Saturday, 8 July 2023

Some human rights and other news links [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war, evil. Reader discretion is advised!] and thoughts - Saturday 8th July, 2023

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).

  • Israel has admitted wanting to obliterate Palestinian hope, France is continuing a decades long pattern of inaction and violence - as are various other parts of the world in other situations, conservatives in Australia (and transphobes in the USA) are perpetuating the worst of past abuses as people are duped and allow themselves to be duped by the rich and powerful elites - the 1% of the 1%, and Haiti’s living nightmare continues unabated, unnoticed and uncared about: there has been some outstanding holding of evil to account, but fascists are still making far too many wins.

  • on ISSUES OF MAJOR GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE and/or ACROSS MULTIPLE CATEGORIES: 
    • “situational ethics, why bad people think of themselves as good” (M);         the desperate situation in Haiti (UN) - see also here (UN) and here (F24);   recommendations for slavery reparations have been presented in the USA (M);   racist violence against refugees/migrants in Tunisia (F24) and blatant denialism about a past massacre of black people (including aerial attacks) by whites in the USA (Raw Story);  
    • the utter evil of the notorious RoboDebt scheme - which caused thousands of suicides (ABC) - has been revealed by the Royal Commission, along with the responsibility of the public service and politicians, and recommendations for civil and criminal charges made - see here (TG), here (TND), here (TG), here (SBS), here (TND), here (ABC), here (TG), and here (TG); 
    • as violent (LM) protests (F24) continue (LM) in France after the recent killing by police of an African (F24) driver, although the level of violence may be falling (F24), the French President defers an overseas trip (TND) and plans a three stage (empathy, firmness, and a moral jolt) response (LM), tourism slows (F24), and union of the EXTREMELY racist (F24) and trigger happy (F24) French police complains (LM) - and Macron is considered to be dependent on them (TG);   consideration of the possibility that the far right might benefit from the riots (F24);   France’s President is considering the authoritarian approach of cutting off social media in future urban unrest (TG) - see also here (LM);   damaged businesses are in crisis after the riots (LM);    a Q & A with a journalist covers the predominantly teen male rioters, that this is not all political, and other matters (LM);   an opinion the problem is lack of justice (LM);         “a campaign to raise money for the family of the policeman who shot dead French teenager Nahel M. topped 1.47 million euros (US$1.6 million) ..., far outstripping donations to Nahel’s family and causing shame and anger among many French people” (F24);         see a review of international reactions here (LM) and community reactions here (LM), an examination of one suburb here (TG), and an excellent editorial comment here (LM) - see also here, on the racism (LM),         here on the anger that has been building for years (TC), past killings by French police during traffic stops (LM), and here, on the role of France’s racist, colonialist past (DW), and here on the social pressure (oppression) and inaction behind the latest in a four decade history of protests - each next wave made inevitable by the lack of response to the prior (TC) - see also here (F24) - and now an incompetent government Minister has rejected systemic racism out of hand! (F24);   the initial investigations have recommended that the police member who killed the driver be kept in provisional detention (LM);         “France's double uprising: will the Earth be habitable; will France be habitable for people of colour?” (JC);  
    • as “Israeli officials ... promot[e] impunity for settler-colonial violence” (JC) and Israel makes the biggest military attack on the West Bank in 20 years (TG), cutting off (MSF) medical care causing thousands of refugees - possibly remembering (AJ) this (WkP) -  to flee a refugees camp (TG) and a retaliatory attack in Israel (TG) - see also here (JC), here (UN), here (UN), and here (TG) ... and Israel is now (TG) being forced (TG) to withdraw (SBS), allowing this (DW) and this (TG) recounting of the experiences of Palestinians (DW) ;   see this overall assessment of weakness (TG);   Israel has also attacked a facility in Syria (F24);   “Israeli Prime Minister ... is known to be against the establishment of a Palestinian state, but now he has made it clear that he wants to go even further. “We need to eliminate [Palestinian Arab] aspirations for a state,” he told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee as reported in Israeli media on 26 June” (JC);   there are new options for defining antisemitism (Israel is pushing a version that bans criticising Israel) (JC); 

