18 hours ago
Still the USA is still the country of preference for millions of legitimate immigrants as well as the thousands of illegals trying to cross into America. The Government needs to do more for public health.
Sharif Alam commented on "Sigrid Kaag Will Return to the UN to Head Gaza Operations : Shared by Mary Sidawi / Anis Salem"
20 hours ago
Reuter news agency quoted her as saying few month back that ‘she would leave government because of the increasingly "toxic" environment for politicians in the Netherlands’.
Well, her new work environment isn’t going to be any less ‘toxic’!! It could be extremely frustrating, to say the least!!
Other worry emanates from what the unicef EXDIR, despite having all the right credentials, was subjected to few weeks back, for doing one and not the other!
Because of the new coordinator’s socially recognized association, she runs the risk of being seen as prejudiced and may end up being a runaway diplomat!!
We can only hope hope that it doesn’t happen that way!!!
Well, her new work environment isn’t going to be any less ‘toxic’!! It could be extremely frustrating, to say the least!!
Other worry emanates from what the unicef EXDIR, despite having all the right credentials, was subjected to few weeks back, for doing one and not the other!
Because of the new coordinator’s socially recognized association, she runs the risk of being seen as prejudiced and may end up being a runaway diplomat!!
We can only hope hope that it doesn’t happen that way!!!
Mahendra Sheth commented on "Who is Sigrid Kaag - the UN's New Aid Coordinator in Gaza? : Thomas Latschan/ DW"
20 hours ago
I enjoyed working with Sigrid when she was RD in MENARO. She was indeed a very dedicated and a hard worker.
21 hours ago
Kul, this may national figure may reflect a growing disparity between the life expectancy between the affluent and poor population groups in the US. Bertie
24 hours ago
I start my comment with a solemn prayer to the one divinity venerated by Moslems, Christians and Jews for the safety and success of our XUNICEF colleague in her mission.
There are four factors that will affect her work;
i. on the personal side, her husband is a Palestinian who was Minister in the PLO. One wonders how the occupying authority will deal with this fact;
ii. on the operational side, it is said she will work with UNOPS. Given the recent big time scandals that surrounded this agency, how will this affect the operation?
iii. on the political side, she is to work and coordinate with" parties other than" the two belligerent ones. Yet there is growing escalation and military activity in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Red Sea. How will these impinge on her tasks?
iv. on the locational side, the UN statement talks only of her work in "Gaza", but it is not clear which Gaza. Many do not
know that there is another province called Gaza in southern Mozambique (1.5 million population and 75, 700 sq. km.). It is hoped that Ms. Haag will concentrate on the Gaza in occupied Palestine, or as one Israeli friend described it;
Genocide , Arena, (for) Zionist, Armies.
Amen!
There are four factors that will affect her work;
i. on the personal side, her husband is a Palestinian who was Minister in the PLO. One wonders how the occupying authority will deal with this fact;
ii. on the operational side, it is said she will work with UNOPS. Given the recent big time scandals that surrounded this agency, how will this affect the operation?
iii. on the political side, she is to work and coordinate with" parties other than" the two belligerent ones. Yet there is growing escalation and military activity in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Red Sea. How will these impinge on her tasks?
iv. on the locational side, the UN statement talks only of her work in "Gaza", but it is not clear which Gaza. Many do not
know that there is another province called Gaza in southern Mozambique (1.5 million population and 75, 700 sq. km.). It is hoped that Ms. Haag will concentrate on the Gaza in occupied Palestine, or as one Israeli friend described it;
Genocide , Arena, (for) Zionist, Armies.
Amen!
Unknown commented on "Law of gravity and democracy : Ramesh Shrestha"
Yesterday
The mass does not affect the speed of the fal. If this law holds for democracies as well, the punny ones would come down as fast as the as the large ones.
Dec 28, 2023
Insightful pictures reflecting the reality of Gaza during Christmas
Thomas Ekvall commented on "Sigrid Kaag Will Return to the UN to Head Gaza Operations : Shared by Mary Sidawi / Anis Salem"
Dec 28, 2023
Israel should pay for the rebuilding of Gaza as Russia should pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine. In case the Israeli government has problems with this its financial assets held abroad should be confiscated and used for this purpose with the same justifications as is used vis-a-vis Russia.
