MR.TOAD

Memes, nostalgia as Chinese on social media mourn Jiang Zemin

Over half a million commenters flooded a post by state broadcaster CCTV announcing the death on the Twitter-like platform Weibo within an hour. 

REUTERS

BEIJING - Irreverent memes, tributes to the late “toad king” and nostalgia for a time seen as more liberal – Chinese took to social media on Wednesday to mourn the death of former leader Jiang Zemin.

Over half a million commenters flooded a post by state broadcaster CCTV announcing the death on the Twitter-like platform Weibo within an hour, with many referring to the late leader as “Grandpa Jiang”.

Mr Jiang’s legacy is mixed – many welcomed his humorous public persona as a breath of fresh air after decades of staid communist leadership, while critics accused him of allowing rampant corruption, inequality, and the repression of political activists.

But in retirement he became the subject of light-hearted memes among millennial and Gen Z Chinese fans, who called themselves “toad worshippers” in thrall to his frog-like countenance and quirky mannerisms.

And in death most social media users looked back on Mr Jiang’s 1989-2003 tenure with nostalgia.

“It’s the end of an era,” one Weibo user wrote. “He represented our childhood and youth.

Some used Mr Jiang’s death – announced after a weekend of protests across the country over President Xi Jinping’s tough zero-Covid-19 policy – to take veiled jabs at China’s current leader.

“The Jiang era, while not the most prosperous era, was a more tolerant one,” one Weibo user wrote.

“I have heard many criticisms of him, but the fact that he allowed critical voices to exist shows how he is worthy of praise,” wrote another.

Many of the more humorous posts were censored from Weibo searches within minutes, with the results for Mr Jiang’s full name only showing state media accounts.

Others on the popular app WeChat posted links to songs titled “Shame it Wasn’t You” and “Wrong Man”, referencing Mr Xi.

Mr Jiang’s “toad worshippers” also paid their respects.

“Rest in peace, toad king,” one Weibo user wrote.

“Toad... can you take Winnie the Pooh away?“ another asked, using a banned nickname for Mr Xi. 

AFP

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Japan’s lack of law protecting same-sex unions ‘unconstitutional’, court rules

HUMAN RIGHTS TRUMP CIVIL RIGHTS

Plaintiffs and supporters walk to the Tokyo district court (Kyodo News via AP)
WED, 30 NOV, 2022 - 11:35
MARI YAMAGUCHI, AP

A court in Tokyo has ruled that Japan’s lack of law to protect the rights of same-sex couples to marry and become families violates the constitution.

The ruling by the Tokyo District Court had been closely watched in a country still largely bound by traditional gender roles and family values.


The court, however, said the government’s lack of legislative action is not illegal and threw out plaintiffs’ compensation demands of one million yen (just over £6,000) each.

However, the ruling marked a partial victory for LGBTQ couples.

There is no rationality to justify the absence of legal protection for same-sex couples and “it is in a state of violation” of the Article 24 of the Japanese Constitution, the court said.

Same-sex couples should enjoy the same legal protection as heterosexual couples through marriage, it added.

Supporters hold a banner calling for ‘Advancement to marriage equality’ outside the Tokyo court (Kyodo News via AP)

The plaintiffs and their lawyers welcomed the ruling as “groundbreaking” and urged the government to promptly take steps to enact a law to mitigate the problem.

“I was glad that the ruling acknowledged we have a right to be families,” plaintiff Chizuka Oe told a news conference, adding that her partner of more than 20 years “is my invaluable family no matter what anyone says”.

Ms Oe said the fight continues until there is a real progress, vowing: “This is just the beginning.”

The court ruling was a third of five similar lawsuits filed in 2019 around the country and followed two divisive verdicts in Japan where its governing party has long supported traditional family values.

In March 2021, the Sapporo District Court in northern Japan found the country’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, but the Osaka District Court in June said that marriage under the 1947 charter is only for female-male unions and that the same-sex marriage ban is valid.

The plaintiffs in the Tokyo case argued that they had been illegally discriminated against by being deprived of the same economic and legal benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy through marriage.

Support for sexual diversity has grown slowly in Japan, but without legal protections, LGBTQ people often face discrimination at school, work and at home, causing many to hide their sexual identities.

Japan is also the only G7 country that bans same-sex marriage.

Lack of rights for LGBT+ couples at odds with top law: Tokyo court

But ruling says Japan's denial of legal marriage equality is constitutional

Plaintiffs, lawyers and supporters walk into the Tokyo District Court to witness the ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage on Nov. 30. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)

RURIKA IMAHASHI and ALICE FRENCH, Nikkei staff writers

November 30, 2022 

TOKYO -- The Tokyo District Court ruled on Wednesday that Japan's lack of a legal system to protect the rights of same-sex couples presents the country with an "unconstitutional situation," a step forward for the LGBT+ community in a nation that remains the only Group of Seven member that does not legally permit same-sex unions.

The decision was Japan's third on marriage equality. The Sapporo District Court ruled in March last year that not recognizing same-sex marriage violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to equality, while the Osaka District Court said in June that it is "constitutional" for Japan to not permit such unions.

Like in the Osaka ruling, Tokyo's court found that Japan's denial of legal marriage equality was constitutional. It also denied requests from the eight LGBT+ plaintiffs for damages of 1 million yen ($7,200) each from the state.

At a news conference after the ruling on Nov. 30, Takako Uesugi, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told reporters that the court had upheld the "traditional view of family" enshrined in Article 24, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which states that marriage should be between a man and woman.

But in Tokyo, the judge found that the lack of any legal protection for same-sex couples and their families was at odds with the Constitution's Article 24, Clause 2. That clause states "matters pertaining to marriage and the family" should be enacted based on "individual dignity and the essential equality of the sexes."

The judge had recognized the struggles that same-sex couples face without the legal protection that married heterosexual couples enjoy, such as visiting rights for partners in hospitals, Uesugi said. This ruling was "not an outright victory," she added, but the decision that a legal system was needed to guarantee stability for cohabiting same-sex couples and their dependents was "a fantastic outcome" and "a significant step forward for the plaintiffs and for the country."

