Going on pause: Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Wednesday 26th July, 2023

After many years of doing my weekly news and reading posts, with a pause or two along the way, I have decided to pause the weekly news posts here, and the reading posts on my spirituality blog, commencing with an early posting of an incomplete weekly post, so I can concentrate on other forms of writing (particularly more in-depth comment and books), and other activities as I move into retirement - which will also aid me in looking after my health.

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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. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. 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]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/.  

Black Lives Matter! Be Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist, and Actively Inclusive in ALL Areas.
Vote Yes for the Voice in Australia.
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).

• on ISSUES OF MAJOR GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE and/or ACROSS MULTIPLE CATEGORIES: 
• an article on the nuclear war risk aspect of the war in Ukraine - with a review of some of the times humanity has come close to the brink before.
  We now also have the existential risk of the climate crisis and also the gross mishandling of the COVID pandemic, but against that we’ve also got the good examples of people like Vasili Arkhipov and the diplomacy during the Cuban missile crisis, mentioned in the article, and ICAN, whose work led to the nuclear weapons ban, Greta and others  (including https://rebellion.global/ and the scientists who have been warning us), and those who have been campaigning against the denialism and incompetence shown in the pandemic. We, humanity, are in a perilous situation as a result of a few of us (who are often associated with bigotry as well, IMO), but, as I read somewhere recently, it is part of being human to keep trying - as an example, ICAN's entry page has a link labelled “take action”;         “the SAG-AFTRA strikes push for significant change in AI’s use, lest we lose any semblance of societal representation in the media we consume” (TBS) - see also here (TND);   “Google’s chief health officer has urged caution about what AI can do and what its limits should be” (TG);         increasing concerns about loneliness (TND) - see also here (TC), here (ABC), here (Andrew Giles, MP), and here (Monash University);         a book review: “‘greed is amoral’: how Wall Street supermen cashed in on pandemic misery and chaos” (TC);         the benefits of bus learning (TG);      also see below on the crisis in Israel,   and   the northern hemisphere heatwave and wildfire crisis;
• 
  
• on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• more onshore wind energy in Germany (JC);   “carbon dioxide must be removed from the atmosphere to avoid the horrible consequences of 2 degrees of warming, or more, and the only way to do that is with trees” (TND);   “Canada tests the world's first hydrogen-powered passenger train” (whether this is good or not depends on how the hydrogen is being generated) (F24);   more terraforming foolishness - this time solar geoengineering (DW);         glide poles (good news) (TC);  
  
• climate / environmental issues have also occurred in:   Guam (introduced species) (TG),   the forgotten Amazon basin in Bolivia (JC),   Cameroon (rfi);
  
  
• on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter) including COVID-19 AND OTHER PANDEMICS: 
• the northern hemisphere heatwave and wildfire crisis has this week included evacuations (TG) in Greece (LM) (see also here (F24), here (TND), here (DW), here (TG)) - and rubberneckers (TG), planes in the USA limiting take-off weights (TG), increased efforts at rain-making in Mexico (TG), a law suit over a workplace death from heatstroke (MJ), despair and resentment from climate scientists at being ignored and seeing their predictions come to be (TC);         the global food system is broken, says the UN (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: 
• the “West must focus on preparing Ukraine’s troops – or we will all pay the price” (TG);  
  
• on the nuclear (weapons and power) situations:   see link and commentary above;  
• on human rights in the region and globally:   more criticism of Russia for its life-threatening breaking of the Black Sea grain deal (WP [$] ^TP );  
• inside russia:   a major western corporation which said it continued operating inside Russia to protect its employees and brand has also said it will comply with Russian conscription of its employees (TG);
   
• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• the history of Greek-Türkiye relations (DW);  
  
  
• 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:   the war (news 24) and violence (AP) are continuing in Sudan;  
  
  
• incidents / action of concern in/regarding:   nuclear (F24) tensions (F24) on the Korean (R) peninsula (P);
  
  
• on DEMOCRACY, SOVEREIGNTY / SELF-DETERMINATION, AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• globally:   as, in  crisis described as a civil war (JC) and a third juncture of its existence (CSIS), demonstrations against court (TG) system (TG) changes (F24) in Israel continue (TG), over 1,000 army reservists (including 400 pilots) announced (LM) they would not serve if the changes were adopted - which would threaten (JC) Israel’s military security/viability (JC);   Israel has created a new national guard to use against Palestinians (JC);         “President Emmanuel Macron ... asked his government to draw lessons from recent riots sparked by the police shooting of a teenager, or risk deep divisions in France” (F24), but also called for a return to authority (!) (TG);         a warning against copying far right rhetoric to try to win votes (DW) - but see also this (TND);   more atrocities in Mali (VoA), where a new constitution has given the president sweeping powers (bbc ^TP );  
• in Australia:   
• on the proposed Voice to the Parliament in Australia:   “Indigenous voice opponents’ call for more detail is a furphy, Noel Pearson says” (TG) - see also here, which points out “MPs calling for Voice details are the ones who will determine the details” (NIT);   a rejection of the possibility of deferring the referendum (TC);   a rebuttal of claims that ATSIC was a failure (TC);         calls for a “no” campaigner to resign for century-old racism (TG) - see also here (TG);  
  
  
• assessment of democracy or risks/issues in:   Cambodia (TG),   Spain (F24) - see also here (F24) (at least the far right appears to have lost support (TG)),   Bangladesh (DW),   political staffers (TC);
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):
  