  • on FAR RIGHT (AND LEFT) WING EXTREMISM AND HATE:  
    • mainstream bookstores are selling evil (S_______, neo-n___) books (Bellingcat);   an examination of why transphobes deny the reality that they are killing trans people (M);   a rebuttal of pseudo-christian rubbish about home schooling (TBS);    a visa was issued (TND) to the notorious son of former potus45 for an anti-democratic, stirring-up-trouble (my words) trip (TG) to Australia - albeit allegedly too late, leading to a postponement of his quest for mass adulation (why did Home Affairs issue this? Coming so soon after Minshull-Keen, are they infested with far right extremist/bigot sympathisers?);         republicans in the USA have limited attempts by the Biden administration to stop lying on social media by conspiracy fantasists (TG);   “the [US] Supreme Court didn't protect colour-blindness but [their] opportunity to labour under a hereditary plutocracy” (JC);         a sheriff in one US state is breaking the law to provide personal information to states that have banned abortion (which is either breaking the law deliberately or through gross incompetence - the extent suggests the former, which makes this person a possible accomplice to murder or other crimes) (The Sacramento Bee);

  • on the CLIMATE CRISIS (noting the UNFCCC) and ENVIRONMENT (noting multiple  international agreements): 
  • on NATURAL and OTHER DISASTERS (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter) including COVID-19 AND OTHER PANDEMICS: 
    • millions are experiencing hunger (AN) in West Africa as  result of the WFP funding crisis (UN), and child malnutrition in Nigeria (PT) - and the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine threatens global food security (Lowy);         grave concerns about the coming bushfire season in Australia (TND);         floods in China have displaced thousands and killed at least 15 people (TG) - and Nigeria has activated its flood response plan (AP), and floods have killed at least 50 people in Pakistan (Phys.org);   a storm in Europe (F24);         18 million initial anti-malaria vaccine doses will be delivered to 12 African nations to address a disease that kills half a million children a year (TG);         a bus fire in India has killed 25 people (ABC);   a gas leak in a mine in South Africa has killed 17 people (DW);  

  • on MISGOVERNANCE, MAL-/MIS-/NON-FEASANCE, MISCONDUCT, CORRUPTION (noting international  agreements and monitoring) and other democracy-threatening CRIMES and/or other THREATS TO DEMOCRACY/FREEDOM including GREED: 
    • “how contractor CEOs get rich off taxpayers”;         “France set to allow police to spy through phones” (LM);   police brutality in South Africa (AJ);   concern that an investigation into a major misuse of power by police that threatened justice in my home state has been ended with no output (TC);  unbelievably some police "think" they can handcuff people who report others committing self harm without any problems for the INNOCENT person they have handcuffed (ABC);         more on the tax leak scandal in my nation (Australia) here (TND), which has led to “calls to ban political donations from Australia’s big four consultancies after PwC scandal” (TG) - and the new anti-corruption organisation will pay particular attention to consultants (TND);   how lawyers are trying to help inadequately protected whistleblowers (TM);  
    • concerns around past/current/potential  corruption/crimes/misgovernance/malfeasance/misconduct/threats to democracy or freedom, incl. greed, also in:   Cameroon (PT);

