State of the Planet

State of the Planet

President Clinton Makes his Second Trip to Haiti Since Earthquake

On February 18th, 2010, President Clinton visited Haiti for the second time since the January earthquake struck Port-au-Prince. He delivered much needed medical, food, and water supplies and also met with civic groups and government officials.

Nothing Right Now ...

National Police Remembrance Day 2010

Each year, the 29th September holds a special significance for Police throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Solomon Islands. It is a day for police to pause to honour officers whose lives have been cut short while performing their duty as a police officer. This important day is also a time to remember police officers who have lost their lives through illness or other circumstances.

Each year, the 29th September holds a special significance for Police - NSW Police Online

Home Page - NSW Police Online
Police Remembrance : Each year, the 29th September holds a special significance for Police throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Solomon Islands.

NSW Police Online - the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Home Page - NSW Police Online
Christina Dian Parmionova via NSW Police Force: Trek - NSW Police Online
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/
Think Before You Trek is a bush safety initiative between the NSW Police Force and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Navy ships rescue Indonesian fisherman

Navy ships rescue Indonesian fisherman

Senior Citizens and the Affordable Care Act

Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will host a conference call with senior citizens from across the country to discuss the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for senior citizens. September 23, 2010.

Vice President Biden Hosts Medal of Valor Ceremony

The Vice President hosts a Medal of Valor ceremony with Attorney General Eric Holder. The Medal of Valor is awarded to public safety officers who have exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect others from harm.

Bahrain to celebrate World Maritime Day 2010 | ArabianSupplyChain.com

Bahrain to celebrate World Maritime Day 2010 | ArabianSupplyChain.com

Bahrain

The Line - Indigenous

The Line - Indigenous
Best-practice communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Where the broader campaign will engage young people in an online environment, the Indigenous social marketing campaign will encompass both a national and place-based approach, including targeted media, school-based engagement, and engagement of culturally appropriate intermediaries and influencers.
What exactly is The Line? And what happens when you cross it? This website is all about the line and the kind of behaviour that goes over it.

Sometimes there's no argument about where to draw the line. There are some things you should just never do. In Australia, we're united as a community about things that are unacceptable. Like violence, rape and abuse. These are things that should never happen, which is why we have laws against them.

On the up side, we're also pretty united about what it takes to create happy and healthy relationships. There are some things that always work, like loving and respecting each other, being considerate, listening, and trying to understand the other person's point of view.

So whilst everyone agrees that violence is crossing the line, sometimes the line can be blurry. With things like with bagging someone out to your mates, or texting someone 300 times a day. At the end of the day, where you draw the line is up to you. Explore the site and find a whole heap of stuff that will help you decide.

The Line campaign is managed by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). It’s aimed at helping teenagers and young adults through a difficult time in their lives. The things they experience in relationships now can affect them long into adulthood, so it’s very important to help in every way we can and ensure they understand the importance of respectful relationships.

The campaign was a recommendation from Time for Action: the National Council’s Plan to reduce violence against Women and Children, announced in April 2009.

The campaign aims to increase the knowledge of young people about the components of a respectful relationship including communication, trust and consideration for others in developing and maintaining healthy relationships; the components and forms of intimate partner violence (including cyber bullying and harassment) and sexual assault; and the effects of violence on relationships. It also aims to increase the incidence of positive behaviours in relationships, including open communication across genders; listening to and valuing others’ opinions; and trust, consideration, courtesy and respect.

UNSG's Visit to Pakistan flood affected areas

Angelina Jolie Exclusive
Pakistan -AFFECTED DISTRICTS & FLOOD AREAS SOURCE : OCHA/ media reports The UNHCR is providing relief aid including shelter materials to those displaced by the disaster, which officially has killed 1,760 people. If you would like to make a donation to help people affec...ted by the floods in Pakistan http://www.unrefugees.org.au/

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 1/6

El líder la Revolución Cubana, Fidel Castro, dirigió el 3 de septiembre de 2010 su discurso a estudiantes de la Universidad de La Habana, en el cual abordó aspectos referentes a los peligros a los que se enfrenta la especie humana, ante la posibilidad de una guerra nuclear.




Primer discurso público de Fidel Castro tras dejar el poder

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 2/6

El líder de la Revolución cubana, Fidel Castro, ha vuelto a hacer acto de presencia en la Universidad de La Habana, desde donde dirigirá un mensaje al estudiantado y al resto de representantes de la juventud que se congregó en los predios de la alta casa de estudios, desde las primeras horas del amanecer de este viernes, para escucharlo.

