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African free trade area could spur sustainable growth: UN chief

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African free trade area could spur sustainable growth: UN chief

Mr. Guterres was speaking on the final day of the annual Africa Dialogue Series in New York, where the focus this year was on accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – set to be the largest in the world. 

Harness the potential 

He said the pandemic brought high food and energy prices, made worse by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, exacerbating poverty, inequalities, and food insecurity.  

Governments have also faced rising interest rates, increasing the potential for debt, while climate change has created deadly floods and drought, contributing to the risk of hunger. 

“Guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, we must ramp up our efforts and harness the full potential of trade and industrialization to advance sustainable, inclusive growth,” the UN chief told participants. 

Millions could escape poverty 

He said the AfCFTA is set to be an engine of that growth. 

“Its full implementation could generate income gains of up to nine per cent by 2035, according to latest estimates.  This would lift up to 50 million people out of extreme poverty and reduce income inequalities,” he added. 

The Secretary-General stressed that realizing the AfCFTA promise calls for action across four critical areas, starting with boosting access to financial resources and investment. 

“We need a fundamental reform of the global financial system so that Africa is represented at the highest level,” he said.   

Barriers that hold back intra-African trade and production capacities must also be broken down, including through eliminating tariffs, building “made in Africa” supply chains, and harmonizing regulations that would enable investment.  

Leverage technology 

His third point focused on energy and digital infrastructure, which are vital for African countries to build their manufacturing capacities and harness the full potential of innovation and entrepreneurship.  

“We need to power Africa’s industrialization and leverage technology to leapfrog outdated infrastructure and head straight towards the fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Mr. Guterres. 

The continent is also blessed with resources that could make it a leader in clean energy, he added, and the sector could generate more than six million jobs by mid-century.  Yet Africa has received just two percent of global investment in renewables over the past decade. 

Invest in people 

His final point underscored investing in “human capital”, with Africa’s vibrant, young and innovative population representing both a dynamic workforce and massive market. 

“Creating decent jobs, particularly for women, and promoting education, training and lifelong learning is the best way to ensure Africa’s people fully contribute to the continent’s digital revolution and sustainable growth,” he said. 

Annual dialogue 

The African Dialogue Series brings together policy and decision-makers, experts, academics, civil society representatives, young people and other stakeholders to examine challenges and opportunities impacting the continent. 

It is organized by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and partners. 

 

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Türk appeals to Sudan’s warring generals; calls out ‘dangerous anti-rights tendencies’ worldwide

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Türk appeals to Sudan’s warring generals; calls out ‘dangerous anti-rights tendencies’ worldwide

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk appealed to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and of the Rapid Support Forces, locked in conflict since 15 April, to “issue clear instructions” to those under their command that sexual violence will not be tolerated, and to ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable.

Mr. Türk called reports of sexual violence in Khartoum and Darfur “very troubling” and said that while his Office was aware of at least 25 cases, he feared the real number to be much higher.

“General al-Burhan, General Dagalo… you must stop this senseless violence now,” he insisted, stressing that efforts to bring the conflict to an end “must have human rights” at their core.

Crackdowns on women’s rights

At a press conference in Geneva, in a wide-ranging overview of human rights hotspots and “dangerous” anti-rights tendencies on the rise, Mr. Türk called misogyny a “disease” and slammed the crackdown on women’s rights in Afghanistan.

“I will never understand how anyone can trample so cruelly upon the spirit of girls and women, chipping away at their potential and driving one’s country deeper and deeper into abject poverty and despair,” he said.

He also commented on “intensified” harassment of women in Iran, calling on the country’s authorities to repeal regulations that criminalize non-compliance with mandatory dress codes, and condemning the continued use of the death penalty “in significant numbers”.

Disinformation stoking rights crackdown

The UN rights chief warned that “peddlers of lies and disinformation” were fuelling anti-rights movements, notably against LGBTQI+ people. He sounded the alarm against the “vilification of segments of society”, saying that driving people against one another was invariably detrimental to society as a whole.

