Some news stories in the regular cycle are simply a matter of quaint pleasure or amusement.

Kuwaiti singer, Ibtisam Hamid, has renounced Islam… to convert to Judaism.

Hamid is known as Basma Al-Kuwaiti.  She announced leaving Islam and proudly converting to Judaism. From her point of view, she considers Islam a “religion of terror and a religion of hypocrisy, which despises women, oppresses and violates them, and does not give them their full rights…”

That’s highly charged language. She, also, made a political claim with “opposition to – and not belonging to – the Al-Sabah family, which rejects normalisation, freedom of religion and freedom of opinion. I show neither loyalty nor affiliation to them.”

The Al-Sabah family is a Kuwaiti royal family refusing to build ties with Israel, which is seen as an occupation state. Hamid is an Iraqi national born to a Kuwaiti mother while being unable to obtain citizenship because of legal restrictions.

Those legal restrictions prevent the mother from passing nationality onto their children. Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates, signed normalization deals with Israel. Kuwait refused until the rights of Palestinians are achieved.

Within the international community for decades, it has been recognized that Palestinians deserve equal rights and Israel is, in part, living and expanding into occupied Palestinian territory by most of the Member States of the United Nations.

In part, Hamid’s move can be considered a sincere change of heart in religious belief and sense of belonging as well as a political act.

With files from MEMO.  

Humanists International’s Lillie Ashworth wrote on the vaccine programmes in progress in several countries within a setup of “accelerated development and approval” for several of them, where this amounts to “an unprecedented scientific achievement.”

Ashworth’s concern in “Vaccines sans frontières: the ethics of equitable vaccine distribution” is the separation between the comparatively wealthier countries and the comparatively poorer countries in the world.

For example, if a country does not have sufficient infrastructure, due in part to its financial status, especially as regards healthcare, then the distribution will be inequitable.

International property law and nationalism are the core issues for the ability of the international community to provide equitable access and distribution of the coronavirus vaccines available at present.

Ashworth stated, “Much of the potential vaccine manufacturing capacity for 2021 has already been spoken for. The European Union, together with Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan have pre-ordered more than half of the global supply. While the People’s Vaccine Alliance has warned that almost 70 developing countries will only be able to vaccinate 1 in 10 people next year.”

Ashworth quoted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying the nationalization, in the sense of turning inwards, vis-à-vis the virus and the vaccines, is futile in the international fight against the global pandemic.

“The more the virus is free to circulate, the more mutations there will be, and the longer it will take for the global economy to recover,” Ashworth wrote.

There are a number of unprecedented facts about the current vaccine unveiling. The first, of course, is the rapidity of its development. Another fact is the distinct demarcations of equitable access based on the income of a country.

Typically, Western and North American nations have higher finances and great medical infrastructure; thus, the access, development, and distribution of the vaccines is far more rapid than in many of the poorer countries in the world.

Additionally, as Ashworth described, “It took years for the antiviral drugs which revolutionized HIV/AIDS treatment in high-income countries to become widely available to African countries. A feat that was only achieved after intensive lobbying by civil society groups and the decision by an Indian company in 2001 to manufacture treatment at a low-cost (today, India continues to supply over 80% of the world’s HIV drugs).”

This rapid development still works through three phases of development for the vaccines to be considered reasonably safe.

Phase 1 deals with some volunteers. This phase assesses the safety of the immunological response to the vaccine and sets some baselines as to the correct dosages. The volunteers, typically, are healthier.

Phase 2 is given to hundreds of volunteers. It examines the immune response looking at volunteers by age, sex, and the like. Those people who the vaccine is intended to help the most. This happens in multiple trials while still within Phase 2.

A comparison group is not given the vaccine to compare and contrast the immune response to the vaccine, as such. It differentiates between possible confounding factors and can show the differences between no vaccine and vaccine cases by different ages and sexes.

Phase 3 is given to thousands of volunteers and then compared to another similar group of volunteers who have not received the vaccine. This creates a robust comparison group of people.

While, Phase 2 and Phase 3 are ongoing; the test volunteers and scientists are blind to who receives the vaccine and who receives the placebos. With the finalization of the trial, the results can show the efficacy of the proposed vaccine. If implemented, so successful, the vaccines are continually monitored for safety in the public domain.

The greatest need is a distribution network or some mechanism by which to implement vaccine rollouts for the international population, such a mechanism exists.

“COVAX, a global procurement mechanism dedicated to ensuring the access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, provides a promising example of multilateralism in action,” Ashworth said, “But will this be enough to overcome the impulse towards vaccine nationalism? Notably, the United States has not signed up to the COVAX facility, and vaccine hoarding behaviour by rich nations undermines the initiative by cutting into global supply.”

Ashworth, rightfully, pointed to the human rights inherent in these vaccine issues globally. That is, the right to health. As noted by the World Health Organization, in its Constitution, “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

Thusly, the ideal is access for all and distribution across the world. The intellectual property law’s being vague is the crux of the matter for Ashworth, who sees the opacity as preventive of the attainment of said rights to health.

