#Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zvaigzdelasas · 7 months

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When Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry filled the void left by the assassination of the country’s president in 2021, he did so over the protest of wide segments of the population but with the full-throated support of the Biden administration.

Now, almost three years later, Henry’s grip on power is hanging by a thread, and Washington is confronted by even worse choices as it scrambles to prevent the country’s descent into anarchy.

“They messed it up deeply,” James Foley, a retired career diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Haiti, said in an interview about the Biden administration’s support for Henry. “They rode this horse to their doom. It’s the fruit of the choices we made.”[...]

Stubborn U.S. support for Henry is largely to blame for the deteriorating situation, said Monique Clesca, a Haitian writer and member of the Montana Group, a coalition of civil, business and political leaders that came together in the wake of Jovenel Moïse ‘s murder to promote a “Haitian-led solution” to the protracted crisis.

The group’s main objective is to replace Henry with an oversight committee made up of nonpolitical technocrats to restore order and pave the way for elections. But so far, Henry, who has repeatedly promised to hold elections, has shown no willingness to yield power.

While in Guyana last week for a meeting of Caribbean leaders, he delayed what would be Haiti’s first vote in a decade yet again, until mid-2025.

“He’s been a magician in terms of his incompetence and inaction,” said Clesca. “And despite it all, the U.S. has stayed with him. They’ve been his biggest enabler.”

By any measure, Haiti’s perennially tenuous governance has gotten far worse since Henry has been in office.[...]

But even as Haiti has plunged deeper into chaos, the U.S. has stood firmly by Henry.

“He is taking difficult steps,” Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said in October 2022, as Haitians poured into the streets to protest the end of fuel subsidies. “Those are actions that we have wanted to see in Haiti for quite some time.”

When demonstrations resumed last month demanding Henry’s resignation, the top U.S. diplomat in Haiti again rushed to his defense.

“Ariel Henry will leave after the elections,” U.S. chargé d’affaires Eric Stromayer told a local radio station.[...]

The Biden administration has defended its approach to Haiti. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, without specifically endorsing Henry, said the U.S. long term goal of stabilizing the country so Haitians can hold elections hasn’t changed.

But in what may be a telling slip that speaks to the neglect Haiti has suffered in Washington of late, Jean-Pierre confused the Haitian president, the country’s top elected official, with the prime minister, who is picked by the president and subject to parliamentary approval.

“It’s the Haitian people — they need to have an opportunity to democratically elect their prime minister,” Jean-Pierre, whose parents fled Haiti, said Wednesday. “That’s what we’re encouraging,” [...] “But we’ve been having these conversations for some time.”

Nichols said he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Henry on Thursday and urged him to broaden his political coalition. He said the U.S. would work to speed up the deployment of a multinational security mission to combat the gangs led by Haiti under the auspices of the United Nations but that other countries needed to step up their support in the way the world is working together to address humanitarian needs in Ukraine and Gaza [sic].[...]

The U.S. bears much of the blame for the country’s ills. After French colonizers were violently banished in 1791, the U.S. worked to isolate the country diplomatically and strangle it economically. American leaders feared a newly independent and free Haiti would inspire slave revolts back home. The U.S. did not even officially recognize Haiti until 1862, during the Civil War that abolished American slavery.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops have been an on-and-off presence on the island, dating from the era of “gunboat diplomacy” in the early 20th century when President Woodrow Wilson sent an expeditionary force that would occupy the country for two decades to collect unpaid debts to foreign powers.

The last intervention took place in 2004, when the administration of George W. Bush diverted resources from the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq to calm the streets following a coup that removed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.[...]

Foley said the situation is deteriorating so fast that the Biden administration may have no choice [but to send US troops to Haiti]. He’s pushing for a limited troop presence, like the one that in 2004 handed off to U.N. peacekeepers after only six months. Unlike the U.N. peacekeeping mission, which was hastily organized, Kenya has been working for months on a multinational force to combat the gangs.

“I completely understand the deep reluctance in Washington to have U.S. forces on the ground,” Foley said. “But it may prove impossible to prevent a criminal takeover of the state unless a small U.S. security contingent is sent on a temporary basis to create the conditions for international forces to take over.”

But whether yet another U.S. intervention helps stabilize a desperate Haiti, or just adds more fuel to the raging fire, remains an open question. And given the recent American track record, many are doubtful.

“The U.S. for too long has been too present, too meddling,” said Clesca. “It’s time for them to step back.”

