Saudi prosecutor seeks 20 years in prison for women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul

Terrorism court judge says verdict and possible sentencing in Hathloul's case may be expected as early as Monday

Loujain al-Hathloul was arrested in May 2018 alongside at least a dozen other women activists (AFP/File photo)

By MEE staff
Published date: 16 December 2020 

Saudi Arabia's state prosecutor is seeking the maximum possible jail sentence - 20 years behind bars - for women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, her sister Lina confirmed.

Hathloul, 31, is being tried in the kingdom's notorious terrorism court. In a hearing on Wednesday, the judge said a verdict and possible sentence for Hathloul's case may come as early as Monday, the Guardian reported, based on a copy of the prosecution's indictment provided by the activist's sister.

'They say she is a terrorist - in reality, she is a humanitarian, an activist and a woman who simply wants a better, fairer world'

- Lina al-Hathloul, sister of Loujain al-Hathloul

Things became more complicated later on Wednesday, as Hathloul's parents, who act as her legal team, were summoned via text to Riyadh’s criminal court on Thursday morning, Lina said on Twitter.

Hathloul's case was controversially transferred to the terrorism court late last month; it remains unclear if her parents' summoning to the criminal court implies another transfer.

"My sister must be released... All she has done is ask for women to be treated with the dignity and freedom that should be their right. For that, the Saudi authorities are seeking the maximum sentence available under the law - 20 years in prison," Lina told the Guardian on Wednesday.

'All they have are a bunch of tweets'

The women's rights activist was arrested in May 2018 with at least a dozen other women activists, just weeks before the decades-long ban on female drivers was lifted.

She and other imprisoned activists are being charged under the country's anti-cybercrime law, with the allegations against her described by UN experts as "spurious".

The charges included allegations that the activists, including Hathloul, "communicated with people and entities hostile to the king", "cooperated with journalists and media institutions hostile to the king", "provided financial support to foreign adversaries" and "recruited persons for information detrimental to the security of the kingdom".

"They say she is a terrorist - in reality, she is a humanitarian, an activist and a woman who simply wants a better, fairer world," Lina said.

Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi Arabia uses tweets supporting women's rights as evidence

Read More »

During a hearing on Monday, a Saudi public prosecutor cited tweets posted by Hathloul about a campaign to let women drive and the kingdom's guardianship system as evidence against the jailed rights activist.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has presented himself as a reformer but has overseen a brutal crackdown on dissidents and independent Saudis, previously claimed there were videos of Hathloul proving she worked as a spy.

Still, on Monday, Hathloul's brother Walid noted that no such evidence was presented.

"No evidences were provided that are related to providing information to foreign hostile, recruiting people in sensitive positions," Walid said on Twitter.

"All they have are a bunch of tweets that they did not like."

UN experts have called on Saudi Arabia to release the imprisoned women's rights activists.

When Hathloul first appeared before a court last month, her family said she looked ill. Hathloul's family and rights groups have alleged that she has experienced sexual harassment and torture in detention. Saudi authorities deny the charges.

5,000-year-old relic from the Great Pyramid discovered in a cigar box in Scotland

ANOTHER AMAZING FIND IN THE MUSEUM

STORAGE ROOM 

Published 16th December 2020

Credit: University of Aberdeen

Written by Jessie Yeung, CNN

Late last year, curatorial assistant Abeer Eladany was reviewing items in the University of Aberdeen's museum collections, when she came across an item that didn't seem to belong.
Eladany, who is originally from Egypt and had spent a decade working at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, noticed the country's former flag on an unassuming cigar box. She opened it up to find small pieces of wood inside -- and, after cross checking it with museum records, realized she had stumbled upon a lost artifact from the Great Pyramid of Giza, the centerpiece of an enduring archaeological mystery.

Only three objects have ever been recovered from inside the Great Pyramid -- a trio of items known as the "Dixon Relics," according to the University of Aberdeen.

Two of them, a ball and a hook, are now housed in the British Museum. But the third object, fragments belonging to a much larger piece of cedar wood, had been missing for more than 70 years, the university added.

Abeer Eladany with the cigar box and pieces of wood. Credit: University of Aberdeen

"Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and that it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection," said Eladeny in a press release from the university.

"I'm an archaeologist and have worked on digs in Egypt but I never imagined it would be here in north-east Scotland that I'd find something so important to the heritage of my own country."
The Great Pyramid stands 139 meters (about 455 feet) high and was built around 4,500 years ago. It's the largest of the group of pyramids at Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and a major tourist attraction.

