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Monday, August 31, 2015
When It Comes to Foreign Policy, Trump Is Best of a Bad Bunch
When It Comes to Foreign Policy, Trump Is Best of a Bad Bunch
http://www.newsweek.com/when-it-comes-foreign-policy-trumps-best-bad-bunch-366806
U.S. is even more implicated in Israeli settlement project than we thought
U.S. is even more implicated in Israeli settlement project than we thought
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/08/
Philip Weiss on
August 30, 2015
The Israeli colonies are an American problem in a
whole new way. Nearly one out of six settlers in the West Bank is an
American. Haaretz broke the story. Oxford scholar Sara Yael Hirschhorn says Americans are starkly overrepresented among West Bank settlers:Roughly 60,000 American Jews live in West Bank settlements, where they account for 15 percent of the settler population, according to figures revealed Thursday by an Oxford University scholar and expert on this population. http://mondoweiss.net/2015/08/implicated-settlement-thought?utm_source=Mondoweiss+List&utm_campaign=efe2d72866-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b86bace129-efe2d72866-398529325
Israeli minister says IDF should have fired on unarmed Palestinian protesters for humiliating a soldier
Israeli minister says IDF should have fired on unarmed Palestinian protesters for humiliating a soldier http://mondoweiss.net/2015/08/soldiers-protesters-occupied?utm_source=Mondoweiss+List&utm_campaign=efe2d72866-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b86bace129-efe2d72866-398529325
Allison Deger and Philip Weiss on August 30, 2015
Realism Is an Attitude, Not a Doctrine
Realism Is an Attitude, Not a Doctrine
Realists agree that power is what drives international
politics, but they disagree about exactly when and where it should be
unleashed or husbanded.
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/realism-attitude-not-doctrine-13659?page=show
August 24, 2015 | http://nationalinterest.org/http://nationalinterest.org/feature/realism-attitude-not-doctrine-13659?page=show
America’s Short-sighted ‘Grand Strategy’
https://consortiumnews.com/
By Franklin Spinney
https://consortiumnews.com/2015/08/31/americas-short-sighted-grand-strategy/
America’s Short-sighted ‘Grand Strategy’
August 31, 2015
“Tough-guy/gal-ism” remains the dominant rhetorical approach to foreign policy emanating from Official Washington, which may protect the political and media careers of the tough-talkers, but it is doing grave damage to America’s strategic standing in the world, as military analyst Franklin Spinney explains.By Franklin Spinney
https://consortiumnews.com/2015/08/31/americas-short-sighted-grand-strategy/
Recognize that Iraq Is HIstory
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Ivan Eland
Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty, The Independent Institute
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ivan-eland/recognize-that-iraq-is-hi_b_8065626.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ivan-eland/recognize-that-iraq-is-hi_b_8065626.html
Recognize that Iraq Is HIstory
Schumer’s Troubling Mideast Record
Schumer’s Troubling Mideast Record
August 31, 2015 | https://consortiumnews.com/
Exclusive:
In trying to torpedo the Iran nuclear deal, Sen. Charles Schumer is
continuing his longstanding role as a front man for U.S. neocons and
Israeli hardliners who favor a Mideast strategy of violent “regime
change” over negotiated solutions, as Jonathan Marshall describes.By Jonathan Marshall https://consortiumnews.com/2015/08/31/schumers-troubling-mideast-record/
Sunday, August 30, 2015
"Restoring American Exceptionalism"Dick Cheney Never Disappoints - By Jim Lobe
| "Restoring American Exceptionalism" Dick Cheney Never Disappoints - By Jim Lobe | |
 | Our former vice president really needs to exercise more care in hurling such accusations. http://www. |
American, Not Russian, Aggression is the Real ProblemBy Bryan MacDonald
| American, Not Russian, Aggression is the Real Problem By Bryan MacDonald | |
 | The
fact that genuine Russia analysts, who understand the country, have
been replaced by neocon nutters who lump the nation in with the likes
of Syria, ISIS and North Korea is, frankly, disturbing. http://www. |
Pushing the Edge on Nuclear WarBy William R. Polk
| Pushing the Edge on Nuclear War By William R. Polk | |
 | Washington's
neocons and liberal hawks are ratcheting up tensions again over
Ukraine with the goal of humiliating and even destabilizing
nuclear-armed Russia. http://www. |
Op-Ed: Pope Francis to be "tried" in Jerusalem
Op-Ed: Pope Francis to be "tried" in Jerusalem
The Pope plans a visit to Washington, but the Sanhedrin plans a "trial" in Jerusalem.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/17443#.VeNL9M6KI-8
NASA Zeroes in on Ocean Rise: How Much? How Soon?
