Post No. 1,276 – Gnwmythr’s News Ed. No. 251

For the sake of my health, until I retire or change to an easier day job , I have cut back these posts.
Throughout 2019, these posts are likely to be cut back even further as a family illness is dealt with.

Information and Summary of News with Opinion / Advocacy / Analysis:

Notes:

(1) I am NOT a journalist (this blog was created for spiritual reasons, including a course), and make NO claims to objectivity or freedom from bias.
(2) 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. See also here and here.

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 Uranus in Aries contributing to fresh and possibly radical starts (until March 2019), 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:
       (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)   dealing with the 45^th “President” of the USA 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 his mind-set, and strengthening that person’s BPM Guides and giving those BPM Guides whatever BPM help they need to present a BPM alternative to promote a change of heart,
      2. lifting the nonBPM influences from the shoulders of that person’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. physical world activism (especially education) – e.g., this. 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);
      4. Ensuring opposition to POTUS45 is unified, cohesive and FOCUSED, NOT fractured or divisive;

(d)   the major events this week are:
       (i)   as attraction to violence continues to be inadequately addressed, the search for humans rights abusers continues, and further to the current map of genocides, this week there are risks of mass atrocities in   Nigeria, Central African Republic and Syria,
       (ii)   ongoing violent conflicts and crises in Syria, Afghanistan, Mexico, Iraq, Burma, Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan (Darfur and South Kordofan), Yemen, Egypt (Sinai), Kurdistan, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Mali, DR Congo, Burundi, Kashmir, Baluchistan (Pakistan and Iran), India (Maoist and other insurgencies), the Maghreb (Africa), Ukraine, and elsewhere;
      (iii) refugee and humanitarian crises;   -   the political madness of regimes with authoritarian leaders – and all who put or keep them there;   -   and, specific to this week,     as inequality and blindness to suffering lead to problems up to and including suicide, calls for a fairer economic system;     continued hate leading to refugees and suffering of many types, including the taking advantage of the vulnerable, through lack of empathy, greed and self-centredness / selfishness, although there has also been some acknowledgement of the problem of bigotry and hate;     imperfect media coverage;     attacks on the fairest political system we have: democracy, including stunning hypocrisy and deceit;     more people continue to realise the catastrophe of climate change;     ego, machismo, and the quest for dominance continue to drive some politicians and some nations;     technology continues to be subverted;

(e)   may all people have the BPM awareness and empathy to fully realise others’ suffering, and to never take advantage of that;

(f)   may all people BPM call out others who are blind to, or take advantage of, others’ suffering;

(g)   may calls for BPM fairer systems be BPM acknowledged and responded to;

(h)   may freedom, democracy and human rights ve BPM treasured, enhanced, and protected by ALL people;

(i)   may personal imperfections be BPM acknowledge and dealt with –including the damage caused by same;

(j)   may all people continue to BPM acknowledge and address the scourge of climate change – especially those most able to make a difference;

(k)   may all people BPM acknowledge that other people are essentially also human, and deserving of respect and consideration;

(l)   may people NEVER do harmful things “just because”, or because that is how the system they are part of “is”, or for similar responsibility-avoiding excuses;

(m)   may all else that should BPM asked for, also be done;

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; those without news deleted each week):
   -   Permanent Issues and Thematically Arranged News:
          permanent issues;     particular attention;
          democracy, freedom, governance, and ethics;     the USA and POTUS45;
          violent extremism;     refugees and migrants;     human rights
           (including homophobia/transphobia, white supremacism, trafficking
          and children’s rights, sexism, religious rights, workers’ rights, animals’ rights,
          and privacy, differently abled and other rights);     war, violence and hate;
          peace;     spirituality and psychism;     natural and other catastrophes;
          modern lifestyle (including climate change and environment, technology
          and science, economic and financial, housing, health and medical);     media;
          education;     crime judicial and police;

   -   Location-based News:
         Africa;     South and Central America;
          mainland China, East and South East Asia, and the Pacific;     Europe;
          Ukraine;     Russia and Central Asia;     Afghanistan;     South Asia;
          West Asia and northern Africa;

