EU leaders race to secure €3bn migrant deal with Turkish president

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Other EU leaders are racing to clinch a €3bn

(E2.4bn) deal with Turkey's strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdoüan, to halt the

mass influx of migrants and refugees into Europe.

All 28 national EU leaders are expected to host Erdogan at a special summit in Brussels

within weeks to expedite a pact that would see Turkey patrolling the EU's southern

border with Greece and stemming the flow Of hundreds Of thousands Of refugees, mainly

from Syria.

In return, Ankara would get €3bn over two years and the EU would also probably agree to

resettle hundreds Of thousands Of refugees in Europe(41 directly from Turkey.

NO EU country, not even Germany, has committed to paying its share Of the €3bn bill

except Britain. In what appears to be a unique event in David Cameron's chequered

history of relations with the EU, the prime minister, while in the Maltese capital of

Valletta, offered €400m for the Turkey plan, the only financial pledge yet delivered. That

figure is roughly in line with a breakdown of expected national contributions by the

European commission and would make Britain the second biggest participant after

Germany


The prospect of a breakthrough with Turkey is tantalising for Merkel, for whom the

refugee crisis has posed the biggest problem in 10 years Of power. This week her finance

minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, likened the arrival of almost 800,000 newcomers in

Germany this year to an "avalanche" and appeared to blame the chancellor for the

situation by stating that "careless skiers can trigger avalanches".

Facing tumult within her governing coalition and her own party, Merkel looks like a

leader seeking relief in a hurry.


An emergency EU summit in Valletta heard from EU negotiators on Thursday that

Erdogan was demanding two quick moves by the Europeans to pave the way for a deal

€3bn over two years and a full summit. Senior EU sources said the message from Ankara

was that the price tag would rise if it was not accepted now.

Merkel wasted no time in agreeing, witnesses to the closed-door summit exchanges said.

She told her fellow EU leaders that she was ready to put money on the table and proposed

22 November as the summit date. She later said the date was not set because it had to be

agreed with Ankara, but that it would be around the end ofthe month. The French

president, Francois Hollande, echoed that view.


The summit would demonstrate the "very close cooperation" between the EU and Turkey

on the refugee crisis, said Merkel, although there has been minimal cooperation so far.

Turkey is home to 2.3 million Syrian war refugees and at least 500,000 Of them have

crossed into Greece this year before trekking through the Balkans heading for Germany.

Merkel has long been convinced that a deal with Erdoüan is the key to what she describes

as the biggest challenge of her career. But there is strong scepticism across the EU that

the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan is a reliable partner who will deliver, as well as

strong reservations about his record on civil and human rights.


Merkel emphasized that both sides had a "strong interest in sharing the burdens" set by

the refugees and said any deal would need to include a commitment from Ankara to take

back non-Turkish migrants who entered the EU via Turkey. In return the EU would speed

up moves to loosen visa requirements for 75 million Turks travelling in the EU, a key

demand Of Erdogan.


"This process can be accelerated," said the German chancellor.

Hollande said he wanted the EU budget, rather than national governments, to bear most

Of the costs Of the deal. Under commission plans, the EU budget would supply €5()()m and

the 28 governments €2.5bn.


Turkey would be expected to open its labour market to Syrian refugees and to improve

schooling for the estimated 900,000 Syrian children in Turkey. The EU funds would

facilitate this, Merkel said.

A main aim, she added, was to make "illegal migration" to Europe from Turkey "legal".

This suggests that the putative agreement would entail the EU taking a set number Of

refugees directly from Turkey every year. In Berlin's thinking, they would then be spread

fairly and on a permanent basis across the EU, a notion that is extremely divisive and

contentious.


There are various aspects Of the proposed Turkey deal that will run into trouble in the

EU. Turkey, for example, would need to be declared a "safe country of origin" for

refugees to be returned there. Merkel is pushing for that but Sweden opposes it.

And while any Turkey deal will not solve the EU's worst migration crisis, it should help

Merkel out of an extremely exposed political predicament at home, allowing her to argue

that she is creating order out Of chaos, establishing control and predictability over the

refugee flows, reducing their numbers and containing the crisis.

Her vulnerability was highlighted by Schäuble's incendiary remarks. "I don't know

whether we are at the stage where the avalanche has already reached the valley or

whether we're still at the top of the slope," he said.

"If we are still at the top, we Germans cannot cope with this alone You can trigger an

avalanche when a rather careless skier goes on the slope."

While Turkey dominated the emergency EU session, the meeting was preceded by two

days of tense summitry with more than 30 African leaders161 where the EU offered almost

€2bn in return for African help in the deportation of unwanted migrants from Europe.

Europe's €1.8bn fund to tackle migration crisis


African leaders complained that the amount of money was inadequate and "just a start"

following two days of fierce negotiations that continued for 21 hours until 5am on

Wednesday before the various parties could agree on a compromise package that was

described by participants as "lowest common denominator".

"There was very little trust between the sides," diplomats reported. "There was a lot of

tension over the way that the EU handled this."


Even if implemented, the accords will have little quick appreciable impact on the current

crisis. The summit was called six months ago when the focus of the refugee movements

was across the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy. Since then, the Mediterranean route,

which many Africans used, has been supplanted by the mass arrivals of Syrians and Iraqis

in Europe via Turkey and the Balkans.

The Europeans sought to use the Valletta summit to cajole African governments into

cooperating on receiving migrants sent back from Europe, while African leaders tried to

use the meetings to force the Europeans to open up more legal channels for their people

moving to Europe.

"For the Africans the summit has been a huge opportunity to push their priorities,"

Helen Clark, the former New Zealand prime minister who heads the UN Development

Programme, told the Guardian.

"One of the most important points here is to push for legal migration. There's a nod

towards that. People end up in the European labour market anyway."

Citation: Traynor, Ian. "EU leaders race to secure €3bn migrant deal with Turkish president." 12 Nov. 2015. Guardian News and Media Limited. 13 Nov. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/12/eu-leaders-race-to-secure-3bn-migrant-deal-with-turkey-president>

Response: Angela Merkel as well as other EU leaders are becoming desperate trying to find a solution to the migrant problem. They are now trying to implement the new  €3bn deal. In doing this they are trying to use Turkey to patrol the EU's southern borders in an attempt to stem the constant flow of Syrian migrants. The EU is also coming to the realization that Germany cannot withstand the economic pressure that 800,000 new bodies in Germany brings. Germany cannot house, feed, and educate 800,000 migrants without some financial help. The EU is also trying to bring in African leaders to help carry the migrant burden and deport some migrants, however, the African leaders have their own political agenda to follow and are pushing for their political priorities in exchange for helping the EU with the migrant problem. I though this article was lacking in bias and presented solid facts and evidence. 

Rising temperatures could drive 100m into extreme poverty, World Bank warns

Rising temperatures could drive 100m into extreme poverty, World Bank warns:

Efforts to curb climate change must be twinned with programs to cut poverty, warns a

study of the threat posed by global warming to food security.

The world must pair efforts to stabilize climate change with programs to eliminate

poverty if vulnerable people are to be kept from falling back into hardship as rising

temperatures wreak havoc on food security and livelihoods, a report has said.

As many as 100 million people could slide into extreme poverty because of rising

temperatures, which are caused by greenhouse gas emissions, the World Bank report

said. The bank's most recent estimate I puts the number of people living in extreme

poverty this year at 702 million, or 9.6% Of the world's population.

Climate change has led to crop failures, natural disasters, higher food prices and the

spread of waterborne diseases, creating poverty and pushing people at risk into

destitution, according to Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts Of Climate Change on

Poverty, released on Sunday.




Efforts to stabilise climate change should incorporate strategies to eradicate poverty,

said Stéphane Hallegatte, a senior economist at the World Bank's climate change group

and co-author Of the report. "The policies, the investments, the financing, all Of that

should be integrated. Otherwise, we're just less efficient."

Poor people need social safety nets and universal healthcare to sustainably eradicate

poverty, according to the report. Programs to lessen the impacts of climate change

should not create new vulnerabilities and they should inform development policies by

taking into account future climate conditions.




"When we build infrastructure, for instance, (we need to make sure it's in a safe place

today but also in a safe place with sea level rise and the change in rainfall and so on,"

said Hallegatte. He added that the world needs to take urgent action to reduce the impacts of climate

change if the sustainable development goal on eradicating extreme poverty is to be met.

"We really want to reduce poverty before people get affected by even bigger climate

impacts. It's easier to get people out Of extreme poverty now rather than doing it later,"

said Hallegatte.




Without proper planning, efforts to stabilise the impacts of climate change can undo

decades of progress in lifting vulnerable people out of poverty, the study warned.

Environmental taxes, designed to reduce emissions, can raise the cost Of fuel and food,

which hit poor people hardest. "These same policies can be designed to protect, and even benefit, poor people - for instance, by using fiscal resources from environmental taxes to improve social

protection," the report said.



Ethiopia's social protection and Rwanda's health coverage have boosted long-term

poverty reduction efforts in both countries, making it less likely that poor people will fall

back into poverty as a result of climate change.

"In most cases, what we want is a package of policies - the climate polices themselves

and additional policies to smooth the transition and to support poor people in the

transition," said Hallegatte.



Hallegatte is optimistic that world leaders will take urgent action to stabilise climate

change, which he says will boost efforts to eradicate poverty.

This year, a series Of high-profile meetings took place, creating a sense Of gathering

momentum around the battle against global warming. A key step was the adoption of the

global goals — which set a 2030 deadline for the eradication of poverty in all its forms and

sought to galvanize action to combat climate change and its impacts — at the UN general

assembly in September.



Other milestones have included the Addis conference on financing for development

and the Sendai conference on disaster risk reduction(51 while next month world leaders

will convene in Paris for the 21st session of the conference of the parties to the UN's

Framework Convention on Climate Change..

"You can see there is a convergence — these conferences have been designed as a package

and you can feel the urgency," Hallegatte said.


But many challenges remain. According to the report, the world needs to find $1 tn

(E645bn) more each year to boost key infrastructure if the goals are to be met. Climate

summits have in the past been thwarted by the US and China, which have been reluctant

to sacrifice economic growth for reduced emissions.

Expectations for next month's climate summit have been buoyed by fruitful talks held

last year in Beijing, where China pledged to bring its emissions to a peak "around 2030",

and the US said it would cut its emissions by 26-28% of their 2005 level by 2025171.

Hallegatte said. "Now there is the implementation, and that's really the challenge — to

translate this willingness to act into something that makes a difference on the ground.

Response: The author of this article is desiring action, he is calling out to the masses to stand up for the poor. There is a strong liberal or democratic bias. In my own personal opinion I would agree with the author in that action does need to be taken to farther help those whose lives depend on the weather forecast. However, I think the biggest help would be education of proper farming techniques using programs such as farming God's way, and the education of water preservation. I also agree with Hallegatte when she wisely states that the implementation of this project will be much more difficult than the willingness to help. Overall, I though the author, who was slightly biased, did a decent job presenting the information as well as giving concrete facts and statements, not just opinions.

Citation: Gates, Bill; Melinda Gates. "Rising temperatures could drive 100m into extreme poverty, World Bank warns." 9 Nov. 2015. Guardian News and Media Limited. 9 Nov. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/nov/08/world-bank-climate-change-poverty-shock-waves>

Syrian troops launch ground offensive backed by Russian airstrikes

Syrian troops launch ground offensive backed by Russian airstrikes

Russia also launches rockets from warships in Caspian Sea for first time
Russia launches missiles towards Syria from the Caspian Sea
Ground troops loyal to Bashar al-Assad have launched a major offensive in central Syria backed by Russian airstrikes in an escalation
in Moscow's week-long campaign, which has so far been restricted to bombing runs to soften up rebel positions near major loyalist
strongholds.

Russian warships also fired missiles into Syria from the Caspian Sea for the first time. The Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said four warships launched 26 rockets at Islamic State131 targets. The missiles would have passed Over Iran and Iraq to reach their targets, covering what Shoigu described as a distance of almost 900 miles. Syrian activists said Russian fighter jets bombed a series Of towns held by the opposition in the countryside Of Hama, in concert With a push by regime troops and armoured vehicles and the deployrnent of Russian helicopters141, in what was described as the fiercest combat in months.

The Syrian Obsewatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group with wide contacts inside Syria, said Russian fighter jets had launched at
least 37 strikes on Wednesday. The SOHR said the Russians bombed targets in the province of Idlib, most of which is held by a coalition
of rebels known as laysh al-Fateh, which includes the al-Qaida wing in SyrialSl.
'fre Syrian push on the ground is the first time President Assad's forces have coordinated with the Russian airforce in an attempt to
seize lost territory from opposition forces, ushering in some of the fiercest fighting in months in the civil war, which has now lasted four and a half years and killed more than a quarter of a million people_ fre assault mirrors the US Strategy in northern Syria, where coalition planes bombed Isis positions to pave the way for their allies on the ground to advance against the militants. It also poses the question of how much territory the regime's army, exhausted and depleted by the conflict, can seize from the rebels.

Most of the fighting appeared to be concentrated in Hama, a central province with a majority Sunni capital that has remained in the hands ofthe regime since the Start of the war. It is key to Assad's strategy of cementing control over major population centres in a strip of territory from Latakia in the north, through to Hams, Hama and Damascus. Rebels recently attempted to wrest control of the strategic al-Ghab plain in Hama's countryside, drawing closer to Assad's coastal strongholds, and the Russian strategy seems primarily aimed at securing this territory from further incursions. laysh al-Fateh conquered most of Idlib in a spring offensive, forcing the regime to abandon the province. Russian airstrikes have repeatedly targeted the province over the past week, though there is no known Isis presence in the area.

The SOHR said Russian planes also bombed targets on the outskirts Of the historic city or Palmyra, Which was seized by Isis in May161,
and the town of Qaryatain, which was also seized by the militants this summer and whose Christian residents have either been taken
hostage or fled. Syrian state TV said airstrikes also hit Isis positions in northern Aleppo
It is unc ear if the Assad regime Wi I be able to score major ground advances against the rebels following years Of vicious warfare that
has sapped his armed forces, and amid widespread dereliction of duty among its conscripts, while facing rebels "ho are united by their
anger at the Russian intervention.