NASA Zeroes in on Ocean Rise: How Much? How Soon?
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - Seas around the world have risen an average of nearly 3 inches (8 centimeters) since 1992, with some locations rising more than 9 inches (25 centimeters) due to natural variation, according to the latest satellite measurements from NASA and its partners. An intensive research effort now underway, aided by NASA observations and analysis, points to an unavoidable rise of several feet in the future ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/NASA_Zeroes_in_on_Ocean_Rise_How_Much_How_Soon_999.html
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - Seas around the world have risen an average of nearly 3 inches (8 centimeters) since 1992, with some locations rising more than 9 inches (25 centimeters) due to natural variation, according to the latest satellite measurements from NASA and its partners. An intensive research effort now underway, aided by NASA observations and analysis, points to an unavoidable rise of several feet in the future ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/NASA_Zeroes_in_on_Ocean_Rise_How_Much_How_Soon_999.html
The Fingerprints of Sea Level Rise
The Fingerprints of Sea Level Rise
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - When you fill a sink, the water rises at the same rate to the same height in every corner. That's not the way it works with our rising seas. According to the 23-year record of satellite data from NASA and its partners, the sea level is rising a few millimeters a year - a fraction of an inch. If you live on the U.S. East Coast, though, your sea level is rising two or three times faster than avera ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/The_Fingerprints_of_Sea_Level_Rise_999.html
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - When you fill a sink, the water rises at the same rate to the same height in every corner. That's not the way it works with our rising seas. According to the 23-year record of satellite data from NASA and its partners, the sea level is rising a few millimeters a year - a fraction of an inch. If you live on the U.S. East Coast, though, your sea level is rising two or three times faster than avera ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/The_Fingerprints_of_Sea_Level_Rise_999.html
Warming Seas and Melting Ice Sheets
Warming Seas and Melting Ice Sheets
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - Sea level rise is a natural consequence of the warming of our planet. We know this from basic physics. When water heats up, it expands. So when the ocean warms, sea level rises. When ice is exposed to heat, it melts. And when ice on land melts and water runs into the ocean, sea level rises. For thousands of years, sea level has remained relatively stable and human communities have settled ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/Warming_Seas_and_Melting_Ice_Sheets_999.html
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 27, 2015 - Sea level rise is a natural consequence of the warming of our planet. We know this from basic physics. When water heats up, it expands. So when the ocean warms, sea level rises. When ice is exposed to heat, it melts. And when ice on land melts and water runs into the ocean, sea level rises. For thousands of years, sea level has remained relatively stable and human communities have settled ... morehttp://www.terradaily.com/reports/Warming_Seas_and_Melting_Ice_Sheets_999.html
Turkey duped the US, and Isis reaps rewards
http://www.independent.co.uk/
The real losers are the Kurds, the only force to have effectively resisted the jihadis in Syria
Sunday 30 August 2015| The Independent
Turkey duped the US, and Isis reaps rewards
The real losers are the Kurds, the only force to have effectively resisted the jihadis in Syria
The disastrous miscalculation made by the United States in signing a
military agreement with Turkey at the expense of the Kurds becomes daily
more apparent. In return for the use of Incirlik Air Base just north of
the Syrian border, the US betrayed the Syrian Kurds who have so far
been its most effective ally against Islamic State (Isis, also known as
Daesh). In return for this deal signed on 22 July, the US got greater
military cooperation from Turkey, but it swiftly emerged that Ankara’s
real target was the Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Action against Isis
was almost an afterthought, and it was hit by only three Turkish
airstrikes, compared to 300 against the bases of the Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK).http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/turkey-duped-the-us-and-isis-reaps-rewards-10478720.html
Today’s refugee crisis is the price for yesterday’s interventions
Today’s refugee crisis is the price for yesterday’s interventions
By
Stephen Kinzer – BOSTON GLOBE - AUGUST
30, 2015
REFUGEES ARE SURGING into Europe.
