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LGBTQ Plus Society

Beyond Matrimony? Charting A New Course For LGBTQ+ Unions in India

In the wake of India’s landmark decision to reject marriage equality, the authors suggest that the way forward for the queer community, perhaps, is not to insist on a right to marry but to challenge laws that put marriage over other forms of familial and kinship bonds.

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Economy Green

Africa’s Clean Energy Transition Must Not Come At The Cost Of Economic Growth

Africa faces a complex choice: entirely eliminate fossil fuels and risk slowing down development, or alter the energy mix and maintain a balance between the environment and the economy.

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Israel-Palestine War

Gaza, A View From Istanbul: Why I Still Believe In Western Values

Palestinians are suffering under the Israeli regime and relentless bombardment of Gaza, yet the Western world, also known to be the “civilized” world, continues to support Israel. Turkey’s complex relationship with Islamic and Middle Eastern countries as well as with the West brings back the most fundamental questions about the past and future.

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Geopolitics

The Xi-Biden Summit: Can They Put An End To All Those World War III Scenarios?

The highly anticipated face-to-face between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping is about more than just global trade, it’s about putting the brakes on humanity sliding into total chaos and conflict.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 15: The Rise Of Xi

Updated Nov. 15, 2023 at 11:50 a.m. On this day in 2012, Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, on his way to becoming the most powerful leader in China since Mao Zedong. How has Xi Jinping led China? Since taking office, Xi Jinping has removed political opponents from China’s government […]

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Here’s Why Iran Might End Up Turning Its Back On Hamas

Iran’s revolutionary regime insists it wants Israel destroyed and has threatened a regional war, but its actions are ambivalent, suggesting it may fear a regional war that would hasten its demise. As a result, it may decide to stop supporting Hamas in Gaza.

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Society

The Underbelly Of The Meditation Boom

For years, mindfulness has been promoted as a near panacea. But just how much does the brain affect the body?

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Three Scenarios Where The U.S., China Or Russia Winds Up Stronger After The Gaza War

Washington, Moscow and Beijing can all, in different ways, emerge stronger from the war in Gaza war, says French geopolitical expert Dominique Moïsi. The U.S. has been more present in the Middle East since Oct. 7 — but so has Russia, while China is keeping relatively quiet.

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Geopolitics Ideas Israel-Palestine War Society

From Nazism To Anti-Fascism To Pro-Hamas, Reflections Of A Post-War German

The post-War generation in Germany was shaped politically by one question: Why didn’t our parents prevent the Holocaust? Nowadays, as baby boomers are retiring, the inner political wrestling seems to have fallen out of time, because anti-fascism has long changed sides.

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Geopolitics

Has The Time Come To Take U.S. Nuclear Weapons Out Of Turkey?

It was a wakeup call for some: pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Turkey tried to storm the U.S. base Incirlik where nuclear weapons have long been stationed. There is more discussion than ever about whether the NATO partner is still a trustworthy military ally with such potent weapons within reach.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics special series The Endless War

Friends, Enemies And Public Opinion: Inside Biden’s Middle East Balancing Act

The United States has found itself at the forefront of a conflict that the whole world is following. President Joe Biden faces the pull of public opinion, the threat of Iranian action, and the escalation of the Israeli state.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 14: Ruby Bridges Walks Into Civil Rights History

Updated Nov. 14, 2023 at 11:30 Ruby Bridges walked into the first desegrated school on this day 63 years ago. Her story later became the subject of a famous Norman Rockwell painting, titled “The Problem We All Live With”. Who was Ruby Bridges? Ruby Bridges became a hero of the U.S. Civil Rights movement on […]

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special series The Endless War

Bombs, “Humanitarian” Pause, More Bombs: Journey With Gazans Uprooted By Israel’s War

After last Thursday’s announcement of daily, four-hour humanitarian pauses in the northern part of Gaza, masses of Palestinians fled southward. But the journey is anything but safe and easy.