The pyramid is composed of narrow, cramped tunnels, difficult for people to climb through. In the 18th and 19th centuries, archaeologists and researchers used to try blasting their way into chambers inside. To avoid further damaging the ancient structures, modern archaeologists now use technology like robots and remote cameras to explore its interior; in the Great Pyramid, they have so far only gained access to three known chambers.

The relics were first discovered in 1872 inside the pyramid's Queen's Chamber by engineer Waynman Dixon. He was assisted by his friend James Grant, a graduate from the University of Aberdeen; their discovery of the relics, according to the release, was widely reported at the time.

The Giza pyramids in Egypt, photographed on March 13, 2020. Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images

Dixon took the ball and hook, and Grant took the piece of wood, the university said. After Grant's death in 1895, his collections were bequeathed to the university, and his daughter donated a "five inch piece of cedar" in 1946.

But because the piece was never properly classified, it stayed hidden for decades despite an "extensive search," until Eladany accidentally discovered it in the Asia collection.

"The University's collections are vast -- running to hundreds of thousands of items -- so looking for it has been like finding a needle in a haystack," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I realized what was inside this innocuous-looking cigar tin."

There are different theories about the wood's purpose and date of origin -- some researchers think it's part of a larger measurement tool, which they believe could provide clues as to how the towering pyramids were constructed.

The cigar box with wooden fragments had been added to the museum's Asia collection, but actually housed the Egyptian relics. Credit: University of Aberdeen

The process of radiocarbon dating has revealed that the fragments are from around 3341-3094 B.C. -- centuries before the construction of the Great Pyramid. Covid-19 restrictions had delayed the dating of the 'lost' cedar fragment, said the university. The larger piece of wood it originated from, still inside the Great Pyramid, was most recently seen by a robotic camera in 1993 and is now unreachable.

This suggests that the relics were original to the construction of the Pyramid, instead of being later left by those inside the completed Pyramid.

"It is even older than we had imagined. This may be because the date relates to the age of the wood, maybe from the center of a long-lived tree," said Neil Curtis, Head of Museums and Special Collections at the University of Aberdeen, in the release. "Alternatively, it could be because of the rarity of trees in ancient Egypt, which meant that wood was scarce, treasured and recycled or cared for over many years." He added that the discovery might "reignite interest" in the relics.

"It will now be for scholars to debate its use and whether it was deliberately deposited, as happened later during the New Kingdom, when pharaohs tried to emphasize continuity with the past by having antiquities buried with them.

Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland

One of only three objects ever recovered from inside Egypt's Great Pyramid, wooden artefact may shed new light on ancient structure, says University of Aberdeen

Ancient cedar wood, now fragmented into pieces, is one of only three relics ever recovered from inside Great Pyramid (University of Aberdeen)

By Sheren Khalel
Published date: 16 December 2020 


A lost artefact from the Great Pyramid of Giza that had been missing for more than 70 years was found in a cigar box at the University of Aberdeen by an Egyptian curatorial assistant.

The artefact, one of only three objects ever recovered from inside the Great Pyramid, may shed new light on the structure, the university said in a news release on Wednesday. 

Abeer Eladany was reviewing items in the University of Aberdeen's museum Asian collections when she came across an item that didn't seem to belong. 

Eladany, who spent 10 years working in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, "was immediately intrigued", as the cigar box featured her country’s former flag on top. Opening it, Eladany found several pieces of ancient cedar wood fragments. 

Cigar box in which relic was found (University of Aberdeen)

Cross-referencing the item with other records, Eladany said she quickly realised she had discovered the "lost Dixon relic", one of three items uncovered inside the pyramid’s Queens Chamber in 1872 by engineer Waynman Dixon. 

"Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and that it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection,” Eladany said in Wednesday's news release. 


"I’m an archaeologist and have worked on digs in Egypt, but I never imagined it would be here in northeast Scotland that I’d find something so important to the heritage of my own country."
The three Dixon relics

Two of the Dixon artefacts - a ball and a hook - are housed in the British Museum. The third, which Eladany discovered, the fragment of wood that has broken into several, had been missing for decades. 

"The lost piece of cedar has generated many theories about its purpose and date and holds particular significance because of the potential for radiocarbon dating. Some have speculated that it was part of a measuring rule which could reveal clues regarding the pyramid’s construction," the university said in the news release. 

Israeli museum postpones auction of rare Middle Eastern artifacts after outrage

Read More »

The "lost" cedar fragment has shown that the wood can be dated to somewhere in the period 3341-3094BC - about 500 years earlier than historical records that date the Great Pyramid to the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu in 2580-2560BC, according to the university. 

