South Africans line up to pay their last respects to Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu, an icon who helped end apartheid in South Africa, dies at 90
Desmond Tutu's laugh was contagious. His fight for freedom was deadly serious

Happy New Year!

Asia looks to China-focused trade bloc for virus recovery
Tanzania signs $1.9 bln railway contract with Turkish firm
China’s Trojan Gift: Creditor Imperialism
Laos opens scenic railway built on a mountain of Chinese debt
Despite COVID-19, China expects 1 million passenger trips on new Laos rail link
New China import rules bring headaches for food and beverage makers

Chinese factory activity edges higher in December
China suspends deal with Alibaba for not sharing Log4j 0-day first with the government
Evergrande: China's efforts to contain its Lehman moment
How China is trying to limit the Evergrande crisis

A group of Haitian migrants says they were abused at the US-Mexico border. They’re suing the US govt.

South Korea 'effectively' reaches agreement with US to end Korean war
South Korea 'effectively' agrees on draft with US to end Korean War
N.Korea's Kim convenes major party meeting with 2021 policy on agenda -KCNA
Kim Jong Un impersonator undeterred by threats
Kim Jong Un's crackdowns leave N.Korea defectors with little hope
How Kim Jong Un Became the World’s Most Bloodthirsty Dictator
North Korea has reportedly publicly executed at least 7 people for watching K-pop
Korean War end-of-war declaration agreed in principle: Moon

People should avoid cruise travel regardless of their vaccination status, the CDC says
More cruise ships are under CDC investigation following COVID-19 outbreaks on board
COVID-19 outbreaks hit 3 cruise ships as Florida breaks record for new cases
EU sets binding 9-month validity of vaccinations for COVID-19 travel pass
48 tested positive for COVID-19 on Royal Caribbean cruise ship docking in Miami
Israel unveils plan to ban travel to and from U.S., Canada, 8 other countries amid Omicron surge
'Everything was so confusing': 44 people test positive for COVID on Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas ship
Israel in fifth COVID wave, mulls adding U.S. to Omicron 'red' list
Health ministry recommends Israel limit travel to the US, Canada
New CDC travel warnings on popular destinations are leaving European countries 'desperate'
CDC: France and 6 other places at 'very high' risk for Covid-19

Green-conscious Norway will dig a new copper mine in the Arctic

More than a million Americans have died from overdoses during the opioid epidemic
This Canadian company is betting big on the ‘psychedelic renaissance’
A brain circuit linking pain and breathing may offer a path to prevent opioid deaths
Limits on virtual addiction treatment may soon return, making care harder to access

Sudan’s democratic revolution continues to take a heavy toll on citizens
Curfew imposed in Sudan's North Darfur after militias loot U.N. food stores
WHO investigating mysterious illness in South Sudan that has killed 97

Iran launches rocket into space amid Vienna nuclear talks
Jake Sullivan laid out three Iran deal scenarios in Israel meetings
Iran's Guard fires cruise missiles in military exercise
Iran's Revolutionary Guard holds military drill amid tension
Iran says sound near Bushehr nuclear plant was related to military drill
European negotiators warn "end of the road" is near as Iran nuclear talks pause
Sullivan says Iran nuclear talks 'not going well'
UPDATE 2-Weeks left to rescue Iran nuclear deal, Western envoys say as talks break
U.N. watchdog says Iran will replace cameras at nuclear site. Access remains limited
The AP Interview: UN nuke chief says view of Iran blurred
Saudi UN envoy: Iran playing "games" in talks with kingdom
Gulf Arab summit calls for action, not words from Iran
Saudi foreign minister says Iran stalling at Vienna talks, hopes for progress
Iran reportedly preparing for space launch amid nuclear talks
Iran negotiator "optimistic" despite sanctions impasse
UK tells Iran it has 'last chance' to present 'serious resolution' to nuclear deal
Analysis: As US focus wanes, Mideast turns inward for talks
US to send delegation to Vienna for Iran nuclear talks
U.S. envoy to return to Vienna over weekend for Iran talks
Iran nuclear talks enter now-or-never phase
Tense nuclear talks with Iran to resume Thursday in Vienna
Iran walks back prior nuclear concessions -U.S. official
Weapons-grade enrichment would "imperil" nuclear talks, diplomats warn Iran
Column: Biden wants to focus on China. Putin has another idea
Russia criticises U.S. over threat of escalation with Iran at IAEA
Parsi: Iran does not want dependence on Russia, China

