“We are concerned by the continued devastating impact of the fighting in Sudan on civilians,” Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told journalists in Geneva.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and military rival, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have been locked in vicious clashes since mid-April.
Hundreds have been killed and some 1.2 million have been displaced. UN agencies and partners have repeatedly warned of the growing humanitarian crisis.
Mr. Laurence said at least eight people died in an air strike on a busy livestock market in the capital, Khartoum, on Wednesday, allegedly carried out by the SAF. At least three of the victims were from the same family.
A child was reportedly killed in a separate incident that day after a shell struck his home in the Al-Shajraa district, in southern Khartoum.
Refugee and orphan deaths
OHCHR has also received reports of the killings of four other civilians in the capital on Monday, while at least three people from the same family, including a pregnant woman, were reportedly killed on Sunday.
Airstrikes that day near the Sport Complex in southern Khartoum, hit a refugee centre, reportedly killing at least 10 refugees. Furthermore, no fewer than 71 children have died at an orphanage in Khartoum since the fighting started due to lack of humanitarian assistance, including medical supplies.
Sexual violence, online hate
Mr. Laurence said OHCHR is also concerned by reports of conflict-related sexual violence.
“Since the fighting began, our Office has received credible reports of 12 incidents of sexual violence related to the conflict, against at least 37 women – although the number could be higher. In at least three incidents, the victims were young girls. In one case, 18 to 20 women were reportedly raped,” he said.
Growing reports of apparent enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention are another concern, he added, and journalists are also now at greater risk amid a rise in online hate speech and disinformation.
OHCHR has learnt of a list circulating on social media accusing certain journalists of being RSF supporters. Staff have also seen comments on Facebook calling for the killing of those on the list.
Appeal for accountability
“We reiterate the High Commissioner’s call on both parties to the fighting to ensure protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” he said.
“They must also ensure all violations are effectively and independently investigated and those responsible are held accountable.”
“Food diversion is absolutely unacceptable,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, following a joint statement made by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and USAID announcing their commitment to addressing deeply concerning revelations of aid diversion.
“While we will temporarily halt food aid assistance in Ethiopia, nutrition assistance to children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, school meals programmes, and activities for building the resilience of farmers and pastoralists will continue uninterrupted,” she said, welcoming the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to investigate and hold accountable those responsible.
Widespread theft
Over the past months, large aid deliveries have been stolen, according to media reports.
“Our first concern is the millions of hungry people who depend on our support, and our teams will work tirelessly with all partners to resume our operations as soon as we can ensure that food reaches the people who need it the most,” the SFP chief said.
More than 20 million people in Ethiopia urgently need humanitarian food assistance, as the long-lasting effects of conflict and drought continue, according to the agency.
“WFP is working closely with its UN and humanitarian partners and local stakeholders to reform the way assistance is delivered across Ethiopia and in all high-risk operational contexts where we work,” she said, adding that the agency takes this issue very seriously and will take every necessary step to ensure that critical food assistance reaches those who need it most.
Airborne infrasound can improve can improve tsunami warnings and other emergency responses.
Scientists from the US state of Alaska have found that sensors that detect changes in atmospheric pressure due to earthquakes can receive data on large earthquakes and explosions exceeding the maximum capabilities of many seismometers, reported the electronic edition “Euricalert”.
Sensors that detect inaudible infrasounds in the air can improve tsunami warnings and other emergency responses while reducing costs.
The study by experts from the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks shows that these devices can determine the magnitude of earthquakes more accurately than some seismographs. The initial tsunami warning is based only on the estimated magnitude and location.
Infrasound sensors are commonly used for other purposes such as detecting mine explosions or nuclear detonations. They also detect landslides, erupting volcanoes or meteors entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
“What we’ve done is use infrasound for a purpose it’s not really intended for,” says Ken McPherson of the Alaska Geophysical Institute. “We found that it works well for providing complete data for strong earthquakes.”
