Saturday, 8 July 2017

Post No. 1,047 – Gnwmythr’s News Ed. No. 170



Information and Summary/Analysis:
Note: I am NOT a journalist, and make NO claims to objectivity or freedom from bias. Furthermore, I do not hold copyright to any of the articles I link to, nor do I claim authorship, except for those links to material I have written for this and my related blogs, and my commentary in these posts. (I try to make sure quotes are shown using quotation marks.)
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.
As part of that, note that there are key uncooperatives to be cleared (rescued): you should ONLY address those that are within your ability – if you get a sense (e.g., through meditation) or are told by your BPM Guides/Higher Self to back off, do so, and content yourself with clearing the smaller nonBPM units within your capability – which will weaken those uncooperatives. More importantly, there are many people doing this sort of work, and others are quite likely to be able to clear the uncooperatives concerned.
That is also one of the many reasons it is OK to take a break or cut back this work if you need – in fact, doing so will help you deal with the next point, which is …
… the energies we use and manifest in our daily lives contribute to the larger soup of energies that influence world events, so it pays to address those as well, to the extent that one can, or to at least stop oneself projecting them into the psychic soup.
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”.
There are some notes at the end of this post about other options for those who do not like this way of working.
Finally, one of the biggest concerns I have about spirituality in the world now is that the concept of agape type love has been perverted into both a quest for emotional warm fuzzies, and an excuse to avoid doing the hard work of improving oneself and all that one does. On that, it may help to consider the simplification that one cannot love perfectly until one has learned how to perfect.
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), we need the maturity of more BPM Æther;
        mentally, we need the clarity of more BPM Æther;
        a plot of the elemental influences on a causal/spiritual level follows, and shows a need for more BPM outward-focused Æther ;
(d)   this week I will use the nobility bindrune, which is:
(e)   dealing with the 45th 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:   as attraction to violence continues to be inadequately addressed, there are risks of mass atrocities in the Central African Republic, Burma and South Sudan;   tensions and fears around North Korea’s launch of an ICBM, and China’s chaotic cacophony of international influences;   the Qatar crisis;   the meeting of the Russian and US Presidents;
(g)   the quality of one’s character is an issue this week;
(h)   some compassion has been shown this week, but humanity’s inhumanity to inhumanity is not being adequately addressed;
(i)   there has been an increase in holding those with power to account, but also a clear need for that;
(j)   lack of clarity of thinking and the underlying perceptions continues to plague us;
(k)   sadly, bigotry, hate and fear are still with us;
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 past week follows:
   news items are presented in the following sections (there is overlap, and items may appear more than once):
    - Permanent and Thematically Arranged News,
    - Location Based News,
    - From a Range of Other Sites;
   opportunities/good news are shown in green;
   comments are shown in purple; and
   WARNING: some of these links may contain triggers around issues such as violence, sexual assault, discrimination, etc.
