Saturday 30 July 2016

Post No. 912 – For Sunday evening’s meditation-clearing



For everyone’s convenience:   the reminders / explanations about Sunday’s meditation-clearing are here;   a simplified blogiography of posts related to this work is here,   a list of themes I have identified here;   my changing the personality of oppressors and other world leaders post is here;   (see here for some investigation into evidence of the effectiveness of this type of work … and also here and here are interesting);   a range of information on emotions is here, and suggestions on how to work with emotions is here;   this copy of a speech to one of the Parliament of World Religions has excellent, helpful insights on generational transmission of harm, the cost of war, and ways to heal our hearts;   and   this post reminds us to be patient and persistent, like a “speeding oak” (and I like the comment about a sudden “shift” being just another form of apocalyptic thinking).
Now, the purpose of posting these news links (and, incidentally, these posts are the equivalent of a re-tweeting service, or, at best, a commentary site: I am NOT a journalist, and make NO claims to objectivity or freedom from bias or trying to cover all [there are often more than two] sides of an issue – see here) is not only to inform:   it is also to stimulate a connection to nonBPM units that need to be cleared and BPM units that need to be strengthened, so that you can do the clearing / strengthening that is required.   That only works if you don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by this, so take it in small chunks if you need to, but remember to actively clear and heal! … including yourself.
Further to that, in the same way that activists used to argue that “the personal is political”, the energies we use and manifest in our daily lives contribute to the larger soup of energies that influence world events. If you want to, for example, improve the communication of nations, improve yours. To help stop abuses of power, be always ethical in your conduct. Want peace? Then work in an informed, understanding, intelligent and nuanced way for peace in yourself and your life.
Also, it is absolutely VITAL that this psychic / metaphysical / spiritual work be performed non-violently and as is for the Highest Spiritual Good – which is part of being BPM – on all levels and in all ways. Always remember (see here): Do you fight to change things, or to punish? See also here, here, here, here, here, and my comments about “authentic presence” in this post.
Finally, remember that many others are very capably doing this type of work – for instance, the Lucis Trust's Triangles network (which has been running for many decades),   the Correllian Tradition's 'Spiritual War for Peace' (begun in 2014, and see also here and here), the Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Spell (also from the Correllian Tradition, in around 2007 or 2008),   the Healing Minute started by the late, great Harry Edwards (held at 10 AM and 10 PM local time each day, and has been running for decades);   the “Network of Light”  meditations;   and   also see here and here – even commercial organisations are getting involved (for instance, see here), and there are online groups (e.g. here and here – which I’m not members of, and thus do not know the quality of). No doubt there are many others, so, if you don't like what I am suggesting here, but want to be of service, there are many other opportunities for you. I also point out that more than just psychic work is required – activism in the physical world, even if it is “only” writing letters to politicians / the media will help, as will a whole range of other stuff. To stimulate some ideas on this aspect of service, see here , here and here, and, of course, here.
(Please note that I now specifically have a role for (absent) healers on Saturdays, as explained in the Psychic Weather Report posts. Anyone who wishes to be protector has a role every day :) , including – perhaps particularly - the first permanent issue I list below. At all times, on all levels and in ways, BOTH must ALWAYS be BPM in the way they perform such roles.)
If I am ever late getting my Psychic Weather Report up any week, the default plan is to build up energy in the “Shield of Hope” on Sunday, send energy to West Asia / the Middle East on Monday, and then extend that to include Europe on Tuesday, the USA on Wednesday, East and South East Asia on Thursday and Africa on Friday.