These infrasound detectors are typically used for non-seismic purposes, including detecting explosions in the mining industry or nuclear detonations. They also record landslides, erupting volcanoes or meteorites entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
The sensors register changes in atmospheric pressure caused by infrasound waves, whose frequency is lower than that which humans can hear.
Infrasound sensors can record the full range of Earth’s surface motion during an earthquake by picking up changes in atmospheric pressure caused by shifting layers.
Seismographs detect the actual movement of the earth’s surface. The problem with them is that they have an upper limit, which means that data for some large earthquakes that exceed this limit may be missing. Seismographs can also fail to detect weaker tremors if their epicenter is too close to the instrument.
Seismologists can prevent these gaps, including by using strong motion sensors. They have no limitations when it comes to strong tremors, but are more expensive and less accurate in detecting data from weaker ones.
Infrasound sensors are cheaper and operate at the same speed as seismographs. This is especially important in the event of a tsunami. The US National Tsunami Warning Center has only four minutes to send out notifications the moment an earthquake strikes.
Photo by Ray Bilcliff: https://www.pexels.com/photo/giant-tsunami-wave-9156792/
The majority of bathing water sites in Europe met the European Union’s most stringent ‘excellent’ water quality standards in 2022, according to the latest annual Bathing Water report published today. The assessment, put together by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in cooperation with the European Commission, highlights where swimmers can find the cleanest bathing sites in Europe this summer.
The quality of water at coastal sites, which makes up two-thirds of total bathing spots, is generally better than that of inland river and lake sites. In 2022, 88.9% of the EU’s coastal bathing sites were classified as being of excellent quality as compared to 79.3% of inland sites.
In 2022, 95% of bathing waters in Cyprus, Austria, Greece, and Croatia met the ‘excellent’ quality standard. Moreover, in Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, and Luxembourg, all assessed bathing water waters met at least the minimum standard of sufficient quality in 2022.
Since the adoption of the Bathing Water Directive in 2006, the share of ‘excellent’ sites has grown, and has stabilised in recent years, between 85–89% for coastal and 77–81% for inland bathing waters. In 2022, it represented 85.7% of all bathing waters in the EU. The minimum water quality standards were met at 95.9% of all bathing waters in the EU.
Swimmers heading for lakes, rivers and beaches to cool off this summer can be sure of the highest quality standards in bathing sites across Europe. Maintaining high standards for the quality of bathing water, including in urban areas, is beneficial for citizens’ health and well-being. We must continue to achieve these high standards with a comprehensive approach to preserving our most precious resource. The EU is championing the water solutions we need now and in the future, including water efficiency and reuse, integrated approach to the management of water resources across sectors, reducing by 50% pesticides, nutrients, antimicrobials and plastic litter in oceans and rivers and restoring our rivers.
Leena Ylä-Mononen,EEA Executive Director, said:
This is great news for all Europeans who demand that the environment we all share and enjoy, including our cherished bathing sites, are as clean as possible. This shows that over 40 years of hard work in monitoring and improving our coastal waters, rivers, lakes and ponds is paying off, but it also shows that regular monitoring is vital to positive progress.
The share of bathing waters with poor water quality has dropped in the past decade and has been stable since 2015. In 2022, bathing waters with poor water quality constituted 1.5% (315 sites) of all bathing waters in the EU. This shows that the health risk of swimming in bathing waters is slowly decreasing in Europe, although it still exists at a few hundred of bathing water sites. 45 bathing sites were still classified as poor after at least five consecutive years. Of these, nine managed to improve their quality to the sufficient level in 2022.
Bathing water quality at coastal waters is generally better compared to inland waters, due to the more frequent renewal and higher self-purification capacity of open coastal waters. Moreover, many inland bathing waters of central Europe are located at relatively small lakes and ponds, as well as at rivers with a low flow. Compared to coastal areas, these inland waters are more susceptible to short-term pollution caused by heavy summer rains or droughts, especially in the summer.
The growing importance of bathing water sites in cities
Around half of European citizens living in towns and cities have access to urban swimming sites and swimming in local rivers, canals or lakes is increasingly possible and popular. The waters are designated and monitored under the provisions of the EU’s Bathing Water Directive, which safeguards public health and protects the aquatic environment.
Of all European bathing waters, more than 1,800 (8%) are in almost 200 cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and play an important part as urban public spaces. The main socio-economic and environmental benefits that stem from clean and safe urban bathing waters in Europe include better public health, increased ecosystem services, higher recreational value with overall improvement of public spa ce as well as quality of life.
The vast majority of European bathing waters are found in 47 Mediterranean cities across four countries: Greece (37 bathing waters in 7 cities), France (280 bathing waters in 9 cities), Italy (343 bathing waters in 13 cities), and Spain (192 bathing waters in 18 cities). Other bathing waters are distributed throughout 7 cities in Portugal, and 2 cities in Croatia, Denmark, and Albania.
Background
The assessment for today’s report is based on the monitoring of 21,973 bathing sites across Europe that were reported to the EEA for the 2022 season. This includes sites in all EU Member States, Albania and Switzerland. These have to be monitored for four consecutive bathing seasons before they can be considered as of either ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’, or ‘poor’ quality.
Alongside this year’s Bathing Water Report, the EEA has also released an updated interactive map showing the performance of each bathing site. Updated country reports are also available, as well as more information on the implementation of the directive in countries.
In the context of the European Green Deal and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the Commission is currently assessing whether the Bathing Water Directive is still fit for purpose in order to protect public health and improve water quality, or if there is a need to improve the existing rules and propose relevant updates, including new parameters.
The Bathing Water Directive is one of several pieces of EU law that protect water. It is complemented by the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, the Groundwater Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Morocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIA
MATA Festival // The “ALAMIA association for social and cultural action” organised the 11th edition of the international Mata horse-riding festival from 02 to 04 June 2023 in the Zniyed locality, commune of Larbaa de Ayacha, province of Larache.
This is a unique game that calls on the courage and intelligence of those who play it, as it is an ancestral tradition from an exceptional region that the “Jbala” tribes have named Mata.
Morocco, Alamia held 11th Horse-riding festival of MATA 24
Placed under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI and held under the theme “Mata; heritage of humanity and meeting of cultures“, this edition, organised in partnership with UNESCO’s International Festival of Cultural Diversity, was a great success, with tens of thousands of visitors and the quality of guests from countries such as Spain, Belgium, Cameroon, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Portugal.
As festival president Nabil Baraka explains, the highlight of this 11th edition was the Moroccan government’s decision to include the Mata equestrian competition on UNESCO‘s list of intangible heritage.
This decision was strongly supported by the Minister for Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, who, at the opening ceremony of the festival, in the presence of the Minister for Water and Equipment, Mr Nizar Baraka, the Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Riad Mezzour, the Wali, Mr Mohamed Mhidia, and civil society representatives, as well as the Moroccan Minister for Culture, Youth and Communication, Mr Nabil Baraka, civil society, as well as leading political figures, announced the launch of the procedure for registering the Mata ancestral equestrian competition on UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage, in line with HM the King’s enlightened vision, which aims to promote Morocco’s cultural heritage on an international scale. He went on to say that this traditional game would also be included on ISESCO’s list of intangible heritage.
Morocco, Alamia held 11th Horse-riding festival of MATA 25
Referring to the specific nature of this multi-dimensional event, the Minister indicated that through the promotion of the Mata festival, the Department aims to introduce the world to a unique game that calls on the courage and intelligence of those who play it, given that it is a traditional game from an exceptional region, which the “Jbala” tribes have named Mata.
The festival’s chairman, Nabil Baraka, said on this occasion that Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, is working tirelessly to safeguard and enhance its tangible and intangible cultural heritage, which is characterised by its richness and diversity, noting that this annual event, the cornerstone of which is the Mata equestrian competition, helps to preserve an ancestral intangible civilisational heritage and revives the region’s age-old traditions.
