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UN rights chief calls for end to Ukraine war following latest airstrikes

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United Nations News
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UN rights chief calls for end to Ukraine war following latest airstrikes

Mr. Türk said these “relentless” attacks were deepening the humanitarian crisis in the country, tearing apart infrastructure, and creating a host of socioeconomic challenges.  

Between March and May, 436 civilians were killed and 1,760 injured, High Commissioner Türk said.

“These high civilian casualties are largely the result of the ground offensive and aerial attacks, including with powerful air-dropped bombs, that took place in Kharkiv region,” the rights chief said.

“Such attacks must stop immediately.”

An attack on energy

The head of OHCHR said Russian forces had been targeting power-generating and distribution systems which has limited Ukraine’s electricity capacity.

Millions of civilians experience power cuts, often for hours at a time, decreasing access to water, internet and public transportation, he said. This was impacting jobs, tax revenues and weakening social protection.  

“But the worst is possibly yet to come,” Mr. Türk said, “as energy companies and the Ukrainian authorities caution that repeated strikes have reduced the ability to make the necessary repairs to heat homes during winter.”

Russian citizenship  

Mr. Türk said OHCHR has documented a rise in pressure to obtain Russian passports in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Without Russian citizenship, many older people are reportedly experiencing difficulty accessing healthcare. For parents, they are having challenges sending their children to school without them obtaining a Russian passport.

This, the rights chief said, violates international humanitarian law.

Call for a ceasefire

The High Commissioner for Human Rights said the escalation of war in Ukraine “cannot become the new normal.”

Mr. Türk calls on the Russian Federation to immediately end its use of force against Ukraine and to withdraw troops from occupied territories in the country.

He also calls for the federation to end the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas.

“War is the worst enemy of human rights”, he said. “It has to be shunned and peace must be found in line with the UN Charter and international law.”

“That is the most fervent wish of Ukrainians.”

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Argentina – BAYS Yoga School, Nullity of elevation to trial confirmed by the Cassation Court

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Willy Fautre
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Controversial accusations of criminal activities and prosecutions rejected for the second time.

A setback for the prosecutors

On 5 June last, the National Chamber of Cassation for Criminal and Correctional Matters confirmed the nullity of the elevation to trial of the defendants in the case known as the “Buenos Aires Yoga School” (BAYS), accused of “criminal activities.” The decision of the Cassation Court is not the end of the case as it is returned to the judge of first instance but it is clearly a setback for the prosecutors who were twice clearly disavowed.

In August 2022, about 50 spectacular police raids, “mysteriously” leaked to the media, were simultaneously conducted against members of the yoga school on the sole basis of unfounded accusations by one single person, Pablo Salum, that the Office of the Prosecutor for Human Trafficking and Exploitation (PROTEX) instrumentalized to support its controversial concepts of victims of trafficking and abuse of vulnerability. After that, hundreds of media outlets in Argentina and abroad had presented the yoga group headed by Juan Percowicz, now 86, as a “horror cult.”

Salum is a bizarre and megalomaniac anti-cult individual, who sees cults everywhere, even regarding the Catholic Carmelite Order. He publicly said on social media and YouTube that he had lodged a complaint against BAYS. He also inspired PROTEX massive raids against 38 centers of the Evangelical humanitarian organization REMAR, a respected NGO specialized in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and (paradoxically) women victims of real trafficking.

The key facts

In September 2022, judge Ariel Lijo tried to prosecute nineteen BAYS members, including Juan Percowicz, for crimes of illegal association, human trafficking for sexual exploitation and money laundering, following a request made by federal prosecutor Carlos Stornelli and his colleagues from the PROTEX, Alejandra Mangano and Marcelo Colombo.

From the beginning of the case, all the alleged victims denied the accusations and denounced that they were being stigmatized as “brainwashed prostitutes” when they had never prostituted themselves, and have never been forced into anything by BAYS. To dispel any doubts, they asked to be examined by forensic experts to confirm their statements.

After that, on November 2022, the Federal Chamber of Appeal ruled the lack of merit of two defendants and, although confirming the prosecutions of the remaining, ruled that scientific psychological and psychiatric examinations be carried out on all the alleged victims in order to investigate whether there are any signs that their wills were unduly influenced or coerced.

