Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Saturday, 7th January 2023

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.

• an examination of the possibility of human extinction (YT);   staying safe in other animal’s worlds (TC);   “number of populist world leaders at 20-year low” (TG), which is good as they can’t govern (TG), and the massive threat they have created to governance in the USA is an example of their self (CNN) destructiveness (TG);   why repressive regimes jailing opponents often doesn't work (PVG);   an opinion that the cause of the USA’s mental health crises is white patriarchy (which I consider applies to other nations as well, to varying extents) (M);   the problem of overconsumption (TC);   a social media site that has been changed to allow hate speech on the basis of its owner’s perceptions of (US) law limits may run foul of more restrictive French laws (LFB);   noise pollution (TG);   an opinion on why “millennials” are not becoming more conservative with age (I consider this only part of the story: there has also been effective advocacy for increased and more genuine caring - and this trend is not unique to the generation examined: officially I am supposed to be a boomer, but have NEVER felt comfortable with the values my generation is supposed to espouse - and I have become more radical as I age) (TG);   “please don’t rehab Pope Benedict. God’s Rottweiler pushed cruelty” (M);   “we can’t let them continue to say “traditional values” instead of “hate”” (M);   several US states have passed anti-homeless laws (TG);   displaced Tigrayans fear return over what Ethiopia/Tigray may become (TG);   from a Matt Hodges on Mastodon: “"what are we going to do about job applicants using AIs to misrepresent their abilities?" is an interesting question. And, "What human-hostile processes are we about to invent to force people prove they are, in fact, people?" is an even more interesting question”;   “a simple thought experiment can tell if Black Lives really matter to you” (M);  
  
• on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• the benefits of solar power for a couple over nearly four decades of living in an isolated location (ABC);   after the passage of new UK laws restricting protests, Extinction Rebellion in the UK will temporarily (ABC) cease disruptive (TG) protests, as could (TND) the Australian branch, to “encourage greater participation” (also cited by the UK branch) (Chenoweth and Stevens research found that nonviolent movements had greater participation: in this case, Extinction Rebellion were not violent, but the responses were, so the point is valid);   “New York governor legalizes human composting after death” (now for the rest of the world - I’d take that option if I could) (TG);   “more than 2,400 lives will be lost to bushfires in Australia over a decade, experts predict” (TG) - see also this, on one person’s experience of trauma after major fires (TG);   unusually hot conditions in Europe’s winter (TG);   a study revealed that “consumers financially penalised firms for greenwashing – but not if those firms were [already] stigmatised as ... big polluters” (TC);  “climate change is leaving African elephants desperate for water” (TC);   “NSW forests could become net carbon emitters in coming decades, report finds” (TG);   investors are pressuring manufacturers to stop making persistent toxic chemicals (TG);  
  
• climate / environmental issues have also occurred in:   Antarctica (tourism) (TC),   domestic violence (WP [$]),   Zimbabwe (Q),   agriculture (spray drift) (ABC),   Tunisia (rfi);
  
  
• 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: 
• “COVID-19 pandemic: virus still in front of attempts to curb it” (TA);   as Taiwan offers aid (F24), more (TG) nations (F24) are imposing (TND) COVID test requirements on travellers (and aircraft wastewater (TG)) from China (against medical advice, in the case of Australia (TG)), which may lead to retaliation (TND) - see also this (TG), this (UN) call for more transparency and data (TG), and this indication that deaths in China are under-reported (TG);   an opinion that “Xi Jinping’s reputation in China and his standing in the world may not survive this COVID disaster” (TG);   although we’re much better off than other nations, we still experienced 17% more deaths from COVID last year (SMH);  
  
  
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
  
• two helicopters collided in Australia (TG);   a crowd crush in my home city (TG);   another "bomb cyclone" in the USA (F24);      record (TG) flooding in the Kimberley region (TG) of WA (TND) - road trains will be allowed to transport in aid (TND), which is needed urgently (NIT), and “Kimberley locals team up to rescue 'living treasure' Ngurrara Canvas artwork” (NIT);   several drownings at beaches in Australia (which, for those in the northern hemisphere who need to be told this, is experiencing summer) (TG);   an appeal to the Security Council to “extend a deal guaranteeing cross-border aid access to northwest Syria, that’s due to expire in eight days” (UN);  
  
  
• 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 has indicated he will continue his war in Ukraine (TND);   the experience of Russian mercenaries in Ukraine (TG);   assessments suggest a recent strike by Ukraine show military incompetence in Russia (F24);  
  
