Category Archives: Global Politics

Reversing Course, U.S. To Aid Nigeria In Boko Haram Fight | Inter Press Service

So, I don’t get it… Nigeria is, or was, doing well and has a significant army that has done little over the years to halt Boko Haram. Years of doing nothing, over growing radicalism and religious based politics in northern Nigeria. Now everyone has to help them. Soooo, how is the leadership in Nigeria going to change?

A multinational force to fight Boko Haram is expected to be formally launched in coming weeks. Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin initially pledged to help Nigeria. This week, Burundi and Central African Republic also agreed to contribute troops to fight the militant group.

Also this week, leaders in Central Africa said that 10 member states had agreed to contribute most of the $100 million needed to combat Boko Haram. They did not state how much had been raised nor how much is remaining despite calling for the creation of an emergency fund to bridge the difference, according to reporters with the Associated Press.

via Reversing Course, U.S. To Aid Nigeria In Boko Haram Fight | Inter Press Service.

Measles makes its mark all over again: One of humanity’s oldest foes is back on the increase – Features – Health & Families – The Independent

Since al-Razi first carefully documented it (about 900 AD), this little strand of RNA tucked in a protein envelope has enjoyed a rare kind of notoriety, even in the shock-and-awe world of infectious diseases. In 1529, the Spanish introduced it to Cuba, killing two out of three natives. Over the next decade or so, the virus ravaged Central America, decimating many populations and killing up to half of all Hondurans. And, in 1693, in colonial America, Virginia governor Edmund Andros issued a proclamation for a “day of humiliation and prayer” in the hope of waylaying the virus.

It’s not like that today, but the disease is no slouch either. In 2013, according to the World Health Organisation, there were 16 deaths from the virus each hour, around the world, for the entire year. It is one of the leading causes of death among young children, despite our ability to safely vaccinate against it. It is estimated that between the years of 2000 and 2013, vaccination has prevented 15.6 million deaths. Do you recognise it yet?

via Measles makes its mark all over again: One of humanity’s oldest foes is back on the increase – Features – Health & Families – The Independent.

Give Greece Room to Maneuver – NYTimes.com

Greece’s lenders, most notably Germany, insist that they are defending important principles: a country must pay its debts, and the long-term success of the euro depends on everyone abiding by the rules.

That might sound fine in principle, but it rejects reality when the country and the euro are at stake, as they are in the negotiations between Greece and the 18 other eurozone governments, which came to a grinding halt on Monday. The dangerous possibility of a Greek default and a crisis in the euro system have become very real.

via Give Greece Room to Maneuver – NYTimes.com.

Copenhagen shootings: Benjamin Netanyahu calls for ‘massive immigration’ of European Jews to Israel in wake of attack – Europe – World – The Independent

“knows no limits to playing to the perpetrators of terror and his own to primp for office – will not work any longer”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a “massive immigration” of European Jews to Israel following the double shootings in Copenhagen on Saturday.

Two people were shot dead in Copenhagen on Saturday, including a guard outside of a Jewish Community centre who was protecting the entrance of a Bat Mitzvah party.

Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem just hours after the attack, Netanyahu proclaimed that, “Jews were killed on European land just because they were Jewish”

He warned that “this wave of attacks will continue” and spoke out to the European Jewish population, saying “Israel is your home.”

via Copenhagen shootings: Benjamin Netanyahu calls for ‘massive immigration’ of European Jews to Israel in wake of attack – Europe – World – The Independent.

Israel’s Arab leaders join forces in attempt to oust Benjamin Netanyahu and influence future government – Middle East – World – The Independent

“Time has come today!”

For years Arabs have been effectively marginalized in Israel’s political life. But at the weekend leaders of the country’s substantial Arab minority launched an alliance which puts them on course to become a powerful force in next month’s general election – with the potential to tip the outcome against the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Five previously fractious political groupings that divided the Arab vote between them agreed to field a single “Joint List” with the aim of toppling the Israeli leader, whom they blame for a further deterioration in their own standing and conditions, and for harming fellow Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

There was standing room only in a Nazareth hall on Saturday night, as 1,500 supporters gave their backing to the combined list of Arab candidates under Israel’s system of proportional representation.

“We are no longer investing our energy in defeating each other; on the contrary we are joining our forces to grow bigger and bigger,” said Aida Touma, a socialist and feminist from the Hadash party who shares prominence on the list alongside such others as Masoud Ganaim, an Islamic fundamentalist.

via Israel’s Arab leaders join forces in attempt to oust Benjamin Netanyahu and influence future government – Middle East – World – The Independent.

Justice Moore in Alabama needs to follow court’s order on same-sex marriage, not publicity’s dictates: editorial | cleveland.com

Today, if America’s anti-gay bigots and diehards aren’t thanking God for Roy Moore, perhaps they should, given Moore’s attempted defiance of a federal judge’s order clearing the way for same-sex marriage in Alabama. By ordering Alabama probate judges (who, incidentally, need not be lawyers) to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Moore is demonstrating contempt for the rule of law, something he’s sworn to uphold. That is, Moore is treating as a nullity a ruling by a U.S. District judge for Southern Alabama (an appointee of George W. Bush) that cleared the way for same-sex marriage in Alabama.

via Justice Moore in Alabama needs to follow court’s order on same-sex marriage, not publicity’s dictates: editorial | cleveland.com.

Afghan Women’s Writing Project | My Dear Sister

For all the girls who suffer violence

I wish you could be free of the cage and

come beside your other sisters

sitting in a school chair,

hugging your books,

rather than your baby.

I wish you could wear your school clothes,

rather than a wedding dress,

laugh with your classmates,

rather than cry with your kids.

I wish you could wear the white school headscarf,

rather than wear the green wedding veil,

sleep all night so you could do well

in your studies,

rather than stay up all night for the baby.

I wish you could laugh one day.

I wish all this for you, my beloved sister,

and for all the girls forced to marry too young.

By Maryam M.

via Afghan Women’s Writing Project | My Dear Sister.

Mass Rapes Reported in Darfur as Conflict Escalates | Inter Press Service

Several hundred Sudanese government troops were said to have looted the town, severely beat men and boys, and sexually assaulted women and girls.

via Mass Rapes Reported in Darfur as Conflict Escalates | Inter Press Service.

Would the message get though, if several hundred troops had their “manhood” removed!

Believing that life is fair makes you a terrible person | Oliver Burkeman | Comment is free | The Guardian

“this is the key – not being able to deal with truth that crazy things can happen at random!” Yet, ironically, this desire to believe that things happen for a reason leads to the kinds of positions that help entrench injustice instead of reducing it.

via Believing that life is fair makes you a terrible person | Oliver Burkeman | Comment is free | The Guardian.