On 4 July 2023, without addressing the results of those examinations –which with no exception determined total lack of any characteristics of submission, emotional dependence, lability, manipulation, or the assumption of a merely passive role in the interpersonal relationships of the alleged victims– Judge Ariel Lijo and prosecutors Carlos Stornelli, Marcelo Colombo and Alejandra Mángano tried to elevate the case to trial. However, on 7 December of the same year, the National Court of Appeals for Criminal and Correctional Matters, composed of judges Martin Irurzun, Roberto Boico and Eduardo Farah, annulled that order and commanded Judge Lijo to review that forensic results and to let the defense intervene in the evaluation. This is the decision confirmed by the National Chamber of Cassation.

The fabrication of “victims” of trafficking and the “rescue industry”

Until 2012, trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation was punishable by Law 26.364 on Prevention and Punishment of Human Traficking and Assistance to Victims but on 19 December 2012, this law was amended in such a way that it opened the door to controversial interpretation and implementation. It is now identified as Law 26.842.

In this context, cases of alleged human trafficking linked to spiritual minorities have emerged in Argentina along with the use of anti-cult language in the narratives of anti-trafficking agents in the media, legal and judicial settings. In this regard, decried and obsolete concepts such as “cults”, “brainwashing”, “coercive organization” and “coercive persuasion” are coming back to the front stage and are getting a new life. So, when presumed victims of trafficking deny they are victims, anti-trafficking operators now disqualify their statements because in their eyes, they do not perceive themselves as such as their adhesion to an “ideological or spiritual system” prevents them from recognizing their exploitative situation.

This creates a “victimization paradigm” and leads to a vicious circle according to which they are vulnerable per se and, therefore, victims, who are denied the capacity and the right to intervene in the narrative of events. Their only status is “to be rescued”.

Scholars understand this phenomenon as a “rescue industry” that allows anti-trafficking agencies to generate a large number of cases in order to increase their public visibility and authority. This also makes possible to consider a wide range of legal activities –such as volunteering and donation– as “trafficking.”

Controversies inside and outside the courts

Judge Lijo and PROTEX resolutions raised numerous criticisms in the Chamber of Appeal. Judge Farah has reiterated in his last vote that the alleged victims must be heard, and that not doing so means an act of paternalism alien to the due behavior of a democratic justice sensitive to gender equality. In his opinion, after listening to the personal testimonies of these women, it is clear that none of them is a victim of human trafficking, which is confirmed by the results of the forensic examinations. In Farah’s opinion, the defendants should be acquitted.

Judges Irurzun and Boico consider that these expert opinions are essential to evaluate a change in the procedural status of the defendants. Ultimately, it was the Chamber of Appeal itself that requested their performance and now urges Judge Lijo to evaluate them. Failure to do so is contrary to the right to legitimate defense.

But not only the court has spoken. Numerous researchers, after interviewing BAYS members and studying the legal documents, have questioned the anti-cultist arguments of PROTEX and Judge Lijo. These research results were published in scientific journals and conferences –such as the one held in Bordeaux between June 12 and 16, 2024, by the Center for the Study of New Religions (CESNUR)– as well as at the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The message is clear: denying the credibility of clinically healthy adult women through pseudoscientific arguments is a direct attack on individual liberties protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Argentine Constitution.

Sudan crisis: UN health agency alerts over attack on key hospital

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United Nations News
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Sudan crisis: UN health agency alerts over attack on key hospital

“WHO is appalled by the recent attack on South Hospital, the only facility with surgical capacity in El Fasher, Darfur,” the UN agency said in a post on X. “The hospital’s closure following the attack has stretched the two other hospitals there beyond capacity, further limiting access to lifesaving services.”

According to reports, the hospital had to close after Rapid Support Forces (RSF) soldiers entered the building and opened fire. The NGO which helps to run the hospital, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said on X that the armed fighters stole equipment and an ambulance.

Wad Al-Nura fallout 

In a related social media post, the WHO condemned “another attack” on a health facility in Wad Al-Nura in Al-Jazirah state south of Khartoum, that caused the death of a nurse who was on duty and caring for patients at the time.

“WHO strongly condemns attacks on healthcare. Health workers and patients should not have to risk their lives to provide and access health services,” the UN agency said, days after an attack on the village reportedly by RSF paramilitaries involving heavy artillery left more than 100 dead.

Rights chief’s warning

UN human rights chief Volker Türk added his voice on Friday to widespread international condemnation of that attack in which he cited evidence gathered by his Office which “indicates that the RSF used weapons with wide-area effects, including artillery shells, during the attack”.

