Post No. 867 – 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 and other world leaders post 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 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 also has excellent, helpful insights on generational transmission of harm, the cost of war, and ways to heal our hearts. This post reminds us to be patient and persistent (and I like the comment about a sudden “shift” being just another form of apocalyptic thinking).

The purpose of posting these news links 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. 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, 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.

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; on that term, 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 10Am and 10PM local time each day, and one can pay to be officially registered. This also 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.

(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.)

Now, 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 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 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 clear thought of Air, and the stabilising influence of BPM Earth (particularly on nonBPM Water);

(d)   the flawed implementation of the idea of democracy, which results in elites, oligarchies, self-interest and groups such as the media and political parties becoming unbalanced (aka “losing sight of the big picture”) and self-serving, remains a major problem;

(e)   the reaction of people under survival stress – as they perceive it, not as third parties consider it to be – is all too often not BPM (and I can understand that, given my current work insecurity, etc): that is not good, but so is the fact of being in that situation in the first place, which is due to a combination of factors such as inequity in society, media and peer influences, flawed education, etc;

(f)   flawed thinking, particularly “thinking” that is actually emotional reaction, is a concern – particularly when it enables the problem of social conditioning to train people in sexism and compliance and other problems, but also when it leads to errors in media reporting, ineptitude in management, and a refusal to learn from other peoples’ experiences;

(g)   there is a need to enable – not just promote, but more actively facilitate – more self-reliance and self-sufficiency in many situations;

(h)   greed is a problem for many reasons – not only does it lead to massive overconsumption as people in First World nations accumulate rubbish, but it also warps their personalities and draws them away from BPM spirituality. Similar to this is the problem of possessiveness – things like trying to grasp at immortality of personal values – no matter how bad - through children;

(i)   approaching discrimination through the tool of unconscious bias is useful, but, spiritually, there will come a time and situation where all people must face their prejudices: they can do this willingly and constructively, or not;