The Myanmar military is employing a familiar strategy of massacres and burnings
Myanmar’s Army Is Accused of Massacring Dozens of Civilians/a>
Save the Children says 2 staffers are missing after a massacre in Myanmar
2021 Notebook: A closer look at unrest in Myanmar
Human Rights Watch calls on Japan to suspend military exchange with Myanmar
Myanmar court defers verdicts in Suu Kyi trial to Dec 27 - source
Thailand sends refugees back to Myanmar as clashes continue
In Myanmar jungle, civilians prepare to battle military rulersre
Myanmar's ousted leader Suu Kyi appears in prison uniform in court

The goal: at least 40% vaxxed in all nations by year-end. This map shows how we stand
New COVID studies show promise for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine booster
FDA authorizes Pfizer’s anti-covid pill as omicron surges
The FDA has authorized Merck's COVID pill for home use — the second in two days
FDA authorizes 1st antiviral pill for COVID
Pfizer pill becomes 1st US-authorized home COVID treatment
WHO says omicron variant could change the course of the Covid pandemic
A scientist behind the AstraZeneca vaccine is warning the next pandemic may be worse
Scientist behind UK vaccine says next pandemic may be worsevia msn
Scientist behind UK vaccine says next pandemic may be worse

Yo-Yo Ma (feat. Tunde Olaniran), 'Doorway'

Michigan paid up to $8.5 billion in fraudulent jobless claims during the pandemic
Rite Aid to close 63 stores over the next several months
CVS to close 900 drugstores in three years to beef up health services
CEO fires 900 employees on pre-holiday Zoom call

"Trump continues to be an ongoing, clear and present danger to this democracy.” - Liz Cheney

Exclusive-Historic conclave: Chinese bishops, priests brief Hong Kong clerics on Xi's view of religion

Officials promise groceries for Xi'an, China, city of 13 million under lockdownn
China Keeps 13 Million in Xi’an Under Strict Lockdown
Chinese officials admit struggle providing food in locked down Xi'an
How well do China’s vaccines work against omicron?
Asia is keeping omicron at bay, but a surge may be inevitable
What omicron's fast spread could mean for the U.S. — and the world
COVID-19 spike worsens Africa's severe poverty, hunger woes
China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi'an
South Africa’s huge omicron wave appears to be subsiding just as quickly as it grew
Germany Imposes New Restrictions on Private Gatherings, Concerts and Cultural Events
'Another storm coming': WHO warns of omicron surge in Europe
Travel ban on southern Africa 'inefficient' but EU states oppose lifting - top official

Over 60,000 vacancies at Hong Kong public primary and secondary schools, latest data shows
【2021 回顧．國安】88 人被控　60 人保釋無期　國安法下的法庭「新常態」
【名校爆退學潮】聖若瑟書院、聖保羅男女分別逾百人退學　教育局：每班 13 人不會再放寬
Hong Kong court rejects Justice Dept. attempt to challenge media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s intimidation acquittal
【不斷更新】六四和平集會案　8 被告判囚 4 月 2 周至 14 月　官：被告傲慢認為悼念比公眾衞生重要
Hong Kong activists get up to 14 months in prison for banned Tiananmen vigil
‘Extremely furious’ that self-exiled activist Nathan Law is ‘betraying Hong Kong,’ says city’s security chief
Hong Kong’s top court rejects bail for group charged with sedition over children’s picture books
Exclusive: Hong Kong public libraries purge 29 titles about the Tiananmen Massacre from the shelves
Hong Kong democrats inc. media tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted over banned Tiananmen Massacre vigil
Hong Kong activist: Fighting for democracy 'the right thing to do'
鄒幸彤被控今年煽惑參與六四集會　親結案陳詞：打開文字獄的大門係好危險嘅
【煽動六四集結案】辯方違憲挑戰遭駁回　官指公共衞生屬公眾安全因素　法庭毋須考慮警方禁集會理據
【煽動六四集會案】法官：黎智英是著名公眾人物和支聯會立場相近　現身記者會召集支持　無需發言已可煽動群眾
【煽動六四集會案】指控方證據確鑿　法官斥鄒幸彤何桂藍一派胡言　論點艱澀只為挑釁辯駁　
Three Hong Kong democracy activists found guilty over June 4 assembly
【六四和平集會案】黎智英、鄒幸彤、何桂藍未經批准集結全部罪成　12.13 求情判刑
官指鄒幸彤何桂藍嘗試以艱澀用字推翻確鑿證據
調查指上學年每間中學平均有32人退學 學界料趨勢延續
誰是你心中的「新生代」香港人權領袖？

Stocks meander higher, scoring record highs for S&P 500, Dow

Putin and Lukashenka schedule joint Russia-Belarus war games in new year
Changes to Belarusian Constitution may extend leader's rule
Belarus labels local service of US broadcaster extremist
Russia sends nuclear-capable bombers on patrol over Belarus