Yoko Ogawa, a plaintiff in the Tokyo lawsuit, told reporters and crowds outside court after the ruling: "From now on, we can only hope for legislation [on marriage equality]. The judge recognized that there are many difficulties in life for same-sex partners. We need new laws [to address them]."

But the ruling fell short of what many advocates had hoped for. "I can't say I am 100% happy," Hiroshi Ikeda, co-leader of Same-sex Partnership Net, a network that promotes legal protection for same-sex couples, told Nikkei Asia. "The ruling is not as clear as the one in Sapporo, but the recognition of a need for legal rights for same-sex couples with children is significant."

In Sapporo, the court ruled that Japan's denial of same-sex unions was clearly "unconstitutional." In Tokyo, it was found that same-sex couples' lack of rights merely presented an "unconstitutional situation." Ikeda said that this ruling was "milder" than the Sapporo decision.

A female couple, Miyuki Fujii, left, and Rie Fukuda pose in front of the Tokyo District Court on Nov. 30. (Photo by Rurika Imahashi)

Japan's LGBT+ community expressed mixed feelings about the outcome.

"I was glad that the court understood some of the difficulties we face because [my partner and I] are not recognized as a family," Rie Fukuda, a plaintiff in another upcoming Tokyo lawsuit on marriage equality, told Nikkei Asia. "But this [ruling] does not mean we have the freedom to marry who we love. It is now even more important for us to raise our voices and for society and the media to take this issue to lawmakers," she added.

Lawsuits have been ongoing in five major Japanese cities -- Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo -- since 2019. As of June, 36 plaintiffs have participated in lawsuits asking for judgments on the constitutionality of the current law, which does not envisage marriage between members of the same gender.

The Tokyo ruling triggered calls for Japan's government to move quickly on updating marriage legislation. Makiko Terahara, lawyer and representative director of Marriage For All Japan (MFAJ), implored lawmakers to "proceed with incorporating same-sex couples into [Japan's] existing marriage system" at Wednesday's news conference.

Some progress in the country's LGBT+ rights has been made in recent years. Earlier this month, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government started issuing certificates for LGBT+ couples that help them access public housing and other local government services.

However, these certificates are not legally binding, and same-sex couples still face difficulties over issues such as house hunting, inheritance and obtaining visas.

As of September, 33 countries and regions have legalized marriage equality, according to the Tokyo-based MFAJ.

Wednesday's ruling comes on the tail of the U.S. Senate approving a bill to protect the right to same-sex marriage nationwide after concerns that a conservative majority of justices on the Supreme Court may move to end the right.

In an MFAJ survey conducted in 2019, 72.6% of respondents were in favor of Japan legally recognizing same-sex unions. But in the two chambers of Japan's parliament, only 41% favor marriage equality, according to the group's 2021 data.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has faced criticism from voters and opposition parties for its conservative approach to LGBT+ rights. Just 11% of its lawmakers are in favor of legalizing same-sex unions, MFAJ data shows. In contrast, 87% of opposition Constitutional Democratic Party politicians are in support

SYRIAN KURDISTAN
Ehmed: Defending Rojava means defending humanity

Newroz Ehmed from the General Command of the SDF underlines the importance of global resistance against the Turkish attacks and says the SDF and the people are prepared for a ground attack.

NUJİYAN ADAR
NEWS DESK
Sunday, 27 Nov 2022, 15:51

Newroz Ehmed from the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) talks about preparations against an imminent Turkish ground attack in the autonomous region of northern and eastern Syria in an interview with ANF, saying: "We are fully prepared for a possible ground operation considering our experience, preparation and the morale of our forces compared to previous periods."

"ATTACKS ARE INCREASING BECAUSE OF SILENCE"

The Turkish state's attacks on northern and eastern Syria continue. Looking at the record of the attacks so far, civilian casualties outweigh, and the infrastructure of the region is the target. How do you assess these kinds of attacks? Is Turkey targeting civilians because it cannot hit the military forces?

The Turkish state has never stopped its attacks on the region. But in the last week, the attacks have been greatly expanded and attacks of the highest intensity have been carried out with heavy weapons, drones as well as fighter jets. Just at a time when the Ukraine war is on the agenda and the world is interested in this war, the Turkish state seizes the opportunity to intensify its attacks. It has used the situation to put pressure on Russia, the USA and European countries. These countries are also under pressure because of the war in Ukraine, and the Turkish state has received concessions from these countries. The Turkish state took advantage of their interest-based policies as well as their silence and expanded its attacks. Although it claims to protect its territory within a radius of 30 kilometers according to UN Article 51, its attacks on Syrian territory have already exceeded a frame of 60 kilometers. At the same time, the Turkish state has increased the intensity of its attacks against Rojava, claiming that civilians have been killed in Turkey - although it is still not clear to us, at least, who is behind this.

"THE TURKISH ARMY IS DELIBERATELY TARGETING THE CIVILIAN POPULATION”

As a result, the civilian population was attacked in Rojava. People were deliberately targeted and killed when they tried to help the victims. The places bombed are mainly civilian settlements. Not because the Turkish army could not target military forces, but because it deliberately attacks the civilian population. This has already been expressed several times in the media. The infrastructure of the region, facilities that serve the population, power plants, schools, hospitals, oil fields and refineries have been hit at a time when the cold season weather conditions are intensifying and people are facing a humanitarian disaster due to the difficult conditions. Nevertheless, the Turkish state has targeted infrastructure. Wheat storage facilities have also been targets.

