Global Issues
2025
When Kakistocracy Sanctions Humanity
On Wednesday July 9, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the imposition of sanctions by the United States under a Presidential Executive Order targeting Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine. Her crime? Speaking the truth about the Gaza genocide and those who profit from it.
Nicaragua’s War on the Press: New Report Highlights Escalating Repression
UN-aligned recently partnered with FLED Nicaragua to translate their annual report from Spanish into English, highlighting the grave state of press freedom in the country. The assassination of retired Nicaraguan army officer and outspoken critic of President Daniel Ortega, Roberto Samcam, on June 19 while in exile in Costa Rica, underscores the urgency of the crisis and the critical need to raise international awareness.
Sky-Born Infernos: How Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds Supercharge Wildfires
Born from wildfire heat, pyrocumulonimbus clouds unleash lightning, fierce winds, and towering smoke plumes. As the climate warms, these explosive storm systems are becoming ever more frequent and deadly.
Confronting a Genocide
Despite the “business as usual” attitude of most of the world’s politicians and the people the media like to keep in the spotlight, the genocidaires are hurting. The protests, the immolations, the hunger strikes, the courageous acts of defiance… They are slowly taking their toll.
Beyond Trumpian Flirtations with Total Denuclearization
Is Donald Trump to be taken seriously when openly speaking of denuclearization?
2024
The end of a charade: Israel's collapse under global condemnation
Wealth and media backing notwithstanding, Israel's facade crumbles, losing its grip on legitimacy. Facing isolation, its existence as a recognised state teeters towards an inevitable demise.
To be or not to be European alone: Horizons of EU expansion
Can the EU redefine what it means to be European in a globally connected world?
2023
Nation-Building and Indigenous Struggles: Histories, Rights and Representation
How do the enduring land struggles of Palestinians, Māori, Sami and First Nations define the modern state?
From Table Tennis to the UN: How Kosovo Used Sports for Nation Building
As a young nation, Kosovo leveraged sports to establish international recognition, power, independence and national pride.
How Tibet's Peaceful Nation-Building Challenges Chinese Rule
Despite relentless conquests, the struggle for Tibet’s sovereignty extends beyond the protection of its heritage; it's a fight for the nation's very spirit, enduring as the mountains that embrace it.
Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence: Geopolitical Bravado or Our Obligation Towards Peace?
Might a shift towards proactive anti-nuclear strategies become the key to future global security, given Putin's revival of Cold War threats?
‘The Imagined Unity’: Understanding Nations, Nationalism and Their Bedrock
How do the multifaceted processes of nation building shape our understanding and implications for the future of the United Nations?
The Global Constitution: And Why we Need it
In a world beset by rising nationalism and a chronic disregard for global responsibility, could a world constitution steer us towards peace and prosperity?
‘Corrupt to the Bone’: The Pursuit of Transparency in a Corrupt World
Transparency International's index reveals 124 nations stagnant in the fight against corruption. What forms does corruption take in politics, and what can be done to confront it?
Unlocking the Infernal Gates: Confronting the Oil Industry's Greed
The oil industry's unyielding pursuit of profits at the expense of the environment and ethical standards poses a significant threat to the future of humanity. Are we on the escalator heading towards self-destruction?
The Conversion of St. Paul by Caravaggio: A Masterpiece of Dramatic Intensity and Transformative Power
An analysis of Caravaggio's The Conversion of St. Paul and its representation of the powerful transformation of the future apostle.
The New International Man: Can World Federalism Overcome Nationalism?
Exploring the concept of the ‘New Soviet Man’ and how a modern-day equivalent could promote world federalism and overcome nationalism.
4 Ways to Combat the Negative Impacts of Global Warming on Biodiversity
A multifaceted approach to mitigating the negative impacts of global warming and human activities on ecosystems
Where are Sri Lanka’s Missing Children?
13 years after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, mothers of the disappeared are still searching for answers and justice.
Understanding the Subtle Manipulation of News Media in the Age of Pseudo-Enlightenment
Exploring manipulation tactics and dangers of compliance in the news media.
2022
10 Key Points to Consider for Effective Law Enforcement and Justice
Ethical values should guide the definition of crimes and the creation of an international peace and police forces is key to effective law enforcement.
Who are the 2022 Nobel Prize Winners?
A summary of the lucky winners of the 2022 Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics.