7 Mar 24

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darkmaga-retard · 2 months

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By Ron Unz

The Unz Review

August 6, 2024

Last week I published an article on the dramatic events in domestic American politics, including President Joseph Biden’s sudden disappearance from the presidential race and the elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate in his place. Nothing like this had ever previously happened in American political history and it came only a couple of weeks after a highly-suspicious assassination attempt had nearly killed former President Donald Trump, the opposing Republican candidate.

But although the bulk of my article focused upon those matters, I also included a few paragraphs near the end presenting some shocking new disclosures in the ongoing Israel/Gaza conflict. As I wrote at the time:

Politico is one of America’s leading mainstream media outlets on politics and public affairs and ten days ago it published a very lengthy account by two experienced American surgeons who had visited Gaza to provide medical assistance and were utterly horrified by what they encountered there. According to Dr. Mark Perlmutter, in just a couple of weeks he saw more carnage inflicted upon civilians than he had in the combined total of his previous thirty years of humanitarian visits to war-zones around the world. In particular, it was obvious that Israeli snipers were deliberately shooting young Palestinian children and toddlers, aiming precision shots at their hearts and at their heads.

We Volunteered at a Gaza Hospital. What We Saw Was Unspeakable. American surgeons who witnessed the civilian carnage of the Israel-Hamas war Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa • Politico Magazine • July 19, 2024 • 4,900 Words

Given that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli leaders have publicly identified the Palestinians with the tribe of Amalek, whom the Hebrew God has commanded must be exterminated down to the youngest newborn baby, such atrocities may be shocking but are hardly surprising.

Running nearly 5,000 words and profusely illustrated with photographs, the Politico story seems to have broken the cordon of silence maintained in network television and Perlmutter was interviewed for a substantial segment entitled “The Children of Gaza” broadcast on CBS News Sunday Morning, during which he repeated his story:

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tgop123 · 2 months

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Mysteries of Astrology A Comprehensive Guide to Zodiac Signs and Dates

Astrology, an ancient practice rooted in the observation of celestial bodies, has intrigued and guided people for centuries. Central to astrology are the zodiac signs, each associated with specific dates and personality traits. This article delves into the world of astrology, providing detailed information about zodiac signs, their dates, and how to begin learning about this fascinating subject.

Understanding Astrology and Zodiac Signs

Astrology is the study of the movements astrology signs dates and positions of celestial bodies, such as planets and stars, and their influence on human affairs and natural phenomena. The zodiac is divided into twelve signs, each representing a 30-degree segment of the sky. These signs are associated with particular personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses based on the position of celestial bodies at the time of one’s birth.

Zodiac Signs and Their Dates

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Symbol: The Ram

Element: Fire

Traits: Energetic, assertive, courageous

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Symbol: The Bull

Element: Earth

Traits: Reliable, patient, practical

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

Symbol: The Twins

Element: Air

Traits: Adaptable, outgoing, intelligent

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

Symbol: The Crab

Element: Water

Traits: Emotional, nurturing, protective

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

Symbol: The Lion

Element: Fire

Traits: Confident, astrology and zodiac sign charismatic, generous

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

Symbol: The Virgin

Element: Earth

Traits: Analytical, meticulous, practical

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

Symbol: The Scales

Element: Air

Traits: Diplomatic, fair-minded, social

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Symbol: The Scorpion

Element: Water

Traits: Passionate, resourceful, determined

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

Symbol: The Archer

Element: Fire

Traits: Adventurous, optimistic, independent

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

Symbol: The Goat

Element: Earth

Traits: Disciplined, responsible, ambitious

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)

Symbol: The Water Bearer

Element: Air

Traits: Innovative, humanitarian, independent

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

Symbol: The Fish

Element: Water

Traits: Compassionate, artistic, intuitive

Learning About Astrology

If you are new to astrology, understanding the basics and diving deeper into the specifics can be both exciting and enlightening. Here are some steps to help you get started:

Study Your Natal Chart: A natal chart, or birth chart, is a map of the sky at the moment you were born. It includes the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and other celestial points. You can generate your natal chart for free on websites like

Explore Sun, Moon, and Rising Signs:

Sun Sign: Represents your core identity and ego.

Moon Sign: Reflects your emotional nature and inner self.

Rising Sign (Ascendant): Indicates how others perceive you.