"EVERYONE SHOULD BE VIGILANT ABOUT THE TURKISH STATE’S PLANS”

In other words, every place that a people need for their future is targeted. The idea is to make people leave the region. They are meant to be forced to flee by being deprived of the possibility to survive here. Despite the use of thousands of bombs against the region, despite so many attacks by drones and fighter jets, there is great silence against this. In Ukraine, only one power plant was attacked and the world rose up. States took action against people being left without electricity, put it on their agendas and even went so far as to impose sanctions. But everyone is silent about the situation here. If the Turkish state has intensified such attacks, it is because of this contradiction. This reality must be recognized. We are ready to fulfill our responsibility and clarify the allegations made by the Turkish state, but everyone should make an effort and be vigilant about the Turkish state's plans.

"THE WAR WILL SPREAD TO THE WHOLE REGION”

What is the situation in view of the attacks? Is there a ground attack? Are there areas that will be targeted in a possible ground operation, or is the whole region the target?

The attack continues in all its ferocity. If the silence on the attacks of the Turkish state continues, it will expand its attacks even more. The first step will be the 30-kilometre line that has been talked about at every opportunity. This has been clearly expressed by the Turkish state in recent days. But the attacks do not only affect one region. Turkish state representatives themselves stated that they would invade gradually and named several regions. Maybe they will not target the whole region, but they want to occupy the whole area, advancing step by step. Their plan is to create a safe zone for themselves, i.e. to occupy the whole region. Our preparations against a possible ground operation have been completed everywhere. Our people must also be prepared for such an attack. This has been on our agenda for a long time and we are ready for a ground attack. We have stated several times that the attacks will not be limited to just one area. The Turkish state's approach is not to attack only one region. Attacking only one area will destabilize the whole region. Many forces are using this situation to strengthen their position in the region and take advantage of it. Recently, they have increased their presence here and they are trying to gain supremacy. Many forces, especially ISIS, are taking advantage of these conditions.

"OUR PREPARATIONS FOR A GROUND ATTACK ARE COMPLETE”

How are you preparing for a possible ground operation?

Our military preparations are very good. Compared to previous periods, we are ready in terms of experience, preparation and morale of the forces. Looking at the picture that has emerged over the past week, we can see that there is great enthusiasm and morale in terms of the strength of our defence forces, their potential to defend their country and the people, and their responsibilities. Our preparations are more comprehensive than before. Our defence forces have always been in a war position, but now the preparation for war is more intense. Of course, the attitude of the people towards the attacks was of the utmost importance. At every opportunity, they supported the resistance of the defence forces. Thus, the courageous attitude of the people was always a source of morale for the defence forces and helped them to take a stronger position. Within the framework of the people's revolutionary war, the people and our defence forces grew together. Just as the people and the defence forces acted together in Sheikh Maqsoud, Kobanê and in the attack on Sina Prison in Xiwêran, we are experiencing this situation now. Our people are on the side of the defence forces, not behind them. They have proved this in the past trials. Our people have proclaimed this message. There is a strong unity. We are stronger than ever before. We will repel the attacks in a unity of people and military forces.

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL POWERS

Parts of NATO bombs were found in the munitions used in the bombings. There are also rumours that an agreement was reached with Russia. So, it seems that the international powers authorised these attacks. Have you had any discussions with these powers on this issue? What is your attitude regarding the international powers?

We have had many talks on these issues. Turkey is a member of NATO and its policy is well known. Military equipment used by the Turkish state cannot be used without NATO's approval. NATO ignores the practices of the Turkish state. It agrees with it that there is a threat to the existence of the Turkish state and that Turkey has the right to defend its existence. If you look at the forces supporting the Turkish state, the amount of support, the help with weapons, technology and ammunition, it is clear that these attacks against our region and our forces are considered legitimate. The states turn a blind eye to the attacks with these weapons and ammunition and the massacres against our people. This is the role that NATO is playing right now.

It is interesting that the Turkish state justifies the attack with the murder of a child and a teacher, which, by the way, we have nothing to do with, but in our region so many civilian settlements are bombed with weapons provided by NATO, civilians and children are massacred, and nobody reacts, they just keep silent. We look at this situation in terms of existing policies and interests. We think that a stronger and clearer position should be taken. It is claimed that talks are being held so that the Turkish state does not expand the attacks, but since no strong stance is taken, the Turkish state is encouraged and expands the attacks. Therefore, the attacks cannot be considered separately from the attitude and silence of these powers.

"THE ARAB STATES AND DAMASCUS MUST RESPOND CLEARLY”

Damascus government forces have also been targeted in the attacks. So far, the Assad regime has not responded. How is Damascus dealing with the attacks, or how should it deal with them?

The attacks are not only directed against our forces. They are directed against the entire Syrian territory. The Turkish state itself says that it will invade 30 kilometers if there is danger. It talks about Raqqa and many other regions. There is a comprehensive attack plan for the entire Syrian territory. It is a plan aimed at gaining dominance over Syrian territory, and we know that this plan is historically based and dates back to the Ottoman period. For this reason, the Turkish state is not only targeting the Kurdish people, but poses an existential threat to all people in the region. Villages of the Arab and Syriac populations have been targeted; we can list many more such examples where the attacks are directed against Syrian territory, the peoples living in the region and especially against the Arab peoples. Therefore, a tougher stance must be taken. The current attitude of the Syrian government does not oppose the attacks, its situation is obvious. Therefore, the attitude of the Arab countries is very important. According to the Turkish state's plan, all Arab peoples and countries are the target. In view of this reality, the stance of the Arab countries must be firm, strong and clear, and strong support is expected. We are also holding talks and cooperating with the Syrian government in this regard. Government troops are on all border lines. Many Syrian army soldiers have been wounded and killed in the areas under attack, but the government's stance is still weak and insufficient. The Arab countries and the government in Damascus must stand united against Turkey's plan and the attacks.

"WE CANNOT CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS LIKE THIS”

The region's defence forces play an important role in the fight against ISIS. What are the implications of the current attacks for this fight?

