Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Saturday, 28th 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. For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]).

• the Doomsday Clock has advanced to 90 seconds to midnight (BAS);   following Jacinda Ardern’s recent resignation, a thoughtful reflection on the unrealistic expectations of and inexcusable, increasingly abusive, violent, sexist and misogynistic commentary on leaders - especially those showing strong, compassionate leadership (TC);   a social media platform has, against all responsibility, decency and common sense, reinstated former POTUS45 (Alternet) - see also this (TG);   “Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel prize-winning Keynesian economist, has called for the super-rich to be subjected to [special worldwide] taxes as high as 70% to help tackle widening inequality. ... “People at the top might work a little bit less if you tax them more. But on the other hand, our society gains in having a more egalitarian, cohesive society”” (TG);   “imperialist appropriation in the world economy: Drain from the global South through unequal exchange, 1990–2015” (Science Direct);   as the world experiences an ageing population, a call to end the five day working week (TG) - which would make working longer more sustainable;   the “‘carbon pirates’ preying on Amazon’s Indigenous communities” (TG);   a powerful criticism of layoffs as potentially killing people - and ineffective (Stanford);   “gender indoctrination begins at birth ... children are exposed to norms and stereotypes right from the beginning” (I have observed and commented this often, and for a long time - it is something most strenuously denied by those who wish to indulge in such stereotypes, people who often falsely claim to be unbiased) (M);   recommendations on how to talk to conspiracy fantasists with a view to encouraging change (TC);   DEI is “now broadly endorsed in Australian organisations. But ... while programs for women and some racial minorities are being embraced, ... social class is ignored, and people with invisible, subtle or complex diversities are seldom considered” (TC);   egregiously vicious and extremist transphobic laws in the USA constitute an attempt to wipe out TGD people (TG);   more openly committed right wing offences in my home state (I trust the photo has been passed along to the police) (Star);   the misogyny of the cult known as “the military” (TC);   thoughts on looking after mental health (JW);   a psychologists view that procrastination does not exist (M);   a view that being vulnerable is not possible for members of minorities and others who do not have safe spaces (M);   in a statement of the bleedin’ obvious, “personality traits could predict those prone to prejudice” (Oregon University);  
• on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• a fossil fuel company will seek compensation from climate crisis protestors for alleged physical damage in Germany (DW);   an assessment of management options for an introduced pest fish species (TC);   anger after a film company is given permission to completely shut down Sydney harbour bridge when a shorter one lane disruption led to an egregious sentencing of a climate crisis protestor (TND);   a debunking of the fantastical claims that Greta Thunberg’s arrest was staged (who was the biased, unprofessional, bating “journo”?) (F24);   community batteries (ABC);   “the world’s carbon price is a fraction of what we need – because only a fifth of global emissions are priced” (TC);   a critique of financing (CT);   “Australian councils told to cut emissions rather than spend millions on overseas carbon offsets” (TG);   a call to rewild Tasmania with emus (TC);   mini-forests in Paris, France (F24);   the environmental impact of less snow (DW);   radioactive waste in Niger (rfi);   seaweed cultivation (TG);  
  
• climate / environmental issues have also occurred in:   warfare (TC),   NZ (TC),   lithium mining (Lowy),   Cape Verde (UN),   air travel for sport (TG),   Iran (F24),   UK (as a water professional, there is NO excuse for that sort of pollution) (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: 
• China is making good progress at getting all adults vaccinated (UN);   a German government Minister has confirmed the dangers of COVID (JW);   why elimination should be the default strategy for future pandemics (TC);   “COVID’s long tail: ongoing health and economic impacts” (YT);   risk of autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID (NLM);   “get ready for the Pandemicene” (JW);   COVID roulette (TG);  
  