Demilitarising the Manipulable Atom
When World War One broke out, one of the founding fathers of modern science fiction, H.G. Wells, popularised the “war to end all wars” antiwar euphemism while trenches were dug on the Western front as British, French and German militaries mobilised for war.
How to Make War Redundant
People and nations may disagree, they may commit crimes, but these antagonisms can be resolved in countless ways. Why war?
The need for an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) is greater than ever before
While the ICC is busy with sanctimonious show trials in the Global South, the need for a supranational criminal court that prosecutes corruption without fear and favour is rising.
Australia Needs to Legalise Drugs
Cannabis can be taken legally for medicinal purposes in all Australian states by people with certain limited classes of health problems. The obvious question is – why are some drugs legal and others illegal?
Lobbyland: The Story of American Lobbying and Campaign Donations
What is lobbying and is it bad for our democracy? Here is your guide to lobbying in the United States.
America going bananas, new dinosaur and an independent Scotland: June 2022 Recap
Africa 06.06.22**: Nigeria**. Over 50 people, including many children, were gunned down in a catholic church in Ondo State.
“With a democratic world federation, humanity can address global problems”
Humanity has been taking the easy path for far too long and we are the unfortunate generation that has to get off the couch and into the trenches.
Social Media in an Era of Invasion
In a time of uncertainty and fear, Ukrainians are using social media to stay in the world.
A Day in Almoallem Refugee Camp
An armed attack on our camp shakes our security and frightens us, but what can we do but return to our tents and accept what happened as par of the course?
Appeasement: Forfeiting somebody else’s justice
Appeasement is giving the school bully your lunch money in order to avoid being beaten up. In politics, however, it is more like giving the school bully someone else’s lunch money, to stop them from being picked on.
Crazy Musk, new Nato members and the most expensive 20th-century art: May 2022 Recap
Africa 08.05.22: Western Sahara. About 44 migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands have drowned off the coast of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara after their boat capsized.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women in India are not Behind
In the late 20th century, women in other parts of the industrialised world had also experienced what is popularly known as the 'glass ceiling' phenomenon, which meant that women found they could only rise to a certain level in corporations and no further. This raises two immediate questions. What were the reasons that could have led to such a thought? And, were men keeping women away from the top?
The three UN conventions on the laws of the sea and how they are failing to secure it
In this article, we will explore the three UN conventions that are designed to protect the laws of our seas: the UNCLOS, the ITLOS and ISA.
Why Russian and Ukrainian are not the same language
As the Ukrainian invasion enters its third month, we explore the difference between Russian and Ukrainian language, which are often mistaken as the same.
Letter to Putin: “You are a serial killer, but there is one thing I must thank you for…”
Putin, sometimes the West is as crazy as you are, but not for saying you should be removed, but for trying to mitigate the blow.
It shouldn't be NATO, it should be the United Nations: The Poetry of Appeasement
Once again, the UN fails to secure its primary mission of safeguarding world peace. But what can we do about it?
We support Ukraine because it represents the sacrosanct right to build one's own future
Ukraine is supported by many countries because it represents the right to build one's own future, in peace within the safety of their borders, without the threats of aggression. Peace, principles, justice and self determination are sacrosanct. That is why the Ukrainians do not want war. They want to live harmoniously among their own people, sharing the culture and heritage with their neighbours and the world.
Putin's invasion of Ukraine is a death knell for the United Nations
Would you entrust a child you love to the care of a school or nursery if you knew that not only many of its teachers, but the school board itself, consisted of child abusers, rapists and murderers? Of course not! And yet that is exactly what we are doing when we entrust world peace and human rights to the United Nations.
February 2021: UN-Ukraine Timeline
UN-aligned intern, Kaitlyn Rivera, who is based in New York, presents a thorough timeline of all United Nations-Ukraine related events that led to the war.
What you may have missed in February 2022
AFRICA 01.02.22: Guinea-Bissau. President Umaro Sissoco Embalo survived a coup attempt that went on for five hours.
The Forging of an East African Federation
The First Shot at an East African Community The three countries of East Africa - Kenya, Tanzania (which is a union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar), and Uganda - were administered as one unit under the East African Common Services. When granting them independence, the British expected that these countries would eventually integrate into one political union, as had happened to Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Five benefits of legalising drugs that may change your perspective
Legalising drugs would make drug use safer, but the bigger impact of moving to a regulated drug market is that it would defy racism, reduce chaos and violence and make us wealthier.
