Tuesday, December 10, 2024 What you need to know: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights would, seven decades later, become the backbone of justice systems worldwide, ending epochs of unquestioned barbarism, under which countless injustices had been perpetuated. International Human Rights Day marks 74 years today, having first been observed on December 10, 1950, exactly two years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was promulgated on the same date, December 10, 1948. Thus today is a very important day globally, as, using the words of the United Nations, “it commemorates the anniversary of one of the world’s most ground-breaking global pledges (UDHR).” This ground-breaking pledge is of utmost importance as it protects everyone from the dangers and possibilities of being treated as less human or as less deserving
Author Archives: The Esbec Team
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), has nominated Rawhi Fattouh to take over if he cannot continue in his post due to poor health. As Israel continued its war on Gaza – killing more than 44,000 people and injuring and starving countless others – criticism of Abbas and his presidency heightened. Abbas, 89, who also leads the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), was elected president of the PA in 2005, a year after then-leader Yasser Arafat died. So why is he nominating a successor now and how would the succession process go? Rawhi Fattouh arrives to attend the inauguration ceremony of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkiye on June 2, 2023 [Metin Aktas/Anadolu via Getty] First, what’s the Palestinian Authority? The PA was established as an interim
Fred Harris, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential hopeful and populist who championed Democratic Party reforms in the turbulent 1960s, died Saturday. He was 94. Harris’ wife, Margaret Elliston, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. It was not immediately clear where he died, but he had lived in New Mexico since 1976 and was a resident of Corrales at the time of his death. “Fred Harris passed peacefully early this morning of natural causes. He was 94. He was a wonderful and beloved man. His memory is a blessing,” Elliston said in a text message. Harris served eight years in the Senate, first winning in 1964 to fill a vacancy, and made unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1976. It fell to Harris, as chairman of the Democratic
The Israelis reportedly left the shop quickly but the shopkeeper was said to have followed them outside with her shovel raised. The backpackers recorded the incident. By JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 24, 2024 09:36 A shopkeeper at Flinders Tobacco, Queensland, Australia, calls a customer a ‘dirty f***ing Jew’ outside the shop. November 23, 2024. (Credit: Anti-Defamation Commission) Two Israeli backpackers visiting Townsville, in Queensland, Australia, were subjected to an antisemitic verbal attack on Saturday by a local tobacco shop worker, the Anti-Defemation Commission (ADC) reported on Sunday. The ADC is an Australian civil rights organization that combats antisemitism and other forms of hate. It was established in 1979 and now works to bridge communities, collect data on antisemitism and other biases, and respond to incidents of discrimination. As the two
The NGOs want the Netherlands to ban the export and transit of weapons, weapon parts, and dual-use items to Israel. Pro-Palestinian organisations have taken the Dutch state to court, urging a halt to arms exports to Israel and accusing the government of failing to prevent what they termed a “genocide” in Gaza. They argue that the Netherlands, a staunch ally of Israel, has a legal obligation to do everything in its power to stop violations of international law and the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. “Today, the plaintiffs are here to hold the Dutch state accountable for failing to comply with international law by failing to intervene against violations of the rights of the Palestinian people committed by the state of
It’s widely acknowledged that South Africa’s public healthcare system has too few healthcare workers, especially medical doctors, certain specialists, and theatre nurses. Less recognised, however, is the shortage of public sector pharmacists. Spotlight lifts the lid on this until now largely hidden problem – and its impact. There are too few public sector pharmacy posts across South Africa to deliver a comprehensive service, with no clear staffing norms, and an uneven distribution of pharmacists, especially in rural districts. This contributes in part to medicine stockouts and the emergence of deadly hospital-acquired drug-resistant infections. This is according to Dr Andy Gray, a senior lecturer in the Division of Pharmacology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Health Sciences and co-head of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and
In southern Pakistan, a young surfing community is determined to go professional, despite a lack of resources. With no access to shops or equipment, they often use discarded boards or resin and glue to make their own. Using videos to teach themselves, they are determined to reach Asian championships, and then the Olympics. Advertisement
The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday afternoon (Nov 21, 2024) destroyed defective ballot papers printed for the Ahafo and Volta regions for the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections. There were serial number issues with the ballot papers at the press house and so the EC took a decision to destroy all ballot papers meant for the Ahafo and Brong Ahafo regions and print new ones. The ballot papers were burnt at the Adipa Waste Management Centre, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region. It was due to serialisation errors encountered during the printing process. The affected ballots were burnt in the presence of representatives from political parties, the National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Police Service, the media, and officials from the EC. The destroyed materials included 184 presidential ballot paper bags
