The earliest known depictions of two biblical heroines were recently discovered by a team of archaeologists at the ancient synagogue of Hukok in the Lower Galilee.
The Huqoq Excavation Project is entering its 10th season. Among the notable discoveries made this year are 4th-5th century depictions of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael from the Book of Judges of Israel, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reports.
The excavation revealed a large mosaic panel on the floor, divided into three horizontal stripes, depicting an episode from Judges of Israel, chapter 4, in which the children of Israel, led by the prophetess Deborah, a woman of Lapidot, and the military commander Barak, defeat the Canaanite army led by the military leader Sisera.
After the battle, Sisera took refuge in the tent of Jael, wife of Hebera the Kenite, who drove a stake into his temple while he slept.
The top strip shows Devorah under a palm tree looking towards Varak. The middle band is not so well preserved, but appears to show Sisera seated. The bottom strip shows Sisera lying dead and bleeding as Jael drives a car into his head.
“This is the first depiction of this episode from the Old Testament, and the first time we have seen a depiction of the biblical heroines Deborah and Jael in ancient Jewish art,” said Professor Jody Magness, who led the archaeological team.
“Looking at the Book of Joshua, chapter 19, we can see how the story probably had a strong resonance among the Jews in Hukok, since it is described as taking place in the same geographical region – the territory of the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun,” adds the professor.
Earlier discoveries at Hukok include various depictions of Samson, the men sent by Moses to survey Canaan, Noah’s Ark, the parting of the Red Sea, Jonah swallowed by the whale, the building of the Tower of Babel, the four beasts of Daniel, chapter 7 and many more finds.
Photo: Jim Haberman
Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
baptism of the children of a famous gay couple in Greece Orthodox Church
On July 7, American Archbishop Elpidophorus (Ecumenical Patriarchate) baptized the children of the homosexual gay couple of Norwegian fashion designer Peter Dundas and his Greek partner Evangelis Bousis at the Church of St. Theotokos Phaneromeni in the Athens seaside district of Vouliagmeni. The two children were born to surrogate mothers, and the homosexual “family” lives in the United States. The baptism was given a lot of media coverage due to the presence of a large number of Greek celebrities. Some of the most famous Greek artists took part in the noisy celebration after this. The Norwegian designer and his Greek partner advertised the baptism as the first Orthodox baptism in a gay family and thus caused a wave of discontent in church circles.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf1ar0ZqThQ/
The Metropolitan of Glyphada (a neighborhood of Athens where the temple where the baptism took place) Antonius made a statement addressed to the Archbishop of Athens Hieronymus and the members of St. Synod. In it he expresses his displeasure at being misled by the American archbishop Elphidophorus, who had “acted arbitrarily, arbitrarily and anti-canonically” in his diocese.
In his explanation he says that Archbishop Elpidophorus has requested written permission to baptize the two children of the Greek Bousi family from Chicago in his diocese. He did not speak personally with the archbishop either before or after the baptism and learned from the media that it was a homosexual couple. The godfathers of the two children are still Orthodox Christians, the bishop claims.
The Synod of the Church of Greece will hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday, July 18, and the main topic will be the adopted law on clerical positions, but it is likely that the issue of the baptism of the children of the secular gay couple will also be discussed. The Orthodox Church considers homosexuality to be a deviation that contradicts God’s plan for the development of the human personality, and in this sense defines it as one of man’s sinful inclinations. The Church has not placed any restrictions on the baptism of children, regardless of how they were born and who their parents are, and the requirements for godparents, who must guarantee their Christian upbringing, have long been reduced to the formal presence of an Orthodox baptismal certificate.
Nearly 50% of Greeks believe that society should accept homosexual couples. The scandal with the publicized baptism coincides with the updating of the topic of “gay marriage” in Greece. In May of this year the government again discussed legalizing civil partnership between same-sex couples, which was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2017.
A participant in a tender held in Ishikawa Prefectural Park in central Japan bought a cluster from the Japanese delicacy grape variety, Roman Rubi, for a total of ÂĄ1.5 million (about $10,700). This was reported by the NNK television channel.
It is noted that the bath tub was made by the representative of the company that owns the network of domestic hotels. The president of Cyprus has said that the the grains of the precious grape, which are only 27 in number, will be a special order for hotel guests.
