Natural disasters mean record year for German insurance payouts

The year 2021 was the most expensive for natural disasters in Germany's recorded history, at least in terms of the insurance payout. It follows an international trend of worsening disasters.





Floods devastated Germany's Ahr Valley in June

German insurers paid out record sums in 2021 after high losses incurred by natural disasters, an industry group announced on Monday.

The cost of floods, storms and other disasters led to payouts of about €12.5 billion ($14.2 billion) for insured houses, household goods, businesses and motor vehicles, according to the German Insurance Association (GDV).

The bulk of that figure (€8.2 billion) came from the July floods that devastated areas of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia and killed more than 180 people. The floods triggered a discussion about compulsory insurance for natural hazards, as well as restrictions on building in flood-prone areas.

Watch video12:31 Germany's flood-hit areas brace for winter

Severe hailstorms in June also caused millions of euros in damage, particularly to vehicles.

These made 2021 "the most expensive natural hazard year since statistics began in the early 1970s," GDV CEO Jörg Asmussen said.

The 2021 payouts even came ahead of 2002, when August floods and devastating storms contributed to an annual total of €11.3 billion in payouts.

According to the German insurance industry, the long-term average is €3.8 billion per year.

MASS DESTRUCTION AS FLOODS SWEEP ACROSS WESTERN GERMANY
Houses collapsed, people trapped on roofs
Heavy rainfalls and storms pounded Germany’s western states and caused rivers to burst their banks, inundating towns and villages. Torrential overflow swept away vehicles, destroyed roads and bridges and reduced some houses to rubble. Some survivors were trapped on their rooftops for hours before they were airlifted by helicopters.
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Climate change worsening disasters

Thanks to climate change, researchers expect losses from floods, hail or severe storms to increase in countries such as Germany in the coming years.

Insurance giant Swiss Re estimated earlier this month that natural disasters had caused $105 billion in damages globally, with hurricane Ida in the US costing $30-32 billion.

Also on Monday, UK charity Christian Aid estimated that the 10 most expensive weather disasters caused more than $170 billion in damages in 2021 — $20 billion more than in 2020.

In its annual assessment, it said the 10 events were worsened by man-made climate change and together killed at least 1,075 people and displaced 1.3 million.

The most expensive events included Hurricane Ida, flooding in Germany and Belgium (which it estimated at $43 billion in losses), winter storms in Texas, flooding in China's Henan province, flooding in Canada, late spring frosts in France and a cyclone in India and Bangladesh.

"The costs of climate change have been grave this year," said Kat Kramer, climate policy lead at Christian Aid.

aw/msh (dpa, AFP, Reuters, AP)

Climate-driven weather disasters inflicted billions in damage in 2021, study says

The roof of a nearby building is seen in a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, La., on August 30 after Hurricane Ida.

 File Photo by A.J. Sisco/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Climate change-related weather events worldwide in 2021 caused billions of dollars in damage, according to an annual study by a British non-government organization published Monday.

In the report, titled "Counting the cost 2021: a year of climate breakdown," Christian Aid said that 10 weather events this year -- ranging from Hurricane Ida in the United States, flooding in Europe and Asia and droughts in Latin America -- killed more than 1,000 people and displaced about 1.3 million.

Hurricane Ida, the Category 4 storm that hit the Louisiana coast and later caused deadly tornadoes and flooding in the Northeast, caused $65 billion in damage along, according to the report.

Severe flooding in Europe, which killed more than 40 people in Germany in July, caused some $43 billion in losses.

The report said that China's Henan province saw $17.5 billion in damage from flooding and displaced more than one million residents.

Flooding is seen in Erftstadt-Blessem, Germany, on July 16 after major thunderstorms in the western German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.

 File Photo by Rhein-Erft-Kreis via EPA-EFE

The study noted that Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay saw the critical Parana River reach its lowest level in 77 years because of drought, which inflicted damage to the nations' economies.

"This is a powerful and important report. It is eye-opening to have these climate impact stories of 2021 collected together and the estimates for cost of lives, livelihoods and community, which is irreversibly altered when people are displaced," Heidi Steltzer, professor of environment, sustainability and biology at Fort Lewis College in Colorado, said in a statement.

"Climate change will bankrupt us, and along the way, we will lose so much more than money," added activist Rachel Mander, a member of the Young Christian Climate Network.

"To avoid this eventuality we need to take courageous action -- making sure that the burden of costs are distributed and do not worsen global inequality, while also making activities which drive climate change more expensive."

A man walks past a giant live oak tree that was blown over in the Mid-City area of New Orleans, La., during Hurricane Ida on August 31.

 File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo

From Bhutan to Botswana, LGBTQ rights advanced in unexpected places in 2021

From accepting a transgender mayor in Bangladesh, restoring gay rights in the US to decriminalizing homosexuality in Botswana, several countries have offered glimmers of hope this year in advancing LGBTQ rights.


Though LGBTQ communities face growing risks in many countries, there have been some bright spots


Across the world, gay people have gained many protections with changes in laws and norms surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage, discrimination and equal rights. Global acceptance of the LGBTQ community, an acronym meaning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning, is on the rise, according to the US-based Pew Research Center.

But that doesn't mean that stigma, discrimination and homophobic attacks have ended. Places such as Poland and Hungary have seen a reversal of hard-won progress, with conservative governments stoking anti-LGBTQ sentiment in the name of family values. In many countries, LGBTQ communities have been disproportionately affected by a global backsliding on democracy and human rights and by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

But despite setbacks and abuses, several parts of the world have rekindled hope by taking steps this year to advance the rights of the LGBTQ community. Here's an overview.