  
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
  
• “an innovative project seeking to develop climate resilience, self-sufficiency and the empowerment of vulnerable rural communities in southern Madagascar, could offer a game-changing template for future humanitarian work” (UN);   a building collapse in Syria (ABC);   freezing weather in Afghanistan (ABC);   heatwave in South Africa (NA);   two thirds of Yemenis still need aid (UN);   cholera in Malawi (AJ);   floods in New Zealand (TG);   a humanitarian crisis is likely being experienced in North Korea (DW);  
  
  
• 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 (RS) of the risks of western nations/NATO providing tanks to Ukraine - which is part of the reason for delays (RS), although Germany won’t stop Poland providing German tanks (DW) - see also these (largely US-focused) questions for western leaders (RS) and this, on criticism of the delay from within Germany (DW), and this assessment of the disagreement (TC) ... and now the USA (TG) and Germany (TG) will supply their tanks;   the war is at a stalemate on three fronts (DW);   an assessment that Putin will only give up on Ukraine when his inner circle tells him to (TG);   the brutal tactics of Russia’ s informal military (CNN) - see also this (TC);   Russia could conscript more soldiers (ABC);   an ongoing assessment of the violence (ACLED);   an intense Russian attack is underway (DW);  
  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   the USA will designate Russia’s notorious mercenary  group as a transnational criminal organisation (F24);   a summary (HRW) - see also this (HRW);  
• inside Russia:   potential Russian conscripts are fleeing to Türkiye (DW);  
• internationally:   the USA is hinting it may support Ukraine recovering Crimea - which may be a ploy to aid negotiation (RS);   the relationship between Estonia and Russia has become tense (TND);   Russia is now also building military ties with South Africa (DW);   “British lawyers were given government dispensation to bypass sanctions” (yes, all people deserve a robust and effective defence, but when that involves breaching sanctions I consider there is cause for debate - especially for this type of case, which has questions about imbalance of power anyway) (TG);   more Russian supporters have been causing problems - again (threatening security officers) - at a major sporting event in Australia (TG);  
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• Türkiye “cancels Swedish minister's visit ... in response to Sweden's decision to allow a far-right protest near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. Sweden needs [Türkiye's] approval to join the NATO military alliance” (allowing  right wing protest is of concern, so this is one case I am with Türkiye) (DW) - see also this assessment of Türkiye's possible blocking Sweden and Finland joining NATO (RS) ... and now some fools have burned a Koran so that’s possibly all finished (F24);   “Arab citizens across the Middle East and North Africa continue to view Israel and the United States as the primary threats to their country’s security, and opposition to normalization with the Jewish state remains high, according to the 2022 Arab Opinion Index” (RS);   Brazil’s new President will try to repair relations with Argentina (F24);   after being told to ensure fair journalism, Morocco will “reconsider” ties with the EU (F24);   six nations lost voting rights and three were given exemptions over unpaid membership dues (Africa Feeds) - after which one decided to pay (ST);   under the junta in power in Burma the drug industry to flourishing (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:   “Eritrean troops seen leaving towns in Ethiopia’s Tigray” (DW);   India is arming villagers in Jammu and Kashmir (DW);   in a dangerous escalation (ICG), Rwanda has fired at a military jet landing in DRC (TEA);   the trauma rebels are leaving in eastern DRC (DW);   Burkina Faso has ordered French troops out (F24);   a peace process has started in Cameroon (VoA);   the Colombia peace process needs to include women (PVG);  
  
• incidents / action of concern in/regarding:   Sudan (ST);
   