   -   Other Sites;

   opportunities/good news (in my opinion) are shown in green;

   comments (by me) 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 and their Significant Others be kept BPM safe, undetectable and inviolable against indirect  psychic attack, and may they have all the BPM resources (including an assured income), opportunities and assistance for them to be BPM effective, 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 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 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, and may we all exercise our human characteristics of reason, self discipline and improvement to overcome the often evil flaw of seeking social status;
• Permanent issue: may all humans be in better communication with the better parts of their nature – especially those who need that more than other, better people;
• Matters warranting particular attention:
       this week on reversing the deliberate, well-funded, long-term strategy (from about the 70s) to make self-interest seem normal and a commitment to fairness (such as former US President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Four  Freedoms) an aberration (see also here, here, and here):     the entirety of this blog and all other spiritual work and physical activism I and many others do;     a call for an economic system that is more humane, not something that benefits only the rich;
     on the Rohingya  genocide this week:
     -   Rohingya refugee camps are being prepared for the imminent monsoon;     a training course in Bangladesh for journalists on “migration”;     fear that trafficking will increase;     Rohingya women in the camps are now free to pursue new opportunities – which some conservative men are responding to with increased domestic violence, and others are turning to drugs;     the problem of the camps being on elephant migration paths;     more Rohingya are fleeing burma;
     on other matters requiring particular attention:
     -   this week I found nothing in the news on Afghanistan  or   Ukraine;
     -   some of the rich have responded aggressively to suggestions they pay more tax (the aim of cutting their taxes is why some of them started destroying the world back in the 70s . . . importantly, note that not all rich are like this);
     -   two  assessments that democracy is in retreat – see also here;
     -   “Russia has suspended a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty . . . after the United States accused Moscow of violations and said it would withdraw from the arms control pact”, and will have land-based intermediate missiles within two years;     “days after the United States pulled out of a Cold War-era nuclear treaty with Russia, France's Armed Forces Ministry has said it conducted a rare simulation of a nuclear deterrent mission”;
     -   a climate change doubter’s book about his conversion after collecting stories about the effects of climate change includes “it also isn’t necessary for westerners to adopt the lifestyle of the global poor. It’s estimated that 70% of the energy produced by the planet is lost as waste heat. If the world’s richest 10% were limited to the average European footprint, global emissions would fall by a third”;     “one third of Himalayan glaciers will melt by 2100”;    more citizens are taking legal action “based on the principle that governments must meet their obligations under human rights law and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change”;     ”the repression of environmental activists fuels climate change”;
     -   the humanitarian crisis of suicides by indigenous children in Australia – which say is driven by “poverty and a sense of hopelessness” – see also here;     as hundreds of women flee Saudi Arabian sexism and misogyny, Australia’s ultra-conservative neochristian led Border Farce targets possible female asylum seekers - and tries to defend its policy . . . ;     “the Saudi regime ‘seriously curtailed and undermined’ the Turkish investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi”;     “Britain’s 20 years of open transgender military service shows [POTUS45] is wrong”;     “anti-Semitic incidents in UK [are] at [a] record high for third year in a row”;     “Sierra Leone's president [has declared that nation’s] ‘rape scourge’ a national emergency”;     women are losing patience with the problem that conservative parties across the world have with women;
     -   China’s push into foreign media is a major threat to democracy;     China has used its airforce to threaten and try to intimidate Taiwan;     the social media “account of one of Australia's most popular Chinese online communities has been banned by the Chinese Government despite the site's "strict self-censorship", as experts say China's crackdown on social media has raised concerns for media outlets in Australia”;     in an unconscionable demonstration of hypocrisy and his true motivations, a “Chinese billionaire . . . wants political parties to pay back his donations after failing in citizenship bid”  see also here;     “suspicion falls on China after [a] cyber attack on Australian Parliament”;