Getty Images Last year’s Coronation of King Charles III cost taxpayers £72m, government figures have revealed. Just over £50m was spent by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which coordinated the event, while policing costs came to almost £22m, which were paid for by the Home Office. The DCMS described the Coronation as a “once-in-a-generation” moment and the figures came broadly within unofficial estimates, which suggested it would be between £50 and £100m. The Coronation in May 2023 had been described as a “slimmed down affair”, with the Westminster Abbey guest list only a quarter of the size of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation at the same venue in 1953. Being a state event, the Coronation was paid for by the UK Government and Buckingham Palace through the Sovereign
Manchester United’s new manager Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first game on Sunday when he leads his side to Ipswich Town in the Premier League. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach and former player was announced as Erik ten Hag’s replacement at the helm of the fallen giants this month. Al Jazeera takes a look at five things you need to know about Amorim before his debut: 1. The new ‘Special One’? The latest Portuguese managing sensation to be dubbed “the new Mourinho” – after former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho – Amorim arrives with quite the reputation as a coach even in his fledgling career. Amorim established himself as one of the most sought-after young coaches in world football at Sporting Lisbon, but his challenge in
If you care about Israel’s future—and I know you do—then it’s time to act. Meet with the rabbis. Challenge them. Urge them to find solutions. By ZVIKA KLEIN NOVEMBER 21, 2024 21:23 Using donations to force change in Haredi draft row. (photo credit: Dall-E) I recently returned from a visit to the United States—a fascinating time to be there, fresh off the 2024 presidential elections, with the Trump administration gearing up for its second act. One morning, I found myself praying in a modern Orthodox synagogue. As the service concluded, the rabbi announced that a rabbi from Israel, representing a haredi yeshiva, had come to collect donations. Normally, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought. After all, supporting Torah learning is a deeply ingrained value in Jewish
LONDON — A suspicious package was discovered outside the United States embassy in London on Friday morning, police said. The London Metropolitan Police immediately closed Ponton Road outside of the embassy in “an abundance of caution,” according to their statement, before they destroyed it in a controlled explosion. “We’re aware of speculation online about an incident in the vicinity of the US Embassy in Nine Elms,” the Met Police said. “Cordons are in place in the area as a precaution while officers investigate a suspect package.” Authorities updated the situation approximately an hour later after reports of a “loud bang” began circulating online. Firefighters stand near the U.S. Embassy, amid ongoing investigation following an incident in London, Britain, November 22, 2024. REUTERS/Mina Kim Mina Kim/Reuters “We can confirm that the
The US House passed legislation on Thursday that would give the Treasury Department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it claims support terrorism, alarming civil liberties groups about how a second Trump presidency could invoke it to punish political opponents. The bill passed 219-184, with the majority of the support coming from Republicans who accused Democrats of reversing course in their support for the “common sense” proposal only after Donald Trump was elected to a second term earlier this month. Speaking on the House floor ahead of the vote, congressman Jason Smith, Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said his colleagues across the aisle would still be supporting the bill if Vice-President Kamala Harris won the presidential election. “And we, as members of Congress
Kate Actress’s firstborn Leon Kamau cleared form four, and the mum of two took to social media to rejoice The content creator thanked the Almighty for standing by her as a single mum before she met her ex-husband, Phil Karanja Kenyans lauded Kate for her maturity, saying that they loved how she acknowledged Phil, her ex-husband Talented actress Kate Actress has elatedly celebrated her firstborn Leon Kamau clearing high school. Kate Actress thankful that her son has cleared school. Photo: Kate Actress.Source: Instagram Did Kate’s son clear school? The award-winning actress is a mother of two. She conceived her first child just three months after she joined Makerere University in Uganda, forcing her to drop out and take care of her son. The mother of two was emotional as Leon
A Kenyan official has been mentioned in a case that seeks to disqualify Tanzania from AFCON 2025 The official was the match commissioner when Tanzania beat Guinea to qualify for Morocco next year TUKO.co.ke looks at the facts and roles of a match commissioner and Guinea’s case against Tanzania The Guinea Football Federation has listed every misdoing they believe happened during their game against Tanzania on November 19. Guinea travelled to Dar es Salaam to play Taifa Stars in a do-or-die match in the race to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations. Tanzania captain Mbwana Samatta in action against Guinea on November 19, 2024. Credit, @Taifa Stars.Source: Twitter Why Tanzania could be disqualified from AFCON Syli National lost the game 1-0 and failed to qualify for AFCON 2025.