By Gaia Vince | ( Mosaic: The Science of Life) | – – Why being bilingual helps keep your brain fit Most people in the world speak more than one language, suggesting the human brain evolved to work in multiple tongues. If so, asks Gaia Vince, are those who speak only one language missing out? […]
Federal Judge strikes down Granny Exclusion in Trump’s Muslim Ban 2.0
By Andrea Germanos, staff writer | ( Commondreams.org)) | – – Judge writes that “the Government’s definition [of ‘close familial relationship’] represents the antithesis of common sense.” A federal judge said Thursday that the Trump administration’s interpretation of what qualifies as “bona fide relationship” defies common sense. (Photo: allison_dc/flickr/cc) A federal judge in Hawaii late […]
For Clean, Cheap Energy, Cities & Counties should Take Over
By Sarah van Gelder | ( Yes! Magazine ) | – – A new report finds public ownership is the best way for cities and towns to meet renewable energy and efficiency targets. Mayors across the country have vowed to deliver on the goals of the Paris climate accord in defiance of President Trump’s decision […]
Human Rights Defenders Are Still Behind Bars in Turkey
By Zara Rahman | ( GlobalVoices.org) | – – Eight of Turkey’s most respected human rights defenders were arrested last week, along with two information technology trainers from Sweden and Germany. All ten of those arrested are still in police custody but have not been charged with any crime. The group had gathered for digital […]
Saudi Bloc: Qatar’s Al Jazeera can Stay, it Just has to Report as We Say
TeleSur | – – Al Jazeera said it rejects any “external intervention” and reiterates its “independence and professional editorial stance.” The four Arab countries currently boycotting Qatar are set to drop their demand that the Al Jazeera Media Network be shut down, a United Arab Emirates minister said. The closure of the Qatar-based broadcaster and […]
Who are the Trumps’ Russian Fixers? Meet Rinat Akhmetshin
By Mike Eckel | ( RFE/RL) | – – WASHINGTON — As recently as last year, Rinat Akhmetshin could be seen regularly pedaling through downtown Washington, D.C., nattily dressed, with a pocket square and heavy-framed thick glasses, riding a retro hipster orange bicycle. He also showed an affinity for vintage motorcycles, which he parked for […]
Trump’s Worst Collusion Isn’t With Russia — It’s With Corporations
By Peter Certo | (Otherwords.org) | – – The billionaires who backed Trump are making out a lot better than Putin. I’ve always been a little skeptical that there’d be a smoking gun about the Trump campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia. The latest news about Donald Trump, Jr., however, is tantalizingly close. The short version […]
Does Sunni Fragmentation after ISIL threaten Iraq’s Future?
By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – As the date for a Baghdad summit on unity nears, the cracks are showing. It seems the country’s Sunni politicians can’t even get together to discuss their possible unity, in post-Islamic State Iraq. In mid-July, there is to be a conference in Baghdad for Sunni […]
What good is our Nat’l Security State if we’re afraid to Leave Home?
By William J. Astore | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – Has there ever been a nation as dedicated to preparing for doomsday as the United States? If that’s a thought that hasn’t crossed your mind, maybe it’s because you didn’t spend part of your life inside Cheyenne Mountain. That’s a tale I’ll get to soon, […]
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