     -   as the USA announces sanctions aimed at making “oil revenues directly reach ordinary Venezuelans and bypass the government”, sends aid, and says sending in the military “is an option” (overseas war as a distraction, anyone? – President Maduro has hit back at this threat [and threatened the Opposition Leader while he’s at it], but may be praying for it to happen), France calls for a vote and other European nations recognise the Opposition Leader as interim President, Russia seems less determined to help Venezuela’s embattled President for the sake of oil and for Russia’s “horror of popular uprisings, particularly those supported openly by the West”, a Venezuelan general calls for the armed forces to rebel but at least some have shown their loyalty to the incumbent (he’s losing the support of the poor) by blocking international aid as the Opposition Leader-aka-“interim-President” ridicules the threat of a civil war (I’m still concerned), a call for Venezuela to solve its problems without “meddling by outsiders” as “tens of thousands of Venezuelan protesters streamed on to the streets of the capital . . . for what they described as the final push to force [President Maduro] from power”;
     -   concerns that the governments of developing nations are subverting the Internet for surveillance, control and suppression;     a German court has ordered a social media platform “to redesign data collection, saying it abuses market dominance”;     an Australian government department “collected background information on a single mother leading a campaign against [a single parents] welfare program, including the fact that she had previously made allegations of sexual assault” – and, on that, “as the Australian Human Rights Commission [argues] the [single parent] program was ‘manifestly inconsistent with Australia’s human rights obligations’ and social services and legal groups call for the program to be overhauled or scrapped, departmental figures show . . . one in five parents on the government’s contentious job-ready scheme for disadvantaged parents had their payments suspended in the program’s first six months”;     “60,000 data breaches [have been] reported under new EU rules . . . Leaks reported since the law was adopted in May 2018 included anything from major hacks to minor incidents like an email sent to the wrong address or lost USB stick”;     “it's time for data to serve a higher social purpose”;
     -   against the background of an opinion that “the people who should be in the dock are the operators who have put Hakeem in a Thai prison and kept him there [he’ll likely be there for months].The perpetrators of injustice include the government of Bahrain, Thai military and courts, powerful football officials and representatives of the Australian Federal Police” (has that AFP officer been counselled or discipline yet?), commentary that this failure to push for change (although Australia has [belatedly?] “urged” “Thailand to use its powers to free Hakeem al-Araibi”, and a soccer trip has been cancelled) has emboldened Bahrain to “take human rights abuse beyond its borders”;
     -   France and Italy are “in the worst crisis between the two neighbouring countries since the second world war”;
       this week’s atrocity alert at R2P lists   Nigeria, Central African Republic and Syria;
• With regard to democracy (which can be measured [as can goodness],     requires  protection of minorities and the vulnerable   -   and are you fighting to change things [by 198 nonviolent methods], or to punish),     freedom,     governance (e.g., here, here, here, here, here)     and     ethics:
  Note: I have a section specifically for POTUS45 below
     analyses, research and commentary this week include:
     -   an examination of “populism”, which can also be left wing;     a map of corruption perception around the world – see also here;     “wealthfare makes even less sense than middle-class welfare . . . ‘every billionaire is a policy failure’ ”;     “forget philanthropy. The super-rich should be paying proper taxes”;     “the World Economic Forum event revealed how elites are more afraid of left-wing populists, than right-wing ones”;     a call for a better measure of unemployment, and lessons from trials to date of Universal Basic Income – and Finland has found it made people happier, but did not lead to jobs, and – stupidly - think that justifies not continuing . . . (the costs of people suffering on welfare is significant – morally, as much as monetarily!);
     of concern internationally this week:
     -   “because the policy [of intelligence transparency] is framed primarily as a public relations effort, the resulting transparency is limited unnecessarily”;     concerns that acquisition of land is being misused to enable activities by for-profit companies;     “India has made a diplomatic protest to the US after 129 Indian students were arrested for enrolling in a fake university” (in a “sting” operation);     after a study finds English language medical journals failed to comply with international ethical standards (there are fears organs came from Chinese prisoners), calls have been made for the retraction of 400 scientific papers;     after lamenting the ‘endless wars’ in Syria and Afghanistan (“In apparent disregard of criticism from [POTUS45], two new Inspector General reports on aspects of the wars in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq were openly published this week”), POTUS45 has indicated he wants to keep a military base in Iraq to monitor Iran;     Thailand’s King, who was happy to accept the military kicking out that nation’s democratically elected government, has decided to whinge because a sister– who has renounced all royalty titles – will be a candidate in the elections which will hopefully return Thailand to democracy and rule of law;
     of concern in my nation (Australia) this week:
     -   social and political divisions on Norfolk Island over Australian administration – which has included some good aspects, such as addressing domestic violence, and making health care less unaffordable;     “undisclosed financial relationships revealed between doctors and drug companies”, and a Guardian Australia exclusive also reports that an analysis found “self-regulation by the pharmaceutical industry has led to a drastic drop in transparency around the influence of drug companies on healthcare”;     a moment of economic foolishness from Australia’s neoliberal, evangelical  zealot prime minister;     “the fund manager who asked [a conservative MP] to coordinate parliamentary committee hearings with his lobbying work . . . when talking to concerned retirees claimed the reform would devastate their livelihoods but told his own investors that Labor’s revenue claims were “ludicrous’ because they could simply restructure their affairs” - see also here;     a Guardian Australia exclusive reports that a neoliberal politician secretly helped organise an allegedly “grassroots” opposition to an ALP policy;
     also of concern this week:
     -   other concerning events have occurred or are developing in:   DR Congo,   Nigeria,   the Czech Republic,   Russia;
     in the grey/mixed [good and bad aspects] or neutral area this week:
     -   “Belgium has agreed to host Ivory Coast ex-President . . . following his acquittal by the International Criminal Court”;
     good news this week includes:
     -   good news has occurred:   Central African Republic;
     on development (in an “end poverty/thirst/hunger” sense):
     -   calls for development funds to be spent from a coherent overview, rather than piecemeal;
     -   other development news has occurred:   Tanzania (good news),   Ethiopia (good news);
     and democracy/governance/political matters in my home nation this week:
     on the Royal Commission into banks, and similar matters:
     -   against the background of a reminder that the banking scandals became inevitable after Keating’s changes in the 1980s (although the impact of two tycoons was also a major problem – the changes at that time broke the heart of my father, who was a bank manager, and wound up in early retirement), an admission by an opponent that the Royal Commission should have been held earlier, a pre-emptive mea culpa by the banks, and a regulator banning a financial planning department of one bank from collecting fees until “it takes ‘reasonable steps’ to remediate” the 31,500 victims it charged ‘fees for no service’ to,   the banking Royal Commission’s report has been released – leading to:   a call for the sector to be ashamed, concerns that the absence of recommendations on the structure of banking means the pattern of a Royal Commission every 10 to 15 years will continue, historical revisionism by Australia’s neoliberal government – who will “take action” on all 76 recommendations (the opposition has called for extra sitting days to do so quickly – supported by the crossbench) and will establish “a compensation scheme of last resort” to be paid for by the financial services industry, fears that the inadequate enforcement of adequate law may result in lobbying by the banks and other matters being paid for by customers (and shareholders, although they’re situation is less clearcut), the possibility of legal action, a call for “bankers [to be] named, shamed or charged”, one a CEO and Chairman resigning (another senior figure admits failure but says he’ll stay), concerns over when the “manifesto for political action” will be seen, and a staggering RISE IN SHARE PRICES – suggesting that many think the banks actually got off lightly . . . ;
     on other matters:
     -   polling suggests “Australia is ready for a new government – but not a truly progressive agenda”, as centrist voters “support renewables but are not ready to kill coal, they want kids off Nauru but they don’t want open borders, they dislike privatisations but they don’t want the state to control their lives, or most of all their data”;     the ABC reports “Australian embassies were put on notice to upgrade travel warnings and boost security following the Government's shock Israel embassy announcement”;     a “judge has warned that prosecutors are so hesitant to take on corruption cases they should not be relied upon by a federal integrity commission to take criminal proceedings to court”;
