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A referendum in the Zaporozhye region to join Russia

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News desk
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Residents of the city of Zaporozhye are currently unable to vote, authorities said

Preparations for a referendum on Ukraine’s accession to the Zaporozhye region have begun. The process is undergoing technical processing, and the final date has not yet been determined. This was stated on June 8 to TASS by Artyom Charlay, assistant to a member of the General Council of the military-civil administration of the district.

“Technical issues are currently being worked out – when to do it, how to do it. We are currently working on this issue because a significant part of the area, where almost half of the population lives, is controlled by the West, by the Nazis. city ​​of Zaporozhye at the moment can not vote, because if they say “yes”, if they say “we want to join Russia”, they will immediately be taken to the torture rooms of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), people live there in fear, “he said.

Charlay added that the question of whether it is right to hold a referendum before the “complete liberation” of the Zaporozhye region is also being discussed. According to him, if an electronic system for voting in the referendum is organized, the inhabitants of the territories controlled by the Ukrainian army will again not be able to vote due to the broken mobile and internet connection.

Earlier, the member of the Main Council of the military-civil administration of the district Vladimir Rogov announced that about 70% of the territory of Zaporozhye district is “liberated”, ie. is under the control of Russian forces. At the same time, however, the regional center remains under the control of the Ukrainian army – the city of Zaporozhye, where almost half of the region’s population lives.

To accompany their father in the underworld. Archaeologists find remains of Tutankhamun’s children

By
Petar Gramatikov
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As it turned out, all this time the find was practically under the noses of the researchers – in the tomb of the pharaoh himself.

Almost 100 years have passed since British archaeologists discovered the lost tomb of the famous ruler Tutankhamun. Searching the Valley of the Kings, where the great Egyptian pharaohs were buried, Howard Carter solved the age-old question of where the boy-king of ancient society lay and quenched the interest of many people, writes Express.

Since the initial discovery, several breakthroughs have been made in research into Tutankhamun’s tomb. Upon discovering Tutankhamen’s resting place, Carter discovered the mummified remains of two children, but at that time DNA identification technology did not exist, so the remains were safely hidden.

They were named 317a and 317b, and each had its own set of inner and outer mummy-shaped coffins, almost identical in design but differing in size.

In the course of their new study, scientists made a DNA analysis, which surprised them very much. As it turned out, these girls were most likely the daughters of Tutankhamen. Both were stillborn, one at the age of about 4 months, the second was almost full-term.

“In the ancient world, the mortality rate of infants and children was so high that it is not surprising. But the fact that they were carefully mummified, wrapped and placed in these coffins and placed in the tomb of their father, that’s what is unusual,” said Egyptologist Salima Ikram from American University in Cairo.

The fact that the bodies of the girls were buried with the pharaoh indicates that there is not only a practical reason for this, but also a ritual one.

Although scientists don’t yet know why the girls were buried next to Tutankhamun, Egyptologist Dr. Joyce Tyldesley said they were most likely some kind of “protector” of their father in the other world. The ancient Egyptians were interested in successfully entering the afterlife, and would not take only one thing with them to protect themselves along the way.

In the end, Tutankhamun was found buried with some 5,000 items, all of which were meant to accompany him to the afterlife, and each had some purpose or function.

“Tutankhamen was very rich, so he could easily afford a separate tomb for his daughters. Therefore, the fact that their bodies were buried with him indicates that there is not only a practical reason for this, but also a ritual one,” explained Tyldesley.

Germany presented its new tank

By
Gaston de Persigny
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Its name is a reference to the Second World War

Rheinmetall has introduced the latest German tank, called the Panther KF51. The name is a reference to one of the most capable tanks in World War II – Panzerkampfwagen V Panther. This armored vehicle was created in response to the Soviet T-34.

Panther KF51, in turn, is a worthy opponent of the latest Russian tank T-14 “Armata”.

Shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine, the government in Berlin announced that it would invest 100 billion euros in its army. However, the development of the new German tank dates back several years.

The biggest novelty in the Panther KF51 is the possibility of its robotics. The dome of the combat machine can be controlled remotely and there is no need for a separate operator. This reduced the tank crew by one person.

The cannon of the new “Panther” is the largest placed in a modern tank. It is 130 mm and optimized with a number of auxiliary electronic systems to increase accuracy.