Due to the success and continued joint fight with the international coalition against ISIS, it is noteworthy that our defence forces, who provide security for Hol Camp and the surrounding area, are being targeted. The prisons where ISIS mercenaries are held and our security forces have been targeted. This is a planned and deliberate attack. Our special forces working with the coalition have also been attacked. Friends have lost their lives in this attack, there have been killed and wounded. The Turkish state is carrying out these attacks deliberately. Not only the SDF, the AANES and the people in the region are targeted, but also the fight against ISIS. The Turkish state expresses this time and again. With these attacks, they want the international troops to withdraw and all the work so far to be in vain, they want all the ISIS mercenaries held in the prisons to be released, they want them to spread out and free their relatives. The Turkish state wants to revive ISIS, which is already benefiting from these attacks. We have information that ISIS wants to organise and strengthen itself further here with the attacks of the Turkish state and that there will be attacks on the region. For this reason, the Turkish state has particularly targeted these places. This seeks to end the presence of the international coalition and to neutralise the results that have been achieved together through long work. This is a very dangerous plan. The Turkish state is already saying this openly. It is a question of how it can put its plans more into practice and apply them in practice. If the attacks continue like this, we cannot continue the fight against ISIS. It is not possible to continue the fight against ISIS under such bombardment and drone attacks. The international powers are aware that the attacks are giving a new chance to ISIS, but they are silent. Such an attitude cannot prevent the attacks. On the contrary, the attacks keep increasing.

Prisons holding ISIS jihadists and Hol Camp have been attacked. What is the current situation in the prisons and camps where ISIS jihadists and their relatives are held?

As we have already stated, we will do our duty in the face of these attacks. As we promised our people, we will fulfil whatever is asked of us, and we have prepared for this. However, it is a challenge to protect the prisons and Hol Camp from such attacks. Eight of our members were killed in the attacks on Hol Camp. Despite all these difficulties, we want to keep the ISIS mercenaries and their members under control. Because we know that this danger threatens not only the people in the region, but the whole world. Of course, we will do our best. But if the attacks continue like this and become even more violent, it will not be possible to protect them.

How will these attacks affect the fight against ISIS?

Our priority is to defend our people and our country against a possible ground attack. Our armed forces are carrying out their tasks along the entire border line. We can never say that all our focus and strength will be on ISIS. Because, of course, that will be difficult. We do not have the strength to fight both the Turkish state and ISIS. Therefore, the attacks will affect and weaken the fight against ISIS. If it continues like this, ISIS will use these attacks to reorganise and return to its former dangerous form. We have said it many times: this is the goal of the Turkish state. It is openly putting this plan into action. Silence is helping it to do so. We are concerned about this and tell the whole world that everyone must take a stand. The protection of the mentioned places is also the responsibility of all world powers. We take this opportunity to reiterate that we take our responsibility.

How will cooperation with the population work in the event of a possible attack? What still needs to happen?

Our people are a source of morale and strength and have shown their attitude during the attacks. They also have a lot of experience with attacks. They have gained a lot of experience in how to defend themselves and protect their achievements and their country. The attitude of our people during the attacks means that no one can scare us and force us to retreat. Our people know their duties and responsibilities. On this occasion, we welcome and appreciate the people's resistance.

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMBRACE THE REVOLUTION AND ROJAVA"

Protests are being organised all over the world under the slogan "Defend Rojava". People from Kurdistan and their friends are permanently active. What role should the global public play in the face of attacks?

We welcome and thank our people and our friends again for their attitude and the protests under the slogan "Defend Rojava, defend Kobanê". Despite all obstacles, people poured into the squares at midnight to defend our people, our autonomous administration and the defence forces. A clear stance was taken. People have embraced the values of resistance. It is important to participate in this spirit, to embrace the revolution, to embrace Rojava, to embrace humanity, just as we stood together for Kobanê and Shengal back then. Of course, this requires a multi-layered struggle. Our people and their friends have shown this attitude of struggle in many areas.

Noam Chomsky: 

Don't expect criminal states to investigate their own crimes

Noam Chomsky said it can't be expected that criminal states investigate their own crimes.

ANF
NEWS DESK
Saturday, 26 Nov 2022

World-renowned philosopher Noam Chomsky commented on Turkey's use of chemical weapons against Kurdistan.

Chomsky said that the Turkish state would not accept investigations into allegations of the use of chemical weapons in northern Iraq, nor would they accept investigations into previous and more recent crimes.

Noam Chomsky spoke to Medya Haber TV's presenter Selehattin Işıldak.

Open letter on allegations of the use of chemical weapons by Turkey calls for action

“The Kurdish people do not have a government that can speak up for them,” say dozens of intellectuals who call for action against the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds.

ANF
NEWS DESK
Wednesday, 30 Nov 2022

131 academics, activists, unionists, NGO representatives and politicians wrote an open letter calling for actions from various authorities regarding the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army against the Kurdish guerrilla forces in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The signatories call for an urgent end to all cross-border military activity of the Turkish state in Iraq and Syria, criticizing the existing international mechanisms for not reflecting the realities of warfare today.

The open letter reads as follows:

“On the occasion of November 30, the Day of Remembrance of all Victims of Chemical Warfare, we write with deep concern about disturbing allegations of the use of prohibited weapons by the Turkish military in its ongoing military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Moreover, we are writing at a time in which the Turkish state is once again targeting civilians inside Syria and mobilizing for another possible ground invasion.

On October 18, local media released video footage showing the impacts of alleged chemical weapons exposure on two PKK guerrillas. Both were among 17 of the group’s fighters who lost their lives as a result of alleged chemical attacks in recent months.

The footage followed a report published by the NGO International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) last month that examined other allegations of Turkish chemical weapons use and called for an international investigation based on its findings.

In 2021, human rights monitors and local media reported at least once instance of civilian harm potentially caused by alleged Turkish chemical weapons use. The authors of the IPPNW report attempted to meet with the impacted civilians, but were blocked from doing so by the Kurdistan Regional Government.

We understand that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) can only investigate allegations of chemical weapons use when a request is made by a state party.

However, it is our view that these existing mechanisms do not reflect the realities of warfare today. Peoples without states and non-state political and military actors are deeply involved in modern conflicts. So are autocratic regimes that stifle the voices of those who wish to hold their governments to account for their behavior in war.