• on the nuclear (weapons and power) situations:   a review of the state of nuclear arms control (DW);   “in addressing Russia’s attacks on Zaporizhzhia, look to Africa” (LFB);  
  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   “how Russia’s war on Ukraine is worsening global starvation” (NYT [$]);  
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• the United Nations General Assembly has voted (ABC) “to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an opinion (F24) on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories” - see also this (AJ);   a provocative (AJ) visit (TG) by an Israeli right wing government minister to a mosque (ABC) site ;   an examination of the US role in growing tensions between Greece and Turkiye (WotR);   Burkina Faso is changing its alignment away from France and towards Russia (F24);  
  
• 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:   assessment here (TG) and here (ICG) of conflicts to watch globally in 2023;   “EU calls on Rwanda to stop supporting M23 rebels in DR Congo” (AJ);   the “Sudanese army has equipped a joint security-keeping force to protect civilians in Darfur, ahead of its deployment in the restive region two years after the signing of a peace agreement” (ST);   Sudan and South Sudan are cooperating to act against against arms smuggling (ST);  
  
• incidents / action of concern in/regarding:   North Korea (DW),   Syria-Israel (DW);
   
• on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring), MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT and THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM: 
• a blatant liar who admitted to his lies will still be sworn in to the US Congress (TG);   “senior Philippine police urged to resign to ‘cleanse’ force” (AJ);   the UK is thinking about returning the stolen Parthenon marbles (DW), and talking with Mauritius about the occupied Chagos Islands (rfi);   “Saudi Arabia jails two Wikipedia staff in ‘bid to control content’” (TG);   “despite risk-management gaps, countries press ahead with new labs that study deadly pathogens” (BAS);   the UK is acting to restrict strikes (CNN);  
  
• concerns around past/current/potential corruption/misgovernance also in   Senegal (AN);
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   “Ghana warns against alarmist New Year prophecies” (DW);   challenges facing the EU (DW), the incoming government in Brazil (DW) - see also this (SBS), and the Albanese government in Australia (TND);   a call for the UK government to stop denying the devastation caused by Brexit (TG);   a “Republican says he ‘fears for the future’ if [former POTUS45] is not charged over” the 6^th Jan., 2021 attempted insurrection (TG);   a 30 year history shows the benefits - and needs for tweaking - of New Zealand’s multi-member proportional election system (TC);   “the surprising way restricting immigration can turn out to hurt the working poor” (TC);   one third of the world’s economy may experience recession this year (TG);   “US reiterates pledge to support Sudanese people’s demand for democracy” (ST) - and “in a bid to break the political stalemate between a number of political groups in Sudan over important but thorny in the Final Agreement on the coming transitional period, Egypt has presented a new platform for dialogue between the parties” (DS);   a short social media call for the Internet to be treated as public infrastructure (social media - Mastodon);   “learning from Ghana’s multistakeholder approach to cyber security” ACSS;   democracy in the USA continues to be held to ransom by right wing extremists members of the Congress (F24);   protests at the removal of a president who attempted a coup continue in Peru (F24);   Tanzania’s six year ban on opposition rallies has been (DW) lifted (AP);   opposition parties will be allowed to campaign in Benin’s election (AN);   US concerns about AUKUS (ABC);   Sudan’s civilian groups are divided over Egyptian mediation with the military junta (DS);  
• in Australia:   as some TAFE education is made free (SBS) and “Australia’s income support increase is [described as] woefully inadequate and barely dents the spiralling cost of living” (TG), a report finds that the “cost of living has become the ‘highest’ risk factor to Australian suicide rates” (Vice);   “Sikh organisations across Australia have criticised recent coverage by [a conservative MSM outlet] which they claim is an attempt to place their community in “bad light” by linking it to terrorism. At least three members of parliament have shared similar sentiments, with one calling on the newspaper to retract the article and issue a public apology” (SBS);   “NSW RSL clubs under fire from members for ‘tone deaf’ push back against gambling reforms” (TG);   “new data on Australia’s ageing population and shrinking workforce should push the government to review the stage-three tax cuts, independent senator David Pocock has said” (TG);   “more men want to be stay-at-home dads and better fathers. ... They just need policies to speed that process” (TG);   the medical profession considers Medicare rebates need to double (TG);  
  
• suppression of dissent / media in   Algeria (AP),   USA (The Nation),   Iran (DW);
  democracy is also at risk in   Venezuela (F24),   Bolivia (ABC),   Türkiye (DW); 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC): 
• “social media firms are under fire ... for allowing the spread of misinformation by followers of [a] “king of toxic masculinity” ... after his arrest in connection with a human trafficking investigation ... [the] chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said: “Having conspiracy theories proliferating which might put at risk the integrity of an investigation or the safety of those involved is unconscionable” ” (TG);    “US museum returns looted ancient sarcophagus to Egypt” (TG);   Israeli settlers are forcibly stopping Palestinians accessing green spaces (AJ);   a call for arbitrary detention everywhere to end “once and for all” (UN);   the arrest of a senior drug criminal in Mexico has led to a massive (AP) outbreak *R) of egregious (ABC) violence (TG);    the family of a US Capitol police officer who died because of the 6th Jan 2021 insurrection is suing former POTUS45 (ABC);   “‘urgent need’ for more accountability from social media giants to curb hate speech: UN experts” (UN);   “new US border measures ‘not in line with international standards’, warns UNHCR” (UN);  
  