(j)   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):
     a call to NOT accept intolerance inside families;   claims that conservatives are not better economic managers;   a group of community leaders, commentators and organisations have put their names to an open letter of concern, asking politicians to affirm the rights of Australians to participate in public debate without fear of retribution;   the two types of political leaders - in the Australian context;   the problems of working with warlords, particularly with respect to nation building;   a critique of Sri Lanka’s promising President Sirisena, and of what it is recommended Sri Lanka “should” do;   “Democracy reflects the will of the people. But what if the will of the people threatens democracy?” –see also here;   the “slow death” of “social democracy”;
     Venezuela’s President has declared a state of emergency;   the Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to follow through on "shoot-to-kill" (criminals) orders for security forces and the reintroduction of public capital punishment – see also here;   sexism in Brazil;   China’s great leap backwards;   Britain’s double standards on corruption;   Kosovo faces the hard realities caused by unemployment, inequality, the challenges of developing a productive economy to meet Sustainable Development Goals, overcoming legacies of impunity, and weaknesses in its rule of law institutions, which are serious challenges to the mandate of promoting peace and stability (UN daily briefing);   hundreds of families in Auckland are living in cars, garages and even a shipping container as a housing crisis fuelled by rising property prices forces low-income workers out of private rental accommodation;   mass arrests of opposition members in Burundi;   Uganda’s opposition leader has been charged with treason, as consideration is given to removing an age limit to allow the present 71 year old President to stay in power;   in South Africa several Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs were expelled after trying to stop President Jacob Zuma speaking;   only 11 of 870 candidates in Viêt Nám’s elections are not members of the communist party, following a “vetting” procedure … ;   Austria is voting for a conservative, pseudo-Trump out of hysterical fear – the sort of hysteria shown in Australia in response to an idiotic MP by people who are even more idiotic than the MP;   the Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking to arrest an opposition leader;
     concerns that “Black Lives Matter” is not resulting in young people being more engaged in politics;   University students in Papua New Guinea have been protesting against the current government over corruption concerns;
     Britain’s Prime Minister has referred to US Presidential candidate trump’s plan to ban Muslims as “stupid”;   Vanuatu will reserve some Parliamentary seats for women;
     moves to try to make Sydney more inclusive;   contrary to one moronic conservative MP’s bleatings, Australia is a very class divided society;   why reducing penalty rates will affect workers health;   valid questions about the timing of police raid on a politician – and what was an NBN company employee doing there, and why did they take photos???!!! See here for the police response;   rural mental health services are being defunded;
• 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 terrorists 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):
     terrorist attacks have occurred in Iraq, India, Bangladesh (possibly), may be being planned/prepared for/developing in west Africa, prevention has or may have occurred in Australia, and actions have occurred against terrorists in Cameroon, Nigeria, Libya;   a terrorist group is shifting its emphasis from Pakistan, after recent losses, to Syria;   the US military is easing its stance against Nigeria, over human rights concerns, to enable aid for the fight against terrorists in that nation – who may be helping Libyan terrorists;   a suspicious fire has destroyed a mosque in an Australian city;   possible reconciliation between Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood;
     some Muslim women are taking a leading role in the fight against Islamophobia;   the prejudice building up around the Belgian area of Molenbeek;   the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator is visiting areas affected by Boko Haram violence in Niger and Nigeria, discussing the humanitarian situation across the Sahel region, and will visit the "spontaneous displacement site" for 240,000 people have been displaced by Boko Haram-related violence (UN daily briefing) – later, he urged the world to remember the devastation caused in Niger by terrorism;   growing frustration from security theatre delays for US air travellers;   growing opposition to the UK government’s attempts to restrict non-violent extremism;   Muslim students in the UK with ambitions to be doctors or nurses fear that their careers could be jeopardised if they get involved in political activism or humanitarian work amid growing concerns within university Islamic societies about government efforts to tackle so-called Islamist extremism;
     the variation in response to terrorism in relation to location;   a US general has said the long emphasis on fighting terrorism may harm the USA in a conventional war;   a bill that would allow the families of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government has passed a key hurdle in the USA, with Saudi warnings of retaliation and President Obama saying he will veto it (and, if passed and not vetoed, this will open the way for other nations to do the same against the US for involvement in things such as changes of various regimes etc – see here and here, for example);   the fight against terrorism in Tunisia is claimed to have diverted $4 billion away from the economy;   a Swedish ultra-marathon runner has run across Iran to counter the fear created by terrorism;
• With regard to refugees:   the United Nations (UN) has savaged Australia's policy of locking away refugees for years without charge or trial on the basis of secret intelligence assessments;   concerns raised that Europe may face a “populist uprising” over refugees;   an article asking if racism is behind Australia’s refugee policy (to which I reply: yes);   an argument that refugees are an integration problem, predominantly (which includes a little naïve over-optimism about the USA);   a commentary on Australia’s refugee policies;   the European Union will work with despots from nations in the Horn of Africa to stop the flow of refugees (whether this is good or bad depends on whether freedom and democracy reaches those nations … - see also here);   a stupid, bigoted comment by an Australian politician about refugees, and a critique of the politics involved in this issue;   a Greek court has refused to send a refugee back to Turkey on the grounds the latter state is not safe;   the report “In Safety and Dignity: Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants” calls for measures to better support refugees and host communities globally;