Now, the themes – short, medium and long term - that come to mind for my work this week, after I review all this news, are (and no apologies if this repeats the themes of any previous weeks – in fact, given the size of this task, that is to be expected):
(a)   based on my interpretation of information here and here with Saturn in Sagittarius contributing to finding an authentic balance (until 20th December, 2017), Uranus in Aries contributing to fresh and possibly radical starts (until some date in the Year 2018), and Pluto in Capricorn contributing to a transformation of power and business (and careers) (until some date in the Year 2024), conditions are ripe for a change for the better in world politics;
(b)   there is an enormous need to clear nonBPM energy – the thought forms, unattached energy and scars of the collective unconscious created by millennia of violence. This need includes rescuing those who have been trapped by that history, and healing the warped views, seemingly “inherent” biases, and other damage done by the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual violence committed on scales large and small in that timeframe;
(c)   viewing the overall emotional state of the world from an elemental point of view, this week we need more Æther, BPM Earth and BPM Water;
(d)   people need to consider those who are not like them in a BPM sense or in different parts of the life cycle – young need to consider old and vice versa, new technology adopters need to consider those who don’t and vice versa, those who want excitement and fast ace need to consider those who want a quiet, peaceful life and vice versa – in all areas of life: politics, employment, families of choice (friends) and relation, fulfilling purpose, and so on;
(e)   language and words are powerful: what is the right language/words changes;
(f)   connectivity is an issue this week –for good and bad, as is responsibility in all ways (including responsible use of power) and social equity and justice;
(g)   lack of breadth of life experience is a potentially crippling flaw: it can be overcome by things such as good reading or good viewing (tabloid/trash/yellow media does NOT count);
(h)   nonviolence is still showing itself to be a viable, effective option;
(i)   there has been some good work against discrimination, although there is also clearly a long way to go;
(j)   leopards are still trying to change their spots;
(k)   the counter to fear is genuine  EQ and clear thinking, expressed through calm, de-escalating speech;
(l)   peace is powerful, but it is a process requiring patient (not impatient!), persistent and nuanced nurturing, and a blend of conventional spiritual work, clearing nonBPM units, and physical world activism;
(m)   where problems exist, advocating for BPM responses, and being as BPM as one can be, and constructive solutions - as is clearing nonBPM units;
I also take this opportunity to repeat that it is absolutely VITAL that this psychic / metaphysical / spiritual work be performed non-violently and as is for the Highest Spiritual Good – which is part of being BPM – on all levels and in all ways. Always remember (see here): Do you fight to change things, or to punish? See also here, here, here, here, here, and my comments about “authentic presence” in this post.
News and other matters from this week include the following (opportunities/good news are shown in green; comments are shown in purple; WARNING: some of these links may contain triggers around issues such as violence, sexual assault, discrimination, etc).
  • Permanent issue: may all actual and potential BPM [1] Leaders be kept BPM safe, including keeping them undetectable to the nonBPM and keeping all their Significant Others inviolable against being used for indirect  psychic attack, and may they have all the BPM opportunities and assistance (so-called “good luck”) for them to be BPM effective at influencing the world’s direction, development and unfoldment, all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;
  • Permanent issue: may all humans recognise, irrespective of the appearance of difference, the essential shared humanness of other people, the inherent resilience, the dynamic power, the strength of BPM collaboration, and the opportunities of having a diverse, inclusive and welcoming population, and may all people choose fairness, when such decisions are before them;
  • Permanent issue: may all humans choose to live modestly – to forgo outdoing others, or trying to have more than they need - for the sake of an easier, more manageable life, if they cannot do it for the sake of the planet;
  • With regard to democracy, freedom and governance (e.g., here and here):
       the benefits of employing more over-55s;   an argument for calling corruption what it is: stealing;   a call to stop assuming households are built around a male breadwinner;   a slightly tedious examination of the “moral” aspects of the US Presidency;   an editorial on how to counter the “attack on democracy” (“we cannot sacrifice the principles of democracy and rule of law, but our political system must address the fears and needs that are spawning a yearning for authoritarianism: the need for order and reliability, the longing for identity, clarity, a sense of place, the feeling of a loss of control in the era of globalization. Trying to talk people into believing that they are globalization's winners is of no help if that doesn't correspond with the way they perceive their lives to be. It discredits democracy when European integration is pushed forward even though a majority reject it”);   an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of financial disclosure;   an opinion piece on the connection between money and votes – with a terrifying reference to one of the Brexit backer’s motivation being that it would make everyone insecure and thus work harder … ;   the need for the UK’s Labour party to become a grassroots movement again, as it was when started, reflects what is needed elsewhere, in my opinion;   the problem of an opposition that stays in blocking mode (“there is only one thing worse than one-party autocracy, and that is one-party democracy. At least a one-party autocracy can order things to get done”);   a warning that Erdogan in Turkey is a taste/forerunner of Trump if elected US President;   an interesting analysis of the US Presidential election campaign – and more broadly, other political situations – as Web People vs. Wall People;