By comparison, the last German Leopard-2 tank is armed with a 120-mm cannon, and Russian tanks are equipped with a 125-mm cannon.

The Panther KF51 has a 50 percent longer range than the Leopard-2, and the larger caliber guarantees higher drilling power. According to Rheinmetall, the cannon has an unsurpassed rate of fire due to the operation of automatic loading. In addition, the tank can fire kamikaze drones HERO 120. The main gun is complemented by a 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun.

All weapons are connected to the fire control computer and equipped with an artificial intelligence system.

Panther KF51 relies on a crew of three, but planned upgrades will allow 100% remote control of the tank. The new Panther is also capable of serving as a control station for combat and reconnaissance drones.

The fully digital system allows each crew member to play the role of the other in the event of an injury.

Rheinmetall describes the tank as the first of its kind in terms of defense.

Panther KF51 has active protection, which neutralizes the ammunition fired at the tank. In addition, there is a jet and passive armor of the latest generation.

The weight of the new “Panther” is quite optimized and is about 59 tons. In comparison, the most modern version of the Leopard-2 weighed over 70 tons.

The drive is provided by a diesel engine with a power of 1,475 hp, and with one tank the tank can travel 500 km.

According to military analysts, the new tank, whose name suggests associations with the Wehrmacht, effectively puts an end to plans to create a new-generation joint German-French tank. Rheinmetall was dissatisfied with Paris’ leading position in development and its secondary role.

The Panther KF51 is expected to have very large export potential, but Berlin has not yet revealed the price of the tank.

Israeli politician: If all Arabs could disappear – get on an express train to Switzerland

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Newsdesk
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“If there was a button that could be pressed and all the Arabs could disappear – get on an express train to Switzerland, I would push it,” said Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana (pic.twitter.com/Edt6leIVC0)

An Israeli politician has been sharply criticized for saying on June 14, 2022 that if he could push a button and the Palestinians disappear, he would push it, the Associated Press reported.

Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana told high school students in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. In a statement recorded on video, he explained that the radically different views of Israelis and Palestinians on the conflict between them were a major obstacle to peace. Therefore, according to him, they have no choice but to live together.

“If there was a button that could be pressed and all the Arabs could disappear – get on an express train to Switzerland, I would push it,” he said in a video that aired on Israeli television. “But what to do, there is no such button.”

“That’s why we seem to be somewhat destined to live together on this earth,” he added.

Kahana is part of the nationalist Yamina (Right) party, which forms the basis of a ruling coalition of eight ideologically different parties. For the first time, a party of Israeli Arabs is coming to power.

In the past year since coming to power, the coalition, which has been plagued by ongoing problems, most notably the withdrawal of members of the ruling majority, has always presented itself as a symbol of Israeli-Arab understanding in a society where Jews and Palestinians often live separately. from each other and rarely come into contact with each other.

The issue of forced evictions is sensitive to Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 Israeli war. During the 1967 Middle East War, a new Palestinian deportation began.

Kahana’s words were condemned by Israeli MPs of Palestinian descent and representatives of the ruling coalition. Opposition MP Ahmad Tibi wrote in a comment on Twitter that he would make Kahana “disappear from the government and the Knesset (Israeli parliament)”. Michal Rosin, a coalition MP from the moderate Meretz (Energy) party, said such statements were “simply inadmissible”.

After the scandal erupted, Kahana wrote on Twitter that parts of his speech “were poorly worded.”

“In it, I explicitly mention that the Jewish and Arab populations will not go anywhere. We, as Jews and Arabs, must strive for peaceful coexistence. Our coalition is a bold step towards this goal,” he said.

CEC to French EU Presidency: Engage churches to bring peace in Ukraine

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News desk
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CEC to French EU Presidency: Engage churches to bring peace in Ukraine

Press Release No:12/22
15 June 2022
Brussels

In a hybrid meeting on 7 June in Brussels with the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) highlighted Ukrainian church voices, emphasising the need to strength engagement of local religious communities in realising peace in Ukraine.

“The churches in Ukraine are widely respected and trusted, usually more than governmental institutions. This gives them a unique moral authority to promote peace,” said Dr Pavlo Smytsnyuk, director of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University.

“To actively promote peace, it is pertinent to engage Ukrainian religious communities, as well as their educational institutions and charities. They are able to spread the message of peace in places, inaccessible to political actors,” added Smytsnyuk, who joined the meeting online.