Understand the Houses and Aspects:

Houses: The natal chart is divided into twelve houses, each representing different areas of life such as relationships, horoscope signs dates career, and home.

Aspects: The angles between planets in your chart, which influence how they interact with each other.

Learn About Transits and Progressions:

Transits: The current movement of planets and their impact on your natal chart.

Progressions: A method of predicting future events based on a symbolic progression of your natal chart.

Resources for Learning Astrology

To deepen your understanding of astrology, consider exploring the following resources:

Books:

"Astrology for the Soul" by Jan Spiller

"The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need" by Joanna Martine Woolfolk

Websites:

Courses:

Online courses on platforms like Udemy or Coursera.

Local astrology workshops and seminars.

Astrology Apps:

Co-Star, The Pattern, and TimePassages for personalized astrology insights.

Conclusion

Astrology offers a unique and intriguing way Janam Kundali by date of birth to understand yourself and the world around you. By exploring your zodiac sign, delving into your natal chart, and learning about the various elements of astrology, you can gain valuable insights into your personality, relationships, and life path. Whether you approach astrology with skepticism or curiosity, it provides a fascinating lens through which to view the cosmos and our place within it.

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96thdayofrage · 3 years

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Media Rediscover Afghan Women Only When US Leaves

Just as US corporate news media “discovered” Afghan women’s rights only when the US was angling for invasion, their since-forgotten interest returned with a vengeance as US troops exited the country.

After September 11, 2001, the public was subjected to widespread US news coverage of burqa-clad Afghan women in need of US liberation, and celebratory reports after the invasion. Time magazine (11/26/01), for instance, declared that “the greatest pageant of mass liberation since the fight for suffrage” was occurring, as “female faces, shy and bright, emerged from the dark cellars” to stomp on their old veils. In a piece by Nancy Gibbs headlined “Blood and Joy,” the magazine told readers this was “a holiday gift, a reminder of reasons the war was worth fighting beyond those of basic self-defense” (FAIR.org, 4/9/21).

The media interest was highly opportunistic. Between January 2000 and September 11, 2001, there were 15 US newspaper articles and 33 broadcast TV reports about women’s rights in Afghanistan. In the 16 weeks between September 12 and January 1, 2002, those numbers skyrocketed to 93 and 628, before plummeting once again (Media, Culture & Society, 9/1/05).

Suddenly remembering women

Now, as the US finally is withdrawing its last troops, many corporate media commentators put women and girls at the center of the analysis, as when Wolf Blitzer (CNN Situation Room, 8/16/21), after referring to “the horror awaiting women and girls in Afghanistan,” reported:

President Biden saying he stands, and I’m quoting him now, squarely, squarely behind this decision to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, despite the shocking scene of chaos and desperation as the country fell in a matter of only a few hours under Taliban control, and the group’s extremist ideology has tremendous and extremely disturbing implications for everyone in Afghanistan, but especially the women and girls.

This type of framing teed up hawkish guests, who proliferate on TV guest lists, to use women as a political football to oppose withdrawal. Blitzer guest Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R.-Illinois), for instance, argued:

Look at the freedom that is being deprived from the Afghan people as the Taliban move into Afghan, or moving into parts of Afghanistan now, and you know how much freedom they had. Look at the number of women that are out there making careers, that are thought leaders, that are academics, that never would have happened under the Taliban leadership…. The devastation you are seeing today is why that small footprint of 2,500 US troops was so important.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R.-Iowa) gladly gave Jake Tapper (CNN Newsroom, 8/16/21) her take on the situation after CNN aired a report on the situation for women:

As you mentioned, for women and younger girls, this is also very devastating for them. The humiliation that they will endure at the hands of the Taliban all around this is just a horrible, horrible mar on the United States under President Joe Biden.

‘America rescued them’

Charity Wallace claimed in the Wall Street Journal (8/17/21) that Afghan “women and girls…made enormous progress over the past 20 years.”

Such analysis depends on the assumption that the US invasion and occupation “saved” Afghan women. In the Wall Street Journal (8/17/21), an op-ed by former George W. Bush staffer Charity Wallace ran under the headline : “The Nightmare Resumes for Afghan Women: America Rescued Them 20 Years Ago. How Can We Abandon Them to the Taliban Again?”

Two days later, a news article in the Journal (8/19/21) about the fate of women in Afghanistan explained: “Following the 2001 invasion, US and allied forces invested heavily to promote gender equality.”

