Headlines

American troops are withdrawing from the region and the US is handing over Kurdish territory to the Russians before Turkey suceeds in taking it.

Manjib, Oct. 14.– The U.S. military has begun a hasty exit from Syria's northern city of Manbij, and is set to help Russia establish itself there amid a Turkish attempt to defeat Kurdish-led, Pentagon-backed fighters at the strategic location, Newsweek has learned.

The U.S. was scheduled as of Monday to officially withdraw from Manbij within 24-hours, leaving the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces behind as two rival factions—the Syrian government, backed by Russia and Iran, and the Turkey-backed Syrian insurgents opposed to it—sought to seize control of the strategic location. A senior Pentagon official told Newsweek that U.S. personnel, "having been in the area for longer, has been assisting the Russian forces to navigate through previously unsafe areas quickly."

Taipei, Oct. 7 (UNI).– The International League of Democracy Cities has called upon all the cities of the world to take the path of direct democracy with the purpose to accomplish the goals of open government, citizen participation and transparency.

The International League of Democracy Cities held its first ever City Summit in Taipei on Saturday evening as part of the 2019 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy (GFMDD) convention in Taichung city from Wednesday until last Saturday.

Responding to ‘Ecological Sins’.  

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Vatican, Oct. 11.– There were four Synod participants on the podium in the Holy See Press Office this Friday afternoon, each of them sharing their impressions of the discussions so far, and responding to journalist’s questions, reported Vatican News.

Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes of Mexico opened his presentation with a call for “ecological conversion”. Climate change has amplified the “cry of the poor”, he said, and an “integral ecology” is the Church’s response. The Cardinal explained that an integral ecology means a change of lifestyle, abandoning the throwaway culture. It is essential we increase awareness, he said, because it is the poorest people on earth who are being affected.

Archbishop Pedro Brito Guimarâes, of Palmas, Brazil, said he comes from Brazil’s youngest State, in the heart of the country. 1.5 million people live there, along with 9 million heads of cattle. The cattle, said the Archbishop, often enjoy better healthcare than the people. 

• Kinmen Island (also known as Quemoy) is governed by Taiwan/Republic of China but just a stone's throw away from the shores of mainland China.
• Public attention focuses on the former British colony Hong Kong, struggling for its limited constitutional freedoms, but a vibrant participatory democracy has grown outside the Chinese shores.

Taipei, Sept.30.– Taiwan is a place that offers the world fascinating insights. “Last night there was another guy from the other side swimming over the bay,” says Ko Cheng-fang. “We sent him back home,” she adds. Ko Cheng-fang is a young female politician who represents the island of Kinmen (Quemoy) [area 153 km2, pop. 130,000], in the national Taiwanese parliament in Taipei.

The “other side” in this case is China, the world’s most populous country which celebrates its 70th anniversary as a Communist one-party state next Tuesday.