Previously, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spoke out against the “deeply devastating impact” on civilians of the clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the RSF in El Fasher in the far west of the vast country.

In addition to personal appeals in separate phone calls to the generals of the rival militaries, Mr. Türk warned that more than 1.8 million residents and internally displaced people were besieged in the city “and at imminent risk of famine”.

Any further escalation “would have a catastrophic impact on civilians and would deepen intercommunal conflict with disastrous humanitarian consequences”, the High Commissioner insisted.

Hunger crisis

The humanitarian emergency caused by heavy fighting which erupted across Sudan last April is now close to becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis.

According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), 18 million people in Sudan are acutely food insecure including nearly five million who are now in the grip of emergency levels of hunger.

“This is the highest number ever recorded during the harvest season… Around 90 per cent of those in emergency are in areas where access is extremely limited due to heavy fighting and restriction,” WFP said, in an appeal for urgent funding. 

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World News in Brief: UN responds to Bangladesh floods, sports and human rights, polio vaccination in Angola

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United Nations News
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World News in Brief: UN responds to Bangladesh floods, sports and human rights, polio vaccination in Angola

About 1.4 million people are estimated to have been left in dire straits, as heavy rains lashed Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, as well as areas upstream, in India.

“Our priority is to ensure that the most vulnerable families, who were already facing hardships and are now having their lives and livelihoods upended again by the floods, can meet their essential food and nutritional needs,” said Simone Parchment, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Bangladesh Deputy Country Director.

The agency’s field office in Sylhet, is supporting Government-led relief efforts, distributing fortified biscuits to over 23,000 families to help them meet their immediate needs.

WFP also plans to provide cash assistance to these 23,000 and an additional 48,000 households it pre-identified as part of its preparedness efforts.

Further heavy rains are forecast in the affected regions and adjoining catchment areas over the coming days, which could worsen the flood situation, according to reports.

World of sports is not immune from human rights challenges: UN rights chief

Despite the sporting ideal of equality and fair opportunities, athletes encounter many forms of rights violations and abuses, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk warned on Monday.  

Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, just weeks from the beginning of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Mr. Türk insisted that “mega sporting events” with “enormous” reach such as the football World Cup, and the Olympic and Paralympic games should serve as platforms to advocate against inequalities.

“The world of sports is not immune from human rights challenges, including when mega events are organized. And some worrying issues are more visible than others,” Mr. Türk said.

Among these issues, Mr. Türk highlighted racist or sexist incidents, abuse, violence against women, corruption, discrimination on the basis of religion or religious attire, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation and gender identity.

Mr. Türk welcomed the decision of some businesses in the sports world to align their practices with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

He said that human rights policies and grievance mechanisms are increasingly being included in large-scale sport events, referring to a case in Spain where football fans were punished for racially abusing the Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior.

WHO supports vaccination campaign in Angola

In health news, authorities in Angola, supported by UN agencies, have initiated a vaccination campaign to curb the spread of polio and protect children from childhood paralysis.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis within hours. While there is no cure for polio, it can be prevented through vaccination.

According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), which is supporting the Government, the central objective of the campaign is to increase the immunity of children under five to quickly interrupt the virus’s transmission in the country.

The programme aims to achieve at least 95 percent vaccination coverage in all districts, identify suspected cases, and raise awareness of routine vaccination.

Vaccination teams will go from house to house to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated, and fixed posts will be available in highly populated areas.

The first round of the vaccination campaign in May 2024 successfully vaccinated over 5.5 million children across the country, covering the entire target group at risk.

In the second round of the vaccination campaign, as in previous initiatives, vaccination teams will continue their house-to-house efforts, and fixed posts will be available in health facilities, markets, churches, schools, nurseries, and other places of high population concentration, WHO said.
 

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Boost the Potential of Your Retail Store: Best Ways to Consider

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Newsdesk
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clothes store interior
Photo by Clark Street Mercantile on Unsplash
When it comes to maximizing your retail store’s potential, you need to blend several factors – such as innovation, strategy, and customer-centric techniques. 

As technological advancement is on the rise, wide-ranging strategies can contribute to enhanced operational efficiency and customer satisfaction to the maximum extent.

If you own a retail store and want to make the most out of your efforts, look nowhere else. Below in this informative blog post, you can check out some of the best ways that will help you stand out as a successful retail store owner.