“My religion is myself and my nationality is my heart”: Five days inside a refugee’s diary
During her internship with UN-aligned, Jihan Al-Assad was asked to write about her life inside the refugee camp in Lebanon. Her experiences, along with those of other refugees are published in a new series titled Diaries from Refugee Camps.
Abstaining in the face of war
Apart from the hackneyed pleas to resolve the differences and a blunt reassertion of the facts there were no enlightened solutions aimed at finding ways of de-escalating the Ukraine crisis.
Exploring the microscopic world: 10 stunning photos
In this gallery we will introduce you to 10 extraordinary microscopic photos. See if you can guess the object in question before reading the description on the side. Do also let us know if you have any suggestions about other items that look amazing under the microscope.
UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine Review: Abstaining Romance and Plenty of Hot Air
Participating members in this UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine attempt their best with this bland, shallow and awkwardly structured meeting, which can be characterised in 6 words: “Too late”, “nothing new” and “bad directing”.
Citizenship is a construct, our primary duty is to humankind
Our silence is pernicious and yet we seem to not care; not when caring can threaten the comfort zones we have become so used to. Here are five points that will shed some light on the issue of migration.
“Every day my heart squeezes with sadness and pain”: An Interview with Amna, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon’s Arsal Camp
During her internship with UN-aligned, Atika Harba was asked to write about life inside the refugee camp in Lebanon. Atika, who at the time of publishing, was a 17-year-old refugee, wrote several articles and diaries that gives readers a glimpse inside the difficult life of inside the refugee camp.
2021
Still Life Without Flowers: A Glimpse Into The Arsal Refugee Camp
First, I will talk about my place of residence in one of the camps in Lebanon, Arsal, and how I was able to adapt to this difficult life, which does not resemble life at all. It is only days that pass without taste.
Yugoslavia’s Failed Social Contract: Lessons Worth Learning
When federalism is not enough When the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia, or simply Yugoslavia) fell apart in the early 1990s, its ruins bred unimaginable chaos and destruction. Even though the founding of the federation dated back to anti-Fascist resistance following the occupation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers in 1941, the Kingdom itself had been a precursor to the entity since the end of WWI.
Generation Earth: Why Youth are Necessary for Solving Global Problems
Humanity faces immense challenges Many young people are global. Growing up online has predisposed a generation to a cosmopolitan perspective previously only accessible by the elite.
SDG 16: "People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones"
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions are three fundamental facets of any progressive civil society in the 21st century. Therefore, as the UN is in many senses the world’s guardian, one of its utmost duties is to promote, instil and maintain these components globally to ensure collective harmony.
News in October 2021 You May Have Missed
Listen to Ruby Goldenberg and Ariana Yekrangi help you catch up with everything that happened in October 2021. AFRICA 08.10.21: Libya.
"There is too much stupidity around": The UN's Climate Change Report
The Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was published on August 9, 2021. The Report paints a grim picture of the planet’s health owing to human induced climate change and rising temperatures.
The Titulus as a safe haven: Case Romane del Celio
If talking about what you don’t know well is frightening, trying to convey to others what you have studied for a long time with enthusiasm and passion is disorienting, because you proceed with the constant feeling of not saying everything or at least not saying enough. Years ago, when I was still a university student, I was deeply impressed by Christian archeology not only as a matter of faith, but because when art is placed at the service of any kind of religion or religious thought, it generates artistic phenomena that involve social edification.
The Dystopian Novel: "Beyond Utopia"!
The dystopian novel developed during the 20th century when the reality of humanity’s volatile condition became evident after both the first and second world wars. The word, dystopia, refers to Utopia, the fictitious name of an ideal country, coined by Thomas More in his famous book Libellus … de optimo reipublicae statu deque nova Insula Utopia (1516). It was designed as a political, social and religious system which was not supposed to be reflected in reality, but proposed as an ideal model. Utopia was later seen as the panacea for the future Many 19th-century scholars looked at a utopian future as the culmination of the forces of historical evolution.
UN is failing to combat Climate Change
Climate change is the world’s biggest collective enemy, which threatens to destroy the very planet that we all live on. Whether it be rising sea levels, global warming, record-breaking temperatures, melting ice caps or an overall shift in severity of natural disasters, we as humankind need to strategise together for immediate solutions.
5 Reasons Why You Should Not Trust The United Nations
The United Nations: the devil you know I met someone from a peculiar land with a completely messed up political system yielding a society that was plagued with poverty, oppression, corruption and strife. I commiserated until I found out that there actually was an alternative party that, given the chance, would put things right, yet nobody seemed to care about it.
'Why are you talking like that?': How politicians use words to influence and mislead
Have you ever found yourself agreeing with a politician for no apparent reason? Have you ever thought why many people support a certain politician even though they hold a ‘foolish’ standpoint? Have you ever thought of how language influences people’s decisions in a political environment? While it is true that humans are complex creatures and clear linear relationships rarely apply in the real world, language usage and perception undoubtedly plays a significant role in the world of politics, especially today where social factors such as gender and ethnicity are gaining more attention. In this brief article, I will look at the use of language in political discourse. More specifically, we will also look at the phenomenon known as code-switching, how and why it occurs and some of the effects it bears.
António Guterres: The Power Under The Throne
The feeling I experience when plunging into the ocean of communiques from the United Nations is always the same: drowning in an alphabet soup. Often, the words are noble, the causes honourable.
Are the ICJ and the ICC our answers to international justice? - Podcast
Humanity has created a biased, self-serving 'doppelgänger' of true justice through flawed laws, a concept explored here in relation to institutions like the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
The Human Anthropological Transmutation: Bridging thoughts and new concepts
In the Palaeozoic era, an order of molluscs with red shells, called ammonites, had spread through all the sea since they had the ability not just to live underwater, but also to expel water from their shell and thus rise and descend. Their success with respect to other forms of life led them to reproduce until they saturated their environment and became extinct.
What is the difference between the ICJ and the ICC?
Justice is not a relative term, but for much of our history we have manipulated it to such an extent that we have created a parallel sort of justice. More often than not, human justice is just a sinister doppelgänger of justice in its purest form.
The Growth Dilemma
Transcending simplistic assumptions Society is faced with a profound dilemma. To reject growth is to risk economic and social collapse.
Funding and Fiscal Responsibility of the United Nations
The following is an extract from UN-aligned’s new publication that highlights the shortcomings of the United Nations with details that cover its foundation, structure and monumental failures. You may be surprised at the murky facts that this book will bring to your attention.
GDP is an impostor, so why are we still using it to measure happiness?
GDP is not a suitable measurement for happiness or welfare. It sucks.
Taming The Governing Strategies of Ongoing Socio-Economic Development by Way of G-Localization
Ultimate goal and Foregrounding The aim of this reflection is to create favourable conditions for progress by mobilizing the intellectual, spiritual and material forces with a sense of belonging to one and the same human community. This requires finding new ways of living in society and of facing the future together.
A Powerful Panacea? The Sanctions Dilemma
“Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there! He wasn’t there again today, Oh how I wish he’d go away!” The above quote from Hughes Mearns’ poem, Antigonish, could so easily allude to sanctions. They are full of sound and fury, and yet, they signify nothing concrete, but rather an absence of something.
Religion that unites...
People with bigotted or selfish agendas have always tried to hijack religion, but there have always been spiritual adherents who have understood that kindness is paramount and they have highlighted the essence that unites us rather than the dross that divides us. Here are some inspirational quotes from a range of religious thinkers.
Understanding conspiracy theories and its victims in the golden age of nonsense
Guarded by some 25 000 troops, Joe Biden successfully took the oath of office. Earlier Mr Ex-President had taken off for Mar-a-Lago.
When Dilly-dallying Costs Lives
This year has been difficult for everyone. We have all had to adapt to new changes and the impact COVID-19 has had worldwide.
2020
Democracy vs Anarchy: Which one is better?
Winston Churchill once said: “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all others.” But was he right? This article about democracy vs anarchy offers different perspective. Throughout the years, democracy has become a defining characteristic of the West and its politics.
How to prevent the 2021 food crisis
Many will face horrific hunger if relief efforts are not stepped up in a world heated by coal, infected with Covid-19 and separated by nationalists. Five years ago, 193 countries lined up behind a comprehensive and ambitious set of targets – also known as the Sustainable Development Goals – to transform life and the planet by 2030.