Asia

The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan became the latest Asian nation to decriminalize homosexuality this year. In February, King Druk Gyalpo signed off on a law passed by lawmakers, amending a line from Bhutan's penal code that criminalized "sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature," previously treated as a reference to gay sex.

Activists have hailed the move in a country where stigma and discrimination are rife and it's common for gay people to be blackmailed. Many say the country now needs to begin the hard work of fighting homophobia.

Nazrul Islam Ritu, Bangladesh's first transgender mayor, hopes her rise will empower the country's 'Hijra' community

Bangladesh elected its first transgender mayor in 2021. Nazrul Islam Ritu, who is "third gender," the official designation for transgender people in the Muslim-majority nation, beat her rival in a landslide election in November to become mayor of the small rural town of Trilochanpur in western Bangladesh, where she was born.

Speaking to local media, she said her victory showed growing acceptance of the "Hijra" community, an umbrella term for those assigned male gender at birth but who do not refer to themselves as either a man or woman. Bangladesh is home to an estimated 1.5 million transgender people, who face discrimination and violence and are often forced to survive by begging or working in the sex trade.

Transgender anchor hopes to drive change

Another Himalayan country, Nepal, introduced a third gender category in its census this year for the first time. Respondents have the option of choosing "others" as their gender, alongside male and female. Rights activists said the LGBTQ community — estimated at 90,000-strong — still faces discrimination, particularly in jobs, health and education and from a lack of data, which has hobbled access to benefits. It's hoped the data gathered through the census can help the community push for their rights.

North America

The United States this year saw a restoration of rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity that were rolled back by the previous Trump administration. US President Joe Biden ended a ban on service by transgender people in the military, reversed a policy which previously allowed health care companies to deny coverage to gay and transgender people and signed an executive order vowing to use American diplomacy and US foreign assistance to promote and protect LGBTQ rights internationally.

The White House also announced the appointment of Jessica Stern as US special envoy for global LGBTQ issues, filling a post left vacant by the Trump administration.

Pete Buttigieg made history by being the first openly gay Cabinet member to be confirmed by the US Senate

In February, former 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg became the first openly gay Cabinet member confirmed by the US Senate. "As I was in that hearing taking those questions from senators, you could see my husband, Chasten, over my shoulder, and that is something that has never happened before for a Cabinet nominee," Buttigieg said in an interview with ABC's The View. "My hope is that, in turn, makes it easier for the next person to come along, so that this is never even viewed as a barrier by a future generation."

Buttigieg, who is transportation secretary in Biden's Cabinet, caused a flutter in October by going away on parental leave for several weeks after he and his husband adopted twins.

Earlier this month, Canada joined a growing push around the world to ban conversion therapy by passing a bill formally outlawing it. The widely discredited practice is aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Tactics can range from talk and behavioral therapy to medical treatments.

Critics have said conversion therapy causes harm to its victims and is based on the false premise that sexual orientation and gender identity can, or should be, "cured." The Canadian law makes it a criminal offense to cause someone to undergo conversion therapy, and to promote or advertise the practice. Activists in Canada have hailed it as a historic moment.

Europe

Switzerland became one of the last remaining nations in Western Europe to approve same-sex marriage in September, with nearly two-thirds of voters backing it in a referendum. The law change will allow same-sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies and provide them with the same rights as other married couples. Foreign spouses will become eligible to apply for citizenship through a simplified procedure, and same-sex couples will be permitted to jointly adopt.

"Today reflects the change of mentality over the last 20 years," Olga Baranova, a spokeswoman for the 'Yes Campaign,' told news agency Agence France-Presse. "It is really the reflection of a very broad and very important acceptance of LGBT people in society."

Switzerland was one of the last holdouts in Western Europe when it came to allowing same-sex marriage

In June, France passed a law that expanded access to its free fertility treatments, such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF), to women in same-sex relationships and single women.The procedure was previously reserved for infertile heterosexual couples, forcing lesbian couples and single women to shop abroad for IVF treatment.

While conservative groups have said the bill will lead to a surge in "fatherless" children, advocates say the law finally brings France in line with some of its European neighbors. "The most important thing about this legislation is that it allows all women to choose for themselves if they want to have a child and how they want to have it," Benedicte Blanchet who works for Mam'en Solo, an organization that campaigns for the rights of single mothers in France, told DW at the time. "It's about respecting their individual choice."

Africa

Botswana's court of appeal in November upheld a 2019 ruling that decriminalized same-sex relationships, in what was hailed as a major victory for gay rights campaigners on the continent. Before the 2019 High Court ruling, engaging in gay sex in Botswana was punishable by up to seven years in prison.

The bench of five judges unanimously ruled that criminaliying same-sex relationships was a violation of the constitutional rights of LGBTQ individuals to dignity, liberty, privacy and equality. Activists are hoping the decision sets an example for other African nations. Homosexuality is illegal in many African countries, with convictions carrying a death sentence in some places.

Watch video 01:35 Botswana activists fight for LGBTQ rights

In February, a new criminal code went into effect in Angola after the parliament passed it in 2019 and the president signed it into law in November 2020. The new penal code scraps a 133-year passage banning same-sex relations, put in place when the southwest African nation was still a Portuguese colony. It also contains full anti-discrimination protections on the basis of sexuality and gender identity.

Even though LGBT people haven't faced prosecution in recent decades, same-sex relationships were still largely considered taboo by Angola's conservative government, largely due to the powerful influence of the Catholic Church.

South America

Earlier this month, Chile passed a historic bill granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples. The country legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015, and had been eagerly awaiting the legalization of gay marriage since then-president Michelle Bachelet sent a bill to Congress in 2017.

Chile's new law will enable same-sex parents to have parental rights over the biological or adopted children of a spouse and creates standard rules on inheritance and other financial matters. Chile joins just a handful of nations in majority Catholic South America with similar laws. They include Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.

