Post No. 774 – For Sunday evening’s meditation-clearing

For everyone’s convenience, I’ve shifted the reminders / explanations about Sunday’s meditation-clearing to this post. I have a simplified blogiography of posts related to this work here, a list of themes I have identified here, and my changing the personality of oppressors post, which I am contemplating expanding to include some key people to work on, is here. (Also, see here for some investigation into evidence of the effectiveness of this type of work, which shows variability [and mentions causes] and cycles in the energetic/consciousness response … and also here is interesting.) A range of information on emotions is here, and suggestions on how to work with emotions is here.

The purpose of posting these news links is not only to inform: it is also to stimulate a connection to nonBPLF units that need to be cleared and BPLF units that need to be strengthened. 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.

Also, 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.

Finally, remember that many others are 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 the website was recently updated to include many more activities), 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 10Am and 10PM local time each day, and one can pay to be officially registered. This also has been running for decades);   and   also see here and here, and even commercial organisations are getting involved (for instance, see here). No doubt there are many others.

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 20^th 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 nonBPLF 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, overall, an elemental energy view of the world is that we need less Water (too much emotion of fear), and more Earth (stability) and Æther (insight);

   (d)   history is a harsh task master: hidden motives have a tendency – particularly in this day and age – of coming to light eventually. Better to keep that in mind, and have proper BPLF transparency up front;

   (e)   the psychic energy behind the current anti-refugee movements is exactly the same energy as that which led to the Holocaust. It has been weakened and diluted by time, the good efforts of many people, and by being spread out across many nations, but it is the same energy. This, the battle for refugee rights, the battle against fear, xenophobia and other forms of small-mindedness, the battle against the greedy, selfish, self-centred, grasping of trying to hold desperately to what one THINKS one has that one THINKS is unique (i.e., the bleatings of so-called patriotic organisations – which is inherently fallacious, from a spiritual point of view), matters in the same way that the fight against Nazism mattered in World War Part Two (and still matters). There will be spiritual and, I hope, legal accountability for those who have caused the refugee problem, but that is a separate issue. In the meantime, non-violent BPLF action – on many levels of reality - is required against the energies of fear, hate and xenophobia – and it MUST be non-violent and BPLF, or it risks feeding another type of nonBPLF energy in to replace whatever nonBPLF energy has been removed (which may be one reason – of many - that the energy has lasted so long). For those reading this, the best non-violent BPLF action is finding and clearing these nasty, long-lasting, pernicious nonBPLF units;

   (f)   nuances, things like the difference between radicalism and terrorism, are important;

   (g)   proportionate responses, often talked about in the context of war, are also important in the context of society, risk and change;

   (h)   research suggests that humans are mostly good people, trying to cope with bad things;

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 BPLF [1] Leaders be kept BPLF safe, including keeping them undetectable to the nonBPLF and keeping all their Significant Others inviolable against being used for indirect  psychic attack, all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;

   with regard to democracy, freedom and governance:   the current president of Belarus has won his fifth election in a row, in a process that was widely accused of being unfair and undemocratic;   a call for Cote d’Ivoire to plan for peaceful elections now and in the future;   an analysis of the threats to sovereignty and other flaws of the Trans Pacific partnership;   a visibly shaken president of Vanuatu has addressed the nation expressing "shame and sorrow" after his acting president used interim executive powers to issue pardons to recently-convicted MPs, including himself;   fringe radicals can't undermine Australia's love of multiculturalism unless we let them;   Myanmar election officials have suggested postponing November elections, just as the main opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi appeared to be heading for a historic victory;   police brutality spells trouble for Uganda’s elections;   Kyrgyzstan appears to be headed for a coalition government, after a contested election – which, without a foregone conclusion, was an achievement in itself;   the chief of Australia’s domestic spy agency, ASIO, defied a direct (albeit verbal, not in writing) order from then Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1974 to sever all ties with America’s Central Intelligence Agency – which, well meaning though it was, is an appalling piece of subversion;