In Response to a comment by Kul Gautam
Kul Gautam commented on "Sigrid Kaag Will Return to the UN to Head Gaza Operations : Shared by Mary Sidawi / Anis Salem"
Dec 27, 2023
Best wishes to our XUNICEF colleague @SigridKaag in her challenging role as Senior UN Humanitarian & Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. Given the total devastation of Gaza and the cruel & uncompromising position of the belligerents (Israel & Hamas) & their external patrons (USA & Iran), this is almost a "mission impossible"!
Let's hope Sigrid will be able to muster the support of all those with influence on the belligerents; generous funding by major donors (including OECD countries, the Gulf Arab states & others), and a Big Dose of Divine Blessings!
Let's hope Sigrid will be able to muster the support of all those with influence on the belligerents; generous funding by major donors (including OECD countries, the Gulf Arab states & others), and a Big Dose of Divine Blessings!
Dec 26, 2023
Yes, the discrediting of UNRWA continues and grows with the present conflict, viz. the attempt of de-funding UNRWA by the Swiss government, fortunately unsuccessful for now.
Dec 26, 2023
While the music and songs are very nice, the photo of the six (why not nine?) boys in their red robes is truly masterful. Thanks for sharing.
Dec 26, 2023
As Ronald Reagan famously said, "TEAR DOWN THE WALL Mr. GORBACHEV !"
There will be a Cease Fire when,
The World says, "TURN OFF THE TAPS, MR. BIDEN ! "
And Joe Biden says, "THE GAME IS OVER, BIBI !"
There will be a Cease Fire when,
The World says, "TURN OFF THE TAPS, MR. BIDEN ! "
And Joe Biden says, "THE GAME IS OVER, BIBI !"
Dec 25, 2023
Steve - that's a stunning collection from Butchart Garden. I had been to the garden once almost 10 years back when in Vancouver attending a niece's wedding - but haven't seen such an amalgamation and crystal clear colour combination of the garden !! Much to your patience and skill in capturing the beauty that the garden preserves.
Needless to mention - bonus learning on the history of British Columbia that started with the first settlement by the Hudson Bay Trading Company in 1843.
Needless to mention - bonus learning on the history of British Columbia that started with the first settlement by the Hudson Bay Trading Company in 1843.
Unknown commented on "Some Christmas Cheers: Thomas Ekvall"
Dec 25, 2023
My thoughts have also been turning to the weakness of democracies and failures of democracy as well as the exploitation of these weaknesses by rival autocratic systems. The weakness is becoming more evident with the apparent successes of autocracy not least in war and proxy war. There is a quickening shift occurring globally and this needs to be understood better by democracies who should get a step ahead and position themselves and their populations as best possible for the new future. Democratic short-termism might be very ill-suited to this task. Universal and global values now seem like hegemonic hubris, right at the height of victory, and now the hegemon is likely the last to realise the folly. The clash of civilisations deserves a revisit to predict future outcomes and to draw new lines on a multipolar map if this is indeed the future then the sooner these lines are drawn the better.
The longer the West clings to any hubris delusions the worse it will be. I do not believe in the conclusion of surrendering to new systemic rivals in an emerging multipolarity. The rise of some of these rivals has and still does benefit from actions taken in the West and therein lies the means to strategically slow and buy time for the optimum outcome in a global shift. Feeling responsible for the fate of the rest of the world's population might also smack of hubris and might be a weakness that the rivals identify in the West better than it does in itself.
Energy independence is promising and within sight, this should guarantee a good starting relative position without dependance against at least two of Huntington's "civilisations", thankyou Putin. Up to 40% of ocean-transported tonnage is apparently oil and oil products this will be a very welcome shift. Also nice to see was climate activism turning on oil exporters they might regret hosting those who are allowed to protest in their capitals, there is also a kind of hubris here.
The West now seem like they were perhaps losers in the globalised world they themselves pushed. Perhaps that bodes well for how they will do in a more insular and fragmented one. To accelerate preparations for a multipolar and insular world now could not hurt, how to best do this is an interesting question. Maybe the answers are found with one election cycle of extreme "our country first" before it reverts to otherwise normal spectra with key policies intact (possible example are Denmark immigration and Trump china trade decoupling). I don't believe this is playing with the same fire as the 30s if anything has come from these years then it is hopefully that democratic institutions in western Europe are better entrenched than ever. Can you identify and then selectively backslide democratic weakness? who knows the best way forward but it needs to be found.
