Sudan street protests after death of demonstrator

Issued on: 23/10/2020 

Sudanese protesters block access to the Mansheiya bridge over the Blue Nile in Khartoum during a demonstration demanding justice for a man killed in protests earlier this week over a deepening economic crisis Ebrahim HAMID AFP

Khartoum (AFP)

Hundreds of protesters marched in Sudan Friday for a third day running, demanding justice for a man killed in earlier demonstrations over a deepening economic crisis, an AFP correspondent said.

Protests began Wednesday in Sudan's capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman.

Sudan has embarked on a rocky transition under a joint civilian-military administration since the ouster of president Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, but it has struggled with severe economic woes and skyrocketing consumer prices.

On Wednesday, a 20-year-old protester was shot dead by police and at least 14 others were injured, according to a committee of doctors linked to a protest movement that led to Bashir's downfall.

On Friday, the Sudanese Professionals Association, a trade union alliance that spearheaded the demonstrations against Bashir, called for the rallies to demand justice for the protester who was killed.

Protesters blocked access to a key bridge over the Blue Nile, and set up makeshift checkpoints across roads with rocks.

Mohammed Hassan, a protester manning a checkpoint, said they would only reopen the bridge if the person responsible for killing the demonstrator was arrested.

"If the government wants the bridge to be reopened... it must arrest him," Hassan said.

Ayman Nimr, the governor of Khartoum, called on Thursday for an investigation into the death.

In a statement released Friday, the victim's family announced their support for the protesters, and said the family would find "peace only with fair punishment".

A chronic shortage of hard currency in Sudan has led to long queues for staple foods and fuel, and power cuts last up to six hours a day.

The inflation rate hit 212 percent last month, sapping the purchasing power of ordinary Sudanese.

Meanwhile, state news agency Suna said Sudan and the World Bank on Friday signed in Khartoum an agreement worth $370 million, specifying it was a grant.

Sudan's Finance Minister Heba Ali said $200 million came from the World Bank and the rest was from European countries.

© 2020 AFP

Bolivia confirms Arce presidential election win

Issued on: 23/10/2020 

Socialist candidate Luis Arce waving to his supporters ahead of the election that propelled him to Bolivia's presidency AIZAR RALDES AFP

La Paz (AFP)

Bolivia's electoral tribunal on Friday published official results from last weekend's presidential election, confirming leftist Luis Arce's landslide victory.

With all ballots now counted, Arce finished with 55 percent of the vote, meaning he won with no need for a run-off.

Centrist former president Carlos Mesa, who conceded defeat on Monday, polled just under 29 percent, with right-wing conservative Luis Fernando Camacho taking 14 percent.


Arce, 57, who served as finance and economy minister under exiled former president Evo Morales, claimed victory after exit polls late on Sunday showed he was heading for a huge win.

Electoral Tribunal president Salvador Romero said Arce and the newly elected Congress would assume their functions in the first half of November, without specifying an exact date.

It was a stunning result, as opinion polls leading up to the election had predicted Arce would come out on top but not garner enough votes to avoid a run-off.

The electoral tribunal will officially announce the results later on Friday.

It marks a return to power for Arce's Movement for Socialism party just under a year after Morales resigned and fled Bolivia following weeks of protests over his controversial reelection.

Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, served for almost 14 years but last year stood for -- and initially won -- an unconstitutional fourth consecutive term. Bolivia's constitution limits a president to two successive terms.

Morales resigned after an Organization of American States audit found the October 2019 election had been marred by fraud.

This time, the top electoral body abandoned the planned rapid count to avoid a repeat of last year's controversy and concentrated on the arduous manual count of votes that took more than five days to complete.

Some right-wing supporters have taken to the streets in protest at suspected fraud but international observers including the OAS, the European Union and the Carter Center confirmed the election was clean and transparent.

The electoral body said there had been a record 88 percent turnout amongst the 7.3 million eligible voters. Voting is mandatory in Bolivia for adults under 60.

