Note: I am NOT a journalist, and make NO
claims to objectivity or freedom from bias: 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, 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. Also, the
energies we use and manifest in our daily lives contribute to the larger soup
of energies that influence world events, so address those as well. The
reminders / explanations about Sunday’s meditation-clearing
are here; see also here, here, here, (here and also here and here are interesting), here,
here, here, and this
post reminds us to be patient and persistent, like a “speeding oak”. Finally,
there are some notes at the end of this post about other options for those who
do not like this way of working.
The themes that come to mind for my work this week, after
I review all this news, are:
(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, including spirit rescue, and healing the warped views, seemingly “inherent” biases, and other damage created. Also, remember that:
1. the counter to fear is genuine EQ and clear thinking, expressed through calm, de-escalating speech,
2. where problems exist, advocating for BPM responses, and being as BPM as one can be, are constructive solutions,
3. peace is powerful, but it is a process requiring patient, persistent and nuanced nurturing, and a blend of conventional spiritual work, clearing nonBPM units, and physical world activism;(c) viewing the overall emotional state of the world from an elemental point of view, this week we need:
emotionally (astrally), more of the compassion of BPM Water;
mentally, more of the integrity that comes from combining BPM Æther and Earth;
A plot of the elemental influences on a causal/spiritual level follows, and shows a need for more outwardly focused, BPM Earth (desire to nurture);
(d) this week’s bindrune is:(e) dealing with the current US President, for whom I use the alias Voldemort, requires:
1. eroding (i.e., slow, patient and persistent clearing of the little bits one can SAFELY cope with – remember, you are but one of many) the nonBPM influences feeding his arrogance and mind-set, and strengthening Voldemort’s BPM Guides and giving them whatever BPM help they need to present a BPM alternative – for which my “changing the personality of oppressors” post is useful – with a view to promoting what would seem to be a change of heart,
2. lifting the nonBPM influences from the shoulders of Voldemort’s marginal supporters, allowing them to “come to their senses”, which may result in them feeling bewilderment/shame, and simultaneously strengthening the BPM influences around them (e.g., their BPM Guides) to counter them backsliding,
3. to address the others, physical world activism (especially education) is required. As well as doing what one can there, help those who are doing this work (e.g., sending them “positive vibes”) and look for nonBPM blockages that can be cleared (e.g., setting up a BPM vortex above meetings to draw away external nonBPM influences/energies/units, so that the audience can listen as they are, without any obsession/possession);(f) the major events this week are: the ongoing crises, including in Syria, where a chemical weapons attack and response have gained particular attention; Yemen, South Sudan and Burundi also need caring BPM attention to address the calamities there;(g) placing personal power – aka “political opportunism” – ahead of dedication to serving remains an issue of concern;(h) suppression/control/distortion of information has been a particular issue this week;(i) work to address corruption and other abuses/misuses of power has been good, but more is needed – particularly on local scales;(j) civil society remains in – deserving – need of encouragement and support (and there is a future generation of activists in Russia, which is both encouraging and deserving of support);(k) violent alternatives to society are being resorted to – which is an indictment of the failures of conventional approaches to society, which too often do not give non-elite people what they NEED and validly are owed;(l) surviving hardship is not the best way to develop- being tested and challenged is necessary, but those who “survive” the worst of the world are often deeply scarred and injured and maimed, and that can give them an unnatural lack of compassion;I also take this opportunity to emphasise 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;
- Matters warranting particular attention:
an article on the need for international law to adapt to circumstances such as R2P and atrocities; an examination of the “stress” that the USA’s air strikes have put on “the long (international) peace”; a warning to take growing tensions around North Korea seriously, and an assessment of the risks that US clumsiness could result in full scale and devastating war; as Iran, Russia and Assad militias harden their stance (see also here), and perhaps encouraged by the poll results (or perhaps out of a desire to be “unpredictable”?), the current US President has suggested that the dangerous path of regime change in Syria is possibly on the table … and has adopted a harder line towards North Korea … and his Secretary of State has made a (selective and hollow?) claim that the USA will stand up to anyone who commits crimes against humanity … ; as Russia blocks a UN resolution on Syria for the eighth time, the USA has said that Russian inaction on the 2013 chemical weapons agreement allowed the recent chemical weapons attack; artificial intelligence will start killing off jobs sooner than we think; this (possible) Senator’s hard line on welfare shows a point I have come to accept: surviving hard times does not necessarily make you better – it can scar you in ways that make you less spiritual (e.g., less compassionate – a failing I have at times) and less suited to express an opinion (e.g., those who have killed while in the military have been desensitised to killing, and thus are less suited to decisions about the sanctity of life – which is what the death penalty is); “radical” investment will be needed to meet global water and sanitation targets; - With regard to democracy (which requires protection of minorities and the vulnerable – and remember
Gandhi’s question about whether one is fighting to change things, or to punish,
and the list of 198 methods of nonviolent action), freedom
and governance (e.g., here, here, here and here, and see also here):
Note: I have a section specifically for the current US President below
- analyses this week include: an opinion that Egypt’s current President Sisi needs to learn from the mistakes of former President Mubarek that repression does not stop terrorism, and risks inciting rebellion; “Simon Kuznets, who standardised the measurement of growth, warned: “the welfare of a nation can scarcely be inferred from a measure of national income.” Economic growth, he pointed out, measures only annual flow, rather than stocks of wealth and their distribution”;
- of concern this week: a leading Venezuelan opposition figure who is a state governor has been formally banned for 15 years from public office – leading to large protests; a far right fruitcake candidate for the French Presidency has tried to deny French responsibility for the arrest of Jews during World War Part Two; Burundi has banned the opposition party for six months;
- in the grey area or neutral this week: daily “anti-dictatorship” protests in Serbia – in good part over a media perceived to be biased; Brazil’s corruption enquiry is continuing and widening;
- good news this week includes: young Russians are being inspired to awaken politically;
- and in my home nation this week: calls by a far right MP from Queensland to stop foreign aid after a cyclone have been rejected by the Prime Minister, on the basis that foreign aid budget as important to Australia's international diplomacy efforts (not to mention their need is greater!!!); a call for debate to rise above hurling abuse; the Commonwealth Ombudsman has found that Centrelink's controversial debt recovery system “lacks transparency and has treated some customers unfairly”; a lucrative military weapons contract has been awarded without competitive tender … ; despite being unable to name claimed supporters of the proposal, the neoliberal government may extend its “cashless welfare” system to address other alcohol and gambling problems (both of these are wider problems that need more comprehensive solutions – and I write that as someone who escaped from an abusive alcoholic, and has seen the devastation caused to people by gambling); an Australian government regulator has rejected advice from experts and overseas regulators and thereby created a dispute imperilling patients; an examination of the situation between East Timor and Australia over the gas field in the Timor Sea; the staggering extent of inequality in Australia;
- this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists South Sudan and Burundi; - With regard to the current US President (who I
consider seriously dangerous, and NOT at all a buffoon) this week:
I deliberately avoid using the current US President’s name for valid psychic reasons: however, to both simplify my typing and remind people that he is dangerous, I will use “Voldemort” – in this section, at least - as alias.
