Latest news

The 2024 US election

A record number of US politicians do not run for re-election 

 

In the past month, 13 members of the United States Congress have announced that they are not running for re-election. There are a record number and, according to Axios, the explanation lies in "a perfect storm" of natural retirements and that politicians are saddened by childishness and chaos.  

 

The last reason is connected to the age debate in American politics. The average age of the members of the Senate is the highest ever and 79 percent of Americans believe that age limits should be introduced for elected politicians. 

 

In total, seven senators and 31 members of the House of Representatives have announced that they will not run for re-election next year, which could affect the balance of power in 2025. Currently, more Democrats than Republicans are refraining from seeking re-election.

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The fight against HIV 

LGBTQ hatred and discrimination threaten the fight against HIV 

 

 The global fight against HIV and AIDS is being slowed by new restrictions on human rights in several parts of the world. This is stated by Winnie Byanyima, head of the UN agency Unaids, for Reuters. 

 

HIV infection is increasing mainly in countries in Eastern Europe and North Africa that have introduced new laws against LGBTQ people. Discrimination and lack of sex education are other problems.  

 

- The counter-movement against human rights, democracy and equality threatens our work, says Winnie Byanyima to Reuters.  

 

According to Unaids, it is still possible to reach the goal of eradicating AIDS globally by 2030, but only if enough support goes to interventions for the most vulnerable groups - something that is not happening today, writes AFP. 

 

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The trans rights debate British transgender act could lead to UN blacklisting  

 

Britain's Commission for Equality and Human Rights may be ported from the UN Human Rights Council, The Telegraph reports. The reason is that the commission, in advice to politicians, has suggested that the legal term for gender should be defined by biological sex.  

 

British trans groups, including Stonewall, have protested the proposal and lobbied for the UN to launch a review of the commission, which it has now done.  

 

If the UN decides to strip the UK of its A status, it will mean that the Commission will no longer have a seat at the UN Human Rights Council. The Commission can also be ported from additional UN bodies.  

 

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission, says she is "disappointed" that the UN has launched a review. 

 

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Variant of swine flu found in humans  

 

For the first time, a variant of swine flu called H1N2 has been confirmed in a human in Great Britain, Vetenskapsradion reports.  

 

The virus usually affects pigs and it is very rare that it also infects humans. Only around 50 cases have been identified since 2005 and only a few of these have been in Europe.  

 

The infected person must have only had mild respiratory symptoms.  

 

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Finland's NATO membership  

The last Finnish transition towards Russia is closed 

 

Finland is closing the last open border crossing with Russia, the government announced according to Helsingin Sanomat.  

 

The Raja-Jooseppi border station, which is the northernmost, will only be open for goods traffic. The closure applies until December 13. 

 

The decision comes after Russia helped asylum seekers from other countries get to the Finnish border. Over 600 people without valid travel documents have come to Finland from Russia during November. The Kremlin denies that they were behind the sudden increase. 

 

 Last week, all border crossings were closed except Raja-Jooseppi.