Permanent Issues and Thematically Arranged News:
  • Permanent issue: may all actual and potential BPM 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 actual and potential BPM Violence Interrupters (and Interrupters of hate / fear / anger) of be kept BPM safe, and may they have all the BPM opportunities and assistance (so-called “good luck”) for them to be BPM effective at containing and stopping – along the lines of the Cure Violence model - the spread of violence (and hate / fear / anger), all as is for the Highest Spiritual Good;
  • 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;
  • Permanent issue: may all humans be in better communication with the better parts of their nature;
  • Matters warranting particular attention:
       -   more on compassionate leadership;   the benefits of treating people well, in a social media (sorry) article titled “To Be a Disrupter, You Don’t Have to be an Asshole”;
       -   a call for those who use magick – such as those who apply what I write about - to do so more professionally;
       -   a two decades old book that predicted the 45th US President also gave constructive suggestions for the political left (based on being more realistic and have a longer historical perspective);
       -   this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists the Central African Republic, Burma and South Sudan;
  • 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 45th US President below
       -   analyses this week include:   an interview with former US President Jimmy Carter and US Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders where both attribute the rise of authoritarian politics in the USA to political and economic inequality;   a US historian’s US-focused take on the world and changes over the last couple of centuries;   the goals, strategies and methods of modern “authoritarians”;   I will now change where I buy petrol – see also here, here, here, and here;   a review of a  book which examines “the relationship between experts and citizens in a democracy, why that relationship is collapsing, and what all of us … might do about it”;   papers examining policy options now that “the two-decade period of United States post-Cold War predominance is now over, and an era of greater multipolarity has begun”;   the quest for an international cyber-law … ;   a call for historical literacy;
       -   of concern this week:   the personal files of a controversial youth, whose experience in youth detention sparked a royal commission, are among those mistakenly dumped at a tip during a refurbishment, raising what appears to be a lack of appropriate policies for confidential documents;   half of all nations lack cybersecurity plans;   more unhelpful violent protests (was it only a minority?) ahead of the G20 summit;
       -   other concerning events have occurred or are developing in: Papua New Guinea, Syria, Kenya;
       -   in the grey/mixed area or neutral this week:   an examination of the criticism of the G20 and globalisation – Part 1 and Part 2;
       -   good news this week includes:   "The U.K. government says it is waiving immigration rules for … foreign nationals directly impacted by last month's deadly tower fire in London";
       -   and other matters in my home nation this week:   an article on Australia’s housing bubble, how we got here, and “the new world economic order” … a lot of which boils down to the age old problems of stupidity hooking up with greed. Also, an article on the housing shortage myth, and how that now raises the risk of a real estate crash. And an article on how the “gig economy” will create social classes, divide Australians, and threaten the tax base and future retirement;   an article on growing traffic congestion in my home city raises – to my mind – issues such as the need to make public  transport safer (ticket inspectors and “PSOs” are part of the problem [e.g., see here, here, here, here, and here], as is discrimination – by the public, PSOs and ticket inspectors), better use of options for working at home, and the need for companies to stagger start and finish times so people are not all trying to get in and out of work at the same time – which I think one Scandinavian nation has successfully used;   disturbing claims that Medicare information has been sold on the “dark web” will be investigated – and this may impede plans for an online digital health scheme. See also here, and this useful site;   the “points system” means immigrants are healthier than Australians and won’t be a burden;
  • With regard to the 45th US President (who I consider seriously dangerous, even if his administration looks like a Schoolyard Squabble Squad) this week:
    I deliberately avoid using the 45th US President’s name for valid psychic reasons: however, to both simplify my typing and remind people that he is dangerous (actually, I consider him evil), I will use “Voldemort” – in this section, at least - as an alias.
       -   Voldemort has ignored bipartisan criticism to continue to lash out at a couple of TV hosts;   more questions over Voldemort’s apparent lack of ethics, as, across the USA, marchers call for his impeachment;   “the US government's top ethics watchdog has announced his intention to resign, after repeatedly clashing with” Voldemort – see also here;   a critique of a review that suggests the media may exaggerate the rate at which Voldemort lies (partly laziness/habit, partly being human);