  • 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 USA is, in a blow to international law, decency, and the prospects of continuing support, going to provide Ukraine with cluster (TG) bombs (TND) - which are banned by 120 nations - this just extended the probable timeline of the war, IMO. The problem is a lack of ammunition, which to date has been donated. During World War Two, US support was on the basis of future repayment: maybe it is time to consider that? Might be better than increasing Ukraine’s use of this human rights abusing weapon ... - see also this, on this probably being a long war (ICG);  
    • on military matters:   Ukraine says munitions limitations are limiting their counteroffensive (F24);   
    • on the nuclear (weapons and power) situations:   “in Zaporizhzhia, residents are practicing evacuations, fearful of a nuclear disaster” (LM) - see also here ([US] ABC News) ... but “the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine is now reconnected to its only back-up power line after four months, but the power situation at the site remains “highly vulnerable”” (UN);  “Belarusian President ..., the Kremlin's staunchest ally in its war in Ukraine, said ... he was certain Russian tactical nuclear weapons deployed in his country would never be used” - and, given his key role in ending the insurrection last week in Russia, he has some credibility ... but is that enough if putin decides to try this anyway? (R);   claims that China warned russia against using nuclear weapons in Belarus (Business Insider), and that Belarus has a veto over using nuclear weapons (R);  
    • on human rights in the region and globally:   the devastating consequences of cancelling the Ukraine grain export deal (DW);  
    • inside russia:   a consideration on how putin’s reign could be ended (ABC);
       
  • on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
    • a “US State Department review of 2021 Afghanistan evacuation critical of” the current and preceding US President (ABC);   “diplomacy is the only way to effectively address the Iranian nuclear issue” (UN);         disinformation researchers are being attacked by conservatives for not going along with the conservatives (Nature);         an examination of Russia’s and China’s possible plans to dominate Eurasia (YT) as “Hong Kong police offer [a] bounty for information on activists who fled abroad” (F24) and will chase them for life (F24) - see also here (TC), here (SBS), here on China falsely claiming Australia is harbouring fugitives - who are actually pro-democracy activists fleeing Chinese repression (ABC), and here (TG) - and supporters in Hong Kong have been arrested (TG);   “Chinese navy’s 5-day Nigeria visit marks rare West Africa foray ... amid speculation that the Gulf of Guinea could offer a base” (AJ);   “China to curb exports of crucial semiconductor metals” (F24);         Africa’s contested (colonial) borders are to be resolved by 2027 (TEA);  
    • 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 continuing conflict in Sudan is intensifying (The Globe and Mail) - see also here (DS) - despite calls for pressure to end the conflict (DS) and includes widespread (UN) rapes (F24) - see also here (UN) and here (JC) - and could undermine regional stability (which is a repeat warning) (ST);            “Australia joins UK and Canada in calling for a stop to new settlements in the West Bank” (SBS);         the latest Russian airstrikes in Syria show that Syrian civilians are paying the price for the ongoing power struggle between Russia, Syria, and Türkiye (DW);         Saudi Arabia MIGHT be preparing to leave the war in Yemen (DW);  
    • incidents / action of concern in/regarding:   Rwanda/CAR (ICG); 
    • violence in:   DRC (BTI),   Burkina Faso (news24),   Kenya (news24);
    • mass gun shootings in the USA:   a “block (TND) party (TG)” and elsewhere (TG) - see also this (TG) and this (AP);

