Top class moderating from Brett- entirely as you’d expect but appreciated all the same.
Ros has e-mailed from Nairobi airport en route for Tanzania so he’s out of the loop – a very intimate and thought-provoking programme i reckon last night, but on to today..
Short and sweet as i’m over in west London for what’s called an “Olympic Briefing”…..
* Biofuels : they aren’t so bad, says this blog about the World Bank, while in Britain, the government wants to take another look… , this article talks about “the three fs” and it all looks like a bit of a mess. We’ve discussed this before but is it time to look at it again ? Do we want a clear world policy ? Is it an experiment that isn’t working ?
* G8 – you discussed it below, but with disputes over climate change, and an apprent unwillingness to come out with a clear policy on almost anything (e.g Zimbabwe), is it worth asking “what’s the point ?”
* Art or abuse ? asks this article. Have a look at the picture – Kevin Rudd, the Aussie PM, says it’s “disgusting” , but is it ? Some people say all naked images of children are sexual and therefore should be banned, but , as the Independent piece points out..
“ Liberals argue that it all hinges on context and intent – if an artist has no intention of titillating, a work is not pornographic. And there is a difference between posting nude pictures of children online and displaying them in a gallery. “
It’s got people talking in Australia and elsewhere- thoughts ?
RSS feed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7493482.stm
I’ve blogged about this because it really is plainly stupid that bio-fuels are being chased after like the Holy Grail!
It really is like watching 7 year olds sorting out the world fuel crisis.
For those who do not want to grow up here is man who acted out one of his fantasies. It looks like a lot fun, but I’ll stick to my earthbound activities.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7491841.stm
I feel like an intruder when i go on the blank pages , so forgive me and feel free to ignore me.
I’d be interested all the same, if there’s any interest in the G8 in Japan ? We had to set up a “shadow” programme for this evening (in case Ros’s satellite failed)and the most popular debate on the BBC site was the one on the G8
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5070&edition=1&ttl=20080707194325
Now, it is a slightly open-ended question but i wonder if the G8 represents the true balance of power in the world ? We may return to it tomorrow so if there’s anything you want to say- please do.
Over to you again, apologies….
The current G-8 Summit in Japan would make an interesting topic. Promises have being made over the last three years but very little has being done to fulfil them.
In Gleagles in 2006, promises were made to double aid to the developing world,
we all know how they “kept” that promise
. The UN Secretary General rightly said that no new promises should be made but rather the G-8 should show more commitment about the previous promises made. At the end of the summit, They will plegde to do this and that,
why should we trust them to fulfil what ever promises they will make again?
My dearest Brett : Hello… Guys, please check this web piece out : Iraq floats US pullout timetable… http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7493782.stm. My 3 months long summer holiday has just begun, YEAH !
… And the results of my final fourth year exams are due to appear 2-3 weeks from now Inshallah, OH MY GOODNESS !!! With my love.. Yours forever, Lubna..
@ Mark, You are highly welcome to the blank pages at any time, after all you are our beloved editor. Curious question for you mark, why did you think that Ros’ Satellite was going to fail? Nice of you to have a Plan B all the same
Hey my Precious Mark… I do really wish if all ‘INTRUDERS’ were as lovable and precious as you are !
… As for the G8 summit in Japan : As an ordinary Baghdadi citizen, do I care at all about the G8 summit in Japan ?! The answer is of course a very big NO… Do I think that the successive G8 summits have been making any different in our world or actually doing anything at all on the ground and in reality for the sake of the humanity’s good ?! The answer is of course a very big NO !! With my love.. Yours forever, Lubna..
Well, I’m not an editor or a broadcaster or even in the business, but I have enough working knowledge of field equipment to answer that question I think. Murphy’s laws. If it can happen, it will happen. When you drag technology out into an area with undependable electrical hookups, unforseeable events, accidents which you aren’t in a studio with all its variety of tools and backups to fix problems, every little glitch is magnified in scope.
Something as small as a hiccup in a generator, having a connection go bad and not having a replacement on hand… there are a multitude of things that can go wrong!
Good evening everyone
@ Will:
It really is like watching 7 year olds sorting out the world fuel crisis.
It’s simply amazing how quickly everyone jumped on the bandwagon without question!
@ Mark:
climate change or rising oil and food prices?
Climate change is more permanent and detrimental to all of humankind and plants and animals in general. High food-prices and oil-prices are most likely a long-term problem but one with more simple solutions than climate change and one that affects many different people in many different ways.
Which is more important? Well are we talking about a selfish “Which is more important to us?” or “Which is more important to us AND the future?” If the case is the later, Ill go with Climate Change. Although if we sort out the oil-addiction we so denyingly find ourselves in, we will be on our way to easing climate change and finding more solutions to do so.
Food, well we just need to re-organize the way we grow, sell, tax, and transport produce. That would be a start.
My feeling about the G8 is that it is “more of the same” – a talking shop, as it were.
All I can see is that the G8 want to throw money at problems – not actually deal with them.
Will they actually do anything about the wars around the world? Will they actually do anything about the starving? Will they actually do anything about bringing healthcare to the poor?