Growing number of Americans are leaving organized religion

China: Public shaming returns amid Covid fears

If you can fall in love again and again..., if you can forgive as well as forget. If you can keep from gowring sor, surly, bitter and cynical.. you've got it half licked. - Henry Miller

If you understnad how frequently people cope by projecting, you'd learn to take absolutely nothing personally. - Octavia Butler

The best exercise for the heart is to reach down and help someone up. - unknown

Your singular work is to hook up with who you are, and everything else will fall into place. - Abraham

Asian American groups call on Biden to end controversial China Initiative

An American was locked up in Syria. A pact with a British inmate may have saved him

Stigma persists around hunger in military as pandemic numbers remain high

Why We Need to Yell Less and Connect More With Our Kids - Raised Good
To the mama who doesn’t have a village
'Mothers, Fathers, and Others' addresses the realities of motherhood
Mom rage is real—and it’s a sign that mothers’ needs aren’t being met
TikTok mom goes viral for calling out ‘daddy privilege’—yes, it’s a VERY real thing

Outbreak of rare, fungal superbug reported at Oregon hospital

Why have Danes turned against immigration?
Swiss-EU relationship could fall apart if talks fail, EU's Sefcovic says
EU starts legal steps against Poland over constitutional court ruling
UPDATE 2-U.S. approves sale of Javelin missiles to Lithuania as Russia tensions build
Poland, Lithuania back Ukraine, urge Russia sanctions

Being in love is so good for you. Ofen when people are newly in love, things that have been bothering them for a long time get better. Something wonderful is calling the majority of their attention, so they're holding themselves in a better vibrational place, so the stuff they've been wanting all along can now zoom in. - Abraham Hicks

The intention of creating positive chnage is so important to the collective consciousness. - unknown

People do not decide heir futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures. - F. M. Alexander

Using fear to change behavior does not work because children cannot learn when they are afraid. - unknown

Children are souls to be nurtured, not products to be measured. - Andrew Kern

We are all leaves o fone tree. We are all waves of one sea. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Happiness is a cozy day in bed. - unknoww

A New Generation Stacks Up Championships in an Old Game — Tetris

Ethiopia passes law to start national dialogue commission
Ethiopia unhappy as U.S. ends its duty-free access
vvEthiopia's Tigray taps Muslim past in propaganda push
Ethiopia government says military won't cross into Tigray for now
U.N. says 22 million Ethiopians will need food aid in 2022
Ethiopia's warring sides locked in disinformation battle
Tigray leader says fighters to leave nearby Ethiopian areas
Ethiopia war: World heritage site Lalibela back in government hands
Ethiopian military again controls religious town of Lalibela - media
Ethiopia claims retaking towns from Tigray rebels
Timeline: Ethiopia's brutal war
"Global paralysis" on Ethiopia war allows atrocities to multiply
UN rights council opens probe of abuses in Ethiopia conflict
Ethiopia urged to free reporters held under emergency laws
Ethiopia detains three journalists for 'promoting terrorism'
Ethiopia civil war: How PM Abiy led fight-back against rebel advance
UN rights forum to hold session on Ethiopia at EU request
U.N. rights forum to hold session on Ethiopia at EU request
Witnesses say Tigrayan forces in Ethiopia retook Lalibela, UN Heritage site
As government offensive pushes forward, scars of war dot Ethiopia's Amhara region
UN halts aid handouts in Ethiopia town after mass looting
U.N. suspends food distribution in two towns in Ethiopia after looting
Ethiopia war: UN halts food aid in two towns after warehouses looted
Ethiopia's Abiy announces return to Addis Ababa from war front
UN says large quantities of food looted in northern Ethiopia

Here's what bell hooks' friends and colleagues want you to remember about her
Trailblazing feminist author, critic and activist bell hooks has died at 69
bell hooks, groundbreaking feminist thinker, dies at 69
bell hooks left an impact on feminist thinkers around the world
The legacy of bell hooks — trailblazing scholar and activist — lives through her students The legacy of bell hooks — trailblazing scholar and activist — lives through her students

Wave of Korean content breaks barriers, making way into U.S.