1.      Improve Your In-Store & Online Customer Experiences

Providing an excellent shopping experience across all channels is highly significant in the present omni-channel retail setting. You need to improve your store’s physical layout and environment to make it more inviting and conducive to browsing.

Different latest technologies, such as interactive displays or digital signage, provide product details and promotions more effectively.

When we talk about running a retail business online, make sure your website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and supports several features such as live chat or AI-powered customer service bots.

So, you can accommodate your customers (both existing and new) instantly, resulting in strengthened brand loyalty and encouraging repeat business.

2.      Leverage the Power of AI Technology

Taking advantage of AI solutions can transform the way how you manage inventory, analyze customer behavior, and optimize business processes and other retail operations more efficiently.

Suppose you are using retail ai solutions for demand forecasting purposes. In that case, they can assist in preventing stock-outs and overstocking so that your retail store’s shelves will remain stocked with the right products and goods.

It not only streamlines business operations but also skyrockets sales and customer loyalty, ensuring promising future success for your retail store.

3.      Invest Your Time and Efforts in Personalized Marketing

Personalization not only improves conversion rates but also enhances customer satisfaction by showing that you understand and value their needs.

Want to deliver targeted promotions and recommendations through email marketing, personalized ads, or loyalty programs? You need to leverage AI-driven analytics that can segment your customer base more effectively.

Customer data contributes to creating and executing personalized marketing campaigns, resulting in more brand exposure and boosted sales and revenue.

4.      Optimize Inventory Management with Automation

Another significant aspect of retail business is optimized inventory management, which can help reduce costs and improve cash flow. Different inventory management tools can analyze historical sales, seasonal trends, and external factors to predict demand accurately.

If you maintain the correct stock levels, you can reduce stock-outs, minimize excessive inventory, and enhance turnover rates. Numerous automated inventory replenishment processes can help ensure your retail store always has the right products on its shelves. Hence, your customer satisfaction and sales opportunities will be enhanced and skyrocket.

5.      Prioritize Data-Driven Decision Making

Data-driven analytics are subject to offer significant information about customer preferences, market trends, and operational efficiencies of your retail business. Once you gather and analyze data from different valuable sources, which involves sales records, social media interactions, and website traffic, you can discover actionable insights.

What’s more, AI and machine learning algorithms have the potential to identify patterns and predict upcoming trends. Therefore, you can make well-informed, strategic decisions in terms of inventory management, pricing strategies, and marketing campaigns.

Be sure that this data-driven approach can minimize the chances of risks and elevate new opportunities, resulting in your retail store’s continuous growth.

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St. Great martyr Procopius – the patron saint of beekeepers

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Newsroom
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On July 8, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Great Martyr Procopius. In popular belief, the saint is the patron saint of beekeepers and is known as Procopius the Beekeeper.

St. Procopius was born in Jerusalem in the second half of the 3rd century and before he was baptized he bore the name Neanius. His mother was a pagan and raised him in her pagan beliefs, and then put him in the service of Emperor Diocletian. He appointed him governor of the city of Alexandretta in Syria and ordered him to strictly persecute and punish the Christians if they did not renounce their faith and Jesus Christ and did not want to worship idols. Because Diocletian considered the strengthening of pagan religion important in strengthening state power in the vast empire.

Neanius had already been impressed by the kindness and exemplary life of many Christians, and therefore he was not convinced of the rightness of the imperial decree, but he had to carry it out. However, on the way to Alexandretta, a strong storm arose and he saw a bright cross in the air, hearing a voice calling him to faith in Christ. On the other hand, the young warlord was encouraged by his mother to continue with the sacrifices to the idols. And when Neanius finally told her that he was ready to accept Christianity, the mother complained to the emperor about her son. Diocletian got angry and ordered for edification to punish Neanius who had deviated from paganism to Christianity.

He remained firm in his Christian faith, ready to go even to death for Christ’s sake. He was thrown into a dungeon, where torture began, alternating with persuasion to renounce the faith. Local Christians helped him to be baptized in the cell with the name Procopius (“prosperous”). Seeing the faith and courage of the confessor, some soldiers and prominent citizens also turned to Christ. But they too were immediately severely punished by beheading. Finally, the great martyr Procopius was also cut with a sword. This happened in 303.