Mr. Türk deplored in particular the worsening of laws criminalizing LGBTQI+ people, such as recent legislation in Uganda, which he had previously called “devastating”.

The High Commissioner also called out hate speech against migrants and refugees, as well as anti-migrant laws and policies, citing recent developments in the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Greece and Lebanon. He highlighted the need for solidarity and respect for the rights of all people in situations of vulnerability.

Protestors take part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in central London, UK. (file)

‘Systemic racism’

Recalling that Thursday will mark three years to the day since the murder of George Floyd by a policeman in the United States, Mr. Türk said that he was deeply concerned about regular reports of death and injuries of people of African descent “during or after interactions with law enforcement in a number of countries”, and that this targeted police brutality pointed to “systemic racism”.

Racist taunts at Real Madrid

Highlighting the recent case of Brazilian footballer Vinícius Júnior as a “stark reminder” of the prevalence of racism in sport, the UN rights chief called on sports organizers to redouble efforts to eradicate racial discrimination and highlighted the need to listen to and involve people of African descent in the search for solutions.

Vinícius Júnior, a Real Madrid player, was the victim of racist abuse by football fans last week. Spanish police arrested several suspects on Tuesday over their involvement in alleged hate crime incidents targeting the footballer.

A stronger rights system

With human rights in dire straits in so many places around the world, Mr. Türk said that he saw an urgent need to strengthen the UN rights office (OHCHR) through additional funding.

United Nations High Commissioner Volker Türk ends his visit to Colombia with a press conference in Bogota.

United Nations High Commissioner Volker Türk ends his visit to Colombia with a press conference in Bogota.

He said that his ambition was to double the budget to $800 million, which could allow for the strengthening of OHCHR’s field presence. He recalled that while human rights was one of the three pillars of the UN, it only mobilized a very small portion of the Organization’s regular budget.

Stating his belief in the Office’s presence on the ground, the High Commissioner said that he saw “great value” in an OHCHR acting as “the bridge between civil society, human rights defenders, victims, and the institutions of the state”.

‘Back to basics’

Emphasizing the universality of human rights, Mr. Türk called it “a matter for everyone, everywhere”.

“All States can and should do better on human rights,” he insisted.

Mr. Türk also expressed his “fervent” hope that the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, marked this year, will “provide the space and inspiration for all of us to go back to the basics – to find the roots of human rights values in each of our cultures, histories, and faiths, uniting us in pushing back against the instrumentalization and politicization of human rights within and between countries”.

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UN and partners seek $7 billion to prevent catastrophe in the Horn of Africa

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UN and partners seek billion to prevent catastrophe in the Horn of Africa

More than 43 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia continue to suffer through one of the worst droughts in recent history, caused by five consecutive seasons of poor rains.   

Years of conflict and insecurity have sparked mass displacement, while skyrocketing food prices and most recently, the fighting in Sudan, have compounded the situation.  

Appeal for action 

“We must act now to prevent crisis from turning into catastrophe,” Mr. Guterres said. “Let us act together now – with greater urgency and far greater support.” 

The pledging event was convened by the UN and Italy, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States, in collaboration with the three affected countries. 

Mr. Guterres said he saw the devastating impact of the drought first-hand during recent visits to Kenya and Somalia. 

Families search for food 

“In parts of northern Kenya, parched landscapes and perished livestock have driven families from their homes in search of water, food, and incomes,” he said.  

While in the Somali city of Baidoa, he met communities who lost their livelihoods to drought and insecurity, as the battle against Al-Shabaab militants continues. 

“I was deeply moved by their struggles.  And I was inspired by their resilience, courage, and determination to rebuild their lives. But they cannot do it alone,” he said. 

Step up support 

The UN chief assured that “action will make all the difference.”  Last year, donors delivered life-saving assistance to 20 million people and helped avert a famine.  

He called for increased support for humanitarian plans for the region which are currently less than 20 per cent funded. 

This is “unacceptable”, he said, warning that without an immediate financial injection, “emergency operations will grind to a halt, and people will die.” 