Archbishop Yevstratiy of Chernihiv and Nizhyn from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine reflected on how religion is used to give legitimacy to war, and as an excuse for Russian aggression. “Unfortunately, the idea of restoration of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire has been used to justify the war,” said Archbishop Yevstratiy, deputy head of the Department of External Church Relations and spokesperson for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

“This neo-imperial idea with roots in the medieval idea of Moscow as the third Rome has been very unhelpful to say the least,” he added.

From left to right: Archbishop Yevstratiy of Chernihiv and Nizhyn and Dr Pavlo Smytsnyuk.

The two Ukrainians in the meeting underlined the continuing efforts of local churches and religious communities to prevent aggression, especially in the context of coexistence between religious and ethnic communities. They emphasised that both Ukrainian and Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine stand together against the war. “Ukraine is a plural society, where all religions cooperate under the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations, despite historic tensions, and together they support Ukrainian sovereignty,” they stressed.

“It is CEC’s unique role to highlight Ukrainian church voices, and convey their stance to the European political institutions,” said CEC General Secretary Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen. “Not only is this a legacy of CEC, bridgebuilding, promoting reconciliation and peace, but the focus in our current work: to build bridges between churches and the highest political level in Europe.” Since the onslaught of the war in February, CEC has been engaging deeply with the churches in Ukraine.

Together, with its Catholic partner the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), CEC has been traditionally involved with EU Council Presidencies, supported by Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which foresees dialogue between the EU and the churches, as well as religious associations or communities.

The meeting discussed in depth the role of religion in the Ukrainian conflict, which has been a concern to the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The meeting was hosted by Ms Pauline Dubarry, Deputy Head of Justice and Home Affairs at the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union and Mr Julien Cécillon, External Action, Advisor, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and attended also by Ms Katerina Pekridou, CEC Executive Secretary for theological dialogue.

Visit our page on Church response to Ukraine

For more information or an interview, please contact:

Naveen Qayyum
Communication Officer
Conference of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 486 75 82 36
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ceceurope.org
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Agriculture and Fisheries Council – to change course on pesticides

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European Commission
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Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 June 2022
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 June 2022 - Roundtable

Remarks by Commissioner Kyriakides during the Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) Council – to change course on pesticides.

Marc, Ministers,

Thank you for your intervention and non-paper.

We have been discussing pesticides since my first day in office.

In fact – much before my first day in office, as it was a capital issue for my hearing in the European Parliament.

You know very well that we are fully committed to presenting a proposal to change course on pesticides. 

This change of course on pesticides is not about banning their use.

It is about making sure we make all efforts to avoid their overuse.

It is about protecting human health, the environment and biodiversity by reducing the use and risk of chemical pesticides, where possible.

This is a simple premise that I believe we will all agree on.

And it is a commitment that all of you, and farmers in your countries, have already undertaken, with efforts being made.

Now it is time to do more together. There is a very simple reason why.

And that is because our citizens have been very clear: they want to see less pesticides used. There have been successful European Citizen Initiatives on this issue, we have heard this repeatedly in the Conference on the Future of Europe and I know this issue is also raised vocally in your countries.

Now is the time for our ambition to become reality, and translated into concrete, tangible and measurable actions.

I know many of you are concerned about setting pesticide reduction targets.

I am confident that together we can do this.

I am sure that we you see our proposal, you will see that many of your proposals are already taken into account.

We will take into account the historical progress achieved in your countries.

We will take into account your national specificities and your different starting points.

And we will ensure that we don’t propose on size fits all solutions.

I want to be clear: we will all have to make efforts if we are to get to a 50% reduction at EU level.

I understand the concerns raised about restricting pesticide use in sensitive areas. However, there is clear evidence that this measure would deliver benefits for human health and the environment.

I know we are asking a lot from our farmers and we must give them the tools to be able to achieve these goals.

Having low-risk alternatives on the market is critical.

With your support, we will speed up the assessment process of safer pesticides and increase the availability of low risk substances across the EU.

We are also prioritising the faster delivery of effective, viable and affordable low-risk alternatives, for example by improving approvals systems for micro-organisms. 

Ministers,

We face two challenges here.

First, to ensure that this transition only leaves behind unsustainable practices.

Not our consumers, and certainly not our farmers.

We have the instruments and means to make it so.