       -   Voldemort’s voter fraud commission is being met with a growing number of uncompliant states – see here on the privacy concerns;   the fight between Voldemort’s administration and “sanctuary cities” is continuing;
       -   concerning claims that the US Congress could create a committee with power to declare the US President “incapacitated” and remove whoever is there under the US 25th Amendment to their Constitution (such a committee would inherently be political, and thus open to potential abuse: if such a measure were to be considered [and it could have advantages – e.g., if a US President had a heart attack and was unable to sign a letter transferring power], it must be medical only – e.g., Surgeon General);
       -   Voldemort appears to have found a good choice for the next US Surgeon-General;
       -   Voldemort has invoked the “defence of Western civilisation” rubbish;
       -    eighteen US states are suing Voldemort’s administration over the suspension of rules that “would have swiftly cancelled the student-loan debt of people defrauded by [some] for-profit schools”;
       -   changes under Voldemort to how the White House works;
  • 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. 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 Syria, Kenya, Afghanistan, Egypt, and, according to this Wikipedia page, there have been 7 attacks in Iraq, 2 attacks in Afghanistan, and 2 attacks in Syria (out of a total of 26);   prevention has or may have occurred in France;   and actions (Note: there are many others that don’t reach the media I read) have occurred this week against violent extremists in Yemen, Lebanon (with questions, however), Somalia;   Niger has killed 14 refugees after mistaking them for violent extremists;
       -   anti-terrorism bollards in my home city have been decorated, to our pleasure, although paintwork will be removed, as the bollards are rented (incidentally, in that last link, I consider the graffiti “artist” to be staggeringly naïve);   the USA has stopped six young Afghani women travelling to a robotics convention – which led to this excellent social media response, which includes the economic contributions of migrants;      “Egypt led a concerted effort to prevent the Saudi Arabian branch of the [so-called] Islamic State group being added to a UN terrorism sanctions list, in what has been described as a "classic case" of [Saudi Arabia] and its allies keeping its security problems away from prying eyes”;
       -   an insider’s criticism of the non-violent preventative programmes that failed in the southern Philippines;   a rebuttal of the notion that travel bans and reduced human rights will reduce violent extremism;   an examination of the backwardness of the current US administration’s approach to counter-violent-extremism;   an examination of Pakistan’s extremist links;
  • With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration):
       “Amnesty International has blamed "failing EU policies" for the soaring death toll among refugees and migrants in the central Mediterranean”;   helping refugees, and “trauma teddies”;
       other refugee-related matters have also occurred in: Burma, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, South Sudan/Uganda (and the World Bank);
  • With regard to human (and other) rights and discrimination:
       -   on homophobia/transphobia this week (noting that trans kids are the same as cis kids of the trans kids’ true gender) :   staunchly Catholic Malta, which only introduced divorce in 2011, was the first nation to ban gay conversion therapy and is about to legalise same-sex marriage;   a gay man in central China has won an apology and compensation from a mental hospital over forced conversion therapy – and it is particularly good that courts have set this lead;   criticism of the definition of bullying at a global conference;   a new documentary has been made on the lives and experiences of trans men in Western Australia;   a new version of the Pride flag has brown and black stripes to be more inclusive of people of colour;   “secret guidelines used by social media giant facebook to censor hate speech are resulting in lesbians being blocked and banned for referring to themselves as "dykes", with one expert suggesting early adoption of artificial intelligence software may be to blame”;   Colombia has legally recognised a union between three men;
       -   on racism this week:   a “history buffs” video review of “Dancing with Wolves” also went into the USA’s appalling history with Indians (e.g., here - and I am aware that my nation shares a similar appalling history, e.g., here) and the recent, violently suppressed Dakota Access Pipeline protests (disturbingly, suppressed to large extent by a by a private company; the actions of which raise grave concerns – see, for instance, here);   interesting thoughts on not automatically being an activist because of being indigenous (“activism is a set of skills, a set of strategies”);  the problem of hearing loss in (Australian) indigenous people;   one Australian State has possibly set a good example for improving indigenous health;   inadequate indigenous aged care – including an artist sleeping on the ground;   “after years of painstaking research, an online map marking the massacres of Aboriginal clans across Australia's colonial frontier has launched”;   indigenous Canadians have protested 150th anniversary celebrations;   “Girls in remote Indigenous communities who are normally law-abiding feel forced to steal costly pads, and some are missing classes because the school bathrooms do not have sanitary bins, a Queensland report finds” (are we living in the 21st Century?);   " 'What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?' Frederick  Douglass, Revisited";   “White people like me should use the term [white supremacy] because it shifts the race problem to us, where it belongs”;   intergenerational transfer of trauma;