       sexism in media reporting of Hilary Clinton’s nomination;   a controversial jailing of an Egyptian auditor who reported on corruption (i.e., theft);   lack of diversity in Australia’s leadership;   the rise in racist hate in the UK since “Brexit”;
       Italian companies will stand trial for corruption in Algeria;
       the father of a slain US soldier who was Muslim has challenged US presidential candidate Trump;   US Presidential Candidate Clinton is focusing on inclusion;
       discrimination in the Australian community, and its intersection with politics;   a Council has erected a temporary change of parking zone, and then fined a car already parked there;   this post bemoaning the decision not to propose former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for the role of UN Secretary-General, whilst correct about the brutality of Australian politics and the importance of relevant UN experience, misses two important facts: (1) that job is NOT about building a nation’s prestige, it about helping the world, and (2) Rudd’s management style was a disaster that I would be loath to inflict on the world as it would potentially damage both the world and Australia’s “prestige”;
  • With regard to violent extremism (aka, terrorism - e.g., Da’esh) (and, incidentally, I consider ALL people advocating hate or discrimination in response to violent extremism to actively be doing the work of violent extremists. This PARTICULARLY includes those cretins [including in the media, and Amnesty International] who use the acronym ISIS (see also here), which is actually the Greek name of the Egyptian Goddess Aset – and others (see also here and here) - and actively perpetuates the patriarchal and sacrilegious evil that violent extremists are trying to accomplish in this world – which will be countered, in part, by the sort of approach advocated by “Cure Violence”, and, in part, by addressing real and perceived disempowerment and acknowledging the variety in what provides genuine, BPM fulfilment as a counter to fanaticism as a source of meaning. I also am inclined, personally, to include here the last two millennia of neochristian and colonialist social engineering, which has led to suppression of women, child abuse, the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc, as violent extremism, but that would take too much explaining. As a final point, I am deliberately avoiding the use of specific names of violent extremist groups as much as possible to reduce the publicity they get – I’m not a primary news source, and thus consider I can do so: any names that are needed are in the articles I have provided links to):
       violent extremist attacks have occurred in Afghanistan (80 dead during a Hazara protest – the attack was not the usual local violent extremist group), Germany, France, Syria, Syria (2nd), Egypt, Turkey, Somalia, Turkey (2nd), Turkey (3rd), Turkey (4th), Turkey (5th) and, according to this Wikipedia page, 22 in Iraq; prevention has or may have occurred in Morocco;   a hate attack in the UK;   Islamophobia on facebook;
       the UN Security Council has urged cooperation among countries in West Africa and the Sahel to tackle violent extremism;   French media is not mentioning the names of violent extremists to avoid “glorification”;   calls for a more nuanced and level headed reaction to the threat of violent extremism;   Japan will contribute $120 million to counter violent extremism in Africa;
       possible links between a history of domestic violence and suppression of characteristics such as homosexuality – and thus homophobia turns around and bites society on the rear – are being considered;  an expert opinion that prison-based de-radicalisation programs are unlikely to help;   a call to resist fear and “the censors, the haters, the authoritarians, religious and secular, the builders of walls, and declare them the enemy of us all, this human race, which will not be dragged against its will into a new dark age”, engendered by violent extremism which has been enabled by the Internet;   “we are now living a military-industrial model of capitalism that feeds off unending conflict;
  • With regard to refugees:   the plight of Syrian refugees stuck by the closure of the Jordanian border;   more questionable (in)action by my nation over refugees;   a court challenge to the secrecy laws around Australia’s refugee gulags;   Germany will continue to accept refugees;   refugees in the Central African Republic;
  • With regard to human rights and discrimination (including associated violence / crime):
       the mixed bag faced by trans athletes, and a media personality shows his bigotry;   in the category of scientists catching up with the obvious, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it may no longer classify being transgender as a disorder, following the publication of a study  in the Lancet medical journal which, echoing previous research, found poor mental health among transgender people is primarily the product of social stigma and violence - this counters the view that being transgender is itself pathological;
       a call for Australia to add justice to the “Closing the Gap” targets;
