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Month: April 2018

Threat of Western Strike on Syria: What is Known So Far

Bridge Agents

Trump’s ‘Get Ready’ Tweet On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump threatened a direct strike on the Syrian government forces following an alleged chemical attack in Douma, in a tweet that was followed by another one, in which Trump claimed that relations with Moscow were worse than during the Cold War. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quick to respond to Trump’s remarks by saying that “smart missiles must strike terrorists, not the legitimate government that has been fighting international terrorism on its territory for several years.” Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be…

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‘We Won’t Give Up’: 25 Years of Feminist Resistance to the War on Women’s Bodies in Poland

Bridge Agents

Poland (OpenDemocracy) – Before 1993, we could terminate our pregnancies legally and safely. Today, Poland is home to one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. In theory, abortion is legal when the mother’s health is at risk, in cases of fetal abnormality, or when pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. But, in practice it is almost impossible to access abortion services legally. According to official statistics, only 1,098 legal abortions were performed in the whole country in 2016. Many more women terminate their pregnancies illegally, in conditions that may…

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ICC Prosecutor’s Unprecedented Bid to Bring Justice to Rohingya

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(HRW) – On Monday, International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked the court’s judges to rule on whether the ICC “can exercise jurisdiction over the alleged deportation of the Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh.” Bangladesh is a member of the ICC, but Myanmar isn’t. This distinction is critical because, since the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Myanmar, the most obvious path to justice for victims of crimes committed against ethnic Rohingya is through a United Nations Security Council referral to the court. The prosecutor’s legal argument – the first…

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6 Logical Fallacies to Look out for in the Gun Debate

Bridge Agents

In 2017, the data website FiveThirtyEight declared that the U.S. had become more polarized on the issue of guns that at any time in the nation’s history. Because of the emotional nature of the debate, both gun control advocates and Second Amendment proponents increasingly resorted to violent rhetoric (“burn her!”), conspiracy theories, and especially irrational thinking. Here are six of the most common logical fallacies you’ll find in the current debate on guns in America. 1. Non Sequitur Non sequitur translates as “it does not follow.” They are more common…

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How Women Rice Weeders in Italy Took on Fascism and Became Heroines of the Left

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Italy (Conversation) – In an era before the dawn of pesticides and mechanisation, an all-female workforce was employed to “disinfect” and harvest Italy’s rice crops. These Italian rice weeders may be a thing of the past, but they have a remarkable political legacy. Italy was, and remains, Europe’s largest rice producer. The rice weeders, known in Italian as “mondine”, could be found knee-deep in flooded fields from May until July, across Italy’s “rice belt” which spans the northern regions of Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy and the Veneto. In my ongoing…

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The Garden Pests Megalist and What to Do about Them

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(SurvivalSullivan) – We toil away for hours and hours in our gardens and on over our container crops so WE can enjoy the fruit of our labors. Preventing garden pests from sneaking in and munching on our fruits and vegetables, destroying the plants in the process, is a vital part of the process…at least if you want to have anything left to harvest! Ants They might be tiny, but these little garden pests are sure mighty! When ants come across a barrier that means them harm, a brick-and-mortar physical one…

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The 2nd Amendment Empowers Women More than Lapel Pins

Bridge Agents

United States (FEE) – The 90th annual Oscars were held last month, and as usual, the ceremony served as the perfect opportunity for Hollywood’s most elite to get together and stroke fragile egos. Given the recent explosion of sexual assault allegations as a result of the #MeToo movement, it was no surprise that much of this year’s Oscars virtue signaling focused on calling for an end to sexual violence. Support for gun control was also seen on the red carpet that night, as some celebrities chose to accessorize their $25,000+ dresses by adding…

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Why Spring Brings Both Joy and Pain to Afghanistan

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(GV) – For many living in the part of Eurasia where Persian and Turkic languages dominate, the festivities of Nawruz beginning March 21 mark not just the start of spring, but New Year itself. In Afghanistan, however, the occasion is not universally celebrated, and the holiday’s pagan roots are a point of conjecture between different groups. Moreover, the warmer weather also brings with it a traditional uptick insurgent violence. This year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has attempted to check the onslaught with a renewed and emboldened offer of peace to…

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Drug Use Can Have Social Benefits, and Acknowledging This Could Improve Rehabilitation

Bridge Agents

World (TD) – Illicit drug use is often framed in terms of risk and antisocial or criminal behaviour. But drug use is often a highly social activity. For many people, the pleasure of using drugs is about social connection as much as it is about the physical effects. A new study aiming to understanding the social benefits of drug use may help us to improve responses to risky or harmful drug taking. Pleasure is not just physical Pleasure is an obvious part of drug use and the short-term physical benefits are well known. Drugs can produce a…

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Unprecedented Collaring Effort Aims to Protect Tanzania’s Threatened Elephants

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Tanzania (WWF) – In Tanzania, the government, with support from WWF, has launched the country’s largest ever elephant collaring effort to protect its dwindling elephant population. With almost 90 per cent of the elephants lost over the last 40 years in the Selous Game Reserve, a World Heritage site, enhancing rangers’ ability to guard the remaining ones from poaching is essential to rebuilding the population. In a project spanning 12 months, 60 elephants are expected to be collared in and surrounding the Elephant Collaring. Credit_ Joakim Odelberg WWF Selous. This will…

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