   with regard to Da’esh and violent extremism generally:   two explosions at a peace rally in the Turkish capital Ankara have killed over 100 people and injured 400, with claims the police stopped access to ambulances – see also here;   the NSW government and Australian attorney-general are taking a populist response (including plans to withhold evidence from those charged) to the recent killing of a police employee by a boy, and proposing more drastic control measures (do any of them comply with the recommendations of NSW’s recent summit on the prevention of radicalisation?) - see here for a critique of Australia’s responses to terrorism, which argues that increasingly draconian measures are counterproductive;   police in Kashmir have directed 40 youth away from extremism, after tracking their use of social media;  the UN Secretary-General has condemned the two simultaneous suicide attacks in Cameroon on 11^th October, which killed scores of people, by suspected Boko Haram groups;   Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has highlighted the power of the internet as security agencies meet to discuss Australia's growing terror threat, and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Colvin stressed there was the risk of "over-policing" on the issue and that early intervention without the involvement of police officers would help reduce the risk to the community;, and acknowledged that there are links between terrorism and organised crime;   Washington has announced it is sending about 300 troops to Cameroon, as it steps up its effort to counter the terrorist group Boko Haram;   Aware Girls continues its campaign to stop young people from joining violent extremists in Pakistan – and its approach has lessons for elsewhere;   the difference between radicalism and terrorism;

   with regard to refugees:   doctors at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Victoria have decided to refuse to return clients to detention centres, in a decision that is both ethical and – appallingly – illegal;   the High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, has concluded his visit weekend visit to Lesbos, Greece, and said that European governments are yet to match the "gigantic effort" that the island and its people have made (but see also here) and a Europe-wide approach remains crucial;   the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that most Bhutan refugees in Nepal will receive a 30 per cent smaller food ration from next year as part of an effort by the agency to stretch limited resources to ensure full rations can continue for the poorest and most vulnerable people;   in Australia, a Federal Opposition frontbencher has broken ranks and called for an end to 'inhumane' indefinite offshore detention (good on her – the first Labor MP to show an ethical stance on the issue, in my view);   an assessment of youth radicalisation which argues for intervention as early as is possible;   police on Nauru have raided the Save the Children organisation, including taking personal items, in an attempt to find a journalist’s source, as the UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression, David Kaye, worries whistleblower protections are at risk of being ‘chipped away’ in Australia;   the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is concerned over the recent attack at the Kousseri site for internally displaced Chadians. UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have been trying to help provide protection and assistance to tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes by the conflict with Boko Haram. These attacks have been condemned by the Secretary-General;   a range of events have been organised to welcome refugees in Poland;   “cold” vs. “hot” racism;   UNHCR staff had to be evacuated from a crowded registration site after violence flared up as frustration among refugees and migrants boiled over, which the UNHCR said underscored once again the urgent need to rapidly establish proper reception facilities in Greece;   an Afghan migrant was shot by Bulgarian border guards while trying to cross from Turkey and died on his way to hospital;

   with regard to human rights and discrimination (including associated violence / crime):   the UN has criticised the World Bank for either marginalising or ignoring human rights in its policies;   an examination of the connections between ageing, disability and human rights protection;   the UN Security Council has adopted resolution 2242 unanimously, urging Member States, to assess strategies and resources needed in implementing the women, peace and security agenda. The Secretary-General stressed the need to step up efforts for women’s empowerment;   an incident of discrimination by a body corporate in Port Melbourne;   the need to change Australia’s conversation about terrorism and Islam was illustrated by reaction to a Twitter post;

   with regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:   a suicide has highlighted the pressures on police and other emergency service workers;   the release by the Nauruan government and its Australian public relations company of the identity of a sexual assault complainant on Nauru, with graphic details of the alleged attack, has been criticised as an “extraordinary” breach of privacy (and possibly Australian law?);   on the basis of this article, this appears to be an example of aggressive policing inflaming a situation that was started by the police officer on the basis of racial profiling. I’m glad the Council is following this up, but have to seriously question the first police officer’s decision making and, particularly given the recent incident, the police department’s biases;   a US gun shop has been ordered to pay millions to police officers injured by a gun bought in an illegal sale  and see here for some balanced comments on the topic of gun control;   Nauru's Police Force is facing fresh scrutiny after it emerged that a man convicted of rape was allowed to join the police reserves;  at least five pardoned prisoners are still being held in jails in Egypt;   a case in Cleveland has shown the benefits of police body cameras;