The university said the age of the relic supports the idea that – whatever their use – the Dixon Relics were original to the construction of the Great Pyramid and not later artefacts left behind by those exploring the chambers.

“It may be just a small fragment of wood, which is now in several pieces, but it is hugely significant given that it is one of only three items ever to be recovered from inside the Great Pyramid.

“The university’s collections are vast - running to hundreds of thousands of items - so looking for it has been like finding a needle in a haystack. I couldn’t believe it when I realised what was inside this innocuous-looking cigar tin.”

Neil Curtis, head of museums and special collections at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Finding the missing Dixon Relic was a surprise, but the carbon dating has also been quite a revelation.

“It is even older than we had imagined. This may be because the date relates to the age of the wood, maybe from the centre of a long-lived tree. Alternatively, it could be because of the rarity of trees in ancient Egypt, which meant that wood was scarce, treasured and recycled or cared for over many years.

“It will now be for scholars to debate its use and whether it was deliberately deposited, as happened later during the New Kingdom, when pharaohs tried to emphasise continuity with the past by having antiquities buried with them.

“This discovery will certainly reignite interest in the Dixon Relics and how they can shed light on the Great Pyramid.”

Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on

While some believe the uprisings of 2010-11 were a failure - the ferocity of the counter-revolution suggests otherwise

Khalil al-Anani
17 December 2020 

A decade ago, a young Tunisian, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire to protest his economic and social conditions, sparking a series of Arab uprisings and revolutions. It later became known as the Arab Spring and led to the downfall of Arab dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

While some believe the Arab Spring failed to achieve its goals, particularly the establishment of free and democratic governments, there were many gains, including the ousting of the heads of four powerful authoritarian regimes: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.

The events of the past decade have revealed that the costs of authoritarianism and rejecting political change are very high - but those regimes that block reform are willing to pay a heavy price to remain in power. 

Sponsors of the counter-revolution

This is certainly the case in Syria, which has been destroyed due to President Bashar al-Assad’s refusal to respond to demands for change. There no longer exists a sovereign state that he can govern, since Syria has come under the protection and tutelage of foreign powers, in particular Iran and Russia.

Similarly, the costs of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s coup in Egypt in 2013 were very high. He has become known in the international arena as the worst dictator in the Middle East. He also has been forced to sacrifice some of Egypt’s regional weight in order to appease his allies, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Arab Spring 2.0: Five lessons from 2011 for today's protesters Read More »

The sponsors of the counter-revolution, in particular the UAE and Saudi Arabia, spent large sums of money to stop the Arab Spring and to ensure that the protests would not reach them and unseat them from their thrones. They are now involved in civil wars in Yemen and Libya, financing mercenaries and warlords, such as General Khalifa Haftar. Their international reputations have reached a new low amid the killing of children and civilians in Yemen.

The ferocity of the counter-revolution itself might be the most important evidence of the success of the Arab Spring in achieving its goals, the chief of which was to raise the costs of tyranny. The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to stop Arab revolutions and uprisings from recurring at any cost.

The economic aid provided to Sisi by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh has reportedly exceeded $60bn, not to mention the arms deals signed with France, Italy, Russia and the US. Political support has also been provided to Sisi to improve his image in Washington through lobby groups. The Emirati ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, played a pivotal role in marketing the 2013 Egyptian coup to the US administration.

Another wave of uprisings

The experience of the Arab Spring revealed that, despite the power of security and intelligence services - and their use of all means of torture, murder and violation of human rights for the sake of intimidation - the structure of Arab despotism is subject to breakage.

Who could have imagined that the Mubarak regime, which lasted for 30 years, would fall in a matter of 18 days? Who would have thought that Libya’s Gaddafi would be found hiding in a hole a few months after the revolution was launched against him, or that Yemen’s Saleh would face the same fate, killed in a hideous manner after three decades of rule? 

Sudanese protesters arrive in the town of Atbara on 19 December 2019 (AFP)

Perhaps it is ironic that despite the continuing attempts by counter-revolutionary forces to abort the Arab Spring, the hopes for democracy are still alive.

The Arab Spring has become a reference for Arab youth who dream of freedom, dignity and justice - and who will not stop until they realise that dream

According to the 2019-2020 Arab Opinion Index, the largest annual survey in the Arab world conducted by the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, about 74 percent of Arabs believe that democracy is the most appropriate system of governance for their home countries.

Moreover, the Arab region has witnessed another wave of uprisings and revolutions over the past two years, including Sudan, Algeria, Iraq and Lebanon. Throngs of demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand economic, social and political change.

Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was in power for more than 30 years, was overthrown, and former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned after massive demonstrations. Iraqi and Lebanese people rose up in protest against corruption and sectarianism, and to reject the domination of external forces over internal political decisions.

Many segments of Egyptian society also rose up in late 2019 to demand improvements in their social and economic conditions, despite the severe repression deployed by the Sisi regime.

Political and ideological divisions

Yet, any objective assessment of the Arab Spring experience must take into account the mistakes made by the political and revolutionary movements that were meant to lead Arab societies after the fall of authoritarian regimes.

These actors have suffered from political and ideological divisions, particularly between Islamists and secularists, and have been preoccupied with identity issues, such as the relationship between religion and the state. Often, these divisions have come at the expense of more urgent issues, such as improving economic and social conditions, eliminating corruption and addressing unemployment.

More than ever, the struggle for justice unites the Middle East and the world Read More »

The polarisation among these forces not only disrupted the potential for democratic transition but also led to the return of old regimes, as in Egypt.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood failed in governance due to a lack of experience in managing state affairs, and as a result of the forces of the old regime plotting against them. The gap of mistrust widened, and secular movements chose to ally with the military in order to get rid of the Muslim Brotherhood. This Islamic-secular division still plays an important role in sustaining Egypt’s political crisis seven years after the coup.

Political movements also failed to rebuild civil-military relations, to build civilian capacity within them, and to remove the military from political life. This failure allowed the military establishment to retain great influence in key sectors, contributing to its return to power, as in Egypt. Militaries succeeded in deceiving opposing political forces; they have been key partners in managing transitions, as in Sudan.

Simultaneously, the forces of the Mubarak regime - especially the military generals - remained in full contact and coordination with regional counter-revolutionary forces in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Tel Aviv, as well as with the West, especially the US, aiming to seize power again under the pretext of restoring stability and combating terrorism.

Yearning for freedom

Ten years have passed since the Arab Spring, and despite attempts to silence the Arab peoples, large sectors - especially youth - continue to yearn for freedom, dignity and justice. The clearest evidence of this is that any time the fighting stops in Syria, peaceful protesters emerge to express their rejection of Assad and to demand his departure from power. Likewise, in Egypt, there is increasing criticism directed at Sisi on a daily basis, whether on social networks or through protests that occur from time to time, despite Sisi’s iron fist.

Several years ago, no one would have dared to criticise Sisi, whether in private or in public. Social media is now rife with insults and accusations against him, his family and those close to him - accusations of corruption and abuse of power for financial gain for himself and his family.

What is striking about the Arab Spring story is the political and moral bankruptcy of the West

Sisi has inserted the Egyptian army into all fields of the economy, angering many segments of society, especially the businessmen who supported him strongly when he came to power after the 2013 coup.

With Sisi shutting down all outlets of expression, and amid the state’s continued use of violence and repression against opponents, the situation will likely explode in his face sooner or later.

At the same time, what is striking about the Arab Spring story is the political and moral bankruptcy of the West. While western governments give others lessons on respecting democracy, their own behaviour over the past decade has achieved the opposite. Western governments failed to support the democratic transition processes in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen, instead supporting Arab authoritarian regimes that were hostile towards the Arab Spring.

Realising the dream

The US and European governments are colluding with authoritarian regimes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. The most important evidence has been their shameful silence on Sisi’s 2013 coup, as well as their failure to condemn the horrific human rights violations in the country.

These governments also colluded with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was behind the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. They are silent on bin Salman’s arrests of dozens of journalists, businessmen, religious scholars and political activists.

They have continued to profit from the war in Yemen that resulted from the uprising against the Saudi-backed candidate to replace Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The 'revolution fist', a symbol of Lebanon's uprising, is pictured in Beirut on 22 October (AFP)

Western countries have prioritised arms deals and investments over human rights and democracy in the Arab world. Perhaps one of the most important lessons for the Arab peoples over the past decade is not to depend on external support in order to confront authoritarian regimes and to establish democracy.

The outcomes of the Arab Spring may seem meagre in comparison to the sacrifices made in Egypt, Libya, Syria or Yemen. But the inescapable fact is that the Arab Spring has become a reference for Arab youth who dream of freedom, dignity and justice - and who will not stop until they realise that dream.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.

