Aktar ma toqrob id-data tar-referendum Ingliż dwar is-sħubija tal-pajjiż fl-Unjoni Ewropea, aktar żdiedet it-tensjoni fost il-kamp ta’ dawk li jridu li r-Renju Unit ma joħroġx mill-Unjoni. Dan ftit kien mistenni għax b’mod jew ieħor, il-fehma kienet li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar il-poplu tar-Renju Unit, kif ġara snin ilu f’referendum simili, se jivvota bil-kbir biex jibqa’. Matul il-kampanja, dil-maġġoranza kellha tirranka.
Jidher li mhux hekk ġara. Ir-riżultati tal-istħarriġ tal-opinjoni mhumiex qed jiġu preżentati bl-istess mod; uħud jagħtu lil dawk li jridu jibqgħu fuq quddiem; oħrajn lil dawk li jridu jitilqu. Li hemm ċar madankollu hu li l-ebda kamp m’għandu vantaġġ determinanti fuq l-ieħor.
Barra r-Renju Unit, mhux l-anqas fl-istituzzjonijiet Ewropej, in-nervożiżmi dwar x’se jkun ir-riżultat qed jikbru. Fl-Ewropa donnha qed tikber il-fehma li jekk il-Britanniċi jiddeċiedu kontra s-sħubija, il-prestiġju tal-Unjoni jkun qala’ daqqa kbira. Sinjifikattiva kienet id-deċiżjoni tal-magażin Der Spiegel li jiddedika kważi l-ħarġa kollha ta’ dil-ġimgħa għall-Brexit u fuq il-qoxra tiegħu jpoġġi s-sejħa bl-Ingliż, Please don’t go.
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Krudeltà
Is-sentiment popolari kontra l-moħqrija lejn l-annimali qed jissaħħaħ fostna, u din hi ħaġa tajba. Kien hemm żmien meta ċerti nies kienu litteralment jieħdu gost jaraw annimal ibati jew anki jiġi ttorturat ta’ xejn b’xejn. Fondamentalment il-problema kienet waħda ta’ nuqqas ta’ edukazzjoni.
Illum, tneħħi dawk li jorganizzaw il-ġlied bejn l-annimali (klieb, sriedek eċċ) għal-logħob tal-imħatri, l-agħar każi ta’ krudeltà aktar jinqalgħu minħabba indifferenza u nuqqas ta’ attenzjoni għall-ħtiġijiet ta’ annimal, milli minn kefrija premeditata.
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Daex
Ir-rapporti jgħidu li d-Daex, l-organizzazzjoni estrema tal-Iżlam, li wettqet atroċitajiet bla qies fl-aħħar snin, tinsab fuq l-irtirata fis-Sirja, l-Iraq u l-Libja. Jalla tibqa’ hekk.
Qed jintqal ukoll li ħafna mill-ġellieda tagħha li telqu mill-Ewropa qed imorru lura lejn minn fejn ġew. Il-paga li kienet titħallsilhom tnaqqset bil-kbir u l-prospett ta’ disfatta wara l-oħra qed iżidilhom iċ-ċansijiet ta’ mewt waqt ħbit mill-ajru fejn ma jkollok l-ebda mod kif tirrispondi għal min qed jattakkak biex tpattihielu.
Il-fatt li qed jaslu lura dawn il-ġellieda telliefa, diżappuntati bl-esperjenza tagħhom, jista’ qed jiftaħ kapitlu ieħor aktar perikoluż fl-iżvilupp tat-terroriżmu kontemporanju. In-natura tal-attakki li jistgħu jsiru, u l-mod kif jiġu ppjanati, għandhom mnejn jinbidlu b’mod mhux prevedibbli.
L-attakki sa issa ġew maħduma minn nies mitqiesa minna lkoll bħala estremisti. Kienu lesti jmutu fl-istess waqt li sseħħ il-qerda li qed iwettqu. Issa l-istess nies se jkunu qed jagħmlu dak li jridu jagħmlu wkoll b’sens ta’ disprament. Kif se jinbidlu l-“metodi” tagħhom?
English Version – Brexit anxieties
As the date of the British referendum about whether the UK should remain a member of the EU came closer, tension in the Remain camp increased. This was quite unexpected since one way or the other, the general feeling had been that the British people would massively vote to remain, as happened in a similar referendum many years ago. During the referendum campaign, the majority in favour of remaining would grow.
It seems like this has failed to happen. Results of public opinion polls are not being presented consistently; some seem to show that the remain side is in the lead; others the reverse. What is clear though is that neither of the two can claim a commanding majority.
Outside the UK too, especially within the European institutions, the anxieties about the outcome are increasing. In Europe, the view seems to be spreading that if the British opt for Brexit, the prestige of the Union will have been severely dented. In this regard, the decision taken this week by Der Spiegel magazine was quite significant: it dedicated an important portion of its issue to Brexit and ran a cover featuring the plea in English: Please don’t go!
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Cruelty
Popular sentiment against cruelty to animals has hardened in Malta, which is a good thing. There were times when literally, some people used to enjoy seeing animals suffer or indeed being tortured just for the fun of it. Fundamentally the problem was a lack of education.
Today apart from the organizers of animal fights (cocks, dogs etc.) for betting purposes, the worst cases of cruelty to animals arise mostly from indifference or inattention to an animal’s welfare, rather than from premeditated spite.
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Daesh
Reports indicate that Daesh, the Islamic extremist organization which carried out countless atrocities in past years, is on the retreat in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Let’s hope things stay that way.
It is also being reported that many of its fighters who came to it originally from Europe are now returning. Their pay had been drastically cut and the prospects of ongoing defeats on the ground, have been increasing the probability they would be killed during airraids in which they would have no chance to respond to attacks on their positions and facilities.
The return of these defeated fighters, disappointed as they will be with their experiences, might be opening a new,more dangerous chapter in the development of contemporary terrorism. The nature of terrorist attacks that could be mounted and the manner by which they get planned could change in unpredictable ways.
All attacks carried out up to now were actioned by people we all consider to be “extremists”. They were prepared to die in the devastation they were themselves creating. Now the same people will be carrying out their attacks driven too by a sense of despair. How will their “methods” change?
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