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, wear a face mask in public if prudent to do so, and follow informed medical advice.

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 UK’s conservative government has stopped their king going to COP27 (TND);   the potential benefit of wave energy (TG);   an assessment of the potential of COP27 (TC);   a critique of pumped hydro storage, including its potential problems (TC);   alternatives to the use of pesticides (TG);   small nuclear reactors are not beneficial (TG);   Australia has announced plans to stop extinctions (TG) - but see also this (TC);   the 100 year history of reporting by the Guardian on climate change (TG);   young activists, saying they are tired of the lies, are leading the way on the climate crisis (TG);   jobs in the renewables sector have increased globally by 700,000 to 12.7 million (UN);   risk of instability of nations and regions in Africa from climate change (UN);   a call for longer term water thinking after an examination of the history of (sometimes civilisation ending) megadroughts (TC);   allegations that an EIS was changed to favour the project (TG);   a warning from the IMF (TG);   an article on how a new type of crop is leading to a “contamination crisis” (TG);   restrictions of civil society in Egypt ahead of COP27 (tNT);   a coal mining company has been described as “delusional” for seeking a nearly century extension of its mining licence (ACCR);  
  
  
• climate / environmental issues have occurred in:   the Lake Eyre Basin (TC),   journalism (UN),   DRC (rfi),   Africa (Q),   Australia (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: 
• more stupidity over the management of COVID (TC) - see also this (M);   immune reactions to severed COVID may be the cause of brain fog and problems (TG);   NSW’s hospital system is still being overwhelmed (TG);   the impact on health workers and thus imminent even more disastrous impact on health systems (TC);  
  
  
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
  
• the ongoing flood crisis in Pakistan (TG) - see also here (TG), here (UN), and this call for aid (tNT);   floods have displaced people in Indonesia (CNN);   a hurricane in Mexico (TG);   US President Biden has pledged some funds to storm proof Puerto Rico (the amount seems too small) (TG);   rain may cause a “wet drought” in Australia (TG), and is causing more damage than local Councils can afford to repair (TG);   a national power grid failure in Bangladesh (TG);  
  
• over 100 people have been killed in a riot and stampede at a sporting event in Indonesia (F24);   a farm vehicle has overturned, killing more than a score of people, in India (ABC);   an avalanche in India (TG);   Ebola in Uganda (NYT [$]), Nigeria (HmA), and Haiti (UN) - see also this (UN);   the WHO is strengthening rapid responses to emergencies (UN) - see also this (UN);   a bus crash in India (ABC);   drought and famine are causing child and other deaths in Somalia (AP);   refugee deaths in boat accidents off the coast of Greece (TG);   38 people fleeing a violent extremist attack in Nigeria died when their canoe overturned (HmA);   “Gambia child deaths linked to cough syrups made in India, says WHO” (CNN);  
  
  
• 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:   Putin appears to have admitted to severe Russian losses (TG);  
  
• on the nuclear (weapons and power) situations:   a warning (TND) of the severity of the risk of nuclear war (TND) - see also this (AP);   an opinion that third parties would destroy Russian troops in Ukraine if Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons (TG);   a call for the USA to not become involved if Putin uses nuclear weapons (WP [$]);  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   Russians who have been living in Ukraine have been turned into illegal immigrants (DW);  Ukraine’s imminent economic problems (TG);   aid has reached towns liberated from Russian occupation (UN);   after a spectacular (DW) and serious (TG) failure (PBS) on China’s oppression in east Turkistan aka “Xinjiang”, the Human Rights Council has agreed to monitor abuses inside Russia (DW);   three human rights advocates from Russia (who called (TND) for Putin to face an international tribunal), Ukraine, and Belarus (who is currently jailed (DW)) have been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize and described as representing (UN) “the oxygen of democracy”;  
  
• inside Russia:   the partial mobilisation is being reported to be chaotic (DW);  the opinion of the mother of a Russian conscientious objector (DW);   
• internationally:   global condemnation of Russia’s illegal annexation of some Ukrainian territory (DW);   a call to reaffirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at the UN (ICG);   the Europe-Russia energy relationship has ended (WotR) - see also this, on the evolution of hybrid warfare (TC);   Russia is expected to test the West again (TG);  
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• North Korea is continuing (F24) to fire (TG) ballistic missiles - including over Japan (DW), with South Korea responding (F24) and North Korea continuing to fire missiles in response (F24) to other actions, including repositioning US naval groups (CNN) and Taiwan warning of stronger responses to air space incursions (CNN) (could this be a reward to Russia for buying munitions from North Korea - in effect, a second front of threat/distraction to reduce international pressure/focus on Russia?);   
  
  
• 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:   Yemen’s truce has ended (AJ), leaving the nation subject to regional powers (DW);   peace talks in Ethiopia (AN);   South Sudan’s government and rebels will resume peace talks (ST);   Turkey may attack Greece (WotR);  
   
• on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring), MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT and THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM: 
• on the hack of a major phone company that exposed intimate details of around ⅓ (or more) of Australia's population:    the company only needed to keep data for two years for CVE purposes, and did not need to keep it at all for account queries (TC);   details of the hack - and that the company was a repeat offender (TND);   the very real risk of similar problems through real estate agents (TG);   a similar hack of the workers of another phone company (TND) and a company that runs jails (TG);   first arrest of an alleged (once charges have been laid, the important legal principle of presumed innocent until proven guilty applies - for the good of ALL) scammer (TND);   
• after draft regulations were watered down because companies didn't like prescriptive aspects, a warning that cybersecurity regulations are not “‘performance-based’ if outcomes can’t be measured” (LFB);  
  
• a billion dollar scam hit South Sudan (TS);   “how corruption cripples business at Africa’s seaports” (DW);   “nearly half of world’s terror victims are African, with organised crime increasingly entrenched” (UN);   
• the recently ended prosecution in Australia of the lawyer of a whistleblower has been likened to a USSR show trial (TG);  
  
• a “The Saturday Paper” exclusive reports that a right wing “think tank” has lost its funding - “a host of civil-society organisations are also producing data and research-driven work. Collectively they – along with 40-odd years of real experience – have shown the flaws in the neoliberal agenda. Supply side, trickle-down economics served to increase inequality. Deregulation of the labour market yielded flatlining wages. Privatisation all too often resulted in reduced services. The GFC showed clearly the perils of deregulating the finance sector and the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the necessity of competent, well-resourced government as well as the fragility of globalised supply chains” (TSP);    “the EU is set to take Malta to court over its scheme allowing wealthy foreigners to buy Maltese – and EU – citizenship” (F24);   “supernormal” profits for energy companies in eastern Australia (TG);   the myths that ultra-rich use (TG - RR);   a whistleblower “feared ATO tactics would cause ‘suicide in community’” (TG);   revelations that an anti-abortion advocate in the USA is a hypocrite (TG);  
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   Burkina Faso has had another coup (F24), leading to the previous coup’s leader leaving (F24);   the world is facing a possibly worse recession than 2007 (UN);   rampant neoliberal ideology in the UK (TG) - see also this (TG);   the UK’s new king has just blocked a rent freeze that would have affected his income from rental properties (TG);   wins for Indigenous and trans candidates in Brazil (TG);   protests on the first anniversary of the coup in Sudan (DS);   the Guinea opposition will not talk to the junta who seized power in a coup (The Guardian Nigeria);   an examination of political participation (PVG);   one of the insurrectionists from the 6^th Jan 2021  attempted  coup in the USA has pleaded guilt to seditious conspiracy (TG);   the 2022 Press Freedom Index (Australia was #39, the USA #42 - Norway topped the index, with 3 Scandinavian and 2 Baltic nations joining Ireland, Costa Rica, Portugal and Lichtenstein in the top ten) (M):   three journalists have been acquitted and released after four years detention in Rwanda on charges, leading to a call for others detained to also be released (CPJ);   US President Biden has pardoned thousands who have been convicted of “simple possession” of an illegal drug often considered relatively mild (the drug should be managed through health measures, not crime, but it is not harmless - it can exacerbate mental health issues: nevertheless, that is FAR less than the harm caused by police & courts - including by misallocation of resources) (TG);  
  
  
• in Australia:   “support for the stage three tax cuts remains low with the majority of Australians backing sound economic management over sticking to election promises” (TG);   an increase in non-core work for teachers is harming our education efficacy (TG);   the opposition in my home state has shown their Newtonian thinking by supporting a policy that would reduce security in hospitals (TG);   confidence in government integrity has increased since the election (TG);   even a moderate Liberal is calling for the Stage 3 tax cuts to be abandoned (TG);   a critique of the proposed anti-corruption commission (TC);   a call for diversity & inclusion in governmental organisations (Lowy);   concerns that journalists of foreign-owned media could be charged for publishing information about war crimes committed by Australian military personnel have led to a call for improved whistleblower laws (TG);  
  
  
• suppression of dissent / media in   the Philippines (TG),   USA (TG);
  democracy is also at risk in   Brazil (from both candidates) (DW) - see also this (TG),   and also in   USA (TG) - see also this (TG),   Nicaragua (UN),   Chad (R);
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC): 
• on the protests in Iran against the killing of a young woman by so-called “morality”  “police”:    the death toll is mounting and Europeans have been arrested over alleged involvement (ABC);   solidarity in France with Iranian protests (F24);   University students are protesting and being violently suppressed (TG);   schoolgirls are also protesting (TG) - and the mother of one who died has accused authorities of murder;   the EU is considering sanctions (F24);   an assessment of the prospects of the protests having an effect (TG);  
  
• far right (fascist) chants and rowdy behaviour has seen some people ejected from a sporting event (TND) and led to an investigation by the sports organisation (SBS);   
• the US government has been asked by a judge if it thinks Saudi Arabia’s prince should be given diplomatic immunity over the brutal murder of a journalist (TG);   fairy tales and inclusion-exclusion (TC);   a suggested way to better handle the gang crisis in El Salvador (ICG);   peace talks with the largest remaining rebel group in Colombia will resume soon (TG);   questions as to why more serious charges were not laid by Qld police against a man who made violent threats against a mosque (TG);   courage being shown by women in Afghanistan (HRW);   a horrific mass murder at a kindergarten in Thailand (TND);   a call to make suicide prevention in Africa a priority (UN);   Spain has a passed a law designed to bring justice to victims of former despot Franco (TG);   a call for Sudan to not be re-elected to the HRC (DS);  
   
• human rights are at risk or abuses have occurred in:   Liberia (HRW),   USA (TG);
  
  
• violence in:   Somalia (AN),   eastern DRC (The Economist),   Afghanistan (F24),   Nigeria (HmA);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   a Rohingya refugee is taking legal action (YT - AI) against a social media platform over its role (YT - AI) in spreading hate that enabled the genocide;   an atrocity alert for Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Burma (GCR2P);  
  
  
• noting Article 6 (1) of the ICCPR,   Article 6 of the CRC,   Articles 15 and 17 of the CRPD,   and   Articles 7 and 43 of the DRIP on the RIGHT to LIFE and PERSONAL INTEGRITY:   the history of abolition, reinstatement and abolition again of the death penalty in PNG (Lowy);  
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   a US-focused article on the overreach and abuse of border control powers (LFB);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   some good news from the sporting world (TG);   an ex-NSW police officer has revealed he saw - in the past - methodological attacks by NSW police (Star);   neo-nazis have targetted a family-friendly gathering that included drag performers (Star);   powerful theologically based support from my home state’s Premier against religious figures trying to support bigotry in non-religious organisations (TG);  
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   what is needed for truth telling in education (TC);   criticism of caricatures Asian women in films (TG);   “Anangu-Tjutaku becomes nationally protected Country” (SBS);   research into “better” responses to racism (tNT);   murder rates of Indigenous women in Australia are eight times higher than non-Indigenous women (TG);  
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    NSW and Qld police failures over a gang rape in the 90s (TG) - see also this (TG);   an opinion that Qld police’s reputation is at stake over DV failures (TG) - see also this, on allegations that Qld police taught racism and raped trainees (those allegations have not been tested, and are extremely serious - I am staggered at the second, but many police have a history of racism, so I am unsurprised at the first) (TG);   
• “Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech has empowered me – to speak up about her government’s shortcomings. Legislation passed on the day the then PM delivered her slap-down has forced single-mother families into dire poverty” (TG);    “widespread abuse in US women’s soccer league” (DW);   unconscionable menstruation bans in India (DW);  
  more sexism issues:   climate change (UN),   Venezuela (mining) (TG),   South Korea (DW); 
  