Una multitudinaria concentración de jóvenes le dio la bienvenida coreando: “Fidel, Fidel”, tras escuchar las notas del Himno Nacional, que abrió el acto político-cultural con el que los representantes de la enseñanza superior cubana se pronunciaron contra la guerra.

Ya está Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana




La intervención especial del Comandante en Jefe para los universitarios cubanos tiene lugar en medio de sus esfuerzos por concientizar al mundo sobre la amenaza latente de una guerra de imprevisibles consecuencias que, ha advertido, podría desatarse en el Medio Oriente si, al vencer el plazo dado por el Consejo de Seguridad a Irán, los barcos mercantes de ese país en aguas internacionales son inspeccionados, y Teherán lanza una respuesta.

Incansable en su lucha por la paz y en defensa de la humanidad, Fidel ha brindado argumentos y exhortado a meditar sobre el asunto en varias de sus Reflexiones.

También ha intercambiado sobre el tema con los diputados de la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular, sectores de la sociedad cubana, personalidades de la política internacional y de la intelectualidad que lo han visitado en las semanas recientes.

Para los cubanos, además, su presencia este viernes 3 de septiembre en la Universidad de La Habana resulta emblemática, porque se trata de la primera vez que participa en un acto de masas desde su recuperación, y la vuelta del líder revolucionario cubano al escenario desde donde pronunció el trascendente discurso del 17 de noviembre del año 2005 en el Aula Magna, antes de que la enfermedad lo obligara a alejarse de sus funciones como Jefe de Estado y de Gobierno de Cuba.

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 3/6

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 4/6

El líder la Revolución Cubana, Fidel Castro, dirigió el 3 de septiembre de 2010 su discurso a estudiantes de la Universidad de La Habana, en el cual abordó aspectos referentes a los peligros a los que se enfrenta la especie humana, ante la posibilidad de una guerra nuclear.

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 5/6

Fidel Castro defiende el programa nuclear iraní

EL UNIVERSAL -viernes 3 de septiembre de 2010 09:36 AM
Contenido relacionado
Castro realiza su primer acto multitudinario en cuatro años La Habana.

- El ex presidente cubano Fidel Castro defendió el programa nuclear iraní y consideró que Estados Unidos e Israel "no tienen ninguna prueba ni la pueden tener" de que Teherán esté fabricando armas atómicas, en un discurso multitudinario ante estudiantes en La Habana.

"No tienen pruebas. Para ellos, tener un centro de investigación es una razón para atacarlos. Tener una planta que produzca energía eléctrica partiendo del uranio es algo que no constituye un delito y para ellos es una prueba de la fabricación de armas", afirmó Castro, al hablar ante decenas de miles de jóvenes desde la escalinata de la universidad de la capital cubana, citó DPA.

Su discurso, de unos 45 minutos de duración, fue el primer acto de masas en el que participó desde que en julio de 2006, por motivos de salud, dejó la presidencia de la isla en manos de su hermano Raúl. En el acto fue presentado como comandante en jefe y primer secretario del gobernante Partido Comunista de Cuba.

El histórico líder cubano, vestido de uniforme verde olivo y gorra, indicó que las autoridades iraníes aseguran que hasta dentro de unos dos años no tendrán material suficiente para empezar a fabricar una bomba nuclear, y se refirió por el contrario a que las potencias atómicas "tienen 25.000 armas nucleares, sin contar las convencionales".

Castro, quien regresó hace dos meses a la vida pública recuperado de su enfermedad, insiste en el peligro de una guerra nuclear mundial, que traería el fin de la humanidad. Según dice, el conflicto podría estallar tan pronto como Estados Unidos registre un mercante iraní, en cumplimiento con las sanciones aprobadas por el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU el pasado 9 de junio.

"No albergo por mi parte la menor duda de que la capacidad de respuesta convencional de Irán provocaría una feroz guerra, cuyo control escaparía de las manos de las partes beligerantes, y la misma se tornaría irremediablemente en un conflicto nuclear global", afirmó el líder de la revolución cubana.

Castro subrayó en su discurso que ha tenido que ser él quien asuma la "ardua tarea" de advertir al mundo de los "terribles peligros que amenazan la vida humana en nuestro planeta", según El País.

"El armamento nuclear debe desaparecer... Ningún país debe poseerlo", dijo Castro, matizando que "la energía atómica debe ser usada sólo para el bien".