• With regard to human rights and discrimination (including associated violence / crime):
     unconscious bias, and a trial of “blind” applications by the Victorian Government in an attempt to overcome that;
     Bangladesh has made an arrest over the murder of gay activists – and another arrest over the murder of a professor -  as other bloggers flee the nation;   an article pointing out that women can be homophobic (who is actually stupid enough to think otherwise???);   the business case for equal marriage;   US President Obama says (US citizens only) trans rights are civil rights;   Mexico’s President has proposed constitutional change to allow Mexico to join the wave of South American nations legalising equal marriage;   on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT, which commemorates the day 26 years ago when the World Health Organization (WHO) declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder, the UN campaign ‘Free and Equal’ has received support from Google;   Canada will protect trans people, but has banned a Tunisian LGBT advocate;    an assessment of LGBT rights and social acceptance in South America;   a transphobic security guard has - very deservedly -  been charged with assault after pushing a trans woman out of female toilets;   inadequate consideration of LGBT people in emergency situations;
     the problem of social conditioning (particularly casually sexist language) building sexism;   the World Health Organization has released new recommendations to help health workers provide better care to the more than 200 million girls and women worldwide living with female genital mutilation;   a US television organisation rejects a series as being “too female”, as another US TV station forces a woman – who was not exposing herself – to cover up on air … welcome to the United States of Stupidity … and Iran arrests women for “un-Islamic” modelling;   a neochristian school has agreed that girls can wear pants;   a problem culture of sexism and drinking at a University college;   sexism in Brazil;   some stupid responses to a woman admitting she was overwhelmed;   Vanuatu will reserve some Parliamentary seats for women;   protests against violence against women in Mexico;
     lessons on reconciliation from the USA, and why Australia’s attempts will fail;
     Baha’i leaders in Iran remain in jail on charges of espionage;   the Sport for Rights coalition has called for the Formula One Group leadership to urge the Azerbaijani government to release unjustly imprisoned activists and journalists ahead of the European Grand Prix in Azerbaijan;   a protest camp for homeless people has been taken down in Melbourne;   the discrimination that led to an actor changing his name;   a new film, released by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), shows how adequate housing is not a luxury, but a right;   the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has said it was deeply concerned that almost two years after serious human rights violations in Tlatlaya in Mexico, including the alleged summary execution of at least 12 people, the case remained mired in impunity and victims continued to be denied their rights to justice and the truth;   thousands of US military who were sexually assaulted have been stigmatised by their discharge papers;
• With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:   the last company selling the drugs used in executions in the USA has banned that use;   the challenges facing implementation of a BPM justice system are shown here, here, here and here – challenges which are probably best countered with some (dare I say it) rational education, including counter human interest stories, on the criminalisation of people – particularly young, vulnerable people - in jails as shown … um, where? Where has our media, which preaches presentation of opposing views, provided this balancing viewpoint to counter the emotional extremism of its published articles? By searching elsewhere, I’ve found this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this; … all of which can be difficult when one is the victim, or someone close to you is (on that, the son of a friend has been severely physically assaulted this week, and is still in hospital  as the police search for his attackers);   the possible role of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression;   from India: “To impose costs on one of the parties at the end of a protracted litigation is common. It acts as a deterrent against abuse of the process of law. But to seek pre-deposits with a view to prioritising a certain kind of case over another would have staggering implications”;   South Australia will follow other Australian states lead by introducing drug and alcohol testing, but not random tests as the others have;   valid questions about the timing of police raid on a politician;   the police chief of the US city of San Francisco has quit after another racism row triggered by the killing of a young black person;   a response to the idiotic suggestion to “ditch war crimes”;   attempts to reduce incarceration and recidivism in the UK and the USA;
• 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):   a group of community leaders, commentators and organisations have put their names to an open letter of concern, asking politicians to affirm the rights of Australians to participate in public debate without fear of retribution;   racist bias in Australian media;   a criticism of the TV series “Struggle Street”;   Thai media have pandered to morbid curiosity;   following the previous items, and comments in preceding item about lack of balance in media reports on justice issues – all of which contributes to the constraints people put on the media as mentioned here: the media has great power, and therefore needs great accountability – not the measly systems we have now, and NOT self-regulation, which has been an abject failure, and definitely NOT interference by government or the powerful, but … something … ;   a good defence of the BBC;
• 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?):
     coal dust has contributed to the death of coral;   the devastation of last summer’s fires in Tasmania’s Tarkine region;   building a nuclear waste dump in South Australia would be "cultural genocide", an Indigenous Australian has said, as a campaign against a potential facility in South Australia ramps up;   the Food and Agriculture Organization has said that illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing is about to become much more difficult thanks to the imminent entry into force of the Port State Measures Agreement;   desertification in China is affecting the rest of Asia;   an island has been closed to tourists because of environmental damage;   a new report shows vulnerability to increased food prices;   a lightly written call for US Presidential candidate Trump to embrace the reality of climate change in order to protect “your financial interest, America’s interest and your grandkids’ interest”;