       Argentina has announced a plan to reduce gender violence;   US women astronauts in the 1960s, and why they never flew;   sexism in media reporting of Hilary Clinton’s nomination;   more activist feminist in Tunisia;   the novel inclusion of a gender perspective in the peace talks that led to a historic ceasefire between the Colombian government and left-wing guerrillas is “a landmark and an inspiration for efforts to solve other armed conflicts in the world”;
       a promising trial to improve access of the “differently abled” to parks;   a mass breastfeeding protest in Argentine (I’m glad we have laws against such discrimination here);   the need for better protection of the aged – and for aged care institutions to have an instinctive and primary focus on caring for their patients, NOT their own legal well being! (that the woman who installed the camera was threatened is unacceptable);   a call for the international community to do more to end the inhumane practice of human trafficking and protect migrants and refugees – particularly young people, women and children – from those who attempt to exploit their opportunity for a better future;   the UN’s human rights office has expressed concern over the three-year prison sentences handed down last week to 30 members of the main opposition party in Gambia, including its leader, following their participation in peaceful protests in mid-April;   the need for secure home ownership for equity and human rights;
  • With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:   a Royal Commission will be held into abuse of children in detention in the Northern Territory, although indigenous groups have not been consulted, and there is a call to just fix the problem –and, in a late twist, the NT government is suing the children for the damages they have caused … ;   hypocrisy on the part of the USA, Russia and other Security Council nations is undermining the International Criminal Court;   a company has attempted to elude a workplace safety fine by going out of business, and then re-starting under a different name;   an examination of the legal situation in my nation with regard to viewing CCTV footage;   there may be a much needed crackdown on alcohol and flying;   Indonesia has created four future (i.e., in their next incarnations) extremely angry people who took a long time to die – long enough for the anger, pain, fear and hate to be focused;   Italian companies will stand trial for corruption in Algeria;   two police officers in the USA have been shot and one killed;   the problem of staggering levels of violence in Central America, and what led to it (deporting gang members from the USA, targeting leaders of cartels, violent security forces);
  • With regard to press aka the media, and freedom of expression (keeping in mind that claims of presenting “both sides” of a debate can be WRONG if the other side is RUBBISH –as is the case on LGBTIQ issues):   sexism in media reporting of Hilary Clinton’s nomination; condemnation of Turkey’s crackdown on the media;
  • With regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle issues (is YOUR smart phone free of conflict  minerals and child labour? I was recently pleasantly to find IT manufacturers now making at least some effort in this regard. Do you suffer from FOMO? Are you being duped by modern mantras? Does your AI use ethics? Does your corporation misuse mindfulness as a distraction from working conditions? Do you understand embedded emissions?):
       the US EPA has made a formal determination that “certain types” of aircraft engines contribute to climate change;   Morocco, with a use of plastic bags only exceeded by the USA, is acting to reduce that problem (as my home state will soon), but appears to be inadequately addressing the problems associated with the waste it will accept from foreign nations;   an afforestation fund bill has been passed in India;   climate change can worsen ethnic conflict;   an article on certified sustainable palm oil production;
       the problem of unsecured public WiFi networks and people not thinking … :   an IVF “expert” has shown their stupidity by arguing that parents have a right, and that it is possible, to select the gender of a (third) child – thus showing either the aforementioned stupidity, or a complete and utter lack of awareness of gender diversity issues;   this short sighted advocacy is utterly silent on older workers and people who struggle with technology – it argues for leaving more people behind;   another idiot driver has crashed whilst indulging in the latest tech game;   an analysis of how some apps are made to be addictive;   cyberhate in the internet’s first 10,000 days – with an apt comment that online misogyny often reflects offline misogyny;
       surprise, surprise: “experts” have found the open office doesn’t work – productivity and peace of mind are adversely affected, and bosses don’t realise just how much – and this is NOT a “bold plan” to fix housing affordability, it’s just tinkering around the edges of how the existing rubbish is funded;
       this “investigation” is poorly conceived it rates as stupid: no-one is arguing exhaustion didn’t exist in the past – the issue is whether it is more or less prevalent (I consider it is far more prevalent now)!;   long overdue consideration of being makeup free;   suggestions for drivers to improve traffic flow;   voluntary reduction of extent of clothing in wardrobes;  a women’s shed (although these initiatives are valuable, the major flaw is that they are stereotypical);   use of an app to increase awareness of homelessness;
  • With regard to education:   the uniform policy at a British school appears to date back to the days of triple breasted suits, with stupid enforcement (as comfortable as possible may mean still uncomfortable or possibly unsafe – it is a stupid statement) highlighted by a “gender bending” protest;   this sort of change to loan recovery for higher education loans in Australia has been under consideration for some time now: from a financial fairness point of view, it has some merit, but from the point of view of encouraging a “smarter” Australia, it is as flawed as the rest of the revised HECS system;