He pointed out that the Mata festival, which is open to all continents, has become a forum for conviviality and cultural, social and economic exchange. He added that this event, which highlights the role of the horse in the northern region and pays tribute to its riders, also fosters the economic and tourist development of the Kingdom’s northern and southern regions, by showcasing their many assets and promoting their rich and varied local products and crafts, which are now world-renowned.
Mr Nabil Baraka pointed out that previous editions of this popular equestrian game have been very well attended by enthusiasts from all over the world, saying that this festival aims to revive and preserve Morocco’s traditional civilisational heritage and to enshrine the values of solidarity, tolerance and living together that Morocco has embraced throughout its history and right up to the present day, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.
This event, he continued, is also an opportunity for the southern provinces, the festival’s permanent guest, to exhibit their products alongside cooperatives from the northern region, giving guests a chance to discover the variety and richness of the local treasures of both regions.
As in previous years, the organisers have concocted a programme packed with a wide range of activities. During the three-day event, national and international guests and visitors were able to travel back in time and discover exhibitions of local products and Moroccan crafts. The Festival also offered local, national and foreign audiences a series of evenings of Sufi songs and local and national folk shows.
Morocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIAMorocco, 11th MATA Equestrian (horse-riding) festival. Photo credit BXL-MEDIA
There were also a number of events on the menu, including an environmental awareness campaign and children’s games. Tributes were also paid to prominent figures from the worlds of culture, sport and civil society.
“This annual event celebrates an ancestral culture that expresses a rehabilitated sense of honour, a deep-rooted faith, patriotism as a Sufi school and spiritual and universal values; all the humanist heritage bequeathed by the great Quotb Moulay Abdeslam Ibn Mashich to the Chorfas Alamiyines, the Tarika Mashichiya Shadhiliya and the inhabitants of this exceptional region,” says a press release from the Mata International Equestrian Festival and the Alamia Laaroussia Association for Social and Cultural Action.
Reading books, apart from enriching our vocabulary, our general culture and speech, transports us to other worlds and even takes us away from the real world in which we live for a little while. To read is so important, valuable and enjoyable that those who don’t I can only say that they don’t know what they are missing.
Reading, unlike watching TV, develops our imagination, makes us think, reason, have a logical and coherent thought. In general, the benefits of reading books are so many that I recommend you grab a book right now and start this magical process.
As I already mentioned reading books gives us a lot and the benefits are really quite. In the following lines, I will consider the most important of them.
• Knowledge and Information: Books are a rich source of knowledge and information. They cover a wide range of topics and subjects, allowing readers to learn about different cultures, historical events, scientific concepts, personal development, and much more. Reading expands your understanding of the world and provides lifelong learning opportunities.
• Mental stimulation: Reading is a mentally stimulating activity that engages your brain. It improves cognitive abilities such as critical thinking, analysis and problem solving. Improves vocabulary, language skills and improves memory and concentration. Regular reading can help keep your mind sharp and active.
• Emotional and mental well-being: Books can have a positive impact on emotional and mental well-being. Reading can be a form of escapism, providing a break from everyday stress and worries. It can transport you to different worlds, evoke emotions and offer a sense of relaxation and inner peace. Reading can also provide inspiration, motivation and personal growth, helping you gain new perspectives and insights into life.
• Vocabulary and language skills: Regular reading exposes you to a wide range of words, phrases and sentence structures, which expands your vocabulary and improves your language skills. It helps you develop a better understanding of grammar, sentence construction and writing styles. This in turn improves your communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• Empathy and understanding: Reading fiction, in particular, helps develop empathy and understanding for others. Through stories and characters, readers can gain insight into different perspectives, cultures, and experiences. It promotes empathy, compassion and the ability to relate to others in real life.
• Stress reduction and relaxation: Engaging with a good book can be an excellent way to relax and reduce stress. It provides an escape from everyday pressures and offers a form of entertainment and relaxation. Reading before bed can also help improve sleep quality.