U.S. helps Ukraine to strengthen its border with Russia, Belarus
Russia to hold paratrooper drills near Ukrainian border - Ifax
Putin: we don't want conflict over Ukraine what a classic gaslighter.
UK warns Russia against 'strategic mistake', welcomes talks
Putin urges West to act quickly to offer security guarantees
OSCE says ceasefire agreement reached for eastern Ukraine
Ukrainians eke out living in bombed-out village in Russian military's shadow
US says bilateral engagement with Russia likely to start in January
Why Putin has such a hard time accepting Ukrainian sovereignty
Sullivan urges Russia to de-escalate
Russian Citizens Are Now Being Prepped for Nuclear War
Analysis: 'No walkover' - Ukraine could extract high price for any Russian attack
Russian 'Orion' drone hit target in Crimea
Biden administration reportedly weighs U.S. backing for Ukraine insurgents should Russia invade
In east Ukraine, a web designer learns how to ambush a tank
Will Putin Invade? On the Front Lines of Ukraine’s Long War, That’s Besides the Point.
Putin blames West for tensions, demands security guarantees
Russian diplomat says talks with US on security guarantees underway: report
UPDATE 1-NATO seeks 'meaningful' dialogue with Russia early next year
Russia presses for urgent U.S. response on security guarantees
Russia seeks urgent U.S. response on security demands
Russian envoy warns of security measures if NATO dismisses demands
U.S. to consider Russia's NATO proposal, but calls some demands "unacceptable"
Jittery Ukrainian villagers 'fear that a big war will start'
EU, Germany send new warnings to Russia over Ukraine
Ukraine allows foreign forces to join planned 2022 military drills
Putin discusses Ukraine tensions with Macron, Niinistö
Ukraine's territory must not be violated, Germany tells Russia
Ukraine accuses Russia of information warfare after 'neo-Nazi' arrests
Factbox: Five potential flashpoints between Russia and Ukraine
Russia says it may be forced to deploy mid-range nuclear missiles in Europe
Like World War I: Ukrainian troops wait in trenches as Russian forces amass at border
Putin tells UK's Johnson: NATO members are threatening Russia from Ukraine
G7 warns Russia to ‘de-escalate’ buildup near Ukraine or face ‘massive consequences’
European Union stands united on Russia sanctions, top diplomat says
G7 warns Russia of 'massive consequences' if Ukraine is attacked
EU tells Russia aggression against Ukraine would "come at a price"
EU wants Russia to de-escalate in Ukraine crisis, ready to toughen sanctions
UPDATE 1-Macron warns against "self-fulfilling" prophecies on Ukraine-Russia risks
If Russia invades Ukraine, it shouldn't rely on the U.S. responding in kind
Turn back to diplomacy, NATO, France tell Russia
Britain warns Putin: don't invade Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine trade blame as ceasefire push breaks down
Biden assures Zelenskiy that NATO membership in Ukraine's hands, Kyiv says
Russia accuses Ukraine of mobilising artillery, feigning negotiations
Britain warns Putin: don't invade Ukraine
Kremlin says both sides to follow up quickly on Putin-Biden talks

Gratitude begins in our hearts and seeks expression in acts of kindness. = unknown

Make it a daily habit to overwhelm someone with your kindness. - unknown

Iy

5 years later, researchers assess how children exposed to Zika are developing

Record beef prices, but ranchers aren’t cashing in

You practice love, you practice compassion, and you know that practicing love brings happiness. Happiness cannot exist without love. All the great spiritual teachers have told us to love, and the concrete means is to refrain from causing suffering and to offer happiness. It is easy to say, easy to understand, but it is not always easy to do or to refrain from doing. Thus these first two things depend entirely on the third thing: to purify and subdue your mind. The mind is the ground of everything. - Thich Nhat Hanh

"No view can ever be the truth. It is just from one point; that is why it is called a “point of view.” If we go to another point, we will see things differently and realize that our first view was not entirely right. Buddhism is not a collection of views. It is a practice to help us eliminate wrong views. The quality of our views can always be improved. From the viewpoint of ultimate reality, Right View is the absence of all views. •Thich Nhat Hanh - from: The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching

May your day unfold with love and grace. May your heart be filled with gratitude. - unknwon

Fallen idol: Why a U.S.-born pop star's divorce drama is the talk of China
US-born China pop star Wang Leehom apologizes in scandal

Our True Continuations

“When we look at a candle, we say that the candle is radiating light, heat, and fragrance. If we are truly alive, we can see that we aren’t very different from the candle. We are offering our insight, our breath, our views right now. Every moment you have a view, whether about yourself, the world, or how to be happy, and you emit that view. You produce thought and your thought carries your views. You are continued by your views and your thinking. Those are the children you give birth to every moment. And that is your true continuation.

