Bashir to Face ICC, More Good Coffee News & Some Thoughts on Bloomberg's Rise

Bashir to Face the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Sudan's former dictator Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court [ICC] for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the country’s western region of Darfur between 2003 and 2008. Bashir was able to evade prosecution during his presidency, but after being removed by a popular uprising last year he was imprisoned for corruption by Sudan's new new joint military and citizen council.

The new government has now agreed to allow the ICC to try Bashir, although it's unclear when he will be turned over to them. Still, it's an important first step in seeking justice for the thousands who died in Darfur. And, perhaps more importantly, it sends a signal to other oppressive despots that the international community, and the ICC in particular, has a long memory.

Coffee is Good for Your Bones. The good news about coffee just keeps coming! A new study by researchers from the University of Hong Kong, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, has found that drinking coffee promotes bone mineral density, a key factor in maintaining strong, healthy bones.

Insider: "They found that, on the whole, java lovers had significantly higher bone mineral density, a marker of strong bones."

"Specifically, the researchers identified three particular molecules that were associated with both coffee consumption and strong bones that were less likely to fracture."

Some Thoughts on Bloomberg's Rise. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is rising in both state and national polls, and the reason is fairly obvious. Democrats are looking for the candidate with the best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November and Bloomberg seems willing to spend as much of his substantial fortune as it takes to win. That is easily understandable, but it may have some rather large unintended consequences.

1. Bloomberg's rise is further dividing the race to be the moderate alternative to Bernie Sanders. Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, and Pete Buttigieg are all appealing to the same voters as Bloomberg, and in the upcoming primaries and caucuses that will help Sen. Sanders win the largest share of delegates. Unless moderates coalesce around just one or two of their candidates soon, Bernie will likely win the nomination.

2. Bloomberg is certainly aligned with the Democratic Party on climate change and gun violence, but his problematic history with "stop and frisk" will not endear him to many black and Hispanic voters. And some of his past comments about women may even be more of a problem for him come November.

Just some things to consider.

#news #2020election #internationalrelations #research #health

By: Don Lam & Curated Content