• With regard to the USA and their schoolyard BULLYING, unpresidential, uncomprehending, delusional 45^th “President” (POTUS45) (see here on actions for US residents, and note that the VP is at least as bad):
     -   an investigation – not the one led by Special Prosecutor Mueller – has “ordered the Trump inaugural committee to hand over documents relating to how the team raised and spent over $100 [million]” – this is focused on US laws about no foreign donations, “does not allege any wrongdoing”, and is not linked to POTUS45;     US Democrats are “moving ahead with the aggressive oversight that [they] have promised now that they are in the majority” – and are moving to repeal the abortion gag;
     -   “officials in a small Arizona border city [where the number of arrests by the border patrol is the lowest since the early 1970s] are decrying the installation of reels of dangerous razor wire that now cover the entirety of the tall border wall that runs through downtown”;
     -   from POTUS45’s State of the Union talk: he is playing to his right wing extremist base which thinks normal, socially responsible policies are bad, and mislabels them as “socialist”, and more false claims;
     -   a US state Governor “has refused calls from both sides of US politics to resign over a racist photo he appeared in more than 30 years ago” (is he still racist? Was he racist or stupid back then? Given his nickname at the time, I have doubts about his innocence) . . . but, after a week of disapproval, has apologised;
     -   the USA currently has 30 National Emergencies in effect;
     -   POTUS45 “is planning to abolish key parts of an Obama-era rule that was aimed at protecting vulnerable borrowers from amassing untenable debts from payday loans”;
     -   twenty Chinese have been charged over a “birth tourism” scheme;
• With regard to violent extremism (VE) (aka, terrorism)     (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 “Cure Violence“, real and perceived disempowerment as well as acknowledging the variety in what provides genuine, BPM fulfilment as a counter to fanaticism as a source of meaning, and good old fashioned police work.     Also, I don’t name groups in order to reduce their publicity):
     -   according to this Wikipedia page, there have been 7 attacks in Iraq, 9 attacks in Afghanistan,   and 9 attacks in Syria   (out of a total of 37);
• With regard to refugees (noting the New York Declaration), people seeking asylum and migrants:
     -   “Australia can't be allowed to play politics with refugees’ lives any more There is an urgent medical crisis on Nauru and Manus. It needs an urgent medical solution, not a political one”;     Australia’s crossbench MPs are continuing to push for a humane approach to asylum seekers, and may find winning easier than anticipated – although the neoliberals are having success with their scare tactics;     refugees who have been released from Australia’s Gulags are struggling with the lack of support – and, in some cases, forced separation from family;     Nigerian refugees in Cameroon;
• With regard to other human (and other) rights and discrimination     (incidentally, bigots clearly have flaws of observation and thinking – shown by the fact that NOT all people choose to discriminate [and there’s this]):
     -   in addition to opportunities below on child abuse and human trafficking, general opportunities to take action on human rights here, here, and, this week,   here,   here;
     on HOMOPHOBIA/TRANSPHOBIA     (including heteronormativity and cisgender-normativity and noting that trans kids are the same as cis kids of the trans kids’ true gender):
     -   Thailand is edging into the late 20^th Century;
     -   other homophobic/transphobic (and heteronormativity / cisgender-normativity) matters have also occurred in:   Venezuela,   India,   Brazil,   South Africa (good news),   Japan,   USA,   schools;
     on white supremacist and other forms of RACISM / CULTURAL DISCRIMINATION and Indigenous matters generally this week:
     -   a poorly worded admission by a well-known actor of a past racist incident has led to concerns over the attitudes he showed then, controversy, and an article which included “The point [he] was trying to make with his comments – which understandably got lost in the mayhem – is that life is not like the movies. Revenge is not a solution to anything in the real world, and the movies he makes do a better job of providing that cathartic release . . . Does admitting to past racist thoughts make you a racist? I’d argue having current racist thoughts makes you one. Expressing horror at one’s past racism is potentially a route to something constructive and reconciliatory”;
     -   other white supremacy / racism problems have also occurred in:   USA,   a small Australian town and sections of the Australian media (the Irish in the late 1700s/early 1800s were a target, then the Chinese, then Catholics, then Europeans, then – and so on),   libraries and archives,   northern Australia;
     on TRAFFICKING, and CHILDREN’s and associated human rights this week (from Thomson Reuters Foundation, Freedom United, and other sources):
