has the support of the entire Spanish-speaking Jewish community, represented by its representative organizations:
the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, the Delegation of Israeli Associations in Argentina, the Israeli Circle of Bolivia, the Jewish Community of Chile, the Sephardic Hebrew Community of Bogotá, the Zionist Israeli Center of Costa Rica, the Board of the House of the Hebrew Community of Cuba, the Jewish Community of Ecuador, the Israeli Community of El Salvador, the Jewish Community of Guatemala, the Hebrew Community of Tegucigalpa, the Central Committee of the Jewish Community of Mexico, the Israeli Community of Nicaragua, the Jewish Community of Paraguay, the Jewish Association of Peru, the Israeli Center of the Dominican Republic, the Central Israeli Committee of Uruguay, and the Confederation of Israeli Associations of Venezuela, as well as non-governmental organizations such as the American Jewish Committee (AJC), B’nai B’rith International (BBI), the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), the Latin American Jewish Congress (CJL), and the AntiDefamation League (ADL).
The document submitted to the RAE’s registry also requests, for the same reasons, the complete removal of the entry “Judiada,” which is defined as “a dirty trick or action that harms someone.”
“We understand that dictionary definitions reflect language usage and do not inherently promote hate, but they should be corrected as they are entirely outdated in the social and cultural reality of the 21st century. We appeal to the sensitivity of the RAE to promote a respectful and inclusive language,” says Luján Lago.
In 2001 this derogatory definition was not in the dictionary.
What is the Royal Academy of Spanish Language?
The primary location of the Real Academia de la Lengua Española is in Spain, where it holds the responsibility of regulating the language within the country. However, its impact goes beyond Spain as it is acknowledged as the language authority, for all Spanish-speaking nations. There are a total of 23 countries where Spanish is recognized as the official language and these countries are all considered part of the Spanish-speaking community. Therefore while the Real Academia de la Lengua Española is based in Spain, its influence and authority encompass all Spanish-speaking nations.
Five Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to 30 years in prison in all
As of 18 August 2023, a total of 116 Witnesses were in prison in Russia for practicing their faith in private.
In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court ruled the activity of the “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses” to be extremist and it ordered that the center and all its regional divisions must be liquidated. It ordered that the organization’s property be confiscated in the state’s favor.
Four believers received more than 6 years in a penal colony each on a second appeal
On 5 September, the Amur Regional Court upheld the prison terms of four Jehovah’s Witnesses for meetings with fellow believers. Vladimir Bukin, Valeriy Slashchev and Sergey Yuferov will have to serve a sentence of six years and four months in prison, and Mikhail Burkov – six years and two months. The verdict has entered into force.
Back in October 2022, the Tyndinskiy District Court sentenced the believers to various terms of imprisonment ranging from six years and two months to six years and six months. However, an appeal overturned this decision, and the men were released from the pre-trial detention center, where they had spent two months each. The retrial of the case was completed in June 2023. Judge Valentina Brikova issued a verdict that differed slightly from the first one – from six years and two months to six years and four months in prison.
In their appeals, the believers noted that “the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not ban the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses and did not assess the legitimacy of the religious beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the ways in which they were expressed.”
According to the convicts, it follows that “despite the liquidation of legal entities, [they] still have the right to freely practice the religion of [their] choice, including reading the Bible and discussing it with others, praying to God, singing songs praising God, and talking to other people about their faith.” Believers still insist on their innocence.
Court of Appeal in Krasnoyarsk upheld Aleksandr Filatov’s sentence — 6 years in a penal colony
On 20 July 20, 2023, a panel of judges of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Court, chaired by Tatyana Lukyanova, upheld the verdict against 38-year-old Aleksandr Filatov. The father of two young children has been transferred to the penal colony No. 31 in the village Industrialniy (Krasnoyarsk).
Filatov was convicted on charges of “organizing the activity of a banned extremist organization”, but in fact for discussing the Bible with his fellow believers. He still maintains being not guilty of extremism. In his appeal, he stated that the court violated his rights guaranteed by Article 28 of the RF Constitution: “I carried out actions underlying within the framework of freedom of religion.”
The defense pointed out that the court did not apply the explanations of the Plenum of the RF Supreme Court, according to which believers have the right to hold meetings for worship if they do not contain signs of extremism. Aleksandr Filatov stated: “The presence of extremist goals and motives in my actions has not been proven. The verdict does not quote any extremist statements.”
The persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia has been going on for more than six years and is gaining momentum, despite the condemnation of the world community. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory alone, 30 believers are facing criminal prosecution for their faith. Almost half of them were already sentenced: five have been sent to a penal colony, four have been given suspended sentences, and three have been fined.
Critical raw materials – plans to secure EU supply and sovereignty
Electric cars, solar panels and smartphones – all of them contain critical raw materials. They are the lifeblood of our modern societies.
The Industry Committee adopted measures to boost the supply of strategic raw materials, crucial to secure the EU’s transition towards a sustainable, digital and sovereign future.
The Critical Raw Materials Act, recently adopted with a strong majority, aims to allow Europe to accelerate towards European sovereignty and competitiveness, with an ambitious change of course. The report as adopted today will cut red tape, promote innovation along the entire value chain, support SMEs and boost research and development of alternative materials and more environmentally-friendly mining as well as production methods.
Strategic Partnerships
The report highlights the importance of securing strategic partnerships between the EU and third countries on critical raw materials, in order to diversify the EU’s supply – on an equal footing, with benefits for all sides. It paves the way for long-term partnerships with knowledge- and technology-transfer, training and upskilling for new jobs with better working and income conditions, as well as extraction and processing on the best ecological standards in our partner countries.