"Russia is primarily targeting opposition fighters, and this could end any future peace process in Syria and strengthen the role of
Islamic State and the extreme factions that do not want peace, Whether they support or oppose the regime," said the SOHRs director,
Rami Abdul Rahman. fre latest airstrikes and ground assault come amid heightened tensions between Russia and Natofil, after Russian fighter planes penetrated Turkish airspace over the weekend, sparking protests and condemnation from the alliance with pledges to respond to future Incurs lons.The Russian ministry of defence said it was continuing to consult with Turkey to ensure there would be no repetition of the incident.

The Russian president, Vladimir putin, said it was too early to talk about the results of Russia's operations in Syria, ordering Shoigu to
continue cooperation with the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq on the crisis.
However, the US defense Secretary, Ash Carter, said the United States would not cooperate militarily with Russia, although it was
willing to hold discussions to secure the safety of its own pilots bombing Isis targets. Calling Moscow's strategy "tragically flawed", he
renewed accusations that the strikes were not focused on Isis.
The head of the Iraqi parliament's defense and security committee said Iraq may request Russian airstrikes against Isis on its soil soon,
and wants Moscow to have a bigger role than the US in the war against the group.
Speaking in Brussels, the US ambassador to Natoll Il, Douglas Lute, said on Wednesday that Russia's buildup in Syria now included a "considerable and growing- naval presence, long-range rockets and a battalion of ground troops backed by Moscow's most modern
tanks. On the eve of a meeting of Nato defense ministers set to be dominated by the intervention, Lute said the Kremlin seemed to be intent
on forging a new counter-coalition to the western-Gulf axis, bringing together the Russians, Iranians, Iraqis, and Hezbollah behind
Assad.


Moscow had managed a "quite impressive" military deployment over the past week to its Syrian naval base in Tartus and its army base in Latakia, Lute said is a considerable and growing Russia naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean, more than 10 ships now, which is a bit out of the ordinary," he told a news briefing.
recent Russian reinforcements over the last week or so feature a battalion-size ground force There is artillery, there are long- range rocket capabilities, there are air defence capabilities," Lute said. A battalion is typically made up of about soldiers.
A senior Turkish official said 18 Russian warships had passed through the Bosphorus strait at Istanbul en route to Moscow's Syrian
base, amid conflicting reports Of Russian ground forces also being deployed.
Nato diplomats doubted the Russians were preparing any ground operations, but were sure that they were training and equipping Assad ground forces and were active on the ground beyond their milltary bases.

Iranians are on the ground, but not the Russians yet," said the 'ntrkish official.
The Turkish official and Nato diplomats said the Russians had also deployed air-to-air fighter aircraft which would not be used for bombing anti-Assad forces, but would engage in dogfights.
Francois Hollande, the French president, said failure to act in Syria risks stoking "total war" in the Middle East. "What happens in Syria concerns Europe, what happens there will determine the balance of the whole region for a long time," he said in a speech to the European parliament in Strasbourg.





 Response: The author of this article seems to be slightly biased against Russia, and for the United States. The author clearly reports of the U.S defense attorney, Ash Carter, and his opinion of Moscow's strategy calling it "tragically flawed". The author also talks about Russia bombing territory where ISIS isn't present, or at least known to be present, and in my own opinion this would be pointless and incredibly unhelpful. This article also clearly depicts the constant power struggle between Russia and the United States. It reports that the U.S refuses to stand by Russia in a military sense and it also is a clear display of the United State's readiness to disagree with and argue with Russia's military strategies. Overall, while the author had some bias it was kept relatively hidden and the facts were clearly presented in an organized way.

Citation: Shaheen, Kareem. "Syrian troops launch ground offensive backed by Russian airstrikes." 7 Oct. 2015. Guardian News and Media Limited. 3 Nov. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/07/russian-jets-pound-syrian-provinces-in-fresh-wave-of-attacks-says-watchdog>

Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project

Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project


Ouarzazate solar plant will create enough electricity to power a million homes once it is
finished. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
he Moroccan city of Ouarzazate is used to big productions. On the edge of the Sahara
desert and the centre Of the north African country's "Ouallywood" film industry it has
played host to big-budget location shots in Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, The Living
Daylights and even Game of Thrones.

Now the trading city, nicknamed the "door of the desert", is the centre for another
blockbuster — a complex Of four linked solar mega plants that, alongside hydro and wind,
will help provide nearly half of Morocco's electricity from renewables by 2020 with, it is
hoped, some spare to export to Europe. The project is a key plank in Morocco's ambitions
to use its untapped deserts to become a global solar superpower.
The Ksar Of Ait-Ben-Haddou, a group Of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is
the set of numerous movies. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
When the full complex is complete, it will be the largest concentrated solar power (CSP)
plantLll in the world , and the first phase, called Noor 1, will go live next month. The
mirror technology it uses is less widespread and more expensive than the photovoltaic
panels that are now familiar on roofs the world over, but it will have the advantage of
being able to continue producing power even after the sun goes down.

The potential for solar power from the desert has been known for decades. In the days
after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 the German particle physicist Gerhard
Knies, calculated that the world's deserts receive enough energy in a few hours to provide
for humanity's power needs for a whole year. The challenge though, has been
capturing that energy and transporting it to the population centres where it is required.
As engineers put the finishing touches to Noor 1, its 500,000 crescent-shaped solar
mirrors glitter across the desert skyline. The 800 rowsfollow the sun as it tracks across
the heavens, whirring quietly every few minutes as their shadows slip further east.
When they are finished, the four plants at Ouarzazate will occupy a space as big as
Morocco's capital city, Rabat, and generate 580MW of electricity, enough to power a
million homes. Noor 1 itself has a generating capacity of 160MW.
Morocco's environment minister, Hakima el-Haite, believes that solar energy could have
the same impact on the region this century that Oil production had in the last. But the
$9bn (E6bn) project to make her country's deserts boom was triggered by more
immediate concerns, she said.

"We are not an oil producer. We import 94% of our energy as fossil fuels from abroad and
that has big consequences for our state budget," el Haite told the Guardian. "We also
used to subsidise fossil fuels which have a heavy cost, so when we heard about the
potential of solar energy, we thought; why not?"
Solar energy will make up a third of Morocco's renewable energy supply by 2020, with
wind and hydro taking the same share each.
"We are very proud of this project," el-Haite said. "I think it is the most important solar
plant in the world."
Each parabolic mirror is 12 metres high and focussed on a steel pipeline carrying a 'heat
transfer solution' (HTF) that is warmed to 393C as it snakes along the trough before
coiling into a heat engine. There, it is mixed with water to create steam that turns
energy-generating turbines.

The HTF is made up Of a synthetic thermal Oil solution that is pumped towards a heat
tank containing molten sands that can store heat energy(31 for three hours, allowing the
plant to power homes into the night.The mirrors are spaced in tier formations, to
minimise damage from sand blown up by desert winds.
The 12 metre-high parabolic mirrors. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
Technicians say that the Noor 2 and 3 plants, due to open in 2017 will store energy for up
to eight hours — opening the prospect of 24/7 solar energy in the Sahara, and the
surrounding region.

"The biggest challenge we faced was being able to finish the project on time with the
performance Ilevell we needed to achieve," said Rashid al-Bayad, the project director.
But even as the first phase Of the project nears completion, Morocco is eyeing grander
international ambitions. "We are already involved in high tension transportation lines to
cover the full south Of Morocco(41 and Mauritania as a first Step," says Ahmed Baroudi,
manager of Société d'lnvestissements Energétiques, the national renewable energy
investment firm. But he says the project's ultimate impact will go far wider — even as far
as the Middle East. "The (ultimatel objective given by his majesty the king is Mecca."
Whether that ambition is achieved remains to be seen but exporting solar energy could
have stabilising effects within and between countries, according to the Moroccan solar
energy agency (Masen). Talks are ongoing with Tunisia, and energy exports northwards
across the Mediterranean remain a key goal, despite the collapse in 2013 of the Desertec
project151, a German plan to source 15% Of Europe's energy from North African desert
solar by 2050.

"We believe that it's possible to export energy to Europe but first we would have to build
the interconnectors which don't yet exist," said Maha el-Kadiri, a Masen spokeswoman.
"Specifically, we would have to build interconnections, which would not go through the
existing one in Spain, and then start exporting."
Spain has itself prohibited new solar projects because of a lack of interconnectors to
transmit the energy to France. The EU has set a target (61 Of ensuring that 10% Of each
member country's power can be transported abroad by cable by 2020.
In the meantime, Morocco is focused on using solar to meet its own needs for resource
independence. This could one day include water desalination, in a country that is
increasingly being hit by drought as the climate warms. Officials are keenly aware Of the
running they are making in what is the most advanced renewable energy programme in
the Middle East and North African region.

"We are at the avante-garde of solar," el-Kadiri says.
About S9bn has been invested in the Noor complex, much of it from international
institutions such as the European Investment Bank and World Bank and backed by
Moroccan government guarantees. Undisclosed energy subsidies from Morocco's
unelected ruler, King Mohammed VI, have prevented the cost from being transferred to
energy consumers.

60 second climate fix. Can the sun cool down the Earth?
One month before launch, over a thousand mostly Moroccan workers are still racing to
fix electric wires, take down scaffolding and wrap rockwool insulation around steel
pipelines. They bustle past in yellow and orange bibs, working 12-hour shifts against a
backdrop Of the Atlas mountains. Harnesses with hammers and gloves strapped to their
belts swing by their sides. Ubiquitous hard hats, safety shoes and ear plugs give the scene
an air of theatrical camp.
For Hajar Lakhael, a 25-year-old environment and security manager from Meknes,
rehearsals are almost over and the blockbuster production is nearly ready for action.
"We've done the construction and now we will see how these projects look when they
start," she says. "It is exactly like the preparation for a grand performance."
A global audience will be watching with interest.

Response: The potential for solar power in North Africa (as stated in the article) has been known for years; however, Morocco's decision to act on it is supported internationally. Both the European Investment Bank and the World Bank are backing up the Moroccan government as they build the first model of their potential solar superpower. The economic effects of this plant would be incredible. As stated in the article, the amount of energy that can be collected in only one day is enough to provide power for millions of people. This has the potential to be a multimillion dollar project that changes the economy of not only Morocco, but multiple North African countries. The author of this article obviously supports the Moroccan government and its recent exploits. The author also seems to support the international involvement of the two banks mentioned above.

Citation: Neslen, Arthur. "Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project." 26 Oct. 2015. The Gaurdian News and Media Limited. 26 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/morocco-poised-to-become-a-solar-superpower-with-launch-of-desert-mega-project> 

Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says

Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says


In first press conference after election victory, Justin Trudeau says Canadian fighter jets
will withdraw from US mission against Islamic State
Canadian Liberal prime minister designate Justin Trudeau has confirmed that Canada
will withdraw its fighter jets from the US-led mission against Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria.In his first news conference following the sweeping majority Liberal victory in Canada's
federal election, the visibly fatigued leader said he had spoken with US president Barack
Obama in a phone call during which he discussed his intention to pull Canada's fighter
jets out of the anti-Isis campaign.


"I committed that we would continue to engage in a responsible way that understands
how important Canada's role is to play in the fight against Isil, but he understands the
commitments 've made about ending the combat mission," Trudeau said.
He did not set out a timeline for the withdrawal. Canada currently has six CF-18 fighter
jets taking part in the US-led bombing campaign. They were due to remain in the
region until March 2016.
Canada has also deployed around 70 special forces troops to train Kurds in northern
Iraq, although Trudeau has previously indicated that this mission would continue.
The White House in a statement said: "The two leaders agreed on the importance Of
deepening the already strong United States-Canada relationship and committed to
strengthening the countries' joint efforts to promote trade,combat terrorism, and
mitigate climate change."

Trudeau has said he would work to improve Canada-US relations, which he claims
became frosty under Harper. But speaking at a rally in Ottawa earlier on Tuesday, he
stressed that he wanted to see a shift in Canada's foreign policy. "I want to say this to this country's friends around the world: Many Of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years.

"Well, I have a simple message for you on behalf of 35 million Canadians. We're back."
In his first day as prime minister designate, Trudeau also announced that he and his new
cabinet — which will be 50/50 male/female — would be sworn in on 4 November, as he
moves forward on an ambitious policy agenda. "I'm very, very aware Of both the opportunity and the responsibility that we have to live up to, having put forward a strong vision for growth, for unity, for positivity in this country," Trudeau said. "We now get to start working on delivering that."

In his conversation with Obama, the two political leaders also touched on the Trans
Pacific Partnership trade deal, climate policies, and the imminent American decision on
the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, which Trudeau supports.
Trudeau described it as a ' 'warm conversation" that also touched on the struggles Of
balancing political power and parenthood, since both men have young children.
Obama "also teased me about my lack of grey hair, but said I'd probably get some quite
soon", Trudeau joked.

The new leader also spoke with UK prime minister David Cameron and French president
Francois Hollande. The son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau won a surprise majority in Monday's national election, a victory that launched the party from a decade in opposition back
into power. It was also a sound defeat for outgoing Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper161,
who has been in power since 2006.

Trudeau's news conference came at the end of a jam-packed first day for the prime
minister-in-waiting, which began with him surprising morning commuters at metro
station in his home riding in Montreal, snapping selfies with constituents.
By afternoon he was back in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, for a rally with supporters.
Journalists pressed him for details and timelines for implementing campaign promises,
including launching an inquiry into Canada's missing and murdered indigenous women
and tackling reforms to Canada's scandal-plagued Senate.
But he offered few firm commitments, noting he would be juggling the responsibilities of
putting together a new cabinet and ensuring a smooth transition of power with a packed
international agenda.

"twel will be moving forward with our campaign commitments in a responsible fashion —
we want to be sure the transition is done in an orderly fashion," he said.
He will attend the upcoming COP21 climate change summit in Paris in late November
and hopes to attend the G20 meeting in Turkey and the APEC summit in the Philippines,
also both next month .


Response: The beginning of this article started started out talking about how Canada is withdrawing their missiles from those with the U.S and not participating in the air strike against Syria. However, despite the title of this article, it is not an informatory article about the placement of Canadian missiles, rather an article promoting the new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. It goes into length on his doings, his new cabinet, the decisions he is making, and the level of hard work is he is putting towards his country. The whole purpose of this article is to promote Trudeau.  This article also touches on the relationship between Obama and Trudeau. Even though Trudeau is ending his involvement in the airstrikes against Syria, his relationship with Obama seems to be warm and friendly. While this article lacked a certain cohesiveness, it was informative and did accomplish its purpose, putting Trudeau in a wonderful light.


Citation:  Murphy, Jessica. “Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says.” 21 Oct. 2015. Guardian News and Media. 21 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/21/canada-end-airstrikes-syria-iraq-new-prime-minister-trudeau>

Doctors without borders demand independent investigation after hospital bombed in Afghanistan

'They were burning in their beds'


THE United States is accused of bombing a hospital run by Doctors Without
Borders, leaving 22 dead, as staff describe the "unspeakable" horror of seeing
patients burning in their beds and their colleagues killed.
The US and Afghan governments vowed Sunday to jointly investigate the attack on a
hospital in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, amid accusations that US jet fighters
were responsible for what Doctors Without Borders said was a "sustained bombing" of
their trauma centre. Some top US officials said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain murky, but others indicated the US may have been responsible for the attack which killed 12 staff
and 10 patients including three children.

Army Colonel Brian Tribus, a spokesman for American forces in Afghanistan, said
Saturday that a US air strike "in the Kunduz vicinity" about 2.1 Sam Saturday morning
"may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility."
US officials speaking on condition Of anonymity said American special operations forces
advising Afghan commandos in the vicinity of the hospital requested the air support
when they came under fire in Kunduz. The officials said the AC-130 gunship responded
and fired on the area, but US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said it's not certain yet
whether that was what destroyed the hospital.

Meinie Nicolai, president of Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans
Frontieres (MSF), has described the attack as an abhorrent and grave violation Of
International Humanitarian Law. "We demand total transparency from Coalition forces. We cannot accept that this horrific loss of life will simply be dismissed as 'collateral damage'
The organisation says that the main central hospital building, housing the intensive care
unit, emergency rooms, and physiotherapy ward, was hit very precisely by a series Of
aerial bombing raids at approximately 15 minute intervals, while surrounding buildings
were left mostly untouched.

According to MSF , pro-Government forces had been informed of the precise location of
the medical facilities. Afghan guards stand at the gate of the MSF hospital after an air strike in the city of The trauma centre on fire. Afghan officials said helicopter gunships returned fire from Taliban fighters who were hiding in the hospital, and AP video footage Of the burned out compound in the east of Kunduz city shows automatic weapons, including rifles and at least one machine gun, on
windowsills.

But MSF communications manager Kate Stegeman said there were no insurgents in the
facility at the time Of the bombing. MSF general director Christopher Stokes said the statement from the Afghanistan government amounts to an admission Of a war crime, and contradicts the initial attempts of the US government to minimise the attack as "collateral damage".
"MSF is disgusted by the recent statements coming from some Afghanistan government
authorities justifying the attack on its hospital in Kunduz. These statements imply that
Afghan and US forces working together decided to raze to the ground a fully functioning hospital — with more than 180 staff and patients inside — because they claim that
members of the Taliban were present." The organisation is demanding an independent investigation and may not be satisfied with an inquiry conducted by the US and Afghan governments.
"Relying only on an internal investigation by a party to the conflict would be wholly
insufficient," Stokes said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein also called for a swift,
full and transparent investigation. "The seriousness of the incident is underlined by the fact that, depending on circumstances, an air strike on a hospital may amount to a war crime," Zeid said.
"International and Afghan military planners have an obligation to respect and protect
civilians at all times, and medical facilities and personnel are the Object Of a special
protection. These obligations apply no matter whose air force is involved, and
irrespective of the location."

Since fighting broke out on Monday, MSF had treated 394 wounded. At the time of the
aerial attack there were 105 patients and their caretakers in the hospital, along with more
than 80 international and national MSF staff. MSF's hospital was the only facility Of its kind in the north-eastern region of Afghanistan. For four years it provided free high level life- and limb-saving trauma care. In 2014, more than 22,000 patients received care at the hospital and more than 5,900
surgeries were performed. MSF treats all people according to their medical needs and
does not make any distinctions based on a patient's ethnicity, religious beliefs or
political affiliation.Afghan security forces take a wounded civilian man to the hospital after Taliban fighter's attack.

WE SAW OUR COLLEAGUES DYING

MSF nurse Lajos Zoltan Jecs was in Kunduz trauma hospital when the facility was hit by
the aerial bombing raids and said he was woken by the sound Of a big explosion.
"What we saw was the hospital destroyed, burning. I don't know what I felt — just
shock," he said in a statement. "We tried to take a 100k into one Of the burning buildings. I cannot describe what was inside. There are no words for how terrible it was. In the Intensive Care Unit six patients were burning in their beds. "

He said urgent surgery was performed on one of the doctors but he could not be saved,
"unfortunately he died there on the Office table". "The whole situation was very hard. We saw our colleagues dying. Our pharmacist — I was just talking to him last night and planning the stocks, and then he died there in our office."  Surgeons work inside the MSF hospital after an air strike in the city of Kunduz. "Some of my colleagues were in too much shock, crying and crying. I tried to encourage
some of the staff to help, to give them something to concentrate on, to take their minds
off the horror. "But some were just too shocked to do anything Seeing adult men, your friends, crying uncontrollably — that is not easy."

He said he has been working there since May and had seen a lot Of heavy medical
situations but it was a different story seeing colleagues and friends impacted.
"These are people who had been working hard for months, non-stop for the past week.
They had not gone home, they had not seen their families, they had just been working in
the hospital to help people and now they are dead. These people are friends, close
friends. I have no words to express this. It is unspeakable. "How can this happen? What is the benefit Of this? Destroying a hospital and so many
lives, for nothing. I cannot find words for this."

'WE WILL GET THE FACTS'

US President Barack Obama said he expected a full accounting Of the circumstances
surrounding the bombing, and that he would wait for those results before making a
judgment. He said the US would continue working with Afghanistan's government and its
overseas partners to promote security in Afghanistan.
US officials who spoke to AP were not authorised to discuss the incident publicly. They
also said the senior US military investigator is in Kunduz but hasn't yet been able to get
to the site because it continues to be a contested area between the Afghans and the
Taliban militants. Carter, speaking to reporters travelling with him on a trip to Spain, said, "The situation there is confused and complicated, so it may take some time to get the facts, but we will
get the facts." Carter said he believes the US will have better information in the coming days, once US and international investigators get access to the hospital site.
Doctors Without Borders issued a statement saying that "all indications" were that the
international coalition was responsible for the early Saturday morning bombing. While
NATO maintains a significant military role in Afghanistan, air strikes are conducted by
US forces It earlier said that three Of the dead were children in the intensive care unit. The charity
also announced it was withdrawing from Kunduz.
"All critical patients have been referred to other health facilities and no MSF staff are
working in our hospital," Stegeman said.
"Some of our medical staff have gone to work in two hospitals where some of the
wounded have been taken," she added

GROWING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Meanwhile, street-by street battles continued between government forces and Taliban
fighters and officials warned of a looming humanitarian crisis for civilians trapped in the
city. The Taliban briefly seized Kunduz last week before the government launched a
counteroffensive, and sporadic battles continue as troops attempt to clear remaining
pockets of militants. Shops are shuttered because of ongoing fighting and roads made impassable by mines planted by insurgents.

Thousands of civilian residents remain trapped inside the disputed city Militants
blocked and mined roads as soon as they entered Kunduz to prevent people from leaving
and to thwart a government assault. Local television showed live footage of police
officers handing bread to children, one of whom said he had not eaten for three days.
The deputy head Of the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority, Aslam Sayas,
said he was aware of the growing humanitarian crisis inside Kunduz.
"We are waiting for the security situation to improve to give us an opportunity to reach
those needy people," he said. Afghan security forces inspect the site of a US air strike in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, An Afghan soldier raises his hands as a victory sign, in Kunduz city, north Of Kabul,
Afghanistan on Friday.

Saad Mukhar, the Kunduz provincial public health director, estimates that more than 70
people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the city since the fighting began.
"I'm afraid that if this situation continues, we will not be able to help our patients
because right now we are facing a serious, drastic shortage Of medicine," he said.
The Taliban's brief seizure of Kunduz marked the insurgent group's biggest foray into a
major urban area since the 2001 US-Ied invasion ended their rule.
Afghan forces have been struggling to combat the Taliban since the US and NATO shifted
to a support and training role at the end of last year, officially ending their combat
mission in the war-torn country.

Acting provincial Gov. Hamidullah Danishi said most of the insurgents had fled the cityand that those still standing their ground appeared to be what he called "foreigners,"
non-Afghans who have been boosting Taliban forces in the north Of the country for some
months. Officials have said that many of them are from Central Asian states, members of
the Islamic Movement Of Uzbekistan.
Danishi said that 480 Taliban fighters had been killed as Of Friday, and around 300
wounded. He put casualties among Afghan security forces at between 30 and 35 killed or
wounded.



Response: In this article it is reporting the bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan allegedly by the U.S. This bombing was claimed to happen because Taliban militants were claimed to be seen inside the building. The director of MSF is requesting an independent investigation (excluding the Afghan and U.S governments) so that nothing can be hidden. The author of this article is trying to get the reader to sympathize with the hospital workers as well as the civilians living in Afghanistan. He did this by using multiple witness testimonies throughout the article, as well as vividly described the situation that the Afghan civilians are living in. He also used statistics and numbers of deaths in the bombing and how many people the hospital had saved in the past year to create a picture of the unnecessary devastation done to these people. The town where the hospital is located is continually riddled with fighting and warfare, and the civilians cannot leave the town due to landmines planted in the roads. The biggest issue with this situation is the vague answers that the U.S government is giving MSF and if the bombing was purposeful is would be classified as a war crime. From the information given, I agree with the author in that  the hospital seems to be purposefully targeted (one witness claims the other building around the hospital had minimal damage done) which I would consider morally wrong because of the fact that they killed innocent people and targeting hospitals is against the laws set out by the Geneva Convention.

 

Citation: "Doctors without Borders demand independent investigation after hospital bombed in Afghanistan." 5 Oct. 2015. News Limited. 5 Oct. 2015. <http://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/doctors-without-borders-demand-independent-investigation-after-hospital-bombed-in-afghanistan/story-fnh81ifq-1227557305679>

Political Cartoon

Response: 

This political cartoon is depicting the U.S in relation to  China's declining economy. The year of the sheep was 2015 and predicted that this year would be gentle, in other words, the year of the sheep should have predicted an unchanging economy if not a prosperous and growing one. The artist is trying to get the reader to focus on the bear, the symbol of China's economy, because it is the biggest, most exaggerated piece of this cartoon. Through his word choice and use of satire, as well as the things the artist chose to exaggerate, his opinion would seem to be that while the U.S is slightly uncomfortable at the new decrease of China's economy, China is in more trouble than we are. However, you could also interpret this cartoon as the bear attacking the U.S, portraying the effect that China's economy has on the U.S.  I think that this cartoon is persuasive in that even if you didn't look at the rest of the cartoon, the bear representing China's economy would stand out and stick in the mind. This focuses on the bad position that China's in, instead of the possibly bad or at least uncomfortable situation that the U.S is in. The artist could have exaggerated his Wall Street characters more to portray the real state that the U.S is in if China's economy does crash.  

Citation:

“Political Cartoons” 2015. WORLD news group. 29 Sep. 2015. <http://www.worldmag.com/editorialcartoons/>

Eastern European leaders defy EU effort to set refugee quota

A young Syrian migrant waits in a holding centre for immigrants in the Spanish enclave
Of Melilla in north Africa. Photograph: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty
Central and eastern European leaders have defied attempts by Brussels and Berlin to
impose refugee quotas ahead of two days of high-stakes summits in Brussels to try to
decide on what already looks like a vain attempt to limit the flow Of refugees and
migrantslll into Europe.
After months of being consistently behind the curve in grappling with the EU's huge
migration crisis, interior ministers will meet on Tuesday to focus on the highly divisive
issue of mandatory quotas to share refugees across the union. There will then be an
emergency summit of leaders on Wednesday.
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's foreign minister, who is chairing Tuesday's meeting,
failed to reach a breakthrough in Prague on Monday with his counterparts from the
Czech Republic121 Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Latvia.
The Czech government wrote to Brussels arguing that compulsory quotas were illegal
and that it could take the issue to the European court of justice in Luxembourg(31, while
the anti-immigration Hungarian government brought in new laws authorising the army
to use non-lethal force against refugees massing on its borders.


"There are still a few problems to solve," said Asselborn. "We still have 20 hours."
"The terrain is still very uncertain," said a senior source from Luxembourg. "We don't yet
have agreement. It's going to be very, very difficult."
This week's fresh attempt to agree on a quota system comes amid the deepest divisions
between western and eastern Europe since the former Soviet-bloc countries joined the
EU a decade ago.
At issue is the paltry figure of 66,000 refugees being shared across the EU after being
moved from Italy and Greece. They have already agreed to share 40,000 and were to
redistribute a further 120,000. But 54,000 of those were from Hungary151, which passed a
law on Monday allowing the army to use non-lethal force on migrants and whose
hardline government wants no part of the scheme.
y16 alone this year and given that up to a million people are expected to enter German
that Frontex, the EU's border agency, says 500,000 are currently preparing to leave
Turkey for the EU, the figures being fought over in Brussels are risible.
But the numbers are not the real issue. The row is about power and sovereignty. In the
end it seems that all countries will join in sharing refugees, with the exception of Britain,
which has opted out Of the scheme(71. The Other two countries with opt-outs —
Ireland and Denmark — have agreed to take part, leaving the UK isolated.

For the east Europeans, the vexed question is one of who takes the decisions: whether
Brussels and Berlin set their quota or whether they decide themselves to take in refugees.
They feel they are being bullied and blackmailed by the Germans, who have threatened to
withhold EU funding for the recalcitrants for the supporters Of quotas, especially in the European commission181, the numbers are also less important. For Brussels, the key factor is that the start of mandatory sharing would mark the first tentative steps towards common EU policies on refugees and set a precedent to be built on.
Germany is the biggest and strongest backer Of the proposed new regime, not least since
it is a replica of the system practised in Germany. It has a well-functioning federalised
scheme that spreads and funds the burden across the 16 German lånder (or states), based
on a formula that takes account of local wealth, unemployment rates and the population
density of immigrants.
In effect, the European commission is proposing to extend the German model to the EU.
If there is no consensus on Tuesday, the pro-quotas camp could push the issue to a
qualified majority vote, which they would comfortably win. But that could open up deep
divisions and cause major political damage.

It would mean forcing countries to take in people they don't want and send people to
countries where they do not want to go, said an EU official, who believed a vote on such
an incendiary issue would be counter-productive.
The summit on Wednesday is to focus on how to keep people out rather than how to
bring them in, while avoiding the mayhem of recent weeks in the Balkans and central
Europe, where borders have been opening and closing on a daily basis in an atmosphere
of panic and chaos.
The summit will concentrate on ways of stemming the flow from Turkey and Libya and
helping the transit countries Of the Balkans — in effect, proposing to bribe neighbouring
countries to keep the migrants from reaching the EU.
Germany has been admired for its open-door policy on Syrian refugees. It is also being
blamed for the mess because of unilateral decision-taking that has sown confusion and
led to kneejerk reactions in the countries en route to Germany from the Balkans —


Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. There is also bewilderment about what
Germany's policy is.
Croatia border clashes as country says it cannot
take more refugees
Since April, when the drowning of 400 migrants in the Mediterranean raised the alarm,
EU governments have staged several emergency meetings in response to horrible events
— such as the death Of a toddler on a Turkish beach191 and the asphyxiation Of 70
migrants in a sealed lorry in Austria.
The governments have bickered and quarreled, failing to agree on coherent policies.
Only the European commission has delivered a semblance of a joined-up strategy,
including the plan for mandatory refugee quotas.
There is talk of beefing up Frontex. But so far, the 26 countries of the Schengen free-
travel area have supplied only 64 extra personnel to the borders agency, seconded for six
months. And, while reinforcing life-saving naval operations in the Mediterranean, the
countries have also failed to redeem all their pledges Of logistical support for the
msslon.
There is lots Of talk Of funding capacities in Turkey and building "reception centres" or
refugee camps in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. But senior diplomats say these
discussions are sketchy and vague. The commissioner in charge, Dimitris Avramopoulos,
has admitted that the target countries are reluctant to host the EU-proposed camps.

Citation: Traynor, Ian. "Eastern European leaders defy EU effort to set refugee quotas." 21 Sep. 2015. Guardian New and Media Limited. 22 Sep. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/21/eastern-european-leaders-defy-eu-effort-to-set-refugee-quotas>

Response: This article deals with the migration problem from Syria to Europe. The European Union, while trying to organize the migrants and create quotas for each country, their main goal is to stop the constant flow of migrants. Personally, I commend the European Union for taking action to help the migrants who are already in Europe, however, their main goal is not really to help, but rather to stop them from coming at all. I am biased in that, as an American, I have never experience the persecution that the Syrians are experiencing now, so my heart goes out to them. However, I also understand that the European Union is trying keep the economy of all the countries that are part of the EU in a stable place. For example, Germany has welcomed migrants with open arms, but it has been predicted that approximately one million people will have entered Germany in only one year. While their desire to help is admirable, they do not have the resources to support an extra million bodies (be it jobs, money, food, housing) especially since the growth of their population was so exponential. The author is trying to point the reader into the direction of understanding the EU's side of this issue, and not just the devastating state that the migrant are in if they are not helped

Biography

My name is Carlin Couch. I have grown up in America, in a Christian home. My father has been a pastor since I was seven, my mom homeschool me until my freshman year of high school. That same year my family moved to Kijabe, Kenya. I'm a missionary kid. This opened up doors so that I could experience many different cultures other than my own, and has helped me travel to many different places around the world. My own culture is America, but my home is Africa. 

A new way to fight modern day slavery

A new way to fight modern day slavery:

In January 2000, while studying as an undergraduate at the University of San Francisco,
my friends and I, one Of my professors included, were shocked to read a newspaper
article about a case of modern day slavery in Berkeley, California. I didn't realize then
how much this would later come to influence my life.
It was difficult to believe that human trafficking could be happening so close to home —
but that's how forced labor works. It's pervasive. It preys on a community's
vulnerabilities and blind spots. Perhaps most troubling, it afflicts the economically
vulnerable.

In the years following the Chronicle's article, my professor David Batstone wrote Not For
Sale, a book chronicling the modern day slave trade. In 2007, we launched a nonprofit
organization of the same name. Our goal was relatively simple: raise donations to assist
programs that help survivors to rebuild their lives.
Starting a nonprofit felt like a natural inclination in the face of injustice. However, after
nearly a decade trying to stop human trafficking, I now believe that this predisposition
toward nonprofit-based solutions deserves to be challenged.
Despite the hard work of many nonprofits, slavery still exists on a massive scale, with
annual profits totaling over There are 35.8 million people in slavery today131,
more than at any point in history. This galling reality has served as our true wake-up call.
The task at hand is clearly beyond what nonprofits, garnering perhaps S 100m
collectively, can tackle on their own. In light of this we must challenge our traditionally
accepted ways of addressing social problems.
We have come to believe that the modern abolitionist movement requires a business
solution. After all, this is a crime perpetrated by money above-all-else business people,
and it needs to be confronted by immensely talented entrepreneurs. Migrating talent and
capital to address the world's greatest challenges is key to this movement's long term
success.

To that end, Batstone and I scaled up Just Business, an incubator that develops and
supports competitive social enterprises by helping them find investors, management
teams, and other services. Not For Sale151's first four years focused solely on supporting
people only after they had been trafficked, and we continue this important work, helping
nearly 4,500 people in 2014161. However, to truly end trafficking we must also address the
problem at its origin, assisting at-risk people. In this way, Not For Sale also serves as a
research and development program, seeking out scalable business opportunities that
exist within vulnerable communities.

With these goals in mind, Not For Sale and Just Business host the Montara Circle171, a
design-to-action session, to mobilize business entrepreneurs around economic
opportunities in disenfranchised regions. Not For Sale identifies at-risk communities
through data collected via its work with beneficiaries and conducts research to identify
business opportunities. This analysis informs the Montara Circle participants as they set
out to help create an enterprise related intervention. Just Business then takes on the bulk
of responsibility for growing the enterprises that are created in the Montara Circle.
Presently, there are 10 businesses in the Just Business incubator, which we call the
Invention Hub181. Six of them are focused on anti-slavery issues.
Measuring the high cost of environmental impacts

Our first business endeavor from Montara Circle was REBBL191, a fair trade, organic
herbal tonic that sources some of its ingredients from Peru. We integrated our cultural
and political goals at every level Of the planning process. When it carne to choosing a
location for economic development, Not For Sale targeted a specific region of the
Peruvian Amazon that was known to be a source community for trafficking. We also
designed REBBL to be a force for change in the area. By fairly sourcing ingredients from
its indigenous people, we sought to arrest their economic vulnerabilities.
Today, nearly 130,000 pounds of certified fair trade and organic Brazil nuts are sold
annually into the American and European marketplace by communities we set out to
assist in 2011. Not For Sale helped secure the certifications and linked the communities
to exporters.

Ultimately, our goal is to create a self-sustaining economic system, powered by our
enterprises, that will support Not For Sale's social programming. This could be a reality
sooner than later: Whole Foods is currently stocking REBBL, and the beverage will be
selling in most US states by the end of 2015.
By professionalizing our efforts, we've been able to draw top business talent. Palo
Hawken, an award-winning drink developer, is REBBL's CEO. Rather than donating his
time and talents, Palo is financially incentivized to develop a great product that creates
the avenues for further community and environmental enhancement.
As part of our strategy to further shed light on modern slavery and generate revenue for
Not For Sale, in 2014 more than 1.1m products were sold in the US, European, Japanese,
and Australian marketplaces that help amplify Not For Sale's story. These co-branded
products, such as REBBL, highlight Not For Sale on their packaging, which defrays
marketing costs from the nonprofit's economic bottom-line.
Earth demands urgent action on climate change

In return for its contribution to early-stage business development, Not For Sale receives
2.5% gross returns, 5% founding equity, and a board seat to help maintain a social
orientation of the company. The companies also have a supply chain transparency
commitment built into their by-laws, and when applicable, preferential treatment for
employment opportunities for Not For Sale beneficiaries. Constructed with Not For Sale's
global law firm Latham & Watkins, this serves as the baseline model for our anti-slavery
focused enterprises.

We are still in the early days of this hybrid approach, and have much to improve, solidify,
and grow into. But we are already seeing success in attracting talented people and
substantial investment dollars into social enterprises, which can attain large scale social
impact, and sustain our nonprofit endeavors. Unfortunately, what we do is still very rare,
but the hope is that it becomes a more accepted and mainstream approach.
By fighting slaveor, I've learned one clear lesson: it's not enough to work hard within a
system that perpetuates the problem you want to solve. To find a solution, we must also
step outside our Old, traditional structures and create new models Of social change.
Mark Wexler is the co-founder Of Not For Sale, Just Business, and the Invention Hub. He lives
in Berkeley, California.

Response:

The author of this article is clearly biased against modern day slavery, partly because he read the news article about slavery in his own town. This isn't the only reason he's biased. The author and I have the same bias, we are raised in a culture where freedom (be it physical, intellectual, or spiritual) is emphasized on a huge scale. Since we were both raised in America, that comes with a universalist world view, and because of that any injustice or the taking away of anyone's freedom automatically makes our heart skip. In this article, while the author is trying to spread to word of the reality of modern day slavery to the masses, he is calling us to action. In the next to last paragraph he states, "We are still in the early days of this hybrid approach, and have much to improve, solidify, and grow into. But we are already seeing success in attracting talented people and substantial investment dollars into social enterprises, which can attain large scale social impact, and sustain our nonprofit endeavors. " He is calling for help, rallying the hearts and minds of all to action. His goal in this article is to educate, and the through educating, raise money and gain help.

Citation:

Wexler, Max. "A New Way to Fight Modern Day Slavery." 2015. Gaurdian News and Media Limited. 8/9/2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/the-b-team-partner-zone/2015/jun/02/human-trafficking-not-for-sale-mark-wexler>

Development must target the millions of children affected by humanitarian crises

Development must target the millions of children affected by humanitarian crises
Anthony Lake

We must break down the barriers between development and humanitarian response, to
put in place long-term efforts to end poverty and hunger.
In two weeks, world leaders will ratify a new consensus to build a better world: the
sustainable development goals. But we will not reach these development goals — nor
can development be sustainable — without reaching the millions of children living in the
midst Of humanitarian crises. 

Consider a few data points*. Children living in countries affected by humanitarian crises
— conflicts, natural disasters and health emergencies — account for nearly half Of all
under-five deaths How can we achieve SDG3, good health for a11141 if we don't reach
these children?

Four-fifths Of these countries have stunting levels151 above 20%. Nearly two-thirds have
stunting levels above 30%. Two-thirds have unacceptable levels of wasting, often
associated with acute starvation. How can we realise SDG2, to end hunger and all forms
of malnutrition, if we don't reach these children? 

Countries affected by humanitarian crises account for 43% Of all out-of-school
children161 at the primary and lower-secondary levels. SDG4 demands inclusive quality
education for all. How will that be possible if we don't reach these children?
The international community tends to compartmentalise humanitarian and development
crises — separate funding appeals, separate advocacy campaigns and separate
conferences. It is as if development and emergencies exist in different worlds
But children living through crises see no distinction between humanitarian and
development action — they only see whether they are getting what they need to survive,
whether they are able to go to school, and whether they can dream about a better future.
When we educate a girl displaced by conflict, we're not only giving her immediate
protection. We're helping her to shape her mind, build her own future, contribute to her
family and society when she becomes an adult and perhaps even become a voice of peace
in her community and country. 

When we provide cash transfers to families living through natural disasters, we are not
only helping see to their immediate needs. We are supporting them to prevent them
depleting their savings, potentially enabling them to raise healthier, better educated
children. And sustaining the most disadvantaged and marginalised children in crisis with long-
term development efforts is a practical, cost-effective path to fighting future extreme
poverty — SDGI, so, we need to keep breaking down the silos between humanitarian and development action.

 
Ultimately, our success in achieving the SDGs depends on addressing humanitarian crises
themselves. This means, above all, refusing to accept a world in which we are unable to
prevent or resolve conflicts. Ending conflicts would open the single greatest pathway to global development; the best way to save lives; the best way to foster a generation of children ready, willing and able to sustain development into the future. 

Approximately 246 million children live in countries or areas affected by armed conflict.
Last year saw the highest number of child refugees since the second world war, with more
than 25 million171 fleeing violence, destruction and deprivation.
Ending conflicts is not only in the interests Of these children, though that is reason
enough. It is also in the interests of every country in the world. The cost of a civil war can
equal 30 years of GDP growth. Last year alone, conflicts cost the global econom 8 an
estimated $14.3trn - more than 13% of world GDP.
How can we sustain future development when we also sustain these losses, year after
year? Can the world afford to lose more than 10% of its productivity year after year? How
can we bring children out of poverty, poor health and despair when any progress made
can be so quickly — so brutally, so needlessly — erased?

And what kind Of future does humanity have when communities are battered by conflict
after conflict, seemingly without end? When children fleeing these conflicts drown at
sea, or suffocate in the backs of trucks crossing borders in a desperate attempt to escape
the fighting? Wouldn't ending these conflicts be the best possible contribution to reaching the
sustainable development goals?
Before we reject such a call as unrealistic, let's consider the words Of nine-year Old Ali,
from Sa'ada, Yemen — one of 1.8 million Yemeni children affected by the ongoing
conflict191 there. He recently asked: "What did we do wrong? Why can't we live like other
children in the world? The world owes him an answer. He and every child has the right to the quiet blessing of a normal childhood. 

Citation:

Lake, Anthony. "Development must target the millions of children affected by humanitarian crises." Gaurdian News and Media Limited. 14 Sept. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/sep/11/sustainable-development-goals-target-millions-children-humanitarian-crises>

Response:

This article has some very valid points, but also some clear misunderstanding due to the shades of author's bias. The author has a very western mindset being money solves everything. Ending world hunger and poverty, as noble as it is, cannot be done by an endless supply of free hand outs. The author states, "When we provide cash transfers to families living through natural disasters, we are not only helping see to their immediate needs. We are supporting them to prevent them depleting their savings, potentially enabling them to raise healthier, better educated children." I disagree with him. The only thing they are doing is helping them see to their immediate needs. When those without money are given an exorbitant amount of money they don't know how to use it wisely, thus, they use it for their immediate needs and then it's gone. I know I have a bias since I've heard endless stories of the hurt that westerners inflict on villages here in Africa when they try to help without any consideration for culture. However; I do agree with the authors statement, "When we educate a girl displaced by conflict, we’re not only giving her immediate protection. We’re helping her to shape her mind, build her own future, contribute to her family and society when she becomes an adult and perhaps even become a voice of peace in her community and country." Education goes much further than anything else. That is why I agree and disagree with the author, taking into account both of our biases.