The answer is a resounding no.
The G8 is the top nations (wealth and industrialised) so no, it doesn’t properly represent the worlds nations.
Each that are sat in that summit want what is best for them – and that is it, they are elitists who look out for nobody but No1.
Salam how are you all?
Hello Lubna how are you, wishing you the best marks in your final.
About your suggested topic: finally an Iraqi politician asks for a timetable for a withdrawal of American forces. Let’s see what will Bush administration say about this?!!!
yours truly
Zainab from Iraq
@ Brett
Exactly. As I said on the blog:
I am interested in the G8 summit. I want to find out what outside groups have to say, especially what criticisms they have of the process. I am interested in learning what promises might be made and whether similar promises were fulfilled the last time they were made. And I hope to find out how the hot topics are treated at the summit.
Climate change directly does and will effect world food prices, so I don’t really know HOW you can choose between the two. But if I’m going to, I’m going to pick the umbrella issue, which is climate change.
And if you don’t think climate change is having an effect, looking at just the US, look at the 10 year drought the western US has been suffering under, the 2-3 year drought/dry period the southeast US has been suffering under, and the 1000 year floods that hit the midwest this year, not 15 years since 500 year floods had hit the same areas, with 100 year floods in more isolated locations in the mean time. And in the mother of all Ironies, the midwest is projected to suffer a drought this summer despite the extreme rainfall early in the year! If you don’t think that is effecting US, and world, food stocks… you’re looney, mate.
That’s just the US. Australia has had its own drought woes in recent years. Other countries have suffered likewise. I’m just thankful that at least the question was phrased “Climate Change” rather than “Global Warming” … The use of the term “Global Warming” is the greatest anti-information and advertising triumph that the oil companies, american government, and climate change deniers have ever scored.
I too am interested in the G8 summit meetings.
Aside from the fluff filled blather from political talking heads what do they really discuss amongst themselves.
What happens in the breakout sessions.
Is the summit simply cosmetics and low level apparatchicks do all the work.
Why don’t they publish an agenda?
@Will,
You hit the nail on the head when it comes to the G8; it’s a talking shop that opens its checkbooks and moves on. I rarely tune in to them and rarely comment on them. Each year is another Ground Hog Day.
The G-8 summit will have no more effect or benefit on your life than a meeting with a random selection of frat boys from each nation would. The flat ignorance of world leaders on science issues is staggering.
Example: George W. Bush has a geoexchange heating and air conditioning system installed in his Crawford Texas house. Al Gore does also as well as John Edwards. Widespread and rapid conversion of residential and commercial buildings to these systems would save massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, create energy savings that would make transitions to wind and solar power feasible and reduce the use of petroleum and natural gas for home heating. His proposals to promote these conversions?
Crickets…..
European passenger rail systems are desperately needed in the US to reduce highway miles traveled and short-distance airline flights. At the same time Europe transports almost all of its freight by truck and needs to convert it’s freight system to an efficient rail-based network; something the US does much better.
Crickets…..
Health Care: It’s obvious that the US and Europe cannot escape the consequences of poor health care systems in the developing world. Meanwhile Cuba has health care coverage for all of it’s citizens at the lowest per-capita cost of any nation with similar outcomes. Are we rushing to Cuba to learn from them?
Crickets……
Climate Change- vague pronouncements of carbon trading schemes designed to comfort the comfortable and scourge everybody else.
The empty suits attending the G-8 might as well have George Bush dictate their final statement off the cuff for all the effect it will have. A butterfly flapping it’s wings in Brazil has more positive effect on the global economy.
If anybody thinks the G-8 is going to provide any relief on the food cost issue I have a truck to sell that runs on pure water…….
@Will and Julie
“it’s a talking shop that opens its chequebooks and moves on”. I feel your being too generous towards the G8. If recent memory serves me the G8 have a skill at:
1) Simply re pledging monies already directed at the cause in question, normally because of commitments from other world body (UN)
2) Setting up vague intentions with no specific actions or measurable targets.
3) Having no timelines, or timelines so long it will be forgotten about.
I never understood the G8. It talks about poverty, yet none of the countries that speak there are poor. It talk about climate change yet one of its members (US) up until recently ignored any talk of climate change and the countries which might make the biggest impact on CO2 emissions (China and India) aren’t involved.
It has always felt like the equivalent of top models ’supporting’ they’re latest cause. Except this time its leaders who feel they must seen to be talking about these issues. But that’s all they do; The speakers at the G8 all have real power and can have a real impact on issues, but the G8 itself has no power and no authority. Maybe if they made clear, measurable targets and then stomped up new cash to provide material improvements to people outside of the G8 it could generate some respect, but that seems to be beyond all politicians today.
All the G8 summits are about leaders of rich nations gathering to take photos, lie to poor nations and spend their tax payers money foolishly.
The US under secretary of state Mr Richard Boucher came to Pakistan and the persona non grata of Pakistan, Mr Pervez Musharraf was wished best by him. Everybody knows that Pervez Musharraf was outrightly rejected in the General Elections. The people of Pakistan want him to resign and to be impeached. For some know reasons though, Zardari isn’t respecting the desire of the people of Pakistan.