Build climate resilience 

He said the drought in Somalia last year claimed 40,000 lives, and half were children under five, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

Although recent rains have brought some relief, vulnerable communities are still facing another year of immense hardship.   

“People in the Horn of Africa are paying an unconscionable price for a climate crisis they did nothing to cause,” he said.  

“We owe them solidarity. We owe them assistance. And we owe them a measure of hope for the future.  This means immediate action to secure their survival.  And it means sustained action to help communities across the Horn adapt and build resilience to climate change.” 

 

 

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Eleventh Edition of the Mata International Equestrian Festival

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festival equestrrian Mata

Equestrian Festival – Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the international horse riding festival Mata organized by the Alamia Laaroussia Association for Social and Cultural Action, in partnership with the UNESCO International Festival of Cultural Diversity, returns for its eleventh edition from 02 to 04 June 2023 in Zniyed, ciada/commune of Larbaa de Ayacha, provincial district of moulay Abdessalam ibn Machich, province of Larache, wilaya of Tangier-Te touan-Al Hoceima, under the sign:

“Mata: heritage of humanity and meeting of cultures”.

« ي وملت ىق للثقافات ماطا تراث إنسا ن »

A new edition that confirms the commitment of Mr. Nabil Baraka, president of the Mata
festival to promote this authentic intangible heritage from the north of Morocco and preserved by Morocco and preserved by the late Sidi Abdelhadi Baraka Naquib of the Alamiyin chorfas and our late grandfather Sidi hadj Mohamed Baraka Naquib of the Alamiyin chorfas.

Open to the continents, Mata is today a space of conviviality and cultural, social and economic exchange, the president of the festival, Mr Nabil Baraka, explains:

“This annual event, whose cornerstone is the MATA equestrian competition, contributes to the preservation of an ancestral intangible civilisational heritage and revives age-old traditions of the region. The event, which enhances the place of the horse in the northern region and pays tribute to its riders, also promotes the economic and tourist development of the northern and southern regions of the Kingdom by highlighting their many assets and promoting the products of their rich and varied soils and crafts, which are now renowned worldwide. As in previous editions, a rich programme of activities is planned on site. During the 3 days of the event, guests and national and international visitors will be able to travel through history a magnificent competition of ancestral MATA tradition” and discover the exhibitions of local products and and discover exhibitions of local products and Moroccan crafts.

The Festival also offers its guests a series of evenings of of Sufi songs and local and national folkloric shows, in addition to various animations set up during the three days the three days: awareness campaign on the respect of the environment, games for children, etc. games for children, etc.

“The local produce and handicrafts fair is now a highlight of each edition of the Mata International Riding Festival. The southern provinces, permanent guests of the festival, exhibit their products alongside the cooperatives of the northern region and allow our guests to discover the variety and richness of our respective local treasures. It is a demonstration of our commitment to the promotion of tourism, culture and social dynamics and our support for human development,” says Mr. Nabila Baraka, President of the Alamia Laaroussia Association for Social and Cultural Action.

The 2022 edition had registered the participation of more than 200,000 people between national and international visitors. The MATA competition attracted more than 240 riders from different tribes. 60 cooperatives from the South and North of Morocco as well as from Mauritania were also able to exhibit their products; A music festival animated by renowned artists such as L7OR, Abdelali Taounati, Houssa 46, Ouafae senhajia and Hanae elmrini.

The music festival programme of the eleventh edition will be surprising and rich in Jebli and popular music varieties, as well as a strong moment to pay tribute to great cultural and sports personalities. and sports personalities.

“MATA”, a world heritage

All around Jbel Allam, the peasants welcomed spring by playing a particularly original game which calls on the courage, skill, flexibility, delicacy, intelligence and finesse of those who play it. It is a game where horse and rider, in perfect symbiosis, celebrate a legendary complicity and above all the ancestral culture of an extraordinary region. The Jbalas have named this game MATA.