- the meeting between the Chinese and US Presidents resulted in nothing; Voldemort’s administration “will not label China a currency manipulator, backing away from a campaign promise”; as a US navy group takes up position off the Korean Peninsula, “North Korea says a US missile strike on Syria "proves a million times over" that it was right to strengthen its nuclear programme”, and an assessment of the risks that Voldemort’s clumsiness could result in full scale and devastating war in Korea; Voldemort has said he would tackle the North Korean crisis without China if necessary;
- as US-Russian relations deteriorate, the current US President says NATO is “no longer obsolete”; criticism of the US Secretary of State for breaking the tradition of meeting leaders of civil society while visiting Russia;
- an opinion piece on the US air attacks ponders whether this is the start of a “Trump doctrine”, and notes that Obama would probably have taken similar action – and Clinton much more extensive action;
- “the US government has dropped its request for the identity of an anti-Trump Twitter account, just a day after Twitter went to court over the issue”;
- “Advocates of landmark net neutrality rules [have] blasted [the] Federal Communications Commission chairman’s plans to roll back the Obama era legal framework”;
- Voldemort’s war on sanctuary cities is continuing – with supporters appearing to conflate some issues (e.g., poor driving with being an illegal immigrant); Voldemort’s threat to separate parents and children appears to have resulted in a 93% reduction in people crossing the US-Mexico border;
- an examination of Voldemort’s recent reversals of populist positions he advocated during his election campaign (false advertising, or a move to pragmatism as a result of the pressures of the job?);
- a data-based rebuttal of Voldemort’s claim that “the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offense since 9/11 came here from outside” the USA - here, here and here, and that the USA is, in fact, a nett exporter of violent extremists;
- “rebel” Republicans who have stood up to Voldemort have not been punished; - With regard to violent extremism (VE) (aka, terrorism - e.g., Da’esh)
(ALL people
advocating hate or discrimination in response to violent extremism are actively doing the work of violent extremists, including those who use the acronym ISIS rather than ISIL (see
also here, which is actually the Greek name of
the Egyptian Goddess Aset) and actively perpetuates the
patriarchal and sacrilegious evil that VEs are trying to accomplish in this
world (see also here, here and here). This 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 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):
- violent extremist attacks/acts have occurred this week in India, Egypt, Columbia, Germany, possibly Malaysia, Pakistan, and, according to this Wikipedia page, there have been 7 attacks in Iraq and 2 attacks in Syria (out of a total 30); prevention has or may have occurred in Norway, Egypt, Nigeria; Germany is investigating possible right wing extremists in its military;
- the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russia failed to adequately protect victims of a 2004 school siege in the city of Beslan that left more than 300 people dead;
- overall deaths from violent extremism in Europe have declined; a data-based rebuttal of the current US President’s claim that “the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offense since 9/11 came here from outside” the USA - here, here and here, and that the USA is, in fact, a nett exporter of violent extremists; - With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration):
the fate of refugees in the Australia’s refugee gulag on Manus Island who will not be resettled in Papua New Guinea or the United States is unknown; a camp for 1,500 refugees in northern France has been destroyed by a fire started during a fight between Afghans and Kurds; a call to use refugee health workers to fill key health care gaps; an examination of Asia-Pacific’s role in negotiations on implementing global compacts on refugees; Pakistan has been unlawfully coercing Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan; the ineffectiveness of deterrence based policies; over 800,000 refugees have fled South Sudan to Uganda – the biggest refugee movement in Africa since the Rwandan Genocide in 1994; over 100refugees are missing after a boat sank off Libya; - With regard to human (and other) rights and
discrimination:
- on homophobia/transphobia this week: a safe LGBT school formal; a gay couple in Indonesia have been assaulted by vigilantes and handed over to religious police; a US campaign is seeking to have anti-trans groups identified as hate groups (whilst quite true, this is not necessarily the best way to address their hate); a call for action on Chechnya’s gay genocide; abuse – including rape and murder - of trans women in Saudi Arabia;
- on racism this week: allegations of racist abuse in recent sports matches are being investigated, and some action has been taken – although the problem is leaving some players in despair; further investigations after a Northern Territory police officer put a 7 year old indigenous boy in the back of a police van as a warning; calls for funding of better interpreters to prevent wrongful convictions;