   with regard to media and freedom of expression:   the Taliban has unrolled its latest media hit list;   Human Rights Watch has called for Iran’s judiciary to vacate the conviction of the Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian after an unfair trial;

   with regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle issues:   although it is very New Agey and thus a bit off-putting (for me – and, as a result, I didn’t watch every single bit of the embedded film), and I have a few technical disagreements, the advantages of connection with earth energy are well discussed here;   a woman in the USA has sued her nephew (unsuccessfully) over a broken wrist when he jumped into her arms for a hug. Her lawyers have said this was forced by her medical insurance company. Either way, it is absurd – either the idiotic medical “system” in the USA, or its litigious proclivity – which is why the ISDS is such a massive threat to sovereignty (and note the USA biased perspective in the linked article: from where I am, this is about a foreign company threatening my country, my lifestyle and my people’s wellbeing);   small dietary improvements as a result of a recent, flawed measure – and this, and more, is needed;   some sensible planning rules, aimed at avoiding problems such as overcrowding, allegedly “stun” foreign investors;   what idiot would post a photo of their boarding pass? Article sets out the problems this can cause;

   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):   the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed anger at the murder of a staff member in the southern city of Kandahar;   13,000 families have fled Kunduz;   the US will extend its military presence;

   with regard to China:   capitalising on its domestic air industry, China is modernising its air force at an unprecedented rate;   criminals in China is the main source of ingredients used in manufacturing the drug “ice” in Australia, but other countries including India and Thailand were also points of ice transit and production. Measures aimed at cutting off supply are not as effective as helping drug addicts, but action is proposed, working in conjunction with Chinese authorities;

   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):   Iraqi forces are starting operations to retake Baiji and Ramadi, and are close to retaking the country’s largest oil refinery;

   with regard to the Libyan civil war:   Libya's rival parliament and government have rejected a UN-proposed peace deal installing a national unity government, with one lawmaker saying on Monday it would deepen rifts in the North African nation;

   with regard to Russia:   Latvia is improving its air defence systems;   Russia claims to have foiled a terrorist attack on its public transport system by Da’esh;   Russia cruise missile strike has caused an airline alert, as several of Russia’s theories have been rejected (see here for an analysis of Russia’s obfuscation);
(see also Syria, as many reports related to Russia are there)

   with regard to Sudan and South Sudan:   in Bentiu, in Unity State, the UN Mission in the country, UNMISS, has reported that a number of shots have been fired into its protection of civilians site, where some 108,000 displaced persons are being protected, injuring four;   “Sudan’s war on women and girls”;

   with regard to the conflict in Syria:   so much for Russia’s “efforts”, as Da’esh closes in on Syria’s largest city, Aleppo (some reports directly blame Russia for that) – and, should it fall, we can expect to see a major escalation of the refugee problem;   an advanced type of Russian cluster munition was used in an airstrike southwest of Aleppo on 4^th October, 2015;   a critique of US motivations and actions (including allegations of a failure to take all opportunities to attack Da’esh) – and see also here, which includes behind-the-scenes commentary from the White House, identification of issues such as false choices, and criticises the lack of military aid (at what stage does one have to – or, perhaps, morally should - declare war to avoid actions being clandestine / underhanded? It appears likely early military assistance would have led to better results for the rebels, but how would Obama have legally justified it? R2P probably wasn’t applicable in the earliest stage, and if they go down the “regime change” approach without extensive preparation and talking, many nations would become very nervous);   Amnesty International has accused Syrian Kurdish forces of committing war crimes by deliberately demolishing homes, in some cases "razing and burning entire villages". the USA will investigate these claims, which the Kurds have denied;   the US is divided in its assessments of how it is doing in the Syrian “quagmire”;   a coalition of Arab and Kurdish forces are planning on attacking Da’esh’s capital;   Houthis have detained activists who were trying to transport water to the besieged city of Taiz;   Russia has set up a hotline with Israel to help prevent clashes;   an assessment of the possibility that Russia and Iran may form an alliance;   an assessment that Russia’s military campaign has been targeting al-Qaeda’s Syrian franchise, Jabhat al-Nusra or al-Nusra Front, who the USA have been arming, not “moderate” rebels;