  
• noting Article 7 of the ICCPR,   and   the CAT on TORTURE:   “torture is ‘widespread’ and likely underestimated in DR Congo” (UN);  
  
  
• 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:   human trafficking in the war affected north of Ethiopia (UN);  
  
  
• noting Articles 2 (1) (also noting this, this, this, and this), 3, 7, 14 (see here and here), 15, 16, and 26 of the ICCPR,   Articles 3, 5 (a), and 6 (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Articles 2, 12 (2), 37, 39, and 40 of the CRC,   Articles 5, 12, 13, and 14 of the CRPD,   and   Articles 1 - 2, 7 (2), 8 (2) (c), 9 - 10, 12 (2), 20 (2), 27, and 40 of the DRIP on the JUDICIARY / JUSTICE SYSTEM:   a call to remember the victims in truce crime shows (TBS);  a Melbourne magistrate has ignored a contrary report to find a “13-year-old should stand trial for murder ... based on psychologist’s opinion boy has mental capacity to form criminal intent” (TG);   
  
  
• noting the CRC on CHILDREN:   “a former ADF Special Operations intelligence analyst who is now an expert on countering violent extremism says Australian children brought out of Syrian refugee camps will require intensive support to successfully integrate into the community” (TG);   Nigeria will end the detention and abuse of children by its military (HRW);   “Sudan faces [a] ‘generational catastrophe’ as millions of children miss school” (TG);   
  
  
• noting the CRPD on PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:   preferred language for autism (SBS);   an airline has backed down after initially refusing to repair damage it caused to a wheelchair (SBS) - see also this on airport ineptness (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:   the pandemic is a reminder that all workers need sick leave (TG);   “‘modern-day slavery’: Kenyan domestic workers tell of abuse in Saudi Arabia ” (TG);  
  
  
• 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:    privatisation led to a decline in maintenance and improvements at a housing block and a death that was undetected (ABC);  
  

(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:   Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project - ACLED;   Aeon Magazine - Aeon;   Africa Centre for Strategic Studies - ACSS;   Africa News - AN;   Al Jazeera - AJ;   Amnesty International - AI;   Associated Press - AP;   Australian Associated Press - AAP;   Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC;   Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility - ACCR;   Australian Independent Media Network - AIMN;   Australian Unions - AU;   Barrons;   Bellingcat (B);   Bloomberg - BB;   Brisbane Times - BT;   British Broadcasting Commission - BBC;   Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - BAS;   Cable News Network - CNN;   Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - CBC;   Centre for Strategic and International Studies - CSIS;   Committee to Protect Journalists - CPJ;   the (US) Council on Foreign Relations (CFR);   Crikey - C [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   mainstream media - MSM;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Mirage News - MN;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   New York Times - NYT [$];   News24;   North Africa Post - NAP;   Out in Perth - OiP;   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Premium Times Nigeria - PT;   Q News - QN;   Quartz - Q;   Radio France International - rfi;   Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE);   Reuters - R;   Robert Reich - RR;   (Bruce) Schneier - Sch;   Special Broadcasting Service - SBS;   Star Observer - Star;   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 National Tribune - tNT;   The New Daily - TND;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Sentry - TS;   The Shot - TS;   Thomson Reuters Foundation - TRF;   United Nations - UN;   Voice of America - VoA;   Wall Street Journal - WSJ [$];   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$];   Yahoo News - Yahoo; YouTube - YT;