The Associated Press (8/14/21), in a piece headlined, “Longest War: Were America’s Decades in Afghanistan Worth It?,” noted at the end that “some Afghans—asked that question before the Taliban’s stunning sweep last week—respond that it’s more than time for Americans to let Afghans handle their own affairs.” It continued, “But one 21-year-old woman, Shogufa, says American troops’ two decades on the ground meant all the difference for her.” After describing Shogufa’s experience for five paragraphs, the piece concludes with her “message to Americans”:

“Thank you for everything you have done in Afghanistan,” she said, in good but imperfect English. “The other thing was to request that they stay with us.”

Perhaps the most indignant media piece about Afghan women came from Caitlin Flanagan in the Atlantic (8/19/21), “The Week the Left Stopped Caring About Human Rights.” Flanagan argued:

Leave American troops idle long enough, and before you know it, they’re building schools and protecting women. We found an actual patriarchy in Afghanistan, and with nothing else to do, we started smashing it down. Contra the Nation, it’s hard to believe that Afghan women “won” gains in human rights, considering how quickly those gains are sure now to be revoked. The United States military made it possible for those women to experience a measure of freedom. Without us, that’s over.

Flanagan pointed to Afghan activist Malala Yousafzai, whom she accused “critics of the war” of forgetting, saying Yousafzai “appealed to the president to take ‘a bold step’ to stave off disaster.”

Next to last in women’s rights

Such coverage gives the impression that Afghan women desperately want the US occupation to continue, and that military occupation has always been the only way for the US to help them. But for two decades, women’s rights groups have been arguing that the US needed to support local women’s efforts and a local peace process. Instead, both Democrat and Republican administrations continued to funnel trillions of dollars into the war effort, propping up misogynist warlords and fueling violence and corruption.

Contra Flanagan’s insinuation, Yousafzai didn’t ask Biden to continue the occupation. In an op-ed for the New York Times (8/17/21) that most clearly laid out her appeal, she asked for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and for refugees fleeing the country. In fact, her take on the US occupation’s role in women’s rights (BBC, 8/17/21) is much more critical than most voices in the US corporate media: “There had been very little interest in focusing on the humanitarian aid and the humanitarian work.”

As human rights expert Phyllis Bennis told FAIR’s radio program CounterSpin (2/17/21), Malalai Joya, a young member of parliament, told her in the midst of the 2009 troop surge that women in Afghanistan have three enemies: the Taliban, warlords supported by the US and the US occupation. “She said, ‘If you in the West could get the US occupation out, we’d only have two.’”

Things did get better for some women, mostly in the big cities, where new opportunities in education, work and political representation became possible with the Taliban removed from power. But as Shreya Chattopadhyay pointed out in the Nation (8/9/21), the US commitment to women was little more than window dressing on its war, devoting roughly 1,000 times more funding to military expenses than to women’s rights.

Passive consumers of US corporate news media might be surprised to learn that Afghanistan, in its 19th year under US occupation, ranked second-to-last in the world on women’s well-being and empowerment, according to the Women, Peace and Security Index (2019).

As the Index notes, Afghan women still suffer from discriminatory laws at a level roughly on par with Iraq, and an extraordinarily low 12.2% of women reported feeling safe walking alone at night in their community, more than 4 points lower than in any other country. And just one in three girls goes to school.

Wrong kind of ‘help’

In 2015, a 27-year-old Afghan woman named Farkhunda Malikzada was killed by an angry mob of men in Kabul after being falsely accused of burning a Quran; US-backed Afghan security forces watched silently (Guardian, 3/28/15). The shocking story spread around the world, but the only US TV network to mention it on air was PBS (7/2/15), which offered a brief report more than three months after the murder, when an Afghan appeals court overturned the death sentences given to some of the men involved.

FAIR turned up no evidence of Caitlin Flanagan ever writing about Malikzada, either—or about the plight of any Afghan woman before last week.

According to a Nexis search, TV news shows aired more segments that mentioned women’s rights in the same sentence as Afghanistan in the last seven days (42) than in the previous seven years (37).

The US did not “rescue” Afghan women with its military invasion in 2001, or its subsequent 20-year occupation. Afghan women need international help, but facile and opportunistic US media coverage pushes toward the same wrong kind of help that it’s been pushing for the last two decades: military “assistance,” rather than diplomacy and aid.

For more than 20 years, US corporate media could have listened seriously to Afghan women and their concerns, bringing attention to their own efforts to improve their situation. Instead, those media outlets are proving once again that Afghan women’s rights are only of interest to them when they can be used to prop up imperialism and the military industrial complex.

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alexsmitposts · 4 years

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Lebanon: Colonial Thieves & Conflicting Networks of Patronage I am trying to think how best to write about Lebanon, about the BIGGER picture and the complicated political situation and structure there. It goes beyond the Beirut port bombing or the source of the fertiliser, well beyond the recriminations, and what is actually being reported in the news as well. This is a topic we have covered earlier in NEO, even before Lebanon was so newsworthy. But as with everything, the first rule of a journalist is to not to believe in coincidences. Blast from the Past Let’s just assume readers know all about the current situation, the corruption, the banking mafias and the humanitarian crisis on the horizon. Lebanon is a country collapsing, crashing and burning, and its banking system with it. The country is about to hit rock bottom—at least in the opinion of most pundits. As mentioned in previous NEO articles, the lack of a government isn’t going to get foreign troops out of Lebanon, or stabilise its currency and persuade its neighbours to respect its position. Nor is it going to keep it out of the shadows of Israel and Syria. But having a new government which isn’t backed, or at least tolerated, by public consensus won’t bring about immediate change; it won’t be the magic cure. On the contrary, it will for sure raise new issues, create new groups willing to be bought off and create greater instability, simply because it is easier to fight an enemy you know. Changing the political-sectoral structure of the government, an ongoing issue in Lebanon, isn’t going to prove a panacea for all either – not because no solution would satisfy the Lebanese, but because the very existence of its government system doesn’t satisfy everyone else. But what comes next? At the heart of this system lies a social compact which connects individuals to political leaders based on sectarian identity — Maronite Christian, Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Druze, to name a few of the country’s 18 different religious sects. Each knows its place, and is closely linked to various networks of political and financial patronage—and these have existed from generation to generation. In layman’s terms, if a whole new order is put in place in Lebanon – based on liberal, deliberative politics, not doling out privileges to various religious and ethnic groupings, and with well-delineated representative electoral boundaries drawn up following the first census the country will have seen in decades – most of the confessional groups will most likely lose out, or persuade their supporters they will. The sectorial elites are very entrenched, and run their own self-sustaining networks of patronage, so it isn’t hard to predict how they will react. If something the West recognises as “liberal democracy” is introduced in Lebanon, the elites’ spheres of influence will contract, and their interests will have to come second to those of the locals. At least, that is the theory – as ever, Westerners are unable to understand that “liberal democracy” is itself a sect, run by a particular segment of the population, holding certain approved views, which sustains itself by even more extensive networks of patronage. The elites and the locals are not two separate groups in Lebanon. All the various groups and elites are in some sense local, the outcomes of waves of past immigration and a system which, though antiquated, was questioned far more by outsiders than it ever was by Lebanese, whose only argument is who should have which slices of the cake, and for what reason. The Maronites claim to be the “original” Lebanese, descendants of the Phoenicians. But their claim to being the real Lebanese is no more or less valid than those of the Sunni or Shia populations, or the Druze, or even the Armenians who have a clear, century-long presence in the country—ever since the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottomans. This is why nationals outside the country simply call themselves Lebanese – they identify more with Lebanon than with the ethnic groups and associated states everyone else tells them they belong to. In the nineteenth century it was often said that the differences between the dominant political parties lay in which gentleman’s clubs their members belonged to, rather than in their ideologies. The differences between Lebanese lie in which networks of patronage they can access, not their religious or ethnic identity. Lebanon has never been a nation-state or national state, so all groups have a more or less equal participation in its identity. No one group can claim that it is the true local population, and the rest are minorities. Everyone is a minority, and it is only the much more recent Palestinian and Syrian immigrants and refugees who might remain out of the social and legal framework, even though they largely migrated there to find one. Trying to upset the delicate balance of interests which holds the country together, when outsiders allow it to, will certainly lead to a great deal of acrimony from almost anyone who has enjoyed any degree of power over the past seventy years and more, who won’t want to give up any privileges and share things with Johnny come lately “newcomers”. As we have learned from too many other fledgling states or flickering beacons of democracy, be careful for what you