Some human rights and other news 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 mostly human rights (including significant, relevant links in other fields - such as geopolitics, democracy, or authoritarianism) links (note: the source of news items [but not reference links] is in brackets after each item - normal rules around abbreviations will apply, and abbreviations are listed at the end of this post; I am going to start indicating links that I know are behind hard paywalls with a [$]; also, comments by me are in purple). 

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Content shown in green (which may be only part of a news story) is about what is generally considered “good news”, but personal history may still make such events triggering. Reader caution is recommended.

• on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• a warning that humanity s facing “collective suicide” over the climate crisis (TG) - see also this (TND);   a thermal sand battery can store heat for months (ABC);   the “majority of Australia's environment [is] in [a] 'poor' state as Labor blames the Coalition for decade of 'inaction and wilful ignorance'” (ABC) - see also this and this (TC), this (TND), and this and this (TG), and this warning over targets (TG);   the continuing crisis over an abandoned oil tanker moored off Yemen (HRW);   a past example of the effects of climate change (TC) emphasises what could happen when melting glaciers in central Asia are all gone (DW);   a call for realism and working together on climate policy (TC);   recent floods have overwhelmed the insurance industry (TND);   Europe’s climate-change-linked (TG) heatwave (details in disasters sections below) has “eviscerated the idea that small changes can address extreme weather” (TG) - see also here (Climate Council), this (not all are learning the lesson) (TG),and this WMO warning (UN);   US President Biden is under pressure to use an Executive Order to declare a climate emergency after a DINO (Democrat-in-name-only) Senator sabotaged a proposed law (TG);   legal action against a cement company over the climate crisis (TG);   the neolib nitwit’s act to allow a renewable energy agency to fund fossil fuels will be reversed (TG);   “the federal government is under pressure to act to increase the uptake of electric vehicles after the Australian Capital Territory became the first state or territory to announce an end to the sale of petrol cars” (by 2035) (TG);   “ambulance ramping is a signal the health system is floundering. Solutions need to extend beyond EDs” (TC);  
  
  
• climate / environmental issues have occurred in:   Pacific Islands (AJ); 
  
  
• on the COVID-19 PANDEMIC (noting WHO advice, Article 12 of the ICESCR, and public emergency provisions of the ICCPR and the ICESCR) and other health matters: 
• as Germany is overwhelmed (DW), my home state hires hundreds of extra health workers (TG) and we head for an infectious disease being the leading cause of death for the first time in 120 years (TND), the national government restores the COVID isolation benefit (TND) - and the AMA calls for (TG) mask (TC) mandates;   Australia has millions more COVID vaccines than we need (ABC);   some long COVID sufferers are falling through the cracks (ABC);   schools are - again - a concern (TG);   reinfection increases the chance of long COVID (TC);   anger at violent rampages of officials looking for COVID close contacts in China (TG);   mixed business responses (TG);  
   
  
• on Rashist  Putin and his cronies’ ILLEGAL (it is contrary to Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter  and international law [and the 1928 Pact of Paris which was successfully used in post-WW2 trials], and possibly includes conduct contrary to the "laws" of war and international humanitarian law (IHL)) INVASION of UKRAINE: 
• on military matters:   the fight against Russia’s disinformation (TG);   US artillery is helping Ukraine hold its ground (Wall Street Journal [$]);   Russia signals it plans to expand its imperialist invasion (TND);   as Ukraine calls for an (extremely unlikely) international tribunal (TC), a review of Russia’s brutal endings of war, and consideration of “what the West can live with” (TC);  
  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   a Ukrainian boy was forced to clean Russian torture chambers (TG);  Russia may use North Korean slave labour to rebuild illegally occupied areas (TG);   Russia is deliberately burning Ukraine's crops (F24);   a call for an ICC response to Russia's cybercrimes (Centre for European Policy Analysis);   forced conscription in occupied territories (TG);   a grain export deal has been signed - now to see if it happens (DW);   a call for the human rights of all prisoners to be respected (LFB);   both sides are endangering civilians (HRW); 
  
• internationally:   Russia and Iran are developing closer ties - whilst remaining oil competitors (DW);   a review of the UN's successes (WotR);   
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• burma is looking for weapons from Russia (AJ);   
  
  
• noting particularly Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter, the 1928 Pact of Paris used in post-WW2 trials, the "laws" of war and IHL and Article 20 of the ICCPR on WAR / CONFLICT:   another article on how the use of “smart” phones is dangerously blurring the distinction between soldier and civilian (Sch);   “CIA chief says ... China ‘unsettled’ by Russia’s war in Ukraine and it may influence decisions on the possible use of force against Taiwan” (TG);  
   