Even today, the tradition is jealously preserved by the tribes of Bni A rous and the rules of the game are scrupulously respected. After the sifting of the wheat fields, first in the village of Aznid, then in other villages, young girls and women of the tribe who are entrusted with this operation accompany it with their songs, their youyous and their famous a iyou’, to the sound of the ghaitas and drums specific to the region. These same women make, with the help of reeds and fabrics, the doll that the bravest horsemen of the Jebala country will compete for, a region where the art of riding, breeding and training horses is a strong cultural specificity.

The riders who participate in the MATA game must ride bareback, dressed in the ancestral jellabas and amamas. According to oral tradition, the winner of the MATA game is the one who, using his skill and boldness, is able to snatch the doll from the other riders and carry it away. A supreme reward is then awarded to him: he is married to the most beautiful girl in the tribe.

The “MATA” game is probably inspired by the Bouzkachi, a similar but more violent game, imported, according to legend, by Moulay Abdes legend, by Moulay Abdeslam lbn Mashich during his visit to Ibn Boukhari. The bouzkachi played in Afghanistan has as stake the corpse of a goat that the goats fight in brutal jousts that cause many injuries. which results in many injuries.

This annual event This annual event celebrates an ancient culture that expresses a rehabilitated sense of honour, faith, patriotism as a Sufi school and spiritual and universal values; the whole humanist heritage bequeathed by the great the great Quotb Moulay Abdeslam Ibn Mashich to the Alamiyin Chorfas, the Tarika Mashichiya Shadhiliya and the inhabitants of this exceptional region.

Extreme weather caused two million deaths, cost $4 trillion over last 50 years

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United Nations News
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Extreme weather caused two million deaths, cost trillion over last 50 years

Over two million deaths and $4.3 trillion in economic losses; that’s the impact of a half-century of extreme weather events turbo-charged by man-made global warming, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday. 

According to WMO, weather, climate and water-related hazards caused close to 12,000 disasters between 1970 and 2021. Developing countries were hit hardest, seeing nine in 10 deaths and 60 per cent of economic losses from climate shocks and extreme weather.  

WMO said that Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States suffered a “disproportionately” high cost in relation to the size of their economies. 

“The most vulnerable communities unfortunately bear the brunt of weather, climate and water-related hazards,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. 

Staggering inequalities 

In Least Developed Countries, WMO reported that several disasters over the past half-century had caused economic losses of up to 30 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). 

In Small Island Developing States, one in five disasters had an impact “equivalent to more than five per cent” of GDP, with some disasters wiping out countries’ entire GDP. 

Asia saw the highest death toll due to extreme weather, climate and water-related events over the past 50 years, with close to one million deaths – more than half in Bangladesh alone. 

In Africa, WMO said that droughts accounted for 95 per cent of the reported 733,585 climate disaster deaths. 

Early warnings save lives 

WMO stressed however that improved early warnings and coordinated disaster management have helped mitigate the deadly impact of disasters. “Early warnings save lives,” Mr. Taalas insisted. 

The UN agency also noted that recorded deaths for 2020 and 2021 were lower than the previous decade’s average. 

Pointing to the example of last week’s severe cyclonic storm Mocha, which caused devastation in Myanmar’s and Bangladesh’s coastal areas and hit “the poorest of the poor”, Mr. Taalas recalled that similar weather disasters in the past caused “death tolls of tens and even hundreds of thousands” in both countries.  

“Thanks to early warnings and disaster management these catastrophic mortality rates are now thankfully history,” the WMO chief said. 

‘Low-hanging fruit’ 

The agency had previously shown that just 24 hours’ notice prior to an impending weather hazard can cut the ensuing damage by 30 per cent, calling early warnings the “low-hanging fruit” of climate change adaptation because of their tenfold return on investment. 

WMO issued its new findings on the human and economic cost of weather-induced disasters for its quadrennial World Meteorological Congress, which opened on Monday in Geneva with a focus on implementing the UN’s Early Warnings for All initiative.  

https://news.un.org/en/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Df63e8p0C7hc&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=VQEuUklPsDjrda9PlmJILA8hy9OgwcCT3dk02oI_NvM

Leave no one behind 

The initiative aims to ensure that early warning services reach everyone on Earth by the end of 2027. It was launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the COP27 climate change conference in Sharm al-Sheikh in November last year.  

