Some (mostly) human rights links and thoughts

Black Lives Matter! Be Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist, and Actively Inclusive in ALL Areas.
The Climate Crisis is real, urgent and existential!

The Pandemic is Real, and Vaccinations save lives. Stay safe - wash your hands, practice social distancing and wear a face mask in public, and follow informed medical advice - and be considerate towards those at risk or in situations of vulnerability (including economic) while the COVID-19 pandemic is a problem.

Some human rights (including significant, relevant links in other fields - such as geopolitics, democracy, or authoritarianism) links: 

• the Amazon is nearing a critical tipping point;   an opinion that "amid war and a climate emergency, Australia’s Big Carbon companies are booming, raking in super profits from the international crisis while freeloading on Australia’s freeloading on climate action";   the current flood crisis in Australia (which will inevitably be followed by a domestic violence crisis) has shown that a "just in time" flood response based on weather forecasts giving a few days notice is fundamentally stupid - we "need more pessimists", people who don't assume "it won't happen", people who will do things like create more community microgrids (also beneficial for fires etc);  
  
  
• this week, on Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine:
   - that the invasion can happen "gives pause for thought";   an overview of the military aspects and likely changes;   Putin's illegal invasion may drive nations into the EU or NATO;   growing concerns about workers at nuclear power plants seized by Russian troops - and thus about the plants;   an opinion that Ukraine could win;   a reminder that prisoners of war should be protected - including against exposure on social media;   fears Putin is trying a "false flag" misinformation campaign as a prelude to using chemical weapons;   some people wrongly keep using "the" in Ukraine's name;   the USA's hypocrisy;  
  
   - consideration of whether to have another oil shock "deliberately, 43 years after the first one" - the decision was yes - as the USA warns the war "could last some time";   the possibility of a fast-tracked shift to renewables;   how tech companies, which "are as powerful as nations", are sanctioning Putin and his crew;   surprisingly, the African Union has condemned Putin's invasion of Ukraine;
  
   - the invasion is creating a grain shortage and thus global food crisis;
  
   - for allegations of human rights abuses see here,   here,   here,  
  
   - the racism  problems being shown up by refugees from Ukraine (and white supremacists in the resistance) - and Europe's current generosity is showing up the shortfalls in the racist response to Syrian refugees;   sexist comments in China about Ukrainian women;  
  
   - in Russia, where independent journalism and anti-invasion protests have been criminalised, culture workers have denounced the war,   some Russians are being completely sucked in by misinformation,   thousands of brave people continue to protest against Putin's invasion,   Siberians have confronted a governor over their troops being "cannon fodder",   social media lies by a Russian Embassy have been removed,   some oligarch's heirs (children) have spoken against Putin's invasion,  
  
   - a post listing some sources of information,   Germany's embassy in South Africa has contradicted Putin's specious claims about fighting naziism,   and a warning of "secondary trauma" from watching videos of war events;
  
  
• concerns that German technology could be used by the military in Burma to stifle dissent (see here for a broader consideration of autocrats use of technology to stay in power) as families are torn over the education of their children and human rights workers and journalists are being traumatised;  
  
  
• concerns over the situation in Libya;
  
  
• the people of Sudan still want democracy, not (military) despotry; 
  
  
• hundreds have been killed by air strikes in "northern Ethiopia" - which is suppressing journalism (presumably Tigray? Where war has stopped supplies getting to hospitals, resulting in deaths? Or the neighbouring areas the war has spread to?);
  
  
• millions in Madagascar are facing famine - and "to bring peace to Cabo Delgado, Mozambique needs to fight inequality as well as insurgents";
  
  
• a reminder that refugees from Afghanistan are still in dire straits; 
  
  
• Australia has rebuffed a generous gesture by China's new Ambassador; 
• appalling dismissive and apparently racist (non)treatment of an Indigenous women with rheumatic heart disease has led to her death;   racism in Australia's LGBTIQ+ communities;   racism in Australian feminism;   accusations of racism after a WA government department's request led to an over-the-top raid by 11 armed police on the home of an Aboriginal employee to allegedly attempt to recover a report exposing racism by that department;   after a century of 200 unsuccessful attempts, the "US Senate unanimously passes bill to make lynching a federal hate crime" (surprisingly, to me, given the white supremacists in the Republicans);  
  
• "on International Women's Day, we must reflect on the injustices facing women in Afghanistan";   the victim blaming and sexist to the point of being misogynistic wellness industry;   hidden homeless women;   "International Women’s Day is blind to the greatest threat to women – Australia’s welfare system";   "young feminist leadership is the future of peacebuilding";   the need to address sexual abuse of women and children in peacekeeping - including holding peacekeeping leaders to account;  
  
• CSIRO now has gender affirmation leave for TGD employees;   pro-Russian and anti-Mardi Gras / homophobic actions and abuse by NSW police;   misogynistic and homophobic actions by Guatemala;   Scott's vicious transphobia;
  
• a reminder that the pandemic is still killing people;   
• the US Supreme Court has - surprisingly - rebuffed a Republican attempt to continue gerrymandering; 
• aggressive victim blaming and inconsistency at Centrelink as the national neolib nitwits' ineptness and viciousness are laid bare;   "‘I just go to school with no food’ – why Australia must tackle child poverty to improve educational outcomes";
  
• "Spain plans ban on influencers pushing unhealthy foods to children".