Why hasn't Thailand recognized same-sex marriage?

Thailand is often hailed as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world, yet the nation hasn't legalized same-sex marriages. Activists continue their fight against social and structural barriers to equality.


Thailand's LGBTQ community says they are still far from having the same rights as heterosexual married couples

Despite its international LGBTQ-friendly image, rights activists in Thailand warn that the country is still far from granting equal rights to members of the LGBTQ community.

Nattawut Kongsawat, an LGBTQ activist and employee at a multinational firm, told DW that the fact that same-sex marriage is still banned in Thailand is evidence that members of marginalized communities are not viewed as equals in the eyes of the law in the southeast Asian country.

"I want to get married legally. My partner is not entitled to the benefits provided by my company as I cannot list him as my legal spouse in Thailand, although we have been living together for the past six years," Nattawut said.

In a newly issued 12-page statement this month, Thailand's Constitutional Court declared that "marriage equality would not only overturn the natural order, but it would also shake the very foundation of society and humanity."

Last month, the court ruled that Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code — which only recognizes marriages between a man and a woman — does not violate the country's constitution.

The high court also argued that if LGBTQ people were allowed to marry and adopt children, they would be unable to form the same kinds of family bonds that heterosexual couples have with their kids.

The ruling was met with rage and disappointment by members of LGBTQ communities, who said the court's decision demonstrated that prejudice and discrimination influenced the decisions of the judges.

"I was frustrated, disappointed and disheartened at the decision. Their rationale is archaic and discriminatory — not only against us but also women and men who do not want kids," Nattawut said. "If we believe everyone is equal, why wouldn't we all be subject to the same law?"

Watch video03:13 Thailand set to legalize same-sex civil unions

LGBTQ people relegated to 'second-class citizens'

There has been some progress in recent years, with the Cabinet approving a bill in July 2020 that permits same-sex civil partnerships, although it has yet to be passed by parliament.

Some have hailed it as the big step forward, but many rights advocates oppose the bill as the legislation doesn't grant same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.

For example, under the proposed law, civil partners would be able to adopt children, jointly own property and pass on inheritance. But they would not enjoy all the rights and benefits provided to married couples.

LGBTQ rights activist Akekawat Pimsawan says the bill relegates LGBTQ people to "second-class citizens" as it still differentiates them from heterosexual couples.
Thailand promotes 'different reality' to attract tourists

Pakakul Srikacha, who decided to study in England, told DW that Thailand has launched a series of public campaigns to portray itself as progressive to the international community as the country is heavily reliant on foreign tourism.

It's "ridiculous" that the Thai government has heavily leaned into an LGBTQ-friendly image in marketing campaigns to promote tourism, Srikacha said.

"The Tourism Authority of Thailand's gothaibefree.com website, for instance, shows photos of LGBTQ couples all over the country expressing their love freely," she said. "That's the image Thailand portrays to the international community, but the reality is different," the 30-year-old added.

Though the government has a welcoming attitude toward foreign LGBTQ tourists, Pakakul says that her plight and that of other Thai LGBTQ people remains ignored.

Nattawut says he thinks it's "paradoxical" that the government "wants money from these tourists by posing as an LGBTQ paradise" yet "doesn't really have laws in place" to protect its own LGBTQ communities

Watch video 12:36 Born again - Tarchi becomes a woman

 

 

Activists continue fight for equal rights

Akekawat said recognizing same-sex marriages in Thailand would be a catalyst for change in the country's ongoing battle for equality and "open many doors for members of the LGBTQ community."

Activists in Thailand have launched an online petition calling for marriage equality. They are pushing for a bill that guarantees marriage equality to all, regardless of sexual orientation, to be submitted to parliament.

The petition has already garnered more than 278,000 signatures.

"It's a long fight we are in for. Even If the bill is not passed, whatever obstacles stand in our way, we'll persevere and just collect signatures again and again," Akekawat said.

Edited by: Sou-Jie van Brunnersum

Germany: Environmental 'Dinosaur of the Year' award goes to Emden's project

The environmental group NABU's "Dinosaur of the Year" prize has highlighted the ecological dangers of greenfield construction. The winner is the northwestern city of Emden — but NABU says that only exemplifies a trend.

NABU has criticized Emden for wanting to build on ecologically valuable marshland

The German nature association NABU on Monday presented its critical "Dinosaur of the Year" award for 2021 to a residential construction project in Emden planned on a large marshland area that it considers to be of particular ecological value.

NABU particularly criticized Emden for planning to exploit a largely protected area for housing construction despite having a stagnating population.

What problem is being highlighted?

In an online press conference, the president of NABU, Jörg-Andreas Krüger, criticized the fact that large swaths of open space in Germany are still being taken over for housing, transport and commercial purposes, despite there being so little. He said it was necessary to build more densely on areas that were already in use instead.

"Open space is in low supply in Germany," he said. "In this way," he added, "Emden is everywhere in Germany."

Krüger said that building on these spaces meant less room for agriculture, forestry and the preservation of ecosystems.

In 2019, the Federal Statistical Office noted that 52 hectares (128 acres) of greenfield land was built on every day in Germany, on average. The last German government wanted to reduce this area to 30 hectares by 2030 and the new one intends to get down to none at all by 2050.

Krüger called for this goal to be reached more quickly: "We need this in the next 10 years." He praised the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate for already using less than 1 hectare a day for new construction.

'Hands off this valuable green area': The building plans have faced some protest

Environmentally damaging

NABU's Jan Schürings also pointed out that the Emden "Conrebbersweg" project would cause additional environmental damage, as the 77-hectare (190-acre) area was home to 14 endangered plant species, along with a number of bird species.