•  on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring) and MISGOVERNANCE: 
• the former US POTUS45 has said he needs to be president again so he can stop criminal charges ... (Rolling Stone) as the US Secret Service is ordered (TG) to investigate its text message failure (TG);    a legal review of the possible crimes, evidence and cases arising from the attempted insurrection by Republican leaders (YT);   a review of key points from the latest hearings (RR) - including #45’s refusal to end the violence (TND);   the USA’s right wing extremist party has censured one of its members who stood up for democracy (TG);  
  
• an apology and new measures after confirmation (TND) of egregious (TG) corruption in my home state;    
• “UN calls on member states to stop weapons supply to Haiti gangs” (F24);   “it’s companies putting up prices to boost profits, not wage increases, that are a key driver of the nation’s surging inflation levels, a new report by The Australia Institute say” (SBS);   more questions about Border Force’s seizure and retention of digital devices (TG);   inadequate social security in Spain (HRW);   the benefits of empowering whistleblowers (SMH);   “two state governments are taking very seriously the threat to the public interest posed by the inherent risks of corruption and undue influence associated with lobbying” (PnI);   lingering influence of former leaders in South and Central America (Journal of Democracy);  
   
• on DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   a long term perspective on problems (RR) (I consider the climate crisis worse than any of those mentioned);   a consideration of “what does it mean to be “good” in modern politics” (TS);   days of protests against proposed tax changes in Hungary (TG);   protests in Senegal (AJ);   an opinion that Pakistan may (Lowy) be facing a similar crisis to that of Sri Lanka - where the new president is showing signs of being completely out of touch by ordering violent suppression of protests that he has mischaracterised (TG);  
  
  
• in Australia:   “the Labor government has left in place ‘mutual obligations’, as new tender documents show the punitive system channels billions of dollars into private companies” (TSP);   a “warning Australia has developed an “insidious jobs-for-mates culture”” (TG) - and a suggestion on preventing that (TC);   “medicine affordability hardships bite for Australians as cost of living pressures build” (ABC);   concerns over the Australian mainstream media’s “ingrained toxicity” (AIMN);   grave concerns (TND) over the attitudes and beliefs of former PM Scott after he gave a sermon at a transphobe’s “church” (TG;    a “Nobel prize-winning economist ... calls for windfall profits tax in Australia. Tax is a ‘no-brainer’ after companies’ huge profits during Covid but corporate influence makes it ‘politically difficult’” (TG);   “why isn’t [the] wage restraint chorus calling for dividend restraint?” (Australian Financial Review [$]);   multiple examples of impossible expectations under the new unemployment system (TG);  
  
  
• suppression of dissent / media in   Afghanistan (Brisbane Times),   Malawi (AJ);
  democracy is also at risk in   Chad (AN),   Thailand (HRW),   Brazil (TG),   Peru (UN),   Kenya (UN),   Sudan (ST); 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC): 
• CW: CSA right wingers in the USA tried to deny the sexual abuse of a child happened - using appalling words (TG) - and they also voted against investigating the presence of neo-nazis in police & military (Newsweek);   “Biden says he raised killing of journalist Khashoggi at meeting with Saudi’s MBS” (F24);   a report finds “systemic” failures of police at a recent mass shooting at a US school (AJ) - see also this, showing some officers knew they had to get in quickly (TG);   the problem of covert ageism (TND);   the search for a new head for Europe’s border agency shows a failure to learn that human rights are vital (HRW);   “France’s energy plans should not include ignoring UAE abuses” (HRW);   past police violence has left some victims reluctant to seek police for help in the future (SMH);   the US House has passed a law to protect same sex/same gender and interracial marriage ... BUT it has to get past the Republicans and their DINO allies in the US Senate ... ;   a staggering colonialist legacy in Malaysia is being fought in European courts (The National News);   the dangerous hateful attack (my wording) on ill people by the former PM (AIMN);   a conspiracy fantasist will be jailed for a brutal attack on police (ABC);   legal action against trip searches at music festivals (TG);  
   
• human rights are at risk or abuses have occurred in:   Haiti (AJ),   Afghanistan (UN),   Sri Lanka (AI),   US libraries (Prism),   Indonesia (HRW);
  