       -   stories from NAIDOC: “a non-profit Aboriginal organisation in Newcastle is finding success using technology to help preserve Indigenous languages” – see also here;   one of NAIDOC’s Awards;   the career of Australia’s first indigenous media photographer;    an indigenous language choir;
       -   on sexism this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone):   more sexism in sport – with at least a reasonable, if after the fact, response;   support and security hubs for victims of domestic violence;   comprehensive research shows the damage resulting from domestic violence and “inter-parental conflict”, and the need for polices including early intervention (some fathers need a better understanding of child development, for instance);   the appalling problem of female genital mutilation;
       -   other sexism matters have also occurred in: Malaysia, the tech industry (again), the media, Bolivia, El Salvador;
       -   on workers’ and other forms of human (and other) rights this week:   “child exploitation fears [are driving a] push to outlaw 'orphanage tourism' ”;   calls for a disability care company to be shut down after its reinstates an employee who abused a disabled client – see also here;  there is “a series of discrimination claims against education departments across [Australia], including allegations of physical restraint, seclusion and exclusion from schools”;   a new union has been launched for indigenous people who are part of a controversial work-for-the-dole scheme blamed for causing poverty and hunger;   the World Bank has said child marriage will cost developing countries trillions of dollars by 2030 (lost economic opportunity, etc);
       -   other human or other rights problems have also occurred in: Turkey, Bangladesh, Hungary, Uzbekistan;
  • With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing:
       “In a major shake-up of the Vatican's administration, Pope Francis has ousted the head of the Catholic Church office that handles sex abuse cases”;   a reminder of the dangers police regularly face;   a Ukrainian software company which was the start of a recent global cyber-attack may face charges for neglecting security;   a juvenile who seriously assaulted a police officer has been denied bail (there are consequences to our actions, and we need to accept that as part of becoming an adult);   another youth justice system in Australia has been found to have problems;   a police officer has been killed;   a call for US police to use Peel’s Principles of Policing when interacting with people of colour;   “international mail stream continues to account for the greatest proportion of the number of illicit drug detections at the Australian border”;   a series of articles on “Doing Justice to Truth in International Criminal Courts and Tribunals”;
       other crime, judicial and policing matters have occurred in: Australia, Mexico, Bangladesh, Mexico (2nd);
  • 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. Also, funding is an issue … ):
       "facebook is challenging a court-ordered gag preventing it from talking about three government search warrants it argues pose a threat to freedom of speech";   a US judge has allowed twitter to “move forward with a lawsuit that aims to free technology companies to speak more openly about surveillance requests they receive”;   declining freedom of the media;   recommendations for the media to prevent violence against women;   a call for journalists to commit to “to the qualities that underpinned the ideal of impartiality: accuracy, fairness, open-mindedness and above all balance, which follows the weight of evidence, not the bias of ideology” (with some interesting history);
       other media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in: Burma, Mexico, Poland, Kenya;
  • 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 or addiction? Is your social media making you miserable or envious? Are you being duped by modern mantras? Are you “failing” at being well? Does your AI use ethics? Does your corporation misuse mindfulness as a distraction from working conditions? Are you afflicted by management  fads? 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?):
       -   on climate change and other environmental matters this week:   66 million trees have been planted in 12 hours in India (hope they have enough care to survive … );   the USA may back down on biofuel requirements;   a waste to energy project using thousands of tonnes of household and industrial waste is being considered for a paper mill in my home state (I am concerned that the waste will be converted by burning, however);   “Whale migration brings drone attention and possible fines for photographers”;   “elephant tourism” (selfies, etc) is fuelling a rise in elephants captured from the wild;   to the profound surprise of many, and despite unprecedented back-to-back coral bleaching events, UNESCO has decided not to place the Great Barrier Reef on its official list of World Heritage sites "in danger" – which has immediately been claimed by Australia’s neoliberal government as support for its conservation measures;   research is revealing the unexpected environmental cost of modern clothes;   France will ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040;   the UN weather department is making “predictions” of changes as a result of climate change available;   an examination of New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme;   health care impacts of climate change;   the world’s biggest lithium battery system will be built in South Australia;