The Emden city council has defended its project, with a spokesman saying that the city needed more construction space to keep young families in the area. He said the residential area was designed to be climate-friendly, with many houses receiving solar panels and all heating coming from non-fossil-fuel sources.

The "Dinosaur" prize has been awarded since 1993 to projects, managers and politicians that NABU considers to be out-of-date in an environmental regard.

tj/aw (dpa, epd)

Ukraine trains civilians to defend against Russian invasion

AFP , Tuesday 28 Dec 2021

In a forested area just outside Ukraine's capital Kiev, mock Russian troops ambush camouflage-clad army reservists.

Ukrainian servicemen walk to their position at the frontline with with Russia-backed separatists outside Verkhnotoretske village in Yasynuvata district of Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. AP

The would-be Ukrainian soldiers, who include architects and researchers in their ranks, return fire with replica Kalashnikovs as imitation smoke grenades explode around them.

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"I believe that every person in this country should know what to do, if the enemy invades their country," Daniil Larin, a 19-year-old university student, told AFP during a short break from the exercises.

Larin was one of about 50 Ukrainian civilians who drove from Kiev to an abandoned Soviet-era asphalt plant on a recent weekend afternoon to train for how to defend their country in the event of a Russian invasion.

Dozens of civilians have been joining Ukraine's army reserves in recent months, as fears have mounted that Russia ;which Kiev says has massed around 100,000 troops on its side of the border is plotting to launch a large-scale attack.

Ukraine's army, which totals 215,000 soldiers, has been battling a Moscow-backed insurgency in two breakaway regions since 2014 in a long-simmering conflict that has claimed over 13,000 lives.

While Moscow has denied it is planning an invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not excluded a military response should the US-led NATO alliance , which Ukraine wants to join and expand eastward.

The Ukrainian reservists, who have ballooned to about 100,000 members, have been learning "how to handle weapons, how to behave in a battle environment, how to defend cities," Larin told AFP.

Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armes Forces, holding wooden replicas of Kalashnikov rifles, take part in a military exercise near Kiev on December 25, 2021. Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP

Living with war 

Marta Yuzkiv, a 51-year-old doctor, believes that the Russian army is "far superior" to Ukraine's and the risk of a full-scale invasion is "high enough" to have joined the reserves.

"Only if everyone is ready to defend our land, then there will be a chance," she said.

Since joining up in April, when Russia first deployed around 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border, Yuzkiv has trained for several hours every Saturday in providing tactical medicine, shooting automatic rifles and deploying checkpoints.

While the army provided her with a military uniform, she spent her own money on a helmet, bulletproof jacket and tactical goggles.

The trainees are part of reservist battalions set up to protect Kiev in the event of an attack on Ukraine's largest city.

Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armes Forces, take part in a military exercise near Kiev on December 25, 2021. Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP

One battalion commander, Vadym Ozirny, said that after mobilising at a rendezvous point, the reservists will get to work protecting administrative buildings and critical infrastructure as well as helping residents evacuate.

"These people must arrive, receive weapons and carry out command assignments, defend their home," Ozirny told AFP.

Denys Semyrog-Orlyk, one of the most experienced reservists in the unit, said he is ready to counter a real offensive.

"I have been living for the eighth year with the thought that until we give Russia a good blow in the face, they will not leave us alone," the 46-year-old architect told AFP.

"I clearly understand that I am a serviceman. I might be called up and I must act fully as a serviceman."

Training Civilians, Ukraine Nurtures a Resistance in Waiting

Eastern European nations have drawn a lesson from America’s wars of the last decades: Insurgency works. Ukraine’s training of volunteers has become a factor in the standoff with Russia.


Civilian trainees practicing first aid during a mock military exercise near Kyiv, Ukraine, in December.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


By Andrew E. Kramer
Dec. 26, 2021


KYIV, Ukraine — In a pine forest not far from Ukraine’s capital, a mock battle raged. Commanders barked orders. Figures in camouflage huddled behind trees. A soldier fell to the ground, yelling for help.

His cries provided the cue for Anastasia Biloshitska, 25, to run into the line of fire, kneel in the mud and open her medical kit.

“People who are prepared won’t panic,” Ms. Biloshitska said.

Ms. Biloshitska is one of thousands of Ukrainian civilians who have signed up to learn combat skills in training programs created and run by the government and private paramilitary groups. The programs are part of the country’s strategic defense plan in the event of a potential invasion by Russia — to foster a civilian resistance that can carry on the fight if the Ukrainian military is overwhelmed.

There is no indication that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has made up his mind whether to launch an attack. But if one should come, even Ukraine’s own generals say their regular military stands little chance in a full-fledged invasion.

Anastasia Bilotshitska, left, in the training exercise for civilian volunteers in December near Kyiv.Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


So Ukraine has drawn a lesson from the United States’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan of the past two decades, when guerrillas provided enduring resistance in the face of vastly superior American firepower.

“We have a strong army, but not strong enough to defend against Russia,” said Marta Yuzkiv, a doctor working in clinical research, who signed up for training this month. “If we are occupied, and I hope that doesn’t happen, we will become the national resistance.”

Government-sponsored training for civilians has underpinned Nordic and Swiss military strategies for decades, and is gaining traction as a military doctrine in Eastern Europe.

Spurred on by Russian threats, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all have programs encouraging rifle ownership for some civilians and formal training to fight as partisans after an occupation.

Nearly every weekend in Estonia, for example, the Defense League, a self-defense organization, holds exercises in the forests for volunteers, right down to making improvised explosive devices, or I.E.D.s, the weapon that plagued the United States military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Civilian defense is not unfamiliar in Ukraine; volunteer brigades formed the backbone of the country’s force in the east in 2014, the first year of the war against Russian separatists, when the Ukrainian military was in shambles.