More have come since the beginning of this year than in all of 2014. Scenes of
their plight are as relentless as they are poignant. This is Europe’s new
crisis.
German Aerospace Center Open to Cooperation With Russia Despite Sanctions
German Aerospace Center Open to Cooperation With Russia Despite Sanctions
Moscow (Sputnik) Aug 25, 2015 - The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is open to cooperation with Russia despite political disagreements between the West and Moscow, including anti-Russian sanctions, the DLR press secretary told SNA Radio Monday. According to Andreas Schutz, the German Aerospace Center is currently working with a number of Russian companies. "Despite all the political differences, science, especially c ... morehttp://www.spacedaily.com/reports/German_Aerospace_Center_Open_to_Cooperation_With_Russia_Despite_Sanctions_999.html
Moscow (Sputnik) Aug 25, 2015 - The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is open to cooperation with Russia despite political disagreements between the West and Moscow, including anti-Russian sanctions, the DLR press secretary told SNA Radio Monday. According to Andreas Schutz, the German Aerospace Center is currently working with a number of Russian companies. "Despite all the political differences, science, especially c ... morehttp://www.spacedaily.com/reports/German_Aerospace_Center_Open_to_Cooperation_With_Russia_Despite_Sanctions_999.html
Pentagon joins Silicon Valley in 'flexible' tech hub
Pentagon joins Silicon Valley in 'flexible' tech hub
Washington (AFP) Aug 28, 2015 - The Pentagon is building a tech hub in Silicon Valley to help create new gadgetry for the supersoldiers of the future as well as tech-savvy consumers. A plan unveiled Friday called for a new Manufacturing Innovation Institute to be based in San Jose, California to work on new kinds of flexible technology that can be used both on the battlefield or for civilian health, smart homes and cities. ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Pentagon_joins_Silicon_Valley_in_flexible_tech_hub_999.html
Washington (AFP) Aug 28, 2015 - The Pentagon is building a tech hub in Silicon Valley to help create new gadgetry for the supersoldiers of the future as well as tech-savvy consumers. A plan unveiled Friday called for a new Manufacturing Innovation Institute to be based in San Jose, California to work on new kinds of flexible technology that can be used both on the battlefield or for civilian health, smart homes and cities. ... morehttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Pentagon_joins_Silicon_Valley_in_flexible_tech_hub_999.html
After a week of intense debate, Stephen Hawking and his colleagues are still puzzled by black holes
After a week of intense debate, Stephen Hawking and his colleagues are still puzzled by black holes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/08/29/after-a-week-of-intense-debate-stephen-hawking-and-his-colleagues-are-still-puzzled-by-black-holes/
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Restoring Russian Influence in the Middle East
Restoring Russian Influence in the Middle East
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raghida-dergham/restoring-russian-influen_b_8059136.html
ourt: We Can’t Rule on NSA Bulk Data Collection Because We Don’t Know Whose Data Was Collected
Friday, August 28, 2015
Bill Clinton looked into giving Congo, North Korea speeches - Business Insider
Bill Clinton looked into giving Congo, North Korea speeches - Business Insider
http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-clinton-north-korea-congo-hillary-clinton-speeches?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=referral
http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-just-held-a-testy-press-conference-2015-8?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds
http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-clinton-north-korea-congo-hillary-clinton-speeches?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=referral
Hillary Clinton just held an uncomfortable press conference where she dismissed a question about Bill and North Korea
http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-just-held-a-testy-press-conference-2015-8?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds
Russ Baker recaps the Katrina story that will make your blood boil
Russ Baker recaps the Katrina story that will make your blood boil
This week, WhoWhatWhy marked the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with Russ Baker’s exposé of the real story behind the federal government’s epically botched response to the superstorm’s devastation of New Orleans. Baker explains to Jeff Schechtman in this podcast that It wasn’t just rank incompetence involving another hapless set of Bush cronies. Rather, it represented something more fundamental: corruption within the Bush administration so pervasive that it amounted to depraved indifference toward the people who suffered and died in Katrina’s aftermath. That, combined with a desire to “outsource” government services so friends, allies and supporters could make money.