- on sexism this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone): a Canadian state has banned the compulsory wearing of high heels; a call for fathers to be better role models to their daughters, who have experienced increasing mental health problems in response to social media abuse in the last decade (it should be noted that there are girls without fathers – e.g., whose fathers have died: in those circumstances, other men may be suitable role models); women are still doing the bulk of housework; a police division established in an Indian state to address public sexual harassment has had mixed results, with some of its members indulging in moral policing; “Nigeria's road safety organisation has disciplined a senior commander after he was filmed punishing female employees by cutting off their long hair”; a controversial Islamic group has been encouraging domestic violence against women through some online videos; a US doctor has been charged for mutilating girls; Voldemort has continued his anti-abortion campaign; “A fleeing Saudi woman faces grave risks after being returned to Saudi Arabia against her will while in transit in the Philippines”; a women-only café in Gaza; a Saudi woman is close to conquering all seven summits;
- on other forms of human (and other) rights this week: an article on the data facebook can access, and what is done with it; ageism in the current crop of superhero films (particularly one re-re-reboot … ? And with one exception); a media panel has discussed the issues around voluntary euthanasia; an Indonesian comic illustrator has inserted references supporting hard line religious views; in a comic about superheroes who fight bigotry; Taiwan has moved to protect pets; concerns that religious extremists may be disappearing people in Malaysia; an online privacy breach affecting “vulnerable” students in my home state is being investigated; after Russia’s 8th veto, a call for the European Union to step and investigate war crimes in Syria; a US state’s bail system penalises the poor; the use of local human rights groups in the USA to monitor abuses; a human rights lawyer has sentenced in absentia to 10 years jail for “insulting the President”; a step towards union protection at a Catholic University in the USA; - With regard to crime, judicial
matters and policing:
Indian police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind a call centre scam that targeted thousands of US citizens by impersonating government officials; a 14-year-old girl has been denied bail after she allegedly threatened two family members with a knife when she was refused ice-cream and pasta for breakfast … ; “For the first time in at least a decade, Mexico's army is allowing the United States and the United Nations to observe opium poppy eradication, a step toward deeper cooperation to fight heroin traffickers”; a prison official in my home state has corruptly abused his position; an alleged Russian hacker has been arrested in Spain; the number of executions in 2016 was 37% lower than 2015 (China killed over 1,000, Iran 567, Saudi Arabia 154, Iraq 88, Pakistan 87, Egypt 44 and the USA 20 [and 3 other nations]. As always, this demonstrates and teaches a lack of sanctity for life on the part of those governments – and, from a spiritual point of view, condemns souls to their next life with enhanced, rather than resolved, problems); the opposition in my home state want to shackle judges and cripple rehabilitation by imposing mandatory sentencing for repeat offenders (which is likely to trigger the fear response in many people, rather than the compassion response, and thereby drag them down rather than inspire and uplift them to be better people … and it may be successful politically); disturbing savagery against native animals in a couple of places in my home state; a police division established in an Indian state to address public sexual harassment has had mixed results, with some of its members indulging in moral policing; “Nigeria's road safety organisation has disciplined a senior commander after he was filmed punishing female employees by cutting off their long hair”; senior personnel at a major bank face further investigations after they tried to identify a whistleblower; “An Indonesian traffic policeman has received a bravery award after rescuing a young woman and her toddler who had been taken hostage on a Jakarta bus by a thief armed with a knife”; a US state’s bail system penalises the poor; a union leader has been jailed in Kazakhstan; a call for Lebanon to end child marriage; - 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: having an “equal say”,
or a “right to respond” MUST be assessed in the context of what is happening
overall in society – NOT solely in one limited incident):
daily “anti-dictatorship” protests in Serbia – in good part over a media perceived to be biased; the US First Lady has won damages for false claims by a British tabloid (these sort of sensationalist lies do NOT help journalism); a far right media commentator whose out of court settlement over sexual harassment allegations has led to sponsors withdrawing their advertising will “take a break”; after listening to a radio interview with a doctor volunteering in Syria, I searched for information on online support for volunteers there (it exist – see here and here, for instance, but I suspect the need outweighs what is available), and came across the Rory Peck Trust (added to the organisations I donate to – when I can, and to the sadly limited amount I can afford), which supports freelance journalists in memory of freelancers who have died; the Panama Papers investigation has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting; - With regard to overcrowding and “modern” lifestyle