© 2020 AFP

Frail' Palestinian hunger striker sent to prison from hospital

Issued on: 23/10/2020 

Palestinian hunger-striker Maher al-Akhras, shown here on the poster carried by a protester in Gaza, was moved on Friday from an Israeli hospital to prison 

MOHAMMED ABED AFP

Jerusalem (AFP)

A Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike for 12 weeks was moved from an Israeli hospital back to prison on Friday, the prisons service said, despite international concern for his health.

Maher al-Akhras, 49, was arrested in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in July, and has since been detained without charge.

He is being held in what is known as administrative detention, a policy that Israel uses to hold suspected militants without charge for periods of up to six months, renewable indefinitely.

He is suspected by Israel of links to the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

The married father of six went on hunger strike in protest at the practise of detention without trial.

"Mr. Al-Akhras is now in very frail condition," Michael Lynk, UN special rapporteur for the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, said in a statement Friday.

"Recent visits by doctors to his hospital bed in Israel indicate that he is on the verge of suffering major organ failure, and some damage might be permanent," Lynk wrote.

Al-Akhras was transferred from prison to a civilian hospital near Tel Aviv in September as his health deteriorated, but on Friday he was taken to the medical wing of a nearby prison.

His lawyer said the reasons given for the move were "the pretext that he refused to cooperate with the medical staff" of the hospital, and that his numerous visitors posed a risk to the spread of coronavirus there.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement Thursday it had been "closely monitoring" the situation, including visiting Akhras on Thursday.

"From a medical perspective, he is entering a critical phase," wrote Yves Giebens, head of the ICRC's health department in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

"We are concerned about potentially irreversible health consequences."

Lynk called for Israel's administrative detention policy to be abolished.

"It is a penal system that is ripe for abuse and maltreatment," he wrote.

Israel says the procedure allows authorities to hold suspects and prevent attacks while continuing to gather evidence, but critics and rights groups say the system is abused.

Around 355 Palestinians were being held under administrative detention orders as of August, including two minors, according to Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.

© 2020 AFP

A socially just transition through the European Green Deal?



The aim of this working paper is to provide a preliminary assessment of whether the European Green Deal constitutes a suitable policy framework to combine environmental and economic objectives with the pursuit of social fairness, thus ensuring a just transition towards more sustainable economies and societies. Such an assessment appears particularly relevant in a period in which the EU and its Member States are figuring out how to redesign their economies and societies in order to cope with the unprecedented social and economic crisis triggered by the Covid–19 pandemic.

FREE PDF 

PERMANENT ARMS ECONOMY

10 NATO countries now spending 2% of GDP on defense, report shows

Ten NATO-member nations are now spending above 2% of their GDP on defense, according to a new report, six years after adopting the standard. Pictured, NATO heads of state take at a 2018 summit of the alliance. Photo by Oliver Hoslet/EPA-EFE

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- NATO countries' military spending grew in 2020 for the sixth straight year, but only 10 of 30 members spent two percent of GDP, a report on Wednesday said.

The two percent benchmark is seen as a crucial indicator of NATO commitment, and was adopted in 2014 as an appropriate spending level to be achieved by 2024. At the time, only the United States, Greece and the United Kingdom were in compliance.

The report, which NATO released on Wednesday, noted that Germany's military outlay was 1.57 percent of its gross domestic product, and that Canada's was 1.45 percent.

Germany's spending was cited by President Donald Trump as a reason, earlier this year, to transfer about 12,000 troops from the country.

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The U.S. troop presence in Poland would be increased under Trump's plan, and the NATO report indicates that Poland dedicated 2.30 percent of its GDP to defense.

The United States led the 30 NATO nations in defense spending, relative to GDP, with 3.87 percent, followed by Greece, Britain, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, France and Norway.

The total spent on defense by NATO nations was about $1.03 trillion in 2020, the report said, a 4.3 percent increase over the previous year.

RELATED U.S. assumes control of NATO's air policing in North Atlantic

Countries on NATO's eastern flank, bordered by Russia and formerly military partners with the Soviet Union, significantly increased their military spending since Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Hungary, for example, saw its annual percentage of defense spending increase annually by double digits since 2014, including a 30.64 percent increase in 2019.

James Randi, magician and debunker,

dies at 92

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- James Randi, the magician, escape artist and debunker of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, has died. He was 92.