El tema del discurso no pareció enardecer los ánimos del público joven, que aplaudió discretamente las intervenciones del hombre al que han visto regir sus destinos durante toda su vida, y que les exhortó a "batallar en la lucha por la paz", agregó Efe.

El que sigue siendo primer secretario del Partido Comunista de Cuba (único en la isla) mostró compasión y, cuando ya llevaba hablando 40 minutos, animó a los estudiantes a aguantar: "Una buena noticia, ya falta poco".

Entre los estudiantes abundaban los extranjeros becados en Cuba, muchos con banderas de sus países, como Abdón, boliviano becado en la Facultad de Medicina, quien se dio la misión de llevarse "para allá" (su país) el mensaje recibido esta mañana.

Según El País, "esta aparición de Castro coincide con el lanzamiento de un documental de la organización Human Rights Foundation sobre las Damas de Blanco, movimiento que agrupa a esposas de varios presos políticos cubanos. En la cinta, de 15 minutos, sus integrantes expresan la determinación de seguir luchando hasta la liberación de todos los disidentes encarcelados. Con el documental, la organización pretende explicar "el contexto preciso" en el que valorar la decisión del Gobierno cubano de liberar y enviar "a un exilio forzoso" a 52 presos políticos.

Fidel en la Universidad de La Habana 6/6

El líder la Revolución Cubana, Fidel Castro, dirigió el 3 de septiembre de 2010 su discurso a estudiantes de la Universidad de La Habana, en el cual abordó aspectos referentes a los peligros a los que se enfrenta la especie humana, ante la posibilidad de una guerra nuclear.

Ask President Clinton A Question

This month, President Clinton is convening heads of state, CEOs, and leaders of nonprofits at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting--and he wants you to get involved! Videotape or write in a question about a global challenge that concerns you—such as climate change, global health, economic empowerment, and education--to http://www.youtube.com/citizentube.

President Clinton will answer your questions in a YouTube Interview direct from the Annual CGI Meeting on September 20, 2010. If you record a video question, your question may be posed to world leaders during the live webcast of the Annual Meeting.

Making Memories of Kouamé Wilson Dian ( Dec 30,1940 - Aug 23, 2007)

"64% of the world's illiterate population are women, 60% of children not enrolled in primary school are women and 80% of the world's refugee population are women."

Combating Injustice, Racism and bad treatments.
Kouamé Wilson Dian
( Dec 30,1940 - Aug 23, 2007)

He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare,
And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.
Ali ibn-Abi-Talib (602 AD - 661 AD), A Hundred Sayings

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."

Making Memories of Nadiejda Dian Parmionova (March 20, 1947- Sept 04, 2001)Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.
John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)

Redeeming the Captives: Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Soviet Jewry Movement


Redeeming the captives
Russian Division / Русский отдел
(212) 891-6719
kligers@ajc.org
russianprograms@ajc.org

Prominent Bahraini Blogger and Online Activist Under Arrest

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its grave concern at the continued escalation and vicious attack on freedom of opinion and expression in Bahrain which synchronizes with a wave of arrests of activists and defenders of human rights, and the attack on public freedoms and the confiscation of the right of expression. This was represented recently in the arrest of Ali Abdulemam, a Bahraini blogger and a prominent online activist on "Global Voices" networks and the owner of the most popular online forum in Bahrain "Bahrain Online" bahrainonline.org. He was arrested on the evening of Saturday, September 4th, 2010, after being summoned for investigation by the National Security Apparatus (NSA), which then has charged him with "broadcasting false news, wrong and tendentious about the current situation in Bahrain." This was followed by the shutdown of the site in the afternoon of Sunday, September 5th, 2010, in what may be a result of the pressures suffered by Abdul-Imam to disclose the passwords of the website to the authority.

Read more :
http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3300

Brian Stann - From Elite War Fighter to Elite Cage Fighter

OFFICER RANKS / SYMBOLS OF LEADERSHIP

ROLES IN THE CORPS / ORGANIZED TO WIN

As an Infantry Officer and Martial Arts Instructor-Trainer, Brian Stann exemplified the Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment. Now a UFC fighter, Stann still relies on many of the lessons he learned in the Corps. Visit http://bit.ly/dbJsOs for information about becoming a Marine.



PRIOR SERVICE / THE COMMITMENT CONTINUES
Marines who complete their active duty commitment can continue to make the most of what the Corps has given them. There are both active duty and Reserve opportunities that can keep you close to the brotherhood found only in the Marine Corps.