A challenge is the market basis for the vaccine program and the development itself. In that, the intellectual property laws can prevent the full distribution of the scientific knowledge behind and about the vaccine to reach an international or global audience in an equitable manner. The prices become standardized by the rendering nations themselves.

“Behind the scenes, a war is currently being waged within the World Trade Organization, where a proposal by South Africa and India to temporarily waive patents on COVID-19 vaccines – supported by 100 mostly low and middle-income countries and endorsed by UN human rights experts – is being blocked by a small group of high-income countries, including Brazil, the European Union, Canada, the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom,” Ashworth wrote.

In turn, those countries with the most financial investment in the vaccine programs around the world have some of the greatest abilities to restrict access to and distribution of the vaccines to countries with far less income, infrastructure, and ability to cope with the blows of the coronavirus seen in even some of the richest countries in the world.

As Member States of the United Nations, the status of a Member State comes with a variety of obligations and responsibilities. 194 countries in the world are officially classified as Member States of the World Health Organization, 193 in the United Nations. Both stipulate international human rights and responsibilities.

Therefore, as stipulated within the Constitution of the World Health Organization, these Member States, or countries with formal membership in the World Health Organization, have duties to fulfill to the international community via the World Health Organization.

Ashworth quotes the UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) General Comment No. 12 on the right to health:

[G]iven that some diseases are easily transmissible beyond the frontiers of a State, the international community has a collective responsibility to address this problem. The economically developed States parties have a special responsibility and interest to assist the poorer developing States in this regard.

Aptly, General Comment No. 24 deals with intellectual property rights. Those which will not deny access to essential medicines as something necessary to the enjoyment of life and health. In turn, this means fulfillment of this so as to enjoy the right to health, and also the constitutional obligations to the World Health Organization, too. This kind of rights-based analysis could form an M.A. thesis because it’s so obvious and necessary to report on it, as Ashworth has done commendably as an intern at Humanists International.

Her main concern stands as valid and evidence-based, as above, and shows the importance of an international infrastructure for equitable distribution of the vaccines to high-income and low-income Member States alike without barriers due to intellectual property, including the expansion of the construction of multilateral efforts seen in COVAX.

With files from Humanists International.

Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash

Apparently, there is an increasing number of prophets emergent in the last couple of years. As there have been a number of self-titled prophets of the gods or a god, or most-often the Abrahamic God, there is an increasing emphasis on making political predictions.

Ruth Graham in The New York Times reported on the proliferation of the ‘prophets’ in the period of the Trump Administration. They are a select group of people within Christian circles.

Those individuals who are part of a hardline Evangelical Protestant Christian movement who believe sincerely in the supernatural powers of their purported prophets.

Those who can see into the future. Those who can make political predictions. Those have some ethereal ability to foretell the future. There is a tendency to promote conspiracy theories amongst these people.

These individuals, interestingly enough, neither offer institutional church life nor a place of life.

“They operate primarily online and through appearances at conferences or as guest speakers in churches, making money through book sales, donations and speaking fees. And they are part of the rising appeal of conspiracies in Christian settings, echoed by the popularity of QAnon among many evangelicals and a resistance to mainstream sources of information,” Ruth wrote.

These are individuals prone to honestly believe in prophetic powers of online ‘prophets.’ One is a 33-year-old Jeremiah Johnson, who predicted former President Donald Trump would win the 2020 election.

As Trump did not win the election, Johnson failed in the prophetic vison of a win. Many others predicted an end to the pandemic by April, 2020. Those failed too.

Graham points to 33-year-old Jeremiah Johnson as one of the many “self-described prophets” who predicted that President Donald Trump would be reelected in 2020 — only to be embarrassed when Joe Biden, now president of the United States, defeated him. Other evangelical “prophets,” according to Graham, predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic would be long gone by April 2020.

AlterNet’s Alex Henderson said, “It is within evangelical Protestant Christianity specifically that the “prophet” phenomenon has caught on in such a big way. Evangelicals are distinct from Mainline Protestants, who range from Lutherans to Episcopalians to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. While evangelicals have strict fundamentalist views and believe that salvation can only come through Christianity, Mainline Protestants tend to be more accepting of non-Christian faiths and are more likely to engage in interfaith activities.”

Allegedly, Graham received death threats when Biden won. Graham said, “I was wrong. I am deeply sorry, and I ask for your forgiveness. I would like to repent for inaccurately prophesying that Donald Trump would win a second term as the President of the United States.”

With files from AlterNet and The New York Times.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

The Greek community in Toronto is in a bit of hot water because of some massive debt numbers coming their way.

They have a debt of $4.5 million. The COVID-19 restrictions due to the pandemic and public health concerns have prevented raising funds. For example, one charitable organization promoting Greek culture in the Greater Toronto Ara wants to sell a property due to financial strains.