  • With regard to the conflict in Afghanistan (noting that Afghanistan was once a peaceful and modern society, even allowing women in miniskirts, before the Russian invasion – see here):   with the failure of attempts to have peace talks, the Afghani government has switched to military action, with an increase in civilian casualties as a result;
  • With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) also has:
       the UN Secretary-General has cited a shared responsibility to “nurture seeds of peace and prosperity” in Africa, and stressed that building peace and restoring institutions in post-conflict settings are long-term processes that must be rooted in a country’s historical, political, social, cultural and economic contexts;
       with planting season weeks away, millions in drought-hit southern Africa need support;
       a call for South Africa to act wisely and effectively to support change in Zimbabwe – see also here, here, and here;
       South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) looks likely to lose major urban areas it has held since coming to power in 1994 at the end of apartheid;
       the return of a key opposition leader to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been welcomed;
       the UN has condemned extremist violence in Nigeria, as claims are made the government is not serious about talks for peace;   after an attack on a convoy, aid to north-eastern Nigeria has been suspended;
       Italian companies will stand trial for corruption in Algeria;
       refugees in the Central African Republic;
       the UN’s human rights office has expressed concern over the three-year prison sentences handed down last week to 30 members of the main opposition party in Gambia, including its leader, following their participation in peaceful protests in mid-April, and a judge has admitted being pressured;
       Japan will contribute $120 million to counter violent extremism in Africa;
       China will join anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea;
  • With regard to China and East and South East Asia:   heavy rain has killed scores and displaced thousands in China;   China has asked the USA to support resumed talks with the Philippines over the South China Seas;   Chinese propaganda over the South China Sea has extended to a billboard in Times Square with a lie;   China and Russia will hold a military exercise in the South China Sea;   Cambodia is supporting China in the South China Sea dispute;   China has denied that its troops crossed a “Line of Actual Control” (a pragmatic form of border) in an Indian state;   Vietnamese airport screens have been hacked – China would be an obvious suspect, but there is no evidence, let alone proof, and other explanations exist, low in credibility though they be - to dispute Vietnamese claims over the South China Sea … what else can or will be hacked?;
  • With regard to the conflict in Iraq (noting that Iraq was once a peaceful and prosperous society, before the USA / CIA backed revolution – see here):
       the Iraq Body Count project reports 377 killed in the last week;
  • With regard to the Libyan civil war:   fighting is continuing;
  • With regard to Russia:   a Danish assessment of the implausibility that Putin ordered a hack of US emails, which includes a warning for Western journalists against focusing on discrediting Trump ("cynical and vulgar as he is"), but rather to "apply themselves to examining more seriously the grievances of the people who, rightly or wrongly, have decided that his post-liberal message, however confused, speaks for them. In the contest between Trump and Clinton, there's a bigger story than the Kremlin", and "it seems, Western publics are being encouraged to imitate the xenophobic paranoia of which the West itself often, and not always unjustly, accuses Russia. This is something Western societies should seek to avoid. Conspiracy theories offer a flight away from the often ambiguous and unsatisfactory complexity of reality into the comforting embrace of feigned complexity and false certainty of a single cause for everything" – see also here;   Russia may not be as much of a fan of US presidential candidate Trump as is sometimes assumed;   condemnation of Russia’s “relentless” use of cluster bombs;
  • With regard to South and Central America:   nonviolent resistance in Colombia;   the novel inclusion of a gender perspective in the peace talks that led to a historic ceasefire between the Colombian government and left-wing guerrillas is “a landmark and an inspiration for efforts to solve other armed conflicts in the world”;   specific recommendations to enable better protection of refugees from Central and South America, including non-refoulement, no detention (particularly for vulnerable groups), better monitoring, better integration, effective community-based violence prevention programs, jobs, and ending the impunity of corrupt officials and criminals;   the problem of staggering levels of violence in Central America, and what led to it (deporting gang members from the USA, targeting leaders of cartels, violent security forces);
  • With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
       an examination of the conflict between India’s economic and political-security ambitions;   Muslim women have been beaten because they were suspected of carrying beef;   concerns over Indian Prime Minister Modi’s links to violence against Muslims;   an examination of the advantages and disadvantages of financial disclosure;   a call for an end to manual scavenging as  way of earning an income;   an editorial on ending the conflict between judges and lawyers;   an afforestation fund bill has been passed;   despite being one of the biggest grain producers of the world, India lags behind on food security with nearly 25 percent of its population going to bed hungry;