Illustrative Photo: St. Great martyr Procopius († 303) – patron saint of beekeepers. Fresco by Manuel Panselinos in the Church of the Protata in Kareia, Mount Athos. He is celebrated on July 8 by the Orthodox Church.

Uyghur Community and Supporters Rally in Amsterdam to Commemorate Urumqi Massacre

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Newsroom
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Amsterdam, Netherlands – On July 6, 2024, from 15:00 to 17:00, approximately 150 members of the Uyghur community and their supporters gathered at Dam Square in Amsterdam to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Urumqi Massacre and to raise awareness about the ongoing human rights violations in the occupied Uyghur homeland, East Turkistan (so-called Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China).

The peaceful demonstration brought together Uyghur activists, community leaders, human rights advocates, and representatives from various organisations. The event featured poignant speeches and personal testimonies, including those from individuals who lost loved ones in the 2009 massacre. The massacre resulted in an estimated 200 deaths, 1,700 injuries, and tens of thousands of disappearances during mass arrests over the following year, during which the region experienced an internet blackout lasting nearly 12 months.

Protesters called for global action against the reported human rights violations in East Turkistan, where several million Uyghurs are allegedly detained in internment camps. Former detainees have reported widespread abuses, including torture, forced labor, sexual violence, forced sterilisation, and organ harvesting.

The demonstration resonated with powerful slogans that encapsulated the protesters’ demands:

  • “Free East Turkistan!”
  • “China, Stop the Genocide!”
  • “China Lies, Uyghurs Die!”
  • “Justice for Uyghurs!”
  • “We Want Freedom!”
  • “China, Go Home!”
  • “Release the Detainees!”
  • “Remember July 5th! China to the ICC!”

These chants emphasised the demonstrators’ call for freedom, justice, and an end to the ongoing genocide. The slogan “China to the ICC” specifically called for holding China accountable at the International Criminal Court for its actions.

The event aimed to keep international attention focused on the plight of the Uyghur people and urged world leaders to take concrete steps to address the situation in East Turkistan. Organisers highlighted the importance of remembering the Urumqi Massacre as a pivotal moment that underscores the ongoing struggle of the Uyghur people.

For more information, please contact:

Uyghur Community

+31 6 5176 2336


Supported by GHRD

Gaza: Security Council adopts US resolution calling for ‘immediate, full and complete ceasefire’

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United Nations News
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Gaza: Security Council adopts US resolution calling for ‘immediate, full and complete ceasefire’

The United States-drafted text calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal announced on 31 May by President Joe Biden that has already been accepted by Israel.

Adopted by a large majority with 14 votes in favour and Russia abstaining – choosing not to exercise its veto power – the resolution also urges both parties to fully implement the terms of the proposal “without delay and without condition.”

Russia’s Permanent Representative told the Council after the vote there was a lack of clarity over what exactly Israel had signed up to in the resolution, leaving too many questions unanswered for Moscow to offer its support.

‘Durable end’ to the war in sight 

President Biden described the deal as “not just a ceasefire that would inevitably be fragile and temporary” but one that would provide a “durable end to the war”.

He added that the terms of the deal had been transmitted by Qatar to the leadership of Hamas.

Signaling a hopeful shift in diplomacy, the US-led initiative brought both Israel and the Palestinian mission on board, avoiding the vetoes from permanent members – including the US itself – which have stalled action on several of the resolutions which have failed to pass since the 7 October terror attacks and kidnappings began the cycle of violence.

Three-phase approach

The motion envisages a three phase approach to ensure a lasting and comprehensive end to the fighting.

Phase one includes an “immediate, full, and complete ceasefire with the release of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners”.

It calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from “populated areas” of Gaza, the return of Palestinians to their homes and neighbourhoods throughout the enclave, including in the north, as well as the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale. 

Permanent end to hostilities

Phase two would see a permanent end to hostilities “in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”.

In phase three, “a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza” would begin and the remains of any deceased hostages still in the Strip would be returned to Israel.  

The Council also underlined the proposal’s provision that if negotiations take longer than six weeks for phase one, the ceasefire will continue as long as negotiations continue.

No territorial change

In the resolution, the Security Council rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of the enclave. 

The text also reiterates the Council’s “unwavering commitment” to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

“In this regard stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority,” the resolution added.