The Greek Community of Toronto represents more than 150,000 Canadians of Hellenic descent. Its revenue has dropped by 90%+ with a debt sitting at $4.5 million. Now, by the end of 2021, it will lose earnings of $2 million.

The firs vice president and treasurer of the organization, Nikona Georgakopoulos, stated, “We’re facing reality… These are extremely tough decisions. Nobody on the board wanted to make these decisions, but unfortunately, it’s better we make them now than somebody else making for you… “All of the fundraising events we were able to have in the past we can’t do anymore. Ninety per cent of our revenue is gone right off the bat.”

The organization’s properties include churches and about 40% of its income, while the other approximately 60% of its revenue comes from cultural event, festivals, and Greek schools. With a disappearance of the revenue, and the increasing debt, the Greek community organizations are having to make some of the tough decisions.

With a limit of religious services to 10 people due to the lockdown, it sets a boundary of possibilities for fundraising of some of the religious organizations. Georgakopoulos noted whole buildings are empty, need to be maintained, and cannot be used. It sets limits on the functionality of the public spaces for them.

Georgakopoulos said, “I know the rules are there to protect people from the disease, but unfortunately, from a business perspective, you just can’t make a go of it.”

Typically, the charity can run between 20and 30 fundraising events per annum with A Taste of Danforth as the most prominent. They take advantage of the provincial and federal level grans available to them. However, these do not cover the total expenses of the project.

They may be unlikely to cover more of the expenses with the grants because they’re simply too great. Even the schools, they had about 1,000 students. Now, they have about 100. It becomes another financial shortfall.

An independent advisory committee has formed based on the deliberations of the board of directors to explore solving the financial problems. They proposed selling one of its organization’s properties:

St. John’s & Alexander the Great Cultural Centre (1385 Warden Ave.).

St. Demetrios & Polymenakion Cultural Centre (30 Thorncliffe Park Dr.).

St. Irene’s Church (66 Gough Ave (795 Carlaw Ave.).

Virgin Mary’s Cathedral (136 Sorauren Ave.).

They put out a press release, which stated:

According to our constitution, as board of directors, we have a moral and legal obligation to preserve and promote the Greek Community of Toronto. We have weathered many storms in the past and thrived despite them.

This current situation is unlike anything we have experienced in the past. Eventually, all final decisions will be approved by you.

It is troubling and very saddening to be in a position that forces us to contemplate selling one of our most treasured assets, but the alternative is considerably worse. We hope you agree and are willing to see this through with us. The very survival of the Greek Community of Toronto hangs in the balance.

With files from Farrah Merali.

In Chilliwack, religion in the community and for the school board are factors for consideration in the election cycles. Wits current setup is Board Chair Willow Reichelt, Board Vice-Chair Jared Mumford, Trustee David Swankey, Trustee Heather Maahs, Trustee Darrell Furgason, and Trustee Barry Neufeld, where its former Board Chair is Dan Coulter.

The commentary in some of the news notes a fight between only two sides in spite of four candidates in the running. Apparently, these are in a sort of split around Neufeld. In the past, Neufeld’s remarks have been seen as offensive to a wide range of groups, including the board’s Minister Rob Fleming requesting a resignation by Neufeld.

There is a review ongoing by the province of the board for making the school system an inclusive and welcoming space.

On the split, candidate Brian VanGarderen stated, “Rather than who’s going to be best in the position, it’s one side versus the other. I’m well aware of that.”

VanGardaren is a teacher in Abbotsford who lives in Chilliwack. The controversial Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculum has been an issue in different places throughout the province. For SOGI and Chilliwack, this is an issue here, too.

Candidate Richard Procee argues the SOGI curriculum should be re-evaluated. Another candidate, Adam Suleman, stated that the views of the board do not represent the perspective of the community at large, or Chilliwack.

Suleman is a business analyst and the Treasurer of the SFU Conservatives club. He doesn’t think the board should legislate on religious beliefs because he believes the representation of conservativism of the board is representing religious forms of conservativism. He doesn’t believe in that at all.

“I want to see change in our school district. It’s much needed, and I think a lot of people want to see new faces on this school board. I come from a place of respect for science and respect for people of religious faith. I think they are not mutually exclusive,” Suleman said.

The fourth candidate is Carin Bondar who is a professor at the University of the Fraser Valley and has presented on science in the media for about a decade.

She said, “I take science and make it palatable to all kinds of audiences… I think that my skills of drawing together ideas and presenting them in ways that are constructive, I think those are really good skills for me to use.”

Apparently, there was a small controversy over using the music video of “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus to promote the teaching and evolution. This blew up into attacks online and billboards. School Trustee Darrell Furgason called the video “soft porn” and then “mocking the creation beliefs of the Christian community,” which is to state the ignorance proclaimed as fact by Furgason’s brand of Christianity.

Bondar stated, “I think that sets such a shameful example, really and truly, let’s stop that… We are growing rapidly out here, and I don’t think that those dismissive views really represent a large portion of our population at all. We’ve very open and diverse.”

With files from Julie Landry.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash