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; links behind hard paywalls have 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): 
• “the rightwing press is now seeking to undermine climate action by framing it as another ripple in the culture wars” (TG);   an opinion that the UK fire service is not prepared for the climate crisis (TG);   a call for more detail in company commitments to net zero (SMH);   calls to implement coastal retreat now (TC);   “Judge finds Morrison government erred in approving preliminary work on tailings dam in the Tarkine” (TG);   Australia’s PM will not (TG) ban fossil fuels;   concerns over secrecy between a water authority and a mining company (TG);   the UN General Assembly has declared that access to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment is a human right (UN);   we have used up our sustainable resources for the year already (DW);   “FAO warns 90 per cent of Earth’s topsoil at risk by 2050” (UN);   a former advisor to a conservative MP has joined Extinction Rebellion (TG);   our death rate this week has been one of the highest in the OECD (TG);   a consideration of the changes needed to end the pandemic (TG);   climate change is killing more elephants than poaching (WP [$]);  
  
  
• climate / environmental issues have occurred in:   DRC (NYT [$]),   mangroves (TC),   Australia (TG),   UK (TG); 
  
  
• 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: 
• monkeypox has been declared (TND) a global (TG) public health emergency (DW);   mask mandates are based on science which says they’re needed (TG);   a call to care enough about COVID (TC);   the pandemic has disrupted work against the spread of HIV/AIDS (UN);   a social media platform is considering allowing lies (my words) about COVID (TG);   after trying to recruit nurses from the Philippines, which is facing its own nursing shortage, Australia has been told to train its own (SMH);  
   
  
• 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:   an assessment that Putin’s nuclear threats are “probably” a bluff (TC);  
  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   after (DW) signing a deal to allow grain exports, Russia attacked (TND) the port (TG) that was to be used, but exports will begin (TG);   the struggles Ukrainian refugees are facing (DW);   evidence of Russian war crimes is being gathered (TG);   some Ukrainian refugees are being forced back by economic conditions (MN);  
  
• inside Russia:   the sanctions are working (DW);  
• internationally:   Russia is still working on trying to build ties with Africa (DW);   Russia will (TG) cut (TND) gas supplies to Europe - leading to cut backs (TG) in gas usage, a call (TG) to go green, and record profits for fossil (fuel) companies as everyday people struggle with the cost of living (TG);   
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• “how to resist China’s campaign of transnational repression” (FH);   China’s cyber disinformation campaign has now extended to include rare earths (Lowy);   “a “new Cold War” as Russia, France, US compete for influence in Africa” (F24);   the USA will try to ease tensions between DRC and Rwanda (The Africa Report);  
  
  
• 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:   arms trafficking out of Libya has resumed (PT);  
   
•  on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring) and MISGOVERNANCE: 
• an economic reflection on ideology (TND);   corruption is a global threat to governance (PSNews);   “the employment services industry successfully lobbied to stop a proposed rule banning providers from referring jobseekers to their own training courses” (TG);   the high rate of incarceration of African-Americans is a political choice by conservatives, and the effect of poverty (TC);   criticism of the former national neolib government over corruption (TND);  
   
• on DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   the spread of autocracy (YT);   Europe’s multiple crises (DW);   the most notorious right wing media magnate in the world has broken ties with former POTUS45 (TG);   the PROBLEM of "“bothsideism” (Brookings);   the US Congress has introduced a bill to provide limits on the tenure of US supreme court judges (TG);   a media company has apologised and paid compensation to the spouse of a nation’s leader for false claims (TND);   a call for voters not to let the perfect get in the way of the good when voting (my phrasing) (M);   a new moderates party is being formed in the USA (CNN);  
  
  
• in Australia:   “federal public servants resisted the Morrison government’s attempt to have them amplify an election-day announcement that an asylum seeker boat had been intercepted” (TC);   a criticism of the new ALP national government as “cultural cowards” (TM);    blocks to international health professionals working here is contributing (TG) to the health system crisis (ABC);   planned climate change legislation (TND) will be strengthened (TG);   “avoiding the lunatic fringe” (AIMN);   the co-called “cashless welfare card” will be scrapped (TG) within months - but “thousands of people in the Northern Territory, mostly Indigenous, will remain on income management despite the federal government introducing legislation to abolish the cashless debit card” (NIT);   concern over proposed weakening of requirements for superannuation companies (TC);   another criticism of economic “thinking” on inflation (TC);   there is no evidence my home state’s Premier was connected to a major political scandal, and the Ombudsperson doesn’t want to spent any more public money on it (TG);   citizen assemblies (Independent Australia);   the neoliberals continue to self-destruct (TG);   a national security act will be reviewed after an enquiry recommended changes (TG);  
  
  
• suppression of dissent / media in   Morocco (rfi);
  democracy is also at risk in   Tunisia (NYT [$]) - see also this (F24) and this (FH),   Sudan (DS),   Libya (UN),   Sri Lanka (TG),   Nicaragua (UN); 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC): 
• China may (TND) have manufactured a fake (TG) bomb threat to have an activist arrested;   the need for workplace grievance processes to be trauma-informed (Culture Plus Consulting);   Germany is taking action against gender and LGBTIQA+ hate crimes (DW);   a comedian has criticised other comedians who claim to have been cancelled (Yahoo);   the issue of military dissent (PVG);   “history is littered with examples of threats from war or terrorism stoking public support for repressing domestic groups who pose little objective threat” (PVG);   Pakistan’s digital ID card is excluding millions from access to services (TRF);   “China trying to block United Nations report on Xinjiang human rights, sources claim” (Yahoo);   digital ID exclusion of some children in India (TRF);   the ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest of a former CAR Minister on suspicion of war crimes (DW);   gang control of jails in Ecuador allowed massacres (HRW);  
   