Hamas must accept deal: US

The fighting could stop today if Hamas agrees to the deal now endorsed by the Security Council, said US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Hamas should now see clearly that the international community is united, “united behind a deal that will save lives and help Palestinian civilians in Gaza start to rebuild and heal. United behind a deal that will reunite hostages with their families after eight months in captivity.”

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said there was now an opportunity to chart a new course and the US will help ensure that Israel lives up to its obligations, “assuming that Hamas accepts the deal.”

Today is the fourth Security Council resolution making clear that the only way to end the cycle of violence “is through a political settlement”, she added.

Algeria: ‘Palestinian lives matter’

Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama said that his compatriots “deeply feel” the suffering of Palestinians and with their own history of struggle against colonial occupation, “fully understand and support” the Palestinian people’s legitimate and just demands.

“As a free and dignified people, the Palestinians will never accept living under occupation. They will never abdicate their fight for liberation,” he said.

Ambassador Amar Bendjama of Algeria addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Stressing that Algeria’s sole guiding principle has been to save Palestinian lives, he said that his country cannot remain silent in the face of collective punishment against Palestinian people.

“Palestinian lives matter,” he stressed.

He said Algeria voted in favour of the draft because it represents a step towards an immediate and lasting ceasefire. “This text is not perfect, but it offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians as the alternative is continued killing and suffering…We voted for this text to give diplomacy a chance”, he added.

“It is time to halt the killing.”

Permanent ceasefire is key: China

China’s Ambassador Fu Cong said they have voted in favour of the resolution but there needs to be a permanent ceasefire which has been at the core of the international community’s concerns.

Ending the bombardment and offensive is also the most pressing need for civilians under fire in Gaza.

He stressed that all Security Council resolutions are binding, and today’s must be no different.

All resolutions have to be implemented in an efficient and constructive way, he added.

Russia: No clarity to ‘so-called deal’

Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia said his country had abstained due to several outstanding concerns.

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“From the very outset of the military escalation, we have consistently and unwaveringly advocated for the imperative for a permanent ceasefire regime, including in order to release the hostages and remedy the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip,” he said.

“We have a whole of host of questions about the American draft resolution, whereby the Council welcomes some deal – the ultimate outlines of which are not known to anyone perhaps except the mediators,” he said.

Although the resolution calls on Hamas to accept the “so called deal” there is no clarity on the official agreement of Israel “as it is written in the resolution.”

Noting the public statements of Israeli leaders indicating that the war would continue until Hamas is completely defeated, he asked “what specifically has Israel agreed to?”

The parameters of this “deal” are “vague” and the Council should not be signing up to it, he added.

Israel: War aims unchanged

The Representative of Israel Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly said her country’s goals have been “very clear” since the first few days following 7 October: “To bring all our hostages back home and to dismantle Hamas’ capabilities…and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future”.

Reut Shapir Ben-Naftaly, Minister Counsellor and Political Coordinator of Israel, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“As we have echoed several times in this very chamber, once these goals are met, the war will end,” she added, noting that 120 hostages remain in captivity and that Hamas continues firing rockets at Israeli towns and cities.

She called for more pressure on Hamas, stating that although three resolutions have been adopted by the Security Council calling for hostages to be released, none have been freed as a result. 

“The pressure on the terrorists should have begun long ago but it is still not too late, it must begin now,” she added.

“We will continue until all of the hostages are returned and until Hamas’ military and governing capabilities are dismantled,” she said.

“Israel will not engage in meaningless and endless negotiations which can be exploited by Hamas as a means to stall for time,” she added.

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World News in Brief: Doha talks on Afghanistan, human rights in Belarus, Rohingya refugees in India, global trade rises

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United Nations News
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World News in Brief: Doha talks on Afghanistan, human rights in Belarus, Rohingya refugees in India, global trade rises

“This morning, we heard views from members of Afghan civil society, women and men, who provided us – the special envoys and the UN – with valuable insights on the rights of women and minorities in the country, girls’ education, the media, business and many other issues,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, told the media in Doha, emerging from the Third Meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan.

“They shared their views and perspectives on the Doha process, as well as on engagement between Afghanistan and the international community generally … our exchange was extremely important and useful,” she added.

The ongoing talks in Doha was the first instance the Taliban de facto authorities attended the discussions. They did not participate in the first and second rounds, held in May 2023 and February 2024.

The consultations build upon the proposals outlined in an independent review on an integrated and coherent approach conducted by Feridun Sinirlioğlu, in line with Security Council resolution 2679.