wish for. Change for its own sake is not always for the better, especially in complicated parts of the world. This has been a lesson learned in the wake of the so-called Arab Springs. High Wire Act Perhaps the best starting point is to assume that the present Lebanese government is a high-wire act. By any measures it should have failed long ago, even before it resigned, as it represents too many competing and diametrically opposed interests, sects and political agendas, pieced together into a government out of sheer desperation amidst almost impossible political realities. Corruption is endemic, as to a cat who likes to climb trees and claw things. Much of the problem has to do with the fact that Lebanon is deeply rooted in its old colonial past, and its former masters, powers such as France and Turkey, are completing for a place at the table in a bid to retain their historic influence. When Lebanon was the Las Vegas of the Middle East, wealthy and attractive, these powers tried to exert this influence in a much more covert way, not wanting to interfere with the operation of a gravy train. Now those days have gone, they are setting themselves up as the solution to the problems they themselves created by refusing to accept a Lebanese system they were incapable of emulating. From 1920 until its independence in 1943, Lebanon was under French colonial rule, while before that the Ottomans ruled for four centuries. This is why it was predictable that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron of “colonial” aims in Lebanon, and called his recent visit to Beirut a “spectacle”, amid growing tensions between Ankara and Paris. The meddling from outsiders has made Lebanon a modern-day Casablanca, full of cross-sections of intrigues. Not only France and Turkey but the US and Israel see it as the beachhead for influencing regional affairs, as if things are not already complicated enough with Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria engaged in an ongoing proxy war within Lebanon’s internal politics. No one wants them there, but if the state isn’t strong enough to protect particular groups of locals from people sponsored by the other side, they have little choice but to put up with the “protection” of people they do not actually regard as representing their interests. Macron and Erdogan have enough problems at home, but prefer meddling in an area that is already a tinderbox, so they can blame the other, and therefore by extension all it represents in their respective countries. All this is contributing to a perfect storm which will leave Lebanon a failed state amongst failed states. What will actually have happened is that everyone else has failed because Lebanon is intrinsically sounder than they are, but it is the Lebanese who will be expected to pick up the pieces. Shallow-minded State While France and Turkey are making worrying bids for renewed influence, the US is trying to call the game from a distance. US motivations are simpler, and easier to understand – the US answer is always, “I blame Iran for the problems in Lebanon,” with a few soundbites about Hezbollah to boot. As ever, this line has everything to do with the US, and nothing whatever to do with Lebanon or the reality of life there. IRAN-Hezbollah is a label of convenience for State Department types and the John Boltons and Mike Mike Pompeos of this world, i.e., the proverbial “shallow-minded state”.It is really interesting to listen to State Department briefings and read press releases. What they don’t say is most revealing, like Pompeo’s statement in the aftermath of the only too convenient fertilizer explosion at the Port of Beirut: “I want to extend our deepest condolences to all those who were affected by the massive explosion at the port of Beirut yesterday. We stand ready to assist the Government of Lebanon – as it grapples with this horrible tragedy. You’ll see the United States announce a number of things we intend to do to assist the people of Lebanon in the coming days.” Such as what? Everything has strings attached, especially when it concerns providing aid to a country during a humanitarian crisis. We only have to look at the developmental model imposed on any country, the USAID Missions and IFO, IMF and World Bank advisers, designed with no other purpose but to ensure the US takes control “lock, stock and barrel”. Let’s hope that a new model evolves (not a feeding frenzy), and one not based on externally imposed structural adjustment policies or economic shock treatment, as if the economy hasn’t been shocked enough. It should be more needs driven, and must not identify the locals as the problem, particularly when you are expecting those locals to vote the way you want them to when your new system is in place. Baking a new cake will require time, and enough time must be afforded for the evolving protest movement and other independent figures to politically organise. Early elections will result in the same sectarian elite getting elected, but then not being allowed to operate, so Lebanon will again be lumbered with the worst of both worlds. To go back and see where it all began, one only needs to check out the secret 1916 Sykes Picot agreement between England and France about slicing up what would be left of the Ottoman Empire after World War One. It would be naïve to think that anyone can get a grasp of what is going on now without understanding the historic intrigues. The Bolsheviks found a copy of the Sykes-Picot agreement when they seized power, and had the audacity to publish it. Lenin called it “the agreement of colonial thieves”. This might also be an appropriate title for what may come in the wake of the resignation of the most recent Lebanese government, and any conditions imposed by the West or the IMF on Lebanon in exchange for a financial lifeline.