     identity theft is increasing;   connecting everyone in the world to the internet would – it is claimed – lift half a billion people out of poverty and contribute nearly $7 trillion to the world economy;   an app for midwives in PNG that could save lives;   the possibility that artificial intelligence will create a class of “useless” humans;   support for dairy farmers affected by the sale of cheap milk;   a questioning of the value of executive bonuses;
     a call for better selling of the pro-vaccination case;   Uganda has banned smoking in public places;   the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) new World Cities Report says that, when unplanned and unmanaged, urbanization can lead to increased inequality, the growth of slums and disastrous impacts on climate change;   a review of proposals in one Australian state to remove the bans on pets in rental properties;
• With regard to education:   “parental bleating drowns out children’s cries for help”;   the economic benefits of education;   some catholic church education institutions are controversially inviting or rewarding people with opposing views;   attempts to improve and be more inclusive at other US educational institutions;   victim blaming at a Melbourne private school;
• 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):   thousands from Afghanistan's Hazara minority have protested a multi-million dollar power transmission line, posing a major challenge to the government of President Ashraf Ghani;   the UN and its humanitarian partners have said that more than 118,000 people have fled conflict in Afghanistan in the first four months of this year;   the UN Secretary-General has met two Afghan cyclists– a father and son team, who are cycling around the world for peace and solidarity in Afghanistan (UN daily briefing);
• With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) also has:
     Somalia and Somaliland have resumed talks;   the UN has urged Somalia to adopt the electoral model “swiftly”;
     the Burundian government will attend peace talks in Tanzania;   an assessment of the dangers in Burundi, with recommendations to all the parties involved;
     setbacks in attempts to resolve the border dispute between the Gambia and Senegal;
     an assessment of electoral violence in Africa;
     strategic leadership in Africa;
     peacekeepers have been killed in an ambush in Mali;
     concerns of the possibility of another civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
     after an attack killed one of its staff, the MSF has suspended operations in the Central African Republic;
• With regard to China and East and South East Asia:   China claims the USA has distorted its “defence” policy (hmm .. );   China’s great leap backwards;   concerns over Chinese aggression are not widely held in Australia;   the need for reactions to Chinese aggression in the South China Sea to go beyond freedom of navigation exercises – see also here and here;   an assessment of China’s new law on foreign NGOs;   desertification in China is affecting the rest of Asia;   North Korea has ignored sanctions to give pistols to Congolese military it had trained;
• With regard to the Indian sub-continent, The Hindu and other sources have:
     China will oppose India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group unless India signs the Non-Proliferation Treaty;   cycles of violence in the Indian state of Kerala;   a call to serve, not kill, in the name of religion;   an MP has been injured in a mob attack;   a University has been asked to explain apparent gender discrimination;
     40 million Indians are at risk from rising sea levels;   floods cause damage in some Indian states (and there is devastating drought elsewhere);
     US President Obama has objected to the Republican controlled Congress blocking aid to Pakistan over a claimed inadequate response to one specific terrorist group;
     Sri Lanka has called for aid after floods, which India has responded to;   the importance of international jurists in the proposed accountability mechanism on alleged violations of international law during the last phase of the civil war in Sri Lanka;
• 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):   a critique of proposals for separating Iraq into three states (I consider the Kurds should have their own state and the rest of Iraq should become a modern, inclusive state, and I consider the choice of examples around partition is somewhat selective – as counter, consider East Timor, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the USSR, etc, and the many movements for freedom. Also, if one wishes to consider Sudan and South Sudan, consider the violence and suppression that led to that partition);   more protests over corruption and security failures have ended in violence;   thousands of Sunnis have fled Mosul to Syria, saying the government has stopped them going to Baghdad;   underground warfare in Iraq and Syria;
• With regard to the Libyan civil war:   the world is proposing to arm Libya’s fledgling unity government (is this too early)?; US troops have been seen patrolling;
• With regard to the Russia (see also Syria):   the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has expressed deep concern by the ban imposed on the Mejlis by the so-called ‘supreme court’ of Crimea, saying that the designation of the Mejlis as an extremist organization will leave Crimean Tatars even more exposed to human rights violations and collective punishment, and reminded the Russian Federation, which exercises de facto control over the territory of Crimea, that they have a duty to ensure that the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples are respected, and that they are not subjected to discrimination and harassment;
• With regard to Sudan and South Sudan:
     South Africa’s withdrawal from the hybrid AU/UN peace support mission in Sudan last month was because the Sudanese government had made it “increasingly difficult” for proper logistic support to be provided to deployed soldiers;   Sudan’s president, wanted for war crimes, has applied for visa to visit the USA to attend the UN General Assembly (the bloke has, as we say in Melbourne, more front than Myers – and this will test the USA);   Sudan will not seek to renew the UN’s peacekeeping mandate in Darfur ( * SIGH * );   the Sudanese army is continuing to attack civilians in the Nuba Mountains … :
     the United Nations Mission in South Sudan is concerned over violence close to its base in Bentiu (UN daily briefing);