• human rights are at risk or abuses have occurred in:   Hong Kong (DW),   USA (ABC),   PNG/Australia (SBS) - and see also this (Lawyers Weekly),   Afghanistan (and quest for safety in Australia) (ABC),   Qld police (SBS),   Tunisia (TRF),   Cameroon (F24),   CAR (OHCHR),   Kenya (TG),   Kashmir (Lowy),   Xinjiang (Lowy),   Nigeria (children) (DW);
  
  
• violence in:   West Bank (TG),   Canada (against homeless people) (TND),   PNG (TG),   Haiti - see also this (UN),   DRC (UN) - see also this (DW),   Colombia (UN),   Sudan (DS);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   Burma has (UN) executed (DW) four (TG) democracy activists - and there are fears for others (ABC);
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   no change to refugees’ situation under the new ALP government as yet (TG);   some North Koreans are worried that if they fled South Korea might push them back (DW);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   the neoliberal party continues its transformation into the party of hate (my phrase) (Yahoo);   as an attempt at inclusivity leads to neochristian (TND) anti-LGBTIQA+ hate and despair (TG) on the part of those (SMH) it sought to help, “Rugby Australia will continue to allow transgender athletes to play in community competitions” (SMH);   trauma triples the risk of suicide amongst LGBTIQA+ youth (Forbes) - see also this (TC);   more on homophobia in sport (TG);  
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   support for families left in dire circumstances after a pre-paid funeral company collapsed (TG);  blatant anti-miscegenation racism (TG) by Hungary's leader - with some (F24) backlash (DW) (finally);   “a north Queensland community leader says he is aware of hundreds of First Nations people being denied adequate medical care as an inquiry into three deaths in 2019 continues” (NIT);   the neochristian pope has apologised for past evils against Canada’s Indigenous people (DW);   one of Australia’s nastiest right wing politicians has refused to acknowledge Indigenous people (TG);   “Australia still failing to hit more than two-thirds of Closing the Gap targets” (TG);   “justice gone walkabout: locking up children is not a solution” (TA);   “statement from the Heart is a gift to the nation, not a grab for power” (TA);  
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    legal action over a US jailer allowing male detainees to rape women detainees for a night and then further punishing the victims (Yahoo);   a UK Minister appears to have abandoned abortion rights (TG exclusive);   “Türkiye urged to reverse decision ditching women’s rights accord” (UN);   “former detective tells inquiry Queensland police recruits are taught how to avoid making domestic violence orders” (ABC) - see also this (TG);   how Hawaii stopped jailing girls (ABC);   “why “ugly women don’t deserve rights” is still being regurgitated by men” (M);   social media anger in China over a discriminatory response to a request to freeze a woman’s eggs (CNN);   active misogyny in Afghanistan (I);  
  
  
• 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:   two major retailers have backed off on the use of facial recognition (TND);  
  
  
• noting Article 7 of the ICCPR,   and   the CAT on TORTURE:   a call for “worldwide implementation of [the] rule prohibiting admission of torture-tainted evidence” (International Bar Association);  
  
  
• noting Article 8 of the ICCPR,   Article 6 of the CEDAW,   Articles 11, and 32 - 36 of the CRC,   Articles 16 and 27 (2) of the CRPD on SLAVERY:   the ongoing problem of human trafficking (UN);
  
  
• noting the CRPD on PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:   how the NDIS can rebuild trust (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:   “exorbitant” health care costs for Pacific Island workers in Australia (TG);   workers wages are still going backwards (TA);   interesting thoughts on workaholism (M);  
  
  
• 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:    the death (she wasn’t found for three weeks) of a homeless woman has highlighted the housing crisis (TG) - but not-for-profit real estate agents of last resort [are] aiming to disrupt a troubled housing market (TG);  
  
  
• noting Article 9 of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (iv) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Articles 11 (1) (e), 13 (a), and 14 (2) (c) of the CEDAW,    Article 26 of the CRC,   Article 28 (2) of the CRPD,   Article 21 of the DRIP,   and   ILO conventions on SOCIAL SECURITY:   more criticism (TG) of Australia’s “confusing” new jobseekers requirements;   
   
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
• bushfires in the USA (TG) - see also this (TND) and this (TG) - and France & Spain (TG);   heatwaves in the USA (ABC);   flash floods in Iran (F24) and floods in the USA (DW);   a volcanic eruption in Japan (TND);   a bird flu outbreak in the UK (TG);   flood victims are being billed for estimated electricity usage in houses they have not lived in for months (TG);   an earthquake in the Philippines (TND); 

(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 [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Medium - M;   Mirage News - MN;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   New York Times - NYT [$];   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Premium Times Nigeria - PT;   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 Monthly - TM;   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;