Http://whowhatwhy.org/2015/08/
Spy Report Spinning Has a Long History
http://www.newsweek.com/spy-
Spy Report Spinning Has a Long History
BY JEFF STEIN 8/28/15 AT 2:02 PM
The
Pentagon’s internal watchdog is reportedly investigating whether
military officials have "skewed intelligence assessments" about the U.S.
effort against ISIS. http://www.newsweek.com/spy-report-spinning-long-history-366731
Pope Didn't Bless ‘Gender Theory’ Children's Books
Pope Didn't Bless ‘Gender Theory’ Children's Books
Holy See Denies Any Papal Endorsement of Children’s Books Promoting Same-Sex Relationship
http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-didn-t-bless-gender-theory-children-s-books
WPR Articles Friday, Aug. 21, 2015 - Friday, Aug. 28, 2015
WPR Articles Friday, Aug. 21, 2015 - Friday, Aug. 28, 2015
In Familiar Move, U.N. Recycles Old Proposals to End Syria’s War
By: Richard Gowan | Column
Peacemaking is a
repetitive business. Mediators and diplomats handling protracted
conflicts rarely come up with entirely new ways to end them. The U.N.
Security Council did just that last week, recycling old proposals to end
the Syrian war and selling the initiative as a minor breakthrough.
From China to India, States Risk Unrest With NGO Crackdown
By: Brent Crane | Briefing
A new law in Cambodia
that critics say endangers the autonomy of NGOs is the latest in an
alarming spate of efforts by authoritarian and nationalist governments
to reduce the reach of NGOs across Asia. But such restrictions might end
up weakening rather than strengthening ruling parties.
Nine Years After Fiji’s Last Coup, Civil-Military Relations Still Blur
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
Earlier this month,
Fiji’s military chief, Mosese Tikoitoga, resigned, saying he wanted to
start a career in the foreign service, raising questions about the state
of civil-military relations in Fiji. In an email interview, Vijay
Naidu, professor at the University of the South Pacific, discussed
Fiji’s domestic politics.
Travel Bans to Terrorism Hot Spots Won’t Deter Foreign Fighters
By: Benoît Gomis | Briefing
Earlier this month,
following Australia’s lead, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
proposed prohibiting travel to terrorism hot spots like Iraq and Syria.
But a travel ban is likely to be ineffective and even counterproductive
in dealing with homegrown terrorism and the flow of foreign fighters.
The Islamic State’s Brutality May Not Be Its Undoing
By: Steven Metz | Column
Brutality is a defining
characteristic of the Islamic State. For many, that fuels rage and a
desire to strike at the group in any way possible. To assess where
brutality might lead the Islamic State and what the U.S. can do about it
requires working through the disgust to understand brutality’s purpose.
The Danger of America Asking Its Army to Do Too MuchBy: Steven Metz | Column
The U.S. Army’s ability
to do many things, from humanitarian relief to high tempo combat, has
always been one of its selling points. But this utility can be pushed
too far as demands grow: A case can be made that today America is asking
its Army to do too much with the resources it is given.
French Train Attack Revives Fear of Foreign FightersBy: Maria Savel | Trend Lines
The thwarted attack last
week on a high-speed train traveling to Paris has many Europeans on
edge. The EU has been working to improve counterterrorism data sharing,
but has made little progress. Yet the risks of homegrown terrorism and
foreign fighters returning home to Europe from the Middle East remain.
How the TPP Could Disrupt U.S. Aid Plans in Central AmericaBy: Eric Farnsworth | Briefing
At first blush, the
Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Obama administration’s aid plans for
Central America appear unrelated. But the trade deal could
unintentionally impede Central America’s economic development,
especially its labor market, undermining Washington’s policy and
security goals in the region.
Democratic Detour: Guiding ‘Good Coups’ Back to DemocracyBy: Clayton Thyne | Feature
After the Cold War, the
conventional wisdom that coups are bad for democracy ushered in a flurry
of policies meant to dissuade and condemn them. But the mismatch
between policies and actions in responding to more recent coups
illustrate a broader puzzle: Might some coups actually be good for
democracy?
From Cairo to Cape Town: Africa’s Huge Tripartite Free Trade DealBy: Finbarr Toesland | Briefing
The ambitious, 26-member
African trade agreement known as the Tripartite Free Trade Area aims to
bring together three key African trading blocs and create a common
market spanning the continent from Cairo to Cape Town. But there are
still many barriers that must be overcome to make it a success.