The song ” Roman Rubi” was created by the Japanese collection in 2008. Its scarlet fruits with a thin skin are as thick as ping-pong balls, and their red consistency is full of sweetness, perfect for this fruit.
According to the standard, the share of the rent must be at least 18% of the elite group’s membership. That’s why in Japan, “Roman Rubi” is used as a popular choice among lovers of cold delicacies.
B In Japan, some Japanese fruits are much more valued, and their price can exceed several thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars.
In 2019, two melons from the “Yubari” variety, distinguished by their orange color and delicate fruit, were sold for 45,000 dollars.
EU-China Trust. Salamanca and Hefei Mayors hold the signed agreement document
EU-China Trust. Sustainable Finance Round Table. Jose Maria Fuentes. Luis A. Rivera. John Mavrak
EU-China Trust. Authorities Table in Hefei
MADRID, MADRID, SPAIN, July 16, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — The recently created think tank EU-China Trust organized a session titled “EU-China cooperation: Sustainable Finance, as a driver of change”. Prominent European and Chinese figures attended it to see how the cooperation promoted by EU-China Trust between Salamanca and Hefei, was materialized in:- The Formalization of the relations between the cities of Salamanca and Hefei, with the Signing Ceremony for the Letter of Intent to Establish a Friendly Cooperation Relationship between Salamanca and Hefei.
The announcement of the First Sustainable Finance Forun between China and the European Union with a Round Table with top experts in the matter.
EU-China Trust was born as a platform that aims to foster collaboration and cooperation between the European Union and China in the field of sustainable finance, engaging both public and private stakeholders in climate change mitigation policies and initiatives.
On July 14th of 2022, the event was hosted simultaneously at the Representative office of the European Commission in Madrid and the Hefei Town Hall, connected by videoconference between them and with other three venues to reach other speakers.
The primary objective of the event was to spark conversation about the potential opportunities for cooperation between the European Union and China, to combat climate change. This event has been organized by EU-China Trust with the support of the City Councils of both Hefei and Salamanca, and it is supported by the Spanish Embassy in China, the Chinese Embassy in Spain and the European Commission Representation in Madrid.
In a perfectly managed sequence, while the audience were being driven from venue to venue without noticing the change, participants located in five different locations offered a mostly perfect event, two presenters, in Madrid and Hefei, guided, aternatively the program.
First, the Director of the Representation of the European Commission in Spain welcomed the participants and audience, congratulating EU-China Trust for the initiative and the cities of Salamanca and Hefei for their cooperation.
Latterly, the President of EU-China Trust made his speech, leaving a remarkable thought: “Europe and China established initial commercial and cultural relations two thousand years ago through the Silk Road. For its part, silver and silk trade, following historic roads of their own, made both Hefei and Salamanca people prosper. Now, perhaps the new Lithium Road will make them flourish again.”
Before the Mayors of Hefei and Salamanca, exchanged presents and shared some optimistic words about this relation, they offered meaningfull messages:
“We are eager to implement this collaboration, and companies from Salamanca are looking forward to finding partners in Hefei to work together”, stated Carlos Gracia Carbayo, city mayor of Salamanca, who also wished for “these new opportunities to produce tangible projects as soon as possible”. Meanwhile, Yungfeng Luo, expressed interest in fostering together “international trade cooperation, technological innovation, sustainable finance and cultural exchange”
The Ambassadors of each country confirmed the best wishes, adding their support for this new relations between cities with thosands years of history that now were coming together to grow under the umbrella os sustainable collaboration.
During roundtable, experts on Sustainable Finance from European Commission, People´s Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Hefei University of Technology, Pontifical University of Salamanca and Peace City World, company who is develoing a 15 Billion Dollars project in Salamanca; discussed the advancements made in the field of green finance in both the European Union and China to explore ways in which both sides can cooperate. The conversation versed around potential collaboration among public and private entities in sostenible projects thought European Union and China mixed partnerships.
The event also had the collaboration of Catedra China and Nihao Conecta and the participation of the Asociacion de Amigos de China. And, of course, the remarkable work of Hefei City Council in the chinese venue and EU-China Trust team in the Chinese and European venue. Also, special mention the contribution of Margaret Chen, behind the courtains this time, despite being the Vicepresident of EU-China Trust and one of the 100 most influencial Chinese outside the country.
Finally, the closing remarks were made by a representative of the Joint Committee of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, who also serves as Vicepresident of EU-China Trust.