     -   the head of the neochristian catholic church has admitted sexual abuse of nuns – including sexual slavery – by priests;     “trafficking survivors aim to reach teens before traffickers do”;     Indian police have rescued “180 Nepalis in [a] major anti-trafficking operation”;
     -   also on child abuse, including institutional, this week:   the head of a Mexican drug cartel,   UK,   Japan;
     -   also on slavery / human trafficking this week:   UK,   Uzbekistan,   Brazil;
     on SEXISM this week (keeping in mind the overblown influence given to testosterone, and the potential value to women of using anger):
     -   at least two national psychologists’ associations are recommending development of evidence-based, “gendered guidelines” for psychologists working with men and boys, on the basis that “. . . traditional masculine ideology has been shown to limit males' psychological development … and negatively influence mental health” . . . “the guidelines support encouraging positive aspects of 'traditional masculinity', such as courage and leadership, and discarding traits such as violence and sexism, while noting that the vast majority of men are not violent”;     “an estimated 53,000 women and girls born overseas and now living in Australia have undergone female genital mutilation in their lifetime” - 0.4% of Australia’s overall female population;     a major sporting event is now providing equal prize money for male and female competitors;     “Islam does not advocate FGM and has a key role to play in eradicating this brutal practice”;     a “new emoji could help to end period ‘shame’ ”;     in response to an internal investigation being inept, a woman has taken her complaint of harassment to police;
     -   on sexual harassment/misconduct/violence this week, see:   Brazil,   Australia,   Egypt (a good campaign),   Saudi Arabia,   here,   here,   here;
     -   other sexism matters have also occurred in:   USA,   Sudan,   India,   Nepal,   sport,   Australian politics;
     on RELIGIOUS rights this week:
     -   a call for US residents to act against anti-Semitism;
     -   other religious rights / Islamophobia matters have also occurred in:   Russia;
     on WORKERS’ rights this week:
     -   a court has confirmed that workers required to be at work before their working hours are working (which seems common sense – presumably some tight boss wanted to save a few cents at the workers expense);
     -   other workers’ rights matters have also occurred in:   Australian theatre;
     on ANIMALS’ rights this week:
     -   an animal smuggling ring has been uncovered;     a fish appears to have demonstrated self-awareness;
• With regard to war (noting that economic ties do NOT prevent war), violence and hate generally:
     -   “by using commercial and open-source satellite imagery, NGOs are ending the government monopoly on monitoring international non-proliferation agreements”;     in the USA a four-year-old child has shot his mother in her face, leaving her critically injured, after finding an improperly stored gun under a mattress;
• With regard to natural and other catastrophes:
     -   a train derailment has killed seven people in India;     a bus accident in Russia has killed seven and left dozens injured;     key questions after the recent dam collapse in Brazil that killed over a hundred people and left more than 200 missing – and claims of warnings;     as the ongoing trauma for survivors of the 2009 bushfires in my home state is acknowledged on the anniversary and bushfires now in my home state “threaten . . . homes and lives” and, in another state, break containment lines and spark contemplation that the “climate change crisis has arrived while [the climate change deniers in power are] laughing at us” before a forecast of rain brings hope, while “exceptional monsoon rains [a 1 in 1,000 year event] have caused severe flooding in parts of Australia's north-eastern state of Queensland” (including a tornado warning, evacuations, the deliberate flooding of 2,000 homes, at least two deaths, and calls to plan for more extreme events) - with more is to come, flash flooding occur in another state, and a reminder of the biases in flood relief exacerbating the suffering of the already marginalised, and the loss of hope for economic recovery, and another state’s capital is facing its hottest week since 2014, a speculation asks “could climate change make Australia uninsurable?”;
• With regard to overcrowding and “modern“ lifestyle issues     (such as conflict  minerals,     environmental harm and child labour in smart phones,     FOMO [which can be overcome], addiction or unthinking pro-technology bias [new is NOT always good – see here],     social media making people miserable or envious,     work and lifestyles causing depression and burnout,     being duped by modern mantras and  management  fads,     “failing“ at being well,     life options,     AI ethics, corporate misuse of mindfulness as a distraction,     embedded emissions,     plane pollution,     bigger, flashier homes/cars and financialisation,     the need for agroforestry,     insisting on busy-ness,     raising Prince Boofheads,     trying to force everyone to have children,     the “Earth3” model [SDGs + 9PBs]):