Iraq’s Future Is About Much More Than the Islamic StateBy: Ellen Laipson | Column
For months, the focus on
Iraq has been its role in the fight against the Islamic State. But in
Baghdad, other dynamics are in play, as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
has taken on corruption and governance shortcomings. It’s not too late
to support the push and pull of democratization in Iraq.
Israel’s Least Bad Options the Day After the Iran DealBy: Chuck Freilich | Briefing
While Iran has not
abandoned its long-term nuclear aspirations, the nuclear issue is likely
to be on the back burner for the foreseeable future if the Iran deal is
sealed. In these circumstances, Israel, after repairing its ties with
the U.S., faces three primary challenges in a rapidly changing Middle
East.
What Went Wrong: Republicans Keep Ignoring the Lessons of IraqBy: Michael A. Cohen | Column
Jeb Bush’s major foreign
policy speech earlier this month offered a lesson in the pitfalls of a
politician named Bush talking about Iraq. But Bush and other Republican
presidential candidates are doing more than engaging in historical
revisionism; they are missing the larger lessons of what went wrong in
Iraq.
Amid Border Dispute, Maduro Pins Venezuela’s Ills on ColombiaBy: Frida Ghitis | Column
Embattled Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro has found a convenient scapegoat for the
multiplying problems besetting Venezuela’s economy and its people:
neighboring Colombia. And it’s just in time to affect crucial
legislative elections in December that could threaten his hold on power.
Upstart Parties Podemos and Ciudadanos Redraw Spain’s Political MapBy: Omar G. Encarnación | Briefing
As Spain heads into
general elections this fall, all eyes are on two new political parties
threatening to upend the political establishment: Podemos, the fiery
left-wing movement, and Ciudadanos, or Citizens, often referred to as
“the Podemos of the right.” Despite opposing politics, they have much in
common.
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Japan Launches Latest Helicopter Carrier
Japan Launches Latest Helicopter Carrier
By: Sam LaGronehttp://news.usni.org/2015/08/27/japan-launches-second-helicopter-carrier
Europe won't bow to an anti-Iran-deal US Congress
Europe won't bow to an anti-Iran-deal US Congress
http://thebulletin.org/europe-wont-bow-anti-iran-deal-us-congress8685
Muslims must combat the extremist cancer
http://bit.ly/wsj-gulen-2015
The Wall Street Journal
Fethulah Gulen | Friday, August 28, 2015
The Wall Street Journal
Fethulah Gulen | Friday, August 28, 2015
Muslims must combat the extremist cancer
As the group that calls itself Islamic State, known as ISIS, continues
to produce carnage in the Middle East, Muslims must confront the
totalitarian ideology that animates it and other terrorist groups. Every
terrorist act carried out in the name of Islam profoundly affects all
Muslims, alienating them from fellow citizens and deepening the
misperceptions about their faith’s ethos.
It isn’t fair to blame Islam for the atrocities of violent radicals. But when terrorists claim the Muslim mantle, then they bear this identity, if only nominally. Thus members of the faith must do whatever possible to prevent this cancer from metastasizing in our communities. If we don’t, we’ll be partly responsible for the smeared image of our faith.http://rumiforum.blogspot.com/2015/08/1fethullahgulens-op-ed-wsj-muslims-must.html#axzz3k7m4y4l1
It isn’t fair to blame Islam for the atrocities of violent radicals. But when terrorists claim the Muslim mantle, then they bear this identity, if only nominally. Thus members of the faith must do whatever possible to prevent this cancer from metastasizing in our communities. If we don’t, we’ll be partly responsible for the smeared image of our faith.http://rumiforum.blogspot.com/2015/08/1fethullahgulens-op-ed-wsj-muslims-must.html#axzz3k7m4y4l1
The Social Psychology of Corruption
The Social Psychology of Corruption
http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2015/08/28/the-social-psychology-of-corruption-lack-thereof/
CFR Blog Update: Sea and Land Deaths Deepen European Migration Crisis
TOP OF THE AGENDA
Sea and Land Deaths Deepen European Migration Crisis
Two boats believed to be transporting refugees to Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya on Friday with more than two hundred people feared dead (Guardian). More than 300,000 people have attempted to cross (Deutsche Welle)
the Mediterranean to Europe this year and about 2,500 have died on the
journey, according to UN data. Meanwhile, Austrian authorities confirmed
the deaths (NYT)
of seventy-one migrants, likely Syrians fleeing conflict, in an
abandoned truck lorry. Four arrests have been made in connection to a
suspected organization smuggling migrants from Hungary into Austria.
