By ERNESTO LONDOÑO and LIS MORICONI- The New York Times RIO DE JANEIRO — From another president, a Christmas decree relaxing eligibility rules for nonviolent criminals seeking pardons might have been viewed as a benevolent act. Yet benevolence is a not a sentiment Brazilians…
Mark Seddon* – The Guardian Thanks to ‘America First’, the UN’s annual budget is down. But Palestinians and the United Nations itself could benefit in the longer term Just ahead of the announcement by the UN that its annual budget is to be cut by 5%, at a time of almost…
By Julianne Hing* – The Nation The total number of deportations is down under Trump, but don’t confuse that with leniency Deportations are down. In the 2017 fiscal year, which ended in September, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 226,119 people—14,000 fewer than…
By LUKE PATEY* – THE NEW YORK TIMES The warning bell is ringing on China’s global effort to suppress Western values and undermine the freedoms enjoyed in the world’s democracies. Beijing has baited some of America’s leading corporations with offers of access to its giant…
Poppy McPherson – The Guardian Myanmar state counsellor refused to engage in substantive talks about alleged violence against the Muslim minority, says envoy Aung San Suu Kyi avoided discussing reports of Rohingya women and girls being raped by Myanmar troops and police when she…
By Roberto Savio* Rome, Dec (Other News) – On 20 December, Europe’s 28 Ministers of Environment met in Brussels, to discuss the plan for reducing emissions prepared by the Commission, to comply with the Paris Agreement on climate change. Well, it is now clear that we have lost…
By ANNE BARNARD and MARIA ABI-HABIB – The New York Times BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, was summoned at 8:30 a.m. to the Saudi royal offices — unseemly early, by the kingdom’s standards — on the second day of a visit that was already far from what he…
By Martin Khor* PENANG, Malaysia, Dec 2017 (IPS) – In 2017, Donald Trump dominated the year by using US clout to change many aspects of global relations, and not for the better. What a year it has been!
by Tyler Durden – Zerohedge Though at first glance it sounds straight out of The Onion, Nikki Haley has formally invited the 64 countries who either voted ‘against’ or abstained (or just didn’t show up) for Thursday’s UN General Assembly vote on the Jerusalem resolution to a…
By Roberto Savio* First of all, as we focus on the future, it is essential to look at the past. As Paul Raskin eloquently notes, we are united by a shared future, but we are united by a shared past as well.