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nigpilot · 3 years

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Humanitarian: flags off commencement of N-power batch C -NigPilot

As the Buhari led administration aim at eradicating poverty in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social development FMHDs have officially flagged off the commencement of N-power batch C stream 1, with a total of one million beneficiaries.

This was made known by the minister of FMHD, Sadiya Umar Farouq yesterday in Abuja According to her, a total number of 6million application was received but 1 million people has been selected to benefit from this scheme. "Based on this approval, the portal was again opened in June 2020, and over 6 million new applications were received. 1,000,000 beneficiaries will be mined from this as the NPower Batch C.

"The batch C is divided into 2 streams. Stream C1 for 510,000 beneficiaries and stream C2 for 490,000 beneficiaries. Under the Batch C1, a total of 450,000 have been selected to benefit under the graduate component, while 6ve been selected to benefit under the graduate component, while 60,000 beneficiaries will be non-graduate beneficiaries" she said. Farouq assured that the ministry is still committed to ensuring the strategic objectives of all the Social intervention programmes are achieved.

To also curb the communication challenges of the entire scheme, the ministry has created a more favourable platform. "To ensure that the challenges of communication are addressed, most particularly as it relates to limitations on information flow and internet access across the country and in a bid to provide accessibility to all target programme applicants and beneficiaries, the Ministry has concluded to provide access to information via a USSD code. "In line with the above, the USSD short code *45665# has been secured via integration to provide the required connectivity and technical support for the provision of information services to our beneficiaries," she added. According to her, the scheme has 3 core segments: N-Power Volunteer Corps which is the Graduate programme, N-Power Build, which is a Non-Graduate programme and N-Power Knowledge - Which is also a non-graduate programme but deliberately designed on ICT skills. It includes the N-Tech Hardware, N-Tech Software and the N-Creative training respectively. Farouq however welcomes partnership from other ministries, agencies just as the Minister of State, Industry and investment have assured that the ministry will partner with them. She also used the opportunity to thank the national assembly, relative stakeholders that have ensured that the scheme becomes a reality. "let me thank my colleagues for their support, the NASS members for appropriating funds to execute these programmes and also their oversight in ensuring the programmes are implemented as approved.

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worldhumanitarianday · 3 months

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2024 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment - Economic and Social Council, 29th plenary meeting.

The 2024 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) will take place from 25 to 27 June in New York. The theme for the 2024 HAS is "Putting humanity first in the face of conflicts and climate change: strengthening humanitarian assistance and respect for international humanitarian law, and promoting effectiveness, innovation and partnerships".

Related Documents

ECOSOC (Humanitarian Affairs Segment) webpage Programme

Watch the 2024 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment - Economic and Social Council, 29th plenary meeting!

#Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS)#ecosoc #united nations economic and social council council #innovation #challenges and gaps #humanitarian law #humanitarian crisis #humanitarian aid #unhq #plenary meetings #armed conflicts #climate change

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asterdmhealthcare · 4 years

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Frontline Warriors and Volunteers from two Al Warsan isolation facilities honored for helping 1500 Covid-19 patients in Dubai

Around 100 frontline medical professionals, volunteers, government entities and supporting organizations were honored by Aster DM Healthcare and Consulate General of India for their relentless efforts over the last two months which helped in the successful recovery of more than 1500 Covid-19 patients who were asymptomatic or mild to moderately ill…

Aster DM Healthcare and Consulate General of India recognized the efforts of 100 medical professionals, volunteers and representatives of supporting govt. entities in the presence of officials from Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The 750-bed facility, comprising of two buildings in the Hind Humanitarian City, can be considered as a model isolation facility that saw fast and effective implementation of triage, isolation, quarantine and treatment set-up following all the protocols set-up by DHA, aiding in the recovery of patients.

Dubai, UAE, 25 June, 2020: Around 100 frontline medical professionals, volunteers, government entities and supporting organisations were honoured by Aster DM Healthcare and Consulate General of India for their relentless efforts over the last two months which helped in the successful recovery of more than 1500 Covid-19 patients who were asymptomatic or mild to moderately ill. The Aster Volunteers event saw a special note being delivered by Dr. Azad Moopen- Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare and Shri Vipul- Honorable Consul General of India to UAE and the felicitation was done by Mr. Mohammed Matar- Director, Dubai Health Authority; Ms. Alisha Moopen- Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare; Mr. Jobilal Vavachan- CEO, Aster Clinics & Aster Retail and Mr. T.J Wilson- Executive Director & Group Head Governance & Corporate Affairs.