Migration is a divisive issue in the European Union and member states
have failed to produce a unified response to the influx of people.
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Civil unrest is already happening in America and it could get a lot worse in 2016
Civil unrest is already happening in America and it could get a lot worse in 2016
http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-civil-unrest-could-get-worse-2015-8
Insurers Win Big Health-Rate Increases
Insurers Win Big Health-Rate Increases
Some state regulators say new costs justify hefty increases under the Affordable Care Act
http://www.wsj.com/articles/insurers-win-big-health-rate-increases-1440628848?mod=trending_now_4
America Is So in Play
America Is So in Play
Donald Trump’s staying power in the polls reflects a change in the electorate only now coming into focus.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/america-is-so-in-play-1440715262
Stocks Crashed the Last Two Times This Happened
Stocks Crashed the Last Two Times This Happened
http://wolfstreet.com/2015/08/27/stocks-crashed-the-last-two-times-this-happened/
GDP Numbers Reveal Underlying Momentum, Possible Headwinds for U.S. Economy
GDP Numbers Reveal Underlying Momentum, Possible Headwinds for U.S. Economy
Growth at 3.7% pace is broad-based, led by business investment, inventories, government and consumer spending
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-gdp-expands-at-3-7-pace-in-second-quarter-1440678866
The nWeek with IPS 8/28
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Opinion: A Farewell to Arms that Fuel Atrocities is Within Our Grasp
Marek Marczynski
The recent explosions that apparently destroyed a 2,000-year-old temple
in the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria were yet another grim example of
how the armed group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) uses
conventional weapons to further its agenda.
But what has fuelled the growing IS ...
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Water, Climate, Energy Intertwined with Fight Against Poverty in Central America
Diego Arguedas Ortiz
Central America’s toolbox to pull 23 million people – almost half of the
population – out of poverty must include three indispensable tools:
universal access to water, a sustainable power supply, and adaptation to
climate change.
“These are the minimum, basic, necessary preconditions for ...
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Winning Women a Greater Say in Somaliland’s Policy-Making
Katie Riordan
Bar Seed is the only female member in Somaliland’s 82-person Parliament,
but activists hope upcoming national elections may end her isolation.
Gender equality advocates in the self-declared nation are currently
renewing a push for a quota for women in government that has been over a
decade in ...
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Plant in Chile Opens South America’s Doors to Geothermal Energy
Marianela Jarroud
Chile, a land of volcanoes and geysers, has started building South
America’s first geothermal plant, which would open a door to this kind
of renewable energy in this country that depends largely on fossil
fuels.
The Cerro Pabellón geothermal project is “immensely important for the
Chilean state, ...
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Poverty and Slavery Often Go Hand-in-Hand for Africa’s Children
Jeffrey Moyo
“Poverty has become part of me,” says 13-year-old Aminata Kabangele from
the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I have learned to live with the
reality that nobody cares for me.”
Aminata, who fled her war-torn country after the rest of her family was
killed by armed rebels and now lives as a as a ...
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Alternative Destinations Emerge as Cuba Gets Ready for Tourism Boom
Ivet González
Along the road to the Viñales valley, travelled by thousands of tourists
to Cuba, lies the home of self-taught artist Miguel Antonio Remedios,
which he has turned into a sort of museum to show visitors a wooden home
typical of this mountainous area in the west of the country.
“It would be a big ...
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Shifting Sands: How Rural Women in India Took Mining into their Own Hands
Stella Paul
Thirty-seven-year-old Kode Sujatha stands in front of a hut with a
palm-thatched roof, surrounded by a group of men shouting angrily and
jostling one another for a spot at the front of the crowd.
3Each of the boatmen, who carry sand mined from a nearby river to the
shore every day, wants to be ...