• on CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring), MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT and THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM: 
• the collapse of Afghanistan’s legal system is being described as “human rights catastrophe” (UN);   the “horrific acts of London police officer are a flashing warning light” (CNN);   the former Republican Vice President of the USA has now been found to classified documents at his house (F24);   staggering admissions of false statements (why are these not described that way?) about RoboDebt (ABC) - see also this (ABC);   an Australian soldier has been removed from a secret international military programme for sexual harassment that endangered our participation in it (ABC);  
• concerns around past/current/potential corruption/misgovernance also in   Ukraine (TND),   Israel (F24);
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   concerningly, more classified documents are being found at US President Biden’s residences (TG);   “huge (ABC) protest (TG) in Israel over [their] rightwing government’s judicial changes”;   white supremacists on trial for their alleged remember: innocent until proven guilty) involvement in the USA’s 2021 attempted insurrection are unhappy that former POTRUS45 has not been charged - and are using that in their defence (TG);   a backgrounder on the protests in Peru (TC);   “Tanzania opposition holds first rally in six years” (AJ);   “major Arab states boycotted a ministerial meeting hosted by Libya's interim government” (Libya remains divided) (TG);   “US charges three in Iran-linked plot to assassinate journalist” (as always, innocent until proven guilty) (AJ);  
  
• in Australia:   “the crown owns no land” (TSP);   on 26^th January, which has NOT always been on the current date (TC): see this (NIT), this (TG),   this (TC),   this (TG),   this (Indigenous flag allowed to be flown at half mast) (TG), and this (TG);   legal cases involving national security issues may be more transparent in the future (TG);  
  
• suppression of dissent / media in   India (DW),   Hong Kong (DW),   Cameroon (DW),   Russia (TG);
  democracy is also at risk in   eSwatini (NA); 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):  
  
• another (DW) mass (TND) gun (TG) shooting in the USA ... and (TG) another (TND) - see also this (TG);   an assessment of measures in one US city that reduced gun violence (The Baltimore Banner);   an expert assessment supports banning the white supremacist salute (TC);   MPs from several parties have called for Australia to sign up to the nuclear weapon ban treaty (TG);   when people do wrong or evil, their psychological victims may also include people close to them (TG);   the over 60 women and children who were recently kidnapped in Burkina Faso have been released (TG);   “court case highlights concerns over patients being held unlawfully in WA hospitals” (ABC);   Brazil’s current President has accused his predecessor of genocide against an Amazonian tribe (TG);   criticism of the EU’s approach to promoting human rights in Asia (an important point here, too, is that, at some stage, those being sensitive about this will have to change) (DW);   Qld is taking action against hate crimes (TG) ... but also falling into the “tough on crime” mistake regarding young offenders (TG);   serious questions about the US practice of having police in schools (YT - NYT);   “is violence driving doctors in [West Asia] to emigrate?” (DW);   “rape survivor wins case against ‘cruel and inhumane’ state of Bolivia” (TG);   a school in India has announced a “menstrual holiday for students ... [and] a puberty lab for adolescent students that includes a menstrual clinic, puberty hygiene training, puberty counselling, sanitary pad making and sexual health awareness programmes” (TH);   sanctions have improved human rights in Bangladesh (Lowy);   “five officers charged over Tyre Nichols’ death” (as asked on social media: was this because the officers were black? Will white police officers doing the same also now be charged?) (TND);   a mass killing by Israeli forces in the West Bank (AJ), and a mass killing at a Jerusalem synagogue (ABC) as a Melbourne University has adopted a definition of antisemitism that prohibits criticism of Israel (TG);   “UK teenager sentenced over far-right videos that inspired US killers” (TG);  
  
• human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred in:   UK (TG),   the fight against violent extremism (UN),   Haiti (police are overwhelmed) (UN) - see also this (F24);
  
• violence in:   France (TG),   Somalia (rfi),   Germany (DW),   Nigeria (AA),   public transport in Toronto, Canada (TG);
  
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   an atrocity alert has been issued for Burma, and Venezuela, and noting International Holocaust Remembrance Day (GCR2P);   “Rohingya are drowning at sea. Asia’s leaders are to blame” (AJ);   “top UN body asks what more can be done to stop genocide, atrocity crimes” (UN);  
  more genocide / mass atrocity issues:   Namibia-Germany (DW);
  
  
• noting Article 6 (4) (5) (6) of the ICCPR,   this, and this on the DEATH PENALTY:   two lead executioners of a US state have been fired for not following that state’s protocols on execution (TG);  
  