       -   other environmental matters have occurred in: Honduras;
       -   on technology and science matters this week:   “A drone flying close to Gatwick Airport led to the closure of the runway and forced five flights to be diverted”;   a “Chinese internet giant … has limited the hours that children can play several of its most popular games”;   another warning not to rely on internet searches with regard to childhood problems;   a kerfuffle over the US National Public Radio organisation tweeting the US Declaration of Independence on their Independence Day shows the inherent weakness of twitter;   the US government is becoming wary of a cybersecurity firm based in Russia;   yet another revelation of sexual harassment in the tech industry;
       -   other technology and science matters have occurred in: Ukraine, Australia;
       -   on economic and financial matters this week:   a suggestion to copy an overseas tax break to promote repair over throwing things away;   an article on better offices –meaning less open floor plans, and more green (paint);   "the increasing casualisation of the workforce has created a greater risk-taking culture among young professionals" - and housing (lack of) affordability is contributing to this (incidentally, I have grave concerns about people who move back in with parents);   "Casual workers have won the right to request permanent employment if they work regular hours over a year, under a ruling by the Fair Work Commission";   from an article advocating a universal basic income (supported by Elon Musk): "Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution. So far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality";   with apologies for using a social media link, an article on loyalty in the workplace (the book can be found here);   a proposal to better manage the problem of unwanted calls from charities;   a view that technology will not cost jobs (this view assumes new areas of work will evolve, as they have for such changes in the past, and fails to consider the damage done to human beings by the unmanaged change process) - see also here;   “the not-for-profit community sector is the future for social housing growth”;   some urban dwellers in the US are working with developers (“YIMBYs”)in an attempt to make housing more affordable;   the significance to the US economy (16%) of industries which rely on “fair use”;
       -   other economic and financial matters have occurred in: the USA;
       -   on other matters in the category this week:   urban-grown sweet potatoes are being used to feed the needy;   an Australian state that has not yet outlawed them has held its annual cracker night – with 20 people injured and hundreds of emergency calls … ;   appallingly, girls “as young as nine are seeking surgery on their vagina because they are distressed by its appearance”;   scientists have caught up with the reality billions of other humans have known about for millennia and found evidence of the Tall Poppy Syndrome (in workplaces);   an expert is of the opinion that taking toys away can boost creativity and limit an early on-set addiction to 'stuff';
  • With regard to education:
       a successful mentoring programme for suspended students - beginning with the example of a student who was bullied and deliberately had himself suspended;   there is “a series of discrimination claims against education departments across [Australia], including allegations of physical restraint, seclusion and exclusion from schools”;
       -   other education matters have occurred in: the USA;
  • With regard to war, violence and hate generally:
       I have been watching some of the “Cure Violence” videos – such as here;   an online video on the psychology of fear, terrorism, and trauma (98% of people are afraid of human aggression towards them, injury from war shows humans are not naturally violent);   “A German company has won a battle over the use of a name by a Swedish neo-Nazi group after complaining that it could be confused with their brand”;   more than 100 people were shot in a US city over their holiday weekend;   “ageing exacerbates some PTSD symptoms”;   the chairman of the UK (Chilcot) inquiry into the Iraq war has said the evidence Mr Blair gave the inquiry was "emotionally truthful" but Blair relied on beliefs rather than facts and was not "straight with the nation" about his decisions;   a brief consideration of why civil wars this century have been more frequent, longer and more violent – with the internet possibly being a factor;   children who lived under violent extremist regimes face years of psychological trauma;
  • With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