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Ukraine: Guterres condemns deadly missile attack on Vinnytsia; more than 20 killed
The UN Secretary-General is appalled by the deadly missile attack on Thursday against the city of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, that reportedly killed at least 22 people, far from the frontline of the main fighting in the east, including three children and wounded more than 100 others, his Spokesperson said in a statement.
Cruise missiles fired from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea struck civilian areas of the city, including an office block and residential buildings, according to media reports, citing Ukrainian authorities.
“The Secretary-General condemns any attacks against civilians or civilian infrastructure and reiterates his call for accountability for such violations,” the statement said.
Millions without basic services
Dozens of civilians have been killed in Ukraine over the last 24 hours.
Multiplying attacks against civilian infrastructure are leaving millions without access to basic services, including water and electricity.
UN humanitarians report that in the past 24 hours, strikes have resulted in casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and in several parts of Donetska region, located in the east.
Hostilities have destroyed more critical infrastructure, leaving millions overall without access to health services, water, electricity and gas supplies, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.
“In Mariupol, people have limited access to drinking water, with only five litres per person every week, according to Ukrainian authorities,” he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the high risk of cholera in the city, although no cases have been reported so far.
Across Ukraine, nearly 800 settlements have no electricity, and more than 230,000 families, businesses and others, have no gas supplies. The Donetsk region, or oblast, is the worst affected, according to authorities.
UN agencies continue to support people across Ukraine, and those who have fled the country, in the wake of the Russian invasion which began on 24 February.
psychiatrist javier criado condemned in 2022 1 year of prison
Spanish Psychiatrist Criado has just been condemned to one year in prison for ‘inappropriate, foul and humiliating’ treatment of his patient. In addition, the psychiatrist, with a practice in Seville, will have to compensate the victim with 5,000 euros for moral damages.
Article is written originally in Spanish by Rosalina Moreno. for the famous legal newsroom CONFILEGAL. [Here it is translated to make it known in other languages]
1 YEAR OF PRISON AND 5.000 EUROS COMPENSATION FOR MORAL DAMAGE
In addition to the prison sentence, he was banned from communicating with or approaching the victim within 300 metres for two years and ordered to pay the victim 5,000 euros in compensation for moral damages.
The ruling, handed down on 31 June (352 /2022), was signed by Judge Isabel Guzmán Muñoz and has just become public.
The patient filed the complaint on 17 December 2015 together with seven other women who reported similar events, but for which these proceedings are not being pursued as they have been declared time-barred on appeal by order of 11 January 2017 by the Seville Provincial Court (Seventh Section).
The case has been handled by lawyer Inmaculada Torres Moreno.
According to her, he asked her “how many times she had fucked that week” or commented that sending her pills was for nothing “because a good fuck would cure her“, urging her to “wear red thongs, red high heels… because that was what her husband and any man would get her like that” (gesturing with his arm to simulate an erection).
wear red thongs, red high heels… because that was what her husband and any man would get her like that
According to the judge, the victim, who presented depressive episodes of anxiety, “used to leave the consultations in a state of despondency and anxiety“, and after consulting with her husband, she decided to stop going…
THE PLAINTIF’S STATEMENT IS ‘TOTALLY CREDIBLE’.
The prosecution charged him with a continuous crime against moral integrity, articles 74 and 173.1 of the Spanish Criminal Code, and asked that he be sentenced to two years in prison and that he be prohibited from communicating with or approaching the victim within 300 meters for three years, and that he compensate the victim with 6,000 euros.
The private prosecution, for its part, accused him of a crime against moral integrity under article 173.1, and demanded two and a half years in prison, a ban on communication and approaching within 500 meters of the victim for a period of five years longer than the prison sentence imposed and 40,000 euros in compensation for the physical and psychological harm and moral damage caused.
In imposing the prison sentence, the judge particularly valued the “seriousness” of the facts, “damaging with his conduct the integrity of a very vulnerable person, in view of his specific medical situation, and likewise, the fact that the action was not an isolated act“, specifying that “criminal continuity is not penalised as such, since in crimes against moral integrity, degrading treatment is integrated by a reiteration of acts that can be inserted in the typical unit of action provided for in article 173. 1 of the punitive text, which in itself excludes the concept of a continuous offence”.
