To put the protests in Iran into context, the chart below gives an idea of how prices in Iran have risen in the period from October-November 2017. People go into the streets and risk their lives when their children’s lives are at risk. Politics is clearly a part of that equation, but it very rarely is the principal reason for street protests. The US is calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the protests in Iran, but many countries, such as Sweden, regard the Iranian protests to be an internal matter at their current stage. The Russians asked why the UN Security Council had not yet discussed the “Black Lives Matter” issue in response to the American calls for a resolution on the Iranian protests.
It is very, very cold in South Hadley. The temperature tonight is predicted to be about -15ºF and the wind is howling. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen such low temperatures and there are some who are suggesting that the old temperatures refute the idea of climate change (see the video below). Distinguishing between weather and climate is getting tiresome, but I must say that the research suggesting that these polar snaps might be a feature of climate change for New England has me terrified.
The Washington Post useful and informative article on the strategic relationship between the US and Pakistan has an very in response to the US decision to withhold security assistance to Pakistan for its lack of cooperation in fighting terrorism. The Pakistanis regard the US move as a betrayal and reject the US charges. Pakistan also has identified all the steps it has taken to assist the US in its fight against extremist elements. The charges and countercharges are shallow simplifications of the incredibly complex relationship between the two states and the bluster will do little to help either side.
World Politics News 
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