       a warning that “rising cholera, diarhoea and malnutrition [is] 'deadly' for children in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan”;   “seventy-eight people have been killed and dozens more injured when a truck heavily loaded with goods and passengers crashed in the Central African Republic”;   floods in Japan;   the World Bank has launched “specialised bonds aimed at providing financial support to the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility”;   cholera has broken out amongst the weakened population of South Sudan;
  • With regard to peace and/or spirituality generally, and the occasional nice story (are you crippled by the fear of being single or asexual or off-grid or in any other way a rebel / innovator / non-conformist / true to yourself, or believe in management  fads and fashions? Do you distract yourself and fill your time to avoid finding real meaning? If so, you have a spiritual problem, and a need to constructively remedy that):
       I have come across the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and its Director, Paul K Chappell – see also here;   a “realistic view” on “a sustainable peace with justice and equality … this is called human security” by an activist (with some GREAT comments about contributing what you can) who is not a complete pacifist (argues have a military, but for defence) – and has the Dalai Lama as her action hero (Voldemort is “offering 84 billion dollars for the modernizing of nuclear weapons. Do you know the figure that the UN talks about for fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals is 80 billion dollars?”) – transcript here;   an interesting story on some of the backroom peace negotiators/promoters in the Northern Ireland peace process;   “talks aimed at ending the four-decade Cyprus conflict have closed without reaching an agreement” (is it time to accept partition, and start behaving as two separate nations?);   the UN has outlined the steps it intends to take to promote achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Location based News:
  • 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 stopped six young Afghani women travelling to a robotics convention – which led to this excellent social media response, which includes the economic contributions of migrants;   the World Bank will provide half a billion in grants to assist Afghanistan “through a difficult phase in its struggle to end poverty and to signal a long-term commitment to the country’s people”;   the widow of a US soldier killed in Afghanistan is seeking to block the ~$10 million compensation to be paid to one of those fighting the US troops who was captured and had his human rights abused - and was ordered to pay over $100 million in damages - while detained at Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay (I’m going to see if I can follow this case, which depends on what articles get through to the media I can access, and see what the arguments on the various sides are – I can see a multitude already);
  • With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
       -   the self-declared nation of Somaliland is being ravaged by a crippling drought, with families left without food or income;
       -   Zambia’s President is seeking a state of emergency;
       -   “bananas genetically modified by Queensland researchers to be vitamin A-enriched are being grown in Uganda, in a breakthrough hoped to save the lives of thousands of east African children”;
       -   breaches of the ceasefire agreement have occurred in Mali;
       -   “judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that South Africa failed in its obligations to the war crimes court by failing to arrest Sudan’s wanted president when he visited the nation for a summit of African leaders in 2015”;
       -   Niger has killed 14 refugees after mistaking them for violent extremists;
       -   a Democratic Republic of Congo court has convicted seven soldiers for the murder of suspected militia members;
       -   discussions over a possible state of Biafra is forcing Nigeria to face the past civil war;   fears over the state of Nigeria’s President’s health;
       -   Kenya is seeking to censor commentary on social media – supposedly to prevent hate speech … ;
  • With regard to China (may her growing middle class bring a love of peace and freedom), East and South East Asia and the Pacific (noting the risks of atrocities in North Korea and Burma):
       -   a “Chinese internet giant … has limited the hours that children can play several of its most popular games”;   China has opened up its $9 trillion bond market, the third-largest in the world, to foreign investors – currently only 2% of the bonds – to attract foreign capital;   a backgrounder on the current India-China border stand-off;   “China has invited medical experts from the US and Germany to help treat Chinese Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who has terminal liver cancer” – which is a small step in the right direction, and shows international pressure has had an impact;  a gay man in central China has won an apology and compensation from a mental hospital over forced conversion therapy – and it is particularly good that courts have set this lead;   another “freedom of navigation” exercise by the USA in the South China Sea;   the USA has criticised China for not using trade restrictions to pressure the DPRK, and says it will use force to stop the DPRK’s nuclear programme if it has to – which is probably serious, but has not yet reached the trigger (see also here);   some NGOs in China are closing down rather than go along with Chairperson Xi’s latest act of repression;   at the request of China, Egypt is arresting Uighur refugees who fled religious persecution and violence from East Turkestan (aka “Xinjiang”);