An amount that the judge considers “proportionate and adequate” in view of the circumstances of the case, the context in which the events took place and their description; their duration, as well as the impact that the events have had on the victim, their evolution and the damage to dignity caused, without reaching the amount claimed by the private prosecution, on the grounds that the possible consequences suffered have not been expressly defined.
The judge emphasised that the prosecution’s evidence focused on the victim’s witness statement, which “is totally credible”, being “clear and thorough, despite the time that has elapsed since the events, coherent, with no contradictions and persistent“, is “surrounded by objective peripheral corroborations that reinforce the plausibility of her testimony” and “is supported” by various medical and psychological reports.
Thus, the judge refers to the testimony of the plaintif’s ex-husband, who accompanied her in the first consultation, or that of several patients who went to the psychiatrist’s practice for various mental health problems and who agreed “on the humiliating treatment they were given, with the defendant repeatedly engaging in conduct of a sexual nature, [and them] being subjected to continuous interrogations to find out their sexual tastes, which made them feel humiliated and not treated with respect“.
“These witnesses have narrated their different experiences in the oral trial, which will not be dealt with in this decision, so as not to cause any defencelessness as they have been declared time-barred and cannot be prosecuted, but even if they are not examined, their testimony of reference must be valued,” she explains.
FEELINGS OF ANGUISH AND INFERIORITY
The magistrate highlights that in the case in question, “the victim’s statement, persistent, coherent and objectively corroborated, is rationally sufficient to prove the commission of the crime, despite the fact that the defendant, using his right to defence, denies the facts, even having treated patients in a familiar and close manner, or having used some crude expression with them, as the forcefulness of the statements made contradict his version of the facts“.
In the judge’s opinion, “there is no doubt that the subjection by a psychiatrist to a patient with mental disorders to a situation of humiliation with comments” such as those described in the rulin, constitute the behaviour punishable under article 173 of the Spanish Criminal Code, since “such expressions are not only inappropriate for the doctor-patient relationship, but also created feelings of anguish and inferiority in the victim, likely to humiliate her, taking into account that she was a particularly vulnerable person due to her psychiatric history“.
The sentence is not final. An appeal may be filed against it with the Provincial Court of Seville.
such expressions are not only inappropriate for the doctor-patient relationship, but also created feelings of anguish and inferiority in the victim
A delegation of seven MEPs, led by Budgetary Control Committee chair Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE) will travel to Warsaw to look into the disbursement of EU funds and protect the EU budget.
During their visit from 18-20 July, MEPs want to get an on-the-ground understanding of the management and distribution of EU funds in Poland, and to speak directly with stakeholders. They are set to meet with members of the Polish parliament (Sejm), the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, the Audit institution as well as journalists and the professional associations of judges and prosecutors. MEPs will also visit a successful project paid for by EU cohesion funds — Warsaw’s second metro line.
MEPs will also visit the European Border and Coast Guard agency headquarters in Warsaw, to continue discussions with them following Parliament’s initial decision to postpone the approval of Frontex’s accounts. Parliament will reassess whether the agency has acted upon Parliament’s remarks at a second vote in October 2022.
Quote:
“At this time it is important that MEPs see with their own eyes how EU funds are spent on the ground and what is being done at member states’ level to protect the EU’s financial interests. This fact-finding mission to Poland focusses on the sound financial management of taxpayer’s money and whether governance systems and procedures are in place to make the country fit for the upcoming challenge of managing recovery funds,” said the Head of the delegation Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE) ahead of the visit.
“In particular, we will look into whether there is fair and equal access to funds for all applicants. Therefore, we will meet with audit authorities, colleagues from the Polish parliament, journalists, NGOs and other stakeholders and, as always, we remain fully committed to the proper application of the rule of law conditionality mechanism,” Mrs Hohlmeier concluded.
The 900 MW water battery, which cost Switzerland 2 billion euros and took 14 years to build, has already been put into operation. The battery is located 600 meters underground in the Swiss Alps, Euronews reports.
The device consists of two large pools of water located at different heights. When power generation is high, the excess power is used to move water from the lower pool to the upper one, in a manner similar to charging a conventional battery. When electricity consumption increases, the water from the upper pool is released and redirected to the lower pool, passing through turbines that generate electricity. Thus, the process of feeding the network occurs.
This concept may seem new, but it has been used in Switzerland for centuries. The US has also been using this method for 100 years.