Both of these conditions are relevant here. The Kurdish people do not have a government that can speak up for them. They live under repressive regimes with powerful allies in the West—Turkey, for example, is supported by its NATO allies despite consistent evidence of serious human rights abuses.

This means that, while Kurds are disproportionately more likely to be subjected to war crimes and violations of international law as a result of their status as an oppressed minority, they are also disproportionately less likely to have access to justice mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable.

In order to be effective, human rights law and the laws of war must be implemented as universally as possible, free from political considerations. There should be as many avenues as possible for credible allegations of human rights violations and violations of the laws of war to be investigated by impartial international bodies—particularly serious violations like the use of prohibited weapons.

Furthermore, these investigations should not simply be aimed at the historical record. They should build towards justice and accountability for all who violate international law, as well as durable political solutions to ongoing conflicts.

To that end, we the undersigned make the following recommendations:

To the OPCW:Amend investigation procedures to allow greater access to justice and accountability for alleged chemical weapons use.
Investigate allegations that Turkey may have used chemical weapons in Iraqi Kurdistan.

To the government of Turkey:End all cross-border military activity in Iraq and Syria immediately.
Cooperate fully with local and international investigations of alleged chemical weapons use and other alleged war crimes and human rights abuses and hold perpetrators accountable if violations are found.
Return to peace negotiations with the PKK to resolve the Kurdish issue by political means.

To the Kurdistan Regional Government:Allow international investigators full access to impacted regions and communities to determine if Turkey has used chemical weapons in its military operations.

To concerned governments:Request an investigation of alleged Turkish chemical weapons use via existing OPCW mechanism.
End arms sales and security assistance to Turkey.
Pressure Turkey to end cross-border military operations in Iraq and Syria.
Support and assist in return to peace negotiations between Turkey and the PKK to resolve the Kurdish issue by political means.

To international civil society:Support the demands listed here by signing this letter and engaging with relevant governments and international institutions.”

Signatories:

Souad Abdelrahman, Head of Palestine Women’s Association - Palestine

Dr Goran Abdullah - Scotland

Ismet Agirman, Kurdish activist - UK

Prof Dr Tayseer A. Alousi, Secretary General of the Arab Assembly for Supporting Kurdish Issue and President Sumerian Observatory for Human Rights - Netherlands

Dr Maha Al-Sakban, Centre for Women’s Human Rights board member - Iraq

Mick Antoniw MS, Senedd Constituency Member, Welsh Labour Group, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution - Wales

Chiara Aquino, PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh - Scotland

Benedetta Argentieri, Journalist and filmmaker - Italy

Rezgar Bahary, Journalist - UK

Naamat Bedrdine, Politician and writer - Lebanon

Walden Bello, International Adjunct Professor of Sociology, SUNY Binghamton, and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (aka Alternative Nobel Prize) in 2003 - USA

Janet Biehl, Independent scholar, author, artist - USA

Jonathan Bloch, Writer - UK

Baroness Christine Blower, House of Lords - UK

Debbie Bookchin, Journalist and author - USA

Prof Bill Bowring, School of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London - UK

Jane Byrne, Teacher - UK

Robert Caldwell, Assistant Professor of Indigenous Studies, University at Buffalo – USA

Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) - UK

CND (Campaign Against Nuclear Disarmament) - UK

Margaret Cerullo, Hampshire College - USA

Maggie Cook, UNISON NEC member - UK

Mary Davis FRSA, Visiting Professor of Labour History at Royal Holloway University of London - UK

Defend Kurdistan Initiative - UK

Mary Dibis, Mousawat for Women - Lebanon

Penelope Dimond, Writer and actor - UK

Gorka Elejabarrieta Diaz, Basque Senator, Director EH Bildu International Relations Department - Basque Country

Federal Executive Committee of Women’s Union Courage - Germany

Silvia Federici, Author and Professor Emerita of Social Science, Hofstra University - USA

Andrew Feinstein , Executive Director, Shadow World Investigations - UK

Dr Phil Frampton, Author - UK

Freedom Socialist Party - Australian Section

Freedom Socialist Party - USA Section

Andreas Gavrielidis, Greek-Kurdish Solidarity

Lindsey German, Convenor Stop the War Coalition - UK

Selay Ghaffar, Exiled women’s rights activist from Afghanistan

Prof Barry Gills, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science - UK

Dr Sarah Glynn, Writer - France

Mustafa Gorer, Kurdish activist - UK

Kirmanj Gundi, KHRO (Kurdistan Human Rights Observer) - UK

Prof Michael Gunter, General Secretary of EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) - USA

Rahila Gupta, Chair of Southall Black Sisters - UK

Kazhal Hamarashid, Board member of the Toronto Kurdish Community Centre - Canada

Niaz Hamdi, KHRO (Kurdistan Human Rights Observer) - UK

John Hendy QC, Barrister - UK

Nick Hildyard, Policy analyst - UK

Ava Homa, Writer, journalist and activist - Canada/USA

Srecko Horvat, Co-founder of DiEM25 & Progressive International

Dr Stephen Hunt, PiK Ecology Network - UK

John Hunt, Journalist - UK

Alia Hussein, Women’s Affairs Committee of the General Federation of Iraqi Trade Unions - Iraq

Lord Hylton, House of Lords - UK

Serif Isildag, Journalist - UK

Ruken Isik, Adjunct Lecturer at American University - USA

Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Crymru – Wales

Jin Women’s Association - Lebanon

Ramsey Kanaan, Publisher, PM Press - UK

James Kelman, Author - Scotland

Gulay Kilicaslan, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University - Kanada

Nida Kirmani, Women Democratic Front, Haqooq-e-Khalq Party – Pakistan

Nimat Koko Hamad, Associate researcher and gender specialist - Sudan

Kongra Star Women’s Movement – Rojava & Syria

Claudia Korol, Founder of Popular Education Collective Pañuelos en Rebeldía, Feministas de Abya Yala - Argentina

Balazs Kovacs, Consultant - UK

Kurdish Women’s Relations Office (REPAK) – Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Şeyda Kurt, Journalist and Writer - Germany

Coni Ledesma, International Women’s Alliance (IWA) Europe - Netherlands

Dr Anjila Al-Maamari, Center for Strategic Studies to Support Women and Children - Yemen

Aonghas MacNeacail, Scottish Gaelic poet - Scotland

Fazela Mahomed, Kurdish Human Rights Action Group - South Africa

Saleh Mamon, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) - UK

Dr Carol Mann, Director of Women in War - France

Mike Mansfield QC, Barrister - UK

Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Lecturer of Political Sociology, Fellow of Darwin College, University of Cambridge - UK

Zahraa Mohamad, Journalist - Lebanon

Francie Molloy, MP for Mid Ulster - Ireland

David Morgan, Journalist - UK

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, Green Party Member of the House of Lords - UK

Maryam Namazie, Human rights activist, commentator, and broadcaster - UK

Dr Marie Nassif-Debs, President of Association Equality-Wardah Boutros - Lebanon

Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions - UK

Margaret Owen, O.B.E., President Widows for Peace through Democracy - UK

Prof Felix Padel, Research associate at Center for World Environmental History, University of Sussex - UK

Sarah Parker, Anti-Capitalist Resistance - UK

Patriotic Democratic Socialist Party (PPDS) - Tunisia

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign - UK

Maxine Peake, Actress - UK

Rosalind Petchesky, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Political Science, Hunter College & the Graduate Center, City University of New York – USA

Dr Thomas Phillips, lecturer in law at Liverpool John Moore University - UK

Eleonora Gea Piccardi, University of Coimbra, PhD candidate - Italy

Ulisse Pizzi, Geologist, UK engineering consultancy - UK

Dr Anni Pues, International human rights lawyer - UK

Radical Women - USA

Radical Women - Australia

Bill Ramsay, Ex-President Educational Institute of Scotland and Convenor of Scottish National Party – Scotland

Ismat Raza Shahjahan, President of Women's Democratic Front - Pakistan

Trevor Rayne, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! - UK

Gawriyah Riyah Cude, Women’s Trade Union Forum - Iraq

Dimitri Roussopoulos, Writer, editor, publisher, political activist - Canada

Nighat Said Khan, Women's Democratic Front, Women's Action Forum WAF - Pakistan

Dr Michael Schiffmann, Linguist, English Department of the University of Heidelberg, Translator - Germany

Paul Scholey, Morrish Solicitors - UK

Bert Schouwenburg, International Trade Union Advisor - UK

Chris Scurfield, Political activist - UK

Stephen Smellie, Deputy Convenor UNISON Scotland and NEC member - Scotland

Geoff Shears, Vice-Chair of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies(CLASS) - UK

Tony Shephard, Musician and graphic designer - UK

Tony Simpson, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation - UK

Radha D'Souza, Professor of law at the University of Westminster - UK

Oskar Spong, Operator - UK

Chris Stephens MP, Glasgow South West - Scotland

Steve Sweeney, International Editor, Morning Star - UK

Tooba Syed, Women Democratic Front - Pakistan

Greta Sykes, Writer and artist - UK

Tim Symonds, Novelist - UK

Joly Talukder, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Centre - Bangladesh

Latifa Taamalah Women’s Committee - Tunisia

Shavanah Taj, General Secretary Wales TUC - Wales

Lisa-Marie Taylor, CEO of FiLiA - UK

Saadia Toor, Women Democratic Front - Pakistan

Tom Unterrainer, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation - UK

Prof Abbas Vali, Professor of Modern Social and Political Theory - UK

Dr Federico Venturini, University of Udine - Italy

Andy Walsh, Chair, Greater Manchester Law Centre - UK

Julie Ward, Former MEP - UK

Arthur West, Secretary, Kilmarnock and Loudon Trades Union Council - Scotland

Prof Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) - Norway

Alex Wilson, PhD student at York University in Toronto, Ontario - Canada

Dr Fiona Woods, Lecturer, Technological University Shannon - Ireland

Paula Yacoubian, Member of Parliament - Lebanon

Rosy Zúñiga, Latin America and Caribbean Popular Education Council CEAAL - Mexico

Teacher shortages worry countries across Europe

By Euronews with AFP • Updated: 30/11/2022 - 

Alexxa Martinez, in her classroom in Nevitt Elementary School, in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 26, 2022. - Copyright OLIVIER TOURON/AFP or licensors

Teacher shortages are concerning countries across Europe, AFP reports.

France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden and Italy are all facing teacher recruitment troubles amid widespread disaffection within the profession, which has been amplified by COVID.

There will be a shortfall of 25,000 teachers in Germany by 2025 and 30,000 in Portugal by 2030, according to national estimates, while there are currently 4,000 vacant teaching posts in France.

For Eric Charbonnier, an education expert at the OECD, the COVID pandemic gave "visibility" to the teaching profession and highlighted issues around its appeal.

But others have offered different explanations.

Régis Malet, professor of education at the University of Bordeaux, said shortages were due to "the low level of wages, particularly in France, but also the deterioration of working conditions, status and [a] more symbolic dimension strongly felt ... [about a] lack of consideration [and] recognition."

Teachers' salaries: Which countries pay the most and the least in Europe?

Teaching has changed "from a job with high added social value, prestige, to a form of uncertainty in the mission, loss of meaning and ultimately dissonance between the school and life,” he added.

In France, unprecedented recruitment difficulties led the Ministry of Education to kick back the deadline for applying to be a teacher in the 2023 school year due to a lack of candidates.

French Senator Gérard Longuet presented a report in June which said that, at the European level, the attractiveness of the teaching profession is a "general problem ... whatever the salary level".

Germany, Portugal, Sweden and Italy are also facing mass retirements, which will compound the teacher shortages, says Charbonnier.

At the primary school level, 60% of teachers are over 50 in Italy, 37% in Germany, 42% in Portugal, 36% in Sweden and 23% in France, according to the OECD.
What is the picture like outside of Europe?

But teacher shortages are not solely a European issue.

Countries from Niger in Africa to the United States (US) are also experiencing problems finding and retaining educators.

Some 69 million teachers are missing worldwide to achieve universal basic education by 2023, a UNESCO document published in October revealed.

In sub-Saharan Africa, there is on average one qualified teacher for 56 primary school pupils and one for every 55 secondary school students, according to Borhene Chakroun, Director of Policies and Systems of Education at UNESCO.

‘Libs of Tiktok’: Twitter account targets LGBT+ teachers in the U.S.

By 2030, he predicts that Chad and Niger will need "more than double" the amount of primary school teachers to keep up with population growth.

In this part of the African continent, Chakroun says teacher recruitment is "below current and projected needs", with 16.5 million additional teachers needed by 2030.

Richer countries around the world are affected, too.

In the US, there is an “unprecedented” crisis says Charbonnier.

The Washington Post reported there was a "catastrophic shortage" of teachers at the end of August, explaining that the country had "never experienced such a serious situation."

Still, some say these recruitment troubles are not unavoidable.

According to Charbonnier, though "a matter of concern on which action must be taken", teacher shortages are "not inevitable".

"Finland, South Korea or Ireland are doing well, thanks to proactive policies with a valuation of the profession by society," he adds.

JPMorgan, UBS and others vie for bigger share of China's pension market

11/30/2022 | 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese ventures of foreign asset managers including JPMorgan, Warburg Pincus and UBS are gearing up to expand their retirement offerings, as the country officially unveiled a private pension system last week.

China on Friday launched its first private pension scheme in 36 cities as it grapples with a rapidly ageing population, allowing individuals to open retirement accounts at banks to buy pension products ranging from deposits to mutual funds.

The move marked the official launch of China's version of IRA, or Individual Retirement Accounts in the United States, a private pension scheme that offers tax advantages for individuals saving for retirement.

As part of the new system, local domestic workers covered by China's public pension insurance can participate in the private pension scheme and contribute up to 12,000 yuan ($1,680) per year to their individual accounts and receive tax benefits.

Global asset managers including BlackRock and Fidelity have boosted their presence in China in recent years, partly lured by its nascent private pension sector that is expected to surpass $1.7 trillion by 2025 from $300 billion now.

"In the future we will further complete our pension product offerings by launching ... funds that meet the demand of investors with various age profiles and retirement priorities," said Andrew Wang, chief executive of UBS SDIC Fund Management, a joint venture between UBS and China's State Development & Investment Corp.

UBS SDIC Fund Management currently has one mutual fund, which qualifies for the private pension scheme, among a total of 129 funds provided by 40 Chinese and Sino-foreign fund houses.

Eddy Wong, chief executive of China International Fund Management (CIFM), a joint venture between JPMorgan and Shanghai International Trust Co., said China's individual pension market has "huge potential and room for development".

One of the priorities for the firm is to bring "innovative pension product designs" to the market, Wong said, for which his team is leveraging global experience with on-the-ground research to offer retirement solutions with local characteristics.

Warburg Pincus' China venture, Hwabao WP Fund Management (Hwabao WP FM), has set its eyes on retirement investors within Baowu, the majority shareholder of the fund house and also China's national steel champion with more than 45,000 employees.

"Serving the staff of Baowu will be our starting point and we plan to expand coverage to employees of all firms in the steel industry," said Wu Liang, Shanghai-based general manager of the internet finance department at Hwabao WP FM.

Chinese and global insurers and fund houses have been developing and promoting products for the local pension market, while local banks are offering incentives to lure investors to open accounts as they seek to tap into a new market.

"The first movers in China's pension market enjoy an advantage," said Howhow Zhang, Greater China wealth and asset management strategy and transactions leader at consultancy EY.

"I think Chinese retail investors have a learning curve to climb," said Zhang, adding that "education efforts will fall on the shoulders of both asset managers and distributors."

($1 = 7.1426 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong and Jason Xue in Shanghai; additional reporting by Samuel Shen; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Ana Nicolaci da Costa)

By Selena Li and Jason Xue

One day rail strike in Austria impacts

1 million passengers

Robert Besser
2nd December 2022

VIENNA, Austria: During a 24-hour strike by Austrian rail workers held this week over issues related to pay, rail traffic throughout Austria ground to a standstill from midnight and affected some 8,000 connections and one million passengers.

Public transport, regional services and long-distance night trains, as well as rail freight lines, were closed down by the strike.

The head of the country's rail network, OeBB chief Andreas Matthae, told the ORF radio broadcaster that services would be largely back to normal within a day.

"I do not want to rule out the possibility of irregularities on one train or the other, but in general I expect that we will be back to serving our customers with the usual quality," he said.

The main rail workers' union had called for a $417.88 monthly pay raise for the railroad's 50,000 employees, but the counter offer was only $208 per month, plus a one-off payment of $1,000.

This week's "warning strike" was called by the union after a fifth round of negotiations collapsed this week.

French banks accused of massively fueling Amazon deforestation

RFI
30th November 2022

French banks are "massively" financing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and tropical Cerrado savanna - providing hundreds of millions of euros to Brazilian agribusiness giants responsible for driving forest loss over the past decade, a coalition of NGOs and media outlets has warned.

BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole and the Banque Populaire et Caisse d'Epargne group are accused of contributing to the razing of 9,500 square metres of vegetation cleared to create land for soy, palm oil and beef farming.

A report published Monday by investigative news sites Disclose and Reporter Brasil - in partnership with the NGOs Sherpa, Harvest and the Centre for Climate Crime Analysis - found the banks had invested more than 743 million euros in ventures linked to deforestation between 2013 and 2022.

BNP Paribas singled out

At the top of that list was BNP Paribas, singled out as the largest French financial supporter of the sector - and the country's "leading bank for deforestation".

"Between January 2021 and September 2022 alone, BNP Paribas invested nearly 117 million euros in the activities of several agribusiness giants directly involved in the deforestation of the Amazon and the Cerrado," the report said.

"This financing is carried out despite promises and commitments made in favour of the environment."

In February 2021, BNP pledged to stop investing in firms contributing to clearing tropical forest for beef or soybean production in the Amazon and Cerrado, and to only fund companies with zero deforestation strategies by 2025.

The report alleges this promise was not met.

French supermarket giant Casino sued over links to Amazon deforestation

As part of its investigation, the coalition analysed thousands of financial transactions - corporate loans, bonds, equity investments and share issues - tracked by the Forest and Finance platform, which assesses the finance received by hundreds of companies involved in the beef, soy, palm oil, pulp, paper, rubber and timber supply chains.

Agribusiness giants named in the report include Bunge and Cargill, both American, and Brazilian companies Minerva, Marfrig and JBS. The latter, the world's top beef producer, is accused of illegally shipping meat from farms that have been banned by both Brazil and the European Union.

Duty of vigilance law

Since February 2017, a corporate "duty of vigilance" law opens French businesses up to potential legal action for human rights violations and environmental damage linked to their supply chains.

"BNP Paribas is the first bank to invest in the Amazon," said Jean-Philippe Foegle, a lawyer and advocacy officer at Sherpa, adding French companies were bound by law to monitor their foreign activities.

Cop27 climate summit charts small path for global food justice

"What the duty of vigilance and anti-money laundering legislation provides for is that when you have a suspicion that the actor you are financing is involved in illegal activities, you must ensure that you do not finance that actor," he said.

In response, BNP Paribas told RFI it had made strict commitments to protect the environment and it would take time for those practices to be implemented on the ground.

Sherpa says it is considering legal action to force banks to follow through on their commitments.

Originally published on RFI

3 rehabilitated manatees released in Florida Keys

November 30, 2022

1 of 10

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, from left, Todd Weston, Rockie Weston, Zeiss Weston and Josie Norgren pose for a photo with an unnamed, rehabilitated adult male manatee before its release back to Florida Keys waters, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, in Key Colony Beach, Fla. The family helped marine mammal rescuers recover the manatee off the Keys' Sombrero Beach in April 2022, suffering from propeller wounds to its head and a skull fracture caused by a boat strike. The manatee and two others, also rehabilitated, were released Tuesday in the Florida Keys.

 (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP)


KEY COLONY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Three adult male manatees rescued from waters in the Florida Keys earlier this year have been returned to a Keys canal after being treated and rehabilitated at SeaWorld Orlando.

Personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Dolphin Research Center, Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters and SeaWorld helped transition the trio on Tuesday from transport trucks to land and then into the water.

“Three animals in the same day … there’s nothing better,” Dolphin Research Center medical director Dr. Scott Gearhart said. “To take in an animal that needs your help and to see them released is fantastic … all three of them.”

Measuring up to 11 feet (3.3 meters) and weighing more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms) each, the manatees were rescued in April, June and July, respectively. Their medical conditions included a boat strike that caused a skull fracture, severe emaciation and gastric issues, dehydration and inflammation.

An animal named Manakey weighed 460 pounds (209 kilograms) when it was rescued June 10. The marine mammal weighed 1,005 pounds (456 kilograms) when it went back into the water.

Treatment ranged from removing bone fragments to antibiotics and nutritional support.

Marine mammal experts remind the public to be vigilant when boating in Florida waters.

“We share the waterways with these animals,” Gearhart said. “They’re very slow moving and they get into stuff, and you really need to be careful about what your activity is on the water.”

COP15

Strong biodiversity agreement must follow climate inaction

WWF

Posted on 30 November 2022


World leaders failed to accelerate efforts for a stable climate at the recent UN COP27 conference. But they can still help to safeguard the natural world, one of our most important allies against the climate crisis, at December's global biodiversity summit.

The UN climate change conference (COP27) in Egypt, which concluded on 20 November, was not without merit. The agreement in principle to financially support vulnerable nations for the climate damage and economic loss they suffer was certainly welcome.

But the failure to agree to ambitious action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions means that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C is slipping away with disastrous consequences for the world.

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, said: “By failing to agree to phase out fossil fuels at COP27, leaders have missed the chance to accelerate the elimination of fossil fuels, keeping us on course to climate catastrophe.

“Without rapid and deep emissions cuts we cannot limit the scale of loss and damage. The COP28 climate summit next year must be the COP of climate credibility. And countries must deliver.”

But world leaders don’t need to wait until next year to act. Next month’s UN biodiversity conference (COP15) offers another important opportunity for them to help safeguard the future of people and planet.

NATURE MUST RECOVER

After decades of deepening nature loss caused by human activities, a broad global coalition of sustainable business platforms and environmental NGOs, including WWF, is calling on governments to commit to putting the natural world on the path to recovery at COP15.

Nature is vital for everyone’s well-being and survival, from providing fresh air, food and water to offering livelihoods to many millions. But nature-based solutions are also one of our key allies in increasingly urgent attempts to tackle the climate crisis – from mangroves protecting coastal communities from the increasingly severe impacts of storms to forests absorbing greenhouse gas emissions.

We will not slow down the pace of climate change if we allow the nature loss crisis to continue unabated. Meanwhile, climate change is likely to become the main cause of biodiversity loss if we are unable to limit warming to 1.5°C.

The climate and nature crises are both interlinked and deepening, with a narrowing window of opportunity to act. So when COP15 starts on Tuesday 6 December in Canada, leaders must work for a nature-positive global agreement that ensures the natural world is in better shape by 2030 than it was a decade earlier, with at least 30% of land, seas and freshwater environments protected.

Crucially, action must also be taken in a way that safeguards the interests and human rights of all people, and ensures they can effectively take part in any decision-making.

WWF and our coalition partners have been working towards this moment for several years. Now is the time for governments to come together for people and planet.

Read more:

Cop15: What it is and why it matters

WWF at Cop15

What are Nature Based Solutions?