issues (is YOUR
smart phone free of conflict minerals, environmental harm and child labour? IT manufacturers are making some effort in
on those. Do you suffer from FOMO? Is your social media making you
miserable or envious? 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? Do you want a bigger, flashier
home/car than people had 50 years ago – which means you are actively abusing
the environment and society’s cohesion and contributing to the problem of financialisation?):
- the last of the biggest three US fast food chains using chicken will phase out use of chickens grown using antibiotics; residues from past lead pollution is now showing up in backyard chooks in my home city; banks in Singapore will get help to enable them to better finance environmental sustainability; the Great Barrier reef has been severely damaged by a recent cyclone – and sediment loads may worsen that; a mine which appears to have discharged heavily coloured water after a recent cyclone claims it met the conditions of a temporary Licence: so what were those conditions, and were they set by pragmatism or environmental concerns?; “timber workers are fighting the Tasmanian Government's plan to re-open contentious forests for early logging, saying it will "destroy" the industry it's trying to save”; the unregulated issue of mammoth tusk ivory; a spiritual festival in India has caused environmental damage that may take years to fix; funding to help poor nations adapt to climate change has been made available too slowly; a reminder that oceans are essential;
- “Google has added its fact check feature to search results globally, in a bid to help tackle the spread of "fake news" ”; “Advocates of landmark net neutrality rules [have] blasted [the] Federal Communications Commission chairman’s plans to roll back the Obama era legal framework”; communication cards to counter the loss of interaction resulting from digital devices; the benefits of going without so-called “smart” phones; an article on the data facebook can access, and what is done with it; problems are developing as new programmers no longer are being taught to work with a 60 year old programme still in common use – with some interesting approaches delaying the crunch; social media has been used to rehouse hundreds of chooks that were to be culled; a social media outlet and an online mental health service have combined forces to help young people cope with the “barrage” of on line “bad news”; social media organised groups have been helping with floor recovery; a paraplegic Uni student has used an exoskeleton to walk across the stage to accept his degree; a call for stricter regulation of drones to prevent a catastrophic accident; an examination of options for protecting online privacy; an extremely disturbing attempt by an advertiser to use voice activation on mobile phones of the audience; microvolunteering;
- addressing negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions is “essential” to start addressing housing affordability (along with smaller homes, and not seeing a home as anything other than a place to live); some common sense comments about home ownership … which miss the point about declining affordability, but do hit the target on unrealistic expectations – and advice for young people to rent rather than trying to buy (if that is what it takes to get out of the parental house, so be it, as doing so is essential to maturation, but the field of renting is fraught with MANY problems … ); a warning about mortgage holders who have no reserves; the USA’s Stock Exchange Commission has taken action to target fake news; hot-desking has negative outcomes; some utilities in my nation could be taken back out of the private sector, owing to the failures of the privatised bodies; a call for capitalism to move to “environmental, social and governance investing”;
- it is not uncommon for airlines to overbook flights, given that a significant number of passengers do not turn up (people should only be able to check in when they are at the airport): now, a passenger, a doctor, has been violently thrown off a flight he needed to be on so he could get to work in a hospital, has had to be treated in a hospital himself for injuries sustained, and has launched legal action: see also here, here, here for the outrage in China - and Viêt Nám (way to win friends – NOT), here for the stock market and government responses, with apologies for using a social media link some interesting legal considerations here, and the final backflip of the airline concerned here; an Australian state will put child welfare officers in hospital emergency departments after the death of a toddler; - With regard to education:
a young boy who has been making teddy bears ever since he was injured by a bully has made one for another injured victim of a bully; despite objections, Hungary’s President may force out an international university; an online privacy breach affecting “vulnerable” students in my home state is being investigated; South Africa has still not acted to adequately implement free and compulsory primary education; - 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 USA has dropped “the biggest non-nuclear bomb it has ever used in combat, in eastern Afghanistan targeting a network of caves and tunnels” used by violent extremists; Pakistan has been unlawfully coercing Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan; - With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other