The Blame Game: Blame Breeds Blame in a Never Ending Game of Hate
I blame my bed For my bad back I blame my shoes For my flat feet I blame my wife Our daily strife I blame the heat For my fatigue I blame the cold For my clogged nose I blame them all For my bad traits It’s all their fault I live in hate And when I die I’ll blame my God For a hateful life A painful death We live in a culture of litigation. We sue Starbucks if their coffee is too hot and scalds us.
Misgendering people: Identity and Gender Pronouns
This article does not intend to offend or devalue anyone with a non-binary gender identity. It only tries to explain why fixing misgendering is a larger problem than most people think, and why there is no immediate solution to misgendering.
LGBTQ Rights: Zombie Democracy and Loveless Religion
Hiding behind democracy Any lover of democracy would be justified in feeling a sense of alarm when faced with such statements as “an assault on democracy…” and “a direct political attack against the democratically elected government…”, but as the Bard of Avon put it: “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” The above two quotes come from Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, respectively. They are directed against the EU presidency for calling their countries to task for their deteriorating record on human rights.
Surviving against the odds: life in an overlooked Bangladeshi locality
I live in a southernmost Upazila (administrative district) of Bangladesh called Gabura. Bangladesh is an underdeveloped country and my village is typical of the struggling communities of the delta region.
Immigrants: Language Acquisition and Education
It is estimated that immigrants make up close to 15 percent of the US population. In other countries, such as Canada and Switzerland, this number can even rise to 20 percent.
North Korea: A convenient pawn
North Korea is usually in the headlines for reasons ranging from the terrifying to the bizarre. This month, their leader Kim Jong-Un is once again subject to rumours that he is dead.
Unlocking Wedlock
The slow pace of same-sex marriage… Same-sex marriage is now legal in almost thirty countries in the world. Considering same-sex unions date back over 12,000 years and that there are almost 200 countries in the world, this is not much of an achievement.
Hagia Sophia: National Sovereignty is not the Issue, Erdogan Likes to Play the Blaming Game
A cathedral first, then a mosque, and later a museum. Last week, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia became a mosque once again; an insular act for Turkey’s Erdogan to flex his political mussels and to fuel his posture of indignation and grievance.
Cultural Appropriation: What is the Harm?
Wimoweh / The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Memoirs of a Geisha, Karlie Kloss wearing a Native American inspired headdress at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Miley Cyrus twerking.
Compassion fatigue: How to turn your compassion into positive action
Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue Did you ever catch yourself feeling really moved by something quite trivial when reading the news, as you skimmed past some tragedy in Yemen or Syria without even paying the slightest bit of attention? Or are you prone to add a like or comment to a Facebook GIF about a silly animal situation, for instance, while ignoring a poignant post about social injustice or an environmental emergency? If your answer is “yes”, you are not alone. In fact, you fit nicely into the norm: a host of well-meaning people suffering from “compassion fatigue”.
The Use of Tear Gas in the 21st Century is Unacceptable.
We have come a long way since World War I and World War II, yet we still see police forces using dangerous chemical weapons, such as tear gas, against their own civilians. How dangerous are these chemical substances and should local police be permitted to use such weapons against people? How were these weapons used in WWI and WWII? The following article aims to answer a few of these questions.
Protestors: When is it OK to Hit them?
When is it OK to hit a protestor? Is protesting during a global pandemic a good idea? There has rarely been any positive social changes without some form of protest. Too often the establishment is seen grappling on to power by fostering a dominant discourse from which dissident and minority views are excluded.
Document no. 3 and what it reveals about the Chinese Communist Party
China is lying about the coronavirus, document no.3 reveals Where we are The global pandemic known as the coronavirus Pandemic started in December in Wuhan China, and as of 26th of April, 210 countries and territories have been affected by the virus, close to 3 million people have been diagnosed with the disease, and more than 200,000 people have tragically passed away of the virus. In late January Dr.
Imposter Syndrome
There are many reasons why some of us choose to set up life in a new country. The prospect offers numerous benefits, such as satisfying a yearning for exploration, self-improvement or a higher standard of living.
The importance of accessible tourist visas to balance our perception of Russia
In February 2020, Russia announced that it would soon be offering a simplified and cheaper online visa application for tourists from EU countries. If you were asked to describe Russia, your immediate thoughts may be of snow, bears and vodka.
