Palestinians fleeing Gaza cannot apply for asylum in Australia except inside Australia, which means they must first go as visitors, then wait in penury.

This is a consequence of Australia's policy of maximum repression forever against refugees who arrive without authorization.

Pertinent to the US-Mexico dispute about allowing US GMO corn exports into Mexico, a study found high levels of toxic pesticides in genetically modified corn in the US.

Since corn is pollinated by the wind, the modified genes will spread from one field to another. No one in the US, or Mexico if it allows GMOs corn, can be confident of not propagating these genes.

Ten years ago, Twitter filed a lawsuit against massive US government surveillance, It thus gained a reputation for standing for privacy, though the lawsuit was lost at the appeals court level. Ex-Twitter, however, is now owned by Elon Husk, and it has become in general an enemy of privacy as well as other liberal values.

The Taliban have resumed execution by stoning. Christians and Jews used to practice the same cruelty, but have learned it is wrong.

The US tried for 20 years to support a somewhat liberal government in Afghanistan, but it never won enough support to win. The Taliban' vicious fanaticism recruited fanatics more than the non-fanatical government could recruit supporters. That approach, tempting though it was in principle, did not succeed in Afghanistan. even in 2012.

But that doesn't mean nothing can be done. There must be Afghan women who would willingly die to kill some Taliban. Is there any feasible way to train them and infiltrate them into Afghanistan?

The Texas woman who was convicted of voting while ineligible, which she did unaware that she was ineligible, has been acquitted on appeal.

He was a target of right-wing lawfare.