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Opinion: Children of the World – We are Standing Watch for You
Oscar Arias Sanchez
Twenty-eight years ago this month, an indigenous woman stood in the
plaza in Guatemala City, watching as the presidents of Central America
walked out into the street after signing the Peace Accords that would
end the civil wars in our region. When I reached her, she took both my
hands in hers and ...
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Breaking the Media Blackout in Western Sahara
Karlos Zurutuza
Ahmed Ettanji is looking for a flat in downtown Laayoune, a city 1,100
km south of Rabat. He only wants it for one day but it must have a
rooftop terrace overlooking the square that will host the next
pro-Sahrawi demonstration.
"Rooftop terraces are essential for us as they are the only places ...
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Climate Change Shrinking Uganda’s Lakes and Fish
Wambi Michael
Climate change is reducing the size of several species of fish on lakes
in Uganda and its neighbouring East African countries, with a negative
impact on the livelihoods of millions people who depend on fishing for
food and income.
Studies conducted on inland lakes in Uganda, including Lake ...
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China’s Economy Has Sounded the Alert; Will Latin America Listen?
Diego Arguedas Ortiz
For years, Latin America has exported its raw materials to China’s
voracious factories, fuelling economic growth. But now that the Asian
giant is putting a priority on domestic consumption over industrial
production, how will this region react?
China’s dizzying growth gave a boost to the ...
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U.S. Provides Cover for Use of Banned Weapons in Yemen
Thalif Deen
The United States is providing a thinly-veiled cover virtually
legitimising the use of cluster bombs – banned by an international
convention – by Saudi Arabia and its allies in their heavy fighting
against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Asked if cluster bombs are legitimate weapons of war, “if used ...
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What abortion rhetoric says about the state of our souls
What abortion rhetoric says about the state of our souls
f you want to understand how people justify their behavior, look at the language they use. The less emotional the words, the easier it is to rationalize the actions.
We’re watching this play out with Center for Medical Progress’s ongoing Planned Parenthood exposé. But we’ve already seen where it’s going in the larger abortion debate—and the trajectory should give us pause.It’s worth looking at the evolution of abortion rhetoric in three stages.
http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/joeljmiller/abortion-supporters-killed-their-own-souls/
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Eugene Robinson: The Republican Nomination: Anyone Who Says Donald Trump Can’t Win is in Deep Denial - Truthdig
What Millennials Really Need
What Millennials Really Need
http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/what-millennials-really-need/2095/
Jimmy Carter: Is it Possible to Canonize a Baptist?
Jimmy Carter: Is it Possible to Canonize a Baptist?
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/jimmy-carter-it-possible-canonize-baptist
People are still living in FEMA’s toxic Katrina trailers — and they likely have no idea
People are still living in FEMA’s toxic Katrina trailers — and they likely have no ideaOur map shows the formaldehyde-laced trailers went on an odd journey, and our reporter explains why. |
How China's Currency Policies Will Change the World
How China's Currency Policies Will Change the World
The recent fluctuations in China's currency typify the best and worst of a globalized world, where developments in one place can instantly change the political and financial calculations of governments in others. For most of human history, the communities, cultures and economies of the world existed independently of one another, separated as they were by vast distances and difficult terrain. It would, for instance, take months or even years for news of China to reach Europe across the great Silk Road trading route during the height of its use some 1,000 years ago. Even then, the communities along that route could hardly be considered entirely coherent.
But that is clearly no longer the case. And now, as China continues to adjust the yuan, markets throughout the world will react accordingly, even as they react differently.
There were several reasons behind China's decision, but it nevertheless came as a surprise to many. In search of stability, China has tied its currency to the U.S. dollar since 1994, usually at a low value relative to the dollar. During the 2000s, the connection helped China keep its exports competitive, with the developed world consuming its output. The West's economic collapse in 2008 meant that this model could no longer function, and China began trying to grow consumption levels so that the domestic consumer might come to fill the hole left by the faded international market.
Changing China
Transforming from an export-led economic model to a consumption-led one could be described as changing from being like Germany to being like the United States, and China has tried to reproduce some of the advantages that the United States has created for itself in the same role. One of those advantages is ...
Read more » https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/how-chinas-currency-policies-will-change-world?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_term=article&utm_campaign=20150827&mc_cid=a0cb0c3eab&mc_eid=52511177bc
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