So it is crucial to look deeply at your thoughts and your views. What are you holding on to? Whether you are an artist or a businessperson, a parent or a teacher, you have your views about how to live your life, how to help other people, how to make your country prosperous, and so on. When you are attached to these views, to the idea of right and wrong, then you may be get caught. When your thinking is caught in these views, then you create misunderstanding, anger, and violence. That is what you are becoming in this very moment

But when you are mindful of this and can look deeply, you can produce thoughts that are full of love and understanding. You can make yourself and the world around you suffer less.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

When you lvoe someone, the best you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there? - Thich Nhat Hant

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. - Rumi

Love is the bridge between you and everything. - Rumi

To love someone long-term is to attend a thousand funerals of the people they used to be.
The people they're too exhausted to be any longer. The people they grew out of, the people they never ended up growing into. We so badly want the people we love to get their spark back when it burns out, to become speedily found when they are lost.
But it is not our job to hold anyone accountable to the people they used to be. It is our job to travel with them between each version and to honour what emerges along the way. Sometimes it will be an even more luminescent flame. Sometimes it will be a flicker that temporarily floods the room with a perfect and necessary darkness. - Heidi Priebe

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. - Nelson Mamdela

Fear doesn't stop death, it stops life. - unknown

"Fear keeps us focused on the past or preoccupied with the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working wonderfully. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones " - Thich Nhat Hanh

"Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The Sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world." - Ramana Maharshi

那場遇冷的香港立法會選舉，如何成為官媒筆下「五光十色的優質民主」？
G7 condemns Hong Kong polls, as Beijing blames low turnout on Covid, ‘anti-China elements’ and ‘external interference’
Defeated candidates in Hong Kong’s first ‘patriots only’ race thank voters, vow to continue serving city
‘Patriots’ election: Hong Kong’s sole non-establishment lawmaker-elect says he felt ‘lonely’ until he met new colleagues
Hong Kong gov’t condemns criticism of ‘patriots’ election, as China media hails ‘high’ turnout
Hong Kong election: China rejects democracy concerns from West
Hong Kong: Pro-Beijing candidates sweep controversial LegCo election
Hong Kong: Why the Legco elections are so controversial
Hong Kong authorities push election censorship globally
Hong Kong pushes election censorship globally via yahoo
Hong Kong’s voter turnout plunges under new election laws
Hong Kong candidates run in “patriots"-only legislative election
China says 'bright' prospect for democracy in Hong Kong
Pro-democracy voices won big in Hong Kong. This time they're not on the ballot.

La Palma's volcanic eruption is officially over, but its devastating toll lingers
'It's no more': Philippine surfing paradise wiped out by typhoon
Food running out, Philippine typhoon survivors warn
Philippine governor warns of looting without typhoon aid
Philippines grapples with typhoon aftermath as death toll tops 300
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Super Typhoon Rai leaves a path of devastation and uncertainty
Philippines Super Typhoon Rai death toll surges
Magnitude 7.5 Indonesia earthquake causes partial hill collapse
After 3 tense months, Spanish volcano eruption may be over

ON THIS SILENT NIGHT

On this silent night,
we are one human tribe
scattered beneath
an age-old sky.
And despite being
filled with loss,
we witness the
blessings of life
and recognize the
amazement of birth.
Our guardians swim
in heaven's sea
like stars of
familiar wonder.
Can you see what I see?
I see their light
streaming down
from the high
crest of night,
touching the heart
of a grief-stricken world… - Susan Frybort

Right-wing populist Orbán says Hungary will defy EU court ruling on asylum policy
Hungary's PM denounced in Bosnia for anti-Muslim rhetoric
Orban: Hungary will defy EU court ruling on asylum policy

A Lotus for you, a buddha to be. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Happy are those who take life day by day, complain very little, and are thanksful for the littel things in life. - unknown

You gotta look for the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you grateful not hateful. - Karen Salmansohn

The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth. - Lao Tsu

The tiny but mighty hyphen: Does it unite or divide?
What record-breaking Google searches showed us about AAPI issues in 2021

The most popular US library books of 2021

Opinion | The alternative to Supreme Court enlargement is surrender, Why Elizabeth Warren’s endorsement of court enlargement matters.

NO bad people.. just bad behavior.