But the act of Zardari doesn’t reflect the will of the majority.
Musharraf had been rejected because of his cruel operation in Lal Masjid against the will of the people of Pakistan. Similarly, FATA is being attacked without any consent of the majority the Pakistanis.
The question is: Why the Americans are still interested to keep Mush alive in the Politics of Pakistan? And Will the US be ever successful in curbing the extremism by exercising an utter extremism i.e. killing the innocent childern and woman of the tribal areas of Pakistan?
Can Bombs supercede Words?
@ Ahmad Hammad,
The U.S.’s position with Pakistan is confused and weak… a total mess. Ask the neo-cons why and how did al Queda end up living merrily in Pakistan under our friend Musharraf, and they will ahem and haw.
Right now at this moment, where the U.S. stands with Pakistan, is that Musharraf is the ONLY person they know there. They have to side with him. We in America live with the delusion that Pakistan’s nukes are under control of calm thinkers like Musharraf. We also think that the army in Pakistan is “on our side” against the Islamists and al Queda.
@ The BBC report on the need for toilets for sanitation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7492576.stm
Is incomplete without reference to The Humanure Handbook, available for free online and pamphlets available in Hebrew, Spanish, Korean, French, Norwegian and Mongolian. The use of water to dispose of human waste destroys water resources as well as fertilizer that can be used to grow biomass crops.
Crops grown using properly composted human waste can then be used as fertilizer on food crops for humans thus completing biological cycles. Urine can be used on much shorter cycles to fertilize crops if it is allowed to concentrate in a container of charcoal until an odor is present and then the charcoal is tilled into the soil.
Waste + dry cellulose (leaves or straw)+ charcoal → compost→ biomass crop→food crop→ waste.
This process sequesters carbon and permanently improves the soil. As the price of nitrogen fertilizers has doubled in the last year this information needs to be spread far and wide.
Don’t waste the nutrients, use them properly.
http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic34447.html
@ all. We all seem to agree on one thing: The G-8 summit is a yearly talk show involving the leaders of the various participating countries and the end there’s a photo shoot. Then the whole world moves on. I have being trying to convince my self of the usefulness of the G-8, sadly I can find none. They claim they want to help poor countries yet they shut them out of their markets and apply the killer blow called ” subsidies”. To cap it all, They place the Poor Countries in ” invisible handcuffs” called developmental aid. The road is still very long.
Guys, I think we have to tackle the G8 summit because it is the leading current news in the world and I believe on WHYS the topics are centred around current events. Having said so, I think the G8 is nothing more than a deception. And my biggest worry is why african head of states in the year 2008 will sheepishly be following such meetings. It just shows their incompetence in handling thier economies prudently. For example, Kuffour’s government blew over $40m to celebrate Ghana’s 50 years of independence just last year whiles many Ghanaians were(and are still) struggling with health issues like malaria,cancer,aids etc. He had the nerve to tell Ghanaians that we should not think about cost but just go ahead and spend the money. Now Bush visits Ghana about 4 months ago and having been told of the malaria problem pledges $17m of the US taxpayers money to help Ghana fight malaria. Do you guys see the vast difference in the level of thinking of the 2 men? What is confusing me is why the G8 should invite such an apology of statesmen like kuffour, yara dua etc as guests? Please don’t tell me that with all their intelligence networks they don’t know the truth about these disgraceful leaders. I am inclined to believe that they are being ‘honoured’ to keep africa down the ladder of nations. And so I agree with mohammed ali that the G8 is just a big lie and joke. They have no interest to see poor nations developed. Africa certainly does not need aid/pledges. We need real statemen who are prepared to lead the fight and if possible die for its economic transformation, which is the real independence and not the ‘crumbs’ gathering head of states we have now. And you guys in the G8 should take your leaders to task to show concrete proof of how the aid moneys to the developed world have been utilise. Otherwise like mohammed ali said they are just spending your tax monies foolishly.
All of us know that China is gonna be a super power in near future. The US is the party whose monopoly will be at stake if this happens.
Therefore, she is trying hard to have some base stations in this region in order to restrict Chinese expansion of power.
Pakistan is an ideal country to cater to her needs. Geopolitical circumstances favour the US to stay here and keep China from becoming a super power.
The US backs India but of course, once India is on the highway of China, the US shall change her foreign policy.
What is above board is China is gonna be a super power for sure. This world in future shall become a bi-polar world again. But this bi-polarity will be converged into monopolarity finally. And the Chinese will reign over the world soon.
However, the US will not allow it to happen even at the cost of the total destruction of her south asian base camps.
The sufferer will be ultimately Pakistan.
Does it suit to the US ethics to destroy another country just to save her existance, which is already going to be distinct soon???
@Portlandmike:
Dear Friend,
Musharraf is neither calm nor a thinker. The point I want to make is, there is only one power that is calm and that has the faculty to think rationally and that is the People of Pakistan.