Dialogue built on honesty

Ms. DiCarlo underscored that this is still the beginning of this process, and it will take time and patience.

She added that there is a need to build trust on all sides, emphasizing that the dialogue must built on honesty and on principles – those of the UN Charter and the various human rights treaties that Afghanistan is a party to.

However, helping all the people of Afghanistan remains the main objective, she said.

Answering questions on whether she thinks that human rights and civil rights is an internal issue in Afghanistan, Ms. DiCarlo stressed that she made it clear during the talks that Afghanistan has signed on to a number of treaties and international agreements that focused on human and civil rights, and Afghanistan, as a country, is bound by these agreements, therefore it is not an internal issue.

Rights experts call on Belarus to pardon older persons in prison

UN independent human rights experts called on Belarusian authorities to pardon or remit the sentences of older persons imprisoned on political charges.

In a news release, the experts – including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus – said they received a list of 63 persons aged over 60, including 15 women, imprisoned for “real or suspected political opposition.”

Most are serving sentences up to 25 years, some are in pretrial detention and others face compulsory psychiatric care. Several detainees suffer from chronic diseases, acute illnesses, or disabilities.

“According to various sources, inmates who have been included in these lists are submitted to various forms of ill-treatment, including incommunicado detentions and denial of prompt and adequate medical care, as well as to restrictions on correspondence and money transfers,” the experts said.

Last month, the Belarusian parliament proposed amnesty for those of pension age, but it would not apply to prisoners convicted of offences like gross violation of public order, harming national security, slander against the President or discrediting Belarus.

“Which are frequently misused for politically motivated prosecutions,” the experts noted.

They also pointed to the incompatibility of Belarusian counter terrorism and extremism laws with international human rights law and reiterated their call for Belarus to comply with its international obligations and release all persons unfairly convicted for exercising their human rights.

Appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council and forming part of its Special Procedures, the Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and report on country or thematic human rights situations. They are not UN staff and do not draw a salary.

Rights committee urges India to halt detention of Rohingya refugees  

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on India to cease the arbitrary mass detention of Rohingya refugees and refrain from forcible deportation and returns to Myanmar, where they could face serious human rights violations and abuses.

The Committee said it was “concerned about reports of arbitrary mass detention of the Rohingya, including children, in inadequate conditions and in some cases without due process or access to legal representation.”  

It expressed alarm about reports of “several cases of forcible deportation and returns to Myanmar between 2018 and 2022 as well as the ongoing risk of deportation of the remaining Rohingya in India, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement.”

It also urged India to end the arbitrary mass detention of the Rohingya, and only apply immigration detention as a measure of last resort – for the shortest possible period – and to provide detained Rohingya with legal safeguards and access to legal counsel.

The Committee further called on India to “end racial discrimination against Rohingya and to remove restrictions preventing them from enjoying their rights without discrimination, in particular with regard to access to employment, health and education, especially by ensuring the issuance of long-term visas and other identity document.”

The Committee is a body composed of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by its States parties.  

Its members are elected by the States parties to the Convention and serve in their personal capacity, independent of the UN and governments.

Global trade rises in early 2024, adding $350 billion in goods and services

Global trade trends turned positive in the first quarter of 2024, with the value of trade in goods increasing by around 1 per cent quarter-over-quarter and services by about 1.5 per cent, the UN trade and development body (UNCTAD) reported.

The surge was fuelled by positive trade dynamics for the United States and developing countries, particularly large Asian developing economies, according to UNCTAD’s Global Trade Update for July 2024.

“This is expected to add approximately $250 billion to goods trade and $100 billion to services trade in the first half of 2024 compared to the second half of 2023,” it said.

UNCTAD also reported that global forecasts for gross domestic product (GDP) growth remain at around 3 per cent for 2024, “with the short-term trade outlook being cautiously optimistic.”

“If positive trends persist, global trade in 2024 could reach almost $32 trillion, yet it is unlikely to surpass its record level seen in 2022,” it added.

Challenges persist

The report also voiced concern over the impact of geopolitical and policy challenges.

Despite these positive trends, “the outlook for 2024 is tempered by potential geopolitical issues and industrial policy impacts”, UNCTAD said.

Geopolitical tensions, rising shipping costs, and emerging industrial policies could reshape global trade patterns, it added, warning that an increasing focus on domestic industries and trade restrictions could hinder international trade growth.