   with regard to Turkey:   an analysis of Turkey’s attitudes towards Syria, concluding that they have not changed from the remove Assad position;   an analysis of the tensions and risks in Turkey, which concludes “Few believe that Turkey's at risk of descending into chaos. The question is how it will drag itself out of the current violent political deadlock”;   another analysis of tensions in Turkey;   PKK is reported to have declared a unilateral ceasefire, but attacks on it are likely to continue;   an assessment of Turkey’s decline from being a “model state”;

   with regard to the war in Yemen:   the Arab coalition has deployed anti-missile systems (where did the Houthis get missiles from?), as an assessment suggests the Saudis are at risk of a West Asian / Middle east Vietnam-type quagmire;   the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that only 1 per cent of the monthly requirements for commercial fuel for Yemen were imported during September, and commercial food prices are reported to have increased by 28 per cent, reaching some 45 per cent above pre-crisis levels;   the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, held consultations in Moscow yesterday with senior Russian officials. He received assurances from those officials of Russia’s support for his work;   the World Food Programme has resumed aid delivery;   protestors have called for the secession of southern Yemen – and see also here;   the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has estimated that 537,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of severe acute malnutrition in Yemen, which represents a threefold increase from 160,000 in March - which means that in eight children under five is at risk of severe malnutrition;   the Yemeni government may have lost an opportunity to end the war when it rejected the Houthis acceptance of UN Resolution 2216;

   with regard to the natural and other catastrophes:   at least 13 people have been killed by a rockslide in Karachi, Pakistan;   the Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal has warned that aid agencies face a race against time to deliver food and shelter to communities in high altitude areas before winter conditions cut off access;   a measles outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's copper-mining southeast has killed 428 people and infected about 30,000 since the start of the year;   Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has warned Filipinos to prepare for powerful Typhoon Koppu, which is expected to bring torrential rains that could flood wide areas of the north;

Also from the Daily Briefings of the United Nations (UN) (and other sources):

   while in Bolivia, the Secretary-General has stressed the importance of fighting climate change and promoting sustainable development;

   the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, reports that the situation in the country remains fragile, and it remains on high alert to prevent any attempts of armed ex-Seleka moving towards the capital, Bangui;

   the Committee on World Food Security has opened its plenary in Rome, marking the first international gathering on food security and nutrition since global leaders approved the Sustainable Development Agenda;

   the Secretary-General has delivered the keynote address at the World Forum of Local Economic Development in Turin, Italy, and said that the global goals for sustainable development will only be achieved if there are the right local environment and solutions. At the Milan World Expo, he spoke about World Food Day and stressed the link between sustainable development and food. “Hunger is more than a lack of food – it is a terrible injustice”;

   on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of traditional and indigenous knowledge in helping many societies live in harmony with nature and adapt to disruptive weather events;

   a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report indicates that social protection - such as cash transfers, school feeding and public works, currently benefit 2.1 billion people in developing countries - is emerging as a critical tool in the drive to eradicate hunger, yet the vast majority of the world's rural poor are yet to be covered;

   with the UN attacked frequently (about once every 10 weeks over the last 18 months), the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, has urged support for the UN’s Somalia office so that it can continue supporting high intensity military operations as well as political engagement;

   the International Conference on the Implications of Climate Change for Defense, the Secretary-General said that climate change is a threat multiplier – it not only threatens to exacerbate conflicts within and between States, but that it is itself a threat to international peace and security;