This effort is now being formalized into units of the newly formed Territorial Defense Forces, a part of the military. Last year, the Ukrainian Army began weekend training for civilian volunteers in these units.

Reservists with the Ukrainian Army inspecting weapons at a meeting to welcome new volunteers in Kyiv in December. 

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times

The government runs, and pays for, some of the training sessions through the Territorial Defense Forces. Private paramilitary groups like the Ukrainian Legion run other sessions, for which their members pay all the costs. The legion conducted the program in the forest outside Kyiv this month.

The goal is not to achieve victory against the weight of the Russian military, which would be virtually impossible for Ukraine anyway. Rather it is to create the threat of disruption and resistance to an occupying force that would serve as a deterrent to an invasion.

Gen. Anatoliy Barhylevych, deputy commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, has said that the country aims to turn out about 100,000 volunteers in the event of conflict. But a spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Forces said he could not disclose how many people had formally enlisted in the training programs.

Opinion surveys suggest some support for the effort. A poll this fall, for example, showed 24 percent of Ukrainians saying they would resist “with a weapon in hand” if Russia invaded. Among men, 39 percent said they would resist with weapons. Ukrainians have taken to posting selfies on social media holding rifles.

Ukrainian commanders say that half a million Ukrainians have military experience, and that they hope many would join a fight, including those belonging to private groups like the Ukrainian Legion.


Mykhailo Hiraldo-Ramires displaying the parts of a model anti-tank mine at the training session near Kyiv in December.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


But skeptics say that this is partly bluster, and that the Ukrainian command could hardly count on a flood of veterans becoming insurgents.

In the forest, shrouded in a bitter-cold morning mist, schoolteachers, accountants, waitresses and programmers spilled out of Toyotas and Fords and made their way to the training sessions.

At one picnic area, the lesson of the day was topical, if nerve-rattling: how to screw a fuse into the slab of high explosives of an anti-tank mine.

“We don’t have many Javelins and the Russians have a lot of tanks,” said Mykhailo Hiraldo-Ramires, the instructor. The Javelin is a type of American anti-tank missile that the United States has provided to the Ukrainian Army in limited numbers. “We will get them with these so-called pancakes instead.”


Training grounds used by the Ukrainian Legion, a private paramilitary group, near Kyiv in December. 

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times

Mr. Hiraldo-Ramires demonstrated how to install and arm the detonator, using a model of a mine. This requires removing a metal safety ribbon and pushing a button that when depressed makes a startling snapping noise, indicating the mine is armed. After you do that, he said, you should “move back to a safe distance.”

Ihor Gribenoshko, 56, an advertising executive at a pharmaceutical company, took notes. “The more coffins we send back, the more the Russian people will start thinking twice,” he said.

Understand the Escalating Tensions Over Ukraine

A brewing conflict. Antagonism between Ukraine and Russia has been simmering since 2014, when the Russian military crossed into Ukrainian territory, annexing Crimea and whipping up a rebellion in the east. A tenuous cease-fire was reached in 2015, but peace has been elusive.

A spike in hostilities. Russia has recently been building up forces near its border with Ukraine, and the Kremlin’s rhetoric toward its neighbor has hardened. Concern grew in late October, when Ukraine used an armed drone to attack a howitzer operated by Russian-backed separatists.

Ominous warnings. Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement, raising fears of a new intervention in Ukraine that could draw the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict.

The Kremlin’s position. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who has increasingly portrayed NATO’s eastward expansion as an existential threat to his country, said that Moscow’s military buildup was a response to Ukraine’s deepening partnership with the alliance.

A measured approach. President Biden has said he is seeking a stable relationship with Russia. So far, his administration is focusing on maintaining a dialogue with Moscow, while seeking to develop deterrence measures in concert with European countries.

The Ukrainian Legion does not distribute weapons, and instead encourages members to train with their own rifles. It also does not explain how the explosives would wind up in civilian hands. But members said they keep rucksacks in their homes packed with walkie-talkies, medical kits, sleeping bags and warm clothes — ready at a moment’s notice.


Ihor Gribenoshko, 56, an advertising executive.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


Marta Yuzkiv, 51, a doctor in clinical research.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


Critics point to perils in the plan for civilian defense. One concern is that domestic political divisions could spark violence from armed militias. Some scenarios envision Moscow seizing on this vulnerability, turning nationalist militias into a destabilizing threat to the government.

In an invasion, these groups could “quickly turn into a decentralized insurgency in many parts of the country” a study of scenarios for war between Ukraine and Russia by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington noted.

Others worry that the effort encourages private gun ownership, which carries risks in crime, suicide and domestic violence. Ukrainian law requires a psychological examination to obtain a gun license. In a country of about 40 million, 1.3 million Ukrainians own licensed civilian firearms, according to the Interior Ministry.

A volunteer with the Wild Field Sniper School, at a range outside Kyiv in December. Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times


The civilian training include lectures as well as hands-on sessions. This month, the day before the program in the forest, about 100 people filed into a concert hall in an outlying district of Kyiv, griping about the limited on-street parking and lining up at a vending machine for coffee.

They came for a nearly two-hour lecture sponsored by the Territorial Defense Forces on likely plans of attack on Kyiv — including armored columns rolling in on highways or paratroopers seizing the airport — by Lt. Yuri Matviyenko, a former Ukrainian military attaché to Israel.

“Expect a fast storming,” he said. “We won’t have much time.”

He described how the volunteers might resist based on the tactics of Islamist militias in Aleppo, Syria. The volunteers should use their knowledge of their own neighborhoods to move close to the Russian soldiers, leaving too little separation to call in airstrikes or artillery, he said.