Second, to take action now, against a climate and biodiversity crisis that threatens our long-term food security.

We cannot continue business as usual.

Meeting both challenges requires concerted action from us all: national governments, the Commission, food producers, other actors in the food chain and consumers.

Now it’s time to take the tough decisions since we are answerable in the future for our children and grandchildren

Brexit: Serious breach of international law, MEPs call on UK not to adopt new bill

By
European Parliament
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MEPs call on UK not to adopt new bill
London wants to set up a new system allowing goods remaining in the province, and therefore within the U.K., to pass through a "green channel" exempting them from administrative procedures. Those destined for the EU, however, will remain subject to all the controls carried out under European law. As part of the Brexit deal, Northern Ireland remained in the European single market, in order to preserve an open border with EU member Ireland, which was key to the 1998 peace agreement. This provision involves controls in the Irish Sea. The bill also seeks to end the role of the European Court of Justice in monitoring the protocol.

The UK Contact Group co-Chairs David McAllister, Bernd Lange and Nathalie Loiseau issued the following statement on Tuesday after a meeting with Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič.

“We are deeply concerned with the UK’s unilateral action, which constitutes a serious and unacceptable breach of international law. The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill puts into question the credibility of the UK Government to comply with its international obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, damages mutual trust and creates uncertainty for people, investors and business in Northern Ireland. We call upon the UK government and UK Parliament not to adopt the proposed bill and to return to the discussion table to find practical, flexible and durable solutions within the legal framework of the Protocol.

The EU-UK relationship must be based on full respect of our mutually agreed, legally binding commitments. We recall that the conclusion of the Withdrawal Agreement was a pre-condition for the negotiation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland can only be implemented through genuine dialogue.

We support Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, co-Chair of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council, in his approach to secure the implementation of the Protocol by reacting proportionately to the UK Government’s unilateral action, while continuing to engage with the people and businesses in Northern Ireland to find practical solutions. The recent legislation on medicines and the package put forward by the Commission in October 2021 show that the Protocol provides for flexibility. We fully support the European Commission’s call on the UK government to engage on joint solutions.

The European Parliament’s UK Contact Group stresses that:

  • in order to have a positive and stable relationship, the EU and the UK must comply with the provisions of the two Agreements the parties have negotiated, signed and ratified: the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement;
  • a renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, is not an option; and
  • only joint solutions would create the legal certainty that the people and businesses in Northern Ireland deserve.”

The statement is co-signed by:

David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and co-Chair of the UK Contact Group;

Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany), Chair of the International Trade Committee and co-Chair of the UK Contact Group;

Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, France), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and co-Chair of the UK Contact Group.

Background

The UK Contact Group was established by a decision of the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents as the main point of contact with Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on issues related to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Enhancing youth mainstreaming in crime prevention policies

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Newsdesk
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Mainstreaming youth considerations in crime prevention policy

Mainstreaming youth considerations in crime prevention policies

New York (USA), 14 June 2022 – While young people constitute over 1.2 billion people, they are also disproportionately affected by crime and violence. For example, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s Global Study on Homicide indicates that homicide is among the leading causes of death among young people (aged 15-29 ) in some countries. Moreover, there is a prevailing perception among young people that there are still not enough opportunities for their meaningful engagement in preventing crime and promoting the rule of law.

In order to address the role of youth in crime prevention policies, the President of the General Assembly, in cooperation with UNODC, hosted a high-level event debate on “Enhancing youth mainstreaming in crime prevention policies”. The debate aimed to provide a platform for Member States to exchange best practices for meaningfully engaging in crime prevention while working with and for youth.  

The event was timely as it builds upon the work of the Kyoto Declaration in promoting more inclusive and holistic practices to assist Member States in crime prevention policies. It also builds off of the Secretary-General’s Report “Our Common Agenda” and the Youth 2030 Strategy to further highlight the impact of young people as key agents of change in effectively addressing many world economic and social challenges and have great potential to advocate for themselves and their communities.

The event was opened by His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the General Assembly, followed by a statement by Deputy Secretary-General, Her Excellency Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, as well as a speech by UNODC’s Executive Director, Ms. Ghada Waly.  

Mr. Junbert Pabon, a young Representative for Peace for the World Organization of the Scout Movement, also provided insights as a young person who works within the criminal justice system to promote and support the rehabilitation of children and youth deprived of their liberty.  