• as a female federal MP is identified by a NSW radio station after making an internal (TND) complaint over sexist and misogynistic abuse (TND), the NSW Parliament announces it will spend $15 million on “anti-bullying and harassment reforms after report into parliament culture” (TG);   “thousands of people took to the streets in a handful of Muslim-majority countries ... to express their outrage at the desecration of a copy of the Koran in Sweden, a day after protesters stormed the country's embassy in Iraq” (F24) - see also here (DW);   “working from home has worked for people with disability. The back-to-the-office push could wind back gains” (TC);   “visa conditions prevent survivors of modern slavery from getting help” (TC);  
  
• human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred or actions have been taken to support human rights in:   Nigeria (VoA),   Ethiopia (AN);
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   more casual and contemptible playing games with peoples lives by a notorious republican governor in the USA (TG);  
  more refugee issues:   Italy/the Mediterranean (AN);
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   “two months after he stepped down from hosting Q+A after receiving “grotesque racist abuse”, Stan Grant has chosen to walk away from the high-profile role for new ABC projects” (TG) - see also here (NIT);  
  more racism issues:   racist sports fans (TG) - see also here (NIT),   NT (NIT);
  
  
• noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    “the case of a humiliating police operation in response to a woman who’d taken an abortion pill has intensified debate over whether Poland’s abortion laws have gone too far” (DW);  
  more sexism issues:   Australian universities (TC),   Rwanda/Africa (rfi);
  
  
• noting the laws listed here, the conventions listed here, and principles discussed here, here, here, here, and here, on ANIMALS and the RIGHTS OF ANIMALS and other forms of life:   double standards of a zoo (TBS);   public safety laws in Qld will also have animal welfare benefits (TBS);
  
  
• 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:   the effects of inadequate support services for released prisoners (TC); 
• 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:   new national benefits (TG) for casual (TND) employees (TC) - see also here (TC);   “a construction worker was accused of being on drugs. Then he died of heatstroke” (MJ); 

(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 above - or to at least refer to them. Don't forget to CHECK whether your nation has RATIFIED the treaty concerned.)

Abbreviations:   3KND radio - 3KND;   Aeon Magazine - Aeon;   Africa Centre for Strategic Studies - ACSS;   Africa News - AN;   Al Jazeera - AJ;   All Africa - AA;   Amnesty International - AI;   Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project - ACLED;   Associated Press - AP;   Australian Associated Press - AAP;   Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC ^TP ;   Australian Independent Media Network - AIMN;   Australian Unions - AU;   Barrons;   Bellingcat (B);   Bloomberg - BB;   British Broadcasting Commission - bbc ^TP ;   Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - CBC;   Centre for Strategic and International Studies - CSIS;   Committee to Protect Journalists - CPJ;   Context - CT;   the (US) Council on Foreign Relations (CFR);   Crikey - C [$];   Dabanga Sudan - DS;   Deutsche Welle - DW;   European Union - EU;   Forbes - F;   Foreign Policy - FP;   France 24 - F24 ^TP ;   Freedom House - FH;   Genocide Watch - GW;   Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - GCR2P;   Good News Network - GNN;   HumAngle - HmA;   Human Rights Law Centre - HRLC;   Human Rights Watch - HRW;   Independent Australia - IA;   International Crisis Group - ICG;   Jessica Wildfire (Substack) - JW;   Juan Cole Informed Comment - JC;   Just Equal - JE;   Lawfare Blog - LFB;   Le Monde - LM;   LGBT Nation;   Lowy Institute - The Interpreter - Lowy;   Mail & Guardian - MG;   mainstream media - MSM;   Mary L Trump - MLT;   Medium - M;   Michael West (news media platform) - MW;   Middle East Eye - MEE;   Minority Rights Group - MRG;   Mother Jones - MJ;   Nation Africa - NA;   National Indigenous Television - NITV;   National Indigenous Times - NIT;   Nature Magazine - Nature;   NBC News - NBC;   News24;   Pearls and Irritations - PnI;   Pink News - PN;   Political Violence at a Glance - PVG;   Politico - P;   Premium Times Nigeria - PT;   ProPublica - PP;   Q News - QN;   Quartz - Q;   Radio France International - rfi;   Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE);   Raw Story - RS;   Renew Economy - RE;    Reuters - R;   Robert Reich - RR;   (Bruce) Schneier - Sch;   Special Broadcasting Service - SBS;   Star Observer - Star;   Sudan Tribune - ST;   Sydney Morning Herald - SMH;   Teri Kanefield - TK;   The Age - TA ^TP ;   The Big Smoke (TBS);   The Conversation - TC ^TP ;   The Defence Post - TDP;   The East African - TEA;   The Guardian - TG;   The (Nigerian) Guardian - TG-N;   The Hindu - TH;   The Monthly - TM;   The New Daily - TND;   The New Humanitarian - TNH;   The Saturday Paper - TSP;   The Sentry - TS;   The Shot - TS;   Timothy Snyder - TS;   Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA;   United Nations - UN;   Vice - V;   Voice of America - VoA;   Wall Street Journal - WSJ [$];   War on the Rocks - WotR;   Washington Post - WP [$] ^TP ;   Wikipedia - WkP;   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. Sources with evidence of being transphobic may be marked with a ^TP .

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header; 
• I expect readers to take positive action on at least some of these stories - e.g., write to elected representatives, where that is possible. 
  

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong in my views or commentary - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Vote Yes for the Voice in Australia.

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