       -   North Korea (the DPRK) has launched another missile, and now has an intercontinental ballistic missile, raising risks - see also here, here, and there has been a reminder “of the importance of separating political and humanitarian concerns as it considers a response to the situation”;   China and Russia want the USA and South Korea to stop demonstrating their shared resolve for defence as part of a strategy to diffuse tension over the DPRK (The strategy calls for the DPRK to stop, but what are they going to make that happen – particularly as they have done nothing in the past?);
       -   South Korea’s and the USA’s Presidents have agreed to a tougher response against North Korea’s nuclear programme;   claims that South Koreans see the 45th US President as a bigger threat to their security than the DPRK;
       -   Japanese people are uneasy over the threat posed by the DPRK;
       -   in a move possibly more significant than the USA's "freedom of navigation" exercises, Vietnam has “begun drilling for oil in an area of the resource-rich South China Sea also claimed by China”;
       -   “former US president Barack Obama has urged Indonesians to resist divisive politics based on race and religion, saying the world's most populous Muslim nation has a long history of tolerance that should be preserved”;
       -   media freedom is under threat in Burma;
       -   an international oil company has withdrawn cardboard cut-outs of a female from its service stations in Malaysia after appalling groping;
       -   a deal to end the violent extremist siege in the southern Philippines was aborted by the President;
       -   a call has been made for inclusive and sustainable solutions to protracted displacement and statelessness in Burma;
       -   Thailand is building its links with China;
       -   and in the Pacific:   Papua New Guinea will try again to hold elections in Port Moresby – see also here and here;
  • With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU):
       -   the changes for the better that have happened in post-Soviet Estonia;
       -   the Netherlands is seeking to bring those responsible for shooting down MH17 to court (while this is admirable from a justice point of view, is it realistic?);
       -   the ways that Poland is trying to suppress freedom of the media;
       -   Hungary’s anti-“migrant” (do they really mean refugee?) programme has been accused of antisemitism;
       -   “the situation in Srebenica is the exact opposite of that in Germany, which has fully acknowledged the Holocaust and apologised for the crimes committed by the Nazis”;
       -   a review of the “European defence fund”;
       -   the divisions that are emerging in the UK;
  • 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):
       -   20,000 civilians are trapped in Mosul;   violent extremists have mounted a diversionary attack in the south;
       -   and the Iraq Body Count project reports 615 civilians violently killed in the last week (1,858 in June);
  • With regard to the Libyan civil war:
       “the head of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) has said his forces "liberated" the eastern Benghazi city after years of fighting with” violent extremists;
  • 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:
       an article on the history of relations between Russia and the USA;   the Russian and US Presidents have held an extended meeting which included Syria and alleged interference in elections;
  • With regard to South and Central America:
       -   “can Mexico save its journalists?”;  the drug gangs behind the violence in Mexico;   more than 20 people have been killed or wounded in a shoot-out in a Mexican city;   at least 28 people have been killed in violence in a Mexican prison;
       -   violent assaults on politicians in Venezuela;
       -   in this article comparing nations from the point of view of the 45th US President infamous bullying handshake, a significant comment is “you should cry for Argentina”;
       -   hope of a small step towards better women’s rights in Bolivia;
       -   Colombia has legally recognised a union between three men;
       -   “a teenage rape victim in El Salvador has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder after having a stillbirth, the latest in a long line of failures of justice against pregnant women in the Central American country”;
       -   “the daughter of [a] murdered Honduran environmentalist … has survived an armed attack, just weeks after being named leader of the indigenous rights organisation formerly led by her mother”;
       -   Brazil’s corruption crisis continues to spread;
  • With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