Never blame anyone in your life. Good people give you happiness. Bad peopele give you experience. Worst peopel give you a lesson and best people give you memories. - unknown

Genetic Study Detects Unknown Vast Migration to Britain 3,000 Years Ago

Be that person who roots for others. Who tells a stranger, they look amazing and encourges others to believe in themselves and their dreams. - unknown

A mistake that makes you humble is better tahn an achievement that makes you arrogant. - unknown

Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up. - Brene Brown

"An event canceled is better than a life canceled." - WHO Director-General

Once we slow down enough to notice our blessins, we begin to see that we alrady have everything we need for a perfect holiday season. - Joshu Becker

Smile, my dear. You have arrived. There is nowhere else to go. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment. - Thich Nhat Hanh

"Without thinking and talking, there is no obstacle to get in the way of our enjoyment of the present moment." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Never force your body or your mind.
Be kind to yourself.
Live your daily life simply.
With awareness.
If you are mindful, you have everything.
You are everything. - Thich Nhat Hanh

The inspiration you seek is already within you . Be silent and listen. Rumi

We drink the poison our minds pour for us and wonder why we feel so sick. - Atticus

President Biden extends student loan payment freeze through May 1
Biden administration extends pause on federal student loan payments until May
Biden extends student loan payment pause until May
President Biden extends student loan payment freeze through May 1
White House not budging on Feb. 1 end to student loans forgiveness
Thousands of borrowers' student debt is erased with loan forgiveness program overhaul
I’ve Realized My Student Loans Are Not My Fault. Can I Just … Not Pay Them?
U.S. student debt has ballooned to $1.7 trillion. Here’s what President Biden and lawmakers can do to help
Borrowers say they were wrongly denied loan forgiveness. Now, help is on the way

All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost. The old that is strong does not wither. Deep roots are not reached by the frost. - J.R.R. Tolkien

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. - Albert Camus


The Christmas spiriut is a spirit of giving and forgiving. - James Cash Penny

Our children absorb so much from the world aorund them. Let the thing they soak up the most be our unconditional, never- ending love. - Sydnei Kapan

Netflix's 'Maid' was a revelation for what it showed on the small screen about mental illness

Solomon Islands says China to send police advisers after riots
Solomons unrest fuels Pacific island concerns over U.S-China rivalry
EXPLAINER: Is China to blame for Solomon Islands unrest?
Australian police take control of Solomon Islands capital - witnesses
‘Nothing left’: Solomon Islanders wander torched capital as Australian troops arrive
Australia sending troops to Solomon Islands as unrest grows

¡Feliz Navidad, Charlie Brown!

A village in India's northeast mourns after deadly attacks
On volatile border between India and China, a high-altitude military buildup is underway
On the Horn of Africa, a tiny 'country' has Congress' ear
Chinese sanctions hit Lithuania
China says Taiwan is a 'wanderer' that will eventually come home via msn.com
China says Taiwan is a 'wanderer' that will eventually come home
Exclusive-China pressures Germany's Continental to cut out Lithuania - sources
EU may involve WTO to resolve China-Lithuania trade row, Commission says
Taiwan referendums fail in major setback for opposition
Taiwan hopes for EU trade deal progress under French presidency
A celebrity couple’s divorce has become a symbol of declining China-Taiwan relations

Uyghur, Tibet and Hong Kong activists call for athletes to boycott Beijing Olympics
Lawmakers call on NBC to address China human rights abuses in Olympic broadcasts
Austrian leader: won't go to Beijing games, but no protest
EU has little appetite to join US diplomatic Games boycott
EU hesitates over possible Olympic boycott in China
Countries boycotting Beijing Olympic will ‘pay the price,’ China warns
A diplomatic boycott of Beijing’s winter Olympics is a vote for a free Hong Kong

Trump rejects anti-vaccine talking point in Candace Owens interview: 'If you take the vaccine, you're protected'
Taiwan's vaccine stats misrepresented by US-based television network
Fauci calls on Fox News to fire host who urged 'kill shot' in 'ambush' interviews
Fauci says Fox News host Jesse Watters should be fired for ‘ambush’ and ‘kill shot’ comments
‘The guy should be fired on the spot’: Fauci rebukes Fox News host over violent rhetoric
A Washington State senator died at 52 after a Covid infection
Outgoing NIH director implores Fox News viewers to stay focused on the real 'enemy'
False claim that Covid-19 shots undermine immune system spreads online

Mele Kalikimaka with Craig Walker and John Erickson

Fury in China After an Outspoken Teacher Disappears
China Ordered Amazon to Delete Reviews of Xi Jinping’s Book, Reuters Says
Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm to win Beijing's favor, document shows
Chinese officials axed for cutting down thousands of trees after Xi Jinping signals disapproval
「待在你的棺材裏」——當一位中國明星被封殺之後，他的外國粉絲經歷了什麼？