   figures released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics show that opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by 19 per cent in 2015, compared to the previous year;

   a UN delegation has concluded a visit to Guyana and Venezuela to address their border controversy, which was part of the next steps agreed on 27^th September. Chef de Cabinet, Susana Malcorra, welcomed the return to fully-fledged diplomatic relations and progress toward a way forward in the controversy that is mutually beneficial;

   the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that lack of access to hygiene could endanger the new Sustainable Development Agenda;

   the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has welcomed the meetings that took place in Anefis between the groups knows as Coordination of the Movements of Azawad and the Plateforme, saying this is a positive step in the inter-Malian peace process and also commended the leaders of both parties for choosing dialogue;

   the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reported that on yesterday, inter-communal clashes erupted in Bangui around the PK5 neighbourhood;

From other sites (note that articles from these sites may have already been provided):

   Human Rights Watch also has:   an interview on why women’s rights are essential for a true and lasting peace;   war crimes now include destruction of ancient monuments;   climate change and regional development projects are threatening the health and livelihood of indigenous peoples in the Turkana region of northwest Kenya;   whilst the new Nepalese Constitution has fallen short of previous pledges for long-promised state restructuring, enraging many disenfranchised groups, including women and the ethnic minorities, it has protected LGBT people;   a call for Nepalese authorities to immediately investigate and bring to justice those responsible for killings and other violations during ongoing protests over the constitutional debate;   a call for Lebanese military authorities to immediately and unconditionally release a women arrested after she alleged being raped in military custody in 2013, and open an independent and impartial investigation into her allegations of rape by members of the military and hold anyone involved criminally responsible. Both the criminal prosecution of a civilian before a military court and a prosecution for allegedly defaming the army or other state institutions contravene Lebanon’s obligations under international law;   Kazakhstan officials have arrested two activists while investigating them on vague and overbroad charges of “inciting national discord”;

   the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) also has:
  - the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, and the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect, Jennifer Welsh, have expressed alarm at the escalation in violent rhetoric by influential religious leaders in relation to the situation in Syria;

 - Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta has delivered a speech "Preventing Conflicts, Mediating the End of Wars, Building Durable Peace" at the Fifth Annual Gareth Evans Lecture;
   an occasional report, aiming to give background, offer analysis, track international response and suggest necessary action, for five nations in immediate crisis (“mass atrocities are occurring and urgent action is needed”: Syria, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan and Nigeria), one nation at imminent risk (“the situation is reaching a critical threshold and the risk of mass atrocity crimes occurring in the immediate future is very high if effective preventive action is not taken”: Yemen), and five nations for which there is serious concern (“significant risk of occurrence, or recurrence, of mass atrocity crimes within the foreseeable future if effective action is not taken”: Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma/Myanmar, and Libya);

   Recommended actions are:

   in Sudan (I will work through other nations from the report in coming weeks) … :
      after more than 10 years and 60 resolutions, the UN Security Council (UNSC) must review its entire approach to endemic conflict and ongoing atrocities in Sudan. The UNSC should:
       - expand the arms embargo on Darfur to include South Kordofan and Blue Nile,
       - ensure the government and SPLM-N facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance,
       - mandate the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry for South Kordofan and Blue Nile and actively support efforts to bring ICC indictees to justice.

      States with major investments in Sudan, including China, Qatar, Iran and Saudi Arabia, should press the government to fulfil its commitments - including a cessation of obstruction of UNAMID.

      The government and SPLM-N, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2046, must cease armed hostilities and address the underlying causes of the conflict.