     on climate change (our World War III?) and other environmental matters:
     -   against concerns that “the fury of the Murray-Darling royal commission findings has fallen on deaf ears”, a former Murray Darling Basin Authority senior executive’s evidence on climate change failures have been included and he is now calling for reforms to enable trust, and indigenous nations point out that they can help save the Murray-Darling;     Australia’s oil industry is downplaying the issue of sulphur content, as Australia's electric car infrastructure is “stalled by policy paralysis” – see also here;     “bush meat” is a major threat to megafauna (although the article doesn’t mention it, that is also combined with the effect of a higher population);     reusable glass bottles in a hotel chain in Thailand to reduce plastic;     “global warming could exceed 1.5°C within five years”;     a waste-to-energy project in my home state;     “the electricity sector is on track to deliver Australia's entire Paris emissions reduction targets five years early, in 2025, without the need for any creative accounting”;     “a gigantic cavity almost 300 metres tall and two-thirds the size of Manhattan has been discovered growing at the bottom of a glacier [which is itself more than twice the size of Tasmania] in West Antarctica . . . If the glacier melts completely, ocean levels could rise by 65 cm”;     mining has contaminated lakes in one Australian state;     a call for a faster transition to a fairer power system;     “Europe's most deprived areas [are] ‘hit hardest by air pollution’ ”;     a “court [has ruled out] out [a] coalmine on climate change grounds”;
     -   other environmental matters have occurred in:   Mongolia,   Africa,   Africa;
     on technology and science matters:
     -   a social media platform “will introduce ‘sensitivity screens to hide images of self-harm in an attempt to protect young people who use the site”;
     on economic and financial matters, including consumer complaints:
     -   economic and financial matters have occurred in:   France,   Australia;
     on affordable, sustainable and decent housing and homelessness matters    (why are politicians with “investment properties” not admitting a conflict of interest and staying out of housing affordability debates?):
     -    as the working poor give up on housing security, a fire – “most likely” sparked by a discarded cigarette - has led to renewed concerns over flammable cladding in my home city;     examination of housing as infrastructure;
     on health and medical:
     -   the problems of lack of privacy and knowing pharmacy staff in small towns;     attempts to address “a spike in health professional suicides are causing fear and confusion and could actually be having the opposite effect”;     the problem of Australia's “toxic surgical environment”;     “a growing number of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children have contributed to Europe's record number of infections”;
• With regard to press aka the media, and freedom of expression     (claims of presenting “both sides” of a debate can be WRONG if the other side is RUBBISH –as is the case on LGBTIQ issues.     Also, media can be unprofessional,     but funding is an issue … ):
     -   media / freedom of expression matters have occurred in:   Bangladesh (good news);
• With regard to education:
     -   a new analysis of Commonwealth-State “Gonski 2.0” agreements “claims a special clause could cost government schools as much as $19 [billion] between 2018 and 2027 by allowing states and territories to include funding for things like building maintenance in their overall contribution to the public sector”;
• With regard to crime, judicial matters and policing     (noting (1) an uncle of mine resigned when corruption was not comprehensively cleaned out of the police force he served in, I have high expectations of police, and I consider all violence, abuse of power and failure to understand the impacts of their actions [e.g., see here and here] undermines and weaken all police – who are under incredible pressure, and (2) all people charged are innocent until proven guilty):
     -   staggering admissions about falsified evidence / perjury at an examination of police conduct in my home state two decades ago when investigation the murders of two young police – see also this change, this, and this concerning “tough on crime” style announcement;     Australian “police have already used the threat of higher penalties contained in encryption legislation to coerce criminal suspects to unlock digital devices such as phones” (is that going to stand up through the legal process? Will it contribute in the long term to a safer society?) - see also here;     an examination of whether the community is better served by alternatives to imprisonment;      drugs from a Mexican cartel have been seized “en route to Australia”;
    -      other crime, judicial and policing matters have occurred in:   France,   Australia.