Of course, the political parties are the representatives of the people.
A very simple principle must be mentioned here i.e. it is very rare that the whole nation becomes militant or extremist. These are the individuals rather. The majority of the people is generally moderate.
I’m a Pakistani. And I’m very moderate. I back Nawaz Sharif who is moderate again.
The person whom you call Calm Thinker has killed innumerable people just to please his masters which are of course the Americans.
It is unfortunate that the wise citizens of the US also believe in what Musharraf says. The reality should be known to all of you that the Pakistan Army is the Army to safeguard the interests of Pakistan, and NOT any other country’s…
What Musharraf paints is a false picture. If the army was with him, how did the result of the general election go against the desires of Mr Calm Thinker in February this year?
The Nukes are absolutely in the safe hands dear American friend…
We are a responsible nation. And would never use the Nukes as did the US back in 1945.
We have no such enemy against whom we could use it. And as far as the fear of the Nukes being stolen/held by the extremists is concerned, it is a fallacy.
The west is a great admirer of the professionalism of the Pakistan Army. Then why do the Westerners doubt their professionalism in saving the Nukes from any reckless hands?
Musharraf is expertly dodging his masters
I really think we should thrash out the issue of G-8 on WHYS, the so called “aid” they give to developing nations is a two way affair. Like i said earlier on, it keeps the developing nations in “INVISIBLE HANDCUFFS” because they always keep asking for more and other on the hand if they aid is properly utilized, it could bring out development in health, education and other core areas but the developing nations have to realise that their destinies is in their own hands.
And by the way, the idiom Calm Thinker being used for an armyman (soldier) is a farce.
The people who only know to think and talk in the language of bullets, hardly opt the language of words….
Have you ever been into a discussion with any soldier?
You will be disappointed of their thinking and arguing capability…
And remember, Musharraf is a soldier. He is Not a political philosopher, nor a political worker even….
Hi Brett….
How are you dear
@ Robert. You are spot on. Sometimes the G-8 capitalises on temporary amnesia by the rest of the world when it comes to their endless pledges to do more about this and that. It all ends on the pages of newspapers. Take the case of the summit in Gleangles in 2006, where they promised to double aid to the developing world by 2010 . What happened? They just simply forgot. As highlighted in a recent BBC documentary, no one is near that target.
Do we ever consider that the world news focuses on non-events like the G-8 in order to distract us from working on effective solutions to real problems? Who pays for the majority of news services in the world but corporate ad sponsors hmm?
@ kpelly hezekiah- The malaria problem in Ghana would be better served by providing housing for bats, which eat mosquitos, wherever people live. Bats don’t require yearly payments to drug companies but rather pay the builder of the bat habitat in valuable fertilizer.
@ Ahmad Hammad- China currently gets a massive percentage of its energy from imported coal and oil. The current leaders are ignoring Climate Change despite the fact that it regularly covers the capitol city in clouds of red dust. China will choke in it’s own waste and spend what energies it has in futile cycles of consumerism.
Nature, really does, bat last. A note from the land of flood, fire, mudslide and earthquake.
Dear Ahmad Hammad,
I was joking about Musharraf. I don’t either believe he is calm or a good thinker. I believe that he is a deceiver. I also believe that Musharraf was able to con the U.S. to believe that he was on their side, AND he got billions of dollars from the U.S. just for saying that to them.
I believe that our relationship with Pakistan is a perfect metaphor for how ill conceived and administered our foreign policy has become.
Just now Afghanistan is accusing Pakistan for this attack in Kabul http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7492601.stm
still on the G-8 summit, It will make so much sense if they decide on specific issues they want to address before the next Summit and provide a feasible & workable plan for the whole world to see with credible financial backing, that way at the begining of each G-8 summit, the whole world will be able to measure the progress made on tackling these issues. Right now there are no definite mechanisms to keep track of how they implement their unending “promises and commitments”.
@portlandmike:
Well, Blaming Pakistan is all what Afghanistan could do. And you know, it is again His Master’s voice…
A great game is being played in this region. To understand the geopolitics of this region, one has to either live here personally or at least study the geography and history of the region quite carefully.
Why Afghanistan blames Pakistan is very easy to understand through the periscope of the question: if Osama is, about to die of the kidney disease (one opinion by the Americans), hidden in the jungles of Bangladesh, why NATO is still present and will remain present in the ruins of Afghanistan?
There’s a great game being played in this region. And that will be over by 2015. Let’s wait for the result…
Anyways dear Mike, thanks for honoring my words.
Regards,
Hammad
Thanks for your words Mike…
I would have loved talking to you more, had I not been feeling sleepy…
It’s 6 in the morning now.
See ya later.
Thanks for everything….
@ Mark Sandell
we love you and we don’t ignore your guidance!
Dennis
Onondaga Community College
Syracuse, New York
United States of America
@ dennis, what do you make of the on going G-8 summit and where are all the WHYS regulars?