  • on DEMOCRACY, SOVEREIGNTY / SELF-DETERMINATION, AND GOVERNANCE (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
    • globally:   “against a backdrop of growing misinformation, political polarization, and a breakdown in trust between citizens and those who govern them, the UN is promoting the direct participation of citizens in decisions that affect them and their communities to rebuild trust in democracy” (UN);   an examination of the growth of the far right in Germany (DW) - which may deter skilled workers (DW);   “President Macky Sall rules out third-term re-election bid, spelling relief for tense Senegal” (F24);   a criticism of the US supreme court  (JC);   a win for investigative media in South Africa (VoA);   some US Senators want to extend who can receive compensation for exposure to radiation from nuclear tests in the USA (AP) - see also here (WkP);  
    • in Australia:   “it’s looking increasingly like inflation targets may have outlived their usefulness ... As the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) said in its annual report last week: “It is the first time that … a surge in inflation has coexisted with widespread financial vulnerabilities”” (TND);   “parents say childcare centres pushing up rates as Labor’s subsidy kicks in” (which looks like price gouging) (TG);   “advocates call for levy on gambling company earnings to fund addiction rehab” (TG);   “‘inequality is deepening’: demand for Australia’s support services rockets as cost of living bites” (TG);   a regional local Council has moved meetings online after disruptive behaviour from public - which included misogynistic abuse of women Councillors (ABC);   a report alleges “ABC Managing Director ... admits to helping promote [a notorious conservative]’s propagandists and lies” (Kangaroo Court of Australia) (the name of that outlet causes me to have concerns, as does no other outlet reporting this: be cautious about it, Dear Reader - but it is consistent with what I have observed of the ABC);  
      • on the proposed Voice to the Parliament in Australia:   large rallies in support of a Yes vote (TG);   in response to a clueless question from a neoliberal shadow Minister, and after acknowledging that we were defeated in Afghanistan by an Indigenous force who knew the land intimately, a veteran has said he would welcome Indigenous input on defending Australia (TG) - and, particularly after watching The Australia Wars, I agree with that sentiment;   a far right extremist politician’s latest extremist demand may divide the no campaign (TND), and the Equality Phobic Potato is at it again (TND) - see also this (TND);   “voting yes in the voice to parliament referendum is an “act of patriotism”, with the advisory body to be asked to focus on “new perspectives to old challenges” in health, education, jobs and housing, the Indigenous Australians minister says” (TG) - see also here (NIT);   “here is the truth about Aboriginal ‘elites’: all they have achieved had to be fought for” (TG);         an appalling racist ad from a conservative group as part of the “no” campaign (TND), with a belated apology from the paper concerned (TG) - see also here (SBS); 
    • suppression of opposition / dissent / media in:   Belarus (BTI),   Venezuela (BTI),   Iran (JC),   Finland (Council of Europe);
      assessment of democracy or risks/issues in:   Mali (AN) - see also here (TDP),         Zimbabwe (news24),   Pakistan (DW),   Bhutan (ABC),   Cambodia (CT),   South Sudan (VoA),   South Sudan (AP); 

  • on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):
    • ten years of human rights abuses in Egypt after the coup (DW);    “eighty Afghan civilians may have been summarily killed by SAS, inquiry told. Lawyers for bereaved families allege British soldiers carried out policy of terminating all fighting-age men” (TG);   “Haitians turn to mob justice as the gang threat festers” (ICG);   a woman has demanded that a Senator cease years of concerning behaviour that led to a publicly apologised for mishandling a rape allegation and a public apology for defamation (TND) - see also here (TG);   “the Brazilian football team has arrived in Australia for the Women’s World Cup ... on a plane bearing the pictures of Iranians Mahsa Amini and Amir Nasr Azadani on the tail. On the body of the plane were the words: “No woman should be forced to cover her head” and “No man should be hanged for saying this”” (TG);   the classist and racist notion of performative hygiene (TC);   “new UN policy paper launched to counter and address online hate” (UN);   “ten jailed in India over torture and lynching of Muslim man” (TG);   Saudi Arabia may not be trying to sportswash its human rights abuses as it doesn’t care about its human rights abuses (TC);   a slavery case in Australia (ABC);   “albinism community in Malawi demands an end to attacks” (these attacks are for truly disturbing purposes [content warning for link: abuse of corpses] ) (VoA);  
    • human rights are at risk or abuses have also occurred or actions have been taken to support human rights in:   Cameroon (F24) - see also here (rfi),   Burundi/UN HRC (R),   Iran/UN HRC (UN),   Nigeria (TNH);

    • noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:   an atrocity alert for children and armed conflict, and Mali - see also here (UN);

    • noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES:   debunking migration myths (JC);   a “Tamil mother begs Labor to intervene and stop son's deportation” to likely torture in Sri Lanka (SBS);   “the Australian government’s detention of a refugee in Melbourne hotels for more than 14 months “lacked ordinary human decency” but did not breach federal laws, a court has found” (TG);