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More effective cancer treatment with iontronic pump

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Neurons – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

When low doses of cancer drugs are administered continuously near malignant brain tumours using so-called iontronic technology, cancer cell growth drastically decreases.

Researchers at Linköping University and the Medical University of Graz demonstrated this in experiments with bird embryos. The results is one step closer to new types of effective treatments for severe cancer forms.

Malignant brain tumours often recur despite surgery and post-treatment with chemotherapy and radiation. This is because cancer cells can “hide” deep within tissue and then regrow. The most effective drugs cannot pass through the so-called blood-brain barrier – a tight network surrounding blood vessels in the brain that prevents many substances in the blood from entering it. Consequently, there are very few available options for treating aggressive brain tumours.

In 2021, a research group from Linköping University and the Medical University of Graz demonstrated how an iontronic pump could be used to locally administer drugs and inhibit cell growth for a particularly malignant and aggressive form of brain cancer – glioblastoma. At that time, experiments were conducted on tumour cells in a petri dish.

Proven concept

Now, the same research group has taken the next step towards using this technology in clinical cancer treatment. By allowing glioblastoma cells to grow using undeveloped bird embryos, new treatment methods can be tested on living tumours. The researchers showed that the growth of cancer cells decreased when low doses of strong drugs (gemcitabine) were continuously administered using an iontronic pump directly adjacent to the brain tumour.

“We have previously shown that the concept works. Now we use a model with a living tumour, and we can see that the pump administers the drug very effectively. So even though it is a simplified model of a human, we can say with greater certainty that it works,” says Daniel Simon, professor of organic electronics at Linköping University.

The concept behind a future treatment for glioblastoma involves surgically implanting an iontronic device directly into the brain, close to the tumour. This approach allows for the use of low doses of potent drugs while bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Precise dosing, both in terms of location and timing, is crucial for effective treatment. Additionally, this method can minimize side effects since the chemotherapy doesn’t need to circulate throughout the entire body.

Treatment for various cancer forms

Beyond brain tumours, researchers hope that iontronics can be applied to many types of difficult-to-treat cancer forms.

“It becomes a very persistent treatment that the tumour cannot hide from. Even though the tumour and surrounding tissue try remove the drug, the materials and control systems we use in iontronics can continuously deliver a locally high concentration of medication to the tissue adjacent to the tumour,” explains Theresia Arbring Sjöström, a researcher at the Laboratory for Organic Electronics at Linköping University.

The researchers compared the continuous drug delivery of the pump with once-daily dosing, which more closely resembles how chemotherapy is administered to patients today. They observed that tumour growth decreased with the ionic treatment but not with the daily-dose approach, even though the latter was twice as strong.

More research required

These experiments were conducted using bird embryos at an early developmental stage. According to Linda Waldherr, a researcher at the Medical University of Graz and a guest researcher at LiU, this model serves as a good bridge to larger animal experiments:

“In bird embryos, certain biological systems function similarly to those in living animals, such as the formation of blood vessels. However, we don’t need to surgically implant any devices in them yet. This demonstrates that the concept works, although there are still many challenges to address,” she says.

The researchers believe that human trials could be feasible within the next five to ten years. The next steps involve further developing materials to allow for the surgical implantation of iontronic pumps. Subsequent experiments will also be conducted on rats and larger animals to further evaluate this treatment method.

The study was mainly funded by the Austrian Science Fund, the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the European Research Council. Theresia Arbring Sjöström, Tobias Abrahamsson, Magnus Berggren and Daniel Simon are shareholders in the company OBOE IPR AB which owns the patents related to the iontronic technology.

Article: Continuous Iontronic Chemotherapy Reduces Brain Tumor Growth in Embryonic Avian in vivo Models, Verena Handl, Linda Waldherr, Theresia Arbring Sjöström, Tobias Abrahamsson, Maria Seitanidou, Sabine Erschen, Astrid Gorischek, Iwona Bernacka Wojcik, Helena Saarela, Tamara Tomin, Sophie Elisabeth Honeder, Joachim Distl, Waltraud Huber, Martin Asslaber, Ruth Birner-Grünberger, Ute Schäfer, Magnus Berggren, Rainer Schindl, Silke Patz, Daniel T. Simon, Nassim Ghaffari-Tabrizi-Wizsy; Journal of Controlled Release; published online 11 April 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.044

Written by Anders Törneholm 

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