Read more

Arab Spring Are we witnessing a new wave of the Arab Spring?
David Hearst

Arab Spring Arab Spring 2.0: The people are showing the rulers how to govern
Ferid Belhaj

Arab Spring Can the Arab uprisings move toward a successful revolution?
Joe Gill

BREAKING NEWS

Fifty years of tax cuts for rich did not trickle down – study concludes
The research comes at a crucial time as policy makers weigh up how pay for the coronavirus pandemic.

 by Jack Peat
December 16, 2020
in Business & Economics, Economics


A study of fiscal policies in 18 countries over 50 years has concluded that tax cuts for the rich do not trickle down and only really benefit individuals who are directly affected.

The paper, by David Hope of the London School of Economics and Julian Limberg of King’s College London, found that slashing rates on high earners tends to breed inequality rather than address the route causes by stimulating business investment.

It is the latest research to discredit economic theories popularised by Ronald Reagan which have became widely adopted among Conservative and Republican parties.

In 2016 Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of supporting the “most extreme” version of trickle-down economics with his tax plan, calling it “trumped-up trickle-down” as a pun on his name.

During the 2011 general election the UK’s Labour Party also used a video of New Zealand politician Damien O’Connor which described the fiscal policy as “the rich pissing on the poor”.

Commenting on the findings, Hope gave reassurances to Chancellor Rishi Sunak who may need to consider taxing the more well off in order to pay for the coronavirus crisis.

“Policy makers shouldn’t worry that raising taxes on the rich to fund the financial costs of the pandemic will harm their economies,” he said in an interview.

It would suggest the economy could weather a one-off 5 per cent tax on wealth suggested for Britain last week by the Wealth Tax Commission, which would affect about 8 million residents.

Ghost ship containing $80 million worth of cocaine washes up on Marshall Islands

Investigations found the 18ft. fiberglass vessel carrying what turns out to be the Pacific nation's largest-ever haul of cocaine

By Nina Siena December 17, 2020 09:06 GMT

A ghost ship containing 1,430 pounds of cocaine worth about $80 million ( £ 58.9 million ) washed up on a beach in the remote atoll of Ailuk in the Marshall Islands last week. A local resident noticed the abandoned ship drifting along the shoreline. Other islanders stepped in to try and guide the boat to shore. They were unsuccessful in doing so due to its weight.

Attorney General Richard Hickson said investigations found the 18ft. fibreglass vessel carrying what turns out to be the Pacific nation's largest-ever haul of cocaine. The ship is believed to have been drifting on the high seas for possibly about two years, riding currents across the Pacific from Central or South America.

Police investigators found 649 sealed bricks of cocaine hidden in a compartment beneath the deck, each weighing 1 kilo. The drug packages which were marked with the letters "KW", were incinerated on Tuesday. Authorities kept two packs from the load, which will then be handed over to the US Drug Enforcement Agency for analysis.

This is not the first instance where drugs have been found along the Marshall Islands shoreline. Ailuk has a total population of 400 and over the past two decades, numerous drug stashes have washed up on these shores but this most recent one was by far the largest haul. The area is reputed to be a major international drug trafficking route, CNN reported.

Law enforcement officials have drawn up quite a variety of theories about the origins of these mysterious drug hauls. They strongly relate these to smugglers who have abandoned their loot after facing imminent danger of being caught or lost in heavy storms.

Sometime in January 2014, a fisherman named Jose Alvarenga had washed up on the shores of the Marshall Islands after spending more than 13 months out at sea. He had set off on a journey with a companion starting from Mexico's west coast. However, his companion died during the voyage

Most often, debris from the Americas would wash up on the Marshalls years after it has been floating out at sea and tossed about by the Pacific Ocean currents.

After Alvarenga showed up on the shore, researches from the University of Hawaii conducted 16 computer simulations on the drift patterns from the coast of Mexico. The team's study revealed that nearly all drifters eventually end up in the Marshall Islands.

Couscous receives UNESCO heritage status

Couscous is prepared from wheat or barley, and sometimes from maize, millet or sorghum, which is ground into semolina; it is served with meat or fish, spicy stews, chickpeas and vegetables in a mouth-watering variety of dishes

.

This picture taken on December 16, 2020, shows a dish of lamb and orange couscous at a restaurant in the Medina (old town) of Tunisia's capital Tunis. (AFP)

Couscous, the Berber dish beloved across northern Africa's Maghreb region and beyond, has joined the UN list of the world's intangible cultural heritage.

The countries that submitted the listing to UNESCO – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania – may have their differences, but their common love of the grain staple runs deep.

"Couscous, present at every social or cultural event, is at once ordinary and special," their joint presentation argued.

"Ordinary because of the frequency of its use in a family setting, and special because of the unifying and propitiatory role it plays at convivial community occasions at which food is shared."