G8 on Africa:
Yasuo Fukuda, Prime Minister of Japan, and Gordon Brown are pressing for the fulfillment of pledges from the 2005 summit, but Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi are for pulling back from those commitments. Fletcher Tembo (a blogger?) of the Overseas Development Institute: “Unanswered questions remain about why what has happened in Asia has not happened in Africa.”
G8 & Climate Change:
Wikipedia has a List of Countries by Carbn Dioxide Emissions. Searching Wiki by those words should pull it up. In the “Challenge to the G8 Governments” by over 100 NGOs and other organisations and individuals, critics of the G8 claimed that the G8 states are themselves responsible for the climate crisis. They called for the G8 governments to “stop financing projects and policies that contribute to climate change”.
G8 & Food Prices:
Over 100 NGOs and other organisations and individuals in their statement “Challenge to the G8 Governments” called for the G8 states to “respect the efforts of South countries to reverse the harmful policies that have led to the food crisis” and to for the G8 to “ban speculation on food prices”.
I got these from the Wiki entry on this year’s G8 Summit. These are just some things that interested me the most.
G8 Membership:
India is the most highly populated democracy in the world and the fourth largest economy. Brazil’s economy is larger than that of Italy and Canada. Spain, Mexico, and South Korea all have larger economies than that of Canada. Yet none of these are permanent G8 membbers. French President Nicolas Sarkozy observed, “I think it is not reasonable to continue to meet as eight to solve the big questions of the world, forgetting China…and not inviting India…” Japan and the US oppose Sarkozy’s suggestion.
G8 & Intellectual Property Rights:
A leaked document details provisions of a proposed plurilateral trade agreement that would impose strict enforcement of intellectual property rights related to Internet activity and trade in information-based goods. If adopted, a treaty of this form would impose a strong, top-down enforcement regime imposing new cooperation requirements upon ISPs, including perfunctory disclosure of customer information, as well as measures restricting the use of online privacy tools.
Protesters at G8:
Many of the groups planning protests were coordinated through the G8 Action Network. Some of the reasons stated for protesting against the 34th G8 summit were that the meeting would be “an arbitrary meeting of the governments” which are responsible for accelerating inequality and poverty, reduction of social welfare, the exclusion of socially disadvantaged people and the violation their fundamental rights. Before the 34th G8 Summit started, “over 40 people were arrested in pre-emptive sweeps of broad left and anarchist groups”. (Indymedia)
@ Shirley there goes the “wonderful and strange ” dynamics of the international system at in play in a very classic way.
about the point you made about the Protesters at G8, more and more people are realizing that the G-8 in its current form offers no useful purpose to the world poorest people hence the increase in protest and a consequent increase in crack down of protesters through “legal” & “illegal” means. If the organizers of the G-8 summit have no skeletons in their cupboards why are they trying to muffle the protests?
@Nelsoni,
I’m here. I’ve doing stuff around the apartment and reading up on Great Lakes issues on the International Joint Commission, Council of Great Lakes Governors (including Canada), local newspapers, and e-mailing back and forth with my brother in Milwaukee on the subjects. There’s been quite a bit going on since I moved away.
Pardon me, I forgot to say websites for the afore mentioned.
@Will about G8
“Each that are sat in that summit want what is best for them – and that is it, they are elitists who look out for nobody but No1.”
I loved your comment. Well said!
nelsoni July 8, 2008 at 1:39 am
@ dennis, what do you make of the on going G-8 summit and where are all the WHYS regulars?
@ Nelsoni
I think it is a nice get together with many “talking-heads” where not much will take place, where the only thing will happend, is journalists can have a nice time in Japan.
Regarding: WHERE ARE ALL THE WHYS REGULARS? Could you please be more specific? Include some examples….I have very little idea where they are because—i have been busy at Community College…
Dennis
Onondaga Community College
Syracuse, New York
United States of America
Hi everyone. Sorry I haven’t been around much lately, but I have been getting ready for my girls and I to go out of town. I will try to check in over the next two weeks but wanted to wish you all well!! Talk to you towards the end of July.
Amy
Half a world away from Kenya: A little while ago I listened to “San Quentin’s Gym Becomes One Massive Cell” on OPP/NPR.
http://www.npr.templates/story/story.php?storyId=92296114
And have now read through online.
It is very disheartening. I know there is very little I can do about this, about Kenya.
Very disheartening.
Virginia in Oregon
Pentagon wants less deadly illegal weapons (aren’t cluster bombs banned under international law?) | Anglican church & women bishops
Iraq raises idea of timetable for US withdrawal
Nouri al Maliki wants a timetable for a withdrawal of American troops included in the deal the two countries are negotiating. However, Iraqi national security adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said that it would be conditioned on the ability of Iraqi forces to provide security. The way in which it has been proposed lacks strength: a short-term interim memorandum of agreement rather than the more formal status of forces agreement the two sides have been negotiating. Al Maliki might not even go about it in a democratic way, without seeking approval from parliament for a shorter-term interim deal. Perhaps he learned that from our own President. The Bush administration has said it doesn’t need congressional approval even for a full status of forces agreement — a position criticized by some U.S. lawmakers.