MEPs also push for a stronger focus on research and innovation concerning substitute materials and production processes that could replace raw materials in strategic technologies. It sets circularity targets to foster the extraction of more strategic raw materials from waste. MEPs also insist on the need to cut red tape for companies and especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Quote
Lead MEP Nicola Beer (Renew, DE) said: “With a strong majority, the Industry Committee sends a strong signal ahead of the trilogue. The agreed report provides a clear blueprint for European security of supply, with a research and innovation boost along the entire value chain.”
“Instead of having far too many ideology-driven subsidies, it relies on fast and simple approval processes and reducing red tape. In response to geopolitical upheavals, it creates the preconditions to offer targeted economic incentives to private investors in the context of production and recycling in Europe. At the same time, it builds on the expansion of strategic partnerships with third countries. The foundation for Europe’s course towards open, economic and geopolitical sovereignty has been laid”, she added.
Next steps
The draft legislation was adopted in the committee with 53 votes to 1, with 5 abstentions. It will be put to a vote by the full House during the 11-14 September plenary session in Strasbourg.
Background
For now, the EU is dependent on certain raw materials. Critical raw materials are pivotal for the EU’s green and digital transitions, and securing their supply is crucial for the European Union’s economic resilience, technological leadership, and strategic autonomy. Since the Russian war on Ukraine and an increasingly aggressive Chinese trade and industrial policy, cobalt, lithium and other raw materials have also become a geopolitical factor.
With the global shift towards renewable energies and the digitization of our economies and societies, the demand for some of these strategic raw materials is expected to rapidly increase in the coming decades.
A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) published in May 2021 alerts governments to the explosion in global demand for critical raw materials in the energy sector caused by the decarbonization of economies: this demand could be multiplied by 4 if the world complies with the commitments of the Paris Agreement. Most of this growth will come from the needs of electric vehicles and their batteries, followed by power grids, solar panels and wind power. Lithium requirements could increase 42-fold by 2040, graphite 25-fold, cobalt 21-fold and nickel 19-fold. Yet these materials are concentrated in a handful of countries: three states extract 50% of the world's copper: Chile, Peru and China; 60% of cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo; China extracts 60% of the world's rare earths and controls over 80% of their refining. According to the IEA, governments need to build up strategic reserves to avoid supply disruptions.
Stamp out hate speech, persecution based on faith: Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was delivering his message marking the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief and began by reiterating that freedom of belief is “an inalienable human right”.
“Yet, around the world, people and communities, particularly minorities, face intolerance, discrimination and threats – to their places of worship, their livelihoods and even their lives”, he said.
“Hatred stirred on and offline is often the cause.”
The official UN Day provides an opportunity to remember all who have suffered based primarily on their faith, and an opportunity to “renew our resolve to stamp out the hate speech that fuels these terrible acts of intolerance.”
Initiatives offer solutions
Mr. Guterres cited initiatives such as his Call to Action for Human Rights and the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, which provide a blueprint to do so.
“I urge all governments to prevent and address acts of violence based on religion and belief”, he continued.
“I call on everyone, particularly political, community and religious leaders, to speak out against hate and incitement to violence.”
He called on senior politicians, technology companies and other stakeholders to support the UN’s development of a voluntary Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms, ahead of next year’s Summit of the Future, specifically to tackle hate speech online.
More inclusion, respect
“Together, let’s honour the victims of violence by striving to build a more inclusive, respectful, and peaceful world – one where diversity is celebrated.”
The Day was designated by the UN General Assembly in 2019, spurred by widespread violations suffered by vulnerable groups such as migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and persons belonging to minorities – who are targeted on the basis of religion or belief.
A large group of independent UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts pointed out in a statement that it took some two decades before the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief had been agreed, acknowledging the “great suffering brought about by the disregard and infringement of human rights including of freedom of religion or belief.”
‘Far greater determination’ needed
As the world marks the 75th anniversary this year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), there is special resonance with the emphasis in that declaration, that the use of religion or belief for ends inconsistent with the UN Charter or other instruments, “is inadmissible and condemnable”, they said.
They noted that 42 years on from the 1981 Declaration, this year’s International Day “offers the opportunity to make visible the multiple, daily and egregious violence that takes place based on religion or belief, and to seek to respond to its root causes, urgently and with far greater determination.”
Rights expert urges India to release detained activist
GN Saibaba, a former English professor at Delhi University, was arrested in 2014 and accused of links to banned Maoist groups, according to media reports.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment three years later for multiple offences under the country’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
‘Shameful’ detention
“GN Saibaba is a long-standing defender of the rights of minorities in India, including the Dalit and Adivasi people,” said Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
“His continued detention is shameful. It bears all the hallmarks of a State seeking to silence a critical voice,” she added.
UN human rights experts have repeatedly raised grave concerns about the prosecution of Mr. Saibaba, who has suffered from a spinal disorder and polio since childhood and uses a wheelchair.
His detention was declared arbitrary by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in an opinion issued in 2021.
Detention and health concerns
Ms. Lawlor noted that apart from two short periods of being granted bail, he has been held in Nagpur Central Jail since his initial arrest and detention. She said his condition in prison is a matter of serious concern.
“Mr. Saibaba has been detained in a high security ‘anda barracks’ in conditions incompatible with his status as a wheelchair user,” she said. “His 8×10 feet cell has no window and one wall made of iron bars, exposing him to extreme weather, especially in the scorching summer heat.”
The rights expert also expressed concern for his health, which has severely deteriorated in detention, and advocated for his release.
“States have an obligation to uphold the right to health of prisoners and detainees and ensure their dignity as human beings. Prison authorities must ensure that prisoners with disabilities are not discriminated against, including by ensuring accessibility and providing reasonable accommodation,” said Ms. Lawlor.
About UN Rapporteurs
Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.
They serve in their individual capacity and are independent of any Government or organization.
These experts are not UN staff and they are not paid for their work.