In statements made by Member States and the European Commission, attention was drawn to key risk factors – such as access to opportunities, mental health and poverty – that directly impact young people and ways to strengthen youth resilience to crime. In the afternoon, an interactive panel discussion was held on “Mainstreaming youth in crime and prevention policy development and evaluation”. In the panel discussion, the Austrian State Secretary on Youth, academics, youth representatives and other UN entities noted the importance of preventing crime among young people and at the same time having them be meaningfully engaged in prevention efforts while using inclusive processes for all. 

CEC trains Finnish churches to ensure safer and stronger communities

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News desk
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CEC trains Finnish churches to ensure safer and stronger communities

The Conference of European Churches (CEC), together with the Orthodox Church of Finland held a briefing and training for the church leaders and the church staff on the protection of the worship places on 8 June. The event was held as part of the project Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE) funded by the European Commission Internal Police Fund, and the training was conducted by CEC Executive Secretary for Human Rights Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic.

The event was also attended by the representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland and Muslim community in Finland.

The participants discussed new legislative proposals related to the ban on ritual slaughtering and circumcision, which may affect aspects of freedom of religion and belief in Finland. Among other topics discussed were reports of the Finnish security intelligence service (SUPO) and potential risks to Finnish society by terrorists or far-right extremists. The participants also exchanged on issues related to attacks on ethnic and religious minorities, and links of some groups to the Siege culture supporting white supremacy, which incite violence towards to social collapse.

“Security contributes to the well-being of both the individual and the community,” said Bishop Sergei of Hamina, from the Helsinki Orthodox Diocese.

“We note that both minority and majority groups in any country may experience threats – such as feelings of fear or anger – but for different reasons. For example, a majority group may fear that its dominant role or security may be threatened, while a minority group may experience a threat to its very existence,” added Bishop Sergei.

He went on to say “the sense of a church building as a safe place historically was so essential that this right was carved on the altar stone or a pillar that served as a border for the area, where the asylum seeker could have stayed. This can be found in the epigraphic inscriptions in the ruins of churches dating back to the fifth century, including in Asia Minor and present-day Syria.”

“Church buildings have functioned as places of safety for an extended period. Unfortunately, we are also reminded that this is not always the case. Today we are watching with heavy hearts how Russia’s war has destroyed almost two hundred churches of various denominations in Ukraine, causing suffering and death to those seeking refuge there,” said Bishop Sergei.

At the training, SASCE materials were delivered to the participants in Finnish, and resources related to crisis management for religious communities were shared with the audience.

Learn more: Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe

Brazil: bodies found in search for missing UK journalist and indigenous guide

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Vatican News
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Brazil: bodies found in search for missing UK journalist and indigenous guide - Vatican News

Bodies have been found in the search for a UK journalist and an Indigenous guide in the Brazilian Amazon where they went missing eight days ago.

By James Blears

Veteran British Journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous rights specialist Bruno Pereira went missing after having last been seen were last seen over a week ago while traveling by boat on the Itaquaí River in the western Amazon.

Indigenous leaders have been expressing anger and frustration for what they call lack of coordination in the search for the two men. Now the focus is to find what happened and the circumstances by which it occurred. 

Disappeared

The two men were returning from the Sao Rafael Community to the town of Atalia do Norte, which skirts the Amazon River, when they vanished. The boat in which they were travelling was new and fully fuelled.

Both experienced, able navigators and familiar with the area, the two men did not venture into the indigenous area, which is off limits to outsiders.

The human remains from the river are still being forensically examined. A fisherman who was seen brandishing a rifle and pointing it at them the day before they went missing, has been arrested and is being questioned. His relatives claim he has been tortured and that traces of blood found on his boat, are from the slaughtering of a pig. 

Under intense pressure to find answers and to resolve the case, Army, Navy, Civil Defence, Police and indigenous volunteers have been scouring the area for clues and the missing two.

Plundering of natural resources

Illegal fishing, illicit logging, excessive rubber tapping, are plundering the natural resources and elements of the Amazon, plus drug trafficking. These  are dangerous life-threatening factors which those intent on conservation face in their daily work.

Now the relatives of the men and the community in this beautiful and remote area of Brazil, wait with trepidation to discover the outcome of a meandering investigation linked to the tragedy of its stolen resources. Where will its current lead, and what will finally surface?

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