A new member of the Territorial Defense Forces taking the oath during an annual gathering held at the Ukrainian Defense Assistance Society in December.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times

The next day, out in the pine forest, Ms. Biloshitska — who studied to be a teacher but is now working as a waitress — examined the man playing the role of a casualty as she trained to provide first aid. It did not look good. Small strips of red duct tape indicated multiple wounds. Pressure was applied. Gauze came out. A mock radio call took place.

“Artillery! One! Two! Three!” an instructor yelled. Ms. Biloshitska tumbled to the ground, taking cover, then sprang back up to stanch the bleeding.

On a typical weekend, Ms. Biloshitska said, she might read a book, do laundry or meet a friend at a coffee shop. Learning to dress battle wounds was a new experience.

Ms. Biloshitska treated an area marked as an exit wound on the man’s back. Finally, panting, sweating and surrounded by discarded bandages and medical gloves, she was finished. “How do you feel?” she asked the man.

“Terrible,” he said. “I was shot in the chest.”


Volunteers at a lecture on insurgent tactics in Kyiv.

Credit...Oksana Parafeniuk for The New York Times

Russia-Ukraine Tensions

Ukraine Commanders Say a Russian Invasion Would Overwhelm Them
Dec. 9, 2021

How a Dispute Over Groceries Led to Artillery Strikes in Ukraine
Nov. 15, 2021

On Putin’s Strategic Chessboard, a Series of Destabilizing Moves
Nov. 19, 2021



Andrew E. Kramer is a reporter based in the Moscow bureau. He was part of a team that won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting for a series on Russia’s covert projection of power. @AndrewKramerNYT

A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 27, 2021, Section A, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: Ukraine’s Civilians Staff a Resistance in Waiting. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

Death toll from Brazil flooding rises in Bahia’s ‘worst disaster’ ever

Rescue workers patrolled in small dinghies around the city of Itabuna, in southern Bahia, plucking residents from their homes, including some who escaped through second-floor windows.

By: Reuters |
Updated: December 28, 2021 11:15:46 am

An aerial view shows flooded streets, caused due to heavy rains, in Itajuipe, Bahia state, Brazil December 27, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

The death toll from floods hammering northeast Brazil rose to 20 on Monday, as the governor of Bahia state declared it the worst disaster in the state’s history and rescuers braced for more rain in the coming days.

Much of Bahia, home to about 15 million people, has suffered from intermittent flooding for weeks, after a long drought gave way to record rains. Flooding in some areas intensified late on Christmas Eve and early on Christmas Day after a pair of dams gave way, sending residents scrambling for higher ground.

Rescue workers patrolled in small dinghies around the city of Itabuna, in southern Bahia, plucking residents from their homes, including some who escaped through second-floor windows.

Bahia Governor Rui Costa said on Twitter that 72 municipalities were in a state of emergency.

“Unfortunately, we’re living through the worst disaster that has ever occurred in the history of Bahia,” he wrote.

Manfredo Santana, a lieutenant-colonel in Bahia’s firefighting corps, told Reuters that emergency workers had rescued 200 people in just three nearby towns. The heavy currents of the swollen Cachoeira River complicated rescue efforts.

“It’s difficult to maneuver even with jet skis,” he said. “Rescue teams had to retreat in certain moments.”

Bahia’s civil defense agency said on Monday afternoon that 20 people had died in 11 separate municipalities.

Newspaper O Globo, citing a state firefighting official, said that authorities are monitoring an additional 10 dams for any signs they may collapse.

The scrutiny of public infrastructure and urban planning comes just a couple years after the collapse of a mining dam in neighboring Minas Gerais state killed some 270 people.

In televised remarks, Costa, the Bahia governor, attributed the chaotic scenes in part to “errors that have been committed over the course of years.”

SPEED-UP TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK

CDC cuts isolation time after positive COVID-19 test from 10 days to five

POLITICAL DECISION NOT A MEDICAL ONE

The CDC on Monday said those who have tested positive for COVID-19 can isolate for five days followed by five days of wearing a mask around others, down from its previous recommendation of 10 days of isolation. Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday cut its recommended period of isolation for asymptomatic people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in half.

The CDC shortened its recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to five days if asymptomatic, followed by five additional days of wearing a mask when around others.

"The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after," the CDC said.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the changes come as the Omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading rapidly and "has the potential to impact all facets of our society," adding that the updated recommendations are based on "what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses."

"These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives," she said. "Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission and take a test before you gather."

Additionally, the CDC updated the recommended quarantine period for people who are exposed to COVID-19.

People who are not vaccinated or have not received a booster shot six months after receiving their second mRNA dose, or more than two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccine, should quarantine for five days followed by five days of "strict mask use." If a five-day quarantine isn't feasible, the CDC said "it is imperative" that a person exposed to COVID-19 wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days.

Individuals who have received their booster do not need to quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 but should wear a mask when around others for 10 days, the CDC said.

"For all those exposed, the best practice would also include a test for SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure," the CDC said. "If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19."

Top US health body cuts isolation period for Covid cases down to five days

Issued on: 27/12/2021 - 

People queue for a Covid-19 test on Broadway in SoHo as the Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread in Manhattan, New York City, US, December 27, 2021. © Andrew Kelly, Reuters

Text by:NEWS WIRES


U.S. health officials on Monday cut isolation restrictions for Americans who catch the coronavirus from 10 to five days, and similarly shortened the time that close contacts need to quarantine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said the guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

The decision also was driven by a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, propelled by the omicron variant.