Israeli forces abduct six boys from villages near Jenin | Israeli army abducts civilin, invades Ramallah and three nearby villages | Hebron: Israeli army kidnaps a civilian and continues to impose closure
One of the areas that was invaded was Nablus. Several organisations were raided. These two articles handle the story in very different ways. The AP article from Yahoo News refers to the organisaitons as “Hamas-linked facilities.” The IMEMC reporter calls them “charitable institutions.” The AP and IMEMC articles listed some raided organisations in common, but piecing the two of them together results in a longer list. The IMEMC article gives more details about the invasion and makes mention of other cities similarly affected by these raids.
Israel shuts down Hamas-linked facilities
A girls’ school, a medical center, two other charity facilities, and a sports centre were all shut down. The medical centre is no longer even connected with Hamas. The Nablus offices of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Religious Affairs was also raided. In recent months, Israeli troops and Abbas’ security forces have gone after West Bank charities, moneychangers, women’s cooperatives, media outlets, and schools with suspected ties to the militants.
Israeli army invades charitable institutions in Nablus, confiscates property
More than 40 vehicles invaded the city at 1:00 a.m. Monday and soldiers then ransacked Al Rawda mosque, some sport-clubs and charitable institutions. Troops stormed the Islamic School for Girls, confiscated its belongings, and shut it down. In a nearby refugee camp, the Israeli army searched and ransacked a number of homes on Monday morning and abducted two civilians. Some of the other attacked Islamic charitable societies are located in in the Hebron area, Qalqilia and Ramallah.
Pentagon wants less deadly illegal weapons
Great for PR, but doesn’t do a lick of good about the real problem, the idiots making the calls on dropping these munitions.
These three artices deal with the Wall. the first to are from Reuters via yahoo News; and the third is from IMEMC.
Palestinians say Israel’s barrier “stealing” land
Israeli soldiers on Monday wounded at least 10 Palestinians during Protest
Soldiers fired live ammunition and used teargas and stun grenades to try to quell violent protests at the Palestinian town of Nilin where Israel is building a barrier declared illegal by the World Court four years ago this week. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers responded to violent protests in which protesters threw stones and other missiles at them. Ayman Nafi, local mayor, said Israel refused to allow ambulances to enter the town to ferry the wounded for treatment but the spokeswoman said Palestinian ambulances had been allowed in to treat casualties. He added that vegetables, dairy products and some medicines were in short supply and the local pharmacy had not been allowed to open.
Israeli army continues to attack civilians in Ni’lin, kidnaps three on Monday
Israeli bulldozers intentionally destroyed two cars and shot tear gas and sound grenades into houses. Five houses were raided, and furniture and electronic equipment were destroyed. Troops also attacked local businesses and invaded a girls’ school, using it as an impromptu military base. On Monday, a group International Solidarity Movement activists, along with local villagers, tried to break the army siege and get food and medical supplies into the village. Soldiers attacked them with teargas and sound bombs and abducted three local activists. Sunday was the third day of curfew. At around 11 am this morning, the villagers broke the curfew imposed by the Israeli forces. Clashes ensued. 17 have been injured. Dozens more have suffered breathing problems after inhaling gas fired by the troops. Hundreds of residents repeatedly stopped the destruction of their fields for the illegal Wall by storming the construction area and disabling equipment. In the last 10 days alone, 6 bulldozers, 2 jeeps and one truck have been damaged by the residents.
Hi All!
You know what would be interesting to do regarding the G8? Get a copy of, say, the last five “final communiques” and go through them analysing how many of the things they say are actually substantive and how much is just waffle.
And, regarding the parts with any substance, then go through and analyse how much action has actually be taken.
I don’t have time for the detailed research just now, but I’ll bet you a bottle of nice Aussie wine (or tropical fruit juice for non drinkers) that such an analysis would show that G8 summits accomplish little or nothing.
@ nelsoni
As one who spent a good part of his working life sending or receiving satellite feeds, I can say that you don’t go into them thinking they will fail but there are enough things that can go wrong that it’s always worth having a plan “B”. As Justin said, in the studio you have lots of layers of back up systems to protect you from catastophic failure, but out in the field there are more things to go wrong and fewer back up systems.
The biggest issue operating from a location like Kenya is generally the electrical supply–the local mains is subject to failure, but if you decide to use your own generator these are not all that reliable either. One other issue that justin didn’t mention is the weather: depending on the frequency band you’re using, heavy tropical rain can cause enough fade in the signal to cause a loss of transmission.
Subject for Debate – Why is the International Community apparently incapable of adopting or creating a fraud-proof voting system for use in the 3rd world? This would eliminate the deaths and economic disruption in Kenya and Zimbabwe, to name a few, and would avoid the fiasco of the 2007 Nigerian election. Mr Alex Weir, Harare, Aleppo and London
…Perhaps because any system is only as fraud-proof as the people operating it and, in the end, the international community doesn’t run elections. Each country runs their own.
Top debating- thankyou.
and Nelsoni- because if i hadn’t prepared a contingency the sat WOULD have failed !
& G8 Summit!