• human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred in:   Mali (AP),   Libya (AP),   China’s fishing vessels (BBC),   China (DW);
  
• violence in:   Mexico (ABC),   Germany (DW),   West Bank (AJ),   Burkina Faso (AJ),   Kashmir (AJ),   Somaliland (R),   Somalia (news24);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   “in the lead-up to the 2022 UN Day Against Genocide and the UN Day of Human Rights ... members of the Jewish community joined in appropriate events of solidarity with our First Nations Peoples to commemorate the brave action of Aboriginal leader, William Cooper” (J-Wire);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   while claiming to be inclusive another transphobic sporting organisation has done the exact opposite (QN);   more on the flawed ideology of transphobes (M);   a billionaire’s transphobic abuse on a social media platform appears to have personal causation (M);   the gross hypocrisy of some notoriously homophobic priests who turn out to be gay - often while indulging in their vile abuse (M);   transgender toxic femininity (this, framed as reinforcing stereotypes, is something I knew about while transitioning - and was part of the reason that I decided not to pass) (M);   “how trauma may affect the lives of LGBTIQA+ people and what they can do about it” (Crossdreamers);   some animals are transgender (Crossdreamers);   neochristian transphobic hate in a workplace (M);  
  more LGBTIQA+ issues:   Kenya (AP) - see also this (CNN);
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   more on the experience of racism at sporting events (SMH);   a famous actor could be facing calls to pay reparations over his family’s slavery-derived inherited wealth - as could others (TND);   conservatives have shown their bias and/or lack of comprehension of the reality of racism, including structural racism, by objecting to social media refusing to run "no" ads that told lies (my word choice) (TND);   “France’s African ex-soldiers win last battle - over pensions” (AP);   “the mother of [an Indigenous teenager who died recently] has accepted a volunteer advisory role with Western Australia’s police to help victims of crime” (NIT);  
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    micro-accommodations to offset microaggressions (TC);   “shock in India as woman reportedly dragged by car for hour after collision” (TG);   a mass murder and suicide by a US man in response to a divorce application (TG);  
  more sexism issues:   USA (ABC),   Sudan (Okay Africa);
  
  
• noting the laws listed here, the conventions listed here, and principles discussed here, here, here, here, and here, on the RIGHTS OF ANIMALS:   13 bison were killed after a traffic accident in a US national Park (TG);   criticism of planning for a cull of kangaroos for not allowing for deaths of kangaroos in flooding (TG);   the egregious savagery of extremists in Nigeria extends to animals as well (HA);   
  
  
• 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:   “if you feel anger about our prison system then you’re feeling something precious. Do not let it go” (TG);   “National Aboriginal justice taskforce needed to tackle youth justice crisis - top law expert” (NIT);   “what Australia can learn from Europe's prosecution of returned IS wives” (there are multiple aspects to this, including the welfare of younger children, and the active involvement of older children [above the age of criminal responsibility] in violent extremism) (ABC);   one woman’s lies about grooming show the vital importance of the presumption of innocence, and the evils of mob justice/gossip (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:   “flexible working hours can advance economies and businesses while helping employees and families achieve a better work-life balance, according to a new report launched by the International Labour Organisation” (UN);  
  
  
• 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:    “Canada introduces ban on foreigners buying property, allows exceptions for refugees and permanent residents” (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;   Climate Change News - CCN;   Committee to Protect Journalists - CPJ;   Context - CT;   the (US) Council on Foreign Relations (CFR);   Crikey - C [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Globe Echo - GE;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Just Equal - JE;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Mail & Guardian - MG;   mainstream media - MSM;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Minority Rights Group - MRG;   Mirage News - MN;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Television - NITV;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   New York Times - NYT [$];   News24;   North Africa Post - NAP;   Openly - Op;   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 (Nigerian) Guardian - TG-N;   The Monthly - TM;   The National Tribune - tNT;   The New Daily - TND;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Sentry - TS;   The Shot - TS;   Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA;   United Nations - UN;   Voice of America - VoA;   Wall Street Journal - WSJ [$];   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$];   Wikipedia - WP;   Yahoo News - Yahoo; YouTube - YT.

Note: news sources are never perfectly accurate or good - for instance, some have been transphobic (which is why I may, for instance, cancel email subscriptions), but may be good in other areas (e.g., racism) - and attributes may vary depending on region. I do NOT provide an unqualified endorsement of ANY of the media sources I use.

Finally, remember: in general, we need to be more human being rather than human doing.