Early research suggests omicron may cause milder illnesses than earlier versions of the coronavirus. But the sheer number of people becoming infected — and therefore having to isolate or quarantine — threatens to crush the ability of hospitals, airlines and other businesses to stay open, experts say.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the country is about to see a lot of omicron cases.

"Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact many are going to be asymptomatic,” she told The Associated Press on Monday. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science."

Last week, the agency loosened rules that previously called on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive.

The new recommendations said workers could go back to work after seven days if they test negative and don’t have symptoms. And the agency said isolation time could be cut to five days, or even fewer, if there are severe staffing shortages.

Now, the CDC is changing the isolation and quarantine guidance for the general public to be even less stringent.

The guidance is not a mandate; it's a recommendation to employers and state and local officials. Last week, New York state said it would expand on the CDC's guidance for health-care workers to include employees who have other critical jobs that are facing a severe staffing shortage.

It's possible other states will seek to shorten their isolation and quarantine policies, and CDC is trying to get out ahead of the shift. “It would be helpful to have uniform CDC guidance” that others could draw from, rather than a mishmash of policies, Walensky said.

The CDC’s guidance on isolation and quarantine has seemed confusing to the public, and the new recommendations are “happening at a time when more people are testing positive for the first time and looking for guidance,” said Lindsay Wiley, an American University public health law expert.

Nevertheless, the guidance continues to be complex.

Isolation

The isolation rules are for people who are infected. They are the same for people who are unvaccinated, partly vaccinated, fully vaccinated or boosted.

They say:

—The clock starts the day you test positive.

—An infected person should go into isolations for five days, instead of the previously recommended 10.

—At the end of five days, if you have no symptoms, you can return to normal activities but must wear a mask everywhere — even at home around others — for at least five more days.

—If you still have symptoms after isolating for five days, stay home until you feel better and then start your five days of wearing a mask at all times.

Quarantine

The quarantine rules are for people who were in close contact with an infected person but not infected themselves.

For quarantine, the clock starts the day someone is alerted to they may have been exposed to the virus.

Previously, the CDC said people who were not fully vaccinated and who came in close contact with an infected person should stay home for at least 10 days.

Now the agency is saying only people who got booster shots can skip quarantine if they wear masks in all settings for at least 10 days.

That’s a change. Previously, people who were fully vaccinated — which the CDC has defined as having two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — could be exempt from quarantine.

Now, people who got their initial shots but not boosters are in the same situation as those who are partly vaccinated or are not vaccinated at all: They can stop quarantine after five days if they wear masks in all settings for five days afterward.

Five days

Suspending both isolation and quarantine after five days is not without risk.

A lot of people get tested when they first feel symptoms, but many Americans get tested for others reasons, like to see if they can visit family or for work. That means a positive test result may not reveal exactly when a person was infected or give a clear picture of when they are most contagious, experts say.

When people get infected, the risk of spread drops substantially after five days, but it does not disappear for everyone, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a New York physician who is a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

“If you decrease it to five days, you're still going to small but significant number of people who are contagious,” he said.

That's why wearing masks is a critical part of the CDC guidance, Walensky said.

(AP)

ICON IGNORANT; NOT THE STAR OF DAVID
Antisemitic flyers found Christmas morning, spreading COVID conspiracies in Springfield

Andrew Sullender, 
Springfield News-Leader
Mon, December 27, 2021, 

Image from an antisemitic flyer found in Springfield on Dec. 25 2021.

This Christmas Day, some Springfieldians woke up not to presents but to an antisemitic flyer.

The flyers were left at the front steps of houses in central Springfield sometime during the night of Christmas Eve. At least two dozen flyers were found for several blocks in a neighborhood near Bass Pro Shops.

The antisemitic flyers attempt to tie the Jewish faith to false conspiracies about the COVID-19 vaccine — declaring "every single aspect of the COVID agenda is Jewish."

The flyers are part of a nationwide antisemitic campaign of a hate group formed in 2020.

In a Dec. 18 video, that group's founder issued a challenge to his followers — telling them to spread these flyers across the Christmas holidays.

"It’s going to feel good when you do this ... know that you are helping out your race and you’re helping out mankind," the founder said in the video.

Previously: New book covers history of Jewish community in Springfield, antisemitism they faced

Since then, hundreds of the flyers have been spotted in at least ten states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and Vermont. The flyers found in Springfield were the first reported in Missouri.

The hate group was formed after being banned from various social media outlets. The founder has since started his own video sharing platform, which he uses to share the group's message and spread antisemitic hate.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the group denies the existence of the Holocaust and falsely claims Jews were responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attack on New York. Members of the group also routinely give the Nazi salute at their public demonstrations.

In an email to the News-Leader, ADL Heartland Regional Director Etzion Neuer condemned the flyers found in Springfield.

"We strongly condemn this antisemitic propaganda attempting to link the Jewish people to COVID-19. These false conspiracy theories perpetuate harmful antisemitic stereotypes about Jews and have no place in our community. As hate and extremism rise across the country, we must stand united in opposing bias and bigotry in all forms," Neuer wrote.

Previously: White nationalist group stickers are popping up around Springfield. Here's what we know.

In a statement to the News-Leader, the City of Springfield "strongly condemned" the flyers.

"The distribution of such language is intolerable and the thoughts expressed do not reflect our inclusive community. Further, we believe that false conspiracy theories like this spread harmful stereotypes," said city spokeswoman Cora Scott.

Speaking to the News-Leader, Temple Israel Rabbi Barbara Block said she was grateful to those in Springfield who spoke up against the flyers.

"I know that far more people in Springfield do not profess the hate that is expressed in the flyer. And I'm grateful to the many Springfield citizens who voiced their outrage at the flyers and who support the Jewish community. And I also appreciate the ongoing support of the mayor, the city council and the Springfield Police," Block said.