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In The News

“We Won’t Be Silenced” – Afghan Women Vow To Resist Taliban

Angered at the return of the Islamist rule of the Taliban, many Afghan women are refusing to keep quiet, covered and at home as they did in the 1990s.

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In The News

Nicaragua: Latin America’s Left Betrays Its Own History By Excusing Ortega

Leftist states defending rigged elections to be held Nov. 7 in Nicaragua are not so much protecting regional socialism as approving despotism itself, which they too were victims of…

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Israel-Palestine War special series The Endless War

Freedom Fighters? A Ukrainian Lesson For Israel From The Algerian Revolution

Public sympathy for Hamas terrorists has precedents. Algeria’s liberation in the 1960s from French colonial rule is viewed by history as a wholly just cause, despite horrific attacks against civilians. What does the analogy tell us about Israel’s current situation?

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Society

A Future For Timbuktu’s Ancient Books? Conservation And Digitization

Mali’s “mysterious city” welcomes a new class of students trained in looking after ancient books. From conservation to digitization of these works, a colossal task awaits them to preserve this endangered heritage and the secrets they contain.

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Israel-Palestine War

Israel v. Emmanuel Macron — And Who’s Next?

Israel has reacted sharply to the French president’s criticism of the IDF continued bombing of civilians in Gaza. France is the first country to break with Western unanimity on Israel since October 7, which explains the virulence of the reaction.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 13: Bataclan Attacks

In the deadliest attack on France since World War II, 131 people were killed in a series of shootings and suicide bombings across Paris by Islamist terrorists. Who was responsible for the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris? Nine members of the Islamic State (ISIS), based mostly in Brussels, carried out the coordinated attacks at the […]

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Lebanon On The Brink: Where External And Internal Threats Collide

A ghost state, an economy in ruins … Lebanon has still not recovered from the explosion at the port of Beirut a little over three years ago. With war looming on its southern border, the country teeters near total collapse.

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Society

When A Library Is Born On A Tiny Italian Island

Inside an old watchtower dangling over the crashing waves of the port of Capraia, dwell 6,000 books and their keeper: 33-year-old Viola, a librarian who took the time during the COVID-19 pandemic to ask herself, “What makes you truly happy?”

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Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine’s Biggest Challenge This Winter: Staying United

Last winter, many Ukrainians believed the only factor delaying the war’s end was the weather. A year later, the country faces a very different situation, with a stalled counteroffensive ahead of the coming cold days creating fertile ground to lose precious national unity.

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Israel-Palestine War

How The War Has All But Destroyed Gaza’s Ailing Healthcare System

The health situation in Gaza is becoming more and more dire as Israel continues to bomb the enclave. Egyptian media Mada Masr takes a look at the history of the Palestinian health care system.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 12: Happy Birthday Nadia Comăneci!

Updated Nov 12, 2023 at 12 p.m Romania’s Nadia Comăneci is credited with popularizing the sport of gymnastics worldwide, getting her successful start at a very young age. Who is Nadia Comăneci? Born November 12, 1961, the Romanian gymnast became a household name after a successful career, winning five Olympic gold medals all in individual […]

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Society

Amid Regulatory Gaps, Telehealth Prescribers Flourish

It’s easier than ever to get prescription drugs online. Should regulators be paying more attention?

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Food / Travel

How Shaxian Snacks Went From Local Grub To Global Chain — With A Hand From Xi Jinping

In just three decades, the village of Yubang has become the cradle of one of the most popular food brands in China, under the watch of the local Communist Party and a certain governor named Xi Jinping. It now dreams of conquering the globe.

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Green Ideas Society

Meet The Weather Influencers: Climate Change, Vacation Plans, Lightning Bolts!

