Nowadays 28 million Americans are often short of food. 39 million face food insecurity at some time in the year.

Hunger in the US is one of the key goals of the Republican Party, along with low wages. It was suggested that the real goal is to make working people desperate, so that they will suck up to rich people.

Israel and HAMAS have agreed on a 4-day cease fire with release of hostages and prisoners.

Pressure from Biden joined with pressure from relatives of hostages to make Netanyahu agree to a temporary cease fire deal.

*The Gaza truce is a ray of hope in the darkness.* Either side could snuff it out, but perhaps pressure can keep it going.

It is good that pressure to recover hostages led to this step towards peace, and away from continued larger war crimes, but in general it is unwise for any government to prioritize the freeing of some hostages above larger issues.

When there is a war, there are always much bigger issues at stake than hostages or prisoners of war. Any country at war faces bigger issues. Some of these issues will be moral duties, while others will be vital national interests. If I were a hostage, I would as a patriot not want my government to distract itself from either of those for the side issue of ransoming hostages such as me.

An Australian coal magnate applied for environmental approval for a proposed coal-fired generating plant, saying he would make it "carbon-neutral" by sweeping emissions under various different rugs.

What's amazing is that the environmental regulator refused to look for an excuse to be fooled. Instead it did what was obviously right, and denied approval.

*Political attack on human rights is a "dangerous" assault on UK democracy, says HRW director.*

*She says that government actions regarding asylum seekers, climate activists and pro-Palestine protesters are starting to "look very much like authoritarianism."*

*Wisconsin supreme court to hear high-stakes case challenging [gerrymandered] legislative maps.*