       China has denied that its troops crossed a “Line of Actual Control” (a pragmatic form of border) in an Indian state;
       claims that China will boost Pakistan’s navy;
  • With regard to Sudan and South Sudan:
       extremely disturbing claims UN peacekeepers watched while a woman was raped outside a refugee camp;   an assessment that the flawed peace deal is better than none;   the former Vice President is unhappy with being replaced, as the President is reported to be privately welcoming of foreign troops;
  • with regard to the conflict in Syria:   Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has offered an amnesty to armed rebels battling his forces if they surrender … hmm – yeah, right;   the Red Cross (and the UN) has urged guarantees of safety for those who are trying to flee Aleppo;   one “rebel” group has allegedly split from the violent extremist group it was allied with – the genuineness of this has been rejected here;   an upbeat assessment of the White House’s proposed U.S.-Russian cooperative arrangement against violent extremists in Syria;   condemnation of Russia’s “relentless” use of cluster bombs;   a maternity hospital has been bombed;   scores of civilians have been killed;
  • with regard to Turkey:   condemnation of Turkey’s crackdown on the media;  the turning point currently facing Turkey – see also here;   almost 1,800 people have been killed by violence in the last year in Turkey;   job dismissals as part of the reaction to the attempted coup;   allegations that the United Arab Emirates' government collaborated with coup plotters in Turkey before the unsuccessful attempt was launched;
  • with regard to the conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east:   disturbing evidence a NATO general may have inflamed the conflict in eastern Ukraine;
  • With regard to West Asia / the Middle East, the Middle East Eye and other sources have:
       controversial former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is continuing to work on negotiations between Hamas and Israel;   the US Secretary of State will meet the Palestinian President to discuss progress towards a two state solution;   the role of volunteer international observers armed only with cameras at preventing escalation of violence in Hebron;
       an examination of Palestinian “solidarity” movements in Lebanon;
       a controversial jailing of an Egyptian auditor who reported on corruption (i.e., theft);   Islamic scholars have rejected government-issued sermons, with some concerns it would actually hamper efforts to tackle extremism;   late recognition by Egypt of the potential problems of a dam in Ethiopia;
       Iran is continuing to take hostages;   some Iranian men are wearing hijabs as an act of solidarity with women, which one of a range of acts against being forced to wear the hijab;   over a hundred people have been arrested at a mixed gender party in Iran;
  • With regard to the war in Yemen:   the Houthis may lift the siege of Taiz to allow thousands of injured to leave;   the health system continues to deteriorate in Yemen;  the UN has called for a humanitarian pause in the war in Yemen (UN daily briefing);
  • With regard to natural and other catastrophes:   heavy rain has killed scores and displaced thousands in China;   with planting season weeks away, millions in drought-hit southern Africa need support;   an appeal for help with the El-Niño induced drought in southern Africa;   the UN has warned of more heatwave deaths as climate change pushes up temperatures;
  • With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and the occasional nice story:   a call from the Parliament of World Religions to recommit to nonviolence;   the 2017 session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has commenced; an examination of the independence of investigations into war crimes;   the limits of counter violent extremism;   the (neo)christian Catholic Church's Pope has said "The world is at war because it has lost the peace. There is war for money. There is war for natural resources. There is war for the domination of peoples. Some might think I am speaking of religious war. No. All religions want peace. It is other people who want war”;   the US has implemented measures to reduce civilian casualties;   nonviolent resistance in Colombia;   climate change can worsen ethnic conflict;   ongoing conflicts around the world have pushed more than 56 million people into “crisis” or “emergency” levels of food insecurity and are hindering efforts to eradicate malnutrition;
I apologise for publishing these posts twice, but Blogger keeps changing my formatting. I can either publish it and then correct the altered formatting and re-publish it, or save and close the post and correct it when I reopen it prior to publishing it, but that leaves an extra copy in my "drafts" folder which I then have to clean up ... 
Regular sources include the Daily Briefings of the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, “War on the Rocks” (a very US-focused site which also has articles I have concerns about, but also a surprising number of gems),  the Early Warning Project blog, the Justice in Conflict blog, the Political Violence at a Glance blog, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the International Crisis Group, the Middle East Eye, The Hindu, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the BBC, Spiegel International, The Conversation, John Menadue’s blog, Wikipedia’s current events portal, Wendell Williams’ blog, George Monbiot’s website, the Campaign Against Arms Trade, the “Cure Violence” blog, the Inter Press Service Agency (IPS), the Lowy “Interpreter” blog (which occasionally has good links about what is happening in the Pacific), and others.
No signature block for these posts.