This are I beleive empty talks by Rich individuals who want to do nothing a bout the problem Africa is facing!look at Zimbabwe people there are really suffering!,
why can’t the G8 summit do anything a bout Zimbabwe?
@Abdi
The G8 was set up to look after the economic interests of the attendees. It has no real power or authority and can only influence others through incentives, off which all it has offer is money.
Zimbabwe doesn’t care about the outside world, so has little use in incentives. Zimbabwe has nothing to offer the world in its current state so the G8 has no incentive to intervene. This will once again just show that the G8 is a talking shop.
@ Abdi
As horrific as the present situation in Zimbabwe is just now, what would be the response from the rest of Africa be if the United States (or, even worse, the UK) launched a military action to overthrow Mugabe and impose a true democracy?
Realistically, I don’t think there’s anything the G8 nations COULD do to intervene that wouldn’t be perceived a neo-colonial outside meddling.
Brett, The US wants to make cluster bombs less deadly, not reduce the amount of illegal ammunition on the streets of the US (though I am sure that they make plenty of hot air on that, too).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032699/Relatives-July-7-bomber-hold-party-grave-celebrate-life.html
Surprised? I am not.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1031784/Schoolboys-punished-detention-refusing-kneel-pray-Allah.html
Imagine if someone did the same thing for Christian prayer – the outcry would be thunderous. Reminds me of when the cop forced the two ministers to stop distributing Christian material, in a Christian country…
Obama finally defined “wealthy”. It’s $250,000 a year, so he wouldn’t be raising my taxes!
@Steve,
Right you are. Taxes will come from the other guy. If Obama had studied at Chicago and taught at Harvard, instead of the other way around, he might know that raising tax rates on “the wealthy” costs far more than it’s worth. Good politics though.
@Will,
Why don’t you believe in global warming? It’s by now about as settled among the scientists as, say, evolution, or the earth going around the sun.
@ Bob in Quensland and Robert in Nairobi
I liked you’r comments!,High class comments!
“Why don’t you believe in global warming? It’s by now about as settled among the scientists as, say, evolution, or the earth going around the sun.”
Not even close. Evolution and the earth going around the sun are much more easily proven by experiment. Proving that the period of warming we are in is done by humans is much more difficult. The fairly recent cooling trend that just passed, for example, was expected by exactly zero of the global warming models. This, obviously, means that we do not fully understand the phenomena. It is not nearly as conclusive as you wish it was.
Hi Guys,
Another Classic G-8 theme
Brown hails G8 emissions progress
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7495836.stm
To show thier “Commitment ” to Climate change why did they have to set 50% target by 2050 when most of them will probably not be around to witness some of thier ineffectual and half hearted policies on climate change?
I thought that WHYS was broadcasting all week from Africa? Today’s on-air choice surprised me, because I was expecting an African topic.
Hi Shirley
Akbar here
Reyr July 8, 2008 at 4:23 am comment
I am so glad you brought up the issue.
Baghdad is the greatest challenge for Washington.
The inevitable has happened. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants the Coalition Forces to pull out. The whole world knew it, the Arab world were waiting for it, the Russians have been silent spectators to the unfolding drama, and now it has happened. As the Arab saying goes: “The enemy of my foe is my friend,” and Americans are not very popular anywhere in the Mideast at present.
Washington miscalculated badly. The Coalition Forces invaded Iraq in 2003 to avenge the attack by Saddam Hossein on Kuwait and the Arabian Peninsula in 1990. But here we are in 2008 and nothing has been solved.
It was a naïve strategy in the first place, but George W. Bush completely underrated Iraq’s resolve to resuscitate lost pride. What’s more, the entire Arab world and international opinion is behind Nouri al-Maliki. In the aftermath of what has happened, US Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has demanded a renewal of his mandate to continue plying the waters of the Persian Gulf beyond 31st December.
What do you think of the conflict! Is this the beginning of another scenario?
Whoever takes over as US president, will the Iraqi war end here?
Do you think Nouri al Maliki is justified and within his rights to ask for a Coalition troop withdrawal?
Do you think it is a matter of ‘democratic way,’ or an issue of national pride?
Jonathan, do you also feel that global warming is largely caused by human activity?
Is there any substantial content on http://www.g8summit.go.jp ? It’s the english version of the G8 Summit page, but I can’t find anything that seems worth clicking.
There is as much evidence that global warming is natural and not man-made as there is that it is man-made.
Explain why scientists have found global warming (Climate Change) on Mars, Climate Change that reflects, almost exactly, the change we are seeing on earth.
Pollution is the problem – that is what we have to deal with in the short term, pollution!
I have said it before just to repeat myself – the G8 is a talking shop – nothing more.
Hi guys
Another Classic G-8 theme
Brown hails G8 emissions progress
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7495836.stm
The G-8 has once again shown their commitment to tackle Climate change
by setting a 50% target by 2050. Why did they have to push the target so far in the future when most of them may not be around to see some the effects of their inactions as regards climate change and global warming. Very Convenient
awesome!