Changing climate parches Afghanistan, exacerbating poverty

Gaza's old battery pileups pose risk to health, environment

How to motivate yourself to change your behavior | Tali Sharot | TEDxCambridge

Amazon unionization efforts get a boost under a settlement with U.S. labor board
Kellogg's union members ratify a new contract, ending a nearly 3-month strike
Holiday Strike at Fred Meyer Ends After One Day
Starbucks employees at two Boston locations move to unionize
Starbucks workers form their 1st union in the U.S. in a big win for labor
Starbucks workers decide whether to form first U.S. union
Kellogg to hire replacements for striking workers who rejected a proposed contract
Deere & Co. workers approve the latest contract offer and will end their strike

Truents
Trump asks Supreme Court to block release of documents
The House Jan. 6 panel wants to talk to Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan
Judge denies Michael Flynn's request for restraining order against Jan. 6 committee
Michael Flynn sues January 6 committee over subpoenas
Trump plans news conference on January 6, anniversary of deadly U.S. Capitol riot
Lead Capitol riot charge is constitutional, judges find
GOP Rep. Scott Perry is the first sitting lawmaker the Jan. 6 panel wants to question
Alex Jones of Infowars to invoke right not to testify to U.S. Capitol riot panel
Alex Jones sues Jan. 6 committee, indicates plan to plead the Fifth
Why Trump appears deeply unnerved as Capitol attack investigation closes in
Trump wants the courts to help him sabotage the January 6 investigation
Analysis: Murdoch emails loom large in billion-dollar election lawsuits against Fox News
Ten minutes of dishonest fury, presented to an audience of millions

Belgium to close all existing nuclear power plants

In 2021, climate ambitions soared and crashed in the U.S. and around the world
Most nations are promising to end deforestation, but skeptics want proof
The Arctic has a new record high temperature, according to the U.N.
"Alarm bells" over Arctic record 100-degree heat in Siberia: U.N.
Marshall Islands could be wiped out by climate change – and their colonial history limits their ability to save themselves

How 2021's floods and heat waves are signs of what's to come
Drought-denting rains, feet of mountain snow to plaster West Coast
Cold, heat, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes: The year in weather disasters1
Flooding possible for parts of Western Oregon, SW Wash. amid heavy rain
Storms, extreme winds from Colorado to Michigan leave hundreds of thousands without power
Major storm system moving through the West with strong winds, heavy rain and snow
Storm blasting California with massive mountain snow and flooding rain
Hawaii remains under flood warnings as a 'kona low' storm continues to dump rain

COVID sent last year's U.S. death rate soaring, especially among people of color
Letters to the Editor: The 'smoldering anger' harbored by doctors during the pandemic
With omicron now dominant, depleted U.S. hospitals struggle to prepare for the worst
CNN closes U.S. offices to most workers as COVID-19 cases spike - memo
Brawl breaks out at Miami International Airport, two in custody
SpaceX reports LA County's highest number of workplace COVID-19 cases
Facing a new flood of COVID patients, Colorado nurses say the stress is unsustainable
After increase in assaults, flight attendants are saying enough is enough
Delta flight diverted after passenger assaults flight attendant, air marshal, police say

WHO member states will work on a global agreement to deal with future pandemics
The WHO is seeking a new treaty on handling future pandemics. It could be a hard sell

A fossilized dinosaur embryo shows a link to modern birds

haha.. reasons to get more Lego

Those Legos under the tree might be worth more than gold one day

Army vet risked his life to expose who was in the KKK
He wore a wire, risked his life to expose who was in the KKK

Omicron will cause more infections but lower hospital rates, analysis shows
The vaccines work against severe disease. Here's why boosters are still a good idea
A shot at gold, a swearing in, and a tech get-together are all thwarted by omicron
Why Biden’s Omicron Speech Won’t Break Through
Unvaccinated Houston man's death may be first attributed to omicron in U.S.
Biden to announce free COVID tests, more aid for hospitals to deal with omicron
Omicron is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S., making up 73% of new infections
White House staffer on Air Force One tests positive for COVID. Biden tests negative
Omicron becomes the dominant COVID variant in the U.S.
U.S. could see 1 million cases per day, warns departing NIH director Francis Collins
Omicron is spreading. Dr. Ashish Jha answers 9 questions about it and what you can do
Omicron may sideline two leading drugs used to treat COVID-19
Sens. Warren and Booker test positive for breakthrough COVID
Full vaccination against COVID-19 and a breakthrough infection builds 'super immunity,' study finds
Moderna halts patent fight over coronavirus vaccine with federal government
As omicron spreads, health experts push for mask mandates. But few states have one
Omicron Threatens Red America
Is America experiencing mass psychosis?
800,000 Americans have died of COVID. Now the U.S. braces for an omicron-fueled spike
California brings back mask mandate as virus cases rise