Bland by itself, couscous is served with meat or fish, spicey stews, chickpeas and vegetables in a mouth-watering variety of dishes.

Moroccan restaurant owner Hicham Hazzoum was among the couscous connoisseurs who applauded UNESCO's honour.

"I think we are the only Arab countries to have a high regard for this dish," he said. "It is impossible not to eat it every Friday.

"Moroccans are crazy about couscous and even children love it. It shows that the couscous flame will never go out."

Across the region, couscous – also known as Seksu, Kusksi and Kseksu – is as elementary as rice or noodles are to Asian cuisine, the staple without which no meal is complete.

Arabic dictionaries have documented "Kuskusi" since the 19th century, though it is known to be far older.

The regional pride in couscous found full expression in the countries' joint nomination for the "knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous".

"Women and men, young and old, sedentary and nomadic, from rural or urban communities or from immigrant backgrounds all identify with this element," it gushed.

"The ethos of couscous is the expression of community life."

Trump administration looks to rush through mini trade deal slashing Scotch whisky tariffs

"I’m hopeful we can get some kind of an agreement out you know, we don’t have a lot of time left," the US trade representative said.

 by Jack Peat
December 17, 2020
in Politics



Donald Trump’s trade chief has said that the outgoing US administration is negotiating with the UK to secure a mini-deal reducing trade tariffs.

Trade representative Robert Lighthizer suggested tariffs on Scotch whisky could be reduced if a post-Brexit pact is successful.

The Government hopes to broker a full free trade agreement with Mr Trump’s successor as president, Joe Biden, but a mini-deal could ease trade before then.

Talks on an interim deal emerged on Thursday after the UK dropped tariffs against the States over subsidies for aerospace firms.

Mr Lighthizer told the BBC: “I’m talking to (International Trade Secretary) Liz Truss, about trying to work out some kind of a deal … I’m hopeful we can get some kind of an agreement out you know, we don’t have a lot of time left.

“We have the advantage in that both the US and the UK – particularly the current government of the UK – are not big subsidisers, where some other countries are more inclined to subsidise. So it would be helpful if we could come to some kind of agreement.”

Scotch whisky was badly affected when Mr Trump’s White House hit the EU with tariffs on £5.6 billion worth of goods in retaliation for state support given to Airbus.

The EU responded with tariffs on £3 billion of US goods over subsidies given to Boeing but the UK will suspend those measures from January 1 after the post-Brexit transition period ends.

Ministers hope the move will help bring the US towards a reasonable settlement over the Airbus-Boeing row and show the UK is serious about reaching a negotiated outcome.

New Zealand sex worker gets six figure settlement in sexual harassment case

New Zealand Prostitutes Collective Dame Catherine Healy calls the case a milestone as she warned brothel operators to uphold labour rights.

By Nina Siena December 14, 2020 09:20 GMT

A sex worker in New Zealand will receive a six-figure payout as a settlement after filing a sexual harassment case against a business owner. The sex worker had initially filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission but the case was unresolved. She turned to the Office of the Human Rights Proceedings which took the case to the Human Rights Tribunal before the case was heard and had finally come to a settlement on Monday.

In a statement from Human rights director Michael Timmins, the agreed settlement was substantial and hopefully would serve as a benchmark for future cases.

"With the #MeToo era, more and more complaints of sexual harassment are being brought forward. It's good that people are coming forward with these complaints but it's also a stain that this is acceptable conduct in businesses up and down the country", Timmins said.

He added that the settlement is a reminder to businesses across the country that under the Human Rights Act, all workers, regardless of the type of work they do, have a right to do their job without having to worry about sexual harassment in their workplace. Anyone who feels they have been sexually harassed should consider raising a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

The current ceiling for sexual harassment settlement is about $25,000 for damages. However, Timmins said they settled for a six-figure sum to show the seriousness of the matter as the case paved an avenue to force change in a way that reflected the true cost of harassment.

Although, most sexual harassment cases have non-disclosure agreements, the office wanted to make sure there was some form of public transparency as with agreed statements. The identities of those involved in the case as well as other information remain confidential.

In an article from the BBC, sex rights and national coordinator of the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective, Dame Catherine Healy calls the case a milestone as she warned brothel operators to uphold labour rights. NOT A MADAME BUT A DAME; ARISTOCRACY.

In 2003, New Zealand passed a law decriminalising sex work. Healy was at the forefront of a long campaign to put this into legislation arguing that doing so would make the profession safer for both workers and clients.