The James Randi Educational Foundation announced in a statement Wednesday that Randi had died the day prior due to "age-related causes.

"He had an Amazing life. We will miss him," the statement read.

We are very sad to say that James Randi passed away yesterday, due to age-related causes.

He had an amazing life. We will miss him.

Please respect Deyvi Peña's privacy during this difficult time.— Randi Foundation (@jref) October 21, 2020

The Canadian-born magician who went by the stage name the Amazing Randi was a celebrated magician and escape artist, known for such elaborate acts as extracting himself from a straight jacket while dangling over the Niagara Falls in the 1970s. In 1975, he also performed at the White House at the request of first lady Betty Ford during the presidency of Gerald Ford, according to his foundation.

However, Randi is possibly better known for his work debunking psychics, spoon-benders, faith healers, homeopathic medicine and the like.

Famously on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1973, Randi and the late-night host worked together to prove that Israeli mentalist Uri Geller's psychic and supernatural powers were nothing more than magic tricks.

For the show, Randi had the producers supply the props for Geller to use and he was unable to perform a single trick during the entire segment.

Decades later, Geller admitted he never had any powers but Randi lambasted him, saying "it was too late" as his claims had negatively affected too many people, organizations and governments that believed him.

In the 2014 documentary "An Honest Liar," Randi said he has spent his life fighting "people who are stealing money from the public, cheating them and misinforming them."

He also famously started The Million Dollar Challenge offering up that large sum of money to anyone who could prove they have paranormal powers. No one ever earned the award.

"Over the years, we have spent a great deal of time dealing with claims ranging from yet another dowsing claim to some VERY eccentric and untestable claims," the foundation said in 2015 when it announced the fund would be transformed into grants for non-profit groups that promote critical thinking.

"The overwhelming majority refused to fill out the applications or even state a claim that can be tested. Some of them show up in person and demand to be tested while they wait," the foundation said. "We can no longer justify the resources to interact with these people"

For his work, Randi has won numerous awards, including the $272,000 "genius grant" from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 1986 for his investigations into claims of the supernatural, occult and paranormal, his foundation said.

He is remembered by Deyvi Pena, whom Randi married in 2013.

Fellow magician Penn Jillette of the duo Penn & Teller mourned Randi's death online, saying "you invented us."

Another picture from the last day I spent with Randi. I talked to him a couple times after this. My inspiration, my hero, my mentor, my friend. I will talk to him the rest of my life and my memory of him will answer. I didn't absorb enough wisdom, but I absorbed a lot. pic.twitter.com/8oerQO59m9— Penn Jillette (@pennjillette) October 22, 2020

"We will never forget that without Randi, there would not be Penn & Teller. It's really that simple," Jillette said via Twitter, posting a series of photos of himself with Randi.

"My inspiration, my hero, my mentor, my friend," he said.

On This Day: Brooklyn Dodgers sign Jackie Robinson
On Oct. 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player hired by a major league team, was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and sent to their Montreal farm team.
By UPI Staff


National Baseball Hall of Fame member Lou Brock getrs a closer look at the Jackie Robinson display at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City on July 9, 2012. On October 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player hired by a major league team, was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and sent to their Montreal farm team. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2020/10/23/On-This-Day-Brooklyn-Dodgers-sign-Jackie-Robinson/1861603147410/

Russia grants Edward Snowden permanent residency, says his lawyer

Edward Snowden has been living in Russia to evade U.S. prosecution since 2013. Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Russia has granted former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden permanent residency, his lawyer said.

Attorney Anatoly Kucherena told Russian state-run Tass news agency on Thursday that "Snowden was granted an open-ended residence permit" by Russia earlier in the day.

Snowden has been living in Russia since 2013 in evasion of U.S. prosecution for charges related to his leaking of information on U.S. intelligence and surveillance operations.

The 37-year-old whistleblower has been living in the Asian nation on three-year permits since, with his most recent document set to expire on April 30 but was automatically extended until June 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic, his lawyer said, adding that Snowden applied for its extension once lockdown measures were eased.

Kucherena said his client is not considering applying for Russian citizenship.