Opportunities for prior service Marines include serving in the
Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) as well as in the
Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) program.


Choose a path through marines.com
Go
Eligibility - Prior Service- Officer - Reserve - Enlisted

Kelly Slater teaches science through surfing | wave, slater, ocean - News - The Orange County Register

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Nine-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater will mix science and surfing to teach the dynamics of the ocean.
Slater stars in the first 3D IMAX surfing movie, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D, which will debut nationwide on Friday.
The film, underwritten by Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver, uses the same 3D technology as the box office hit, Avatar, to take viewers into the wave, below the water's surface and onshore as Slater and Tahiti native, Raimana Van Bastolaer, scour Teahupo'o in search of the perfect wave.
The film, directed by award-winner Stephen Low, approaches ocean science in a way that draws viewers in and keep their interest.
"(We) did not set out to make another surfing movie," Low said. "Instead, we took the IMAX canvas and the desire to educate others about the ocean and weaved our perspectives (into it)."
Animation shows how the islands were formed and how waves get their size and shape, while underwater cameras explore the coral reef ecosystem and the ocean life. It also gives a brief look into Tahitian culture and traditions of the natives.
And in between segments with educational value, pure entertainment ensues as Slater tears up Teahupo'o – on waves that many surfers consider to be the most dangerous, yet pristine, in the world.
"We did not come looking for the ultimate surf experience – meaning finding the gnarliest, biggest wave," Slater said. "Our film is about finding what might be the ultimate wave...but is in many ways much more than that.
"Who knows, we may never find the ultimate wave, but we'll continue to enjoy the search."
Filmmakers hope the movie will be an attraction for science students and eventually will be released on DVD for teachers to use in the classroom, film spokesman Ryan Lilyengren said.
The film will be playing at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, 700 State Drive.
Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com


Kelly Slater teaches science through surfing | wave, slater, ocean - News - The Orange County Register
Teahupoo Noir

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

In Rural Pakistan, Flood Victims Feeling Abandoned by Government

Read the Transcript: http://to.pbs.org/bxObUp

The U.S. began to send money, aid workers and rescue assistance to Pakistan for flood victims. Jonathon Miller of Independent Television News reports about frustration in a remote Pakistani village.

Angelina Jolie appeals for greater public support for Pakistan

United Nations, New York, 2 September 2010 -

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie has appealed for greater public support for efforts to provide humanitarian relief to the millions of people whose lives have been devastated by the floods inundating much of Pakistan.



Torrential rains and flash floods have affected around a million people in parts of southwest and northwestern Pakistan. More than one thousand people lost their lives when water inundated their homes in the past week. Though monsoon rains are nothing new for Pakistanis, it rained more than expected, washing away homes, roads and other basic infrastructure, creating the worst flood disaster in the country's history. UNHCR launched a relief response to support the authorities to help people affected by the flood. The local relief authorities in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces have started distribution of UNHCR-provided tents and other relief items. More relief items are on the way.

GUIDE TO THE MIDEAST PEACE PROCESS

GUIDE TO THE MIDEAST PEACE PROCESS last update 21 Nov 2007

Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Since its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel has sought peace with its neighbors through direct negotiations. However, its efforts to reach out for peace and to open direct channels of dialogue were not met by similar efforts on the Arab side. Until the 1991 Madrid Conference, only Egypt had accepted Israel's offer to negotiate face-to-face. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat accepted Prime Minister Begin's invitation for dialogue, and the two countries embarked on historic bilateral negotiations which led to the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty. Since then, peace has prevailed on our mutual border and cooperation between the two states is growing.
In May 1989, Israel presented a new peace initiative. The breakup of the Soviet Union and the Gulf War produced a change in the basic political order of the Middle East, prompting the Arab world to reassess its attitude toward Israel and to enter into negotiations to build a new future for the Middle East.

In October 1991, a conference was convened in Madrid to inaugurate direct peace talks. Subsequently, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestinians, as well as multilateral talks on key regional issues. These talks culminated in the signing of a Treaty of Peace between Israel and Jordan on October 26, 1994, and a series of interim agreements with the Palestinians.

The failure of the Camp David Summit in July 2000 virtually brought an end to bilateral peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians for seven years. In 2007, talks were resumed under the framework of the Roadmap for a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict put forward by US President George Bush. An international conference will convene in Annapolis on November 27, 2007 to relaunch the negotiating process, towards the realization of the two-state vision.