India’s Citizenship Amendment Bill: a Death Knell for Indian Secularism
In December 2019 the Government of India, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secccesfully amended a bill to the Citizenship Act of 1955, offering amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants, who arrived in India prior to 2004. These immigrants must be able to prove that they are citizens of one of the three neighbouring countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan. Half the truth is often a whole lie Spokespeople of the Indian Government have repeatedly claimed that the new law intends to give sanctuary to people fleeing religious persecution.
India on the Brink
The Enemy Within When Martin Luther King Jr. visited India in 1959, he paid the homage to the venerable land with these powerful words: “To other countries I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim.” Martin Luther King Jr.
2019
Japan and its nuclear waste problem
Nuclear leaks are probably among the most horrifying accidents possible due to their long-term detrimental damage to life and environment. Eight years after the nuclear leak from Japan’s Fukushima power plant, local residents, many of whom are fishermen, are still suffering the consequences.
Separatism
National Identity Villages and towns, built on cooperation, existed long before nations did. With time, however, the need for security threaded them together like a string of pearls.
How the recent conflicts in Syria could shape its future
What happened? Although people are long used to the erratic twists and turns of Donald Trump, his decision to sell the Kurds down the river by withdrawing American troops from Syria caught everyone by surprise. Whether Trump was right to extricate his forces from Syria remains debatable, but just as there is rarely a good time to start international military interventions, so there is rarely a good time to discontinue them.
The Culture of Subterfuge - Lest We Forget
Lies, half truths, deceit and hypocrisy are so embedded in our society that people have become immune to them, accept them and often believe that subterfuge is a way of life. Some, indeed, revel in fake news, willingly spreading fictitious slander in jest.
Nothing empties the top resorts of Biarritz like a shark attack; or a G7 summit - a guide to what happened at the 2019 summit
A number of thorny topics were on the agenda this year. Some of the key issues included: foreign policy, trade and, of course, climate change.
Trump’s shopping list!
So, President Trump now wants to buy Greenland! An uninhabited Greek island is one thing, but the largest island in the world that is also an autonomous territory… Well! Although Greenland has been a part of Denmark for over 200 years, it has been increasingly self-governing since 1979, with only foreign affairs and defence still controlled by Denmark. The suggestion just highlights how callous and clueless the American President is. People are not for sale Despite its promising name, Greenland is no Eden.
Uraman Takht - a journey to the forgotten lands of Kurdistan
After publishing the August issue of The Gordian, we received the kind message from an UN-aligned member, Anahita, saying the magazine had inspired her to travel to the Iranian Kurdistan. As a thank you we received beautiful pictures from her which we decided to publish as a bonus, showcasing Uraman Takht, a magnificent village in the west of Iran.
“Women are allowed to ride bikes – just not in public” Khamenei’s fatwa: another nail in the coffin of women rights in Iran
A bike campaign In the autumn of 2015, a young environmentalist in Arak, a city with pollution levels as staggering as those in Tehran, started a “car-free Tuesday” campaign to encourage people to commute by bike. The campaign soon turned popular with municipal authorities across the country beginning to encourage residents to ride bikes and leave their cars at home.
Looking at migration in the face
It has not been a good week for refugees; but then again, it never is… Today’s The Guardian reports how the Lebanese government forced 5,000 refugee families to demolish their own home in order to induce them to return to Syria. Yesterday, the captain of rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, Carola Rackete, was arrested after she forcefully docked her ship in the Italian island of Lampedusa. Having rescued 53 migrants drifting off the coast of Libya on June 12, the Sea-Watch 3 was left stranded while the Italian authorities kept refusing to let her dock.
150 Lives
Second thoughts… After ordering an attack on Iran last week, president Trump had an after thought. How many human lives would it cost? One wonders: what amount of casualties would have made his strike acceptable? Fifty? A hundred? Creating a problem The Iranian problem is of Trump’s making.
Taiwan gives the world a lesson in democracy
Learning a thing or two from Taiwan… Taiwan gave the world a lesson in real democracy last month when same-sex marriage was legalised in the “country“. In a referendum last November, 72% of the population had voted against allowing same-sex marriage.
Demonising Immigrants
Picking on the weakest… Some people just need a common enemy. Any group that can be easily picked on offers the perfect target.
Reflections on the Sri Lanka bombings
Bloody motives! If an angel came and told me that all the world problems would be solved if I just put a few bombs around killing innocent people in mosques, synagogues, churches, market places or hotels… would I do it? Of course not. Firstly, because I do not even have the right to insult an innocent person, let alone take their life.