Russia first granted Snowden asylum in 2013 after arriving from Hong Kong, where U.S. authorities had sought his extradition.

He was granted a three-year extension to stay in Russia in 2014, which was extended a further three years in 2017.

Air pollution killed nearly a half-million newborns last year, study says


A woman wears a face mask while walking in Beijing, China, amid hazardous levels of air pollution. Wednesday's report said people in Asia, Africa and the Middle East are the most affected by air pollution. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- New research Wednesday says air pollution is the leading cause of death for newborns in their first month of life, and was responsible for killing nearly a half-million babies last year.

The "State of Global Air 2020" report was compiled and published by the Health Effect Institute.

The study said 476,000 newborn babies died last year due to pollution, most of whom lived in underdeveloped nations.

"Air pollution is linked with an increased risk of low birth weight and preterm birth," it states. "Babies born too small or too early are more susceptible to health problems such as lower-respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, brain damage and inflammation, blood disorders, and jaundice."

The analysis said about two-thirds of deaths last year resulted from indoor pollution, like burning charcoal, wood and animal dung for cooking -- and more than 90% of the global population experienced fine particle air pollution that exceeded safety guidelines from the World Health Organization.

"In 2019, air pollution moved up from the fifth to the fourth leading risk factor for death globally, continuing to exceed the impacts of other widely recognized risk factors for chronic diseases like obesity, high cholesterol, and malnutrition," the report states.

The assessment said the only causes of early death that ranked higher than pollution were high blood pressure, tobacco use and poor diet.

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"Over the last several decades, scientists have continued to build an extensive body of evidence on the risks that breathing poor-quality air poses to human health and our environment, perhaps the most extensive evidence that exists for any environmental risk factor," the study notes.

"Despite all that is known about the effects of air pollution on health, the findings in 2019 show that little or no progress has been made in many parts of the world."

Travel restrictions imposed after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic early this year, the researchers said, led to a brief improvement of global air quality.

"As restrictions have lifted, emissions have risen -- quickly erasing any gains in air quality," it says. "Since air pollution's most substantial health burdens arise from chronic, long-term exposure, COVID-19 has offered only a temporary respite from air pollution."

The report says residents in India face the most air pollution, followed by populations in Nepal, Niger, Qatar and Nigeria. It said Asia, Africa and the Middle East have been affected most by air pollution.

South Korea police launch investigation into delivery worker's death

South Korea police are investigating a delivery worker death following the discovery a note detailing grievances about work conditions. 

File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- South Korean authorities are investigating the death of a delivery driver who left behind a note detailing unfair contract terms with his company.

The probe follows a statement of concern from President Moon Jae-in on the status of essential workers amid COVID-19.

Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency said Wednesday it is assembling a team of 14 detectives to probe the driver's death and verify the note, Yonhap reported.

The death of the unidentified driver has been ruled a suicide, according to local press reports. The man's death comes after at least 11 delivery workers across the country have been found dead since the pandemic. Overwork leading to exhaustion and illness has been cited as the cause for many deaths.

The note left in the case of the latest driver, who worked for local logistics company Logen, was found Tuesday. The note began with the words, "I have been wronged," according to local television network KBS.

The note included grievances toward Logen. According to the written statement, the company required the driver to pay up front a security deposit and also pay a premium for the right to deliver packages in an area of Busan, South Korea's second-biggest city. The note went on to say those payments reduced his salary.

Kim In-bong, secretary general of a national logistics workers union, told KBS the security deposits are a common feature of contracts with top logistics companies, including CJ Logistics. CJ Logistics is part of CJ Group, one of the country's biggest conglomerates.

The company is to issue a formal apology on Thursday, according to lawmakers visiting a CJ logistics center on Wednesday, Yonhap reported.

Workers under contract with CJ Logistics have recently died, including a man in his late 40s with the surname Kim, on Oct. 8. Another CJ employee in his late 30s was found dead at his residence on Oct. 12, according to the report.

"COVID-19 is increasingly pushing the livelihoods of workers within economic blind spots, including those of special-employment type workers, towards the brink," Moon said Tuesday.