       -   anger is growing at police inability to protect a woman who survived a gang-rape, lodged a complaint, and has now endured her 5th acid attack;   India’s Supreme Court has asked relatives of the victims –more than 1,500 were allegedly killed – and activists for information on extra-judicial executions by security forces in the insurgency-ridden north-eastern Manipur state between 1979 and 2012, and will rule in July whether to order an official investigation which could lead to convictions;   a backgrounder on the current India-China border stand-off;  India’s Prime Minister has visited Israel – and an arms deals is expected to be a prominent part of discussions. See also here;   66 million trees have been planted in 12 hours in India (hope they have enough care to survive … );   “Who — or what — gets more respect in India; women or cows? That controversial question, posed by a photographer through pictures of women wearing a cow mask, has prompted death threats” (I have posted about this project previously);   a photo essay of the effects of an indefinite strike in support of a separate state for the majority Nepali-speaking Gorkha community in India's tea-producing region of Darjeeling;   the World Bank will assist India to give market-relevant training to 8 million youths;   politicians have been arrested when trying to reach riot-hit villages;
       -   Bangladesh has illegally – and secretly – detained hundreds of people;
       -   Pakistan has indicated it will no longer be the Gulf nation’s “gun for hire”;   an examination of Pakistan’s extremist links;
  • With regard to Sudan and South  Sudan:
       -   a call has been made for sanctions relief for Sudan to be delayed;
       -   a commentary on the blood money being made by arms deals with South Sudan;   more atrocities by the South Sudanese government;   cholera has broken out in South Sudan;   South Sudan’s one million refugees are a test of the World Bank’s commitment;   peace monitors have been blocked by the army;
  • 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):
       Turkey appears to be angling to provoke conflict with Kurdish fighters in  northern Syria;   “the panel investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria [has] appealed to the international community to allow it to complete its work in an independent, impartial and professional manner”;   Russia, Turkey and Iran are making plans for Syria after violent extremists are defeated;   “a former French judge has been appointed as the head of an independent team tasked with investigating war crimes in Syria”;
  • With regard to Turkey:
       Turkey appears to be angling to provoke conflict with Kurdish fighters in northern Syria;   following the bungled coup in Turkey, some military officers cannot go home - and fear for their lives, as do their families;   Turkey has detained a human rights organisation’s director;   some Turks are subjecting Syrian refugees to hate - including violence – as a result of Turkish military deaths and the temporary return of some refugees during a recent religious period (that second issue does need to be explained – actually, so do the benefits of stability and the reasons for involvement behind the first);
  • With regard to the conflicts in Ukraine, particularly in the east:
       another cyber-attack in Ukraine;
  • With regard to West Asia (aka “the Middle East”) and North Africa, the Middle East Eye and other sources have:
       -   India’s Prime Minister has visited Israel – and an arms deals is expected to be a prominent part of discussions. See also here;   a children’s theatre in Gaza is aiming to reduce their trauma;   in a stormy meeting, UNESCO has declared the Tomb of the Patriarchs an endangered site;   a call by a Rabbi for Israel’s Prime Minister to start representing all Jews;
       -   an article considering whether Saudi Arabia has “gone too far” in its actions against Qatar (see also here) – which has now responded to the allegations against it;   the four Arab nations leading the boycott against Qatar “are to discuss the Qatar crisis”, following which they were reported as angered at Qatar’s “negative” response, and they “said … that [Qatar's] refusal of their demands to resolve a Gulf diplomatic crisis is proof of its links to terror groups and that they would enact new measures against it”;   according to a Reuters exclusive, despite the crisis, three major Western corporations want Qatar’s gas - the supply of which has been increased;      the possibility of Iran becoming openly involved in the dispute;   disdain from Arab media;
       -   Pakistan has indicated it will no longer be the Gulf nation’s “gun for hire”;
       -   the World Bank will promote entrepreneurship in Jordan by providing financing, through the establishment of a private sector managed funding facility, to the small and medium enterprises - over 200 innovative start-ups - that have proven to be the engines of job creation;
       -   at the request of China, Egypt is arresting Uighur refugees who fled religious persecution and violence from East Turkestan (aka “Xinjiang”);   Egypt has increased electricity prices as ordered by the IMF as part of an “economic reform package”;   “Egypt led a concerted effort to prevent the Saudi Arabian branch of the [so-called] Islamic State group being added to a UN terrorism sanctions list, in what has been described as a "classic case" of [Saudi Arabia] and its allies keeping its security problems away from prying eyes”;
       -   ongoing violence and destruction in an eastern Saudi city where the residents are from a sect of Islam different to most of the rest of that nation;
       -   questions over the Lebanese army’s actions against Syrian refugees and violent extremists;
  • With regard to the conflict 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):
       the cholera death toll has risen to 1,500.
Other News:
General Comments/Information
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