Location based News:

• With regard to Africa, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (and other sources) has:
      on Africa generally:
     -   concerns that the international community is not doing enough against suppressions of dissent and freedom of expression in some African nations;
     -   a call for “an African Union Special Envoy for Climate Change and Security”;
     -   “impatient to boost electricity supplies for homes and businesses alike, Ethiopia and other African nations are doing deals paving the way to nuclear power plants”;
     on specific African nations:
     -   “the Central African Republic [has] reached a peace deal with 14 armed groups . . . potentially ushering in a period of stability in the volatile country”;
     -   “the government of Democratic Republic of Congo has defended the decrees that grant ministers lifetime salaries and other benefits.”;
     -   “the lack of conflict and Ethiopia's strong economic growth helped the arid and mountainous Tigray, home to nearly 6 million people, during the 2016 drought”;     Ethiopia is addressing malnutrition;
     -   concerns over political “godfathers” influencing elections in Nigeria;
     -   the role of women in Sudan’s protests;
     -   “armed with land titles, Tanzania's slum dwellers tackle poverty”;
     -   Zimbabwe is blaming the West for its woes;
• With regard to mainland China (may her growing middle class bring a love of peace and freedom),     East and South East Asia     and     the Pacific):
     on increasingly totalitarian mainland China, and also Hong Kong, the DPRK (North Korea) and South Korea (which need to accept their partition – for now – and sign a peace treaty), Taiwan, and the free but invaded and occupied nation of Tibet:
     -   a “Chinese fashion brand [has been] criticised after using images of ‘sacred’ Papua New Guinea dancers in [a] marketing campaign”;     after welcoming “Peppa the Pig”, China has welcomed the Year of the Pig by . . . not mentioning pigs –allegedly to “respect” Muslims, tens of thousands of whom are being brainwashed in “re-education” camps . . . ;     “two lawyers appointed by the wife of an Australian citizen detained in China have been denied access to him, with Chinese authorities claiming it is at the detainee's request” (yeah, right);
     -   Tibetan exiles are celebrating Losar;
     elsewhere in Asia:
     -   “survivors of acid attacks in Cambodia are being denied free government treatment that they are legally entitled to” (social myths about affairs seems to be a key problem);
     -   concerns that an “ill-advised” highway in West Papua will threaten indigenous rights and rainforests;     in Indonesia, “a recent dam failure and fatal floods [have been blamed on] on land conversion for farming and mining”;
     -   desperate Mongolians are sending children out of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, into the countryside “to escape choking winter smog” (the poorer areas start off burning coal, but end the winter burning shredded tyres to stay alive);
     -   why Viet Nám will host the next USA-DPRK summit;
• With regard to Europe and the European Union (EU) (which need to step up, as the USA steps down):
     -   “the billionaire prime minister of the Czech Republic [has been found] guilty [by a local Council] of breaching conflict of interest rules by owning major media outlets while holding high office”;
     -   France’s yellow vest protestors are demonstrating against police violence, including their use of rubber bullets, which have caused injuries including the loss of eyes;     France’s President “has conceded there has been a ‘clear breakdown in equality’ in high-rise suburbs and housing estates on the edge of major cities as he tours France to try to stem the gilets jaunes (yellow vest) anti-government protests.”;     a major technology company will pay ten years of back taxes to France;
• With regard to Russia,     Russian influenced nations     and     eastern Europe,     Central Asia,     and responses to same (see also elsewhere):
     Russia:
     -   “questions over [the] lifestyle of Putin's aide and his wife's $10 [million] property empire”;
• With regard to South Asia (aka the Indian sub-continent), The Hindu and other sources have:
     on India:
     -   “the board of an ancient Hindu hill temple in southern India said . . . it now favoured allowing female worshippers of menstruating age to enter, reversing its previous support for a centuries-old ban” (they took a long time to comply with the law!);
     elsewhere in South Asia:
     -   “Nepal [has been] urged to crack down on ‘menstruation huts’ after fourth death in a month”;
     -   “Sri Lanka will begin hanging convicted drug dealers . . . ending a 43-year moratorium on executions as part of a crackdown inspired by the Philippines’ brutal war on drugs”;
• With regard to West Asia (aka “the Middle East”) and Northern Africa, the Middle East Eye, the Times of Israel, and other sources have:
     on Israel and Palestine:
     -   events concerning Israel/Judaism and/or Palestine have occurred or are developing in:   UK (STAGGERING ignorance about the Holocaust);
     on the  conflict and the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis in Yemen:
     -   as the neochristian Pope denounces “the logic of armed power in Yemen” and visits the UAE (the first time a Pope has done so), where he says he finds good will on the search for peace in Yemen – and signed an historic pledge of fraternity with the Grand Imam as “the head of Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning [urges West Asia’s] Muslims to ‘embrace’ local Christians”, a ship anchored in the Red Sea is used as “neutral ground” for talks – but “Amnesty International accused the United Arab Emirates . . . of diverting arms supplied by Western and other states to ‘unaccountable militias accused of war crimes’ ”;
     on Syria (where the Assad Dictatorship has lost all pretence of legitimacy, and partition is needed):
     -   “eleven [people were] killed . . . as [a] war-damaged block of flats [collapsed]”;     an aid convoy has reached a remote displaced persons camp;
     elsewhere in the region:
     -   “Egyptian babies get blue ribbons as parents say ‘no’ to female genital mutilation”;
     -   concerns that the chaos and neglect slowing the recovery of the Iraqi city of Mosul may let violent extremists back in;
     -   why women flee Saudi Arabia.

General Comments/Information

(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)

Many others are very capably doing this type of work – for instance, the Lucis Trust's Triangles network (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 “CE 5  ET contact“ movement started by Dr Steven M Greer, which is the one which appears to me to most capitalise on the teachings of “The Nine”,     the “Network of Light”  meditations;     the 1 Million Meditators movement,     and     also see here, 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.

(I specifically have a role for (absent) healers on Saturdays [see Psychic Weather Report]. 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.