New CDC guidance encourages more testing to limit school quarantines
Some colleges and universities will start the new year online as omicron spreads
Where are the students? For a second straight year, school enrollment is dropping
How to get your teens or college-age kids to take omicron seriously
Prince George’s County in Maryland becomes first major school district to shift to remote learning.
Colleges go back to drawing board — again — to fight COVID
Cornell shuts down its Ithaca campus after significant signs of omicron variant found
Colleges with high vaccination rates must now decide if they'll require boosters
NYC Will Require Private And Religious School Employees To Take COVID Vaccines
Southern states fall behind in vaccinating kids as pediatric infections climb
'Right now we're in a crisis': Educators, parents concerned about school fights and outbursts
Amid Empty Roller Coasters, 1,200 Children Get COVID Vaccine Doses at Oaks Park
Reynolds Middle School to transition to distance learning as a 'safety precaution'
Survey shows Portland teachers are overwhelmed and overstretched
Students, parents call for district to rein in sexual harassment, fighting at Northeast Portland middle school

Bibi’s Racist Bestie Goes Full Karen With a Gun Over Parking Spot

Incoming New York City mayor appoints five women as deputy mayors
Mayor-elect Eric Adams announces 5 women deputy mayor appointees
Biden names Daniel Dae Kim, 22 others to AANHPI Advisory Commission tackling anti-Asian hate, inequity
Secretary Becerra Launches the Biden-Harris Administration’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
Senate confirms first Korean American woman as federal appeals judge
The federal agency that measures racial diversity is led mostly by white people
Black Santas are helping to change holiday icons and add more representation
New York mayor-elect taps Keechant Sewell to be the NYPD's first female commissioner
A leader of an Ohio Muslim organization was fired for spying for a hate group

Build Back Better talks with holdout Manchin to continue, White House says
Senate Democrats meet about way forward on social spending bill
Coal miners' union urges Manchin to reconsider opposition to Biden plan
Manchin says he ‘cannot vote’ for Democrats’ $2 trillion spending package
Manchin says Build Back Better's climate measures are risky. That's not true
This week in Bidenomics: Build back later
Manchin didn’t just shiv Biden’s agenda, he whacked his central campaign promise too
Joe Manchin Betrays West Virginia
Sen. Joe Manchin says no to $2T bill: ‘I can’t vote for it’
Congress Approves $2.5 Trillion Debt Limit Increase, Sending It to Biden
Congress votes to raise the debt ceiling, punting the next fight to 2023
Senate Passes $768 Billion Defense Bill, Sending It to Biden
Congress avoids a government shutdown — but a long to-do list looms

Russians face soaring costs and tough choices this New Year
Rising prices threaten cheerless New Year for Russian families
Japan's wholesale inflation hits record high as price pressure broadens
East Europeans tighten belts for Christmas as inflation bites

Mexico’s wheat fields help feed the world. They’re also releasing a dangerous greenhouse gas.
Himalayan glaciers melting at an ‘exceptional' rate because of global warming, study finds
Nearly 17 million animals died in wildfires in Brazil's wetlands last year
Researchers try producing potato resistant to climate change
The biggest problem facing the U.S. electric grid isn't demand. It's climate change
Climate change has helped turn Utah's Great Salt Lake into 'a puddle of its former self'

Germany takes Russia's RT Deutsch off air within days of launch
Russia does not expect to be cut off from SWIFT system, VTB CEO says
Russian businessman on U.S. sanctions list claims court win over Google
Russian Politician Calls for Kidnapping of U.S. Congressman on Live TV

Germany moves to scrap ban on 'advertising' abortions
Governing party gets German parliament's seat order changed

When you are able to silence all views and words, reality revleas itself to you and that is Nirvana. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Harvard professor Charles Lieber found guilty of hiding ties to China
Harvard professor lied about China ties, U.S. jury told as trial nears end
Harvard professor charged with lying about China ties goes on trial

Ignatius: 'Would be dangerous and difficult for US' if Russia and China formed alliance
Why China won't invade Taiwan and Russia won't attack Ukraine
Putin rues Soviet collapse as demise of 'historical Russia'
Russian State TV Drops Deranged Love Letter to Its Darling ‘Trumpushka’

Turkish lira rockets after Erdogan’s promise to protect deposits
Turkish lira swings wildly as Erdogan's big gamble continues
Erdogan announces new Turkey measures to halt dollarisation, defends low-rates policy

Seconds before a 6.2 earthquake rattled California, phones got a vital warning
Swarm of more than 50 earthquakes rumbles off Oregon coast
50 earthquakes hit off the Oregon coast, but scientists say they're no great shakes
More than 50 earthquakes hit off the coast of Oregon this week. Scientists say they pose little threat.