Iraq insists on withdrawal timetable
Iraq’s national security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the United States unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. President Bush has said he opposes a timetable. U.S. officials had no immediate comment Tuesday on al-Rubaie’s statement. Al-Rubaie spoke to reporters after briefing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf on the progress of the government’s security efforts and the talks.
What bothers me, though, is that what Nouri al Maliki proposed in the article that I posted last night might lack the political strength needed to bring a real end to the occupation. I am not sure what the terms memorandum of agreement and status of forces agreement mean, but al Maliki planned on using the former and not the latter. I am very pleased that ar-Rubaie met with Ayatullah sistani. Sistani might seem like a quiet hermit, but the strength of his will is entirely against the occupation and any puppet government and puppet consistution installed under the auspices of the occupation.
I can’t post in the other blog because my work computer blocks the page (stupid corporate fire wall)
I think that the biggest problem with this is the possible PRECEDENTS that NOT punishing this as pornography involving a child, sets precedents which real child pornographers can use as a shield.
From my perspective, when this artist chose this medium, he was extremely selfish. He chose a dangerous path for… honestly I don’t understand this art, so I can’t speak to it.
there is nothing wrong with nudity, what is dangerous is the people who say it is wrong and that makes us feel uncomfortable with something so natural.
The Australian PM must be sick pedophile. He should be getting treatment, if such does exist for that kind of people.
Justin, I couldn’t even open the WHYS first page because of the child-proof blocks at the library. I had to Google the TP08Jul page :=)
I am very doubtful about a child’s ability to fully make decisions for himself until some time after the teen years. Children do become more independent thinkers after they reach the age of reason, but I have heard things about the development of teenagers’ brains that still has me wondering about their decision-making abilities. At the same time, I would trust youth 16 and over to vote. Perhaps it’s because it’s something about which they would think over time, instead of an instant diecision to take a nude pic and post it online, or turn right at this moment and not the next while driving.
G 8 summit & sanction’s against Zimbabwe dosent sound correct, they may put the sanction’s against MUGABEE, why they want to punnish entire nation, these people need International cooperation to survive to meet the challanges of poverty, job apportunities, economic & political crysis.
To understand third world crises with the vision of World Bank & IMF may be understand an educated crime against humanity, so G8 please dont impose any sanction’s against this African nation, you may get long term benifit from African Nation’s if you dont adopt World Bank & IMF style behaviour, as the mother of this behaviour is Educated Criminals of the World.
G8=lots of words and no action. The cost of the summit if used correctly would buy enough trees to plant a forest, and not just a few bushes for show.
John in Germany
@John in Germany:
I completely agree. I have an Environmental Studies degree and am currently completing a Masters of Resource and Environmental Management. I am a realist, though. I don’t think much good comes of the kinds of people who expect things to change overnight. It’s just not how the world turns.
Keeping that in mind: Yes, there are problems with the environment. Yes, something should be done about it. But setting unachievable goals like a 50% decrease in GHG emissions in 42 years has disaster written on the wall. All of those government leaders who agreed yesterday will not be in power when 2050 rolls around. It’s great PR for them, and they aren’t the ones that will have to lead their countries to a state of 50% less emissions.
I believe a smaller goal – like maybe 3% would have been a better place to start. In a perfect world, would the goal be higher than 3%? Yes. Does it ultimately need to be higher than 3%? Yes. However, 3% is an attainable goal. It is something that can truly be focussed on and probably met pretty easily. It’s a goal that can be achieved by incorporating the thee pillars of sustainability – social, economic, and environmental factors. And most importantly, it’s a goal that will not overwhelm the society that has to reach it.
Great change, done properly that is, comes from baby steps. I do not think that 50% is ultimately unattainable, we just need to take smaller steps to get there.
Over all global challanges & there solution’s suppose to be our primary object being a citizen of this Global vilage. Gang bang, grouping, favouritism & implimintation of personal agenda sound like sick human behaviour, with an outcome of division, sepration, abusive, double standard & discriminative kind of issues living in prevailing society.
Infact Nato, EU, G8, D8, African Union, Arab League, ISC & SARK kind of division/ grouping dosent sound healthy appoach living in a society, our spending to maintain these gangs & spending’s on confrances is a wastage of time & money, as this spenging could be done towards Global challanges.
I personally agreed with John from Germany ” G 8 LOT OF TALK NO ACTION” The cost of the summit if used correctly would buy enough trees to plant a forest, not just a few bushes for show.
Submited to the leaders of this world with an hope to lite up a candle of hope to understand the darkness & dryness in our global village.
Art is not nake children. Capturing a moment of innecence and fun is one thing, but selling a picture of you child naked is another. If gentalia is in an sincerely innocent moment the picutre it should remain private. That Australian fellow with the art show had some good artistic shots, but full fronatal nudity has no artistic value. Posing you child is not a innocent moment. If convincing a child that these type of actions are appropriateis ok, than many petofiles are appropriate. BS. These people have crossed an international criminal line on child exploitation and pornography, and the should not be free or around children.
I beleive that child rape and exploitaion is a capial offence, hang’em high so every one can see.