At present, history is taught as though power struggles were its most important aspect. Furthermore, the present teaching of history is indoctrination in nationalism. We need to reform our teaching of history so that the emphasis will be placed on the gradual growth of human culture and knowledge, a growth to which all nations and ethnic groups have contributed.
John Scales Avery
A New Freely Downloadable Book
I would like to announce the publication of a book, which reviews the lives and thoughts of some of the women and men who have contributed importantly to the development of astronomy, from ancient times to the present. The book may be freely downloaded and circulated from the following link:
11 January 2020 (UN News)* — The mining of gold in unregulated and often hand-dug pits in West Africa, can be a deadly occupation, but one which many impoverished people in the region are pushed into by necessity, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
IOM/Alexander Bee | Gold-mining in West Africa is often carried out by hand.
Mali is Africa’s third biggest exporter of gold and a third of the country’s total production is estimated to come from artisanal mining in which over one million people are employed.
January 2020 (IOM)* — The latest arrival in a small brothel in the gold-mining hub of Yanfolila, southern Mali, Mariam* still recalls the first time she had sex for money. She took a man into her small, concrete room, and did what she had to do. She then cried and went to sleep, too sore to see other customers.
Bolsonaro has shown little respect for the Indigenous people of Brazil, as he conitnues to promote commercial projects on their lands.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro looks on as he leaves the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil January 9, 2020. | Photo: Reuters (Photo posted here fromteleSUR).
12 January 2020 (teleSUR)* — Brazil’s right-wing regime said it was pushing ahead with its plans to mine on tribal lands, despite the objections of the people that live in these targeted areas.
Iran knows it is Trump’s foreign policy punching bag. It has been since Trump came to office. More blows against Iran are yet to come in this election year.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S., December 18, 2019. | Photo: Reuters (Photo posted here fromteleSUR).
11 January 2020 (teleSUR)* — Trump’s assassination of Iran’s general and senior diplomat, Soleimani, was a clear provocation by the U.S., designed to produce a further escalated military response by Iran. That did not happen. Iran did not take the bait. It responded minimally and appears to have done so in a way to avoid US deaths or even major U.S. asset destruction.
Between 2003 and 2020 the only constants have been the following: communal violence, terrorism, poverty, weapons proliferation, crime, political instability, social breakdown, riots, disorder and economic failure.
7 January 2020 (openDemocracy)* — After nearly two decades of war, Iraq has experienced its most peaceful year: 17 years after the invasion, during 2019 over 2,300 civilian deaths were recorded by Iraq Body Count. In its worst year, 2006, Iraq had witnessed the violent deaths of more than 29,500 civilians.
Inaction when it comes to the fight back against damaging climate change is not an option, the President of the UN General Assembly told a major energy conference in Abu Dhabi on Friday [10 January 2020] (*).
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UNDP Tuvalu/Aurélia Rusek | The low-lying island nation, Tuvalu, in the Pacific Ocean is particularly susceptible to higher sea levels caused by climate change.
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Tijani Muhammad-Bande was addressing the International Organization for Renewable Energy High-Level meeting on the particular threat faced by Small Island Developing States, or SIDS, and their partners in development.
BANGKOK, Thailand, Jan 6 2020 (IPS)* – Currently, approximately 300 million tons of oil-based plastic waste are produced every year. A significant amount of plastic waste ends up in the oceans, having a detrimental effect on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Most of this waste originates from the Asia-Pacific region.
10 January 2020 (UN Environment)* — The huge wildfires in Australia, Amazon, California, the Congo basin and Indonesia have drawn the world’s attention to the risks associated with extended periods of unusually hot and dry weather, which is an effect of climate change.
The global average temperature is now 1.1°C higher than at the beginning of last century. Higher temperatures create, in some parts of the world, drier conditions, increasing the likelihood and intensity of wildfires, and megafires.
IBADAN, Nigeria, Jan 9 2020 (IPS)* – Africa will starve or survive on expensive food imports because it is not growing new farmers, research shows. And the challenge remains among researchers, policy makers, public and private sector actors to get African youth interested in agriculture on a continent where a growing number of people go to bed hungry every night.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 