      From an energetic point of view, third parties to the conflict – particularly weapons dealers – have to make a decision: start to be ethical, or bear the consequences to themselves down the track. For individuals, that may include criminal charges against them and possibly – unfair thought it may be - opprobrium for their nearest and dearest. For nations, those consequences also include distrust and suspicion when they don’t want it.

   the US-based and -centric “War on the Rocks” blog (which I have found may also have other articles that I have concerns with - and thus do not provide links to, unless I want you to think … :) ) also has:   a critique of the reasons for problems in US strategy in recent times;   an overview of France’s history of military intervention in recent decades;   the moral hazards of proxy warfare;   a critique of Da’esh’s propaganda (including statistical analysis) which suggests the violence is a diversion from its main messages as an “idealised” lifestyle –and Western media’s focus on the former has contributed to confusion as to what draws people in;   an article on people manipulating and using public fears and panics over radioactivity;

   the Justice in Conflict blog has:   the “curious timing of announcements at the International Criminal Court” (includes a story about an appalling delay for publicity reasons by the French government during the Rwandan genocide, which led to children dying);   an analysis of the economic crimes - and their causes – in the Central African Republic (which, apparently have parallels with the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo);   an interesting analysis of South Africa’s attitudes towards international law and justice;

   the Political Violence at a Glance blog has:   Ukrainians show a preference for nonviolent resistance in a survey;

   the Institute for War and Peace Reporting also has:   the border conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan have become more frequent and larger artillery is being used;

   the International Crisis Group has:   an assessment of Algeria, which finds that it is becoming a stabilising influence amongst its neighbours, but still has issues to address;

   the Middle East Eye also has:

 - the so-called Oslo generation of young Palestinians are not being led by any political party as waves of protest spread;   an assessment of the changed strategies on both sides in this third intifada;   a building surge has emboldened settler communities to attack Palestinians;   “The mobilisation of the public to take on the role of warriors threatens to escalate the confrontation into a Yugoslavia-style all-out ethnic war”;   Palestinians have called for a UN protection force in East Jerusalem;
 - a political crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan;
 - feminist in Algeria have rallied against domestic violence;
 - the thousands of prisoners in Egypt’s jails;   health problems associated with the poor water quality in the Nile;   Egypt is among five countries set to be elected to the UN Security Council on Thursday, taking seats alongside the US and Russia amid tensions over various foreign interventions in the Syrian conflict;

   a group of artists hired to create authentic-looking Arabic graffiti for the set of the US-made television series “Homeland” instead used their spray cans to scrawl subversive messages like “Homeland is racist” and “This show does not represent the views of the artists”;

Also on West Asia / the Middle East:
 - Israeli forces have shot and wounded a research assistant working for Human Rights Watch;
 - the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Tayé Brook Zerihoun, has briefed the Security Council on the recent violence among Israelis and Palestinians, which he called “extremely concerning”. He condemned the reprehensible act of a large group of Palestinians who set fire to the compound containing the holy site of Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus, and called on all sides to respect the sanctity of all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. He detailed the recent attacks among Israelis and Palestinians, including stabbing attacks on Israeli civilians and the killings of Palestinians by security forces - seven Israelis and 32 Palestinians were killed, and 124 Israelis and more than 1,118 Palestinians were reportedly injured since 1st October. Mr. Zerihoun noted that the impact of social media and irresponsible rhetoric has played a dramatic role in escalation. and, while both sides have much to be blamed for, he welcomed efforts by leaders in the past days to tone down their statements;

   violence may increase during Egypt’s election period;

   Bahrain has denied a report that some of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are in negotiations to purchase Israeli air-defence systems to counter the threat of Iranian missiles;

   the USA has approved a Saudi request for additional Black Hawk helicopters;

   The Hindu also has:   another political group is becoming hard-line;   India and China have begun joint counter-terrorism exercises;   a call for India to debate “communalism”;   an opinion piece regretting India’s move towards segregation as much of the world becomes more inclusive;   a group of more than 90 writers and intellectuals from West Bengal have written to India’s President Pranab Mukherjee seeking his intervention in the Dadri lynching and attack on rationalists;   more controversy over the eating of beef;   an editorial on the need for employers to be responsible;   criticism of overreach by the executive arm of the government;   allegations that a woman “sarpanch” was violently assaulted by police officers;   Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to release “political prisoners,” barring those facing “serious charges”, a fast by prisoners entered its fifth day;   Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other rights groups have said that the release of a collection of classified documents about US drone warfare, hailed by American whistleblowers Ellsberg and Snowdon, raised significant concerns about human rights violations by the US government, and called for an investigation;

   the BBC also has:   the government of Myanmar has signed what it says is a nationwide ceasefire deal with eight armed ethnic groups;   an “explainer” on India’s elections, and the significance of caste;