In recent years, social interest in climatology has grown exponentially, turning meteorologists into quasi-rockstars who, thanks to technology, can interact with their audiences and provide real-time updates.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Report: Iran Expanding Terror Network In Africa To Join Fight Against Israel

Germany’s Die Welt newspaper has had access to information from secret services that reveal Iran’s trail of support of anti-Israel terrorist groups that go as far as the Sahara. A militia is developing there that supports Hamas — and aims to plot deadly attacks against Israel and its interest wherever possible.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Negotiate, Talk, Negotiate — And A First Small Sign That Israel Is Listening

In Qatar, Egypt, Paris or on the phone, negotiators are busy trying to secure the release of hostages, push for “humanitarian pauses”, and prepare for the political aftermath of the war. Meanwhile, the war rages on in Gaza.

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In The News

Worldcrunch Magazine #58 — Any Way Out?

November 13 – November 19, 2023

Categories
This Happened

This Happened—November 10: Birth Of Microsoft Windows

Updated Nov. 10, 2023 at 12:25p.m. On this day, Microsoft founder Bill Gates (then just 28 years old!) unveiled the original Windows operating system, a piece of software whose name and window-pane logo have become synonymous with modern computing. How did Windows come to be? In the early 1980s, the competition was ripe in the […]

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Israel-Palestine War special series The Endless War

India, That (Imperfect) Template For A Two-State Solution

At the moment, a two-state solution to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine seems impossible. But should a miracle occur, there is one example that, although not perfect, could serve as a model to build a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural federation: the ethno-federal democracy of India.

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Israel-Palestine War

Woman, Boy May Be First New Hostage Releases As Negotiations Accelerate For Wider Deal – Mideast War, Day 34

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military wing, the al-Quds Brigades, has said it is prepared to release two hostages held in Gaza if conditions on the ground permit. A spokesperson for the al-Quds Brigades said it is ready to release two Israeli hostages, a woman and a boy, for humanitarian and medical reasons. He added that […]

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Geopolitics

Ukraine, “Collateral Victim” Of The West’s Double Standard — And Israeli Bombs

The state of the Ukraine War was growing fragile even before Oct. 7, but the conflict in the Middle East has changed the equation in Moscow’s favor. It’s not just a shift in attention and resources, but an undermining of the values and rationale behind Kyiv’s cause.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics special series The Endless War

Blinken’s Faceless Diplomacy — A Secret Weapon For Post-War Peace?

Reserved, not accustomed to the spotlight, capable of taking a step back and not overshadowing the president. In this time of crisis, Antony Blinken navigates geopolitics with the president’s full trust.

Categories
LGBTQ Plus Society

Transparent, Colombia: First Black Trans Parents Shake Latin American Traditions

Valerie and Theo, both students at Cali’s del Valle university, are the country’s first Afro-Caribbean trans couple to have a baby, with husband Theo giving birth through C-section.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 9: Fall Of The Berlin Wall

Updated Nov. 9, 2023 at 12:45 The beginning of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, which allowed East Germans to cross into the West, marked a new epoch in world history. Amid revolutions that led to the collapse of the Soviet-led communist bloc, the tearing down the wall on Nov. 9, 1989, is considered the […]

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Russia-Ukraine War

Zelensky Should Cancel His Visit To Israel Right Now

After the postponement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned trip to Israel, there are voices now saying it should be cancelled outright. What’s the price of Ukraine publicly declaring its support for the current actions of the Israeli government and military?

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Israel-Palestine War

Report: Deal Close For 10-15 Hostages In Exchange For Brief Ceasefire – Mideast War, Day 33

Qatar is leading negotiations for one to two day humanitarian truce in exchange for the release of up to 15 hostages held by Hamas.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War Society special series The Endless War

Why Hamas Aren’t Nazis — Yet Israel’s War On Gaza May Be Genocide

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials have referred to Hamas militants as “the new Nazis.” But as horrific as the Oct. 7 massacre was, what does it really mean to make such a comparison 80 years after the Holocaust? And how can we rightly describe what’s happening in Gaza?

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