Global
BANGKOK, Thailand -- China and the U.S. are competing for liquid real estate, undersea resources, and military advantage among the South Pacific's isolated island nations, and trying to manipulate their economies, airstrips, seaports, and security forces.
China is widely perceived as expanding its Belt and Road network across the Pacific's watery "Blue Continent" to eventually reach North, Central, and South America plus the Antarctica, and empower Beijing's military, markets, international policies, and diplomacy.
On May 2, China scored a victory when the strategic Solomon Islands elected pro-Beijing Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, 55, formerly foreign minister in the China-friendly government of outgoing prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.
The U.S., Australia, New Zealand and their allies were already worried because the two countries signed a 2022 bilateral Solomon Islands Security Agreement.
Critics feared the China-Solomon Islands pact could allow Beijing to construct a navy base on the islands, 1,200 miles (2,000 kms) northeast of Australia.
17 May 2024 New York (& UN Web TV)
Please be informed that the Committee will hold the Commemoration “1948 - 2024: The Ongoing Palestinian Nakba” on Friday, 17 May 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (New York time), in-person, at the ECOSOC Chamber. The event will also be livestreamed on UN Web TV.
The event, organized as a panel discussion, will examine the historical context of the 1948 events and the ongoing process of the Nakba over the past 76 years, culminating in the current war on Gaza. It will also present testimony on the current conflict and highlight international obligations and responsibilities.
Israel's response to Hamas attack on October 7th is likely to result in catastrophe for America. The world's population, and the vast majority of the world's governments, find the genocide being inflicted in Gaza to be unacceptable. America's conscientious young adults, not yet infected with ruling class propaganda, have revolted. There is no longer a way to return to the status quo that allowed Israel to dominate Palestine as has been the case since 1947. The world has changed.
There’s something happening here . . .
Consider, for instance, the recent announcement by Union Theological Seminary, which is affiliated with Columbia University, that it is divesting from “companies profiting from war in Palestine/Israel” – and, not only that, fully supports the student encampments (at Columbia and all across the country) and condemns the arrests and police violence wreaking havoc on the peaceful, culturally diverse protests.
Indeed, the seminary released a statement that scrambles the quiet certainty of those in power – i.e., that money matters more than anything else: “Over the decades, we have developed what are called ‘socially responsible investment screens’ to express our values and not financially support damaging and immoral investments.”
By granting its 2024 World Press Freedom Prize to Palestinian journalists covering the Israeli war on Gaza, UNESCO has acknowledged a historic truth.
Even if the decision to name Gaza's journalists as laureates of its prestigious award was partly motivated by the courage of these journalists, the truth is that no one in the world deserved such recognition as those covering the genocidal war in Gaza.
Jerry announces the inauguration of his game-changing campaign which is taking on the debt of veterans while saving them from PTSD, suicide, poverty and more.
Among other things, Jerry tells us that his RIP Medical Debt campaign has retired more than $11 BILLION in life-destroying arrears lifted from more than 8 MILLION American citizens.
Don’t miss his descriptions of his astonishingly effective UNDUE operation that YOU can help.
Our second hour features RAY MCCLENDON with a terrifying description of voter suppression bills being forced through the Georgia Legislature to deny the right to vote.
The bills (of course) target mostly the communities of color, and have spread throughout the United States.
The anti-democracy campaign comes with violent MAGA terror against citizens who may want to work at the polls to guarantee a democratic proceeding.
Journalist STEVE ROSENFELD joins us from Arizona to amplify the national perspective on this fascist horror show.
We further hear from STEVE CARUSO, MIKE HERSH, WENDI LEDERMAN, LYNNE FEINERMAN and JOHN BRAKEY on this unprecedented crisis.