Aid or undue influence? Cuba sends Venezuela experts to train military, work on security

This article is about the growing alliance between Venezuela and Cuba. Not only is Cuba using educators and doctors from Venezuela, but now Cuba is sending Venezuelan troops to train their own troops. This article talks about what the alliance might do for the region and the possible worries it could cause the United States. Also the article discusses the state of the two countries individually, and how Venezuela might just be acting friendly so that they have power over Cuba.
I think this article is important because something like this usually might just go under the radar, but it might actually end up becoming a major conflict if nobody intervenes. I say that it might go under the radar because all the stuff going on in the middle east. But really they are just the problem of our era, its not like Cuba can't be just as dangerous and area one day. So we need to continue to keep an eye all around the globe so that Americans stay safe and so the whole world can at least be a little safer.

Israel Defends Self at U.N. Security Council Amidst Controversy Over Flotilla Raid

This is about the Israeli raid of the Flotilla of ships heading towards the Gaza strip with aid. Although this is a problem within itself, this article is about the relations between Turkey and Israel. The Turkish prime minister said the Israel lost all legitimacy after this event. But as made clear a many number of times, if Israel feels threatened, they are going to use force they feel necessary to keep their people safe. They said they are sorry for any innocent lives lost but they cannot compromise their own security. The ships were put together by a group that was supporters of terrorist groups like Hamas and Al Qaeda, and they refused Israeli requests to stop and allow them to check their load.
I think this is very important, probably one of the most important articles I have read out of my current events. Obviously Israel needs as many allies as it can get, but they also need to protect their much hated country to the best of their ability. So what do they have to do? Now they have lost an ally and are under a ton of speculation. Is it gonna take another war to prove to the people around this world that people hate Israel and seriously want it WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE MAP? I think its pretty sad but I actually think that is what actually has to happen. Countries all around Europe are starting to view Israel as this big bully, but all they are doing is protecting themselves. This is an extremely tough position for Israel and Honestly I have no idea what they should do. Just another thing to add to this never ending problem.

Afghans to roll out peace strategy at national conference in Kabul

This article is about an upcoming conference in Pakistan. They will be discussing ways to make peace and how to take the wind out of the taliban's sails. One problem is that the Taliban refuse to send anyone to the conference, saying that it is just a "phony reconciliation process", and that they wont make any agreements until foreign troops are out of Pakistan. Also the current president Hamid Karzai who is putting this conference together is being questioned by some of the women of the country. Some of them think that he is just trying to get more funding for the southern pashtuns, which are a big part of the Taliban.
I think this article is very important because it shows to complexity of the situation but it also I think is a good thing that they are at least trying to talk some of these problems out. The big problem is that the group that they are trying to get rid of, wont talk and says that they will if basically American troops leave. If they actually are able to convince us to do that, I think it would be devastating to Pakistan because then they will finally have the breathing room to really start taking over the country. Either way it is just a huge problem and certain decisions with this problem are certainly life or death decisions for many Pakistanis

Apartheid in South Africa Response

After the Apartheid ended in 1994 in South Africa, Nelson Mandela became president. He did many crucial things in keeping South Africa as peaceful as possible, and one of those things was what he did with South African Rugby. One of the most important things he thought was to prove to the white people that he was not going to be what they feared he would be. One critical decision he made was when he called for a re-vote to not change the names of the spring-boks, the rugby team. He explained how this was extremely important to the white men and if they took it away, then they could never live in peace. He also stressed to those that wanted revenge that they need to forget the past, and work towards a peaceful future, for their children and their country. Even though he spent most of his life locked up in a prison, he knew that they right thing, the the easy thing, but the right thing to do was to forgive the people that had put him there so he could help his country. Rugby not only showed the whites that the new government was not going to be what they had thought, but it also gave something for the whole country to be behind. The blacks used to cheer for any team facing the Springboks, but now that Mandela has shown them what they should be doing, the whole country started to be behind them as they worked their way through the world cup. Also one of the most important things that allowed this to happen was the fact that the springboks started winning. Them winning allowed the blacks to loosen up to them, and gave the whole country pride.

Berlin Conference blog

I thought that Portugal won in our distribution of Africa. I would say the Britain one but I am not really sure what they would keep and what they would get rid of if they actually were required to use their assigned amount. I think Portugal won because they got exactly what they wanted. They control 3 of the major ports and rivers. And when they came to Africa in the first place they were just looking for trading partners, not resources. Plus they got two ports on both sides. Overall they did the best job with what they were given.

These effects of the Berlin Conference on Africa were monumental. It caused civil war, led to millions of deaths to both africans and white, and left the country in shambles. Today you can still see the effects when you see civil wars against tribes like the hotos and the tutsies. Also in north and south Nigeria. Also in the blood diamonds issue going on in Sierra Leone. But honestly I feel like if the Europeans never went in to Africa in the first place, and if we looked at what Africa would be like, it would be very similar. They would be greatly primitive to us, and although blood diamonds wouldn't be around, there still would have been civil war. How long can you blame the Europeans for the problems in Africa. They would not have been this great country that is striving in our modern world even if the Europeans never came. What they did to the people and their motives were horrible, but how different is the country of Africa today, then it would have been without Imperialism.

Palestinian Authority blocks sale of goods made at Israeli settlements

This article is about plans by the Palestinians to end their dependence on Israel on everything, including goods. Although they think they really need to become independent, it will be hard for them because not many Palestinians are sellers of goods. But they have seen how much money selling these goods has given the Israeli's, and they want that profit to go towards them to give them more legitimacy. Overall there a lot of problems with this plan, like 20,000 palestinians work in Jewish settlement in the WestBank, and now that would be considered illegal.
I think this plan could be either very good or very bad. If it ends up only causing conflict and doesn't actually help the Palestinians gain so independency, then it would really just be bad. It hard to imagine something like this working because how so many of the people producing the good in the West Bank are Israeli's, so I don't really believe that Palestinians could just pick up the trade and start raking in the profits like they expect to. Overall, I just think that it will be something that will end up failing, and they will probably believe that it is the Israeli's fault, so it will just add to the animosity. Good effort though, ya never know what could happen.

Belgium's lower house votes to ban burqa

This article is about a new law passed in Belgium that bans the use of Burkas by muslim women. The vote was unanimous in favor of the law. They say that everyone must show their faces in public, especially women because they say they have to protect their values, which they say is women rights. They also say that only 10% of muslim women wear the burka, and they are "radical". Amnesty International condemned the vote right away, and Muslim Rights activists warn that it may cause more muslim women to wear the burka.

This article is of global importance because its show how ridiculous and ethnocentric European nations, and nations all over the world are becoming. They say that they are doing this to support women's rights, but aren't they taking away their right to wear what ever they want. Why don't they just admit that they feel uncomfortable because of stereo typical views of muslims. Just the fact that the man who voted for it said that only the radical muslims wear burkas show how uneducated they really are about muslim tradition and culture. This is really a shame.