• Enhanced creativity: Reading can stimulate creativity and imagination. When you read, you visualize scenes, characters, and settings in your mind, creating a unique mental experience. It can inspire and fuel your own creative endeavors, whether it’s writing, art, or problem solving in a variety of fields.
• Cultural and social understanding: Books expose readers to different cultures, traditions and perspectives, promoting a better understanding and appreciation of diversity. They can promote tolerance, inclusion and a sense of global citizenship.
• Example for your children: when you read books, your children have a wonderful example and who knows, one day they may fall in love with reading themselves.
All in all, reading books provides a really wide range of benefits that contribute to personal growth, knowledge acquisition, mental well-being and intellectual development. It is a wholesome and enriching activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
How does reading books stimulate our mind?
Reading books stimulates the brain in several ways, involving different cognitive processes and neural networks. Here’s how reading stimulates our minds:
• Mental Visualization: When you read a book, especially fiction, your brain creates mental images of the scenes, characters, and settings described in the text. This visualization process activates the visual cortex and enhances your imagination and creativity.
• Language processing: Reading involves decoding and understanding written language. Your brain processes words, sentence structures, and grammar, which improves language processing skills and increases your ability to understand and use language effectively.
• Cognitive engagement: Reading requires active mental engagement. As you read, you interpret and analyze the information presented in the text, make connections with your prior knowledge, and form mental representations of the content. This cognitive processing stimulates critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Memory and recall: Reading books challenges your memory as you recall details about characters, plot lines and events. Your brain makes associations and connections between the different elements of the story, strengthening memory and recall abilities. Recalling information from previous parts of the book also improves your working memory capacity.
• Focus and concentration: Reading books requires constant attention and concentration. It requires you to focus on the text, follow the narrative, and maintain engagement for extended periods. Regular reading can improve your ability to concentrate and sustain attention in other areas of life as well.
• Empathy and theory of mind: Reading fiction, especially stories that delve into the inner lives of characters, can improve empathy and theory of mind—the ability to understand and infer the thoughts, emotions, and intentions of others. By immersing yourself in different perspectives and experiences, you develop a deeper understanding of human behavior and emotions.
• Neuroplasticity and brain connectivity: Engaging in reading exercises the brain and promotes neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections. It strengthens existing neural pathways and creates new ones, improving overall brain connectivity and cognitive flexibility.
• Emotional and sensory activation: Reading can elicit emotional responses and engage the sensory areas of the brain. The descriptions of smells, sounds and emotions in books can activate the corresponding areas of the brain, making the reading experience more vivid and immersive.
By stimulating these cognitive processes and neural networks, reading books improves brain function, enhances cognitive abilities, and contributes to lifelong learning and mental well-being. The more you read and challenge your brain with varied content, the more you reap the cognitive benefits of reading.
Illustrative Photo by Aline Viana Prado: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-book-2465877/
They urged lawmakers to adopt the draft bill, which compels private creditors to participate in international debt relief efforts on similar terms as public lenders.
New York State is home to New York City, the financial capital of the world.
Some 60 per cent of developing country debt is held by private creditors, and New York law governs 52 per cent of this global debt, according to the experts.
“If taxpayers contribute to public debt relief, private creditors should be obliged to participate on the same terms,” they said. “Debt relief must be effective and fair for all, and its costs must be shared by private creditors as well.”
The proposed legislation means distressed low and middle-income countries would be able to protect the economic, social and cultural rights of their citizens instead of paying “unsustainable” debt loads.
Shift budget priorities
In 2021, these nations spent an average of 27.5 per cent of their budgets on interest and debt payments, or more than the amount spent on education, health and social protection combined.
“This bill is a golden opportunity that will allow countries in debt distress to shift their budgetary priorities and, by providing for better living conditions, reduce the risks for investors in these countries and create better opportunities,” they said.