Currently, only half of the world is covered by early warning systems, with Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries left far behind. 

Earlier this year, the UN chief brought together agency heads and partners to fast-track the Early Warnings for All initiative into action.  

A first set of 30 particularly at-risk countries – nearly half of them in Africa – have been identified for the roll-out of the initiative in 2023. 

WMO/Muhammad Amdad Hossain – Seasonal rain regularly causes floods in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Biologists have found a similarity between canine dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in humans

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In the future, the study authors plan to determine whether the disorders in humans and dogs are indeed similar

Biologists have discovered that canine dementia has similarities to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, writes Rambler.

The first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in humans are usually disturbed sleep patterns. These changes are thought to be the result of damage to the areas of the brain that regulate sleep. In addition, the number of slow delta volts in the brain is less.

In the course of the work, the biologists found that a similar reduction in sleep time and delta brain wave period was observed in dogs with the equivalent of dementia, Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.

In the future, the study authors plan to determine whether the disorders in humans and dogs are indeed similar. If this is confirmed, the scientists allow the animals to be used as models to study Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: Rambler (Rambler is a Russian search engine and one of the largest Russian web portals owned by Rambler Media Group. The site was launched in 1996 by Stack Ltd, went public in 2005, was acquired by Prof-Media in 2006, and since then was acquired by the Russian state bank Sberbank).

Photo by Simona Kidrič: https://www.pexels.com/photo/medium-short-coated-white-dog-on-white-textile-2607544/

New legislation on seizing criminal assets to speed up their freezing and confiscation

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EuropeanTimes
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New legislation on seizing criminal assets
Photo by Eugene Chystiakov on Unsplash

The new legislation on seizing criminal assets would ensure fast and efficient freezing operations everywhere in the EU, and quicker compensation for victims.

To speed up asset freezing and confiscations and close loopholes, MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee adopted on Tuesday a draft position on new rules with 50 votes in favour, 1 against, and 4 abstentions. Trilogue negotiations were authorised with 53 in favour, 0 against, and 2 abstentions.

Compared to existing legislation, the new directive would also cover trafficking in firearms, certain crimes committed as part of a criminal organisation and the violation of EU sanctions. In their position, MEPs propose to include also illegal trafficking of nuclear material, crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, the illegal seizure of aircraft and ships, and sabotage.

The agreed text would close loopholes by ensuring assets can be frozen quickly, with temporary urgency measures where necessary. The proposal would also crack down on those evading confiscation with the help of a third person, and allow confiscation in certain cases where conviction is not possible, for example in cases of illness or death of a suspect.

To make cross-border investigations more efficient, the law would harmonise the powers of asset recovery offices set up by member states, ensuring that they get access to necessary information, such as beneficial ownership registries, securities and currency information, customs data and annual financial statements of companies. Finally, to prevent assets from degrading, member states would have to set up dedicated offices to manage confiscated assets.

MEPs also want to ensure that victims are compensated before confiscation, especially in cross-border cases, and allow confiscated assets to be used for social or public interest purposes.


Quote

After the vote, rapporteur Loránt Vincze (EPP, Romania) said: “It is of utmost importance that criminals are deprived of their gains, limit their capacity to reinvest them into the legal economy and to make sure that engaging in criminal activities does not pay. The report extends the directive’s scope to additional pertinent crimes, strengthens competent authorities in identifying, freezing and managing assets, widens the access asset recovery offices have to relevant databases, prioritises compensating victims and improves cooperation among relevant national authorities and EU agencies.”


Background

In 2010–2014, only 2.2% of the proceeds of crime were frozen in the EU, and only 1.1% of these proceeds were confiscated. In December 2021, the European Parliament called for the EU’s regime on asset recovery and confiscation to be harmonised, and in the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime (2021-2025), the Commission proposed strengthening these rules.

Recently, the EU’s comprehensive sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine have shown the need to implement sanctions more stringently and improve asset-tracing. Along with the present proposal, MEPs are also working on a law harmonising the definitions and penalties of sanctions violations.

