Category: International Affairs,

Italian woman marries herself in ‘fairytale without prince’ 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

Proponents of such ceremonies say it is about self-love and acceptance, and claiming the social affirmation normally reserved for couples who wed.

…But not everyone welcomes the trend, with some calling it narcissistic, and others [criticizing] it as a pointless submission to a patriarchal institution.

Italy woman marries herself in ‘fairytale without prince’ – BBC News

hmmmm

Thousands flee as Vanuatu volcano verges on eruption

On By peanutgallerynhIn Pacific Basin,Leave a comment

More than 7,000 people have been moved to emergency shelters in Vanuatu as a volcano in the south Pacific Ocean archipelago threatens to erupt, government officials say.

Vanuatu, a cluster of more than 80 islands and 260,000 people, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday following signs the volcano – known as Monaro – is becoming increasingly active.

It is the second volcano to have caused an alert in the Asia-Pacific region at present.

More than 57,000 people have fled a volcano on the Indonesian island of Bali amid fears of an imminent eruption.

Thousands flee as Vanuatu volcano verges on eruption | Vanuatu News | Al Jazeera

Jeezus…

Venezuelan families scavenge for food to survive hunger 

On By peanutgallerynhIn The Americas,Leave a comment

Survey by top university says the average citizen has lost 9kg in the past year in what was once South America’s richest country.

…Venezuela’s prolonged and acute economic crisis – characterised by food shortages and hyperinflation – has seen infant mortality rise to almost 35 percent and maternal mortality to 65 percent in just the last year. Anemia is rampant.

The oil-rich country is now leading Latin America in what is called acute malnutrition, defined by experts as a rapid decline of nutrition that puts a child’s life at risk.

The Catholic Church and opposition leaders have called for the government to open a humanitarian corridor. But Constituent Assembly President Delsy Rodriguez flatly rejects such a plan.

Venezuelan families scavenge for food to survive hunger | Venezuela News | Al Jazeera

sigh….

Puerto Ricans still waiting for aid a week after Maria’s devastation 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Caribbean,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

A week after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, the US commonwealth’s residents are struggling to survive without basic necessities as federal officials say aid is still on the way.

Puerto Ricans still waiting for aid a week after Maria’s devastation – CNN

Where’s Kanye when we need his mouthy ass? Guess Trump hates Hispanics. Seems like he’s content to just let people die.

Former Thai PM Yingluck sentenced in absentia to 5 years’ jail for negligence 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Southern Central Asia,Leave a comment

The Shinawatras had commanded huge support by courting rural voters, helping them to win every general election since 2001, but their foes accused them of corruption and nepotism.

They won the loyalty of the rural and urban poor with groundbreaking welfare schemes in a sharply unequal country. But their rise angered Bangkok’s army-allied elite, which repeatedly assailed their elected governments with coups or court rulings.

…Yingluck’s downfall revolved around a scheme that saw her government purchase rice from farmers at nearly twice the market price. It was wildly popular in the rural heartlands but slammed by critics as a costly and graft-riddled handout.

Former Thai PM Yingluck sentenced in absentia to 5 years’ jail for negligence – Channel NewsAsia

hmmmm

The True Story of Victoria and Abdul 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,Leave a comment

Karim was paired with Mohamed Buxshe, an experienced servant who ran the household of a British general. Compared with Buxshe, Karim was woefully unprepared for his new duties. But before he departed for London, he received a crash course in palace etiquette and the English language, as well as a brand-new wardrobe.

Queen Victoria’s first impression of Karim was recorded in her diaries, where she deemed him “tall with a fine serious countenance.” After their jubilee duties concluded, Karim and Buxshe traveled with the queen to her summer home on the Isle of Wight. There, Karim distinguished himself by surprising the sovereign with one of his favorite recipes. Using spices he had brought from Agra, Karim cooked a chicken curry with dal and pilau.

…The queen was well aware of this animosity towards Karim, and did not tolerate it. Fritz Ponsonby, her assistant private secretary, articulated her unwavering stance in a letter. “The Queen insists on bringing the Munshi forward, and if it were not for our protest, I don’t know where she would stop,” he wrote. “But it is no use, for the Queen says it is ‘race prejudice’ and that we are jealous of the poor Munshi.” Victoria heaped gifts and titles upon Karim partially because she knew the court would not pay him the same respect once she was dead. But she made sure her friend would be comfortable and remembered.

While Karim already enjoyed homes at the royal residences of Windsor, Balmoral and Osborne, Victoria also secured a land grant for him back in Agra. She commissioned multiple portraits of him, and had him written up in the Court Circulars and local gazettes. In her final wishes, she was quite explicit: Karim would be one of the principal mourners at her funeral, an honor afforded only to the monarch’s closest friends and family. Victoria could not control what happened to the Munshi from beyond the grave, but she did everything in her power to mitigate the harsh treatment she presumed her family would inflict upon him.

The queen’s fears were justified. Upon her death on January 22, 1901, Victoria’s children worked swiftly to evict their mother’s favorite adviser. Edward VII sent guards into the cottage Karim shared with his wife, seizing all letters from the queen and burning them on the spot. They instructed Karim to return to India immediately, without fanfare or farewell.

The True Story of Victoria and Abdul | History | Smithsonian

hmmm

Experts find graveyard of 60 preserved ancient shipwrecks

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Because the Black Sea contains almost no light or oxygen, little life can survive, meaning the wrecks are in excellent condition.

Researchers say their discovery is ‘truly unrivalled’. Many of the ships have features that are only known from drawings or written description but never seen until now. Carvings in the wood of some ships have remained intact for centuries, while well-preserved rope was found aboard one 2,000-year-old Roman vessel.

…Most of the vessels found are around 1,300 years old, but the oldest dates back to the 4th Century BC.

Many of the wrecks’ details and locations are being kept secret by the team to ensure they remain undisturbed.

…Among the wrecks are ships from the Roman, Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, which provide new information on the communities on the Black Sea coast.

…Many of the colonial and commercial activities of ancient Greece and Rome, and of the Byzantine Empire, centred on the Black Sea. 

After 1453, when the Ottoman Turks occupied Constantinople – and changed its name to Istanbul – the Black Sea was virtually closed to foreign commerce. 

Experts find graveyard of 60 preserved ancient shipwrecks | Daily Mail Online

amazing, can’t wait to see more findings from this project.

Son of Hamas Founder Shakes Up UN Human Rights Council: ‘If Israel Did Not Exist, You Would Have No One to Blame’

On By peanutgallerynhIn Middle East,Leave a comment

The U.N. Human Rights Council’s perennial debate focusing on condemning Israel witnessed an unusual intervention Monday – a strong-worded statement in Arabic-accented English slamming not Israel but the Palestinian Authority.

Son of Hamas Founder Shakes Up UN Human Rights Council: ‘If Israel Did Not Exist, You Would Have No One to Blame’

hmmm