The collective was crucial help in drafting the landmark Prostitution Reform Act which allowed brothels to operate as a legitimate business while granting sex workers full employment rights.

There are approximately one million sex workers in the United States, many of whom are more vulnerable than ever due to the coronavirus pandemic Photo: AFP / Emily Kask

Pakistan president approves new anti-rape law

Pakistan is a deeply conservative and patriarchal nation where victims of sexual abuse often are too afraid to speak out.

By AFP News

December 16, 2020

Pakistan's president on Tuesday approved a new anti-rape law which will speed up convictions and launch the country's first national sex offenders registry.

The law, which goes into effect immediately but must be ratified by parliament within three months, was prompted by the gang rape of a mother in front of her children on the side of a motorway in September.

The case caused outrage and led to nationwide protests, with activists demanding the government do more to stop violence against women.

Sex crimes such as rape carry social stigma in conservative Pakistan, where victims find it hard to get justice.

"The ordinance will help expedite cases of sexual abuse against women and children," a statement from President Arif Alvi's office said Tuesday.

The new law -- first put forward by Prime Minister Imran Khan -- orders the establishment of special courts to try cases of rape and sexual abuse against women and children which must be completed within four months.

The ordinance prohibits the identification of rape victims and creates a nationwide registry of rape offenders.

It also establishes anti-rape cells across the country for conducting initial investigations, and medical examinations within six hours of filing a police complaint.

A demonstrator holds a placard next to others during a protest against an alleged gang rape of a woman, in Karachi, Pakistan on September 18, 2020 Photo: AFP / Asif HASSAN

The law will also abolish an invasive medical examination known as the two-finger virginity test for rape victims. The test involves a medical officer inserting two fingers into a rape victim's vagina to assess her sexual history.

According to data provided by the government this year, 11 rape cases are reported every day in Pakistan, while authorities admit the true figure is much higher.

Pakistan is a deeply conservative and patriarchal nation where victims of sexual abuse often are too afraid to speak out, or where criminal complaints are frequently not investigated seriously.

Following the motorway rape, a police official seemed to blame the victim because she was driving at night without a male companion.

The prime minister later called for the chemical castration of rapists, which involves using drugs to reduce a person's libido.

kf/ecl/dw

Copyright AFP. All rights reserved.

China Has A Theory About Its New COVID-19 Cases. Many Scientists Are Skeptical

CHINA AGREES WITH TRUMP 

COVID CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE

Taking swab samples from agricultural products at the Xinfadi wholesale market in Beijing.
ZHANG CHENLIN / XINHUA NEWS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

Originally published on December 16, 2020

China now reports few to none domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases — only 12 cases were reported on Dec. 15.

But a flurry of recent cases has Chinese public health officials worried. They claim that the cases stemmed from workers who had contact with imported food and packages.

Beijing has now banned nearly 100 suppliers from 20 countries and at one point recommended travel restrictions in at least two cities where frozen food handlers contracted the coronavirus.

There's a problem with this theory. The cases directly contradict international health guidance, which says such transmission is highly unlikely. Emanuel Goldman, a microbiologist at Rutgers University's New Jersey Medical School, wrote in the Lancet this summer that "the chance of transmission through inanimate surfaces is very small," adding that objects not "in contact with an infected carrier for many hours do not pose a measurable risk of transmission in non-hospital settings." Since then, Goldman told NPR that more research has come out to corroborate his claim.

What is going on? Here's what we know about the subject of transmission via fomites — objects contaminated with viral particles.

Is it possible to contract COVID-19 from touching food packaging?

"There is a theoretical possibility of catching the virus that way," says Professor Goldman of Rutgers. "It's not impossible."

But, he emphasizes, "It's unlikely."

"I think most scientists would agree with that," he says.

Why so unlikely? First, you'd have to touch a freshly contaminated surface, Goldman explains. Like a doorknob. Or food packaging.

Then, "you have to touch your face" without having washed your hands. And specifically, the mouth, nostrils or eyes — the entry points for the virus.

The World Health Organization uses the phrase "highly unlikely" to describe the chances of contamination from food packaging — but with an abundance of caution urges that the food industry "reinforce personal hygiene measures" for employees.

China concurs.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is a "very low risk" of infection from frozen foods.

But it doesn't agree 100%. China's CDC claims that it has identified one case in which live viruses were carried into China via the cold surfaces of imported items and later infected workers. The organization warned workers handling foods stored in refrigerated conditions that they are at "a relatively high risk" of getting the coronavirus and should increase their efforts to protect themselves.

What's the science behind China's claim that people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 by touching contaminated objects?

