ECOWAS in the larger context of Africa’s historic interactions with China, France, USA, UK and Russia
ECOWAS : A PRIMER
Tag: Education
Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election + Notes
Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election
But the likely victory of Prabowo — an ex-general who was kicked out from the army and subjected to a two-decade ban from the U.S. over human rights violations — raises fears of the world’s third-largest democracy sliding backward into authoritarian rule.
Related:
3 things you should know about Indonesia’s presidential elections
Continuity and its risks
Prabowo is expected to largely continue the policies of President Widodo, or “Jokowi,” as Indonesians call him. President Widodo is not up for reelection as he’s serving his final term.Through his two five-year terms, Indonesia’s economy — Southeast Asia’s largest — has grown at about 5% a year. His infrastructure building, cash and food assistance to the poor and health and education policies have been popular.
Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, used in making electric vehicle batteries, and Jokowi has barred the export of raw nickel, to help Indonesia move up the value chain from mining to manufacturing.
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Prabowo is Suharto’s son-in-law. He received training in the 1980s from the U.S. military at Fort Benning, Ga. (now Fort Moore) and Fort Bragg, N.C. (now Fort Liberty).
Indonesia’s presidential election emerges as key battleground in US-China rivalry
Read More »After Inexplicably Allowing Unconstitutional Book Ban To Stay Alive For Six Months, The Fifth Circuit Finally Shuts It Down
Texas is in a close race with Florida for the title of “Most Unconstitutional Laws Enacted.” Florida’s legislators will probably end up taking this title because they seem crazier/more productive than their counterparts in Texas.
After Inexplicably Allowing Unconstitutional Book Ban To Stay Alive For Six Months, The Fifth Circuit Finally Shuts It Down
CCDI Plenary Communique Highlights Xi Jinping Thought on Self-Revolution
The work report presented by Li Xi during the session was titled: “In-depth study and implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on the Party’s self-revolution, and in-depth advancement of high-quality development of discipline inspection and supervision work on the new journey”. 全会由中央纪律检查委员会常务委员会主持。全会深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，全面贯彻落实党的二十大和二十届二中全会精神，回顾2023年纪检监察工作，部署2024年任务，审议通过了李希同志代表中央纪委常委会所作的《深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于党的自我革命的重要思想，纵深推进新征程纪检监察工作高质量发展》工作报告.
CCDI Plenary Communique Highlights Xi Jinping Thought on Self-Revolution
Guyanese Are Becoming Poorer Despite Living in World’s Fastest Growing Economy
With a GDP growth of over 63% in 2022, according to the World Bank, and an estimated GDP growth of about 38% in 2023, Guyana is frequently referred to as the world’s fastest-growing economy. The meteoric rise of Guyana’s GDP is almost entirely due to the exploitation of recently discovered oil reserves by US-based multinational petroleum corporation ExxonMobil, a company that traces its origins to Rockefeller’s Standard Oil company.
Guyanese Are Becoming Poorer Despite Living in World’s Fastest Growing Economy
Related:
Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana’s two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana’s population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana’s literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.
Guyana’s emigration rate is among the highest in the world – more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad – and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana’s ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs.
CIA: World Fact Book
US Subversion Attempts Against Cuba During 2023
At the beginning of 2023, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Havana, Benjamin Ziff, said in an interview with The Associated Press that “it was difficult to go back” in normalizing relation with Cuba.
US Subversion Attempts Against Cuba During 2023
Motives for respecting Mao on his 130th birthday
Motives for respecting Mao on his 130th birthday
Mao Zedong was a great revolutionary who brought Marxism, founded by Marx and Engels, and developed by Lenin, into the 21st century and led the transformation of the lives of millions by using scientific socialism as a guide to action. Mao Zedong is a great teacher not only of the Chinese people but also of the cause of humanity. Mao demolished the dogma that socialism “can only exist in developed capitalist countries”. Thanks to the horizon opened by Mao, oppressed nations have gained their independence and brought freedom, prosperity, and happiness to their people to build socialism unique to their own countries. Mao Zedong courageously determined that the transition to a classless society would take a long historical period, theorized that the class struggle persists in different forms under socialism, and discovered and applied the means and mechanisms to mobilize the great power of the people to build socialism from the top down. Mao’s most important achievement was to lead the building of the Communist Party of China, which was resilient, strong, vibrant, and based on the people in all circumstances.
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Today, Xi Jinping is developing China’s modernization path by applying Mao’s route to the realities of the 21st century. Mao’s vision of achieving a “society of abundance” and the method of advancing to a classless society remain unchanged. Today, the CPC, led by Xi Jinping, represents the hope of the Chinese people and all humanity because it adheres to Mao’s path.
The Growing US Military Recruitment Crisis: There is no Solution & the Crisis Will Only Grow…
The induction of immigrants into the US military and other short-term solutions may temporarily delay America’s multiplying problems, but it will not make the pursuit of empire any more sustainable in the long run.
Until Washington understands that what it is trying to do cannot (and should not) be done, it can start to solve its many problems sooner.
The Growing US Military Recruitment Crisis: There is no Solution & the Crisis Will Only Grow…
Related:
America’s military recruitment crisis – symptoms of an overreaching empire
Unions in Wisconsin sue to reverse collective bargaining restrictions on teachers, others
Seven unions representing teachers and other public workers in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit Thursday attempting to end the state’s near-total ban on collective bargaining for most public employees.
Unions in Wisconsin sue to reverse collective bargaining restrictions on teachers, others
Related:
Wisconsin’s Act 10 Is in Jeopardy (WSJ)
The law, signed by former Gov. Scott Walker, has saved the Badger State from turning into Illinois or New York, where public unions essentially run the state government for their own benefit. According to the MacIver Institute, Act 10 has saved Wisconsin taxpayers $16.8 billion since it was passed in 2011, making public finances more manageable at every level of government.
Progressive mayors who publicly rail against the law know that repealing it would wreak havoc on municipal budgets. According to Wisconsin Right Now, Milwaukee’s budget says it has saved about $345.4 million in health insurance since 2012 because of Act 10’s requirement that public employees contribute to their health plans.
The lawsuit by teachers and other public unions focuses on a narrow part of the law that exempts public-safety employees. The unions say this creates a “favored” class of workers and imposes “severe burdens on employees in the disfavored group.” Act 10’s “anti-democratic regime,” the unions continue, subjects “general” employees “to a panoply of burdens and deprives them of important rights,” while exempting police officers and firefighters from “all its injurious provisions.”
Attacks on Public-Sector Unions Harm States: How Act 10 Has Affected Education in Wisconsin
A Decade After Act 10, It’s A Different World For Wisconsin Unions
WSJ quotes MacIver Institute, from the Atlas Network via State Policy Network, Bradley Foundation, and Americans for Prosperity (Kochtopus). Former WI Governor Scott Walker, another Atlas/Koch tool, does not rule out intervening.
The Tao of Vladimir Putin
Since power equals force times speed… Thus, a smaller man who can swing faster may hit as hard or as far as the heavier man who swings slowly.”
The Tao of Vladimir Putin
Bruce Lee,
The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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