The longer the West clings to any hubris delusions the worse it will be. I do not believe in the conclusion of surrendering to new systemic rivals in an emerging multipolarity. The rise of some of these rivals has and still does benefit from actions taken in the West and therein lies the means to strategically slow and buy time for the optimum outcome in a global shift. Feeling responsible for the fate of the rest of the world's population might also smack of hubris and might be a weakness that the rivals identify in the West better than it does in itself.
Energy independence is promising and within sight, this should guarantee a good starting relative position without dependance against at least two of Huntington's "civilisations", thankyou Putin. Up to 40% of ocean-transported tonnage is apparently oil and oil products this will be a very welcome shift. Also nice to see was climate activism turning on oil exporters they might regret hosting those who are allowed to protest in their capitals, there is also a kind of hubris here.
The West now seem like they were perhaps losers in the globalised world they themselves pushed. Perhaps that bodes well for how they will do in a more insular and fragmented one. To accelerate preparations for a multipolar and insular world now could not hurt, how to best do this is an interesting question. Maybe the answers are found with one election cycle of extreme "our country first" before it reverts to otherwise normal spectra with key policies intact (possible example are Denmark immigration and Trump china trade decoupling). I don't believe this is playing with the same fire as the 30s if anything has come from these years then it is hopefully that democratic institutions in western Europe are better entrenched than ever. Can you identify and then selectively backslide democratic weakness? who knows the best way forward but it needs to be found.
Dina Craissati commented on "The United States, the United Nations, and Genocide in the Gaza Strip : Mouin Rabbani, Jadaliyya / IPS"
Dec 24, 2023
There cannot be any stop to resisting an occupier, an apartheid and a violent state. The blame falls on such a state, that is, on the State of Israel, and on. those who support it. Dear colleague "Anonymous", you need to do some thorough reading and studying of history, and your work at UNICEF should have taught you to distinguish between the oppressor and the oppressed, and to have at least some empathy towards the oppressed.
In Response to a comment by Unknown
Gulbadan Habibi commented on "Afghanistan Earthquake––Herat Province: 7 October, 2023 : Nuzhat Shahzadi"
Dec 24, 2023
Oh nice, first hand report by a woman. Are you reporting from Zinda Jan or Herat or Kabul? Are people living in tents or any other type of warmer shelters are available for them. A little more details would be much appreciated. Thank you. It is hard to get details. Afghan diaspora raise funds for the earthquake victims but when a deligation go to Kabul they face obstacles to travel to Herat. Hence part of the funds are spent in Kabul for the poor and part is given ao some locals identified by the authority. I don't know how effective that is?
Dina Craissati commented on "Israel - Push back against 'willful ignorance' over the sexual attacks of October 7th : BBC"
Dec 24, 2023
Thank you Doug for this rectification. As XUNICEF, and in the spirit of UNICEF, we indeed need to be cautious on this issue in particular, and only robust documentation and evidence should guide our opinion and comments.
Dec 24, 2023
Very appropriate image and sends an "in your face" message. It is a shame that the Queen of Jordan seems to be the main spokesperson for Mideastern heads of state or government in the current catastrophe. Her statements have been the most appreciated and well publicized in western media. But the situation on the ground in Occupied Palestine and Gaza, in particular, keeps getting more and more desperate for the civilians, especially children. UN SC resolutions notwithstanding, the agreement on a cease fire is still a way off and critical humanitarian succor is woefully inadequate. How can people of good will even think of celebrating during this holiday season ?
Dina Craissati commented on "UNRWA's Education Program is Not the Problem : Jo Kelcey / PassBlue"
Dec 24, 2023
This is again another comment from "Anonymous" that is not based on evidence or knowledge about the situation, but rather on bad faith and propaganda. Having worked specifically on the issue of curricula in the Middle East, I can attest to the veracity of this piece. Also, important to note that while donors have asked us (UNRWA, UNICEF, UNESCO) to review the content of Palestinian curricula (because of 'worries' that such curricula, legitimately so, convey Palestinian identity, culture, and history), the Israeli Ministry of Education has systematically refused to have Israeli curricula scrutinized (...). Dear colleague "Anonymous", if you stand up for what you say, why don't you reveal your name? I find it antithetical to UNICEF's spirit of transparency to (continue to) hide behind these arbitrary comments you make.
In Response to a comment by Unknown
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