  
• violence in:   Gaza Strip (F24),   South Africa (AJ),   Somalia (WP) - see also here (VoA),   South Sudan (AP),   Mali (AJ),   PNG (UN),   Libya (R);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   a summary of “atrocity prevention and the UN Human Rights Council’s 50^th session” (GCR2P);   Burmese soldiers have admitted committing atrocities (BBC);  
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   the eternal problem of getting people to act (or care) when they aren’t directly impact (TC);   “WHO calls for action to provide migrant and refugee healthcare”  (UN);   the denialist excuses Australians use (TC);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   transphobia in El Salvador (MN);   three men will be stoned to death in Nigeria for being gay (TRF);   the unfair power of, and damage done by, transphobic media columnists (Crikey [$]);   for all its good actions elsewhere, the new ALP federal government is showing disturbing signs of being transphobic (TG);   a social media platform has banned a trans streamer (Kotaku);  
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   “majority of Aboriginal souvenirs sold are fakes with no connection to Indigenous people, report finds” (TG);  evidence of Qld police’s incompetence over domestic violence suggests a possible racist element as well (TG) - and “mistakenly identifying victims of family violence as perpetrators” (ABC);   US police shot and killed a black man as he ran away (TG);   the evasiveness of settler Australians (TC);   the right wing extremist US supreme court is likely to target Native Americans (TG);   disturbing racism of police allegedly searching for a missing person of colour (TG);  
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    abortion access in Africa is generally (there are exceptions) becoming easier (DW);   the “Handmaid’s Tale” decision of the US supreme court to ban abortion is harming other medical treatment as well (AP)   “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [has criticised] US Capitol police for not intervening in sexual harassment” (SBS);   aggressive misogyny under the violent extremists who control Afghanistan (TG);   challenging police victim blaming of sexual assault victims (UN);   “flaws in Centrelink system need fixing so people leaving violent partners don’t end up in poverty” (TG);   the ADF has recognised its failings on sexual assault (SBS);  
  
  
• noting Article 17 of the ICCPR,   Article 16 of the CRC,   Article 22 of the CRPD,   and   Article 12 (1) of the DRIP on PRIVACY:   concerns about websites that collect your data as you type (Sch);   a review website has been ordered to hand over the details of a who posted a critical review (TG);   
  
  
• noting the CRC on CHILDREN:   the NSW government wanted children to work off $1,000 COVID safety breach fines ... (TG);   
  
  
• noting Articles 6 (1), 7, and 8 (see here) of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (i) (ii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 11 (1) (a - c) of the CEDAW,   and   Article 27 (1) of the CRPD on WORK and FAVOURABLE WORK CONDITIONS:   as workplaces are told of the importance of staff welfare plans (TC) (rather than just trying to get them to cope with everything), evidence questions (TC) the widespread professional attribution of depression to brain chemistry problems;   the latest extreme worker abuse: vertical sleeping boxes (TBS);   
  
  
• noting Article 6 (1) of the ICCPR,   Article 11 of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (iii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 14 (2) (h) of the CEDAW,   Article 27 (3) of the CRC,   Article 28 of the CRPD,   and   Article 20 of the DRIP on FOOD, CLOTHING, and HOUSING:    a deal on housing affordability in the NT has been reached - but people are still homeless (ABC);   actions Germany is taking to protect the homeless from extreme heat (DW);   in what is effectively an acknowledgement of what is wrong about the John Howard’s housing policies, a request for investment house owners to switch to long term rental (ABC);   
   
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
• heatwave deaths in Europe are rising (TND) (see also here (F24) and here [deaths exceed 1,100] (CNN)) as hundreds are evacuated from bushfires (F24) (calls for a rethink of forest management (F24)) and city fires (TND) and two airports close because of heat damage to runways (ABC) - and dangerous heatwaves in the USA (TG);   a Marburg virus outbreak in Ghana (ABC);   boat capsize in Pakistan (ABC);   floods in Sudan (AP);   the world’s first malaria vaccine will be rolled out in Africa (VoA);  
   
• “states that legalized recreational marijuana saw a subsequent increase in traffic crashes and fatalities, according to new research” (MN);   
• some thoughts of mine on feedback vs. wanting the truth, which touch on management attitudes - CW: childhood and adult bullying & abuse;

(Should you elect to write to your elected representatives or others on these matters, it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the links shown in blue - or to at least refer to them. Don't forget to CHECK whether your nation has RATIFIED the treaty concerned.)

Abbreviations:   Aeon Magazine - Aeon;   Africa Centre for Strategic Studies - ACSS;   Africa News - AN;   Al Jazeera - AJ;   Amnesty International - AI;   Associated Press - AP;   Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC;   Australian Independent Media Network - AIMN;   Bloomberg - BB;   British Broadcasting Commission - BBC;   Cable News network - CNN;   Crikey (C [$]);   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Medium - M;   Mirage News - MN;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   New York Times - NYT [$];   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Radio France International - rfi;   Reuters - R;   Robert Reich - RR;   (Bruce) Schneier - Sch;   Special Broadcasting Service - SBS;   Sudan Tribune - ST;   Sydney Morning Herald - SMH;   The Age - TA;   The Big Smoke (TBS);   The East African - TEA;   The Guardian - TG;   The New Daily - TND;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Shot - TS;   Thomson Reuters Foundation - TRF;   United Nations - UN;   Voice of America (VoA);   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$];   Yahoo News - Yahoo; YouTube - YT;