Block added that these flyers first appeared in Springfield several weeks ago — targeting at least one member of the Temple Israel congregation.

"We've been aware that these flyers were distributed in Springfield several weeks ago. The ADL was notified immediately, and has been helpful in responding and working with the Springfield Police."

Lt. Jennifer Charleston with the Springfield Police Department said they are aware of the situation and are looking into the incident, but do not have any more information to release at this time.

Mara Cohen Ioannides, a Missouri State professor and expert on midwestern Jewish history, said the flyers promote hate of Judaism.

"The conspiracy theorists who promote this are clearly just that — conspiracy theorists. This kind of hate against the Jewish people — because supposedly Jews have all the power in the government — is not new, nor is it true. However, the language is hurtful because it encourages antisemitism," Ioannides said.

Former Springfield councilperson and Missouri Faith Voices of Southwest Missouri leader Justin Burnett said in a statement the flyers are indicative of a "pattern of hate speech" recently seen in the city.

"The faith community is heartbroken over the antisemitic fliers that were distributed in Springfield on Christmas. We've seen a disturbing pattern of hate speech in southwest Missouri, including at city council and school board meetings. This must not be who we are as a community. Our collective faith traditions teach us that love is the only way, yet this incident reminds us of the ever-present danger of radicalization via the internet, which is a source of amplification for radical opinion hosts and politicians."

Current Springfield Councilman Andy Lear wrote on Facebook the fliers were "abhorrent, bigoted, and irresponsible."

"Sadly, these types of actions are becoming more brazen and prevalent, and I fear more accepted. We all have a duty to ensure that reason and humanity prevails over ignorance and hate," Lear wrote.

The Springfield flyers were first reported on social media by Jim Lee, who found the flyers at his door and in the yards of his neighbors. The morning of Dec. 25, Lee and another neighbor went across his neighborhood to collect the flyers on his neighbor's lawns before they were found.

Lee said the flyers were at every house on his street and continued past where he stopped.

"I just don't understand this. I just — it's just unbelievable to me," Lee told the News-Leader of the flyers. "I've never seen anything like this in my life. I'm 72 years old and this is just horrible, horrible."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Antisemitic flyers found Christmas morning, spread COVID conspiracy

HINDUTVA BIGOTRY
India refuses to renew foreign funding OK to charity; religious protests


Nuns belonging to the global Missionaries of Charity, walk past a large banner of Mother Teresa ahead of her canonisation ceremony, in Kolkata

Mon, December 27, 2021
By Manoj Kumar and Rupam Jain

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -The Indian government on Monday "refused" to renew a permission that is vital for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity (MoC) to be able to secure foreign funds, cutting off a key source the charity has depended on to run its programs for the impoverished.

Nobel-laureate Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic nun who died in 1997, founded the MoC in 1950. The charity has more than 3,000 nuns worldwide who run hospices, community kitchens, schools, leper colonies and homes for abandoned children.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused permission to the charity under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) on Saturday after it received some "adverse inputs", a government statement said.

"While considering the MoC's renewal application, some adverse inputs were noticed," the home ministry said, without providing details.

The ministry also rejected an earlier allegation of the West Bengal state chief minister Mamata Banerjee that the bank accounts of the charity were frozen.

Later, the MoC in a statement confirmed their FCRA application was not renewed and that it has asked its centres not to operate any foreign contributions accounts until the matter is resolved.

The move comes as hardline Hindu outfits affiliated to Modi's party have accused the MoC of leading religious conversion programmes under the guise of charity by offering poor Hindus and tribal communities food, medicine, money, free education and shelter. MoC has rejected these allegations.

Earlier, chief minister Banerjee of West Bengal, where MoC has its headquarters, wrote in a tweet that she was shocked to hear that at Christmas, the Union Ministry had frozen all the bank accounts of the MoC in India.

"Their 22,000 patients & employees have been left without food & medicines. While the law is paramount, humanitarian efforts must not be compromised," said Banerjee, an opposition leader and vocal critic of the Modi government.

The federal government said the accounts of MoC were frozen by the bank based on the request of the charity itself.

Vicar General Dominic Gomes of the Archdiocese of Calcutta said the freeze of the accounts was "a cruel Christmas gift to the poorest of the poor".

The row comes days after hardline Hindu vigilante groups disrupted Christmas church services in parts of India, including in some states ruled by Modi's party ahead of local elections in the coming months.

ATTACKS ON MINORITIES

Since Modi came to power in 2014, right-wing Hindu groups have consolidated their position across states and launched attacks on minorities, claiming they are trying to prevent religious conversions.

Christians and other critics note Christians represent only 2.3% of India's 1.37 billion people, while Hindus are the overwhelming majority. They repudiate the excuse given by some Hindu groups of preventing conversions as a reason for violence against Christians.

The Hindu newspaper on Monday reported disruption of Christmas celebrations at the weekend and last week, including the vandalising of a life-size statue of Jesus Christ at Ambala in Haryana, a northern state governed by Modi's nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

It said activists burnt a model of Santa Claus and chanted anti-Christmas slogans outside a church in Varanasi, Modi's parliamentary constituency and Hinduism's holiest city.

Elias Vaz, national vice-president of the All India Catholic Union, condemned the latest incidents.

"The strength of India is in its diversity and the people who have done this at Christmas are the real anti-nationals," Vaz said.

Contacted by telephone, the federal and state governments declined to comment on the protests.

Several Indian states have passed or are considering anti-conversion laws that challenge the constitutionally protected right to freedom of belief in the country.

(Reporting by Manoj Kumar, Saurabh Sharma, Subrata Nagchoudhury and Rupam Jain, editing by Barbara Lewis and Bernadette Baum)