China has reported at least four clusters of cases since this summer that it attributes to virus-contaminated objects that have traveled from virus-stricken countries and regions.

In November, Shanghai health authorities stated that seven cases were linked to the city's Pudong International Airport. They claim that the source is a shipping container from North America, which two of the seven patients entered to clean without masks. The other five infected individuals include those who also worked in the airport freight section as well as their spouses.

The port city of Tianjin also identified two new COVID-19 patients earlier that same month. A Tianjin CDC official, Zhang Ying, said both individuals, a warehouse loader and a truck driver, had been in physical contact with a shipment of hog heads from North America. According to CCTV footage, officials said the truck driver, not wearing any personal protective equipment, picked up a hog head when it fell out of the warehouse.

The frozen meat and its package have yet to be tested to this day, but Zhang said samples taken from the spot where the pig head fell on the ground came back positive for the coronavirus. There was also a genetic match to the samples taken from the two patients.

The biggest cluster of cases that Chinese researchers are linking to fomite transmission came in June. More than 300 people connected to the Xinfadi Agricultural Wholesale Market, a sprawling facility that supplies 90% of all fruits and vegetables in Beijing, became ill.

Investigators took 1,900 samples from various places in the market. They reported that about 40 came back positive for the coronavirus, including a sample from a cutting board used to chop salmon. Overnight, salmon of all sorts was dumped from supermarkets and restaurants out of fear that consuming salmon may lead to infection — despite expert guidance that salmon cannot be infected and then pass the virus on to humans who eat its meat.

The exact origin of the Xinfadi cluster is still unclear. But a team of Chinese researchers from Tsinghua University, the Beijing CDC, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences jointly published a study in October positing that based on genome sequencing results, this particular strain of the virus has European origins. They concluded that the source of the Xinfadi cases was likely "imported food via cold-chain logistics." And while the same researchers concede that it is not clear whether the amount of virus found in the sample from the salmon cutting board was enough to infect a person, "the risk from food and environment contamination exists."

Goldman isn't convinced. He points out that the Xinfadi study found only viral RNA, or genetic remnants of the virus. That would only indicate that the coronavirus was present on the surface some time prior to testing. A test for live viruses, on the other hand, would strengthen the case for fomite transmission.

"The virus is fragile. It does not survive very well outside the human body," Goldman explains. "Without a test for infectious virus, it doesn't really tell you anything."

But in one instance, the Chinese CDC claimed to have done precisely that. A small cluster of COVID-19 cases was discovered in the port city of Qingdao in early October. Health officials traced the source to two dock workers being treated at a local hospital for the virus after unloading frozen imported codfish in September. Subsequent testing in October by the Chinese CDC found live coronavirus samples on the packaging. "Being able to isolate live viruses [from samples] this time means there must exist living viruses that spread and infect," said Gao Fu, director of the Chinese CDC, during an Oct. 17 press conference.

The following month, a team of researchers, including Gao, published its findings in Biosafety and Health, a peer-review journal managed by the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention and the Chinese CDC. When 421 surface samples were taken for codfish packages, 50 tested positive for viral RNA, and only one later proved to be infectious.

"I don't think this changes anything for ordinary folks in the real world, who will not be dealing with imported frozen packaging directly upon receipt of shipment. All the other tests the Chinese have done further downstream after receipt of imported packages have been negative for live virus," Goldman told NPR after reviewing the article. "This paper is kind of like a proof of principle. Yes, [fomite transmission] could happen, but it's still very rare."

What has China done to prevent fomite transmission?

The State Council has already suspended imports from nearly 100 suppliers in 20 countries where outbreaks were reported among factory workers. It also issued nationwide regulations stipulating that all imported foods that require cold storage, as well as their storage facilities, be thoroughly disinfected before the products are unloaded and handled by movers. All goods must also be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival at the port of entry.

So far, among the 873,475 samples customs officials have swabbed from imported products, 13 have tested positive for viral RNA.

The measures have created private furor among diplomats and importers, who dispute that their food products are spreading the coronavirus.

Reuters reported that behind a closed-door WTO meeting in November, China's major trade partners such as Canada pushed China to stop its stringent testing regiment, at least not without demonstrating a science-based explanation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it also prodded China on two occasions to match its trade restrictions with an accurate assessment of risk, adding that Beijing's most recent COVID-19 trade regulations "are not based on science and threaten to disrupt trade."

So far, China has remained steadfast in upholding its policies, which it argues are rooted in science and designed to "protect people's lives to the maximum extent."

Amy Cheng contributed research from Beijing.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org