sources) has:
- a Kenya bar owner has set road safety in Kenya back by taking action which bans drink driving tests;
- “Nigeria's road safety organisation has disciplined a senior commander after he was filmed punishing female employees by cutting off their long hair”; a journalist examines “whether a culture of blaming everything on destiny is holding Nigeria back”;
- Cameroon has been urged to restore the internet;
- South Africa has still not acted to adequately implement free and compulsory primary education;
- the UN has called for new talks over the Western Sahara;
- Burundi has banned the opposition party for six months;
- sanctions have been applied to armed groups in the Central African Republic;
- in a leaf out the USSR playbook, Uganda has tried to commit a critic of their President to a mental institution;
- Zimbabweans may soon be able to use cattle as collateral for loans … ;
- the Panama Papers investigation, which included African media, has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting; - With regard to China (may her growing middle class bring a
love of peace and freedom), East and South East Asia and the Pacific:
- the meeting between the Chinese and US Presidents resulted in nothing; the current US President’s administration “will not label China a currency manipulator, backing away from a campaign promise”; a series of articles examining the relationship between China and Russia;
- a warning to take growing tensions around North Korea seriously, and an assessment of the risks that US clumsiness could result in full scale and devastating war; as a US navy group takes up position off the Korean Peninsula, “North Korea says a US missile strike on Syria "proves a million times over" that it was right to strengthen its nuclear programme”, threatens a nuclear strike on the USA, China has warned against military action and urged a peaceful solution, and the current US President has said he would tackle the North Korean crisis without China if necessary;
- a gay couple in Indonesia have been assaulted by vigilantes and handed over to religious police; an Indonesian comic illustrator has inserted references supporting hard line religious views; in a comic about superheroes who fight bigotry; “An Indonesian traffic policeman has received a bravery award after rescuing a young woman and her toddler who had been taken hostage on a Jakarta bus by a thief armed with a knife”; Indonesia’s President’s delays have resulted in the loss of an opportunity to abolish abusive sharia laws;
- concerns that religious extremists may be disappearing people in Malaysia;
- “electioneering” issues and tactics in Cambodia’s election campaign;
- an examination of Asia-Pacific’s role in negotiations on implementing global compacts on refugees;
- anti-corruption officials in the Solomon Islands have arrested the Minister for Provincial Government;
- New Zealand will help Fiji address illegal fishing; - With regard to Europe:
- the surrender of weapons of Basque separatists in Spain is continuing - see also here;
- after Russia’s 8th veto, a call for the European Union to step and investigate war crimes in Syria; the European Union is considering the inclusion of social policy;
- NATO concerns over recent Russian naval activity exceeding Cold War levels; as US-Russian relations deteriorate, the current US President says NATO is “no longer obsolete”;
- daily “anti-dictatorship” protests in Serbia – in good part over a media perceived to be biased;
- despite objections, Hungary’s President may force out an international university; - With regard to the conflict in Iraq (noting that
Iraq was once a peaceful and prosperous society, before the UK / USA / CIA backed revolution – see here, and that it needs an emphasis on
a secular society and
citizenship – but also here, although based
in Syria and here):
- clean up at the liberate University of Mosul has commenced; extensive destruction is being found violent extremist occupied in western Mosul; the experience of volunteer Canadian dentists and US medics in Iraq;
- and the Iraq Body Count project reports 353 civilians violently killed in the last week; - With regard to the Libyan
civil war:
the need for international cooperation on Libya; over 100refugees are missing after a boat sank off Libya; a call for power sharing rather than partition of Libya; - With regard to Russia (which is currently supporting an – in my
opinion, based on R2P principles - illegitimate regime in Syria), Russian
influenced nations and eastern Europe, and responses:
- NATO concerns over recent Russian naval activity exceeding Cold War levels; as US-Russian relations deteriorate, the current US President says NATO is “no longer obsolete”; the G7 nations are looking to put pressure on Russia – possibly sanctions - to break its ties with Syrian Dictator Assad; Russia has blocked a UN resolution on Syria for the eighth time; “Russia and the United States [have] agreed to set up a working group to try to mend their battered ties”; the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russia failed to adequately protect victims of a 2004 school siege in the city of Beslan that left more than 300 people dead; a series of articles examining the relationship between China and Russia; criticism of the US Secretary of State for breaking the tradition of meeting leaders of civil society while visiting Russia; young Russians are being inspired to awaken politically; - With regard to South and Central America:
- examination of the appalling gang violence in Central America, with recommendations to all parties;
- a leading Venezuelan opposition figure who is a state governor has been formally banned for 15 years from public office – leading to large protests; Venezuela’s protests have spread to poor areas, with two more people killed; an examination of the situation in Venezuela;
- “For the first time in at least a decade, Mexico's army is allowing the United States and the United Nations to observe opium poppy eradication, a step toward deeper cooperation to fight heroin traffickers”;
- rehabilitation in a Uruguayan prison;
- renegades from FARC who did not accept the peace deal have killed a Columbian soldier; the challenges of transitioning members of FARC to peace;
- “discontent over living standards in French Guiana has led to a large-scale blockade”;
- Brazil’s corruption enquiry is continuing and widening; - With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian
sub-continent), The Hindu
and other sources have:
- Muslim dairy farmers have been attacked, seriously injured and one killed, by a rabid mob; eight people have been killed in violence at polling stations in Kashmir; a police division established in an Indian state to address public sexual harassment has had mixed results, with some of its members indulging in moral policing; “There has been outrage in India after a member of the ruling BJP party announced a bounty of 1.1m rupees ($17,018; £13,622) on West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head”; a spiritual festival in India has caused environmental damage that may take years to fix; a goal for every Indian to have a house by 2022; the Indian Army is investigating a video showing a youth tied to the front of a jeep as a human shield;
- a university student in Pakistan has been murdered for alleged blasphemy; Pakistan has been unlawfully coercing Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan;
- Sri Lanka’s slow pace on justice; - With regard to Sudan and South Sudan:
- South Sudanese government troops have committed more atrocities; an opinion that the violence in South Sudan is tribal genocide; fears of more violence; over 800,000 refugees have fled South Sudan to Uganda – the biggest refugee movement in Africa since the Rwandan Genocide in 1994; - With regard
to the conflict in Syria, where
Assad’s regime has, in my opinion, lost all claims to legitimacy, and it is
time to consider partition (see here, here, here and here):
an article on the need for international law to adapt to circumstances such as R2P and atrocities; an excellent critique of the history around chemical weapons in Syria and their control; an examination of the “stress” that the USA’s air strikes have put on “the long (international) peace”; Russia has warned the USA over its missile attack on Syria after the Syrian chemical weapon attack on its citizens; Dictator Assad has followed historical dictators from around the globe who were on shaky ground, into fruit loop territory by denying the gas attack occurred; Iran has joined the chemical-attack-in-Syria bandwagon by calling for an investigation; an opinion piece on the US air attacks ponders whether this is the start of a “Trump doctrine”, and notes that Obama would probably have taken similar action – and Clinton much more extensive action; a Syrian-American poet lost ten members of her family to conventional weapons on the day of the chemical weapons attack; Syria has responded with bluster to the US air attack after Syria gassed dozens of its citizens; the experience of those who survived Assad’s sarin attack on his people in 2013; the areas which were gassed have now been firebombed by planes … ; the USA has “strengthened” protection of its forces in Syria; the USA may take further action if more chemical weapons attacks occur; the G7 nations are looking to put pressure on Russia – possibly sanctions - to break its ties with Syrian Dictator Assad; manoeuvring and games playing have commenced with regard to possible investigations or further UN resolutions on chemical weapons in Syria (the OPCW has taken the initiative of preparatory information gathering, and a clear explanation is included on the OPCW's concerns about chemical weapons ever since 2013; interestingly, the 2013 UN resolution appears to have allowed for action); Russia has blocked a UN resolution on Syria for the eighth time, as the UN envoy warns of the need for a political solution; after listening to a radio interview with a doctor volunteering in Syria, I found there is on online support for volunteers there (see here and here, for instance), but I suspect the need outweighs what is available; the experiences and bitter disappointment in the international community of a Syrian doctor who has, after unrelenting years, finally fled; a US “friendly fire” incident has killed 18 allies; a call for the European Union to step and investigate war crimes in Syria; the multiple layers of the conflict in Syria; - With regard to Turkey:
Turks living outside Turkey who are critical of the current government fear what could happen after the referendum; a group of experts have warned that, even with the combination of the current state of emergency in Turkey and the imminent referendum, human rights must not be compromised; the alienation of former Erdogan supporters; pro-Erdogan websites are promoting hate against critics; - With regard to the conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in
the east:
east Ukraine has been further isolated by blockades; - With regard to West Asia (aka “the
Middle East”) and North Africa, the Middle East Eye and other sources have:
- vagueness and controversy after a Palestinian activist was refused permission to visit Australia; the Palestinian Authority’s struggle for survival; a women-only café in Gaza; an assessment of the risks of war or possibility of peace in the next few months between Israel and Palestine; concerning treatment by Israel – including deliberate humiliation – of a British-Palestinian engineering professor who has long campaigned for justice; Israel appears to be flirting with far right extremists in Europe;
- Iran has joined the chemical-attack-in-Syria bandwagon by calling for an investigation; commentary of Iran’s upcoming Presidential elections;
- a call for Lebanon to end child marriage;
- abuse – including rape and murder - of trans women in Saudi Arabia; “A fleeing Saudi woman faces grave risks after being returned to Saudi Arabia against her will while in transit in the Philippines”; dozens of US officials are pushing measures to stop additional US assistance to Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen; a Saudi woman is close to conquering all seven summits;
- a call has been made for Egyptian authorities to “immediately disclose whether they are or were holding four Palestinian men from Gaza affiliated with Hamas whose whereabouts are unknown”; a human rights lawyer has sentenced in absentia to 10 years jail for “insulting the President”; an opinion that Egypt’s current President Sisi needs to learn from the mistakes of former President Mubarek that repression does not stop terrorism, and risks inciting rebellion; - With regard
to the war in Yemen (unlike Iraq, I
cannot find a source of regular information on casualties in Yemen, but the
hardship and deaths from food, water and medical shortages that concerns me
just as much – if not more, and I don’t know if such sites would report that;
it is also important to remember that there are multiple sides in this dispute
– and opponents to the government are not necessarily Houthi or violent
extremist):
another warning of the imminent famine in Yemen; a critique of the situation in Yemen, with recommendations for action; dozens of US officials are pushing measures to stop additional US assistance to Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen; - With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
recommendations on preparation for natural disasters such as cyclones; the UN will reduce the size of its mission to Haiti in October; the UN has warned millions in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and north-east Nigeria are slipping deeper into crisis (“The crises in these four countries are protracted and complex – and the impacts will be felt for years”), and urged member nations to dig deep into the reserves of common humanity; - With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and
the occasional nice story:
“Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has been made the youngest ever UN Messenger of Peace”; “Nobel Peace prize laureate Malala Yousafzai says she is "humbled" to become the sixth person to receive an honorary Canadian citizenship”.
and from a range of other sites:
- a pregnant cow has survived three days in floodwaters after a cyclone;
- a cat is helping to relieve stress in Uni students;
- guidance for parents of injured children;
- more confirmation of what I have long considered the only sensible option if you are in a car that has gone into water: GET OUT FAST! (the old advice about keeping the doors shut has ALWAYS seemed to me to be utter BS – I like the suggestion of mandatory installation of an existing device that automatically opens windows when the car is in water).
(Dear Reader, please remember, I expect you to think when
reading this blog, and I reserve the right to occasionally sneak in something
to test that)
Now, some general comments/information.
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' (see
also here,
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 (running for decades);
the “Network of Light” meditations; and
also see here and here –
even commercial organisations (for instance, see here), online groups (e.g. here
and here
– which I do not know the quality of)
and even an app. Thus, if you don't like what I am suggesting here, but want to be
of service, there are many other opportunities for you – including
secular opportunities: e.g., see here,
here and here. Again, activism
in the physical world is also required - see here,
here
and here,
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 :). 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, there is a default
plan.
I apologise for publishing these posts twice, but Blogger
keeps changing my formatting.
No signature block for these posts.