Speaking at the event, Shri. Vipul said, “It has been incredible to witness the highest levels of kindness and collaboration between individuals and organizations during these truly unique and unbelievably challenging times in the recent months. The frontline workers and volunteers have shown real selflessness and persevered against all odds in order to support their local community to fight this pandemic. We are thankful to them, Aster, DHA, Dubai Ambulance, Dubai Police, IBPC, Indian community and everyone involved in the successful delivery of the mandate for this facility.”

“As a healthcare organization, we have been at the forefront of managing this crisis with our facilities and staff being actively involved in working with the government to control the pandemic. Most of the medical staff and volunteers who have been actively involved in managing this facility had volunteered to be a part of this project, putting their own personal safety at risk and they continued to work relentlessly for long hours everyday to be able to heal each of the patients who came to them, following all necessary measures to control the spread of Covid-19. We are proud of their tremendous achievement and commend the work that they have done,” said Dr. Azad Moopen.

Aster Volunteers, the global CSR programme of Aster DM Healthcare, played a crucial role in supporting this facility through the provision of internal and external volunteers who helped with the management of the facility, delivery of treatment protocols, supported by Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services team in transferring 450+ positives case to and from various Covid-19 care and isolation facilities in association with Dubai Cooperation of Ambulance Services. This is among the numerous initiatives that had been introduced to help the community cope-up with Covid-19 in UAE like mass screenings in congested areas, free teleconsultation by medical professionals, awareness and educational activities and #FeedTheHungry programme that provided 6707 food and ration kits to people in UAE who have lost their jobs, impacting 300,000 lives in the process. Aster had also dedicated two of its facilities under Aster and Medcare as designated Covid-19 treatment centre in partnership with DHA and brought in 88 medical professionals from its facilities in India to join the Dubai government’s fight against Covid-19.

Three years since its initiation, Aster Volunteers has been able to impact over 2 million lives across different countries through its various initiatives. Today, the programme has 27,000+ active volunteers who are actively involved in driving the programme across many countries.

About Aster Volunteers, the global CSR programme of Aster DM Healthcare

Aster Volunteers programme, the global corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare, was launched on occasion of the company’s 30th anniversary in 2017 and provides a platform which bridges the gap between people who would like to help with those in need. Driven by Aster DM Foundation, through various initiatives, the programme has been able to impact 2 million+ lives across geographies. Aster Volunteers have been able to treat 290,986 individuals through mobile medical camps; 169,207 people have benefitted from basic life support trainings and 36,019 free surgeries as well as health investigations were conducted; supported with the recruitment of 114 differently abled people and treated 533,146 people through 3,376 medical camps. The aid programme in Somali land, Jordan, Bangladesh and Kerala has benefitted 288,158 people; while 21,302 children have benefitted under Child Health & Wellness initiatives. In the wake of the COVID — 19 pandemic, 816,648 lives have been impacted through screening camps and distribution of food and medical kits. Aster Volunteers have also undertaken 142 initiatives towards Sustainability & Community Connect.

About Aster DM Healthcare

Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in multiple GCC states and is an emerging healthcare player in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence, we are one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary healthcare through our hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. We have over 20,000 plus dedicated employees across the geographies that we are present in, delivering a simple yet strong promise to our different stakeholders: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.

For more information about us, please visit www.asterdmhealthcare.com or contact:

Lavanya Mandal

Head of PR and Internal Communications

Aster DM Healthcare

Tel: +971 528126577

Email: [email protected]

Bejoy Changarath

Assistant General Manager — PR & Media Relations

Aster DM Healthcare

Tel: +971 524073559

Email: [email protected]

#aster dm healthcare #asterdmhealthcare #volonteers #medical

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thisdaynews · 4 years

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JUST IN:Corruption, inefficiencies actually swarm government agencies despite lawmakers’ oversight.

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/just-incorruption-inefficiencies-actually-swarm-government-agencies-despite-lawmakers-oversight/

JUST IN:Corruption, inefficiencies actually swarm government agencies despite lawmakers’ oversight.

Reports of the Auditor General of the Federation from 2015 to 2019, which accumulated in the National Assembly a while after their accommodation for thought by the Committee on Public Accounts, uncovered that it was still the same old thing for government employees as administrative legislators appeared to have reneged on their oversight capacities throughout the long term.