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Scientists study sarcophagi from Ancient Egypt with computed tomography

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A collaboration between the museum and the clinic could set a precedent for combining the study of historical artifacts with cutting-edge medical technology to better understand the past

In a meticulously planned operation that took five months to organize, two sarcophagus lids dating back more than 2,000 years from ancient Egypt were brought from the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Friday to undergo CT scans, Israel’s TPS news agency reported.

Part of the museum’s valuable Egyptian collection, these sycamore wood sarcophagus lids were examined at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem to reveal the techniques used by the craftsmen to create them thousands of years ago.

A collaboration between the museum and the clinic could set a precedent for combining the study of historical artifacts with cutting-edge medical technology to better understand the past.

Computed tomography uses multiple X-rays to create cross-sectional images of bones, organs, and blood vessels. They are commonly used to diagnose certain types of cancer, heart disease, blood clots, broken bones, disorders of the intestinal tract and spine, among other things.

“Through the scanning, we were able to identify cavities in the wood that were filled with plaster as part of the preparation for the decoration of the sarcophagi, as well as areas that were entirely cast from plaster, rather than being directly carved from the wood,” says Nir Or Lev , Curator of the Department of Egyptian Archeology at the Israel Museum.

“The research has shed light on the craftsmanship of the ancient craftsmen responsible for creating these sarcophagus lids, thereby greatly contributing to our ongoing research,” he said.

The lid of the first sarcophagus, belonging to a ceremonial singer named Lal Amon-Ra, dates to about 950 BC. On the lid are written the words “Jed-Mot”, representing the name of the deceased, along with a blessing. The lid of the second sarcophagus, dating from the period between the 7th and 4th centuries BC, once belonged to an Egyptian nobleman named Petah-Hotep.

“It’s not every day that one witnesses the confluence of glorious history and technological advancements in the field of medicine,” says Shlomi Hazan, chief radiologist in Shaare Zedek’s imaging department.

“The high-resolution scan allowed us to distinguish different materials, such as wood, plaster, as well as cavities. In addition, the cross-sectional scan revealed the tree rings, and three-dimensional reconstructions were created to help the research team analyze the composition of the different materials Hazan said.

Photo: Ancient Egyptian sarcophagi undergo CT scans at Jerusalem hospital to reveal craft / The Times of Israel@TimesofIsrael.

Alarming rise in executions worldwide in 2022

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883 people worldwide were executed last year – the highest level since 2017. This is stated in a report by the non-governmental organization “Amnesty International”, quoted by “France Press”.

A total of 20 countries are known to have carried out executions in 2022, a figure that represents a 53% increase over the previous 12 months.

The report specified that this number did not include the “thousands” of prisoners secretly killed in China, but did count the “staggering” 81 people executed in just one day in Saudi Arabia.

The ominous ranking is believed to be topped by China. It was followed by Iran (576 executions), Saudi Arabia (196 – their highest number in 30 years), Egypt (24) and the United States (18).

The death penalty is also widely used in North Korea and Vietnam, but as in China, the numbers there remain “shrouded in secrecy,” Amnesty International said.

In the Middle East and North Africa, a significant increase in the number of executions was reported in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt.

Nearly 40% of the registered death sentences are for drug-related crimes – in Singapore, 11 people were executed for a similar offence.

The NGO stressed that this violates international human rights laws, which only allow executions for crimes such as premeditated murder.

“It is time for governments and the UN to increase the pressure on those responsible for these flagrant violations of human rights and ensure the introduction of international safeguards,” insisted Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard.

However, the organization also found “a glimmer of hope” in six countries that partially or completely abolished the death penalty last year. These are the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zambia.

“The brutal actions of countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, as well as China, North Korea and Vietnam are now firmly in the minority. These countries urgently need to get in step with the times, protect human rights and exercise justice, not execute people Callamard emphasized.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/judges-desk-with-gavel-and-scales-5669619/

Do we really only use 10 percent of our brains?