• with regard to the conflict in Syria:   the challenges facing the ceasefire and (stalled) peace talks;   the members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) have reaffirmed, in a statement, their determination to strengthen the Cessation of Hostilities, to ensure full and sustained humanitarian access in Syria, and to ensure progress toward a peaceful political transition – see also here;   a call for Syria’s survivors to have a voice;   air strikes are occurring far away from the front lines, targeting civilians and Syria’s history;   underground warfare in Iraq and Syria;   an assessment of the situation in Syria, with recommendations to (1) do more to engage Syrians in building local governance and community resilience, especially skills and platforms for conflict resolution; (2) do more to stabilise and secure frontline states, including support for integrating refugees into the economy and society; (3) help more refugees create new lives far from the conflict zone, including much more resettlement in the United States; and (4) work diligently with regional partners to tamp down the sectarianism that both drives and is driven by the war, and that feeds extremist recruitment and violence;   a United Nations relief convoy has successfully delivered vital food, medicines and other aid to some 10,000 residents cut off in the Syrian farm town of East Harasta, who had been without power and running water for more than three years;
• with regard to Turkey:   Turkey’s MPs have backed stripping themselves of immunity;
• With regard to West Asia / the Middle East, the Middle East Eye and other sources have:
     calls for unity for Kurdistan on the centenary of the Sykes-Picot agreement – which was significant for introducing the modern basis for Western interference in the region and a legacy of artificially created “nations”;
     US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Egypt for talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, amid a stark crackdown on political freedoms, as art of which 152 protesters have been sentenced to between two and five years in prison each after they demonstrated against a decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia;   the USA has given Egypt armoured vehicles for protection against roadside bombs (will that be all they are used for?);   Russia has given Egypt a $25 billion loan to build a nuclear power plant;
     the need to engage with Arab youth;
     Israel’s Prime Minister has rebuked the Defence Minister – who later resigned over lack of trust in the PM -  encouraging soldiers to speak their mind;   senior military figures are calling for a reflection on the moral quality of Israeli society to counter the government’s nationalist discourse;   an article on the Nakba;   proposed peace talks between Israel and Palestinians has been postponed;   Israeli regulations are stopping the poorest Palestinian fishers, whilst allowing commercial fishing to do environmental damage;
     the African island nation of Comoros has offered to take tens of thousands of people in Kuwait denied citizenship;
     Iran has ordered Hezbollah to stop targeting Israel and start attacking Saudi Arabia, following the death of a commander which Iran blames on Saudi-backed forces, even though they were out of range;   controversy in the USA over Iran’s connections to terrorism and illegal weapons as the nuclear deal is promoted outside the USA, and Iran passes a law demanding compensation for 63 years of hostile action by the USA;   a house visit by the daughter of a prominent ayatollah to a female leader of the persecuted Baha’i religious minority touched off a debate in Iran about the harsh treatment of a group deemed pagans and impure by the country’s dominant clerics;   the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is appalled by the sentencing of a prominent Iranian anti-death penalty campaigner to 16 years’ imprisonment in charges that stem from her human rights work;
     growing Iran-Saudi tensions in Lebanon;
     Saudi Arabia has spouted a nonsensical denial of allegations of bombing a market as it conducts a trial of alleged spies which is a mockery of justice;   commentary of the Saudi plan to reinvent itself economically here and here;
     human rights campaigners have criticised a British arms deal with Oman;
• With regard to the war in Yemen:   peace talks are continuing (UN daily briefing), although the Yemeni government has threatened to withdraw;   abuse of the Baha’i in Yemen;
• With regard to natural and other catastrophes:   one month after the earthquake in Ecuador, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, has said that the needs of the Ecuadoran people are still acute – and aftershocks have occurred (UN daily briefing);   the United Nations Children Fund has launched its Emergency Lessons campaign, highlighting the importance of education for children in conflict and disaster zones;   a bushfire in Canada has flared up again, causing the evacuation of another 800 people – and continues to spread;   the drought in India has taken another five lives – people who were trying to restore a water well, and more on the heatwave;   a call for older people’s needs to be considered in disasters;   a landslide in Sri Lanka, and floods there have displaced half a million people;   floods and landslides have killed over 100 people in Ethiopia;   Bangladesh has moved two million people away from the coast as a cyclone approaches;   the staggeringly long period that some disasters and emergencies can have impacts for;   a call to invest in development so communities have greater resilience and les need for aid;   the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that Lesotho continues to face a major drought crisis with over half a million people at risk of food insecurity up to June;
• With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and the occasional nice story:   the problem of weapons sales continues;   the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict has travelled to Cuba to witness the signing of the agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP to separate and reintegrate children associated with the FARC-EP;

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

• for 2016, the number of allegations of sexual abuse recorded so far in peacekeeping and special political missions is 44, of which 29 have been reported in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), 39  involve uniformed personnel, an update on the progress being made on key initiatives, including the vetting of all individuals being deployed for any prior misconduct and the establishment of Immediate Response Teams to gather evidence following reports of sexual exploitation and abuse, and a Trust Fund has been established for victim assistance last March, with the first pledge to that fund by Norway for $125,000 (UN daily briefing);

and from a range of other sites:

• an analysis of why Australia became involved in World War Part One;

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”, 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.