The water cell, which was recently commissioned in Switzerland, has a storage capacity of 20 million kWh, equivalent to the capacity of 400,000 electric vehicle batteries, and is designed to stabilize the power grid in Switzerland and other connected networks in Europe. According to Euronews, the station has six turbines that can generate 900 MW of electricity.
The accumulator is located between the Emosson and Vieux Emosson reservoirs in the southwestern part of Switzerland at a depth of 600 m underground. This is a whole complex with a length of about 200 m and a width of more than 32 m. To deliver building materials to the site, engineers had to first dig tunnels through the Alps, which are 18 km long. After these tunnels were built, building materials and equipment were moved to an underground construction site. All these processes took 14 years.
To increase battery capacity, the height of the Vieux Emosson dam was also increased by 20 m. Operating at its peak, the installation is capable of simultaneously supplying electricity to 900,000 homes.
Earlier, we reported that scientists using liquefied gas were able to modernize the design of lithium batteries. It was also reported that the first commercial battery powered by sand was put into operation.
In Monaco, after a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Rose Ball (Bal de la Rose) was again held – a charity evening in support of the Grace Kelly Foundation.
Princess Caroline of Monaco and Hanover entrusted the artistic direction of the ball to her friend Christian Louboutin.
The event, which was traditionally held in the Monte-Carlo Sporting concert hall, brought together many representatives of the Grimaldi house – Charlotte Casiraghi in a Chanel dress with her husband Dmitry Rassam, Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi with his wife Tatiana Santo Domingo in a Temperley London dress, Pierre Casiraghi with Beatrice Borromeo , Alexandra of Hanover in an outfit by Giambattista Valli with her boyfriend Ben-Sylvester Strautmann, son of German millionaire Joachim Strautmann.
Albert II came to the Rose Ball without a couple – for some reason, Princess Charlene missed such an important event for the princely family of Monaco, although recently she has increasingly begun to appear in public with her husband despite rumors of their quarrel.
Recently, Charlene and Albert II celebrated their wedding anniversary, on the occasion of which their new family portrait was presented to the public.
Photo: Albert II, Princess Caroline and Christian Louboutin
On June 24th, Argentinean-American singer-songwriter Sophia Angelica released “Eyes That Stare” a tango-house fusion that features Nyke Van Wyk, one of the fastest fiddlers in the U.S.. The song was created in memory of her great-uncle Juan Carlos Rybin, one of the top 5 violinists in the world.
“Eyes That Stare” was produced by Grammy-nominated and Billboard Award winner Napoles and Randy Wisky, and mastered by Grammy-Award winner Bernie Grundman (Prince, Michael Jackson).
With social media followers internationally and a unique bilingual flare, Sophia has now shared three pop singles off her album, including the relatable upbeat “Here I Am” and her Latin tropical song “Que Seria De Mi”.
“Her two newest singles, “Here I Am” and “Que serĂa de mi”, tackle heartbreak, love and relationships with her own unique bilingual flair”
“The empowerment ballad “Here I Am” and the upbeat love song “Que SerĂa de Mi” are part of her journey…colored with Latin-inspired sounds and an upbeat TikTok-ready vibe, to spread positivity and inspire others” –
With many TV and festival appearances, she set out on her entertainment career at 6 years of age and made her debut on “Good Day New York” on FOX and “Dora the Explorer” on Nickelodeon.
Having performed around the world and as a global activist, she works closely with the United Nations and has travelled internationally to combat bullying and discrimination.
In March of 2018, Sophia, as lead speaker and performer, went on a University Human Rights Tour in Taiwan. Soon after, she received the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors “Breakthrough Artist Award,” and the prestigious “Presidential Volunteer Service Award” in Washington, D.C.
On a more personal note, Sophia wrote the song, “My Brother, Big Brother,” and created a national music awareness campaign for her brother who, at the time, needed a life-saving kidney transplant.
During the pandemic, Sophia collaborated with acclaimed producer, Juan Cristiani, on a healing song called, “Survivors”, with 29 musicians from around the world.
Now, along with her pop debut, Sophia has performed with her band and continues to do so in well-known venues and events across New York and the tri-state area, such as Duffy Square – Times Square, Yankee Stadium, The Meadowlands, The Stone Pony, Rockwood Music Hall, The Bowery Electric, the 116th Street Festival, Producer’s Club, and more.
Catch her next on a big stage in the middle of Times Square performing for Season 7 of Wonderama TV on July 27th!
