Some of your Fellow Readers…
World News
- Thousands attend Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh’s funeralVietnamese religious icon was globally recognised for helping spread the practice of mindfulness in the West.
- US cancels $130m military aid for Egypt over rights concernsDecision to cancel aid comes just days after the US approved a massive $2.5bn arms sale to the country.
- UN rights chief says response to Myanmar crisis ‘ineffectual’Michelle Bachelet demands quick restoration of civilian rule in the country almost a year after the military takeover.
- Pennsylvania court strikes down state’s mail-in voting lawAfter Joe Biden won the 2020 US election, Republicans challenged a new state law that had made mail-in voting easier.
- Wall Street ends week of wild swings with gainsAll three major United States stock indexes closed higher, with tech shares doing the heaviest lifting.
- Ukraine conflict is ‘not inevitable’, Pentagon chief saysUS officials call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the crisis, warning that war would be 'horrific'.
- Putin gripes about NATO as US deploys more troops to EuropeRussian president says NATO and the US did not address Moscow's main security demands, as Ukraine tensions simmer.
- Colombia’s top court orders government to protect ex-FARC rebelsDecision comes after approximately 300 ex-rebel fighters have been killed since signing of 2016 peace accord.
- Ukraine accuses US of hurting economy by stoking panic over warUkrainian president's remarks come amid increasingly strong United States warnings about Russia.
- Bonus Edition: Authors’ stories of resilienceThe Stream revisits writers telling stories of empowerment.
- China’s ambassador to US warns of conflict over Taiwan'The Taiwan issue is the biggest tinderbox between China and the US,' says ambassador Qin Gang.
Global Voices
- Seed exchange in Colombia promotes traditional knowledge and food sovereigntyDifferent varieties of potatoes and corn, among other foods, are exchanged to recover ancestral ways of consumption.
- Caribbean virgins, Caribbean whores: Unlacing goodness/dismantling perversion"Maybe in some world, an even more distant and improbable one, there are no virgins and no whores. No Good or Bad Girls. Only survivors."
- Azerbaijan is silent as other nations announce plans to boycott the Beijing OlympicsThe country's leadership and its National Olympic Committee have remained notably silent when discussing the host country's dismal human rights record.
- To flee or not to flee? That is the question in Sri LankaSri Lankans are facing the bleak prospect of a full-blown economic crisis, and one in four, mainly the young and educated, say they want to leave the country.
- Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year is ruined by Omicron outbreakThis year, the Chinese Lunar New Year is on February 1. Yet, thanks to the community outbreak of Omicron and the zero-COVID policy, there isn't much festival mood in town.
- The Gambia’s AFCON debut: from underdogs to title contendersThe Gambian team, though first timers in the African Cup of Nations, now seem capable of mounting an unlikely title chase in a competition that provided them with dark moments.
- Thousands of Nigerians sign petition to reform IELTSNigeria a former British colony, has English as the lingua franca and language of instruction in schools. Yet Nigeria is not exempted from writing IELTS, the English proficiency test.
- How Assamese Villages use traditional wisdom to guide climate preparednessFor credible early warning systems for natural calamities, villages in the northeast Indian state of Assam rely on the observations of elders based on their traditional experiences and folk beliefs.
- ‘Rebel’ candidates risk it all: Elections in BangladeshElectoral violence in fact has flared up within the ranks of the Awami League itself, as prospective candidates compete to be nominated by the party.
- An upcoming British edition of ‘Capitalism and Slavery’ makes news, but the Caribbean has always known the book's worthDr. Eric Williams' seminal book is attracting fresh interest after it was announced that a new edition will be published in Britain.
- Tennis star Peng Shuai and Professor Gulnar Obul: From captives to actorsThe fate of a tennis star and a professor who had criticized the Chinese leadership showed a similar pattern. The critique turned into a forced public support.
Bahá’í World News
- DRC: Superstructure of temple nears completionWork on the Bahá’í temple for the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached a new stage as the steel superstructure for the 26-meter-high dome nears completion.
- Spirit of service inspires immediate response to floods in Malaysia The spirit of service fostered through Bahá’í community-building activities in Malaysia was channeled toward relief efforts after disastrous flooding in December.
- “This homeland shelters all”: Bahá’ís mark 100 year history in TunisiaOn the centenary of the Tunisian Bahá’í community’s establishment, some 50 social actors explored coexistence and the issue of violence in contemporary society.
- Officials and other dignitaries in Holy Land honor ‘Abdu’l-BaháAbdu’l-Bahá’s enduring legacy of service to humanity was honored by officials, diplomats, and faith leaders at a reception held last week in Haifa.
- Counsellors’ return marks start of new journey for Bahá’í worldThe Counsellors are now departing the Holy Land ready to infuse Bahá’í communities worldwide with the wealth of insights gained over the past days of discussions.
- “Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour”: New film looks at journey of global Bahá’í communityA film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice provides glimpses of the Bahá’í community’s efforts over the past century to contribute to the oneness of humanity.
- Counsellors look ahead as conference concludes Counsellors from across the world spent the past six days consulting about how Bahá’í efforts to foster social transformation can further intensify in the years ahead.
- 2021 in review: A momentous year BWNS looks back on a historic year of intense efforts by countless people and communities, including marking the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing.
- Counsellors’ conference beginsOver the coming days, Counsellors from all parts of the world will be consulting on the development of the worldwide Bahá’í community, preparing for the years ahead.
Notes from An Alien 
I suppose writing can be frightening because it can reveal so much of the writers deepest and maybe darkest feelings. At some point, the subconcious takes over and we discover only afterwards what we have written. Confronting the words of this unknown part of the self can shake our picture of who and how we are. So better hide behind rules, keep them in mind when writing and never let go of the railing they provide …
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Again, you help the conversation move forward, Martina…
I wish I had Gold Stars to pass out :-)
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Pingback: Further Conversation about the “Rules of Writing” . . . | Notes from An Alien
Pingback: Even Further Conversation about the “Rules of Writing” . . . | Notes from An Alien
Pingback: Still Further Conversation about the “Rules of Writing” . . . | Notes from An Alien
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