   Spiegel International also has:   Germany’s Islamophobic movement has had a resurgence, as conservatives back away from supporting Angela Merkel and an integration specialist says it is the politicians who have been overwhelmed;   Greece’s former Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis, has claimed there is a connection between austerity measures and xenophobia – which makes perfect sense to me;

and from a range of other sites:

   US plans to destroy weapon-grade plutonium remain in upheaval;

   satellite imagery undermines claims by some USA officials that Iran is 'sanitising' its Parchin facility before international inspections (is someone trying to undermine the nuclear deal?);

   Kashmiri militants are using social media, amid signs suggesting the arrival of “transnational Islamist extremism”, whilst the chance of a political settlement remains low, because of the distrust between India and Pakistan, and “the region will remain a security flashpoint”;

   tribal chiefs in Papua New Guinea are threatening to stop access to a $25 billion ExxonMobil liquid natural gas project, which has given PNG one of the highest GDP growth rates on earth, after the PNG government barred the tribal leaders’ Australian lawyers from entering the country;

   a significant proportion of those protesting against a mosque in Bendigo recently were from out of town, organised by the fringe group, UPF;

   a call for African leaders to take a strong stance at the COP21 conference on addressing climate change;

   a regional agreement on managing transboundary haze caused by fires in Indonesia appears to be defunct;

   Pakistan is aiming to improve maternal health care;

   a critique of India’s new climate plan;

   a Burundian cameraman, his wife and their two sons have been shot dead by police - witnesses have accused the officers of executing citizens;

   above and beyond the uncertainty about the direction that Argentina’s economy will take after the 25^th October presidential elections, the government’s main social programmes, which have helped bring down poverty levels in the last decade, are definitely here to stay, no matter who is elected;

   youth make up approximately 40 percent of the world’s unemployed and are up to four times more likely to be unemployed than adults;

   an Israeli Jew stabbed by a Jewish man who believed he was an Arab has criticised the recent violence from his hospital bed;

   research suggests that humans are mostly good people, trying to cope with bad things;

   Poland has upgraded its long range air defence radar;

   a positive interaction between Muslims and a protestor;

[1] BPLF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Light Forces. See here and here for more on this. 

[2] Please see here, here and my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. I'm also exploring use of h2g2, although that doesn't appear to be as extensive (h2g2 is intended - rather engagingly - to be the Earth edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy").

[3] I apologise for the formatting: it seems Blogger is no longer as WYSIWYG as it used to be, and there are a lot of unwanted changes to layout made upon publishing, so I often have to edit it immediately after publishing to get the format as close to what I want as possible.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr, Pagan Energy Worker, Wéofodthegn

(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix Lux … aka Morinehtar … would-be drýicgan or maga ... )

My "blogiography" (list of all posts and guide as to how to best use this site) is here, and my glossary/index is here.

I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ... See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "Pagans for Peace" project (and join me for a few minutes at some time between 8 and 11 PM on Sunday, wherever you are, to meditate-clear for peace), and here for my bindrune kit-bag. I also strongly recommend learning how to flame, ground and shield, do alternate nostril breathing, work with colour, and see also here and be flexible.

The real dividing line is not between Christianity and Islam, Sunni and Shia, East and West. It is between people who believe in coexistence, and those who don’t.

Tom Fletcher, Former UK Ambassador to Lebanon 

Tags: activism, discrimination, energy work, magick, meditation, nonviolence, peace,  society, violence, war,

First published: Laugardagr, 17^th October, 2015

Last edited (excluding fixing typo's and other minor matters): Saturday, 17^th October, 2015