Maryknoll celebrates President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline
The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns is grateful for President Obama’s rejection of the permit to pump tar sands oil through the U.S. heartland via the Keystone XL pipeline.
Path to Paris: Rising sea levels are the cry of the earth
The first issue of Path to Paris examines the impact of rising sea levels, especially on the people of Bangladesh. And it offers ideas for making a personal commitment to lifestyle changes, for taking action locally and globally, and for prayer.
Resources from November-December 2015 NewsNotes
Resources published in the November-December 2015 NewsNotes.
Food security: Golden rice study retracted
On August 8, MASIPAG, a network of farmers’ groups, scientist and non-government organizations in the Philippines, issued a press release about the court decision supporting the retraction of an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on Golden Rice.
Trade: TPP negotiations end
On October 5, the U.S. and 11 other nations finalized negotiations on the biggest trade agreement in history: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Many concerns remain about the potential impact of this trade and investment deal on access to medicines and environmental standards.
Myanmar: Sectarianism threatens democracy
The leader of the Catholic Church in Myanmar, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, speaks out against recent discriminatory voting rules that could lead to violence as the national Election Day on November 8 nears.
Israel/Palestine: Violence escalates
Recent attacks on Israeli citizens by Palestinian teenagers with knives have been widely condemned, while the shooting deaths of dozens of unarmed Palestinian protesters by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have received less media attention. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Pax Christi International released statements urging Palestinians and Israelis to deescalate the tensions and work for lasting peace.
Mexico: Costs of immigration enforcement
The U.S. and Mexican governments have not addressed the root causes of the flow of migrants from Central America to the U.S.; rather, they have worked together to stop the flow by force.
Honduras: OAS plan to combat corruption
Despite the growing political volatility in Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernandez has managed to remain in office by negotiating with the Organization of Americans States (OAS) to adopt a plan to facilitate national dialogue.
Guatemala: Latest election no laughing matter
On October 25, former comedian and television celebrity Jimmy Morales won Guatemala’s presidential election after a rising anti-corruption citizens’ movement helped bring down President Otto Pérez Molina. The underlining challenges and the political views of Jimmy Morales signal major troubles ahead.
Kenya: Peace conference held for teachers
The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Society Center in Nairobi recently hosted a five-day interfaith conference to orient primary and secondary school teachers from diverse areas of Kenya to the potential for interfaith-based religious education, as a vehicle for peace-building in Kenya.
Africa: The future of electricity
On October 8 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Electrify Africa Act (EAA), legislation that aims to bring 20,000 additional megawatts of power to sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. Tehre are major concerns that this plan will fail to reach the more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who have little to no access to electricity.