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One of the favorite topics of many writers and screenwriters of science fiction films is that of the vast possibilities of the human brain. Especially popular is the claim that we use only 10% of its capabilities, and if we could “unlock” the remaining 90%, it would turn us into real superheroes. As appealing as this idea is, scientists note that it is nothing more than a widespread delusion. According to them, the human brain functions at full speed almost continuously.

The tireless brain

The claim that we use only a small part of our brain’s capabilities has nothing to do with the truth. This was stated by Prof. Craig Bailey from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Guelph, Ontario.

“It is not serious to claim that we only use 10% of our brain. The truth is that a healthy person uses his full capacity. Of course, it doesn’t function at 100% all the time,” he emphasizes.

Lawrence Ward, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, agrees.

“The brain and its networks are constantly active, whether we are awake, asleep or unconscious. While the brain is alive, that is. while there is metabolic activity, it cannot “rest”. From this point of view, it is not only false, but even pointless to claim that we use only 10% of it,” he added.

“We know that basic communication cells, called neurons, fire at different frequencies as they work. We also know that certain areas of the brain play an important role in performing specific tasks, such as thinking, moving or storing memories. Depending on what we are doing at any given time, some neurons may be more active than others. However, the results of all the research carried out so far show unequivocally that we use our whole brain,” notes Prof. Bailey.

“The questionable 10% is a myth that Hollywood loves. My guess is that most people have seen at least one movie that deals with the subject in question. This is not particularly surprising – the idea that an ordinary person can become a superhero who performs incredible feats with the power of his mind (as in the Marvel universe) is very attractive. However, it is only a fantasy. However, I do not rule out the possibility that at least some of it will come true one day, especially given how fast technology is developing,” adds Prof. Ward.

The opinion of scientists

What, in fact, is due to the conviction of scientists that we do not use only 10% of our brain? First of all, if this were true, most brain injuries and diseases would not have serious consequences because they would affect parts of it that do nothing. Furthermore, natural selection does not encourage the development of useless anatomical structures. Put another way, our distant ancestors would not have needed a large brain to survive and cope with the challenges they faced on a daily basis. Instead, in the course of evolution, they would have acquired a more resistant immune system, stronger muscles or thicker hair.

There is other irrefutable evidence. Using methods such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging, doctors and scientists can map brain activity in real time. The data clearly show that large areas of the brain – well in excess of 10% – are used for all sorts of activities. Among them are both seemingly simple actions – such as resting or looking at pictures, as well as more complex – such as reading or solving mathematical problems. Experts have yet to discover an area of the brain that does nothing.

And what is the origin of the myth that we only use 10% of our brain? Historians note that most often it is incorrectly attributed to the 19th century psychologist William James. He assumed that we use a small fraction of our mental potential, but he never specified an exact percentage. Albert Einstein is also cited as the author of this idea, but there is no evidence that he ever stated anything like this. In fact, the concept of the 10 percent gained considerable popularity after it was mentioned in American author Dale Carnegie’s bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence Others, published in 1936.

The information that floods us

When it comes to brain activity, there are different aspects that need to be considered separately, notes Prof Ward. One of them is memory. “We can always store more information, learn more new things, accumulate more impressions, all of which will be turned into memories. In practice, however, there are mechanisms by which the brain removes some of them to avoid overload. This is an extremely important balance,” he emphasizes.

While we are awake, our senses are bombarded with vast amounts of information. “Selective attention keeps this information flow down to levels we can handle without our brains ‘overheating.’ I suppose from this perspective it is possible to process more information, but it is still not clear how we can achieve this. Even in this regard, however, the 10 percent idea is flawed. We process a very small part of the information that floods us daily, but nevertheless the amount is staggering,” adds the expert.

  “We should also not forget about our ability to solve problems. Some of us are very good at it, some not so good. We can safely say that we as a species have existed for tens of thousands of years, which means that we cope with this task relatively well. There’s no denying that there’s always room for improvement—in an ideal world, every average person would possess the intelligence of some of the greatest geniuses ever born. That would certainly be wonderful. Still, 10 percent is an absurd figure,” concludes Prof. Ward.

Illustrative Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/technology-computer-head-health-7089020/

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