The experts stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, rising food prices and inflation, have led to an increase in unsustainable debt for many countries, with a particular impact on developing nations.
“Many poor people can barely afford food and minimum dietary needs for health. It is precisely in times of crisis that States must be able to ensure social protection and food security for all people in their country,” they added.
They underscored that “everyone has an interest in countries being able to invest in social protection, healthcare, housing, education and food security, instead of devoting more and more of their limited budgets to debt repayments.”
About UN experts
Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva.
They serve in their individual capacity and are independent of any Government or organization.
They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.
Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, insisted that current conditions there were “anything but conducive” for the return of Rohingya refugees.
He stressed that the very generals who had launched “genocidal” attacks against the Rohingya, causing hundreds of thousands to flee the country, were now in power and “attacking civilian populations while denying the Rohingya citizenship and other basic rights”.
According to Mr. Andrews’ statement, Bangladesh officials have been planning to send back to Myanmar, potentially very soon, an initial group of 1,140 Rohingya refugees, using a combination of threats and financial rewards.
Confined to ‘designated area’
The returnees would reportedly pass through “transit” centres in Rakhine state before being resettled in a “designated area of 15 newly constructed villages” which they will “not be allowed to leave freely”.
“The return of Rohingya refugees under these conditions would likely violate Bangladesh’s obligations under international law and expose Rohingya to gross human rights violations and, potentially, future atrocity crimes,” Mr. Andrews said.
In March, Bangladesh authorities facilitated two visits by Myanmar junta authorities to the Bangladesh camps, said the UN rights office OHCHR.
According to reports, at least some of the refugees were coerced into participating in so-called ‘verification’ interviews with junta officials. Bangladesh and the military regime’s officials also coordinated a ‘go see’ visit to Rakhine State for some Rohingya refugees.
Bangladeshi officials said the refugees had expressed “general satisfaction” with the arrangements being made for their return, but these assurances were contradicted by reports that those who participated in the trip had unequivocally rejected the repatriation plans, OHCHR said.
“I implore Bangladesh to immediately suspend the repatriation pilot programme,” Mr. Andrews said.
Stand with Rohingya
“I also urge the international community to stand with Rohingya refugees in both word and deed”, he added.
“This must include reversing the failure to provide a humane level of support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh who are unable to pursue livelihoods, continue to face hunger and malnutrition, and whose children have very limited educational opportunities”.
They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.
Denise Brown, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, offered reassurance to Dmytro Kuleba that UN agencies and other humanitarian partners have been delivering water, food and cash to those displaced or suffering the impact of the dam breach, and collapse of the crucial hydroelectric plant in the southeast region near the city of Kherson.
“Plans are now being made, also in partnership with oblast authorities, to reach the wider flood affected areas as soon as possible, once the military deems it safe, given the risks as fast moving water shifts mines and unexploded ordinance to areas previously assures as cleared”, said a press release from her office.
The meeting came off the back of widely reported and critical comments directed towards the UN and other major humanitarian organisations operating in Ukraine, by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, who said the initial relief effort had been insufficient.
“The UN is committed to reaching all Ukrainians in need, on both sides of the riverbank”, said the UN Ukraine release, referring to the Dnipro River which serves as the frontline between Russian occupiers on the left bank, and Ukrainian Government held territory opposite.
Repeated requests for aid access
The UN has “repeatedly requested access and safety guarantees”, especially from Russian commanders currently in control of the areas which are reportedly suffering the worst impact of the flooding.
“We have not received that access, nor the necessary safety guarantees for humanitarian staff and the people they would help there”, the statement continued.
In a tweet issued on Thursday, UN aid coordination office in Ukraine, OCHA, highlighted that food for 18,000 people had been supplied by the UN and partners; more than 100,000 bottles of water, cash for 5,000 people in need; thousands of hygiene kits, including special supplies for older persons; and mobile health and psychosocial support.
Ukraine.” title=”Stranded people are being evacuated from neighbourhoods due to the massive flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine.” loading=”lazy” width=”1170″ height=”530″/>
Stranded people are being evacuated from neighbourhoods due to the massive flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine.
Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant concerns remain: IAEA
Europe’s largest nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhya, located relatively close to the destroyed dam site and the vast reservoir which is now emptying into the river, relies on water from there for its cooling system.
The UN atomic energy agency, IAEA, said there was still cause for concern that the water level for its reserves could fall to such a level, that it could no longer be pumped to the site to keep reactors cool.
“As the full extent of the dam’s damage remains unknown, it is not possible to predict if and when this might happen. If the current drop rate were to continue, however, the 12.7 metre level could be reached within the next two days”, said IAEA in a statement.
Building reserves
Preparing for such a possibility, the agency said it was “continuously replenishing its water reserves – including the large cooling pond next to the plant as well as its smaller sprinkler cooling ponds and the adjacent channels – by fully utilizing the water of the Kakhovka reservoir while this still remains possible.”
“It is essential that the integrity of both the ZNPP cooling pond and of the ZTPP discharge channel is maintained. This is critical so the plant has sufficient water to provide essential cooling to the site for the months ahead,” Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
He plans to travel to the plant next week to assess the situation there following the damage to the dam and to monitor compliance with the five basic principles for protecting the ZNPP that he presented to the United Nations Security Council on 30 May.
He also pledged to strengthen the IAEA’s presence at the site, which is currently Russian occupied, but locally staffed, replacing the current team with a larger group travelling with him across the frontline.
UNICEF is providing humanitarian aid to passengers arriving in Mykolaiv on the first evacuation train from Kherson, Ukraine.
Since last summer, the Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS) has been pilloried by Argentinian media outlets which have published over 370 news and articles vilifying the school for allegedly trafficking in people for sexual exploitation.
The reality of a big show staged by a prosecutor on the basis of false testimonies from a former disgruntled member of the BAYS is now emerging from serious investigation recently carried out on the spot by foreign scholars. One of them, Massimo Introvigne, the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars studying new religious movements, has just published a thirty-page report about the BAYS saga.
Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), a Brussels-based NGO in the heart of the European Union district, which defends press freedom but is also known to debunk biased and fake news, has also started its investigation from a human rights perspective.
On 12 August 2022, in the evening, about sixty people in their sixties were attending a quiet philosophy class in a coffee shop located on the ground-floor of a ten-floor building in the State of Israel Avenue, in a middle-class district of Buenos Aires when suddenly all hell broke loose.
Fully armed SWAT team police broke the door of the meeting place and by force entered the building which was the seat of the yoga school, 25 private apartments and professional offices of a number of its members. They went up to all the premises and without knocking or ringing the bells, they violently opened all the doors by force, seriously damaging them. Some residents running after them tried to give them the keys so that they could enter without destroying the entryways but their offer was ignored.
The purpose was obvious: the police wanted to film every part of the operation that was ‘useful’ to justify the crackdown ordered by the prosecutor of PROTEX, a state agency dealing with human trafficking, labor and sex exploitation of persons.
corridor of the yoga school apartment made a mess by police.
For six-seven hours, they searched all the premises, putting everything upside down. When the police left, almost all residents complained that money, jewels and other items such as cameras and printers were missing but were not mentioned in the search records. As the victims of the raid were never interviewed by the media, the various excesses committed by the police were not publicly reported.
Outside, reporters were taking pictures of the handcuffed people dragged one by one out of the building. It can be assumed that the prosecutor’s office had leaked some information to a few journalists about the raid some time before taking place.
A one-sided video with a statement of the prosecutor carefully staged was quickly leaked and uploaded on YouTube.
Similar needlessly violent raids were carried out in about 50 places around the capital city during all the night.
The media in Argentina labelled the yoga school BAYS “la secta del horror” or “the horror cult” that had allegedly been operating an international prostitution ring for 30 years. In fact, in 1993, the stepfather of a female BAYS member lodged a complaint against Juan Percowicz, the founder of the yoga school, and other people managing the school. He was accusing them of operating a prostitution ring to finance the BAYS but what the media failed to check and to say is that all the defendants had been declared not guilty of all the charges in 2000.