  
• noting Article 7 of the ICCPR,   and   the CAT on TORTURE:   we’ve missed the (already twice extended) deadline to meet our international obligation to implement torture prevention bodies (TC);  
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   the EU will bully nations into taking back rejected asylum seekers - irrespective of human rights aspects (TG);  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   “this world cup, the biggest loser was LGBTQ+ people in [West Asia] and North Africa” (as the email sending me this article said: “a thoughtful, thought-provoking and powerful article [and] a great reminder about how to do  - and not do -  allyship overall”) (Cairo52);   “Cambodia positioned to fully integrate LGBT people into society, UN expert says” (UN);   as the neochristian Anglican church apologises (Op) to LGBTIQA+ people, the neochristian pope has called for an end (TG) to the criminalisation (TND) of being LGBTIQA+ - see also this assessment of the frustrations to the pope signalling support but not doing enough (M);   Europe moves towards trans self ID (Op);  
  more LGBTIQA+ issues:   USA (LGBT Nation);
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   a grave warning that “reconciliation [will be] ‘lost forever’ without Voice” (TND) - and the neoliberals are deliberately aiming to sow doubt and confusion - “if the Coalition supported a voice to parliament enshrined in the constitution, it would have said so a long time ago” (TG) - but their antics will harm them next election (SBS): also,   a call more nuance in the referendum on the Voice (TG),   the special responsibility of the media (TG), the Voice will not harm Indigenous sovereignty (TG), the architect of the Uluru statement is still confident (TG);   after an alcohol ban was allowed to lapse despite warnings by a previous government, a crime wave has led to reinstitution of bans and the possibility of community decisions (TND), but more (TC) is (TG) needed (TG), although NOT military (NIT) - and a comment is made that the Voice could possibly have prevented the problem (TG) - see also this (Crikey);   “pedestrian deaths are declining in other states but still rising in the NT, where every victim last year was Aboriginal” (TG);   NATSILS is taking legal action to close the legal gap (NIT);  
  more racism issues:   Tanzania (TG);
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    a “UN delegation [has told the misogynistic violent extremists in control of Afghanistan] to end confinement, deprivation, abuse of women’s rights” (UN) - see also this personal story (DW);   staggering outdated sexism from a British media outlet (Snopes);   yet more fat-phobic misogyny in sport (CNN);   women in Sierra Leone can now own land without fear (Q)
  more sexism issues:   Moldova (DW),   India (DW);
  
  
• noting the laws listed here, the conventions listed here, and principles discussed here, here, here, here, and here, on the RIGHTS OF ANIMALS:   fines over avoidable animal deaths (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:   “if you haven’t joined a union, it’s time you paid to benefit from union deals” (this is not a new idea - I’ve been advocating for it since the 80s) (TC);   “‘red flags’ raised over scheme to allow families of Pacific Island workers to join them in Australia” (TG);   a worker at a meats processing factory in the USA (which has a history of OHS problems) was sacked, ordered to finish his shift - which involved using a knife, then killed by police for being armed - after which other workers had to continue (TG);   support for a four day working week in Wales (TG);   “why AI surveillance at work leads to perverse outcomes” (Aeon);   “loyal workers are selectively and ironically targeted for exploitation” (Science Direct);   
  
  
• 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 real estate agent made a demand for increased rent AGAINST the wishes of the landlord (ABC);   a criticism of affordable housing policies (TND);   
   
• more sensitive, human-focused terms in Egyptian museums for ancient human remains (CNN);  
  

(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;   All Africa - AA;   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 [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Globe Echo - GE;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Jessica Wildfire (Substack) - JW;   Just Equal - JE;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Mail & Guardian - MG;   mainstream media - MSM;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Minority Rights Group - MRG;   Mirage News - MN;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Television - NITV;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   New York Times - NYT [$];   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);   Religion News Service - RNS;   Responsible Statecraft - RS;   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 and over time. 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.