The links below provide information about ongoing developments in the Middle East peace process since the Madrid Conference, on both the bilateral and the multilateral tracks, as well as diagrams describing the structure of the early negotiations.


Introduction

* The Madrid Framework



Bilateral Negotiations

* Bilateral Negotiations Israel-Jordan
* Bilateral Negotiations Israel-Palestinians
* Bilateral Negotiations Israel-Syria
* Bilateral Negotiations Israel-Lebanon


Multilateral Negotiations

*Multilateral Negotiations Introduction
*Environment Working Group
Arms Control and Regional Security Working Group
*Refugees Working Group
*Water Working Group
*Regional Economic Development Working Group



Fruits of Peace

*Political and Economic
*Fostering a Better Future



Diagrams

* Madrid Framework
*Israel-Jordan Negotiations
* Israel-Palestinian Negotiations
* Multilateral Negotiations


MFA FOREIGN RELATIONS

Gaza… Hamas… Conflict… Facts!

There are numerous official and authoritative Israeli websites that discuss the conflict in Gaza and provide objective and responsible information about the events.

The conflict in Gaza - links to Israeli sources:

Israel's security / U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister held a joint press conference following their bilateral meeting.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister held a joint press conference following their bilateral meeting. They condemned the killing of four Israelis (31 August) in the West Bank and reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security in the region.



Transcript:

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Hello, everybody. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I just had a very productive discussion about our shared efforts to advance the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians and throughout the Middle East. I'm going to have more to say about today's meetings not only with Prime Minister Netanyahu but with the other participants of the talks here in the Rose Garden later this afternoon. But I did want to specifically take some time out to speak to the people of Israel and to the region about the senseless slaughter that took place near Hebron yesterday.

There are going to be extremists and rejectionists who, rather than seeking peace, are going to be seeking destruction. And the tragedy that we saw yesterday where people were gunned down on the street by terrorists who are purposely trying to undermine these talks is an example of what we're up against. But I want everybody to be very clear: The United States is going to be unwavering in its support of Israel's security and we are going to push back against these kinds of terrorist activities.

And so the message should go out to Hamas and everybody else who is taking credit for these heinous crimes that this is not going to stop us from not only ensuring a secure Israel but also securing a longer-lasting peace in which people throughout the region can take a different course.

I also want to express the deepest condolences of the American people to the families of those who were gunned down. And I want to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu, during a very difficult time for his country, still being so committed to the cause of peace that he is here with us today.

Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Well, thank you, Mr. President, for expressing what I think is the sentiment of decent people everywhere, in the face of this savagery and brutality.

Four innocent people were gunned down and seven new orphans were added, by people who have no respect for human life and trample human rights into the dust and butcher everything that they oppose.

I think that the President's statement is an expression of our desire to fight against this terror. And the talks that we had, which were, indeed, open, productive, serious in the quest for peace, also centered around the need to have security arrangements that are able to roll back this kind of terror and other threats to Israel's security. That is a fundamental element, an important foundation, of the peace that we seek and work for.

And I appreciate, Mr. President, your efforts to advance this peace for us and for our neighbors, for our region, and I think we can say, for the world.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. And let me just say that I will be meeting with President Abbas this afternoon. He condemned this outrageous attack, as well. I have the utmost confidence in him and his belief in a two-state solution in which the people of Israel and the Palestinians are living side by side in peace and security. And so I am also grateful to him for his presence here today.

We've got a lot of work to do. There are going to be those who are going to do everything they can to undermine these talks, but we are going to remain stalwart.

And so, to Prime Minister Netanyahu and to President Abbas, as well as to President Mubarak and King Abdullah of Jordan, I am very grateful for their participation. I will have a longer discussion about that this afternoon after my bilateral meetings.

Thank you.


Joint press conference with President Obama and PM Netanyahu

1 Sep 2010

Israel-Palestinian relaunch direct peace talks - Washington, D.C.

Kристинa Dиaн Пaрмёновa

Achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals before 2015



WERI2011
Making Greener, Cleaner Nations
PARMIONOVA
WERIEVENTS

Angelina Jolie : "Tout le monde a un passé sulfureux, non ?"

ANGELINA JOLIE EXCLUSIVE

Angelina Jolie : "Tout le monde a un passé sulfureux, non ?"

"SALT"

Angelina Jolie : "Tout le monde a un passé sulfureux, non ?"