In 2021, war was once more waged against the BAYS and its leadership with the same sort of complaint and accusations as 30 years ago although they had already been judged and declared unfounded.
Accused, arrested and detained
All in all, arrest warrants were issued against 19 persons, 12 men and 7 women. They were all imprisoned and submitted to a very harsh jail regime.
Twelve persons spent 85 days in prison from 12 August to 4 November 2022. In two cases, the Court of Appeals revoked the indictment for being unfounded.
Three others were detained during the same period of time but under two different regimes. After about 20 days behind bars, they were placed under home detention. Among them, Juan Percowicz (84) spent 18 days in prison sharing a cell with nine other prisoners, and 67 days in home detention.
Four defendants were released after 28 days of detention.
On 4 November 2022, the Court of Appeal freed all the remaining defendants from jail. In the meantime, their businesses had either been closed by the authorities or cannot function any more because of the negative media publicity. Almost all of them are now jobless.
Two judges of the Appeal Court still believed there was evidence justifying going on with the case against 17 defendants. Another judge wrote in partial dissent that the court should also have considered whether the case should not have been simply dismissed.
Argentina does not criminalize prostitution but it criminalizes the behavior of those who economically benefit from the sexual activity of another person.
A new tougher law, adopted in 2012 under international and domestic pressures, has provisions about victims of human trafficking which are questionable and questioned by legal experts with regards to the norms of international conventions. For example, Law 26.842 puts in the category of victims prostitutes working in prostitution rings, although they deny their condition of victims, but are qualified as such, against their will, by PROTEX.
That controversial law along with its implementation was criticized by assistant prosecutor Marisa S. Tarantino in a book she published in 2021 under the title“Ni víctimas ni criminales: trabajadores sexuales. Una crítica feminista a las políticas contra la trata de personas y la prostitución”/ Neither victims nor criminals: sex workers. A feminist critique of anti-trafficking and anti-prostitution policies. (Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica de Argentina).
About the case of nine BAYS female members
In the BAYS case, nine female members of the yoga school lodged a complaint against two prosecutors of PROTEX for abusing their power and naming them victims of sexual exploitation by the BAYS, which they strongly deny.
During his investigation in Argentina in March 2023, Massimo Introvigne, the aforementioned founder and managing director of CESNUR, met some of them and wrote in his report “The alleged ‘victims’ or ‘possible victims’ I met or interviewed showed no signs of having been exploited.”
Moreover, it would be ridiculous to consider this group of women as a gang of prostitutes exploited by the BAYS when you see their profile:
a 66-year-old social psychologist and professional singer;
a 62-year-old visual arts teacher and painter;
a 57-year-old actress, member of the 1997 world champion stage magic team;
a 57-year-old elementary school teacher and philosophical business coach;
a 50-year-old woman who was already considered a “victim” and was subjected to an expert opinion in the previous case, which proved that she was neither a victim nor exploited;
a 45-year-old management graduate;
a 43-year-old real estate agent;
a 41-year-old digital marketing professional;
a 35-year-old real estate agent, macromedia designer, and web designer.
If there are no prostitutes, there is no case and no sexual exploitation. If it was discovered that one or more BAYS members happened to trade sex for money, it would still be necessary to prove that it was based on coercion by BAYS leaders, which the judges recognized there was not in BAYS.
The whole issue looks like a fabricated case targeting the BAYS and the judicial system should easily establish justice but will it?
According to PROTEX records, 98% of the female victims supposedly rescued by them claim not to be victims. Many of them can therefore be considered fabricated cases and there is a reason for this: Special Prosecutor’s office gets a bigger budget and more power as it prosecutes more people.
The complaint of the nine ladies has been turned down by a court of first instance and an appeal court will soon examine it. Let us wait and see.