    • noting the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE:   support for trans rights has declined (M);   an examination of the inherent problems of police at queer events (M);   although there has been a major set back in the USA, in recent decades religious extremists there have mostly lost their cases and human rights upheld ... but that may change now (TC);   a ludicrous claim by a religious extremist party in NSW (QN);   “police bias could have led to evidence being destroyed, NSW gay hate inquiry hears” (police claim different rules then was the cause) (TG);   protests against a trans-hating “mothers” group in the USA (F24);    more transphobia in the UK courts (M);   “forty-five Victorian LGBTQI organisations have come together to demand action against the targeting of queer and drag storytime events in the state by far-right groups and neo-n___s” (Star);   “the Trans Justice Project has called for a correction and apology from Media Watch following its June 26 report covering gender-affirming care ... called out the segment’s “lack of accuracy, balance, and fairness”” (Star);   contrary to the latest rubbish from transphobes, trans women can produce breast milk - and the genocidal gender crits do not have the right to define language (M);  
      more LGBTIQA+ issues/stories:   Argentina (good news) (Open Democracy),   USA/Africa (TG);

    • noting ICERD and DRIP on RACISM:   more dual place names proposed (TND) - see also here (NIT);   “‘why didn’t we know?’ is no excuse. Non-Indigenous Australians must listen to the difficult historical truths told by First Nations people” (TC);   “health peak body urges Federal government to lower pension age for Indigenous people” (NIT);   a call for respect for sovereignty rather than equity (IndigenousX);   hunters have burned culturally significant trees - although they may not have known of their significance (NIT);   a critique of WA’s new cultural protection act finds it likely inadequate (TC);   “ancestral remains to return home to north Queensland almost 100 years later” (NIT);   “an arm of the Victorian construction union that represents First Nations workers claims non-Indigenous businesses are rorting Aboriginal companies out of millions of dollars through a practice known as “Black cladding”” (NIT);         a myth about slavery (M);   “civil rights groups are challenging the inherent racism of legacy admissions - which continue the historical predominance of white students - to a US university” (MJ);  
      more racism issues:   sport (TND),   Vic police (NIT);

    • noting CEDAW on SEXISM:    “misogyny and sexual violence in the music industry ... Too often the victims are blamed” (DW);   George Orwell was a misogynist and sexual predator who hid his reliance on his wife for his literary output (TC);   pre-historic reality does NOT match modern misogynistic archaeological notions (ABC);  
      more sexism issues:   live music venues (TG),   Kyrgyzstan (TG),   New Zealand (TC),   health professionals (ABC);
    • 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:   searching for a sanctuary for abandoned animals in Ukraine (UN);   ““pets in prison” programs, in which prisoners prepare animals for adoption, are benefitting our furry friends and their caged counterparts” (TBS);   dozens of dogs were rescued from an illegal breeding operation (TG);   conspiracy fantasists forced the closure of an animal refuge in NSW (ABC);  
      more rights of animal, plant, and other forms of life issues:   grey whales (TG);

    • 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:   another computer breach (TG) is raising questions about the sort of information people keep (TND);  
      more privacy issues:   Bangladesh (TechCrunch);

    • 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:   India might adopt a single legal code across the nation (ABC);  

    • noting the CRPD on PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:   “in Nepal, surgeon runs free treatment camps for impoverished blind people” (F24);   two famous Australian writers of the past were deaf (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:   the four day working week is popular with workers (TND);   support for WFH as being subversive of corporations (JW);

    • 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:    international students are being forced to hot bed with strangers to pay the rent (SBS) - see also here (TND) and here (TG);   trauma-informed design for some homelessness shelters (GNN);  
       
  • more criticism of the errors in BMI (New Scientist);   “massive Norwegian phosphate rock deposit can meet fertiliser, solar, and EV battery demand for 100 years” (TechSpot);  
(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.


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